Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-31
SHOCK OVER DEATH Of
SON RESULTS FATALLY
To MRS. W. 7. SMITH
News of Killing Of Fielding
Smith in Automobile Acct
dent Sunday Brings Stroke
of ApOpIexy to Mother

ing smith III an AUTOMOBILE accident on
the Marietta road early Sunday morn
ing, was the death of his mother. Mrs.
w. T. Smith, Monday morning at the
family home, 81 Cleburne avenue.
Mrs. Smiths death was due to a
stroke of apoplexy brought on by the
shock, caused by the death of her son,
shortly after 10 o'clock this morning.
Mrs. Smith was found in an uncon-
scious condition about s o'clock this
morning, when members of her house
hold visited her room to carry her 3
cup of coffee. She never regained con-
seriousness, although physicians were
summoned at once and did everything
possible to save her life.
Captain w. T. Smith, who was sum-
moned from Corsicana, Tex, Immediate
ly after the accident in which his son,
Fielding Smith, was killed, does not
yet know of his wifes sudden death.
Friends will leave Atlanta this after
noon to meet him and tell him the sad
news. He is expected to arrive here
late tonight.
Besides her husband, Mrs. Smith is
survived by her son, Francis Smith,
and by a brother, Lewis Dick, of Rome,
Georgia.
BORN IN ROME.
Mrs. Smith was born in Rome. She
was Miss Maybe Dick, daughter Of Mr..
and Mrs. William Dick. Her mother
was Miss Doughty, of Augusta Her
father was one of the leading citizens
of South Carolina.
Mrs. Smith was reared in Rome, and
il was there that she married. She
came to Atlanta about twenty-five years
ago, and had lived here ever since.
Eel
closely upon the tragedy in which her
son lost his life, strikes sorrow to hun
dreds of devoted friends. A woman of
rare intellectual gifts and beautiful
character, she had endeared herself TO
the community in which she lived.
The funeral services for Mrs. Smith
and for her son, Mr.. Fielding Smith,
will be held at the residence tomorrow
morning at II o'clock. DR.. C. b. Will
mer will conduct the services. The in
terment will be at West View and will
be private.
Fielding Smith was killed when his
automobile, carrying four friends, re-
turning from a pOssum hunt at the
country home of Judge Samuel c. At
kinson, crashed into a culvert about
nine miles from Atlanta on the Mari
eta road.
The injured are:
Miss Nell Waldo daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs =. L. Waldo, of 176 CIeburne ave-
nue.. She is bruised about the head and
shoulders, but it was stated at her home.
where she was taken following the &C
cident, that her injuries are not danger
GUS
Miss May Belle Clark, daughter of w.
c. Clark, of Covington, and a visitor at
the home of w. $. Whitman in Atlanta.
She is at the Davis-Fischer sanitarium,
suffering from bruises on the head but
no serious injuries.
Ernest Schoen, an employee of the
Cotton Insurance association and a res
the Davis-Fischer sanitarium with minor
bruises on the head and body.
St. John Brooks, assistant football
coach at the Georgia School of Tech
nology. He was taken to Davis-Fischer,
but later was able to go to his home on
Fourteenth street. His injuries are not
serious.
The accident is one of the saddeest
in the history of Atlanta. All of the
young people in the party are we'll known
and universally popular Mr. Smith was
superintendent of the Cotton Insurance
association. His death has brought deep
grief to hundreds of friends throughout
the state.
HAD BEEN TO POSSCM HUNT.
Mr. Smith and a number of his friends
had been to the country home Of Judge
Atkinson near Smyrna, Ga, for a possum
hunt Saturday night Miss Waldo is
niece. of Mrs. Atkinson. With them were
Mr.. Smiths brother. Francis Smith. and
his wife; Lamar Collier, of 252 West
Peachtree street: Miss Ellen O'Keefe,
daughter of Mrs. S. c. OKeefe, of Pa
East North avenue, and John Hudgens,
of Smyrna.
The party were in three automobiles.
After the hunt they returned to Judge
Atlxinsons home about midnight for
supper, and about 2 o'clock Sunday
morning left for Atlanta. Judge At
kinson had intended to go with them,
but at the last minute decided not to
because of the lateness of the hour.
In the first automobile were Mr.. and
Mrs. Francis Smith, who had chaper-
oned the party.
HEADLIGHTS DIM.
The second car was Mr. Smiths, with
Miss Waldo on the front seat beside
Mr. Smith, and Miss Clarke. Mr.. Scho-
en- and Mr.. Brooks in the rear seat. John
Hudgius rode with them as far
as his home in Smyrna. Mr.. Collier and
Miss O'Keefe followed in Mr.. Golfers
roadster.
Mr.. Smiths machine was a Franklin
touring car. 1t is believed that the &C
cident was caused by the fact that his
headlights were burning rather dimly
and he was none too familiar with the
road
The scene of the accident is about
nine miles from Atlanta on the Mari
eta road. The road runs under the
Marietta car line at this point, making
a sharp turn to the left underneath the
culvert Mr.. Smith evidently came upon
the culvert Unexpectedly, for members
of the party say he swerved quickly
to the left The car skidded and crashed
directly into the concrete side Of the
culYert turning over.