JELLEFF, Alfred M.

The Last Sad Rites.

The funeral of Al M. Jelleff occurred Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock and was probably the most largely at­tended funeral in the history of this city. Business in general over city was sus­pended and every grocery in the town was closed during the hour of the funeral out of respect for the dead.

Many of the friends of the deceased took advantage of the opportunity to view the remains between the hours of 9 and 12 a.m., as they lay at the res­idence of Mrs. S. C. Brown. The casket in which the remains were laid to rest was covered with black cloth and the silver plate bore the inscription “1860, Al M. Jelleff, 1895.” As the hour ap­proached for the sad journey to the cemetery, crowds of people thronged the streets on the line of march, and all expressed again their deep and heartfelt sympathy for the relatives of the deceased and regret at the circum­stances leading up to the sad ending of a life so full of promise.

The procession to the house started from the K. of P. hall, headed by the Whiteland band, and consisted of the K. of P’s, the Odd Fellows and the Sons of Veterans, one hundred Knights, forty-one Odd Fellows, forty-four Sons of Veterans and twelve young students from the college representing the fra­ternity. L.P. Marshall, of the Pres­byterian Church delivered a short fun­eral discourse at the house after which the procession was formed for the cemetery. J. W. Barton, of Indianapolis, Jesse Overstreet, Otis Myers, Field Scholler, S. V. Fesler, C. L. Mc­Naughton, John Mullendore and Frank Martin, acting as pall bearers.

At the cemetery the usual services were conducted and the remains were laid to rest in the Jelleff lot, beside those of his mother, who preceded him to the great beyond a few years ago.

The Franklin Democrat, Friday, March 8, 1895
page 1(b) column 2 –3

BY SUFFOCATION.

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A. M. JELLEFF FOUND IN A DY-
ING CONDITION.

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In the Ticket Office at the Opera House Sunday Eve at 7:15 o’clock —The Gas was Turned on—Had Been in the Office Since 11 O’clock Saturday Night.

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A. M. Jelleff was found in the ticket office at the opera house Sunday night shortly after 7 o’clock in an un­conscious condition. The gas in the office being turned on. He was immedi­ately carried to the residence of Otto Hamilton, one door south of the opera house, where he died at 7:45.

He was at his place of business until late Saturday night and when the store was closed went to Wm. Thompson’s barber shop where he was shaved and afterward took a bath. It is supposed that he then went to the opera house, as nothing was seen of him after that until he was found in the ticket office.

After being taken to Hamilton’s residence Drs P. W. and Carl Payne were summoned, but although every­thing possible was done for him, it was of no avail and he died at the time stated, never having regained con­sciousness.

The news of the finding and his death spread rapidly over the city, as he was a very popular young man, and a great crowd gathered about the house to which he had been carried anxious to get the particulars.

Coroner Jones was summoned and reported at 8:30, but after arriving it was determined not to hold a post mortem examination upon the assurance of the physician present that death had resulted from suffocation.

Three letters were found on his per­son, one being addressed to his father, Frank Jelleff of Indianapolis, one to his sister, Mrs. Josie Crane, of Toledo, Ohio, and one to W. L. Dunlap of In­dianapolis, his partner in the grocery business in this city.

A small table was drawn out in the office and a chair was sitting beside it and it was doubtless here that he wrote the letters found on his person after death.

Friends of the deceased say that he had talked of his business and how hard it had been of late to make collections, but at no time had he appeared to be despondent.

He had been invited out to dinner Sunday and when he did not show up at the dinner hour and nothing could be learned of his whereabouts, search was instituted. The store was searched even to the cellar but no trace was found here. The opera house, of which he was manager, was next thought of and Alva Clark, who also has access to the building was hunted up and in company with Jesse Overstreet, the door was unlocked and search made with the result of finding him in the office with the door fastened on the inside. It was said on the street that Mr. Jelleff had made a visit to two drug stores in this city on Saturday night, at one of which he is said to have made a purchase but whether or not the drug he bought was poison could not be learned. The doc­tors, however, are of the opinion, it was said, that poison had been taken as his stomach was tightly cramped when he was found.

Deceased was born in this city thirty-six years ago and was a graduate of the Franklin high school. He formed a partnership with W. L. Dunlap in the grocery business in this city shortly after the death of Jas. C. Dunlap a few years ago, and their business seemed large and profitable and if financial or business trouble was the cause of his rash act no intimation of the kind was ever given out.

He was a member of the K. of P. lodge of this city and they will have charge of the burial. The body was taken to the residence of his aunt, Mrs. S. C. Brown.

The sad affair has cast a gloom over our city and is the sole topic of con­versation on the street; and much surprise and regret is expressed over the sad death of one so highly held in the estimation of all.

W. L. Dunlap the senior member of the firm came down from Indianapolis Saturday and during the day had made an investigation of the affairs at the store, it is said, with the result of finding them in a very bad shape, not through any crookedness of his partner, but rather as a result of looseness in the way of transacting business in regard to credits. A large amount in credits are on the books, a great many of which can never be collected it is said.

It is said, too, that he had various notes out some of which would shortly fall due. Although these are all for small amounts they foot up a large sum. One of the letters spoken of has been made public and reads as follows:

“Uncle Will – My troubles financially are more than I can bear. People who owe us and won’t pay have driven me to this point; they will now be obliged to pay you.

This is opera house money; all the other accounts are on the books. I told you this afternoon the cost of various things in the store so you may know what they are worth. If you save anything for me give it to Lizzie. I want her to have my interest in the house as well. Forgive me as I hope for forgiveness. I am worn out both in body and mind. AL.”

In addition to the letters mentioned above was also one addressed to a young lady residing in Columbus.

The funeral took place from the residence of Mrs. S. C. Brown, on King Street, at 1:30 o’clock. Wednesday afternoon under the direction of the K. of P., the Odd Fellows and Sons of Veterans.

Link to Alfred M. Jelleff’s grave

Submitted by Mark McCrady and Cathea Curry

Note: There are two page ones for this issue of the paper. The second one is marked 1(b).