The Anaconda standard., 1898-11-21
he DIED ON THE TRAIL
Heart Disease Strikes Down Ro-
land T. Rombauer.
HAD BEEN ILL SOME TIME
He Was on His Way to Join His Asso-
ciasss st the Camp OF the Mineral
Land Commissioners-sketch
OF His Life.

MIssoula. Nov. ee-w. v. Tompkins
OF the mineral land commission arrived
In Missoula tonight from the camp OF
the commissioners on Swan river with
the sad news Of the death OF Hon. Ro-
land T. Rombauer. one OF his associates
on the commission. Commissioner
Hatheway and Charles Holman Will
reach here tomorrow and an inquest
will be held at once. Nothing Is known
OF the circumstances Of Mr.. Rombauer's
death. as he was alone. and his body
was not discovered for at least two
days after death. which resulted from
heart trouble. from which he had been
suffering for several months I'm Sc
we're form. Mr.. Tompkins gives the fol-
lowing story OF the sad event:
''Mr. Rombauer had severe attack
OF grip last spring and ever since had
been weak and unsteady on his feet
and was really unfit for work. He had
been atWhite Sulphur Springs for some
time lately In the hope of restoring his
health and about the first OF the month
returned from a trip to the coast. Mr..
Hathaway was in town election day
and went to Mr.. Rombauer. He asked
him IL he intended TO go out to our
camp with him on the following day.
Mr.. Rombaur said he would, but when
Mr.. Hatneway started Mr.. Rombauer
was too iii 20 make the trip that day.
He would come as soon as he was able.
We waited In the upper country for
him one day and then went on with
our work.
I'VE were camped on Swan river. In
the Clearwater country. about 120 miles
from Missoula. Last Thursday night
Charles Holman came to our camp and
told us he had found the dead body of
Mr.. Rombauer I'm the road about 80
miles from our camp. He had covered
the body with blankets and had has
tened to inform us of the sad discovery.
We at once made a rough pine box and
went for the remains of our friend. We
found the body lying in the road. Death
had evidently come suddenly and peace
fully. The body was upon its back with
one hand laying on the breast and the
other at its side. There was no sign
of any struggle. Near by were some
pieces OF paper that looked as II they
had been wrapped around n lunch. The
broken halter of Mr.. Rombauer's horse
was found tied to a tree close by where
the body was found. The circumstances
indicated the man had stopped to eat
his lunch and had tied his horse He
had evidently risen and taken "a few
steps. As he fell he must have rolled
under his horse. which broke away and
ran. We have not yet found an. trace
of the horse.
1--WE placed the body In n box and
started for Mlssoula. I came on ahead
and Messrs. Hathaway and Holman
will reach here tomorrow with the re-
mains. The place where his body was
found was close to Summit lake, on the
divide between Clearwater and Swan
rivers. All that we have been able to
learn OF Mr.. Rombauer's trip up the
Blackfoot Is that he started from Mis-
soula Saturday morning. Nov. IL. He
spent Saturday night at Potomac and
left there in the morning for Griswold's =
camp. where he remained Monday
night. When he reached there he was
so weak that he could not get on his
horse alone and he was not much bet
ter the next morning. However. he
started from Griswold's about . o'clock
that morning and said that he would
try to make Hammond's logging camp
that day. taking two days instead OF
one. as Is usual to reach our camp. He
did not stop at Hammond's camp.
though he must have passed there on
the trail. The only man who saw him
after he left Griswold's. as far as can
be learned. is a man who saw him riding
along near Woodwork postofiice. This
was Monday. He must have died that
day or the next. As to the cause OF
from heart trouble. All summer after
his illness he had great difficulty In
breathing while walking and l had
warned him to be careful. He evidently
anticipated something OF this sort. for
he had given Mr.. Hathaway instruc-
tions to telegraph to friends in case OF
his death and had requested that he be
buried at Philipsburg This request will
be followed IL possible"
Roland T. Rombauer was a native OF
Budapest. Hungary. and came to Iowa
when he was Is years old. He was 81
years old last summer. He had been a
resident OF Granite county for several
years prior to his appointment TO the
mineral land commission. in July. 1896
At that time he was engaged in mining
near Princeton. Not much is known
here OF his family. A brother. II. T..
Rombauer. is circuit Judge in st. Louis.
He has been notified by wire OF the
death Of his brother. He also has n
nephew In Butte. whose name Is not
known here. Mr.. Rombauer requested
that a telegram be sent to w. T. ALI
son OF Philipsburg in case of his death
and such a message was sent tonight.
Mr.. Rombauer was n well educated
man and was a skillful miner. He was
well liked by his acquaintance here
and the news OF his death is a shock to
his friends. No arrangements have yet