Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-01
ROBBERY motive
SEEN IN TRAGEDY
|NOFF|CER'S HOME
Policeman Anderson, Detect
ing 0dOr Finds Wife Dead
and His Son in a Critical
Condition 1t. Ibid.

An open gas jet and a gassfiiled
room accounted for the death Of Mrs.
W. F. Anderson, Of 38 Windsor
street, when her husband, popular
member of the Atlanta police depart.
ment, found her lifeless body early
Wednesday morning.
Beside an open window lay the
unconscious form of her ten-year-old
son, Edwin Furman Anderson, who
had almost succumbed to the deadly
fumes when his father entered the
room. The boy was rushed to the
Grady hospital, where he fingers be-
tween life and death, although his
condition is somewhat improved.
Call officer Anderson, rising early
Wednesday morning, went about his
accustomed tasks-milked the COW.
bottled the milk and then sat down
on the front porch to read his news-
paper. His room adjoins that occu-
pied by his wife and little boy, and
when he got up Wednesday morn
ing he did not go in to waken them.
Seated on the porch, officer Ander-
son got Whit of Illuminating gas
and going to investigate, entered tho
room where his wife and son were
sleeping. He was staggered by q
wave of gas that flowed out as he
opened the door.
On the bed lay the lifeless body
of his wife, while the boy was fud.
died near q partly opened window,
having evidently made an effort to
get relief from the deadly fumes THAI
had Weakened him.
A quick examination showed that
Mrs. Anderson was dead. Throwing
the windows wide open and turning
Off the flow of gas from a Jet that
was going full blast, the father
picked up his son and rushed out If
doors. An ambulance was summoned
and the boy was soon receiving at
tention at the Grady hospital. A pull
motor is being used in a desperate
effort to save his life.
Robbery Theory Advanced
That the tragedy may have oe-
CURED as the result of a robbery.
was the theory advanced by the DO
lice after an investigation of the
circumstances. Mrs. Anderson is said
TO nave had considerable sum of
| money in the house on Tuesday, but
thorough search Wednesday MORN
| ing tailed to disclose any cash what
ever. Even her purse was missing.
d. Pulliam, who occupies the flat
upstairs over the Andersons, told the
police he came in about 2:3O Wednes-
day morning, having finished his
work on morning newspaper. He
says he found the front door open,
but thought nothing of it, and went
along upstairs to, bed. Before fall.
ing asleep he heard some one stirring
about in the room underneath, ac-
cording to his statement to the au-
thorities. This was the room occu-
pied by Mrs. Anderson and her
young son.
officer Anderson declares that his
wife had been in the habit of sleep
ing with both windows wide open,
but when he rushed in Wednesday
morning he found one of them
closed and the other opened about
six inches from the bottom. There
are four gas jets in the room, but
lieves his son awoke in the night,
almost unconscious from the effects
of the escaping gas, made g. desper-
ate effort to reach window ana
succeeded in partially opening it.
Inquest to BE Held
Mrs. Anderson was thirty-six years
old She is survived by her husband
and two sisters, Miss Blanche Burke,
of Los Angeles, Cal, and Mrs. M. s.
Pennington, of Columbus, Ga; also
one brother, H. Fl. Burke, of Atlanta
The remains were removed to the
undertaking establishment Of Harry
G. Poole and Coroner Paul DonehoQ
was notified. An inquest will be held
at o'clock Wednesday afternoon.
Officer Anderson is one OF the olde
est members Of the police depart
ment in point of service. He has
been a member Of the department.
for twenty-five years and wears a
gold star awarded for conspicuous
bravery. He Is known as the hard
luck" member Of the department,
having received more bullet wounds
than any other officer and having Z
met with more mishaps than any
other in line of duty. Only two
weeks ago he was discharged from
the hospital after having been laid
up for seven weeks with bullet
wounds received in pistol battle
with a negro desperate.