The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-11
HA~RDEN-HICKEY A SUICIDE
y. II. FLAGLER'S ECoENTRIo SON.
IN-LAW KILLS HIMSELF.

Had Had Designs on Ono or the Hawaiian
Islands for n KinEdom-HIs stormy Career
In Various Plnces-Letters Left Behina.
FL PAso. Tex, Feb. 1o.-Baron Harden,
Hickey. a nobleman OF France and son.in.
law Of John II. Flagler of New York
city. whose exploits on two CONT.
nents havo been exciting and romantic.
chose this place in which to kill himself.
His lfeless body was found to-day in his room
at the Picrson Hotel, and IL was not until his
papers had been xaminc by the authorities
that the mans identity became known.
The Baron arrived In this city from Mexico on
Feb. 3 and had been stopping at tho Pierson
House. Hc was last seen alive ut 7:30 o'clock
last evening by tho hotel clerk when hc r-
tired to his room. His absence from break
fast was noted, and at IL 80 A. Nj. an effort was
made to arouse him. But as no response was
received the door was forced and his body was
found in the bed. 1t was evident that he hnd
died of poison.
Police and physicians were summoned hastily
and an examination of the dead mans effects
was made. Among them were found enough
poison to have effected the death of a regiment.
Most important was n letter addressed to his
wife. which was written on the night OF Feb. g.
1t was directed TO the Baroness Harden Hickey,
Corona. Riverside, Cal, and read:
NJ DEAREST: No news from you. although
you have had plenty of time to answer my last
letter. l expect TO leave this hotel tomorrow,
or the day after. Harvey has written me that he
has no one in view in buying my land at pres
ent. We'll, I shall have drained the cup Of
bitterness to the very dregs; but do not COM
plain. l prefer to be n dead gentleman to n liv-
ing BLACKBOARD like your father. Good by. I
forgive your conduct toward me-, and trust you
will be able to forgive yourself. Ever Affection
ately.'
The signature was illegible. An examination
Of the remains by the physicians showed that
the Baron had died of morphine poisoning and
that life had been extinct for many hours.
On the hotel register the dead man had signed
himself simply "Harden-Hickey, Paris" He
had talked little with the other guests and had
kept closely ut tho hotel during his stay, but 10
was learned from n casual remark that he was
expecting money from friends.
Among his effects were found dozens Of
medals and insignia of rank, and papers Of
much interest. Many of them bore upon his
scheme for establishing q kingdom ON
the Island of Trinidad. of which he
was to be dictator. and with which
the public is familiar. But they disclosed
also that he had been interested in other and
moro ambitious projects. notably a plot to place
him at the head of a Royalist Government in
Hawaii. Among these papers is the following
letter from Ralston ]. Markoe, which speaks for
itself:
SAN Francisco. Aug. %, 1895.
" Baron Harden Hickey. Los angeles. Cal.
"MoNsEIGNEuR: Your favor of Aug. 16 has
been received.
.First-I ar the duly authorized agent Of the
Royalist party. In SO far as it Is possible
for any one to occupy that position
under existing circumstances. With the
Queen in her prison and absolutely cut
of from all communication with her friends. ID
H.. of course. ont of the question for me to carry
anything like formal credentials.
"Second-Alienating any part of the territory
cannot give rise to any constitutional questions
for the reason that the constitutions, like the
land tenurcs, are in q state of such utter con-
fusion that only a strong hand can unravel
them. and the restoration will result in
the establishment Of a strong military
Government. II l go down with the expedition
l have organized / shall be in full control of the
situation and In a position to carry out all my
contracts.
"Third-It Is the island of Kauai on which I
propose to establish you as an Independent SOW
ereign.
"Fourth-My plan is to SUCCESSFULLY occupy
all the islands. leaving the capital to the last.
When the others have fallen, the capital. being
cut Off from all resources. will be easily taken
and may even very likely fall without a fight.
/ do not expect in any case to have to
fortify myself or to take the defensive or to
have TO issue n call to arms, as l shall have an
overwhelming force to join me at once in addi-
ton to those who go with me. who by themselves
will be sufficient to carry everything before
them without active cooperation from the poo
pie there.
"'Fifth-The Government forces consist Of
about 160 men and boys with very imperfeob
military training, and of whom about forty are
officers. They are organized as infantry.
There are also about 600 citizens enrolled az
q reserve guard. who may also be called in case
of an emergency and about $50 police. We can
fully rely upon the assistance of all the police
and from one-quartert to half OF the other troops.
And of the remainder many will under no cir
engage in n sharp fight In defence
of the present Government. There are now on
the island plenty of men and arms to accomplish
our purpose. and II my expedition does not get
off very soon the people there will DO organized
to do the work without other assistance from
here than the direction of a few leaders, which
they stand more in need of than anything else.
"Six-Tho tonnage of the vessel Is 146; she
at present has berth room for twenty men. but
bunk room can be arranged In the hold for 25S
moro with provisions for ample ventilation.
She has one complete set of sails and two
extra spars. The remaining III to her
] will have to obtain and send you tomorrow. I
s'f- $1,000 ~fN w ~" t"hs N"' Sbt's
tunity now offered you will be OF incomparably
greater value at once than Trinidad would ever
be. Still hoping that / may have an interview
with You at On early date. respectfully yours,
"RALsToN J. MARKoE."
There were also papers showing that he had
once been possessed of large estates in the re-
public of Mexico. Among the newspaper clip
pings was an account Of his marriage
in New York city in 1900. by the Rev.
John Hall. TO Anna. daughter OF John ii.
That the Baron had only followed
his own teachings in ending his life by poison
was shown by a book OF which no was
tho author. entitled "Euthania. or the
OF Suicide" published by the
Truth Seeker Publishing Company Of New
York. This work was illustrated by cuts
u man cutting his throat in front Of q
mirror; a girl committing suicide in her chair
beside a brazier OF burning charcoal; a man
himself from a wharf; a man shooting
- H. A. L--l -It s.-. la Isa 80