Private, Troop G, 8th US Cavalry Regiment.
From the Sturgis Weekly Record newspaper for September 7, 1894: A dead soldier: On the 20th or 21st of July Private Lewis of G Troop, 8th Cavalry, Fort Meade, disappeared. He was last seen on the night of the 20th in the "half-way house." Major Wells saw him going toward the place in the evening, and a fellow soldier saw him in the house about midnight. He had at the time a revolver and a considerable sum of money (over $100 and some say over $200). He was Treasurer of the Fort Meade Social Club, and it was supposed he had deserted and was therefore entered upon the rolls as a deserter.
On Wednesday morning, September 5, 1894, Ed Garlick found the body under a big rock south of the Sturgis cemetery. The clothes had been seen several days previous, but no one paid much attention to them. The man had fallen on his face and died that way. A jury consisting of Messrs. Anderson, Galvin and McDonald was summoned, and they viewed the remains. The body was badly decomposed, and two places were found on the back of the head, each as large as a half dollar, where the scalp was gone. The clothes were not apparently disturbed nor unbuttoned. No money was found, nor was the revolver, but the jury found some dance tickets and two lists of members of the Fort Meade club. No clue was found that would lead to the cause of death. Lewis was not a drinking man, nor a man of dissipated habits. Coroner Smith says the position might indicate sudden death from heart disease. But he can't see how the man got so far away from all roads or paths unless he was carried there. He may have been drugged. The fact that no money was found on his person is also suspicious.
Some new deductions: Last night, Dr. Smith, after much investigation at the post, said he thought the facts pointed more strongly toward suicide. In the first place, Lewis had been asked for an accounting by the club that afternoon, and found himself short. He was seen five or six days after his alleged disappearance. He was of good family, rich relatives, etc, but would not write to any of them. He had tried to borrow $15 that evening, but could not, and the talk of having money on his person was without foundation.
From the Sturgis Weekly Record newspaper for September 7, 1894: A dead soldier: On the 20th or 21st of July Private Lewis of G Troop, 8th Cavalry, Fort Meade, disappeared. He was last seen on the night of the 20th in the "half-way house." Major Wells saw him going toward the place in the evening, and a fellow soldier saw him in the house about midnight. He had at the time a revolver and a considerable sum of money (over $100 and some say over $200). He was Treasurer of the Fort Meade Social Club, and it was supposed he had deserted and was therefore entered upon the rolls as a deserter.
On Wednesday morning, September 5, 1894, Ed Garlick found the body under a big rock south of the Sturgis cemetery. The clothes had been seen several days previous, but no one paid much attention to them. The man had fallen on his face and died that way. A jury consisting of Messrs. Anderson, Galvin and McDonald was summoned, and they viewed the remains. The body was badly decomposed, and two places were found on the back of the head, each as large as a half dollar, where the scalp was gone. The clothes were not apparently disturbed nor unbuttoned. No money was found, nor was the revolver, but the jury found some dance tickets and two lists of members of the Fort Meade club. No clue was found that would lead to the cause of death. Lewis was not a drinking man, nor a man of dissipated habits. Coroner Smith says the position might indicate sudden death from heart disease. But he can't see how the man got so far away from all roads or paths unless he was carried there. He may have been drugged. The fact that no money was found on his person is also suspicious.
Some new deductions: Last night, Dr. Smith, after much investigation at the post, said he thought the facts pointed more strongly toward suicide. In the first place, Lewis had been asked for an accounting by the club that afternoon, and found himself short. He was seen five or six days after his alleged disappearance. He was of good family, rich relatives, etc, but would not write to any of them. He had tried to borrow $15 that evening, but could not, and the talk of having money on his person was without foundation.
Private, Troop G, 8th US Cavalry Regiment.
From the Sturgis Weekly Record newspaper for September 7, 1894: A dead soldier: On the 20th or 21st of July Private Lewis of G Troop, 8th Cavalry, Fort Meade, disappeared. He was last seen on the night of the 20th in the "half-way house." Major Wells saw him going toward the place in the evening, and a fellow soldier saw him in the house about midnight. He had at the time a revolver and a considerable sum of money (over $100 and some say over $200). He was Treasurer of the Fort Meade Social Club, and it was supposed he had deserted and was therefore entered upon the rolls as a deserter.
On Wednesday morning, September 5, 1894, Ed Garlick found the body under a big rock south of the Sturgis cemetery. The clothes had been seen several days previous, but no one paid much attention to them. The man had fallen on his face and died that way. A jury consisting of Messrs. Anderson, Galvin and McDonald was summoned, and they viewed the remains. The body was badly decomposed, and two places were found on the back of the head, each as large as a half dollar, where the scalp was gone. The clothes were not apparently disturbed nor unbuttoned. No money was found, nor was the revolver, but the jury found some dance tickets and two lists of members of the Fort Meade club. No clue was found that would lead to the cause of death. Lewis was not a drinking man, nor a man of dissipated habits. Coroner Smith says the position might indicate sudden death from heart disease. But he can't see how the man got so far away from all roads or paths unless he was carried there. He may have been drugged. The fact that no money was found on his person is also suspicious.
Some new deductions: Last night, Dr. Smith, after much investigation at the post, said he thought the facts pointed more strongly toward suicide. In the first place, Lewis had been asked for an accounting by the club that afternoon, and found himself short. He was seen five or six days after his alleged disappearance. He was of good family, rich relatives, etc, but would not write to any of them. He had tried to borrow $15 that evening, but could not, and the talk of having money on his person was without foundation.
From the Sturgis Weekly Record newspaper for September 7, 1894: A dead soldier: On the 20th or 21st of July Private Lewis of G Troop, 8th Cavalry, Fort Meade, disappeared. He was last seen on the night of the 20th in the "half-way house." Major Wells saw him going toward the place in the evening, and a fellow soldier saw him in the house about midnight. He had at the time a revolver and a considerable sum of money (over $100 and some say over $200). He was Treasurer of the Fort Meade Social Club, and it was supposed he had deserted and was therefore entered upon the rolls as a deserter.
On Wednesday morning, September 5, 1894, Ed Garlick found the body under a big rock south of the Sturgis cemetery. The clothes had been seen several days previous, but no one paid much attention to them. The man had fallen on his face and died that way. A jury consisting of Messrs. Anderson, Galvin and McDonald was summoned, and they viewed the remains. The body was badly decomposed, and two places were found on the back of the head, each as large as a half dollar, where the scalp was gone. The clothes were not apparently disturbed nor unbuttoned. No money was found, nor was the revolver, but the jury found some dance tickets and two lists of members of the Fort Meade club. No clue was found that would lead to the cause of death. Lewis was not a drinking man, nor a man of dissipated habits. Coroner Smith says the position might indicate sudden death from heart disease. But he can't see how the man got so far away from all roads or paths unless he was carried there. He may have been drugged. The fact that no money was found on his person is also suspicious.
Some new deductions: Last night, Dr. Smith, after much investigation at the post, said he thought the facts pointed more strongly toward suicide. In the first place, Lewis had been asked for an accounting by the club that afternoon, and found himself short. He was seen five or six days after his alleged disappearance. He was of good family, rich relatives, etc, but would not write to any of them. He had tried to borrow $15 that evening, but could not, and the talk of having money on his person was without foundation.
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