The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-21
NOTE ON DESK SAID HE WAS UNJUSTLY
 LINKED WITH CASE,
In Fine Spirits During Morning When Seen by Friends-Investigation
 to Be Thorough
By JACK BETHEA


 revolver clutchcd in one hand and
 note on his desk declaring that he was
 falsely suspected in connection with tue
 murder of Judge W. T. La,vler. Shelby
 $. PIeasants. the most prominent con-
 stitutionaI lawyer of north Alabama and an attorney of statewide reputa- tiOn, was found dead in his office this afternoon at 1:45 o'clock. There was a question tonight wheth. |. CT MT. Pleasants had committed sui eide and Solicitor Joseph Tate of the attorney generals office declared that the death would be probed to the bot tom.
 Even the palate of Huntsville. satiated during the past week by the sensational, was not proof against this bolt from the blue and the town ceased motion for an instant with gasp of horror. Simultaneously with the death of MT. Pleasants came the announcement Of the surrender to the authorities of Charles M. Nails, the circuit court clerk, but It scarcely created a ripple. NOT CONNECTED WITH CASE Had a Huntsville man been asked what was the thing least likely to happen it is quite probable that he would without all instant of delb beration have named the very thing which occurred with dra- matic suddenness this afternoon. It should be borne in mind that Pleasants name had not been mentioned in con nection with the murder of Judge Law Ter He was connected with neither fac- ton and took no interest in the fight between the two.
 Peasants was republican and made nc attempt to participate in democratic primaries. He had even refralned rom expressing an opinion on the Lawler case and so far as could be ascertained, had not been undulv interested in the mat ter. Consequently the note which he left was piling Pelion upon the Ossa of his death.
 NOTES CONTENTS WITHHELD The note was taken in charge by Coro- ner Poole and later turned over to rela- tives who withheld it from publication. The sense of the note however, became public property
 Briefly, the note declared that the writer had been falsely suspected of con- nection with the crime, that he was who'll ly innocent that he had been suffering from nervous prostration for five years and that he was unable to stand it longer The note concluded with plea for forgiveness
 Definite funeral arrangements had not been made tonight, pending advices from relatives outside of Huntsville, but they will probably be held Thursday afternoon from the residence of his mother Mrs. Marie Pleasants. Mrs. -Pleasants is his only immediate relative as he was un- married
 No element of the dramatic was lacking ir the death of Mr. Pleasants. After spending the day at his summer home at Monte Sano, he returned to Huntsville apparently in the best of health and spirits Bidding cheerful adieu to A. D. Rogers, who had accompanied him, he ascended the stairs to his office on Bank Row, just across the street from the postoffice. His stenographer was out for dinner. He was seen no more alive.
 FOUND BY STENOGRAPHER MT. Pleasants ascended the stairs at four minutes of 1 o'clock About l.io Miss Katie Sanford. his stenosfapher returned to the office, but did not enter the rear office. thinking that MT. Pleas- ants was taking nap as was his GUS tom. For perhaps IS minutes she waited and then. with a premonitiin If evil, entered the rear office. ETr. Peasants lay curled up on the floor before his desk. His head rested in a coasulated mass of blood and in his head was bull let wound from the left side. Mr. Pleasants lay partially upon his left side, his right arm doubled under him and the left thrown backward. Tn his right hand revolver half hung and was half grasped. It was .3S-calibre Smith & Wesson and contained SIX sCOntinued on Page TwoD