Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-24
HIS VOW WAS FATAL.
A Young Cigarmaker Breaks a
Pledge Never to Return Home
TO VISIT HIS DYING FATHER.
He ls Killed While Returning From the
Home Of Els Parents.
HIS DEAD BODY FOUND ON THE TRACKS

c. W. Lewis, young cigarmaker whose
relatives reside at Dubois, was instantly
killed at Kennedy station, on the West
Penn Railroad, yesterday. 1t is supposed
his death resulted from the breaking of q
vow he made some years ago, to "never 60
home any more" When he first left home
is not definitely known, but he has been
roaming all over the country, stopping only
a short time at any one place, since early in
1889. 1t is believed he left home some
years before that.
Lewis was a tramp, not of the everyday
beUgarly type, but possessed of rowing
disposition and never contented unless on
the move. He dressed we'll and worked
wherever he went. This is shown by
working card from the National Cigar
makers Union which he carried and which
has evidence that he paid dues in nearly
every town of any size between Chicago
and New York. Some cities he had visited
at intervals several times
Vowed Never to Return Home.
Whatever may have been tho cause Of
his leaving home he had written VOW,
"I'll never go home any more" 1t was
written on piece Of paper which he car
ried in his pocketbook. With it was q
newspaper clipping containing the words Of
song entitled, ':I'll Never Go Home Any
More" Both scraps of paper were worn
and had faded yellow, as if carried for
long time.
A letter from his brother at Dubois,
found in the dead mans pocket, furnished
clew to where he had been previous to his
death. The letter stated that on the I'd
inst his old father had suffered a second
stroke Of paralysis, was very feeble and
could not possibly survive much longer.
The missive was addressed to Lewis in
Western town. A desire to see his poor
old father once more before he died caused
the young man to break his vow. He re-
turned home, but did not stay long. The
old spirit of unrest seized him on Saturday
and he started away once more.
The manner of his death indicates the
mode of travel he usually followed. As
the through ffeight train passed Allegheny
Junction on the West Penn Railroad yes
terday morning the engineer noticed Lewis
lying on the bank in the sun apparently
asleep.
Death Overlook Him on His Return.
It is supposed he had worked his way
from Dubois on the Allegheny Valley road
during the night and was waiting for an op-
portunity to continue on his way. The
noise of the passing train aroused him and
he managed to get aboard q
The next seen of him wY at Kennedy
station where the train was stopped on a
block signal One of the brakemen found
his body lying on the track short distance
in rear of the train. He was dead when
the tralnmen reached him. They suppose
he went to sleep sitting on the bumpers be-
tween two box cars and was jolted off by
the sudden stop of the train. His SKULL
was fractured by the fall but there was no
other injury noticeable. The body was put
on the train and brought to the morgue in
this city. As soon as the body was identi-
fed by the papers found upon it kilograms
were sent to the relatives. at Dubois and
they are expected here to-day, when an in
qnest will be held