Lost in History: The Mystery of George A. Banker

Ever hear of young Mr. Banker? Me neither, but apparently he was quite the prodigy. His one sentence Wiki entry says that he "was an American track cyclist" who in 1894 won the Grand Prix de Paris, finished 2nd in the World Sprint Championships, and 2nd in the Grand Prix de l'UVF; in 1895 won the Grand Prix de l'UVF, and finished 3rd in the Grand Prix de Paris, and in 1898 won the World Sprint Championships. The question is, did he or did he not die from complications of typhoid fever in 1896?

You see, according to Wikipedia Banker not only won those World Championships in 1898, but he went on to live until 1917. 

Contrary to that information, a story in the Los Angeles Herald from March 1896 (posted from Nice, France on March 22) says otherwise:

Nice, March 22 - George A. Banker of Pittsburg, Pa., the well-known bicyclist is dead here of heart disease. He had been ill several weeks with typhoid fever. Banker, who was twenty five years old, made his debut on the racing path when a mere youth, coming from a well-known racing family. His brothers, William D. and Al Banker, have won considerable notoriety as racing men.

"George Banker, as a racing man, met great success. He competed as an amateur under the jurisdiction of the L.A.W., and at local out-of-town meetings secured a place equal to Messrs. Berlo, Tyler, Taylor and Wheeler. He was a member of the famous Cherry Diamond team when that club sent a team of racing wheelmen throughout the country. Banker passed a year at Princeton, but left college in '92. Early in 1894, attracted by the popularity of professional racing in France, he left for that country and joined the professional class. He raced with great success abroad. Last year he took part in all the big professional events in Europe and earned the reputation of the speediest rider on the continent. At the international championship races last summer he was elected to represent the league of American wheelman [sic] in the professional events and won the one-mile championship. His victory was protested by Proten, the French rider, and upon a vote of the delegates of the international association the race was awarded to Proten. Banker returned to America late last fall, with the intention of racing in this country this year. Changing his plans several months ago, he again went abroad to prepare for another season of foreign racing. While training at Nice he contracted typhoid fever, which indirectly resulted in his death."