The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1901-07-03
ROMANTIC CAREER OF
FLAGER'S SON-N-LAW.
MS WHOLE LIFE ONE OF PICTURESQUE
AND ERRATlC SCHEMES.
Was Once a Tin King and Spent His wires
Money With Lavish Hand Com
mitted Suicide in Ell PasO, Tex.


The application for divorce recently
fled in Florida by HeHry M Flager,
the Standard Oil and hotel magnate,
vividlv recalls the dramatic death OF
Flaoer's son-in law, Baron Hardin
Hickie who committed suicide, in this
citv in February, 1898, ending with
noison one of the most romantic ca
reers of modern times, says an Ell
PasO Texas, dispatch.
Flagler came here few DAYS after
his son-in-law killed himself to inves-
4ioate and make sure of the facts, He
sent the body to Los Angeles for bur
ia and took possession OF the beautl-
f1l crown Jewels and insignia OF which
Hickie and Miss Flagler had adorned
themselves during their brief career
as King and Queen of the island OF
Trinidad.
Flaoler's wife subsequently became
deranged. in the belief that she was
Elizabeth the Queen of England, and
now her husband, after the lapse OF
two wears, is suing her for divorce,
under the provisions of the recently
enacted Florida statute, which makes
irsanitv grounds on which to base
.. divorce suit 1t is insinuated that
Flaqler's money caused the enacment
of the statute in face of much opposl-
tion from people of the state, and that
il is his purpose to marry again as
soon as he has freed himself from MS
present matrimonial bonds.
The career of Flagler's son-in-law,
Baron Hardin Hickie, a nobleman OF
France, is one of the most peculiarly
romantic on record. Hickie's dreams
OF empire and of wearing the purple
and welding the scepter must have
been prodigious.
His original title it is claimed was
purchased. He was born in Califor-
MIA but educated in Paris, where he
became journalist of some note and
tough dozen duels. Having acquir-
&c JluIe he NeuO W NC" vi n "IN
married Miss Flagler, the millionaire's
beautiful daughter. Their wedding
took place at one of the ia shionable
churches. and was the social event OF
the season.
With unlimited means at his com
mand Hickie appears TO have given
himself over and consecrated his life
after marriage to picturesque, but
erratic schemes. He conceived the
idea of becoming king, and used his
wife's money to carry out the PROJECT
He loaded ship with hirelings and
set sail to the uniEnabited island OF
Trinidad, and there established him
self as King James /. and his wife as
Queen. He had just enough people
on the island TO keep up the appear
ance of court. and upon these he be-
slowed titles and estates: and it is
stated that the scenes at court were
gorgeous in the extreme. and no Eu-
ropean monarch ever took more pride
in the gaud and glitter than did Hick-
lie.
After getting himself thoroughly
established, as an independent sover-
eli On. King James |. next sent his am
ba ssadors to the courts of Europe and
to the Uuited States to gain recOgni-
tion from the powers for the new inn
perial state. But Europe and Ameri-
ca took no notice of his &C credited re-
presentativ yes, and one day England
sailed warship into the port of Trim
idad and ran up the British flag on top
of the kings palace. They told the
king that he might live there as long
as ne chose, bat that the island be-
long ed to the queen OF England, and
she was in need of no one to assist
her in governing it. King James |.
kicked up terrible row over what h"
claimed to be an invasi on of his sacl ed