OBIT: J. D. LEWIS, 1873, Blair County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by MS
<MMSGemstone@aol.com>

Copyright 2009.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/
_________________________________________ 

LEWIS - SUICIDE - On Wednesday last a young man named J. D. Lewis, 
frantically rushed into the mayor's office in Harrisburg, and demanded 
protection from an imaginary foe in vindictive pursuit of him.  He gave 
a very incoherent story and acted generally as if his reason had been 
dethroned.  In the afternoon he left for Altoona, where he made a 
determined effort on Saturday morning to take his life, the particulars 
of which are this related by the Altoona Tribune, "About a quarter to 
two o'clock this morning, Mr. Isaac Atherton, who is employed in the 
branch drug store of Mr. E. L. Taylor, East Altoona, came rushing into 
our office, his hands covered with gore, in search of a physician.  It 
appears that Atherton and some other parties were watching him and 
attending to his wants last night, when Lewis proceeded to the kitchen 
and approaching the cupboard asked some one if there was anything to 
eat therein.  On being answered in the affirmative he opened the 
cupboard, took there from a butcher knife and deliberately proceeded to 
cut away at his throat.  Atherton interfered to prevent the self-
destruction when, in his efforts to wrest the weapon from the crazed 
man's grasp, he received several gashes on his hands.  He finally 
succeeded in throwing him on the floor and getting the knife in a 
certain position, put his foot upon it and broke it.  Drs. W. M. 
Findley and Walter Bell were called in and proceeded to dress the 
wounds of the unfortunate man.  He may recover from the self-inflicted 
injuries, but with the paroxysms of his mania the chances are against 
him.  That he did not make sure work in ending his misery is perhaps 
mainly due to the blunt instrument chosen for the bloody deed".
Mr. Lewis survived till noon of the same day, and was buried on Sunday 
in Fairview cemetery, Altoona.

The Register, Hollidaysburg, Pa., Wednesday, May 21, 1873