Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-03
Lifeless Body Of Lester Fisher Found
This Morning.
As BROKER and CITIZEN
Left a Package Of Letters Ad-
dressed to Friends.
ESULT OF AUTOPSY

Inc ueaQ DoQy or Mr.. Lester 8. Fisher
was found this morning about o'clock in
room in Mades Hotel, corner of Pennsyl-
vania avenue and Sd street. Coroner Carr
was summoned, and, upon the facts ascer--
tanned, was under the impression that death
was due to an attack Of heart disease. The
dead mans face and body showed consid
to determine the cause Of death beyond any
doubt an autopsy was ordered.
Mr.. Fishers absence from his home, No.
1414. kenesaw avenue, and from his Office
on 14th street for the past two days had
caused his friends and relatives consider
able anxiety, and this morning several Of
them were summoned to the Office on F
street to consider the matter and to take
steps to have him located. Before anything
had been done friends of the deceased were
notified by Star reporter Of his sad end
ing.
His office desk was broken open and in
it was found a package addressed to Mr..
Frank V. Bennett, manager of the Airing
ton Hotel. This package contained num-
Ter of letters addressed to friends. One of
them had upon it the name of Mr.. Mac
CARNEY, his former employer; another was
dill ected to Mr.. Marshall and still another
TO the pastor of his church. There Were
two other letters in the package, addressed
to customers of Mcintyre & Wardwell.
Last night between y and 10 o'clock Mr..
Fisher called at Mades' Hotel and said he
wanted room. He was at the time, some
of the guests say, considerably under the
influence of liquor.
Being well dressed, and there being moth
ing about him that was the least objec-
tionable the clerk allowed him to register
and assigned him to a room.
Was Not in Hurry.
He did not seem to be in hurry to go to
his room, but took seat in the office. It
is also developed that he did not register
his own name. Several other guests were
there, seated at a table. reading Mr..
Fisher took a seat at the big round table,
and he, too, spent some minutes glancng
over newspapers. He soon tired of reading,
and when he stepped toward the bar he
invited those in the room to drink with
him.
Mr.. Latimer one of the guests, declined
he says. because of Mr.. Fishers intoxicat-
ed condition, but when the latter Insisted
on his taking drink he consented to take
glass of beer. This was followed by an
Invitation to Mr.. Latimer to go out with
him for good time, but this the latter re-
fused to do, and advised him to go to bed
1t was about 10 o'clock when Mr.. Fisher
said Coed night and started to bed.
call me at IN the morning." he said
and nothing more was seen of him until
his dead body was found this morning.
Mr. Latimer retired soon afterward, and
about II o'clock he was awakened by
noise. He got up and discovered that the
noise was in Mr.. Fishers loom, and was
made by his snoring.
He returned to his bed and thought no
more of the stranger until this morning.
Fails to Respond.
About 8 o'clock the bell boy was sent to
comply with the request made by Mr..
Fisher last night, but knock on the door
brought no response. Several times the
knock was repeated, and then the boy re-
ported 20 the clerk the result of his efforts.
The door was locked, but the transom was
open, and tho boy entered the room through
that and Investigated. His body was rest
ing on its back with the hands closed
across the chest, having the appearance of
being asleep.
Coroner Carr reached the hotel about 10
O'Clock in response to summons, and by
his direction the body was removed to the
morgue and prepared for an autopsy.
search made Of the clothing Of the dead
man convinced the coroner that the name
on the hotel register was not an assumed
one, for his name appeared on his pocket
book as well as on a card of the Columbia
Athletic Club, Of which the deceased was
vice president.
pawnticket found In his pocket showed
that he pawned his watch yesterday at H.
K. FuIton's for SO, and he had abou. 81
in casa in his pocket book. Another proof
Of his identity was receipt from the
Photographers Mutual Beneficial Associa-
| ton, Of which he was a member. During
| the day several friends of the deceased
called at the morgue and viewed the body.
One of them stated that Fisher had been
! drinking recently.
Mr.. Fisher was about forty-three years
old. He had lived in this city for about
| twenty years. having come here from
| vous disposition; and, 1t is said, was very
much affected by changes in the stock
market. Friends speak of him in the
highest terms. He was prominent in stock
lrnk aY 90 70 Inc ham -
Corson MacCartney's business for q
| number of years. During the past twelve
| months he has been manager Of the BUSH
Eess Of the firm of Mcintyre & WardweIl,
brokers' at No. 141e F street.
The letters. as stated above. were in
| closed in a large envelope, with the ends
cut, as though it would have been used
| for a newspaper wrapper, and the flap
showed that the mucilage had been moist
ened and the flap afterward loosened
| There was no letter inclosed to Mr.. Ben
nett, although the covering was marked
Frank V. Bennett, personal" This cir
this feature was further emphasized when
Mr. Bennett was informed an hour or two
afterward that letter addressed to him
had been found in a drawer of Mr.. Fishers
desk.
Letter to Mr.. Bennett.
1t was dated April 20, and was as follows:
my Dear Frank: AS supplemental to
my previous communications, won't you
| please look out for some real estate notes
| Of mine that are out? I am calling on you,
| old fellow. to do great deal. and your re-
ward will come when I meet you on the
other shore.
DO the best you can for me, Frankie,
| and don't forget me as I use-to-was.
Ever yours, LESTER"
The tenor of this letter plainly showed
that Mr.. Fisher had written other letters
to Mr.. Bennett regarding the disposition
| of his affairs, but Mr.. Bennett has re-
ceived none except the one given above.
| Shock to His Friends.
The news Of Mr.. Fishers death and the
| fact that he had left letters indicating
| an expectation that his end was near, caus-
| ed a terrible shock to the great legion of
friends who knew and loved him. 1t was
! the general opinion that a more disengen-
1 uous, open-hearted, true and loyal fellow
| never existed. There was nothing of the
| crafty or the cunning about him, and his
| family relations were of the most tender
| character.
! He had suffered from heart trouble for q
year or eighteen months, and had several
serious attacks of 1t, but recently he ap-