New-York tribune., 1868-12-31
TIE STORY OF MRS AUGUSTUS Dickens.

MIR. Horace White addresses tho following
letter TO a morning paper:
81 notice In your ssuo Of this date statement that
Mrs Augustus Dickens, who committed suicide In Chca
20 on Cbrstnas eve was tho widow Of tho deceased
brother OF Charles Dickens. but that the real Mrs Angus
tus Dickens 10 living in London ana supported ny her
brother.inlaw the eminent novelist There ate be.
leve three little children Of the late Augustus Dickens
mforunes are deprived Of the tondcr loving
OF their inother This circumstance deferred ne from
announcing the death OF Mrs. Dickens Since the essen.
agency Of mine shall attempt to do justice to the iising
without disespcct to the dead by giving you so much OF
the history of this caso as has been communicated to me-
"Hr Augustus Dickens was brilliant scapegrace, who
abandoned his own wife IN England aud ran away to
America with Miss Bertha Phillips, the daughter OF an
insurance agent IN Londona young lady OF many attrao
tlons aud accomplishments. have heard that after
there sufficient length OF time. he procured divorce
from his wife and married Mss Phillips; but OF tins
thonceiorwaId ire ated by her parents Mrs Dck
ems aud she received small bequest in her fathers
former Mrs Dickens lived and st lives in London. She
Is afflicted with blindness, aud Is supported by
Whom Mr. Dickens visited this country last year. aud
recoyedi large Of money from his readings, por
press OF Chicago, including tho journal with which am
connected commented upon the fact that ne hau done
nothing those who had the most obvious claims upon
him. and OF whose nece stiles ne could not DO ignorant
can,1 Mr. DdHeas had not included Chicago ia The list OF
cities In which he was TO give MS tcadlhgs am sure
there was no such lecllng as lhs eyoRed at my tho
important mlsappehenslon of facts II IN easy now 10
see why Mr. Dickens could mol visit Chicago. IL he had
done so he must either recognize Mrs. Bertha Phillips
Dickens. to the injury OF the other Mira Dickens OF by
refusing to do Cxpose her 10 contumey III easy 20
ses also why he contributed nothing 10 her support
glmmeiug of tho truth was given TO The public IN the
london correspondence Of The Boson Daily Adrdtiso
but without the knowledge or pfiyity of Mr.. Dokens
These facts Ia my knowledge through the klnd
ness literary friend In London, Few days before
Mr. Dickcnss departure from this country. Much rs
desired 10 repair the injury that had been done him, "
wa, clearly impossible To do 80 without intcung tho
greatest harm upOn Mrs. Dickens. understand that
Charles Dickens has always been sOctous thnt the nhy
jn question shoud receive other injury from his fnh
nv ihan she had already received that he wished her
we'll aud at ho was willing to do, or 10 f0rbear dong
nnying not inconsistent with his duties 10 The moro OF
ni6ed wou.an whom his brother Augustus had eit Ia
England. - . -. ,,,,. ,,,u,,.
"It only remalns To add that Mrs. icrtha Philips
Dickens (whOu mover SAW bore an unblemlshed iepf
aon at Chicago Upon the dcceaso OF her husband sho
WAS rft destitute with three Infant children 10 support
and educate sho was faithful 10 those whom God c0ul-
iuittcd to her care Her nobo srngRlo Win poverty
Was Waited In great degree by the kndhearted gei
tcmen OF the Land Department ~ tho Illinois cehtral
hallway, OF which Mr. Augustus Dckens hnd heth an
employee aud II safo 30 assume That her children VIII
not come 10 want 10 appears In mo that MIR Dckehs
died Of brOkon heart, and that no contributions oi
money Charles Dickens. or tho peopo VI ChcaSo'
could have healed her wound.
ana gir, Nciy respectfully your Obedcut servant,
"JiORicL WuIlL, Editor " he Caisago i'tbF"e''