The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-26
NJ. 7. LEWMAN DROWNED
OVERCOME IN THE SURF AND CAR
RIED OUT BY THE TIDE.

Loses His Lie While Bathing at
Tybee-The Body Recovered Twenty
Minutes After Il First Sank-A. c.
Laid of Atlanta Exhausted in the
Waves, But is Rescued-Mr. Lew
mans First Plunge in the Surf His
Last-His Remains to Be Taken to
Indiana.
NJ. T. Lewman of NJ. T. Lewman & Co..
contractors for the new hotel, was drowned
at Tybee yesterday afternoon shortly after
5 O'Clock He was in the surf in front Of the
Ocean View hotel with his sons, j. B. and
Lee Lawman, and A. C. Ladd of Atlanta.
1t was Mr.. Lewman's first plunge in the
surf He was good swimmer,
but ventured out too far.
where the water was over his head. In ff-
teen minutes from the time he entered the
surf he was seen struggling. He threw up
his hands aud called several times for help
and then sank out of sight. When he came
to the surface he seemed to gasp and his
head dropped aud the body began to drift
with the current.
The top of the drowning mans head was
visible all the time and a number of bathers
waded out near the body and watched it
until a messenger could be sent
for rope There were about
fifty people in the surf near where the
drowning took place; but the tide was
strong and none of them were willing 10
risk their lives so far out The body floated
at least 100 yards after it rose to the sur
face. and it was fully twenty minutes before
it was recovered.
MR.. LADD RESCUED.
Mr.. Ladd, who went into the surf with
Mr.. Lewman, but was some distance from
him, was also overcome and was rescued by
one Of the party and carried out on the beach.
Mr.. John A. Goette who was at the Ocean
View pavilion and saw the crowd and heard
the call for help, ran up the beach, and
throwing off his clothes sprang into the water
and brought out the body of the drowned
man. 1t was taken TO William Kehee's
cottage DIR. Battey of Augusta, who was
spending the day on the island, made
a hurried examination and efforts were
made to resuscitate the body. A telephone
message was sent to the city for DIR. Stone,
who went down on a special train at
o'clock. For two hours every effort was
made to restore life to the drowned man,
but the efforts were of no avail.
DEAD WHEN BROUGHT OUT.
Life was extinct when tho body was taken
out Of the water. There was some doubt
whether death was from drowning or from
apoplexy or heart disease. The fact that
the body floated on the surface and did not
sink led to the belief that it might have
been an attack of heart disease that had
caused death. After a careful ex-
animation, however, the physicians gave a
certificate of accidental drowning 1t Is
probable that some weakness, an attack of
some kind, or exhaustion, caused the man
to sink and strange MIR. Goette, at the
request of Mr.. Lewman's sons, took
charge of the body, and it
was brought to the city at
IL O'Clock and taken to Goette's undertake
ing rooms, where it was embalmed. Acting
Coroner Nsughtin was summoned, but did
not deem an inquest necessary.
THE VISIT TO THE BEACH.
Mr.. Lewman, accompanied by his sons,
Mr.. Laid and Daniel Broman, a member
OF the firm, spent yesterday forenoon at
Thunderbolt. They came into the city at
noon, aud at the invitation of Mr.. Ladd the
party went down to Tybee on the o'clock
train. Mr.. Lewman remarked several
times on his way down to the island that he
was good swimmer, and related several
incidents of his boyhood in Indiana,
his native state. He said that
he had never been in the surf, and he was
anxious TO try it. At Thunderbolt arrange
ments were made for a sail next week, and
Mr.. Lewman alluded to the anticipated trim
In pleasant manner several times during
the afternoon. 1t was fully an hour after
the party reached the island before the tide
suited, and Mr.. Lewman and the other get.
tleman walked along on the beach.
They did not order their suits until the tide
was highest, and those who were in the surf
said that 1t was unusually heavy and the I'M
dertow was strong Mr.. Lewman did not seem
to fear the water, and on entering he swan
out far beyond where any of the rest of the
bathers were.
THE NEWS SENT TO HIS HOME
The news of Mr.. Lewmans death was
telegraphed to his brother, d.. G. w. Lew
man, at Jeffersonville, Ind, last night, who
will convey the sad tidiugs to the wife and
sons at home The body will
to Jeifersonville this morning and
will reach there tomorrow afternoon. The
two sons here will go with it,
MIR. Lewman was 81 years old. He was
born in Jeffersonville, Ind and lived there
the greater part of his life He was a lead
ing contractor of the state, aud built some
OF the largest buildings in Indiana. Among
them the insane asylum at Morian, the or
phan's home at Terre Haute, and the greater
number of the houses of Green Castle. He
built the court houses at Mayfield and Ben
ton, KY, besides block of fine buildings
in Mayfeld. He was man Of great phy-
steal strength and activity. He was seldom
sick.
THE DECEAsED'S FAMILY
The family consists of wife and two
daughters in jefferson lille, and his son. II. L,
Lewman, who has been confined to his bed
for several weeks and his two sons J. b.
and Lee Lewman, who are in Savannah.
He has also a son, Wynn Lewman, at school
at Bordstown, Ind. Mr.. Lewman's wife
and daughter visited him here during the
winter and remained several
weeks. AT Jeffersonville he
has two brothers. Dr. G. w. Lewman is
president of the Citizens Bank aud G. C.
Lewman is druggist and hardware mer-
chant. Mr. Lewman has recently fitted UP
his farm near Jacksonville, and moved his
family out, expecting next Year to turn
the contracting business over to his sons
and Mr.. Braman, and to retire to his farm
He had built a handsome residence on his
farm, and he remarked the other day that
he had the best farm in Indiana and that he
was going to retire from active life and live
upon 1t IN quiet.
The contracting business will be con-
Quoted by the other members of the firm
who are here. Mr.. Braman will remain in
charge OF the work on the hotel, which will
not be interfered with by Mr.. Lewman's
death, until the young men, who accompany
the remains OF their father home, return.
CITY BREVITIE5.
MAGNOLIA Enaauapv,,opf NJ IN