Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-01-15
MYSTERY OF DECEASED
MAN FOUND DEAD IN HIS ROOM
YESTERDAY ALWAYS KNOWN
BY THE NAME OF E. j. D. "
&E McNEESER.
HIS REAL NAME WAS JOSEPH
SLAYER AND, THE REASON
FOR THE CHANGE Is NOT
,.' KNOWN. y
EVIDENCE Of FAMILY IN THE
, EAST HAS BEEN FOUND
SERVED THROUGH CIVIL
H. WAR. g..

Joseph Slayer, always known as e.
J. McNeeser, and long resident of
this city was found dead in his room
Friday evening where he had lain on
the floor since death overlook him,
presumabl early Friday morning or
late Thursday night. The body was
cold and stir indicating the length
Of time that it had lain there. The
lamp and the fire had burned out,
making further indications of many
hours since death. 10y.
He had jbeen ailing for several
months and neighbors who had been
assisting him in many ways missed
him. Oflders were summoned and
he was found as described. .r
At a coroner's inquest held yester-
day it was decided that he came to
his death by a second attack of
angina pectoris, an affection of the
heart. DR.. F. R. Smyth, who had at.
tended him when he was first taken
Ill was called in and testified that at
the time of his professional visits to
the deceased, about November LIST.
that the above named was his all
ment and that he was not surprised
to hear of his sudden death. ~
In looking for papers that night
lead to location Of some possible
living relatives of the dead man,
the coroner brought to light the fol-
lowing:
His name was Joseph Slayer and
he was born inPhiladelphia, Penn.
He Unlisted in Company E, Attn
| PENNSYLVANIA Volunteer Infantry in
1861, and served all through the
civil war and was discharged at Cha,-
lesion, South Carolina, in 1865.
From there he appears to have gone
to GAINESVILLE, Ohio, as he had at his
home a G.. A. R. memorial badge on
which appears "Hazelett Post No. IS,
GAINESVILLE, Ohio" @i.
Nothing is known as to where he
went from there but he came to Da-
kota in the eighties and was for a
time in the southern part Of the state
where he is said by others to have
been known as Dead Eye Dick" a
nick name which was probably at
tached to him owing to his having
lost the sigh of one aye. The name
'Dick" would suggest that he had
given the name of "Richard" while
there but since coming to Bismacrl,
in the alter part of the eighties he
has been known to all but a few
G. "A. R. men as e. J. McNeeser. A
pension which he drew was made
payable to Joseph Slayer. He also
Joined James 3. Mcpherson Post in
this city September 9. 1890, under
that name.
He was married by the Rev.
Father Schmitt of this city in 1890
to Miss Mary Cathrine Sarvis and
was married under the name Of E. J.
lsMcNeeser as the marriage Incense
shows. His wife came to the city
about 1885 and died at their home
March 81, 1897.
There were letters found in the
house from Geo. Gibson at Billings,
Mont, letters from patent attorneys,
he having been an inventive genius
and also a letter from Jessie Saryis,
Crow Valley, Orange county, New
York, supposedly his deceased wife's
sister
| The only thing that was found that
would indicate that he had living rela.
tiVes was photo of a little bow
| which was incased in a celluliod
frame. On the frame were the words
Robert, aged sH years" On the
back of the same were the words
merry Christmas to Grandpa and
datel st. Paul, December 25, '92. The
photo was taken by Essery Of that
city. 4 !.
Why he should have been living
under what seems to have been an
assumed name is a mystery as he
has always been most retiring man
since coming here. and one OF very
industrious habits, living his own
quiet life and making few If any
intimate friends. He was always
spoken Of by those who had employed
him as most conscientious workman
The funeral viii be held from the
Catholic church at two o'clock this
afternoon.