The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-06-04
y. Il. LEWIS.
Biographical Sketch of IN. Quad" the
Detroit Free Press Humorist.

DetrO1t free IresS HumOrlSt.
Chas. b. Lewis, or IN Quad" who
has made the Detroit Free Press paper
famous by his humorous articles, is now
a man OF about forty-fvo. He started
life as printer, on n paper in Lansing,
Mich. He Served for three years in the
war OF the rebellion, on the Union side.
AT the close of his military career he
accidentally learned of Il journalistic
opening. This fact was the turning
point in life filled TO OVERLOOKING with
certain kind of eventful interest See
ing one day an advertisement in q
printers journal that there was paper
wanting an editor in Jonesboro, Tenn,
he applied for the situation and his
proposition was accepted. He threw
up his situation in Lansing and started
for Jonesboro. Coming into Cincinnati
he was surprised ut the bigness of the
city, and when he saw the steamer
which was to convey him down the
river putting and blowing out great
quantities of steam he rather feared to
enter her. He went up to the clerk.
who was taking bills of lading, and
asked him if he thought there was any
danger of the steamer blowing up, as if
so he did not care to 60. A crowd of
passengers standing by laughed, and
the clerk was inclined to think that
Lewis was trying to guy him. A glance
at his green, country air, and look at
his honest face. convinced him that the
young man was in earnest, and he
assured him that the Magnolia" for it
fhot 70, boat III ,.;nhf IL
that he could safely trust himself to her.
With that IN. Quad" took his bundle
from his shoulder and stepped on board.
Now, rival boat had got about fifteen
miles start of the Magnolia" and as
she left the wharf she put on all steam.
intending to catch and pass her. Lewis
supposed it was all right, and was much
interested in watching the machinery.
The magnolia, was the fastest boat
on the river, but this time she outdid
herself, and just as she came in sight
of the rival boat her boiler burst, and
up went the ship, and Lewis went up
with it, but coming down near the
shore he was just able to crawl to dry
land, when he sank down insensible.
Being so near the engine he was badly
injured, and his face was so covered with
SCOT that he looked like very negro.
Those who came to the assistance of the
other passengers thought him such, and
paid no attention to him until all the
others were cared for. Then they took
him in charge and sent him to the hos
pital at Cincinnati. His eyes were al
most put out. and it was not thought
that he would live.
He recovered, however, and threaten
ing the steamboat company with suit,
succeeded in extracting $4,000 from it.
Half of this sum went to his lawyer.
With the remainder in his pocket he
went back to his home in Lansing. His
first journalistic work after his return to
Michigan was done on newspaper pub
lished at Pontiac. One day the editor
went away, leaving Lewis in charge,
and not enough copy to fill out the
paper. Lewis made enough copy to fill
it himself-composing an article giving
full account of his adventures on the
Mississippi 1t was headed, "How it
feels to Be Blown Up" And Lewis
composed it in a humorous vein, setting
it up as he went along. The article
was copied widely, and, among other
papers, in the Detroit Free Press. He
was engaged by the editor of that paper
as a reporter, and was placed in charge
of the local, criminal, and fire depart
ments of the journal. 1t was while pur-
suing his duties as reporter that he was
struck with an inspiration which laid
the foundation for great future popu-
larity. While noting the daily occur
renee of incidents, tragic and amusing,
which grew out of the criminal record,
he conceived the idea of originating
his, "Hour at the Central Station" a
series of incidents which contained
vastly more humorous originality than
truth and veracity. "Bijah JOY" a real
parsonage, was selected as the central
figure, around which strange kaleido-
scope of exaggerated humanity was
daily set in motion, to the unbounded
amusement of the laughter-loving
public.
A trouble soon arose in the Free Press
camp, however, through the zeal of the
rising young journalist, which babe fair
TO end disastrously for all concerned.
In originating his series of criminal
sketches, Lewis at first used the real
names of parties who were summoned
before the magistrate, clothing them
with exaggerated fictitious raimcnt.