Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-03
THE WIDOW" DICKENS.

4
Facts Connected with Ghe History Of
Mrs. Dickens Life-A letter from
Horace white, Editor Of the Chicago
Tribune.
HOFFMAN House, New YORK, Dec. 80
TO the Editor Of the New York World
Sir: | notice in your issue of this date
statement that Mrs. Augustus Dickens,
who committed suicide in Chicago on
Christmas eve, was not the widow Of the
deceased brother of Charles Dickens, but
the real Mrs. Augustus Dickens is living
In London, and is supported by her broth
er-in-law, the eminent novelist. There
are, believe, three little children of the
late Augustus Dickens living in Chicago,
who now, in addition to their other mis-
fortunes, are deprived of the loving care
of their mother. This circumstance de-
tered me from telling what | knew,
when my eye fell upon the telegram an
nouncing the death of Mrs. Dickens.
Since the essential facts in the case have
become public without any agency of
mine, | shall attempt to do justice to the
living without disrespect to the dead, by
giving you So much Of the history Of this
case as has been communicated to me.
Mr.. Augustus Dickens was q brilliant
'scapegrace, who abandoned his own wife
in England and ran away to America
with Miss Bertha Phillips, the daughter
of an insurance agent in London-a
young lady of many attractions and ac-
complishments. have heard that after
arriving at an interior town in Illinois,
and having resided there a sufficient
length oftime, he procured divorce from
his wife and married Miss Phillips, but
Of this | have no personal knowledge. 1t
is certain that she was henceforward
treated by her own parents as Mrs. Dick
ems, and that she received small bequeSt
in her fathers will as "Mrs. Bertha Phil
lips Dickens" Nevertheless, the former
Mrs. Dickens lived, and still lives, in
London. She is now afflicted with blind
ness, and is supported by Charles
Dickens.
When Mr.. Dickens visited this country
last year, and received q large sum of
money from his readings, portion Of
which he bestowed in charity upon
strangers, the press of Chicago, including
the journal with which | am connected,
commented upon the fact that he had
done nothing for those who had the most
obvious claims upon him, and OF whose
necessities he could not be ignorant. The
Eastern press attributed these remarks
TO spite, because Mr.. Dickens had not
included Chicago in the list Of cities in
which he was to give his readings. am
sure there was no such feeling as this
evoked at any time--certainly not in my
case. There was, however, an important
Misrepresentation of facts. 1t is easy now
to see why Mr.. Dickens could not visit
Chicago. If he had done so he must
either recognize Mrs. Bertha Phillips
Dickens, to the injury Of the other Mrs.
Dickens, or by his refusal to do so expose
her to cOntumely. 1t is easy to see, also,
why he contributed nothing to her sup
port. A glimmering of the truth was
given to the public in the London cores
pondence of the Boston Daily AdDerti>
ser, but without the knowledge or privity
Of Nj. Dickens.
These facts came to my knowledge
through the kindness Of a literary friend
in London, few days before Mr.. Dicken
departure from this country. Much as
! desired the injury that had been done
him, it was clearly impossible to do so
without inticting the greatest harm upon
Mrs. Dickens. understand that Charles
Dickens has always been sOlicitious that
the lady in question should receive no
other injury from his family than she
had already received that he wished
her well, and that he was willing to do,
or to forbear doing, any thing not moons
sstent with his duties to the more afflict-
ed woman whom his brother Augustus
had left in England
1t only remains to add that Mrs BerN
tina Phillips Dickens (whom | never saw
bore an unblemished reputation at Chs
cago. Upon the decease Of her husband
she was left destitute, with three infant
children TO support and educate. She
was faithful 20 those whom God COM
mitted to her care. Her noble struggle
with poverty was alleViated in a great
degree by the kind hearted gentlemen
Of the land department Of the Illinois
Central Railway, of which Mr.. Augustus
Dickens had been an emplOye; and it is
safe to assume that her dear children
will not come to want. 1t appeared to
me that Mrs. Dickens died of broken
heart, and that no contributions of money
from Charles Dickens, or the people Of
Chicago, could have healed her wound.
am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient
servant, HORACE WHITE,
Editor Of the Chicago Tribune.
Queen Isabella persists in believing