Newspaper Page Text
TTEAUST'S SUNDAY AMERICAN, ATLANTA, OA., SUNDAY. AUGUST 24, 1912.
7 A
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answer to the law for the slaying of
her former husband, Judge Walter M.
Godbee, and the bride who had *aken
the slayer's place in his affections.
Mrs. Godbee saw life pass from the
body of the man with whom she had
lived for years, and there was no re
morse shown on her face. While im
prisoned for his slaying she was told
that she must also answer to the
charge of having murdered his wife.
She did not blanch.
She had determined on the death of
both. She had planned her deed care
fully. She believed that she was Jus
tified In resorting to arms to avenge
her real or fancied wrongs, and per
sons who know her best declare she is
ready to meet the consequences.
No effort to obtain bail has been
made by her. She has waived the
right of preliminary trial. She is con
tent to remain in Jail until her time
of trial comes.
Started Twenty Years Ago.
The attitude of this woman, who
has passed her fiftieth year, is one of
the most remarkable features of this
remarkable tragedy.
Twenty years ago, when Judge God
bee and his second wife found they
were mismated, the foundation for
the double slaying was laid. The cli
max came Monday morning in the
Millen postofflce, when Judge Godbee
was almost Instantly killed and his
young wife fatally wounded by pistol
shots fired by the woman from whom
he had been separated by the courts.
Both Judge Godbee and the woman
neld as his slayer are of prominent
Jenkins County families. Godbee had
oeen prominent in politics. He had
been married three times.
His first wife died many years ago,
but, at his request, he is buried at
her side in the cemetery at Waynes
boro. Soon after her death he mar
ried Miss Edna Perkins, daughter of
the late Mills Perkins, and heiress to
considerable property.
They lived in apparent happiness
jntil the early nineties, when the first
signs of trouble came. At this time
Judge Godbee acquired rights to cer-
:ain properties which belonged to iris
*’ife before their marriage. It if
•harged that the Judge afterward sold
.his property and reinvested the pro
ceeds for his own personal benefit.
Shot Brother, Is Rumor.
Then there is an old story that
rears ago In Burke County Judge
Godbee became involved in a difficul
ty with a brother of the woman he
afterward married, and killed him.
He pleaded self-defense and was ac
quitted.
There is no record,, though, that
this trouble had any bearing on the
marital differences of the couple.
Friction between the couple reached
a critical stage ten years ago, when
Mrs. Godbee filed suit for divorce In
Jenkins County, charging cruelty on
the part of her husband.
She declared that the judge had hu
miliated her before her children, had
driven her from his room and had
nailed the entrance between the two
chambers in which they lived.
Even after this suit was filed there
was a reconciliation, but the trouble
cropped out again about five years
ago; when Mrs. Godbee again enter-d
suit. She was granted absolute di
vorce, but the judge was successful
in resisting her plea for alimony. Mrs.
Godbee was also gi,ven the custody
of her minor child. Miss Sarah God-
bee. with whom she lived at the time
of the tragedy.
Divorce Didn't End Trouble.
The divorce decree did not end the
troubles of the parr, however. Mrs.
Godbee always contended that the
monev on which Judge Godbee was
living luxuriously after the decree
rightfully belong to her.
It Is certain that she was In strait
ened circumstances at the time of the
killing, and it is believed that the
sight of another woman enjoying the
fortune she believed hers, while she
virtually was living in poverty, had
no little to do with her determination
to take Justice into her own hands.
For after the divorce Judge Godbee
married again. His third wife was
Miss Florence Boyer, 25 years old,
of Youngstown, Ohio. After their
meeting at the sea shore Judge God-
bee continued his courtship at hpr
home, and little more than four
months ago he brought her to Millen
as his bride.
A crisis was reached. Boon after
the judge’s return, it is declared, he
received demands from his former
wife that he contribute to the support
of her and her daughter. In these
demands she cited the fact that whe
was entitled to at least part of the in
come he derived from property which
had originally been hers.
Judge Feared for Life.
Intimate friends of the Judge say
that from that time on he feared, not
r>nlv for his own life, but for that of
his bride.
