The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-17
A BRIGHT | + ENDED
MAURICE PERKINS, WELL KNOWN IN
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER CIRCLES.
Educated for IA Minister, He Drifted
Into Reporting and Became n
Prominent Feature Writer.

Maurice Perkins, a well-known news
paper man, died at the City Hospital, last
evening. shortly before s o'clock. where he
was removed a few days ago. He was taken
there on the advice of DR.. Hays, and con-
fined in a private room on the third floor.
Yesterday noon he jumped from the win
dow Of his room. breaking his leg in two
places and sustaining internal injuries which
resulted in death. For two years Mr. Per-
kins has struggled for life, but his decline
has been marked, and while suffering in de-
lirium he took the leap which caused death.
He possessed one OF the brightest minds
ever employed on the papers of this city.
For several days Mr.. Perkins had been
In a precarious condition. He was delirious
most of the time and in his delirium he
lived again his active days as a newspaper
man. One Of his last remarks was a de-
sire to return soon to work., so he could
write a scoop which he had prepared. His
last attempt at newspaper work was In the
employ Of the News. he having done some
Of the feature work for that paper. But
the once bright mind was weak: the pencil
did not move as in former years, and the
writer realized that his day was past. This
realization brought worry. and he was
forced to quit his attempts. After this reali-
ZallOn came the Qfcl1ne was rapid, and ne
was taken to the hospital that he might
have constant care. Yesterday noon Mr..
Perkins fell into q quiet sleep and was not
disturbed for his midday meal. h attend
ant placed the food by his side and then
quietly withdrew, lest he might be Weakened.
In a seconds time there was a noise heard
movement and the attendant rushed in to
learn that Mr.. Perkins had jumped from
the window. He had fallen on an iron fence
three floors below. The body was picked up
and alrhAI1Qh there were no nlfWor ri
bruises, it was evident that the unfortunate
man was fatally injured. Medical skill
saved him pain during the last hours, as ii
has during many hours of his life. but it
was unable to prevent death.
Maurice Perkins had seen much of life
acquaintance with human nature. All
through his writings there runs a quaint
ness of expression and a quiet vein of hum
or which made him valuable. His rise in
the newspaper world was rapid and at one
time he stood at the top of the profession
II New York. He was born on a farm in
Michigan about forty-fve years ago and
graduated at Hillsdale College. 1t was in
tended that he should be a preacher and
his early education was planned with that
object in view. His introduction to news
paper work was made by sketches and
drawings furnished a local paper, each per-
tinent and of such a nature as TO attract
attention He went to the Toledo Blade and
from there to the Detroit News. and then
to the Cleveland Press. While engaged in
Cleveland there came TO work on the paper
IL yOuls HAL w tlC LII VI ftCa LIZ.
Purdy. The latter had been a printer In
New York State, and his appearance in
Cleveland was his introduction to metro
time when he was taken sick with the
typhoid fever. Mr.. Perkins, with a large
heart for beginners in the business, took
Mr.. Purdy to his home and provided him
with the best of attention and care.
From Cleveland MIR. Perkins went to
New York, where he applied to Amos
Cummings for a position on the Sun. 1t
was a way then of meeting applicants for
positions to tell them to bring in a sam
pie of what they could do, and to Mr..
write fia, up ue Rev York city and
harSor from Trinity steeple. The
same thing had been attempted,
mounted the steeple and wrote a descrip-
tive article. which was copied by. many
of the papers of the country. BY cimoing
Mr.. Perkins came into prominence as a
newspaper man. He was engaged by the
Sun as a feature writer. and during the
famous Tweed disclosures ne did much OF
the work for that paper.
In 1888 Mr.. Perkins was sent to lndfanap-
oils to write the incidents of the CAM
paign, and his interviews, descriptions and
incidents gathered at General Harrison's
home attracted attention everywhere. Al
ready his health had commenced to fail,
and he began. to realize that he could nor
undergo the hard work to which he had
been subjected. The boy TO whom he had
been kind at Cleveland became managing
editor Oh the luuio-idpOiS odls qLlu WI.
Perkins was offered a position here, which
he accepted. To Mr.. Perkins is due a
great deal of the SUMS success, for he is
an untiring worker, and every line he
wrote was marked by an attractive indi-
viduality. He has written some for the
leading magazines, and a number Of his
verses are worthy of preservation. He
was a good artist. and many of his sketch
es have appeared in the comic papers. He
had a large acquaintance with men and
books, and he could write and speak in
diligently upon many subjects.
Maurice Perkins was a mar who worked
and fought that he might work. His life
was a struggle and its pathetic story is
known to scores OF newspaper men. His
life was a battle with i'll health, and his
activity in latter years forced him to the
use of stimulants. His body could not
keep apace with his mind; the body be-
came a wreck, and then the mind became
impaired because the body could not sus-
tain IT.
Mr.. Perkins leaves a widow. Her maiden
name was Miss Jessie Davis. and he was
married to her at Toledo. The arrange
ments for the funeral have not been COM
pleted.
Old Man Found Dead.
Robert Boyd; at S5 East Ninth street,
was found dead in his bed yesterday morn