Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa
Thursday, January 1, l903

ALEXANDER LEWIS, a traveling piano tuner, aged 38, is dead from l6 hours' exposure to the cold and snow as a result of intoxication, and was buried Sunday without a relative near or friend present to mourn his tragic end or to furnish a scrap of information as to his history and family connections.

LEWIS was in the employ of Wilson & Rhodes of Mt. Ayr. The time of his exposure was Tuesday night of last week, in Decatur County, near Kellerton. His death resulted Saturday. The funeral was held Sunday at Elk Chapel in Bloomington Township, Decatur County.

The unfortunate man lay in the snow and cold from 5 o'clock Tuesday evening to 9 o'clock Wednesday forenoon. His legs were frozen half way to his knees, and his ears and nose were frozen. His death however, resulted from pneumonia and heart failure.

LEWIS in company with ARCHIE RHODES the l5 year old son of F.M. RHODES of Mt. Ayr, had driven Monday with MR. RHODES' team from Mt. Ayr to deliver an organ to Mr. Donaldson in Decatur County. Returning Tuesday afternoon when about four miles east of Kellerton they met THOMAS MCCLARAN. They stopped to talk, and before they parted the men had emptied a bottle of alcohol furnished by MCCLARAN. Soon afterward LEWIS became violent, claiming they were on the wrong road, and in spite of the boy's protest turned the team. Young RHODES jumped out and walked to MART MANASMITH's where he stayed all night. At 9 o'clock next morning THOMAS MCCLARAN going to a turkey shoot, found LEWIS in the road and took him to MANASMITH's house. The team was found standing at MR. SHIELDS' barn half a mile east of the place where LEWIS had either fallen or jumped out.

Dr. Camp was called from Kellerton and injected a heart stimulant, all that could be done at that time. In the afternoon he dressed the frozen limbs. The next day Dr. Horner, of Lamoni was called, but could not come. Dr. J.W. Greenman, of Kellerton, was called Friday, and after examination stated that the patient was not likely to recover, but that should he recover, his limbs could be saved. LEWIS died at 7 o'clock Saturday morning, pneumonia having resulted from the chilling he sustained and his heart being unable to stand up under the strain. The evening he lost his way was not severe but at 2 o'clock the following morning a severe storm with a cold wind from the northwest set in, so that Wednesday forenoon the thermometer stood at 3 degrees above zero.

LEWIS came some weeks ago from Chariton to Leon, working there for W.A. Alexander, who later sent him to Blockton. At Blockton he boarded at F.M. RHODES' Hotel and when MR. RHODES moved to Mt. Ayr, LEWIS came also to ask employment as piano tuner for Wilson & Rhodes. The firm offered him a job if he would sell instruments as well as tune them. The trip to Decatur County a week ago was his first work for the firm.

Practically nothing is known of LEWIS. He said he was 38 years of age, and that he had lost his wife, mother and property within a year. A letter is dated Sept. 4, l90l, from attorney H.L. Ross, of Indianola, addressed to LEWIS at Lacona, Warren County, was found among his effects, which may indicate that Lacona was his permanent address. The letter refers to beginning a divorce suit, but says, "If the parties decide to come up with the," so the divorce was evidently not sought by LEWIS for himself.

The funeral was held at ll a.m. Sunday from Elk Chapel, conducted by Rev. S. Lemon, the United Brethren Minister at Tuskeego. The text was "It is appointed unto man once to die, and after death the judgment." The front seats usually reserved for the relatives and friends were vacant. After general remarks the minister reached the point of drawing the lesson from the particular circumstances. "These empty seats" said he, "say more than I can." The speaker was overcome by emotion of which every hearer felt the effect, and was unable for some time to proceed.

Burial was made at Elk Chapel Cemetery, a mile south of the church. The trustees of Bloomington Township had provided a handsome casket, instead of the plain style so often furnished at public expense. The remains of the unfortunate man were laid away with the greatest care and reverence.

--MT. AYR Tuesday News.

Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
"With permission from the Leon Journal Reporter"
February 22, 2003