Mitchell County Georgia Obituaries Benton I. Powell 1914 ****************************************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for FREE access. ****************************************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Sam Luckey Oct 2002 Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/mitchell.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Obituary of Benton I. Powell as written in "The Camilla Enterprise" dated 29 May 1914. Camilla, Georgia. Mr. B. I. Powell used a pistol early Wednesday morning to end his life. Despondent about health was the cause of his rash act. He was a son of the late James H. Powell. Mr. Ben I. Powell, killed himself early Wednesday morning at the home of his mother, Mrs. J. H. Powell in this city. Death resulted from a bullet fired from a revolver held close to the right temple and which passed entirely through the head. Death is supposed to have resulted instantly. The suicide was not discovered until Wednesday morning about 7 o'clock when a member of the family went to Mr. Powell's room to call him for breakfast. When he failed to answer, the room was opened and the body was found lying on the bed. He had apparently been sitting on the side of the bed when the shot was fired and fell back dead. A revolver with only one cartridge exploded was found tying on the floor at his feet. He was undressed as if about to retire but the bed had not been disturbed. Mr. Powell had been on the police force for a few days and went off duty at 12 o'clock the night of his death. The pistol shot did not arouse the family, but neighbors heard a shot about 2 o'clock in the morning. Members of his family state that Mr. Powell had been suffering from a nervous attack due to a chronic trouble from which he had suffered for several years. He was barely able to work and this fact caused him to become very despondent. It is believed that this condition of mind in connection with his nervous condition caused him to commit the rash act. Mr. Powell's wife and children were staying at the home of Mr. C. P. Palmer, Mrs. Powell's father, until he could secure a house in Camilla and he was staying temporarily at the home of his mother. The deceased was a son of the late James H. Powell of this county and was reared here. He was forty-two years of age. He is survived by a wife, two little daughters, an aged mother, two brothers and three sisters. The funeral took place at Oakview Cemetery Wednesday afternoon at 5 o'clock, Rev. J. P. Chatfield, pastor of the Methodist church officiating. The sorrowing family and relatives have the deep sympathy of the entire community in their bereavement. Those acting as pall bearers were Messrs: J. B. Lewis; J. C. Wilson; R. H. Watts; J. W. Middleton; R. E. L. Culpepper and Col. B. T. Burson.