Bo alarmed did he become that on
receiving a threatening letter Sunday
ne refused to take his bride to church,
glthough he was a steward of the
First Methodist congregation, and re
quested the pastor, the Rev. E. E
Ro‘ip, to come to the Hotel Estelle,
where he had apartments, to conduct
private rrnyers.
It i.* ivi&ejaJ- that on that same day
Mrs. Godbee No. 2 decided on the deed
she committed Monday. She got into
communication with Marshal P. T.
Foote and requested him to call on
her at her daughter’s home.
There, the marshal says. Mrs. God
bee showed him a .32-caliber pistol.
“Will this kill as quickly aF» a .38?"
was the surprising question he was
asked
"It will if it hits the right spot," h*
replied. She seemed satisfied with
the answer and the interview closed.
This same pistol was in Mrs. God'
bee’s handbag Monday morning when
she went to the Millen postofflce. She
knew that each day the Judge visited
there early in the forenoon to inquire
for mail. She was seated writing as
he entered the building, accompanied
by his young wife. The slyalng fol
lowed.
Mrs. Godbee died Tuesday night in
the apartments in which she and her
husband had lived during the two
months of their married life. Mrs. G.
W. Boyer, mother of the slain bride,
was en route from Williamsport to
Millen when her daughter died.
Bulk of Estate to Daughter.
The will of Judge Godbee has been
found in the possession of W. B. Wal
lace. a merchant, and one of the
dead man’s closest friends. The val
ue of the estate Is between $46,000
and $50,000. He bequeathe, the bulk
of his property and securities to his
daughter by his first wife, formerly
Miss Maggie Godbee, now married
and living in Augusta.
Small portions of the estate are left
to Frank Mills and King Godbee, sons
of the divorced wife, and Miss Sarah
Godbee. also an Issue of the second
marriage. The divorced wife Is not
provided for In the instrument. Frank
Mills Godbee has been appointed tem
porary administrator of the estate of
Judge Godbee, and A. S. Anderson,
temporary administrator of the eBtate
of Mrs. Florence Boyer Godbee.
The third Mrs. Godbee has been
burled beside her husband and his first
wife in Waynesboro. The condition of
Mrs. Boyer’ the slain bride's mother
1, said to be somewhat improved fol
lowing her collapse upon first seeing
the dead body of her young daughter.
Her two sons have come from Penn
sylvania and will remain with her un
til she returns to her home at Wil
liamsport
Neither of the boys expresses any
animosity toward the slayer of theit
sister and her husband, but both join
their mother in hoping that exact
Justice will be done Archibald and
LeRoy Boyer the brothers, have not
yet decided whether they wl'l attend
the trial of the second Mrs. Godbee.
Fiancee-To-Be Measures Up to
Rigid Requirements of Young
Multi-Millionaire’s Mother.
NEWPORT, Aug. 23,—Decidedly the
most interesting: aftermath of the re
cent Newport yacht races is the per
sistent report that Miss Elizabeth
Sands, beautiful daughter of Mrs.
Frederick Bands, of this city, occupies
the place of honor in the affections of
Vincent Antor, head of that family
and heir to its huge estates.
This report, which has been cur
rent in social circles here and in New
York, took the form of a practical
certainty, according to society’s self-
constituted soothsayers, when it was
noted that In the party taken to the
races by young Astor was only one of
three girls to whom he paid marked
attention last year. That one, of
course, was Miss Sands.
It has long been*known and great
ly gossiped about at afternoon teas
and other social functions that young
Astor has felt a strong liking for the
young beauty ever since they were
school children.
Society wiseacres, who have long
ago hung up in their mental art gal
leries a picture of young Astor and
Miss Sands as a happy married cou
ple, were not at all discouraged when
the young man's affections at times
seemed to wander from his child
hood's choice.
