“Aunt Sallie Cummings” Dead
Mrs. Sallie E. Cummings formerly of this place died in Pensacola, last Thursday night, the following of her demise being taken from the Journal of last Friday [June 2, 1911]:
“Aunt” Sallie Cummings, a unique character and a familiar figure on the streets of Pensacola for the past five years, was found dead at Big Bayou last night and by her body were found two boxes of morphine, one of which was nearly empty, pointing to suicide, though the coronor has not rendered a verdict and no physician was called in. The body was turned over the Undertaker Pou by the coronor. The body was found on the ground, where she had lain down, and she had evidently been dead for some time.
[Contributed by Michael Strickland]
According to statements, she went out ot visit Dairyman Frost, who resides on Big Bayou, yesterday afternoon and remained there during the afternoon. Just about dark she complained of not feeling well and told Mr. Frost that she intended lying down out in the yard a few minutes.
About 9:39 o’clock, Mr. Frost went out to investigate what had become of her and found her dead.
But little is known of the family of the deceased. She had been a resident of Pensacola for a number of years, and prior to that time resided in Milton and De Funiak for several years.”
Mrs. Cummings came to De Funiak something over twenty years ago, and at one time owned considerable property here. She was a character of many sides, never seemingly quite so happy as when in a law suit with some one over matters of property rights, shrewd in bargaining, and not always exactly following the path of rectitude in her dealings, but charitable to a degree to those in distress.
How she lived no one ever knew, but she always seemed to have plenty of money when she needed it. There were many rumors as to her past life, but this she never discussed. She is supposed to have a niece living somewhere in Virginia, and her husband, Dr. Theron Cummings died several years ago in California.
There are doubtless a great many better people in the world than “Aunt Sallie,” and also a great many worse ones. As she once tersely put it, “if only those talked about me who are better than I am, there would be a lot of breath saved.”
“Aunt Sallie” is dead. Peace she never knew here, may she have found it over yonder.