Arizona republican., 1905-08-01

Tempe about o'clock A jury was impaneled by the justice, with the fol- lowing members: J. R. Birchett, II. :. | Simms. l. V. Stewart. J. T. Parry, w. | T. Cummings and J. C. Goodwin They | examined the body and the clothing, | and found in the pockets a ring of | keys, a watch and a purse, but noth- | ing that would throw any light on the | motive for committing the deed. A | desk was left open, and on it was a large number of letters that had been | opened, but there was nothing there i that added anything to what the jury 1 already knew. They therefore ren- dered a verdict in accordance with the aforestated facts.
 The undertaken took charge of the remains; they were placed in a coffin and taken to the Double Butte cem- etery. where they were inferred. as it would have been absolutely impossible to make any other disposition Of them. The school board refused to allow | them to remain in the school building | longer, and regard for the feelings of the public would not permit of their 1 being held in the undertaking estab- l lishment. An effort will be made by l the local Masonic lodge to have Prof. | Lewis home lodge join with it and re-
 move the body to his former home in ] Texas.
 AN EARLIER ATTEMPT.
 ! There were various theories as to what prompted Prof. Lewis to take his own life, but the msot probable one advanced was that he was temporarily demented. At the residence of James i Goodwin, where he had lodged for sev- eral weeks past it had been noticed ! that his actions were strange but there
 was not evidence enough of insanity to
 warrant a report to the authorities.
 although MT. Goodwin did speak to the
 marshal about it and he also asked MT.
 Lewis to find another place to stay.
 MT. Goodwin says that a week ago
 Sunday MT. Lewis took a large quan-
 tity of medicine and took a large drink
 of whiskey. He is confident now and
 rather felt then that it was taken in
 an attempt at suicide. It required sev- eral hours work by doctor to bring
 him out of the stupor following the
 taking of the mixture.
 A day or two later Mir Goodwin's attention was attracted to a cross like plaster on the wrist, and it
 is now thought that this was another unsuccessful attempt at suicide. While rational on most sub jects. he did many things lately that
 caused more or less comment at the . time but which now look very much . as if the man had not been in his right mind for some time past. He once started for Los Angeles but on reach ? ing Maricopa turned around and came ? back A day or two later he started ! for Iron Springs but was absent but a p few days and the day before his death
 had told several different stories as to
 what his intentions were for the resl ! of the summer
 ! THE MOTIVE DISCLOSED. . A message from Tempe last night y- said there had developed a probable X motive of MT. Lewis suicide. Hi: Q health had not been good and seemed : to be getting gradually worse. He hat | a financial worry that probably would |, not have embarrassed him in goOC n health but under the conditions it prey . ed upon his mind. He had borrowed n SITS for which he had given his note e endorsed by Dr. E. B. Moeur. Las l, evening w. J. Kingsbury found q let e ter lying on a trunk in MT Lewis room e Its date shows that he had been con y templating a sudden disappearance fo y sometime and lends color to the belle = that the two incidents recited abov' n as unexplainable were attempts at sui } eide. The letter is as follows; a Tempe, Ariz-, July 14- z 'NIr. B. B. Moeur. Tempe.
 'I 'I ask to be forgiven for the wroni d I am doing you as well as others. = should like to stay and pay what l ow '. but I feel sure that my health an 'O mind are both gone. Apprcciaung you
 kindness and that of other people O
 Tempe bid you goodbye.
 t ''Yours truly,
 u IS. O. LEWIS" . Mir. Lewis room was in the Gas = I.oma hotel and the letter was write I on the hotel stationery.
 ~ Professor Lewis was very well an q favorabIy known in Tempe where h I has resided since he came to talk , charge of the public school last Sep ,,. tember. He was an efficient teache n and his work last year was rewarde ,e bv his employment for the coming yea ,a He was we'll liked by his friends an - his tragic death will be deeply regret ,9 ted by all He was about thirty-tw 70 years old and previous to coming io Tennpe was a resident of Corscican' = Texas It is known that he has a moth or CT living somewhere in Illinois and sf or will be notified. He was a membt 10 of the Masonic order.