Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-08-23
A RUINED LIFE.
The Suicide of a Mysterious
Bohemian.
rs HE THE MISSING DICKENS?
Arthur w. Dickens Informs the
World the Reason Why
He Leaves 1t.


He Leaves 1t.
A suicide took place Tuesday night at
the Old Arlington House on Commercial
street to which an unusual degree of in.
terest attaches. There is reason to be-
lieve that the man who saw fit to throw
away his life was a near relative and,
perhaps, the nephew of Charles Dickens,
the novelist. He bears the name Of
Arthur w. Dickens but was generally
known among his companions as Dick !;
many Of them knew him by no other
name. A Bohemian by taste and inclin-
alton, he had led wandering life and
no one could be found who was able to
tell much of his history, but after long
search certain facts we're clearly estab-
lished.
Dickens came to Los Angeles from
Sioux City, Iowa, about year ago. A
card was found in the drawer of his
room at the Arlington showing his con-
nection when in that city with the Sioux
City Herald He had done newspaper
work in various parts of the United
States and had crossed the ocean a num-
Der of times. Last winter he interested
himself in the starting of weekly socie-
ty paper which soon gave up the ghost,
after having cost him what money he
had on hand. He was an expert billiard
player and was employed for some time
by the proprietor of the @. p. saloon on
Main street as marker.
Dickens was given to reckless dlssipa-
tion and after returning from the San
Gabriel Valley week ago, where he
had been camping for about a month, he
went on an extended spree. He was
without money and could not sobtain
employment. His room mate was
Ernest Lewis, bar-keeper. Late Tues
day night Lewis retired to the Arlington
where the pair were staying, and after
talking some time with the night clerk
went to his room. Dickens lay on the
bed dead holding in his hand the pis-
tol with which he had performed the
deed. No one in the house had heard a
shot fired, which was accounted for by
the fact that he had wrapped bundle of
underclothing about the revolver.
When Charles Dickens, the son of the
novelist, came to America last winter he
was interviewed by the representative of
a New York paper, who asked him if
there was not now living in America the
son of one of his fathers brothers, and
whether he would not make some effort
to look the man up. He was at first un-
willing to speak on the subject, but
finally admitted that there was such a
man, and that he was living Bohemian
life somewhere in the West. The fact
was commented on in the newspapers at
the time, but nothing further was de-
veloped in the matter.
This man Dickens wrote just before he
shot himself short letter which shows
that he was man Of education and in
telligence. He had the reputation among
those who knew him of having attended
an English university. That he was
very different sort of character from
the company he generally kept
was evident from all that was
said of him. Yet he was reticent
to a marked degree and seldom spoke of
himself. He was asked on several occa-
sions whether he was related to the nov
elist and he said that he was. To one
man. fellow countryman, with whom
he became somewhat intimate, he stated
that he was the nephew of Charles Dick
ems. The statement was not believed
and hence was not repeated to anyone.
1t is offered now for what it is worth, to-
gether with the fact that Dickens the
lecturer mentions the existence of such
cousin. The note which the suicide
left reads as follows:
"On what the average reporter would
describe as the threshold of death can
not help smiling at the utter hypocrisy
| nd h,1y 1,,1ov of 10
l am perfectly conscious that least of
what people term respectable citizens
will decide that was crazy when l ter
am decidedly sane, remarkably weary,
and finding my financial relation strained
take the easiest solution of the problem.
Having lived for over fifty years as Bo-
hemian l have had ample leisure
for psychology and my conclusions
have made me slightly discontented. l
find my fellow.creatures to be thieves
and prostitutes, and no matter how the
social h1mbuggery attempts to cover
them, they remain the same. do not
know whether l am better or worse than
my contemporaries, but any rate l am
willing to leave the decision to fate, and
will not apply for a change of venue.
ARTHUR w. DICKENS.
P. 81 bequeath to Ernest Lewis, of
late bar-keeper at the Q. P. saloon, all
die possessed Of, including the right to
hold certain watch, to be forwarded to
me from Colorado by one G. G.. Smith,"
In the dead mans room were found a
pack of unopened copies of the London
Times, directed in woman's handwrit-
ing. In large album were the portraits
of number of people evidently of the
higher ranks of life. Novels and reading
matter of various sorts we're distributed
about the room. The people at the hotel
spoke of him as gentleman of high
character, except for his habits of drink
ing.
The body was taken to the morgue,
and an inquest was held yesterday
afternoon. No facts of importance we've
brought out by the testimony which was
offered. The dead mans face shows the
refinement which his origin would seem
to indicate. He does not appear more
than 40 years of age.
Charles Dickens had three brothers
Frederick, Alfred and Augustus. The
few events which the suicide narrated ol
his own life would seem to indicate that
If his story were true he is the son OF
r | NH s.- 1o~<