The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-20
ALooRops LATEST VICTIM.
Brent Ffner Found Dead on the Street Yester-
day Morning


the abus eof intoxicating liquors, and yet
ali their combined arguments are as moth
ing compared to the temperance argument
which was submitted to this community
yesterday morning in the death of Brent
FILTER in the street from delerium tremens.
And the death of that unfortunate man is
no greater temperance lecture than the
ruined home OF his family, whose de
pendence is now wholly on widow who
IS in the advanced stages of consumption
and who has not penny in her pocket and
no resource but her hands and her sewing
machine. He fought against king alcohol,
and Of course was knocked out in the I'M
equal contest, and that enemy OF the hui
man race is still the champion and will al
ways remain a conqae~Or over men who
will foolishly fight " him to finish.
Men who have conquered kingdoms have
fallen before him, and why should not
man like Brent Fiffer?
Mr. Filter had no fault but his inability
to conquer his appetite for whisky. and if
he had practiced the virtue of temperance
he would be u valuable member of society
and, when sober, was industrious, and
possessed of first class business qualities.
He belonged to a good family aud was
given a good start in life, and had wife
and daughter that are capable of making
the home of any man happy.
Yesterday morning he was found dead in
the streets.
One week ago last Friday he was found
drunk in the stairway leading to the house
and WAS locked up in the city prison more
for the purpose OF SOLDERING him up than
for punishment. A few days later he was
let out and on Wednesday he was found
drunk again and again arrested. He re-
manned in the calaboose till about7 o'clock
night before last when, owing to sickness,
he was taken into the comfortable office of
the police station and given a bed He
told the police he felt very bad and asked
for doctor and city physician. St. John,
was summoned. Dr. St. John arrived
about 10 o'clock and finding him very
nervous he gave him medicine to
quiet his nerves. The patient was
suffering from a smothering feeling and
he could not rest, and several times had to
go out on the porch to get fresh air.
Finally he told the officer that he thought
some soda might help MIN and he was
given permission to go down TO the hose
house, where some soda was kept for the
use OF the chemical engine. When he got
TO the hose house he took some soda and
swallowed it and then asked Foreman
Schauner for some whisky, stating that he
was sick and needed it. The foreman told
him he had none, and then to his surprise
Fiffer pulled out a bottle which contained
good drink of whisky and drank it,
off ba nd
returned with another flask which con-
tanned about another drink, which he also
drank. 1t WIS then about o'clock, and
he walked away. That was the last seen
or heard of him till about O'Clock yester-
day morning, when Charles H. Koetsch,
an engraver, was going to work. When
Mr.. koetsch arrived at the corner of Sec
ond street and Topeka avenue he noticed
man laying on the sidewalk, and thinking
he was asleep he tried to arouse him. In
doing so he turned him over on his back
and found to his great horror that he was
dead. The police were notified at once
and the coroner was also summoned.
That officer empanneled a jury
at once and afGer viewing
the body it was taken to Kendall's under
taking rooms where it was dressed. The
poor wife was informed that she was
widow, and of course it was a great shock
to her, though she had been fearful for
several months that he would die in this
manner. The coroner's jury investigated
the case and after examining five wit
nesses they arrived at the following YER
dict:
state of Kansas, Sedgwick county, SIS.
IAN inquisition holden at Wichita, Kan
sas on the 10Th day of December, 1891, be-
fore me, Z. b. Badger, coroner of Sedg-
wick county, on the dead body of B. +.
Pifer, there lying dead, by the jurors
whose names are hereunto subscribed. !
The said jurors, upon their oaths, do say
that from the testimony given, the de- |
ceased came 70 his death from delerium |
tremens caused by excessive use of alcohol. |
y. G. Davis, Al. Witt, l. Cone, Harvey |!
J l. Johnson, Benjamin Root. |
In testimony whereof the said jurors /
have hereunto set their hands the day and |
year above written. Attest: L. B. Bad |
ger. coroner"
A telegram was sent to the father of the |
man who lives at Xenia, O., /
the sad intelligence aud he |
replied by requesting that the remains be |
sent there at his expense for burial The /
was complied with and the body
was shipped last night over the Santa Fe.
Religion cut some figure III the fate of
FILTER 4 few years ago his wife prevailed
lpon him to join the church and he did so.
From that moment on he led a model life
out it seems some or his friends who be-
onged to another evangelical denomina-
ion, did not like the fact that
le belonged to the Methodist
church and advised him to leave it. He
lid SO, and the consequence was that he
lid not identify himself with the church
# their choice and returned to his old
drinking habits, which be practiced at
intervals until they finally resulted in his
sad death.
He was about II years of age, aud leaves
wife aud daughter who is now Is
ears OF age.
The only way to sober Mr.. Filter was to
Tut him in Jail. Last winter he was kept
u the county Jail for thirty days. and
when he got out he walked down town
With an EASLE reporter, to whom be said
hat he would never again drink an ounce
f liquor. He broke that good resolution,
nd premature death, desolate home.
nd widow and orphan was the penalty.
THE WICHITA LITERARY LEAGUE