Omaha daily bee., 1889-09-24
HIS LAST LONELY JOURNEY.
Wilkle Collins, the Man of Many
Deaths, Passes Away.
OF HIS ILLNESS.
His Physician, the Friend OF Dickens,
an Interesting Figure in the
Sad Picture-A Glance
at His Home.
wiIkie Collins Dead.
tcopwioht 1889 bv James Gorton Benns,

LONDON, Sept. 23.-[New York Herald
Cable-Special to THE Bee l--Wilke Collins,
the eminent and world famous novelist, died
at his residence, SO Wimpole street, Caven.
dish Square, at half past 10 o'clock this
morning. II was a strange death for man
whose brain had pictured, and whose pen
had described the death Of all kinds of men
in all kinds of places.
He died alone.
No wife, child or relative soothed his last
agonies with that love and sympathy which
only comes from the ties Of blood He had
not relative in the world save one old aunt,
who was far away in Dorsetshire, ana whom
he had not seen for long time. BY his side
was only DR.. Il. Cardboard, his lifelong
friend and physician, aud his old house
keeper who for thirty years looked after
her masters comfort with the care and devo-
ton of slave. His valet George, was not
present, and it was in the company of single
friend and his servant that the man Of 80
many deaths breathed his last.
The death room stretches across the front
Of the Wimpole street house, on the third
floor. There was hot fire on the CRATE and
on the Goals medicine kettle steamed. All
about were the paraphernalia of the sick
room. Curtains were drawn, lights were low
and the sick man sat near the fire IN a large
arm chair draped with blankets, He was
very much emaciated and the pallor of his
thin face was heightened by a long, dark
moustache and heavy beard that curled over
his night shirt,
Collins was a short man of slender build,
with large head, broad, prominent fore
head and larges eyes. He had for
three months been prisoner in
the room in which he died. He was sixty
five years of age, and his illness, which was
primarily due to a long standing affection of
the heart, was made serious by q stroke of
paralysis two months ago. This stroke DR..
Cardboard brought him through successfully
and his patient was steadily progressing
toward recovery when he was seized with an
attack of bronchitis. This greatly compli-
Gated the symptoms and he was not strong
enough to throw it off. For two weeks past
he has been steadily failing, owing to lack
of nutrition. He could not retain or digest
the slightest food since Friday. His death
has been known to be only q matter Of time
and long before midnight it was feared h e
would not live to see another day.
His death took place amid perfect calm.
He was leaning back with his head
buried IN the pillow of his char. From
time to time the doctor felt the fluttertng
pulse whose throbs were growing weaker
and more irregular. Now and then the dy-
ing man opened his eyes in a vague dreamy
way, but that was all. At half past 10
o'clock there was a slight convulsive move
ment, his head sank back and when the doc
tor took his wrist his heart had ceased to
beat.
Collins was IN comfortable circumstances
but was scarcely rich man. His fortune IS
under 10000. He had lived for a long time
in the Wimpole street house though it was
not his own property. 1t was filed with a
wonderful store of bric.a-brac and some
valuable old furniture, most Of the articles
having in addition to their intrinsic value the
added interest of literary associations.
Prominent among these are sketches, pic
lures and old prints, the latter covering the
walls.
Collins executors are DIR. Carr
beard and Alexander Watt his literary
agent A very interesting figure In
the sad picture is that of the doctor. He
was the most intimate and trusted friend OF
Charles Dickens, AS he was of Collins and
there were no truer or deeper mourners at
the bedside of either than the wise, sympa-
thetic and tender old man. The world has
never known its great men half as Intimately
as it would like to, and If ever the doctor
writes his memoirs they will be of the deep
est interest to all readers of David Copper
field and The Woman in White.
Collins mad never married and it is under
stood that the bulk of his property goes to a
friend for whom he had had u close, warm
friendship for years.
lWilkie Collins was the oldest son Of Will
lam Collins, II, A. a painter, and was borr
in London, january, 1924. His mother wa,
the sister of Mrs. Carpenter, one of tho bes
female portrait painters of her uime. Ht
was educated at private school, anC
spent two years in Italy. He was articlel
TO a tea firm, but exchanged commerce fol
law. His first literary work was excel
lent biography Of his father published IL
1S4S. From this time he devoted himself u
literature, and in 1854 became "A contributor
TO Household Words, his "After Dark' anC
Ozark Secrets being reprints from tina
publication. His masterpieces have beer
translated into French, Italian, Ger
man, Dutch, Danish and Russian
He wrote the Lighthouse"
drama first produced at private
theatricals at Tavestock House, London
and afterwards produced at the Olympi,
theatre. The "Frozen Deepn was also frs
produced at Tavistock House. with Charles
Dickens and other distinguished amateurs il
the cast, Queen Victoria witnessing 1t
Wilkie Collins, is, however, best known, a
prolific writer Of startling novels, notabl!
the "Moonstane,n the Lady IN White" etc
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