The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-11
PRINCE OF TRINIDAD SUICIDED
BARON HARDEN HICKEY DEAD
IN Ell PASO.
Life of An Adventurous Character
Scheme For a New Kingdom On
An Island-Noted Duelist.

FL PaSO. Tex. FEB. lO.-BarOn Harden
Hickey. better known as the Prince of
Trinidad, committed suicide at the Pier
son hotel in this city. Servants IN the
hotel discovered that the baron was dead
at noon today, and the indications were
that he died during the night from drugs
taken with suicidal intent. He left let
ter addressed To his VIE at Corona, Ca,
in which he stated that he was going to
Gle. Deceased was married to a daughter
OF John ii. F'lagler OF New York. the
Standard OIL magnate, IN 1871
Baron Hickey attained nOtoriety some
time ago, when he took possession or
Trinidad island and proclaimed himself
military dictator.
Baron Haroen Hickey was the first Of
the royal dynasty OF Trinidad. he was
born in San Francisco on Dec. s, 1854, OF
a Catholic and ola royallst family HIS
ancestors, the hickeys, originally came
from ireland. having accompanied the
bamshed royal StuarIs of England in their
nl-ht TO france. The young baron was
educated at the college of JeSuits, at Ma
muir, and afterwards at LeipSic-
Here he established q reputation as
first-class and fearless dueIiSt. When 19
years OF age he entered the French mill
tary college at st. Cyr, but he abandoned
d martial life on the death of his father,
in 1875. and devoted his hfe 10 sculpture
and literary pursuits. His talents first
found recognition in the shape of transla-
tons for english magazines but he also
wrote quite a number of works in his ma
tive language. In 1879, the Irreoressible
writer started weekly SatiricaI paper in
Paris called La Tribbota, which landed
him in constant tIibuiation. 1t was de-
voted to the interests of the royalists and
its editor. the baron, made ia appear
ances IN the police courts, paid fines TO
the amount of 30J,o00 francs and fought no
less than dozen duels.
Among his antagonists were Aurellan
Scholt. A LavuruaJon and De -Cyon- He
was eventually compelled TO leave France,
going to England. The baron was thor
CugnIy cOnversant with the Sanskrit IAN
Suage and after STUDYING its literature
determined to propagate the religion of
BUddha throughout the United States. In
the meantime he met and married Miss
Anna t'lagler, the daughter of the Stand
ara Oil magnate. ana gave up his ipten-
starting a new kingdom on the island OF
Trinidad, but the revolution in Brazil in
teriered with his plans.
Papers found among the dead mans eff
fects indicate that he and his wife could
not agree. He left some very rich jewels
il his trunks here, one of them a crown.
The baron arrived in FL Paso on the 3rd
inst, and remained quietly at the PiersOn
hotel. not making known his identity. The
baroness has been wired for Instructions
as TO the disposition OF the remains.
Baron Hickey letter TO his wife read
as follows:
My Dear-No news from you. although
you have had plenty OF time to answer.
l expect to leave this hotel tomorrow or
lilt uftN alter IldIutL has written me
that he has no one in view for buying
my land at present. Well, l shall have
drained the cup of bitterness to the very
dregS but / did not complain. | prefer TO /
be a dead gentleman than a living black
guard. Goodbye. / forgive you your con-
duet towards me, and trust you will be
able to forgive yourself
An eNamlna ton of the body by the /
physicians showed that the baron had
lied of morphine poisoning and that life /
had been extinct for many hours.
Very little money was found among his I
effects. and it is presumed that poverty, /
together with the family trouble limited |
II in the letter. was the moving factor in +
causing the suicide.
1t was learned from a casual remark to !
another guest at the hotel that he was /
expecting money from his friends. Among /
his effects were found OdZcns of metals [
md insignia and papers OF much interest
establishing a military colony on the
sland of Trinidad, of which he was 10 be
dictator.
His papers also disclosed that he had
)cen interested in other and more ambi-
ious projects. notably a plot to place him
II the head of a royalist government in
Hawaii There We're also papers showing
hat he had once possessed large estates
n the republic of Mexico. Among the
newspaper clippings was an account of
lis marriage in New York City three
flagler.
That the baron had only followed his
wn teachings in ending his life with poi
on was evidenced by book of which he
vas the author. entitled ''Euthania. or
he Ethics of Suicide"
This little WORK was illustrated by cuts
howinS MN cutting his throat. in
rOnt of mirror. n girl committing sui
ide in her chair beside a brazier of burn
ng charcoal; a man drowning himself
rom a wharf: q man blowing out his
rains while sitting on his bed. and
nan dying on the floor with a bottle of
olson beside him. The subject matter
7as brief with pithy paragraphs, showing
deviliSh system of philosophy which the
uthor had evolved.
letter was found from annie" at
riverside. evidently the wife of the de-
eased. 1t was a rather pleasant letter,
Though not much affection was men
ioned and it congratulated the recipient
n letting whisky alone, telling him he
'as better without it.
Unmounted photographs indicated ths
ceased was much Travelled man and of
ltellectual requirements.