The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-09
John w. JeweH Went To His Death
AS He Liued---.Seruing His Friends

It Is seldom that an entire city and
an entire county suspend their gov
erHmental activities to join with a
sorrowing citizenship in paying hon.
or to the memory of man only
twenty-six years old.
Such, however, was the unusual
tribute accorded by the officials OF
Springfield, Missouri, to John W.
Jewell, editor OF the Camp Funston
edition of Trench and Camp, who was
slain, together with three other men.
by Captain Lewis R. whistler.
Springfield mourns him as the first
of her sons to meet a tragic death in
the nations military service either at
home or abroad. A large American
flag was draped around the casket
containing his body and when the
grave had closed over him the en-
blem of the country he loved and
served was placed on top of it.
Hundreds of kilograms were re-
ceived by his bereaved family from
persons in all parts of the United
States. Many expressed the thought
that though Mr.. Jewell was classed
as a civilian in his position Of editor
of Trench and Camp. his life was sac
rificed in a duty that was as patriotic
as service in any other branch of the
Army or Navy and that he was q
much as IL he had been on the firing
line in France.
His death cast a pain of gloom over
his native city, Springfield, and res
olutions of sympathy and coincidence,
ringing with admiration of the brill
liant young man, were adopted by the
Bar Association and the City Com
missioners.
The following eulogy was pro
nounced by one of the ministers who
oficiated at the funeral:
John Jewell was the finest young
man 1 ever knew. 1t was a privilege
to have been his friend. It was the
highest things in life that appealed to
him He was the height of Gods ere
atiop-a man. 1t was the love that
John bore to his friends and all that
was worth while in life that begot the
love and esteem that all his friends
had for him. He has mot lived in
vain"
johnny" as he was affectionately
known to his associates, died as he
had 1ived-serving his friends. On
the day of his death he had been at
Camp Funston experimenting the dis
tribution of Trench and Camp among
the soldiers. At nightfall he rode in
his motor car to the bank at Camp
Funston to take the officials and>em-
pIoyees there to their sleeping quar-
tiers. The temperature was % de-
grees below zero and Johnny" want
ed to save them the long, cold walk.
1t was while he was waiting in the
bank for the employees to finish their
work that the maniac entered the
building and struck him down.
Mr.. Jewell was born in Carrollton,
Missouri, on August IL, 1891, and
went to Springfield with his parents
when baby. He graduated from the
Western. Military Academy at Upper
Alton, Ill, and afterwards attended
the University of Missouri, special
king in the course of journalism. He
chose the newspaper profession that
he might follow in the footsteps of
his father and grandfather, J. B.
Jewell, who at his death was editor
of the Springfield Leader.
Mr.. Jewell was serving as associate
editor of the Leader, with his father.
when he was called to take up the
labors of editor of the Camp Funston
edition OF Trench and Camp He was
married in April, 1915, and his wife,
who was his boon companion, shared
his joy in serving his country and its
soldiers by editing the soldiers own
paper"