The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-19
ACHAMPION FAT MAN DEAD
Erastus II. Lewis Expires at His
Home in New jersey.
The Deceased Was Fifty-SeVen
Years Old and Weighed 40
POUnds-Was President of an Or
gnnizatiOn Of Robust Individuals.

JERSEI CITY. \. J.. Aug. 19-Erastus
II. better know as "Ras.- Lewis. who is
said to have been the champion fat man
Of New Jersey. is dead at his home .I0J2
Summit Avenue. Jersey CITY lie was
Hfty-seven years ola and weighed $40
pounds. lie had lost much flesh during
his Illness and frequently told his friends
who remembered the time when ne prided
himself on tipping the scales at 52t pounds
that he was getting to be a lightweight
Ras' Lewis win long be remembered
4 in Hudson county as one of the organ
izers of the Fat Mems Club. which once
numbered go men. each OF whom weighed
1D pounds or more. He was elected
president at the first meeting. and no one
ever had the temerity 20 attempt to wrest
the place from him. He always said that
he was willing TO sure lder il whenever a
candidate was produced who was heavier
than ne.
Lewis cam from Port Jervis. " Y to
Jersey city more than thirty-fve years
ago and went TO work for the Erie rail-
road as train dispatcher He held his
place until 1851 when lie was compelled
To give il up owing TO his great weight.
which made II difficult for him to move
about, and because he didn't understand
teleEraphy. He opened a saloon in the
lower part Of the city. and about this
time. with the help OF ex-Justice Of the
Peace Winfield s. Weed. William Her
bert, Stephen Gristead, Frank Mcconnell
and the father Of eX-Sherirf Cornelius ]
Cronan, organized the Fat Mans Club
When "Ras' was first elected president
the floor CreaLed with nearly five tons Of
humanity, the combined weight OF forty
citizens of Hudson county.
The meetings always wound up with So
claI sessions al which the fat men We'd
with each other in getting away with the
greatest quantities of beer. Lewis Was
Always the most picturesque figure at the
meetings as he sat in his immense chair
Of state which was especially built for
him The club gave a bail once a year
during the height Of its glory and also
held summer outings. Lewis was a mem
Der OF g baseb1ll club an took part I'm
many games with scrub fat mems clubs.
. He often said that he wasn't much on
running bases, but balls could never Eazt
away from him The Fat Mems Club is
sum an organization. bat its active MEM
DershIp has dwiudl-d to two score Oh. so
MANY interesting stories were told By
ttd S friends vest erGIy iIIusfrafira, Tho
. ciIacuIty which he experienced in getting
about Ills glrth was so great that he had
10 squeeze through the door Of street
car or cab, and as walking tired him ne
lLd4 10 rue bLltu- he liked TO aStDui-h
the drivers Of the oue-hOrse Tigers which
were ln operation in Erie Street a few
years ago by jumping on the rear plat
forms when che car comes TO a stOp In
Fartably the front platform went up and
passengers were bounced in the air a half
q loot or more one day a woman who
was the only passenger. screamed fran
ucalIy % the driver to save her as Lewis
Jumped aboard Squeezing through the
door, Lewis politely dOffed mis- hat and
said. Don't be frightened, madame: 1
dld It, but I'm here % save you" The
street car drivers always compelled Lewis
10 go inside in order TO make room for
passengers who wanted 20 get on and of
one night some Of ''Ras' 90 rat friends
sawed the bottom Of a cab half WY
through before Re started for home with
Justice Weed from a Christening party
held IN honor Of Lewis grandchiId in HO-
DOken. The boards broke and his legs
went through the hole as soon as Lewis
stepped in. The driver didn't know what
had happened until he had whipped up his
horses, and IL took half a dozen men sev-
eral minutes 20 eNtricate the fat man
Lewis was one Of the best-natured men
in Jersey City. He was very fond OF
pinOchlc and a crowd was sure to gather
at his table as soon as he began 10 figure
up his melds. He was a good story teller
and often related his experience as q sol
der in the civil war
He leaves a widow Of medium stature
and slender build and one married daugh-