Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-10

authorities at Washington.
1t was said that the lavishness with which
he was spending money to develop the territory
had drawn upon him sharp rebukes from the
economical administration, and that the State
Department had refused to honor several of
his drafts, on the ground that they had been
issued without authority. Consequently. not
much surprise was felt when, in August,
1909, the people of St. Louis learned that he
intended making a journey East. He was
going they whispered to one another with
many knowing mods. to explain matters to
the President and to make sure that he would
henceforth be unhampered in his splendid
work for Louisiana.
lust why Lewis really undertook the journey,
which he was destined never to complete, IS
one of the kinks in the mystery surrounding his
death that have not been unraveed; as is
the question of what bearing, if any, the action
of the State Department had on his death.
All that may be positively said is that he left
ST. Louis a September afternoon and
voyaged leisurely down the Mississippi on
a hatboat, his intention being to proceed to
New Orleans and there embark on the first
outgoing vessel for northern seaport
At Memphis however he heard that war
had broken out between the United States
and Great Britain, and that British warships
were hurrying under full sail to American
waters. Having desire to risk capture
and the possible loss of valuable documents.
Lewis at once decided to change his plans and
travel overland; but, owing to a sudden and
severe attack of fever, it was two weeks or
more before he could leave Memphis.
From Memphis to Nashville, the nearest
eastward settlement, his route lay through
an almost unnhabited wilderness of woodland
and canebrake, Astounding in swamps and
traversed by only one road, the so-called
Natchez Trail which had formerly been an
Indian trail but had recently been expanded
as part of a system of military and post roads
connecting the southwestern settlements with
the settlements beyond the Alleghenies.
Narrow and tortuous, it wound its way
through the primeval forest, the only sign of
white ha bitation being an occasional roadhouse,
or stand" built by some venturesome and
often rufianly pioneer. Only too frequently
the traveller who stopped for the night was
carried out in the morning a corpse, to be
hastily buried in an out of the way corner by
the villainous innkeeper who had murdered him
for the sake of whatever valuables he carried
with him.
At Grinders Unsavory Roadhouse
TT was at one of these stands. place about
seventy miles southwest of Nashville, kept
by a man named Grinder that Lewis dis
mounted shortly before shutdown of October
TO- Weakened by his recent illness and the
hardships of the journey, it is easy to imagine
the feeling of relief with which he entered this.
the first white mans dwelling he had reached
since leaving Memphis several days before.
Vastly different would have been his feelings
could he have foreseen that it would be known
| SNNiiS VI
mysterious DEATH for, near the site of the old
roadhouse, not a vestige of which remains
to- day, the tall white monument marking his
grave towers to the sky.
He was buried there the morning after his
arrival. having, according to story carried
to Nashville week later slain himself during
the night in an attack of temporary insanity.
He had put two bullets into his head, the story
ran, and, these failing to kill him, had stabbed
himself with hunting knife By way of
PLANTATION it was added that his insanity had
probably been brought on by brooding over
the refusal of the Washington authorities to
honor his drafts.
Nowadays tale like this-which was first
given to the world in brief paragraph printed
in Nashville newspaper-would cause an inn
mediate and searching investigation, par
ticularly if it related to anybody of such
prominence as the brilliant young Governor
of Louisiana. Not only would there be an
official investigation, but enterprising news
papers would rush correspondents to the
scene of the tragedy, and every possible
witness would be closely questioned Specially
rigid would be the questioning if, the
case. the alleged suicide had occurred in
wilderness roadhouse kept by man of un
savory reputation.
Mrs. Grinders Story
TT is almost incredible, therefore, that nearly
two wears DaSSed before any detailed account