Memorials › Columbus Alexander Ward

Columbus Alexander Ward

12 Dec 1878 – 11 Feb 1934

Birth	12 Dec 1878
Death	11 Feb 1934
Cemetery	Mount Enon Memorial Cemetery Plant City , Hillsborough County , Florida , USA
Added by	Donna McPherson on 16 Dec 2012
FaG	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29132202

Bio

No inquest will be held into the death of C. Alexander Ward, former Welaka town marshal, Justice of the Peace Herman Carnes announced today, following a partial autopsy by Dr. A. E. Drexel. The decision was reached after the physician's examination had revealed no evidence of foul play. Death was caused by a cerebreal hemmoprhage, Dr. Drexel held, and the end had come 24 to 30 hours prior to the finding of the body. Dr. Drexel expressed the opinion that the man had lain upon the ground after the attack, for perhaps two or three days. He had not been the victim of a sudden stroke, the autopsy indicated. Justice Carnes, who went to Welaka and took charge of the body, directed that it be brought to Palatka for a more thorough examination. After his decision, the remains were shipped to Plant City by W. Carl Davis, local mortician, for interment. Ward has a daughter residing at Plant City. The body was found about 1 p.m. yesterday by L. J. McLeod and Mack Johnson, the latter a fishing partner of Ward, near the banks of the Ocklawaha River, after an intensive search. The two men had gone to the point along one of the creeks emptying into the Ocklawaha where it was indicated that Ward's boat had been seen cast adrift, and had tracked the apparently weakened man through the morasses at that section. Twigs had been broken off by Ward as he proceeded, probably through the established habit of the woodsman in thus blazing his trail. Possibly so that his partner might locate him should he come that way. Following the clearly-marked path, the two men came to a camp fire where Ward had evidently spent the night. Later on another camp fire was found showing that for two nights at least the man had camped in the woods. From the last camp fire Ward proceeded in the direction of the Ocklawaha, and death overtook him on the banks of that picturesque stream. Weary and exhausted, believed to be ill as he had been a sufferer from a chronic malady, Ward apparently had sunk down upon the ground and died. There was no evidence of foul play. The hatchet, which his friends say Ward never failed to carry with him after entering the wild wilderness of the Ocklawaha region, was found in his boat. Just why he left it behind is a matter for conjecture. The boat also contained his gun and coat. This lends evidence to the theory that in some manner the boat must have been cast adrift unexpectedly, although it is hardly thought possible that so experienced an angler, hunter and trapper could have been this careless. Ward could not swim, it was stated, which was another reason why he would have been careful to tie up his boat. Ward disappeared from Welaka on Monday night of last week, following a street fight at Welaka on the previous Sunday night, when Frank King, town marshal of Welaka, was cut in a fight. John T. Collins, said to have been intoxicated, had been taken home by the marshal but came back down town. King again started home with him, when Collins drew a knife and sliced the peace officer across the entire length of the abdomen. Due to the heavy clothing worn by King, the knife did not penetrate the abdomen deeply. Another thrust, however, left a three-inch hole in the marshal's chest. Ward had interferred in the fight, and a warrant went out for the arrest. Collins was placed in jail but was subsequently released on $1,000 bond. Mr. King succeeded Ward as town marshal about a month ago. He told the News today that Ward had teamed in with Collins when he attempted to arrest the latter. (Palatka Daily News dated Monday, 12 Feb 1934.)

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