The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-21
Noted Taxidefmist and ExpIor.
er Meets Sudden Death.
Heart Disease Fatal to State
! Fish and Game Warden.
BITTEN BY 4 GILA MONSTER
But Physicians Say It Did Not
Affect His Health.
He Made 90 Expeditions to All
Parts of the World.

Prof. L. L. Dyche, state fish and
game warden and one of Americas
foremost explorers, died at Stormont
hospital Wednesday afternoon. His
death was caused by heart disease.
He became Ill a week ago and was
taken to the hospital Tuesday. His
condition became critical Wednesday
morning.
Professor Dyche was bitten by a
gila monster two weeks ago while
showing Governor Hodges through the
Kansas Academy of Science. Physi-
clans, however, state that his death
was in no way connected with the bite.
The fish hatchery at Pratt today is
Since he has been state fish and game
warden, appointed by w. r. Stubs in
December, 1909, Dyche has built up
the hatchery from IA to "a acres.
making it the largest of its kind on
the map. A wonderful laboratory has
also been established at Pratt, where
the habits of water animals and plants
have been carefully studied.
Another result of Professor Dyche's
wOgk was the geological collection at
Kansas university. He made % diff
ferent expeditions to all parts of the
world to increase this collection to the
perfection that it has now attained.
Near Topeka as Boy.
Lewis Lindsay Dyche was born in
Berkely Springs, West Virginia, March
20, 1857. WheRhe was three months
of age, his parents moved to Kansas.
going to ST. Joseph by boat and then
in a covered wagon to a point near
Wakarusa, not far from Topeka.
Dyche grew up as boy near there,
in the days when Kansas was but
sparsely settled and Indians were
more plentiful than now. But as a
young boy, Dyche never learned to
read or write.
He had an ambition to gain an
education, however, and when he was
thirteen he entered the preparatory
first residence on Mount Dread was a
tent. pitched on the site where the
present museum of natural history
now stands. 1t is said that he did his
own cooking and that he had a hard
struggle to make both ends meet.
Within five years, however, he had
completed the secondary and college
courses.
In 1884 he married Ophelia Axtell
of Sterling. Kan. Shortly after that
museum. He had been curator OF
this since his graduation from the
university. Then Professor Dyche
began to make his expeditions to the
northern part of the continent and
also to South and Central America.
In 1893, at the time Of the Chicago
fair, his collection for the state was
valued at $4,000 and it has multi
piled in value many times since then.
Rescue Commodore Peary.
Professor Dyche led the expedition
in 1895 to rescue Commodore Peary,
who was lost during one of his trips
to find the north pole. The ship,
Golden Hope, left Massachusetts
harbor in May of that year and landed
in Holsteinborg harbor, Greenland, in
several weeks. Peary and his party
were eventually found.
The body of Professor Dyche lay
in state at Bomgardner's chapel be-
tween II o'clock this morning and /
o'clock this afternoon. The funeral
services will be held in Lawrence at 3
o'clock Saturday afternoon.
Professor Dyche Is survived by Mrs
Dyche, three sons and one daughter.
They are: Walter Dyche, who is in
business in Lawrence; Lewis Lindsay
Dyche, Jr. a student in Kansas uni
versity; George Dyche, a Lawrence
high school student. and Ruth Dyche
| a university student at Lawrence.