Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-12-23
TURNER SUCCUMBS,
THIRD VICTIM Of
R|ORDAN' S WEAPON
Fred S. Stewart and Slayer,
Who Ended His Life,
Buried Sunday

Edward o. Riordan's third victim
died Sunday morning when s. +.
Turner, of Isl East Pine street, sue
cumbed at $50 o'clock to wounds
suffered Friday afternoon in the
tragedy at the Fred S. Stewart shoe
store.
Mr. Turner was shot down when
Riordan, supposedly in rage at being
dismissed from Mr.. Stewards employ,
shot his former employer to death
and also wounded II. E. Maddux, of
132 North Gambler street, then killed
himself. Mr.. MadduX is reported
safely on the road to recovery.
AT almost the same hour Sunday
afternoon. in widely separated sec
tions of the city, and under widely
different circumstances, funerals
were held for Mr.. Stewart and the
slayer, Riordan.
Mr.. Stewart was buried in West
View cemetery after services in the
West End Baptist church at
o'clock, conducted by DR.. w. M.
Seay. pastor, and DR.. John +. Pur-
ser, former pastor.
Pallbearers were Howard Dobbs,
+. E. Martin, Joserh Little, w. S.
\ Richardson, C. C. Chamberlain, Os-
car Venable, Frank Carter and l.
NJ. Sheffield. Masonic services at
the grave were in charge of w. u.
Luckie lodge.
Beautiful Floral Tributes
Riordan was buried in Oakland
cemetery after services conducted at
the undertaking establishment OF
n flnn
1 by the Rev. Father c. l.. Howe, of
the Sacred Heart church. Pallbear-
ers were F. F! Suttles, J. B. Robin
son. George A. Cofe, w. B. West.
Robert Lee and Earl Habin. An
honorary escort was composed OF
former comrades in the ranks of the
old Atlanta Greys, of the One Hun
dred and Twenty Infantry.
Four letters, sealed and addressed
to as many different persons, were
found in Riordan's pockets after the
: shooting, but their contents have not
81 been divulged by the authorities who
Z opened them before delivery. Nor
would the persons to W1cm the let
tors were addressed Indicate what
was he context. The enve: opes
were addressed to Mrs. Annie Wea-
yer Riordan, his wife; Claude c.
Smith, solicitor general of the Stone
Mountain circuit and former mill
tary comrade of Riord1n; Father
: Jackson, of the Church OF St. An.
hony; and w. j. Riordan, his broth
~, a well-known cotton broker, liv-
ing at. 80 Cherokee avenue.
Second Letter to Smith
Another letter, postmarlled at S
o.c.ock Friday night, but evident
ly dropped into "a mailboX by ,Rior-
\ dan not long before the shooting oc-
Cured. was received Saturday morn
ing by Solicitor Smith, who also
kept it's contents secret.
1t is known, however, that RiOr.
dan was greatly disturbed over the
discharge of his wife from the Stew.
art company's employ last summer,
and over the loss of his own posi-
ton with the concern about a week
ago after Is years service there.
Ordinarily of calm temperament, his
action Friday afternoon just before
the shooting indicated terrific men
I. tai stress and unreasoning rage. &C.
cording to eye-witnesses. He was at
home during the afternoon in his
apartment at 400 North Boulevard
telephoned to his little daughter,
Pattie, who was spending the day
!. with her grandmother, Mrs S. 7.
2 Weaver, of 81 Jones avenue; wrote
several letters and finally went
downtown, where he talked with his
wife about an hour before the shoot
ing.
1 1t appears that within an hour
after he talked with Mrs Riordan,
and bought her a new dress, giving
no intimation of the impending
tragedy, he walked into the Stweart
store and engaged Mr.. Stewart in
conversation, first about a letter of
recommendation and then about
what he chose to believe were in
justices done him while in the en-
ploy of the company. Mr.. Turner,
manager of the store, joined the
conversation, when suddenly Rior-
dan whipped out a 20 calber auto
matte pistol and began shooting.
Runs Amuck in Store
Mr.. Stewart fell mortally wound
cd, with one steel jacket bullet in
his brain and another through his
, neck. Then Riordan turned the gun
on Mr.. Turner, who was shot twice
once in the neck, and again in the
abdomen. His face livid and dis
torted with rage, Riordan turned
and started toward the stairway
leading down from the Alabam street
level of the store to the main floor.
He met Mr.. MadduX, manager OF
.the junior department, and fired
three times, two of the bullets TAX
ing effect in his hand and shoulder
Another bullet struck the floor be
tween the feet of Mrs. Wilbur king
assistant mana ger of the depart
ment.
Then the slayer pressed the auto
matte to hts forehead and fired the
last shot in the magazine through
his brain, falling dead across the
body of Mr.. MadduX, who had col
lapsed upon the floor.
Wild confusion reigned in the store
at the sound of the fuSilladc fire6
in the midst of the crowd of Christ
mas shoppers. Within few seconds
a tremendous throng had gathered
at the entrances as screaming WON
en- rushed about inside the place ant
pools OF blood grew where the bodie:
OF the victims lay. Police reserves
were rushed to the store and helt
back the crowds, permitting traffic
! TO proceed and quellinG disorder.