OBIT: Thomas W. T. KING, 1899, Altoona, Blair County, PA

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THOMAS KING DEAD!
Had an Altercation Last Wednesday Afternoon.
WAS STRUCK IN THE FACE
By James D. Williams and Was Seized With Hemorrhages.
A POST MORTEM WAS HELD
The Result of Which Will be Made Known to the Coroner's Jury,
Which Meets in Common Council Chamber To-Day.
HIS ASSAILANT SURRENDERS

  Thomas W. T. King, son of Hezekiah and M. C. King, died in his room 
at the Gladstone hotel, 1719 Eleventh avenue, yesterday afternoon about 
5.15 o'clock.  On Wednesday afternoon about 5 o'clock the man who is 
now dead was struck in the face by a bar-tender in a hotel on Tenth 
avenue.  The blow is said to have been received during an altercation. 
King's folks say he was knocked down but quickly arose to his feet and 
said to his assailant, "I wouldn't have treated you that way."  It was 
not long until King's nose started to bleed and the hemorrhages quickly 
became so copious as to cause alarm.  From the amount he bled it was 
feared that he would not recover.  His assailant was much alarmed and 
since the unfortunate affair has scarcely allowed an hour of the day to 
pass without going to King's home or making inquiries about him. 
Yesterday about 9.30 a.m. King grew worse and his vitality kept 
dwindling all day until the end came.
  James D. Williams, of 100 Sixth avenue, who gave himself up to the 
chief of police last evening as soon as the latter appeared and told 
him that Thomas King had died is the bartender who struck King.  He 
spoke of the affair to a Tribune representative last night as follows: 
"This trouble started over a base ball bet.  A traveling man offered to 
bet me $1.50 to $1 that St. Louis would win from Philadelphia last 
Monday.  King came into the barroom and offered to bet 50c the same way 
and I took him up.  St. Louis and Philadelphia did not play on Monday 
and when the traveling man came in to see me we agreed that the bet for 
that day was off."
  "However, he wanted to put up the money on the game for Tuesday and 
to this I agreed.  King I did not see, and although I tried to get him 
over the telephone I could not find him, and I of course thought that 
the bet was off and I would return the 50 cents to him as soon as I saw 
him.  St. Louis beat Philadelphia on Tuesday and on Wednesday evening 
shortly after 4 o'clock Thomas came in and said he had won the bet.  I 
told him he hadn't won as the game was declared off on account of rain, 
and I gave back to him his 50 cents.  He would not take the money, and 
began to abuse me.  I asked him to stop but he kept it up.  I then took 
off my apron and walking out from behind the bar started to put him 
out.  He said it was not necessary to use force, and I walked back to 
my place behind the bar and put on my apron.  I drew a glass of beer 
for a man and as I placed it on the counter noticed that King had not 
left the room.  He was leaning against the bar and started in to abuse 
me again.  I walked over to where he was and after telling him to go 
again, on his refusal to move I reached across the bar and struck him a 
light downward blow in the face with my open hand.  He stepped back and 
in doing so fell to the floor, where he remained in a sitting posture. 
He was not unconscious, but he started to bleed from the nose right 
away.  I sent for a cab and a doctor and had him taken home.  I went to 
the house and told the family that I would pay all the expenses 
incurred and explained the matter to them.  When I hit him I did not 
know he was subject to hemorrhages.  Those present in the room at the 
time were William Gettis, G. W. Brown and a colored man from King's 
livery stable." Williams told also how some of his friends had gone to 
him and told him that King was dead, and advised him to get out of 
town, but he said that he had nothing to fear by remaining at his post.  
  When Coroner McCartney viewed the remains last evening both Mr. and 
Mrs. King seemed to think that Williams was not responsible, but they 
were willing that a post mortem examination should be held.  The 
physician who attended King after the hemorrhages began and several 
other doctors held a post-mortem on the remains, beginning at 9.30 
o'clock last night.  What their decision is will not be known until 
they appear before the coroner's jury, which meets in council chamber 
to-day at 10.30 a.m.  In the meanwhile Williams will be kept in 
confinement.  He is at present comfortably lodged in the woman's ward 
at the city building, and while he feels sorry for the death of King, 
he does not seem in the least apprehensive for his own safety.
  The deceased young man was born at Waterside, Bedford county, March 
13, 1870.  He came to Altoona with his parents at the age of 2 years. 
He received his education in the public schools and learned the trade 
of printing.  He has, however, been manager of a boarding stable on 
Tenth avenue between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets for some time. In 
addition to this he conducted a cab and dray business at the local 
depot.  Besides his father and mother he is survived by one sister, 
Mrs. Dollie Coleman, of this city.
  Any of the friends of the deceased who wish to see the remains can do 
so between 5 and 8 o'clock p.m. to-day.  The funeral, which will be 
private, will take place Tuesday morning.  The body will be buried in 
Fairview cemetery.
  King was in the hospital last winter for treatment and had no 
hemorrhages while there, but when he was admitted the hospital 
physicians were informed that he was subject to bleeding spells.  His 
lungs were at that time weak and he seemed to be threatened with 
phthisis.  It is generally known that King was subject to hemorrhages, 
although it is said that previous to the quarrel he had not had an 
attack for some time.

Morning Tribune, Monday, July 3, 1899