Evening star., 1914-12-23
ALFRED HENRY LEWIS.

NEW YORK. December 23.-Alfred
Henry Lewis newspaper man and
writer OF books. died today at the
home of his brother here. of an intes-
tinsl disorder He had been i'll only "A
few days.
Alfred Henry Lewis was we'll and
widely known in press circles Of the
National Capital owing to his having
represented several different publications
here for Il number of years. Ills reputa-
ton as Il newspaper ;uun Nas BY no
;neauS second 10 his popularity us an
sUthor and in fact the experience gain
Cd in his journalistic work was held RS
largely responsible for his success as
a novelist and short-story writer He
Was a prodigeus worker aud published
no less than eighteen books in fifteen
years.
Entered Newspaper Work in West.
Mr.. Lewis began his news,,a per work on
tue Kansas City Stai in 1890, and later
was sent to Washington ;s colrc-
&Tondent Of tie Kansas City Times
AfrerNarG he br"au" correspondent
Of the Chicago Times and was, still
later. placed i'll charge Of the Wash =
IHSlU bureau OF inc NGN York Jour-
nal. He founded in 1SaS the Verdict. :.
humorous weekly. published i'll New
York. and las since been its editor.
An experience gained in riding the
range in the far west While !. youne,
man laid the foundations Of the knov-l-
edge of western types and dialects
which led to the " rtinG Of "Epsodes $
Of Cowboy Life "Wolfville," Wolyille
DAYS" and "Wo olvilie Nights" Peggy
0Neai,, The story of Paul Jones. .
rTy-+i
inn,' "Confessions of Il Detective, !"
Aaron Burr and a number of others
were from his pen also.
In his carly days in Washington he
obtained Il position as doorkeeper in
the House of Representatives. doing
newspaper work on the side and. be-
fore embarking in press work, lie was
F" lawyer III the west These expert
ences gave him keen Insight into Do
iitical matters, the results of which are
shown by his acknowledged reputation
as one of the foremost political writer's
in the country.
Born a Buckeye.
Mr.. Lewis was born in Cleveland,
ONO, iifty-f1Ne years ago, was unmar-
ried, and is survived only by two
brothers, who control the publication
of the Mcrning Telegraph Of New York.
washington newspaper. men who re-
call Mr.. Lewis during the years he
spent here III the Iiiueties never weary
OF tcuiltg stories illustrating his
Stra,shtfor ard and simple manner;
aud views on life and the fascination
of his conversational powers.
He always told the exact truth
sand one today III recalling the period
when he was u doorkeepcr, land when
VISITOR sent iii Il card to Il represent
;itlVe Nas apt to deliver Verbat tim the
answer the preoccupied statesman had
given, namely, Tell him I'm not in
Or COURSE, when constituent and 1eei.-
lator did meet Lewis would get the
blame. aud in such ways he WIS pretty
constantly in hot water
His work and his inclinatious kent
illni UP very late at night said an
other. and often I, though badly need
ing sleep, have asscnted to his pro-
posal to. take a carriage ride around
the city and parks on /: summer night
Just for the pleasure of listening to his
really Wonderful stories and reminis-
cences. Where he got the voca bulary
of which he was possessed ! cannot
imagine, for he could tell whole stories
using nautical terms and figures of
speech, or military or technical, as the
case might be, as well as westernisms
ana he never mixed Them
Great Story Teller.
Many newspaper men of the National
Capital can recall with pleasure the
long talks about Arizona, New Mexico
and Texas between Lewis and that
other famous Westeruer, Col. Bill"
Sterrett, at the old Press Club, the
predecessor of the present organiza-
ton; and such men as Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle have listened to them fas-
cinated until far into the night As one
expressed it: Each WAS flint to tho
others steel"
While with the New York Journal.
Lewis began his famous "Thumbnaii
daily for a long period, and which
were among the first of the~now popu-
lar pen pcrtraitures.
Mr.. Lewis was STARTER as the pre-
siding officer is called, at one of the
very recent. hobby nights" of the Ma