The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-25
old JAKE is GONE.
Well Known Newspaperman
Dies After Hard Fight.
Worked as Reporter for Many
Years on Local Dailies.

Jake Lewis, for many years
well known Topeka newspaper man,
is dead His death came shortly after
midnight this morning after one OF
the bravest fights man can make
Paralysis took Lewis out OF the news
paper game more than a year ago.
For several months he had been I'M
able to leave his bed.
For nearly twelve years Lewis
worked on the staff of Topeka dailies.
Three years ago he went to Colorado
in the hope that his health would i'm
prove He worked for several months
on the local force of the Pueblo
Chieftain. His health failed to i'm
prove and he returned to Topeka,
resumed work on local paper, but
more than a year ago was compelled
to retire.
There is lot of human interest in
the fight which Lewis made the last
year. Gradually as his st. myth fail
ed, he was compelled to abandon his
trips downtown or thru the neighbor-
hood. Then for weeks he was propped
in a chair and each day he watched
the neighborhood activities from a
bay window. One day workmen be-
gan construction of a new house a
short distance fl ON the Lewis home.
There wasn't much company" at the
Lewis home and for hours each day
Jake watched the men laying the
foundation of the new house. He
speculated with his wife and son as to
its probable size and style of con-
struction.
Then the men began setting the up
rights and the view was cut off by
the trees. That n hit Lewis went to
bed with a sad heart. His view of
activities and life was to be cut off
and it was the only diversion Lewis
knew in those long days. But that
night a cold wave came out of the
to- I,a irefF v-ac Off 20
year the leaves were stripped from
the tire 5. The next morning when
Mrs Lewis moved the invalid to his
accustomed place in the window seat.
the view of the house construction
was unobstructed and Lewis's eyes
followed the construction work until
the last single was laid and the
painting was done.
When the warm days of spring
came, the boys in the neighborhood
had formed a sort of quiet, informal
acquaintance and friendship for Lewis.
They had seen the man at the window
and had felt the warmth Of his smile
and the wave of his hand. And so
the boys in the Mulvane and Morris
and Munsen street districts staged
their plays and their games at the
corner of Munsen and Mulvane streets
right out near the window. where
the sick man might see. Then Lewis
grew weaker and his bed was moved
over near the window and the man
was propped up-propped up to see
the daily play ground that meant as
much to the sick man as any circus
day to youngster in knickerbockers
Mr.. Lewis was within a few weeks
| of his thirty-ninth year. He was borr
| in Grinnell, Iowa, but had lived in
Topeka the greater portion of the
last twenty-five years. A number OF
years ago, as an employe of = railroad
company he lost an arm. Then he
| entered the newspaper field and was
reporter on various runs and as.
| signments in Topeka, Hutchinson, st
| Joseph and Pueblo. He is survived
| by his widow, son Teddy Lewis, age6
seven years; two sisters and foul
| brothers.
| Funeral arrangements have no
| been announced.