Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-20
RUNS AWAY FROM HOME A BOY
As Soldier of Fortune SIeumRn HAD a
Varied. Career.

Varied. Career.
HASTINGS, Neb, Oct. Ie.-(Special Tele-
g~ram.)-sewell Sleuman was a man Of
many eccentricities. nervous and high
strung in temperament, daring to the point
Of recklessness IN his business pursuits and
liberal to the point of extravaganza. AS
n soldier Of fortune he led a varied career,
hut was successful In nearly all his under
takings.
At the age of 16 he ran away from his
home In Boston and came, west. For a
time he was a bootblack on a Mississippi
river steamboat. When stu a youth he
took a homestead near Trumbull, a few
miles northeast OF Hastings. and became a
successful farmer. He bought the first
general merchandise store in umb and
later secured control OF a cooperative grain
elevator In that town. 1t was in the latter
enterprise that he got his start In the grain
business. From TrumbuIl he came to Hast
inEs and opened a commission office. where
he dealt extensively in options. He operated
this business for about six years and then
went to Omaha, four years ago.
During his early residence on the farm
near Trumbull Sleuman was superintendent
OF the Methodist Sunday school, but lost
interest in church work when defeated for
' ~ "AANh AAp Gu
the church. he returned to the patrons OF
his general merchandise store amounts OF
money which he estimated were equal to
past overchRrges for goods sold to them.
He was one OF the organizers OF a CO.
operative elevator oompany and was in
strumental in having adopted a rule limit
ing stock holdings OF each member to ten
shares. An incompetent manager ran the
business at a loss and Sleuman bought the
control at a discount. In a few years he
made enough money with the elevator to
establish his commission business here and
buy a row Of brick houses, which he named
THE Sleuman Flats"
Before automobiles came into general use
Sleuman had two or more fast horses,
which he invariably drove at high speed.
He would meet almost any proffered wager.
Once a man offered TO bet him he could
not hit a post with a ball. He made the
bet and hit the post with his eyes shut. He
offered to let the other man select his end
Of the bet. always confident that people
are apt to guess wrong.
During his residence here Mr.. Sleuman
was devoted and lavish with his family.
He bought the best the stores could offer
and often had them order the things of
higher grade than were carried in stock
here.
He invariably declined to invest in enter
prises other than his own. insisting that
he could make more with his moray than
anybody else could.
Mrs. Sewell Sleuman has lived in Hast
ings for the last two months. Although
separated from her husband, Mrs. sleuman
had taken no steps to obtain a divorce.
-Four children live near TTumbull They
are Mrs. Elmer Smith. Mrs. j. c. Slife,
Joe Sleuman and Mrs. Harmon Rowe.
Another daughter, Mrs. Patterson, lives
In Grand Island. A brother. George sleu-
man, lives here and is manager OF the sleu-
man branch commission office. George
sleuman went to omaha on the early morn.
ing train today. following the receipt of a
telephone message relative to the tragedy.
Mrs. Sleuman is with Mrs. Slife In Trum-
bull. Mr.. slife said this afternoon he did
not know what arrangements would be
made for the burial.
Sewell Sleuman owned four fine farms
near Trumbull and on one OF them had re,
Gently constructed a fine home for Mr.. and
Mrs. Smith.