The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-13

The other members of the party,
all of whom were from Minneapolis,
escaped with slight bruises and a Sc
we're shaking up. They were John L.
Thomas and Charles Richmond.
At the time of the accident the car
was running 80 miles an hour. In the
darkness the. party got off the main
road
Mr.. Riddle was thrown a distance
of 25 feet alighting on his head and
suffered a conclusion at the base of
the brain. The others were thrown
fully 4 ) feet distant, and miraculously
escaped death. King recently had un-
dergone an operation for appendicitis
and the jar sustained by him opened
the old wound. No serious results are
expected to follow the injuries of eth
er King or the others.
Following the accident the four 9TH
er occupants of the car were able to
right the machine which was badly
damaged and to place Mr.. Riddle in
the rear seat and continue the trip
to Salina. Mr.. Riddle suffered greatly,
but maintained a brave front. Every
thing possible under the circumstances
was done for him but he died in the
car an hour after the accident hap
pened. He was conscious to the last
and his dying words were for his wife.
kiss mamma for me-" he said and sue
cumbed. Mr. Riddle was a hunchback.
One mile out of Salina the wrecked
machine with the occupants were met
by a machine from this city and hauled
into town. The body was taken to
Minneapolis later in the day, accom-
panied by the other four members of
tn party, who apparently were none
the worse for their experience. The
funeral will be held at Girard.
A. P. Riddle was born in Pennsylva-
MIA August s, 1916 He lost his mother
in early infancy and his early life was
spent in a Pennsylvania country town.
His early education was only such as
could be afforded in a country town.
In 1851 his father Joined the army and
young Riddle was thrown upon his own
resources at the early age of 10 years.
In 1862 he went into a printing office as
an apprentice where he remained for
four years.
In 1866 he visited Kansas on a pros
pecting tour and his first impressions
were sufficient to induce him to settle
here in 1868. His first year in Kan
sas was spent in Olathe where he
worked on the Mirror. From there
he went to Girard, just at the time
that town had been made the county
seat of Crawford county. He had in
tended to start a paper there when he
arrived, but found that another person
had anticipated his purpose and after
working there a short time he returned
to Pennsylvania. In June, 1873, he re-
turned to Girard and bought an inter
est in a Girard paper, and he pub
lished the paper for many years him
self.
Mr.. Riddle first entered politics in
1877, when he secured an appoint
ment as journal clerk in the Kansas
senate, which position he held for four
years. In the election of 1880 Mr..
Riddle was elected state senator from
Crawford county, and served four years
in this capacity. In the election of
1854. he was the Republican candi-
date for lieutenant governor, was
elected and served in this capacity
during the entire administration of
Governor John A. Martin.
After his retirement as lieutenant
governor. Mr.. Riddle moved from
Crawford county to Ottawa county.
where he purchased the Minneapolis
Messenger, a paper which he still edit
ed at the time of his death.
Mr.. Riddle was prominent in differ
ent Kansas lodges, being identified
with the 1. o. o. F., the K of p, the
Red Men, and the A. O. U w
For twenty years Governor Riddle. as
he was known, published the Kansas
Workman. the official organ OF the
Kansas A. O. L. w. and only last
spring in the state convention at Sa-
lima, did he lose this publication He
has also for many years published the
Sprig of Myrtle, the official state paper
of the knights of Pythias Mr.. Riddle
was in Topeka only this week
Mr. Riddle was married in 1873 to
Ada Fuller of Springfield, III. Two
daughters were born to this union,
Estelle and Mary. and son, Arthur.