The Tragedy of a Lonely Soul

Yesterday evening, after reading the Statesman's account of the finding of a dead man in Mill Creek, Thomas Drumheller of the Drumheller company identified the man as Joseph D. Graveley, an eccentric character who had resided in Walla Walla for about a year and had at odd times been employed by Mr. Drumheller. The letter found on Graveley's person was a reply to one that Mr. Drumheller had written to Graveley's uncle, Frederick Graham, at Danville, W. Va., asking for financial assistance. How Graveley met death in the waters of Mill Creek is as much of a mystery as ever. He was a hard drinker and it is supposed now that while on a spree he accidentally fell into the creek and drowned. His dissipations at times caused him to become mentally unbalanced and it might be that in a fit of insanity he threw himself into the water to escape his tormentors, of whom he always complained while in a depressed state of mind. Graveley had his shoulder dislocated in an accident several months ago, and the injury was so severe he had to be treated at the Walla Walla hospital with a block and tackle to reset the bone. Mr. Drumheller had not seen Graveley for three weeks, and it is supposed that the unfortunate man met his death around that time, as the body was badly decomposed and bloated.