“Just wait until Vincent’s mother
gets back to America and resumes
her place at the ‘helm,’” said these
social clairvoyants, “and you’ll notice
a sudden slump in the fortunes of
Elizabeth Sands’ attractive rivals. - '
The prediction was based upon a
firm belief that the aristocratic, for
mer Ava Willing would see to It that
her son, who is now' the head of the
f imily and chancellor of Its inexhaus
tible exchequer, should marry some
one who measured up in every w'ay
to her rigid requirements as to an
cestry, connections and social stand
ing.
a rare track, and an open field upon
which will be held drills. International
cavalry horse contests, polo contests
and exhibitions of the prize live
stock of the world.
The live stock buildings will be con
structed more from an exhibition
standpoint than in keeping with any
farm utility plan; the vast rows of
barns which have characterized the
live stock departments of other ex
positions will be avoided. Every
separate section will be shown under
a single roof.
In addition to the $175,000 set aside
by the exposition management to be
used in cash premiums, more than
$45,000 has been offered by organiza
tions representing various phases of
the live stock industry. Of the prizes
offered by the exposition, $60,000 will
be given to horses, $50,000 to cattle,
$25,000 to sheep and goats, $25,000 to
swine, $12,000 to poultry, pigeons and
pet stock, $7,500 to carloads of cattle,
sheep and swine, $5,000 for prize-
winning dogs and cats.
The department is making arrange
ments for holding the biggest poultry
show on record, and birds from all
over the world will compete for in
ternational prizes. The pigeons will
take their place In the exposition not
only as applied to the fancy, but as a
utility, and some of the birds will be
used as carriers, taking part In races
across the continent from San Fran
cisco.
Under the auspices of the Pacific
Coast Trotting Horse Breeders' Asso
ciation, the exposition will give two
harness race meets, one in the spring
and one* in the fall of 1915. at which
there will be e»fTered $225,000 in stakes
and purses. With one or two excep-
| tions, the special stakes included in
. the grand aggregate of $225,000 will
I be the greatest that ever have been
offered.
Equipment
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Hot
and Cold
Water,
Ice Water,
Steam
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This Picture Shows the Very Finest and Best Equipped Ambulance
in the Entire South
Most Complete Ventilation,
Fullest Riding Comfort
The Barclay & Brandon PRIVATE AMBULANCE is positively the very last word in up-to-
date Ambulances.
Nothing could be more complete—not a single thing can be suggested that might tend to give
further and more complete comfort to the patient, that is not already a part of its wonderful equip
ment.
This most complete Ambulance is at your immediate service at all times, whether yon live in
Atlanta or suburbs. For white people only.
BARCLAY & BRANDON Service as Funeral Directors is Widely Known for
Its Dignity and Exclusiveness
One very important point is that Barclay & Brandon alone can furnish you with a COMPLETE
AUTOMOBILE FUNERAL, as they have just purchased a $7,000 Packard Hearse, the only Auto
Hearse in the State. Choice of either auto or horse-drawn hearse.
In time of bereavement it is assuring at least to know that there is some one to whom you can
intrust all the details of a funeral service, secure in the knowledge that every requisite will be care
fully attended to.
This you may expect AT ALL TIMES from
BARCLAY & BRANDON
246 Ivy Street, Corner of Baker
I Bell, Ivy 788, Ivy 168.
r hones \ Atlanta, 788
CALM: CALLS
SELFATOOL
OF] TICE
Vincent Astor Reported Captured ||7jj Qjjjj JQ fj[
+•+ +•* •*.•+ ■!•••!. *•+ ^
Name Is Linked With Miss Sands
+•+ +•+ +•+ +•+ +•+
Match Long Predicted by Gossips
Miss Elizabeth Sands and Vincent Aistor.
Divorced Wife of Millen Judge,
Who Killed Him and ■ Young
Bride, Shows No Remorse.
Planned Shooting With Care.
Trouble Alleged to Have Started
Twenty Years Ago Over Prison
er’s Property—Jurist Is Said
to Have Slain Brother-in-Law.
MILLEN, Aug. 23.—Convinced that
she has been an instrument of Jus
tice, satisfied that the work she had
planned for days has been well per
formed, Mrs. Edna Perkin* Godbee,
in her cell In the Jenkins County Jail,
to-day calmly and confidently awaits
the hour when she will face a court to
FI LIVE STOCK
Harness Race Purses at Panama-
Pacific Exposition Will Total
$225,000.
