| George "Goody" Holmes |
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The Story of a Bright Intellect and an Honest Character Wrecked by a Love of Strong Drink Fell Dead this Morning in a Saloon Friday's Daily In the sudden death of Edward "Good Times" Holmes, this morning, is a powerful temperance lesson. Holmes, known to all the city, fell dead when he should have been in the prime of his manhood, as the direct result of strong drink. George Edward Holmes, aged 46 years, died at 6 o'clock this morning if acute alcoholism while seated in a chair in the barroom at the corner of Washington and High streets. A few monments before his demise Holmes complained to Cary Neely and Clarence McCoy, who were in the room, that he had a pain in his heart and said he would sit down for a moment. Suddenly he dropped from the chair to the floor and lay there. McCoy thought he had a fit and tried to raise him. In a joking way, McCoy said: "Goody, if you don't get up I'll turn a selter bottle on you." Seeing that he did not move both men became alarmed, picked him up and carried him to the rear of the saloon, a physicain was summoned. When picked up, Holmes made some gutteral sounds but never spoke. As he was laid down, he died. Ed, or "good Times" Holmes, as he was known to almost everyboby in the city, was a character of the town. He came to Muncie when but about three years of age, his father removing to Muncie from Ohio. The father engaged in mercantile business here and was very successful but finally began dealing in Chicago grain and stocks. His fortune was then swept away. Later the family removed to Brazil, Ind, where the elder Holmes was again successful in business affairs. Later he removed to Muncie where he died. Drink Ruined Him The son, Ed, is described as having been a rose cheeked, intelligent boy. At the age of 17 years he began an apprencticeship with John Shields in the latter's horseshoeing shop where he worked for many years. He early contracted a liking for strong drink when but little past early manhood would go out on sprees of several days duration. Mr Shields, in speaking of his long acquaintanceship with the deceased said: A Good Workman "'Goody' Holmes was the best workman that ever stood on the floor of this shop. He took redily to his work and he had not a fault but his love of drink. I think a more honest man never lived than he. Often in the days when he was employed by me I would go away and leave him in care of the shop. When I returned there would be a slip containing an itemized account of all the money taken in, everything charged, everything expended, and I never knew of one cent being lost. He was inordinantly fond of newspapers and spent a great deal of his leisure time in reading. He was considered a standard by many farmers for his thorough knowledge of the markets and market conditions and many of the most successful farmers in the county would never buy nor sell their live stock, grain and other products without first consulting him. He was a man that I would have trusted with a million dollars. As I said before his one great fault was his love for strong drink and that produces the fatal results." When it was found that Holmes was really dead, the ambulance fron the Potter undertaking rooms was called and the bodyn was removed to the morgue where many friends of Holmes called to view the remains. The body is thoroughly lifelike and it was hard for many to believe that he was really dead. A Great Reader Holmes, aside from his drink, which in later years, partially wrecked his intellect, was a well educated man and there was no topic that he could not Converse upon intelligently, Even in his later years, "Goody" made ragular trips to the newspaper offices and secured all kinds of periodicals that he studied with great detail. He=is frequent and prolonged sprees for the past 15 years have caused his arrest on many occasions. Never did he become boistrous or ill natured. It is he has been incarcerated more than 100 times and for many years was considered a fixture at the jail/ He was allowed to go and come as he pleased and was given light work. Was Made Turnkey During the last term of Orlando Swain and the first of that of William P Sherry as sheriff, he was made a turnkey and was kept from drinking. His money was saved for him and it was hoped that a permanent reform had been accomplished but he fell in with bad associates and went back to where he originally was. About two years ago he was sent to the Keeley institute, at Plainfield, where he took the gold cure for the liquor habit. He returned home and worked steadily in the Haines commission house for a while, but again began to drink and has kept it up with more or less regularity ever since. Coroner Poland's vergict was that death was due to accute alcoholism. The only known relative of Holmes now living, is Mrs J B Mahon, of Middleport, Ohio, a sister, who has been notified of the death of her brother. Lewis Evans, formerly of Muncie, now of Indianapolis, was a brother-in-law, having married a sister of Holmes, but Mrs Evans is dead, The late Mrs Clay Hodge, of California, was also a sister of the deceased. Evans, some time ago, feeling sure that Holmes would soon die, made arrangements for his burial in the Evans lot in Beech Grove cemetery, by the side of his sister, the first wife of Evans. No arrangements for the funeral have been made as yet. |