National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-08-04
THAT FREE PRESS TELLER.
Sketch Of Charles B. Lewis. the Michigan
Humorist.

numOEl1L
Charles B. Lewis, Of the Detroit Free Prsss, is
about SO years Of age. His native place Is Liver
pool, Mendins county, Ohio, about twenty 1--we
miles from Cleveland. His father was farmer,
and afterward q country merchant. Young Lewis
had such common.school education as the place
and period afforded, and he worked about home
until 1855, when he followed his bent and struck
out into the world. He tied up first In Lansing,
Michigan, and entered the ONCE of the Journal
and Democrat, being then about II, as printers
devil. He reached the dignity Of Q case, and in
time became an assistant to the local editor. He
was 90 employed when the war broke out.
4 He was one Of the first TO enlist In Michigan,
and served at the first battle Of Bull Run. At
the close Of two years. service In an infantry regi
ment
HE RE-ENLIsTED IN A CAVALRY REGIMENT
from the same State, and alter the end of the war
served with this regiment fighting Indians. He
was mustered out q lieutenant, and returned to
newspaper work as local Of the Journal and Demo-
cTGt at Lansing, and he also worked Cor some
time in the same capacity on the Pontiac jack
sonian. In 1868 he struck his tent again, having
got q situation s.local Of the Msysville, KY,
Bulletin. At Cincinnati he took passage on the
steamer Magpolis.
Soon after the steamer started from her wharf
Lewis retired to change his clothing, and while
he was in his stateroom the Magnolia blew up,
and Lewis, who had so far accomplished the OBJ
ject Of his retirement Is to remove his clothes,
was surprised to ind himself moving skywara
with Q velocity that would have been creditable
to Q she'll from Q mortar. The boat was about
200 feet from the Ohio shore. Lewis came down
90 near TO It that q woman who stood on the bank
seized his hair and dragged him from the water.
HE FAD HOLE IN THE BACK OF HIS HEAD,
(it 10 there yeti which had been made By bolt
head with which his own head had come In con-
tact, and what the HORNED spectators thought
were brains land Lewis himself Is still Inclined
to think sol oosed from the hole. Picked up for
dead, he was loaded with other dead and wounded
on tug for Cincinnati. His body was grimy
with coal dus. and burns. II was taken for that
OF o negro, and thrown into the dead cart and
carried TO the hospital preliminary 10 burial.
Amer II had lain with the others for three or four
hours some horror.huntsr, whose fancy led him
10 closer Inspection Of the dead, announced 10
lrss.inquiiitlvs bystanders "Look Ahsrs, this
niggsr's got o white mans hair" Then they
diigged ths UNIQUE Niger nom the pile, triel
LITTLE soap and water on him, and found . white
So they washed him oil over, and no IpsedIiy
rose 70 the dignity Of . cheap Shroud and
separate bed 10 hospital ward. This was .
Only shsnEsd rom negro into White man, but
ieW hours after they had scruoosdh
IT cHAsoxp iSTo LIVE MAN,
or, rather, . half live man, for eonSeiousneA did
not return for long time. Then eyeryocdy took
most careful attention, seeming p consider u .
point q personal honor % beat Death IN tes Itr.E
ssS sss $ req
was ne seal. that . breath mlEht have blown
o on aonsd s9srySoSy sSs The dostr 81
coming regularly 20 do II the orthodox i.shioi.
ass out o. Iu::Sn p
travelling circus. He had Q seat on the back OF .
rhlnoceros, which the circus men claimed 70 be .
msi and Si sesysr.d that Il was dead; Isuffsd
rhinocsros made Of leather and sticks, and gross
h aaI % Ss sa
himself surrounded By an
ADxIRINa THRoNo or MEN AND woNEs,
who welcomed him back to life. For weeks Il
was believed BIO would lose cne Of his eyes, but
Wsif snc Bis legs stIl shcw ~ nsrHs Of he SE
suits Of clothes and so. He was naked when be
Ssors e reached Il. sos Tss only Sse
he recovered Of bis original outfit was his Sunday
coat, which was hlhsd out Of the river with rs
He went back TO Michigan IN May, 1893, and
standing at Q case In the Jseksoaish once com.
r sfs :. G pao. snS Ct s ss
morist. IL was entitled, yHow IL feea 70 ee
Blown Up.A Printers Expsrisnce" Il mad, ,s
aftsr this was printed Mr. Lewis went back % hi,
edol love ne ~, .Srs re ssmDOas M
damages, and while IN Cincinnati on this business
occurred the wellremenbered collision and
suznxo OF TEE STEAMBOATS,
America and United States Mr.. Lewis reported
t tns 10 tSs psp. sns h Win two Or
three more, all pure news. The editor Of the Free
Press thought him capable, and sent him 70 Lam
sing to report the Legislature. The session clos
ing, he went into the Detroit once, and did mis-
eellaneous work until the next session Of the
Legislature, when be was again sent 70 Lan.ing.
since remained there. He began writing para
graphs fYr ths Free Pre-" 10 1870