Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1901-12-27
A CHRISTMAS DEATH
The End of Man Whose Beginning
Was Brilliant


A death in setting of unusual sad
ness occurred AT Hot Springs on Christ
mas day The dead mans name need
rot be mentioned. IL can make no diff
ference who he was. He was 4 derelict
that had once been . noble vessel. He
WAS a miner end was n man Of eluca
ton and wide variety Of accomplish
ments y few days ago ne slept III the
city Jail. 4 penalty for 4 part OF
drunken deoauch. on DIS release he
was Interested in the ncishborhood of
Hot Springs. The. story of his death
and OF the incidents which proceeded it
are told By Il gentleman who rode with
him in the stage from Ike junction u
the springs. The miner was a typical
looking miner. rough md uncOuth. Il
wGs on the fag-end of a drunk. the
ores REST part of it, lie was not maud
lin. but in that condition in which
the victim always wants TO unbosom
himself.
The miners travelling companion was
attracted TO him irsI by his well mod
ulated voice, and next by he elegance
of his langCase ana his wide acqudin-
tance with all those things which dis
tirguish the highly educated man and
the man OF experience.
In the course C ne conversation tn
greater part of his life in California.
where his father was wealthy vine
yardist and where his mother and
sisters were still living. one of his sis
ters occupying q position of Prominence
in San Franci-Co. lie was married.
but his vito was divorced from him
ten years ago. and Is Low living with
one &C her daughters in Europe. lie
was in regular correspondence VITA
his wife. who had frequently written
him expressing a willingness to begin
life over again with him. He knew.
though. that it would De only anoth
failure, for he de9paired Of ever being
able TO free himself Of mis- slavery 10
strong drink. the cause OF his wrecked
household.
pathetic thing in his story of his
downfall was one Of the reasons why he
drank. He said that when he was
drunk he forgot his misery and
dreamed OF the time when he used to
be happy. It was brought out that he
was an accomplished musician He
said that he had sometimes gone over
20 the springs to play When they sang
the cid hymns on Christmas night lie
wished that he could do so ca that
night. but he would not like to go
d,essed as he was then. His travelling
companion eXhcrted him to change his
manner of living. He pointed ont to
him his superiority over the large mn
jority of other men and the opportuni-
ries for happiness and usefulness that
were yet within his reach. As the stage
neared the springs the miner said:
"Somehow l feel Ike ii different man.
I think II is because I have found
sympathetic listener to the story of my
life" No replied his companion.
that is not it; it is because you are n
different man; YOU'RE going 10 be . man
again" 1T may be So said the miner;
at any rate. feel better I wish I could
be at the hotel tonight: be away in a
dark corner and hear those old Christ
mas hymns once more"
Three hours later the gentleman who
had ridden with him learned that he
was dead. The word brought him a
great shock. for his mind was still run
ming on his companion. who had wan
dered SO long in darkness and who he
hoped had at last been brought cut into
the light. The cause of death was