The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-01-08
Police Are Unable to Say
Whether It Was Suicide
or an Accident
MRS. .GARRISH SAYS
1T WAS ACCIDENTAL
No Eyewitnesses to Tragedy-Widow
Says Her Husband Was in Best
of Spirits With No Reason
to Kill Himself

Harry HI. Garrish, aged So years. man.
ager of the National Cash Register COM
panys local branch at H17 First avenue,
north, was discovered by his wife shot
through the heart in the bathroom of
their home in the upstairs apartment of
the residence of J. B. Hayden 1920 Four
teenth avenue. south, about TAO o'clock
last night Mr.. Garrish died before ply
scians arrived on the scene. N
Police officers last night would not say
whether 1t was an accidental death or
case of suicide. Coroner Spain said
1t had been reported to him as a case
of suicide but he would not decide until
after careful examination. Mrs. Gar
IRISH declared that the shooting must have
been accidental as her husband was in
good spirits a few minutes previous to
his death and that there was no reason
for him to kill himself
y At 1850 o'clock. Johns ambulance was
notified by telephone and came to the
Hayden residence to get the body. At
about 9:45 o'clock Coroner Charles l..
Spain was notified of the death of Mr..
Garrish. At IL 80 o'clock the police de-
partment was notified of the shooting of
Mr.. Garrish by an Age-Herald reporter
and Detectives McGill and Christian and
Officer Eddie Burgess were detailed to
make an investigation.
No Eyewitnesses to Tragedy
At the Hayden residence the police
and reporters were received by J. w.
Jones, assistant local manager of the
National Cash Register company, who
consented to give all the known details
of the shooting. There were no eye
Witnesses Mr.. Jones informed the detec-
tives that Mrs. Garrish was Frustrated
and under the care of trained nurse.
The detectives asked to see the bath
room where the shooting occurred and
were shown upstairs to small room
and were told that Mr.. Garrish had been
picked up by his wife while he lay on
his back with his head out of thereon.
AS Mr.. Jones was explaining the details
Of the tragedy from an adjacent room
came voice which proved to be that
of Mrs. Garrish, calling for a reporter,
as she desired to make a statement. 1t
follows:
Il want nothing said about this in the
newspapers for the sake of my son, How
ard Garrish. who lives in Atlanta. 1t is
nothing but an accident and I've lost the
dearest husband in the whole wide
world.
t''He came home at the usual time and
was very happy. it seems, as the ac-
countant of the company had checked up
all his books and found them to be in
first class condition He came to me and
petted me and asked for a real nice din
ner which I prepared for him.
Heard Pistol Shot
l'At about 7:2O o'clock told him that
the nephew of Mrs. ]. B. Hayden had
been electrocuted at Panama and he went
downstairs to sympathize with her. Be-
fore he went down he tasted my salad
dressing and said: Yum. yum; that's
good. dearie; I'll be right back and went
down. He came back in few minutes,
l guess, and then heard something IKE
"a pistol shot, but thought it might be an
|yeutomobile, SO paid no attention.
u I'm a few minutes. about 7:4O o'clock,
81 called him for dinner and hearing no
'lanswer / went to see what was the mat
ter and found him stretched out on the
bathroom floor l thought he had tainted
I picked his head up and kissed him. He
klSSeu me also ana SHOOK my nan0. l
said: Don't fool with me. Harry, you're
all right; get up. honey, for dinner and
kissed him again and blood came out
Hot his mouth into mine. wondered what
Twas the matter and then called Mrs. Hay
,den. who was talking on the telephone.
IEhe came and we gave him a stimulant.
u PIE never spoke and died before the doc
d kors came.
I'VE are from Montgomery and came
| h. Birmingham in April. l have a son,
| who Ia just married in Atlanta. On
1IEhristmas eve, my father, DR.. B. r. Nc
y Eianathan, died after a long illness, and
mis- remains are still at the Johns Under
lkalking company awaiting burial. 1t was
bur intention to take the body of father
k&o our old homestead near Milwaukee,
Pin Wisconsin. In the spring."
"a few days ago in searching over
khe old clothes of my dead father found
DIVE pistols. L gave them to my hus-
lbahd and a few nights ago he decided
4 send them to two nephews, Orrin Will
lard. in New Orleans and Ray Mack in
Toronto, Canada. The trunks were
hacked and were to be sent tomorrow
when I think that my husband decided
o examine the pistols. 1t was. l be-
eve. while playing with one of the pis-
lois that it accidentally went on and
kilIed him. That is all know about It.
(Csntinusl - Pass Ten)