Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-08-29
TAKES POISON, THEN
WRITES FINAL NOTES
EXPLAINING HIS DEED

When A. A Webb. former employa in
the Atlanta postoffice, left his home, Is
Argard avenue, at o'clock Friday aft
ernoon saying that he would be back to
supper, his family little suspected that
he was going to enact a tragedy that
compares with some of the grimnest
stories of EdEar Allen Poe.
Taking a dose of thirty grains of
aspirin, which he believed to be fatal,
he took a pencil and pad in his hand
and began writing his final memoir. tell
ing of the sensations of a man looking
death in the face and giving instructions
TO his family for his funeral and inter-
ment.
Then when the supposed poison did
rot work. he turned to another, carbolic
acid. and drank an ounce, more than
enough 70 accomplish his purpose.
without waiting for the deadly chemical
to do its work, he went to the Grant
park lake, left his watch, some change,
a number of letters, his coat and his
final memoir, the bulletin of approach
ing death, and then he plunged into the
lake.
Officers Cant and Robertson were
standing in front of the refreshment
stand engaged in conversation, when a
woman, whom they did not know, in
formed them that a man had thrown
himself in the lake.
GOES TO RESCUE.
As soon as they reached the spot, Mr..
Robertsoa took off his outer clothing
and waded out into the water, which Is
only three feet deep.
Mr.. Robertson found the body lying on
the bottom in the mud and he managed
to bring it to the bank with ease, but
found some difficulty in landing 1t. He
said that the water was too shallow to
drown anyone and that the man had
not been in the water sufnclent time
for drowning, anyway.
Among the letters of the man. left on
the bank, were found two from Senator
Hoke Smith and William Schley How
ard The memoir was ten pages in
length and the first bulletin was dated
D. m. and the last 7:15 p. m. 1t was
continued up to within a few moments
before he took his final plunge.
The memoir was in an envelope on
which was written open This" The
man told of his sufferings and straight
ened circumstances, since he lost his
position in the general delivery depart
ment of the Atlanta postotfice. At inter-
walls he described the despair he felt and
the physiological effect of the drug. To-
ward the last he directed his family to
have him inferred either at Abel, Ga, or
ByI omville, Ga, and declared that rela-
tives or friends would have to bear the
funeral expense, though he had small
amount of insurance.
After signing his name, he added a
postscript about the merry picnickers
coming to the park and contrasted their
mirth with his own gloom. His last re-
quest was that Boden & Hunter have
charge of his body.
Friends say that Mr.. Webb was treas
urer of the town of Adel, his birthplace,
during 1912, and a letter that was found
from the mayor of Abel recommended
him highly. After coming to Atlanta
four years ago, friends say that Mr..
Webb held a position in the Atlanta
postoffice, which he held until July, 1915.
RAN MILK DEPOT.
He afterwards opened milk depot on
Cleburne avenue. which did not pay.
Mr.. Webb is survived by his wife,
three daughters and two sons and by
his mother and three brothers living in
Abel. Nashville and Byromville. Mrs
Webb, his widow, is his second wife to
whom he had been married for four
years.
Miss Anita Webb is a county school
teacher at Covington, Ga; Miss Maud
Webb is employed with the Southern
Bell Telephone company here; Ralph
Webb is a student at the state Industrial
school at Hapeville, and the other son.
Willis, is at the home on Argard ave-
rue.
The body was carried Friday night
10 the chapel of Boden & Hunter.