James F. "Shorty" Johnson

Dropped Dead

Our people were shocked last Thursday evening when word reached here that James F. Johnson, better known as "Shorty" Johnson, had dropped dead at R__ Russell's place at Cedar Lake. He was in Lowell a part of the day, having just quit working for Milton Hayden. He went to Crown Point during the day to attend to some business and on his return trip stopped at the lake. He [and] some other parties were sitting out in front of the place. He was sitting at a table and suddenly fell from the table to the floor and when they picked him up he was dead. Deputy Coroner J.W. Iddings held an inquest and his verdict as to the cause of death was cerebral hemorrhage.

Shorty Johnson has been a resident of Lowell for about ten years, with the exception of two years he spent in Montana. During his residence here he made many friends. No one knew much of him further than at one time he lived in Pennsylvania. He was about 44 years of age and unmarried. His worst habit was that he would drink at times and probably drank some on the day of his death. This might have been the indirect cause of his sudden death.

His remains were brought to Lowell by Undertaker Weaver and prepared for burial. The only relative that any one ever heard "Shorty" speak of was an uncle and aunt in Monon, but no one knew their names, so on Saturday Undertaker Weaver went to that place in the hopes of finding them. He did so and their names were Mr. and Mrs. J.D. McAhren.

A short funeral service was held at the undertaking rooms of Mr. Weaver at 9 o'clock Monday morning and were conducted by Rev. V.B. Servies. Interment was made in the Lowell cemetery. The only mourner was his uncle from Monon, who is an old gentleman 85 years of age.