The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-15
Fl. C. PARKER EXPIRES
TRAFFIC MANAGER OF THE l.. e. &
w. FOUND DEAD IN HIS BED.
Heart Disease Said to he the Cause
Mystery Maintained by the People
Around the Denison Hotel.

l.. L. w. railroad, died at the Denison
House probably about s o'clock last night,
under peculiar and somewhat mysterious cir
cumstances. The death OF Mr. Parker did
not become publicly known until nearly
midnight and then for an hour IL was ex-
tremely difficult TO learn anything about the
circumstances. At first those connected with
the hotel would not even admit that he was
dead, but maintained a strict silence when
approached In regard to the matter. Final
ly, when the rumor of the death was verb
fed from other sources, the hotel manage
ment admitted the truth Of the rumor, but
even then nothing OF the circumstances Of
the death could be learned. 1t was not until
after several friends had been summoned
that anything was given out.
The facts in regard to the death were
given out by friends after midnight. Parker
returned from Chicago yesterday morning
and complained somewhat of heart trouble.
but did not look upon it as anything Of a
serious nature. In the afternoon he went
to his office on East Washington street with
General Manager Bradbury and transacted
considerable business About O'Clock he
left the office, saying to his chief clerk that
he was not feeling very well and was 60
ing to his room and rest. Nothing more
was seen OF him until about o'clock, when
he rang the bell connected with his room In
the Denison, and sent bellboy for DIR.
Combs. The Doctor responded, reaching
Parker's room a few minutes after o'clock.
He found Mr.. Parker in some pain and
with evidence OF serious heart trouble. but
his condition was not such as to indicate
that death would come soon. He was given
some medicine and DR.. Combs left, saying
that he would call again about 10 O'Clock.
After DR.. Combs left it is not known that
any one saw Mr.. Parker alive. He did not
go down TO supper, nor did he call for any,
body TO come to him.
At 1920 o'clock DR.. Combs returned to the
hotel, going directly to Mr.. Parker's room.
He knocked and, receiving no response, tried
the door and found IL unlocked. On going
In he found Mr.. Parker lying on the bed.
apparently having been dead about two
hours.
About two weeks ago, Mr.. Parker was
feeling very badly and complained OF pains
In his chest in the region of the heart He
was advised to go to West Baden and take
the baths and drink the water While there
he concluded TO try one of the mud baths
In company with Alvin Lockard he went to
the bath house and on being asked by the
attendant If either of them were subject to
heart disease, Mr.. Parker replied that he
had occasionally had heart troubles, but in
jocular manner which led the attendant
to believe that he had reference to love af-
fairs and not to any actual affectation OF
the heart After taking ase bat IT, MIR
planned OF being very weak and debilitated
and ii Is now thought that possibly this
bath had something to do with his condi.
ton. Mr.. Parker returned from West Bad.
en- last week, feeling somewhat better than
when he went down, but still complaining
Of trouble with his heart. He went to
Cleveland, where he spent two days, and
then returned TO this city and then went to
Chicago, returning from that city yester-
day morning.
P1ARKER'S RAILROAD RECORD.
Henry c. Parker was born July T. 1S49, in
New York city. At the age of twenty he
entered the service of the Empire fast
freight lines. He rapidly advanced from
clerk in a local Office to cashier in the De-
troit Office. then was again promoted and
became superintendent clerk and was as
signed to establishing agencies of the EN-
pire line. He served in this capacity less
than a year and was then made agent of
the line at Fort Wayne. where he remained
seven years. He was again promoted and
became Western agent of the Empire line,
with headquarters at Peoria, ILL., In 1880
George L. Bradbury. who was then, general
manager of the p, ID. a l.. railroad, placed
Mr.. Parker in charge of the freight depart
ment Of that road. In April. 1887, when Mr..
Bradbury became general manager of the
l.. Z. q W., ne brought MIR. Parker here
and made him traffic manager of that road,
which position he has held ever since. His
parents moved from New York to Norwalk,
o., where they now reside, and it is prob
able that the remains will be sent there for
burial No arrangements will be made for
the funeral until his parents are heard
from.
Mr.. Parker was a man extremely well
known in railroad circles. His methods
were somewhat peculiar in some ways, but
he was noted for being able to place the
freight department of a railroad on a good
basis II such thing were possible. Hav--
ing spent his entire life in the service of
railroads and fast freight lines, he had
become as familiar with the details of this
class of work as any man in the country.
1t was his peculiar methods of pushing his
business which at first attracted Mr.. Brad
bury's attention and caused him to place
Mr.. Parker. in charge of the freight de-
partment of the p, ID. e. r. In the service
of that road he showed his great capabili-
ties in this line to much better advan-
tage than he had been able TO do while in
the service of a fast freight line, where he
was a subordinate with limited powers, and
when Mr. Bradbury came to the L. E. &
w. it was natural that he should bring Mr..
Parker with him.