Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-04-26
SUDDEN DEATH.
sFALLssDEA6s 0w-rnE STREET.

SrAnlssDEsS. S.cr-1nE srnrrr.
County Auditor John r. Reeds Unt,n,eIy
Taking on.
John X. Reed, one of the county audi
tors and senior member Of the firm of
Reed 4 Henderson. bankers, dropped
dead from apoplexy last evening about
o'clock in front of the Lancaster county
prison while in conversation with D. h.
Burkholder, prison keeper. Mr.. Reed ap-
peared to be in unusually good health
yesterday. In the morning he presided at
the meeting of the board of auditors, the
proceedings of which were pub
lished in yesterdays INTuLIGENcER,
and he adjourned the board uu-
til next Tuesday in consideration
Of the illness Of his colleagues B. G.
Greider and j. L. Lightner.s He at
tended to his banking business, aud in the
afternoon chatted pleasantly with NUM-
Der Of his friends in. the vicinity of the
court house on political and other matters.
Returning to his homo he ate hearty
supper, and then walked over to the prison
to sec Mr.. Burkholder who was stalking off
tho ground for planting a row of shade
trees in front ofthe prison grolnd mat
ter in,which NJ. Reed took great interest.
While thus engaged he fell suddenly to
the pavement and expired almost instantly.
He Wis Immediately piaked up and
carriedst sto.his home not far aWay, and ply
sicians were summoned. Dr. Carpenter
happened to be passing, a few minutes
after and was called in, but Mr.. Reed was
dead, and the doctor said his death was
caused by :apoplexy. Tho news of his
suddendeath spread rapidly and startled
and srieved the whole community, which
has taken deep interest in the proceed
ings of the county auditors il their inves-
tigation of the aldermcn's and Justices
accounts, in progress for few Weoks past,
and of which MI. Reed was the leading
spirit. The public can lily afford to lose
the services of so active and intelligent .
public officer.
John K. Reed was a son Of the late
George Reed. He was born in Elizabeth
township, Lancaster county, on tho 1th of
October. 1916, and was therefore in the
Goth year OF his age at the time OF his
death. lie received his education in the
schools of this city, and then entered his
fathers tannery, i'll Elizabeth, as an ap-
prentice. In 1886, at the age Of 20 years,
he was appointed deputy sheriff by his
uncle, Peter Reed, who was sheriff. and he
continued 10 act as deputy sheriff under
Hon. Anthony E. Roberts, Sheriff Reeds
successor. On the 4th of May, 1S41, he
married daughter of cx-Sheritf Christian
Carpenter, and soon afterwards went into
partnership with mis- brother in law,
the late VIM. Carpenter, in the
mercantile business in Earlville. After
carrying on tho business successfully
for about two years, tic partnership
was dissolved by mutual consent and in
1S43 Mr.. Reed purchased the property, in
cluding store. hotel and farm. He leased
the store and carried ON the hotel business
until 1916, when it was burned. He then
sold the property and bought another
farm and continued to farm 1t until 1851,
when he was nominated by the Wings as
their candidate for prothonOtary, and was
elected by majority OF 5000. After
serving three years as prothonotary he
formed partnership in the banking bust
ness with A. S. Henderson, and the late
Isaac E. Hiester and David Shultz, under
the firm name of John X. Reed u Co.
who carried on business in what was then
known as the Mcclure property" on
tho northeast corner of East King and
Duke streets. When SIR. Shultz retired
from the firm. the firm name was changed
to Reed, Henderson 4 Co., and when Mr..
Hester died it was again changed to
Reed & Henderson, and has'sO continued
to tho present time.
While engaged in the banking business
Mr.. Reed was elected and reelected a
director of the poor, and served in that CT
pacity six years. lie was also elected
county commissioner and served three
years. He was for some years member
of the beard of trustees OF the Home for
Friendless Children, and also a member OF
the old board of health. Last November
he was elected member Of the board OF
county auditors. His services III this ca
pacity arc fresh in the memory of all our
readers, and need not be detailed here,
further than to state that his searching in
vestigation into the crooked accounts o!
some of our county officials, constabies,
and committing magistrates, awakened a
public sentiment which badc fair to break
up tho disgraceful schemes Of public plum
der SO long carried OH in this county.
Mr.. Reeds family residence, No. 5s2
East King street, is large and commOdious,
aud connected with it is a large tract OF
ground, which, during the past twenty
years, Mr.. Reed took great delight in. lie
had it handsomely laid out and planted
with almost every variety OF choice fruits,
vines, shrubbery, flowers and vegetables,
making it one of the most attractive places
in the city.
In his family relations Mr.. Reed was
gentle, affectiOnate AND liberal to \ fault.
His family at present consists of his wife,
three daughters and two sOns-Wiliiam
and Walter, both of whom arc well known
in this city. Three of his SONS are dead
Edgar, bright young lawyer Alfred, a
dry goods clerk and Theodore, who for
some time held 4 clerkship in the banking
house OF Reed s. Henderson.
In his social rotations Mr.. Reed was
genial, vOluble and a general iavOrite. In
his business relations he was exception
ally cautious and correct. AS an account
ant lie was not rapid, but never made a
mistake, and was never behind time in
the transaction of any business entrusted
to him.
According to the law of April 10, 1884,
if any auditor shall die the court of
quarter sessions shall appoint \ suitable
person to fill the vacancy until the next
general election, when al auditor shall
be elected for the unexpited term. As
the board is now in tho midst of its duties
such appointment will have to be made
promptly. Whether the new auditor can
take into consideration the evidence
already heard by Mr.. Reed and published
is probably question for the appointee to
consider after he is named. As the va
cancy for the unexpired term can only be
filed until tho next election, an auditor
years, and it is rather shortnOtice for the
NJ oxt
Saturdays primary.