The sun., 1901-08-04
WARREN LEWIS TAKES HIS LIFE.
JUMPS OVERHEARD FROM A
SOUND STEAMER.


On Deck Left . Nsts Saying He Was
Toe Honest 10 steal and Tee Proud
to Beg well Known a. Q sporting Man.
PROVIDENCE. R. l.. Aug. s.-'Too honest
to steal, too proud to beg Leaving this
behind him a. his last words to his friends.
Warren Lewis OF New York jumped over
board from the steamer Rhode Island
late last night OF Cornneld Shoal. The
Rhode Island arrived here this morning.
but 80 far a. known no report was made
to tho authorities here and the truth OF
tho story was fatty denied by the ticket
agent Of the line and by some Of the Of
fcers Of the boat.
The facts are that Warren Lewis Of
Eighty-third street, New York city, aged
50. weight 100 pounds. height feet sX
inches, was a passenger on the Rhode
Island when she left New York last even
ing During the time preceding II o'clock,
Lewis was In company with several men
on the hurricane deck. There was some
drinking and considerable jollity. At II
O'Clock the party left Lewis for q short
time. Upon returning to the hurricane
deck they found Lswis's hat, GOAT and
waistcoat. In q pocket Of the waistcoat
was a memorandum book with an identi-
acation slip on Its face. A message had
been scribbled on the first blank page.
The message read
In five minutes will be In the water
Too honest to steal; too proud to beg
There was no signature. but the identif-
cation which had been filed out furnished
the details given.
The alarm was given and Capt. Rowland
ordered the steamer stopped and a boat
lowered For fifty minutes the boats
crew rowed about. frequently stopping to
listen but nothing was heard or seen OF
Lewis. Steward Burns took charge OF
the suicides clothing and the Identification
book and they will he given to the COM
panys officers at the New York end OF
the line.
Warren Lewis was one Of the best known
sportsmen In the country He had q large
following among athletes and at one time
was said TO be wealthy. Lewis first came
into prominence when the go-as-you-please
walking matches at Madison Square Garden
In the butcher business at Ithaca, n. Y.
Lewis made his start in this neighbor-
hood as the proprietor OF saloon and
boarding house on Third avenue, Brook
lyn, near the Greenwood Cemetery. II
was patronized mainly by the conductors
old Atlantic avenue road. and enabled
Lewis to make quite lot Of money In a
few years. His prosperity. increased and
he soon went In for sports OF various kinds,
particularly boxing at first. His place
became more OF resort for sporting men
and Lewis began to back pugilists to some
extent.
He became identified with fighting when
he backed Jack Dempsey. He also put
up the stakes for Peter Maher, Jack McAu-
lille, Brooklyn Jimmy Carroll, kid"
IAvigne, Kid Mccoy and other well-known
fighters. Lewis won about $4,000 when
John l.. Sullivan whipped Jake Kilrain at
at Coney Island at the time and thought
80 much Of Sullivan's chances that he bor-
rowed several thousands Of dollars to bet
on the champion
In 1890 Lewis started a dance hall on
Eighth avenue near Twenty y-eighth street,
which was known az the -Alhambra.
He was successful from the start and made
Hall Of Australia arrived In New York.
The pair were under the management Of
-Parson' Davies at the time. Choynski
had Just made good showing on the Pacific
Coast against Jim Corbett and was eager
to get a match. Lewis entered into ne
gotiations for a struggle with George God
Trey and the battle took place at Coney
Island. Choynski won. knocking Godfrey
out In fifteen rounds.
Lewis then became 80 much impressed
with Halls appearance that hH took him
20 England and matched him against Ted
Pritchard for the Iniddleweight champion
ship Of England. The fight came OF in
London IN 1902, on the turf. Lewis put
up the stake money, IS, 900, for Hall. Hall
won in four rounds, knocking the English
man out. While he was at New Orleans
to zee the Sullivan -Corbett fight, Lewis's
dance hall was raided by tho police. Lewis
lost heavily on John l., Sullivan when the
latter was defeated by Jim Corbett for the
heavyweight championship.
land He blamed Charley Mitchell for
the estrangemsnt and when Hall was
matched to fight Bob Fitzsimmons at New
Orleans for the middleweight title In 1898
he refused to back Hall because the latter
insisted In having Mitchell in his corner.
Then he went over to the Fitzsimmons
side and invested large amount on "Lanky
Bob. Wnen tn6 atteT won IFWlh, VINO
journeyed to New Orleans, spent several
hundred dollars for wine and made Fitz-
simmons present.
Lewis wagered large amount OF money
on Billy Plimmer when the latter fought
George Dixon at Madison Square Garden
He had seen the Englishman perform
abroad. He got it all back again when
"Pedlar' Palmer knocked Plimmer out.
Lewis after several skirmishes with the
police sold out his dance hall on Eighth
close to the Bridge. He made plenty OF
over $2O0 600. When the trolley cars began
running across the Bridge Lewis lost most
OF his fortune He was compelled to sell
out. He opened concert hall on West
Thirty-eighth street. This did not pay,
and he returned to Eighth avenue again.
He had some trouble there with the police
and finally settled at Broadway and Forty
first street. This venture was q failure,
and Lewis closed up the place few months
ago.
Lewis has been losing money during the
past four years. His misfortune dates TO
the Corbett-Fitzsimmon mill at Carson
City In 1897. Lewis Is credited with having
dropped over $50, 900 by Corbetts defeat
Lewis never thought much OF Corbett's
prowess az boxer, but came to back him
I'm a peculiar way About three months
before the match Lewis strolled into the
Gilsey House in company with Jack
McAulifYe to see Al Smith
The two got to discussing sporting affairs
and some one said that Corbett wanted
hacker 10 put on 81 500 for him in his side
wager Of $4,000 against titzsimmons.