Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-03-24
c. M. ELDRIDCE,
JEWELER, ENDS
LIFE WITH SHOT
Young Business Man Found Dead
In Store With His Pistol
At Side

early this morning by the news, which
spread almost instantly. that Griff
NJ Eldridge, young Americus jewell
er, had been found dead in the of
flee in the rear of his store in the
Windsor hotel building with pistol
wound through the heart and his
pistol lying at his side.
! At a eoroner's inquest held shSrt-
ly after the body was found ver-
diet was returned finding that he
came to his death by a self-inflicted
wound.
A sealed letter addressed "My
Wife," and another labeled My
| WILL" were found on his desk near
| the body. What the letter to his
wife contained has not been made
public, and in the absence of this in
| formation nothing has been disclosed
concerning the motive, if known, for
his deed. He carried life insur
anee for $4,000, all Of which had
been in force long enough to make
I the 0ne-year suicide clause not APP
ply.
1t was shortly after 6 O'Clock this
morning that Mrs Mamie Eldridge,
wife of Mr.. Eldfidge, called his
brother, City Clerk z. j. Eldridge,
| by telephone, the latter told the cor
| oner's jury, and informed him that
her husband had gone down to
the store about 10 o'clock last
night and that she had fallen
| asleep and had not known until this
morning that he had not returned.
She said he had told her he had for
gotten to put in the store safe the
three big silver vases, worth ST.
500, which he had recently received
and had on display in the window
She asked her brother-in-law to go
down town and see if hS could find
his brother or learn if anything had
happened to him.
Saw Part Of Body.
Mr.. Eldridge went to the jewelry
store, which is located on La
mar street at the Windsor hotel, and
peering through the rlate glass win
dows failed to see anything unusual.
Entering the hotel writing room in
the rear of the store, he peeped in
through a small opening into the
J1Nsily stblt OllIlE anu saw WnAb
he thought were the feet of his
brother, Hurrying to The home of
Prather Henderson, ieweler employ
ed in the store, who carried a key
and usually opened the place each
morning, he found Mr.. Henderson
at breakfast, and brought him at
once to the store. Entering they
found the owners dead body lying
stretched out straight on the floor
Of the office.
A .38 automatic Remington piss
tol, with one steel cartridge fired.
which afterwards was identified as
his own gun, was found at his side,
and there was wound over the To-
cation of the heart,
On the desk close by were his
spectacles and watch which he had
carefully removed, and his vest was
unbuttoned. He wore no collar.
Dr.. Herschel Smith. who was call
cd almost Immediately, found the
wound had reached the heart and
the bullet was lodged near the shoui-
er blade in the back
Mr.. Eldridge, Mr.. Henderson and
DR.. Smith were the. only witnesses
before the eoroner's inquest.
Clerk Heard Nothing.
The night clerk at the Windsor
hotel informed Sheriff Harvey that
he had heard no unusual sound dur
Ing the night. although he remenl-
bered a nruffled sound that might
have been the report from the pis-
tol or might not
At the direction of Coroner Ed
jenkins, of Leslie, who presided at
the induests, the note to Mrs. Ell
bridge and the envelope marked viii
were taken at once to her by f. j..
Eldridge and Fire Chief Macarthur,
her uncle. The coroner's jury con-
sisted of V. NJ. Holloway, foreman:
! j. K. Cutler, c. NJ. Bradley, w. T..
Kenmore, H. d. Hansford and j ID.
Bolton.
Mr.. Eldridge was one of the most
| popular young men Of the commune
ty, in which he was reared, and his
J death was q great shock. He was
cheerful and congenial to everyone
He purchased the jewelry store,
! which is beautiful establishment,
! lEom ,. "A. DanieI ABOUT Two years
ago when the health of the latter
forced him to move to Florida. AL
| though business has not been good
| for the jewelr for some time, it is not
believed the condition Of his affairs
was such as to have caused his act
unless he had been seized with a
! fit of despondency While checking up
his business.
Funeral Sunday.
/ Griffith Morgan Eldridge, who was
| born and reared in Americus, was
81 years of age. lie was the son
Of the late Dir. G. VI. Eldridge promi-
nent in the eiyic affairs of Ameri-
Gus.
He was member of the Episcopal
church, as well as a member Of the
Masonic Lodge, He was a Knight
Templar and Shriner.
1, He is survived by his widow, Mrs.
Mamie Macarthur Eldridge, two
young sons, Griffith Morgan Ed
i ridge, Jr., and James Donaldson Ed
ridge. together with q small daugh-
ter, Ruth Elizabeth Eldridge. His
mother, Mrs. Matte M. Eldridge. two