RELATIVES DO NOT BELIEVE ARMSTRONG TOOK HIS OWN LIFE.
Macon, Ga., Dec. 27.-With a coroner’s jury verdict of suicide and the relatives of theory of robbery, the solution of the mystery surrounding the death of F.P. Armstrong of Miami and Atlanta remained unsolved yesterday.
Armstrong was found about midnight Christmas night in the alley between the Georgia Casualty building and Corbin’s sporting goods house, with both legs broken and internal injuries as a result of a fall from the third story window of his room in the Saratoga Hotel. While doctors were examining the injured man at the Macon Hospital, he suddenly expired.
At the hotel and at the hospital he gave the name of W.T. Baker of Key West, Fla., which later was found by letters in his baggage at the Terminal Station to be F.P. Armstrong.
Relatives of the dead man began to arrive in Macon yesterday and it was discovered that Mrs. W.S. Poole, Mrs. C.W. Phillips and Mrs. Virginia Murray of Macon were sisters of the deceased.
At the coroner’s inquest yesterday, Harry Griggs, proprietor of the Saratoga Hotel, told the jury that Armstrong came to the hotel about five o’clock Christmas afternoon and took room No. 15 paying for it in advance. From that time until about 11 o’clock when roomers in No. 14 notified him that some one had jumped from the window, he heard nothing from him. Patrolman Vallette and Griggs found Armstrong lying prostrate in the alley.
A mass of bed clothing knotted into a rope surrounded him and a short streamer dangled from the window told the story.
The coroner’s jury, after hearing the testimony in the case, rendered a verdict of suicide by jumping from the hotel window.
Relatives of the deceased stated yesterday that they believe that Armstrong had been robbed, as he is said to have had more money on his person than the 31 cents found at the hospital when his clothing was searched for identification. Relatives stated that Armstrong had money a few days ago, the amounts ranging from $200 to $1,300.
Virgil Murray, brother-in-law of the dead man, while he did not have his statement sworn into the testimony, brought out the fact that Armstrong was seen in Macon on two occasions with a woman dressed in brown, who was apparently a stranger here. Mr. Murray advanced the theory that possibly the woman in some way secured the money Armstrong is said to have had.
Besides his widow, who lives in Atlanta, Armstrong is survived by his father, J.R. Armstrong of Atlanta; six sisters, Mrs. W.S. Poole, Mrs. C.W. Phillips and Mrs. Virgil Murray of Macon, Mrs. B.W. McWhorter and Mrs. J.H. Quinn of Umatilla, Fla., and Mrs. E.E. Waller of Miami, Fla.; three brothers, Jack Armstrong of Mayfield, J.W. and Hugh Armstrong of Norwood; three daughters, Annie, Ruby and Sarah Armstrong of Atlanta, and two sons, George and Forest Armstrong of Atlanta.
The body will be carried to Norwood for burial.
Source: Daily Times Enterprise, Thomasville, Georgia, Tuesday Afternoon, December 27, 1921; Pg. 6
