The Leon reporter., 1902-11-06
FAILING WALLS KILL.
Lester Showalter of Leon Killed by
Collapse of Brick Building at
Grant City.


Grant City.
Lester E. Showalter, son of l. J..
Showalter of this city, was instantly
killed at Grant City last Wednesday
night at 1880 O'Clock by the collapse Of
double brick store building in which
he vas sleeping in the second story.
The following account of the accident
is taken from. the Grant City Star:
"a sudden jarring sound, a crash,
and another, and continued rumble
for a few seconds-and all was as quite
and peaceful as is the wont OF the still.
ness of the night. This was the exper-
fence of the night watchman, D. D..
Hull, and one or two others about
1l:30 O'Clock last night. The sound
came from the northwest of the square
and an immediate investigation by Mr..
Hull, Mr.. McReynolds, and others dis
covered that the two-story double
brick building occupied by NJ. F. Smith
& Sons had suddenly collapsed. HUI
man cries came from the debris and all
hands set to work at once to rescue the
victims of the catastrophe. In three or
four minutes DR.. Ewing and wife were
taken from the middle of the fallen
building, practically uninjured except
By the shock. But the victims in the
northwest corner could not be reached
SO easily.
After digging away the bricks and
chopping and saving the timbers, Ar
gus Brown was dragged from the wreck
almost smothered, considerably bruised,
but not dangerously hurt. Across his
body lay that Of Lester A. showalter,
whose head had been caught under
falling beam and buried in the lime and
mortar so that he probably died Of
sufocation. His head was not crushed
by the beam. The body was taken to
home of ohm Ewing in the north part of
town, where DIR. Ernest Ewing and wife
also repaired.
Lester +. Sbowal,er was attending
the high school in Grant City, having
come here some six weeks ago from his
home. at Leon, Iowa, where a new
school building was being erected. He
expected to return to Leon when the
building had been finished. His par.
ents formerly lived in Ringgold county
northeast of Allendale. and he was a
brother to Mrs. Ernest Ewing and a
nephew Of the Rev. Showalter who was
at one time pastor of the Methodist
Episcopal church in Grant City. His
father, Jacob Showalter, is in Kansas at
toe present time to attend the funeral
of his brother. He has one brother in
Oregon and sister Mrs. Frank Glenn,
in Kirksville. The kilograms have been
sent to his relatives. He was about IL
years old
Argus Brown lives northeast of Allen.
dale, and was taking treatment of DR..
Ewing and rooming on the second floor
of Mr.. Smiths building. He is indebted
to j. w. Reynolds, Bruce Dubois, DIR.
Mills, and Jessie Engle and others for
his prompt release from the ruins.
Many helpful hands ministered to the
comfort of those in the wreck
The north, west and center walls of
both buildings were completely wrecked.
The front remains standing. The
weight of the goods, beams and brick
crushed the floors into the cellar.
Nothing had occurred to give warning of
the catastrophe. Fortunate it was that
it did not occur in the day when the
stole was crowded with people. The
buildings are total loss except the
brick and part of the fronts. Mr.. Smith
believes that many of the goods will be
found uninjured."
1t is a coincidence that the only other
accident Of the kind in this part of the
country occurred in Grant City, in 1883,
and that Miss Addie Tenant, daughter
of Mr., and Mrs. WIS. Tenant of Rice
township, this county, was in the build
ing when it fell. She was rescued by
John Kirk kpatrick, who is now her
husband. Ihey now i've ln Des
Moines.
Mr.. /. j. showalter, OF Leon, the
father Of the dead boy, was in Kansas at
the time of the accident, having been
called there to attend the funeral of his
brother, and oil efforts to locate him BIZ
telegram to notify him Of the accident
we're unavailing. He had started home
and stopped over night in Kansas City,
and while sitting there waiting for his
train he picked up Kansas City paper
which he found in seat and almost
the first thing he read was an account
of the accident. When he boarded the
train in the morning the conductor
handed him the telegram and be went
at once to Grant City.
Lester attended High School in this
city last year and had made many
warm friends during his residence in
this city who are deeply grieved at his