America’s Oldest
Church Discovered
Rulm of Centurlei-Old House of
Worship Off Yucatan Viaited
by Explorers.
SAN FRANCISCO, Auk. 23.—The
greatest live stock show In the his
tory of the world is assured at the .
Panama-Facific International Expo
sition In 1915. Following the appro
priation by the exposition manage-
I ment of $175,000 for awards for prize-
winniiiK live stock, and the news that
$225,000 is offered in purses for har
ness races, each new announcement
by Chief of the Department of Dive
Stock D. O. IJvely discloses increas
ing Interest in the forthcoming live
stock exhibition.
The live stock department has at
its disposal 50 acres of ground which
will be devoted to the erection of live
stock buildings, a hall for live stock
congresses and agricultural meetings,
NEW ORLEANS, Aug 23.—The
ruins of the oldest Christian church
in America have been discovered on
the Island of Cozumel off Yucatan by
Professor Morley and Jesse Nusbaum,
of the Sarvard-San Diego expedition.
Cozumel has not been visited by
white men for almost a century, and
Morley and Nusbaum had thrilling
adventures, but deny that its people
are cannibals. The scientists were
equipped with a movfng picture out
fit, but In leaving the Island fur the
mainland their canoe was upset and
much of th e photograph material was
spoiled.
While Cozumel Is only 30 bv 7
miles In extent, It was found extraor
dinarily rich in monumental and
architectural remains. It was here
that Cortez had a fierce battle with
the natives and erected what is de
clared to have been the first Christian
church in America.
Repeats His Wedding
Date as Punishment
Husband Who Told Court He Wished
to Forget Marriage Has
New Litany.
MILWAUKEE. Aug 23—"June 14
1887," Philip Leborski will have to re
peat ten times a day for the next 60
da>\s in order to keep cut of ’h* housi
of correction, by sentence pronounced
upon him by District Court Judge Eis
ner.
Leborski, who Is a wealthy real estate
owner, was arrested when a patrolman
found him shaking his fist and swearing
at his wife, while she was perched on
the gable of their resldenoe.
In the rrlal l^eborsxl told the Court he
was trylnjf*! o forget he was married and
that he had succeeded in forgetting the
date of the ceremony. The Court In
formed him that no man had a right to
forget such a date and then ordered
his case continued 60 days and told Le
borski to recite the Jate of the wedding
ten times dally or he would have to go
to Jail. Leborski started his recitations
before he was out of the courtroom and
hls t wife t\as Icing the counting.
Crusade Started on
Big Sunday Dinners
Domestic Science Teachers of Kan
sas Schools Are Enlisted In
The Campaign.
TOPEKA, KAN'S,, Aug. 23.—The
custom and the physical requirements
that a man must rest at least one day
In seven have brought about a cam
paign In Kansas against the big Sun
day dinners that have so long been
the delight of the average man. The
domestic science teachers of the
schools have enlisted the aid of do
mestic science students throughout
the State and the big Sunday dinner
la going the way of the hard biscuit
and the underdone meat In the Kan
sas homes.
The campaign was started a year
ago at the University of Kansas,
but It now has the support of every
high school and college with domes
tic science courses.
Maryland Jews to
Raise Shaft to Friend
Thomas Kennedy, Who Passed Law
Giving Them Right to Hold
Offloe, To Be Honored.
HAGERSTOWN, MD, Aug. 28,—
Mendes Cohen, of Baltimore, a grand
nephew of one of the first Jew* elect
ed to office in tbe State of Maryland,
will act as treasurer of the fund to
be raised to build a monument to
Thomas Kennedy, author of the law
passed in 1826 that gave Jews the
right to hold office.
Kennedy was famous In several
other respects than as champion of
the cause of political equality, for
which he fought as a member of the
Legislature eight years. He wrote
many ballads that aroused the mar
tial ardor of his fellow eitixens In the
days preceding the War of 1812.
Brandon
E-R-V-I-C-E
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