The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-07-26
STRANGE MANS END
Herbert Simpson. Formerly
GustaVo Ravene, Suicides
SH0RTLYAFTER HIS ARREST
His Ideas, History and Many
Decorations of Honor.
BIRTH PLACE WAS ITALY
Said to be the Son of a Ger
man Count.
BIRTH PLACE WAS ITALY


Herbert S. Simpson, formerly Gustavo
Ravene. committed suicide in the court
house yesterday. shortly after being put
under arrest for the Misrepresentation OF
funds belonging to a client.
He used to come into the Eagle Office
in his Iong-tailed Prince Albert. button
ed tight about him, his black hat denied
into a shape distinctly foreign, beneath
his arm one of lot of inseparable vol
unes Just received and talk.
There was a postage stamp collector
here, and he bought stamps Of high de-
nomination received from Italy on books
sent him from the famous Caesar Lom-
broso and like authorities.
He would sit and talk with a never
perishing vigor on the topics so dear, so
previously dear, to his heart, a Slight
lisp in his voice and a punctuating ca
tarrhal laugh, to which one learned TO
respond mechanically, for while you
might know what he started out to talk
with. For this is busy world. this west
ern world, and Simpson brought his
wares to a strange market where they
were neither catalogued nor priced nor
known.
When he first came to town one day,
Kos Harris saw him passing along the
street, and Kos, squirting his eyes by
way Of heralding confidential commu-
n'cation, whispered: There is a strange
bird in our forest. It can not understand
him and he win never understand it, He
viii peter out in a little while, poor fell
low"
For Simpson belonged to the land Of
dreams. His life was hammocked in the
tine-spun filaments of theory He dweIt
among the fairies Of socialistic possibili-
ties. Practically was fanged dragon
from which he shrank in dread. CONNER
cialism a monster which annoyed by in
terrupting him. and money a thing IN
worthy CT remark.
There are places in Europe, places bur
led beneath five hundred, yea, a thou
sand, years Of accommodating paternalism
where there are hooks preserved for
such as he, places where gray-haired men
continue in universities to learn still
more. laboratories where scientists mix
ana pestle all their lives and sell nothing
ami buy nothing; Libraries where men.
at the states expense, delve deep into
the yellow tones for a missing line. for
a misty chronicle.
These had touched Simpson with their
contagion. In an evil. in a joyous hour,
he had caught the Infection He had lis
tened TO Lombroso, the criminologist,
and thrilled with his. theory of degen-
eracy. He had talked with BertiIlon and
enthused over his measurements He
had attended lectures at the University
of Rome and in the German cities
The men he met remembered him. prob
ably not because of any distinct mental
ity, or because he was a good listener,
but because he had a heart and mind
closely akin TO theirs. Every time one
Of these great idlers and dreamers Of
Europe printed a new book Simpson got
a copy with the compliments of the au-
thor on the fly leaf, and in every case
the works were profusely illustrated and
we're not to he had on the market for
any inconsiderable sum. Apparently he
was born in Italy, and was once a resi-
dent Of Washington. returning thence to
Europe and then coming here 10 wichita
With him he brought the atmosphere Of
the European universities.
He believed that there were three
classes OF criminals-the first-ofense
criminal. not necessarily bad: the occa-
sional criminal product Of bad condi-
ton of society. and The habitual criminal.
due 70 hereditv The first he would ad-
mdnish. the second correct by Industrial
training. the third either cure surgically
or sequestrate from society.
Il was q pleasant theory. 4 phlan-
thropic one. and he would sit for hours
and luxuriate in it. and after while
You would cease to hear him and only
realize indefinitely that Simpson was
present and was a thousand miles in the
misty air with no thought of ever com
ing to earth again.
After a time people would avoid him
Intensely proud, he must have realized
this. for he never was an hab;tual bore
and little by little he grew less demon
strative with his theories. The sun Of
ar immense and an intense practically
had focused its whitening ravs upon him.
his theories and his soul He was an at
torney. but no cases came TO his green
bag. lie was lawyer hut the pages of
the inadequate atutes kept white. while
the pages Of the last work on the SPLEEN
did criminolosy grew more and more
thumb-marked. The distinctly foreign
hat d5scolored and collapsed, and a shine
crept into the Prince Albert that would
n3t brush away. Time and time again
little groups have watched him stepping
sloeI- down the street. straight and
with q youthully pompous air. and
voiced their several belief that he was
starving.
He was a dreamer disdaintul of fact.
Indifferent TO facts demands and callous
Il facts penalties.
lie went into society some, and was
generally perplexed. coming here ocoa-
sionaly for quiet explanation Of some
remarz young woman had made. ore
had told him that he had a bad eve
It worried him and he wanted TO know
what she meant
He was not vain. and upon the whole,
you had to touch the question button eft
ener than with most men. before you
could set him to omen out.
What Of fiction and what Of fact he
told YOU did not question for he had
Goshen. III.