The San Francisco call., 1909-01-05
HUNGER KILLS
MAN TOOPROUD
TO SOLICIT AID
Edwin Alexander Ripple, High
Mason, Found Dead in
Empty House
Unable TO Find Work, Man
Staryes to Death in
Big City
Found Dying by Two Boys,
Who Answer His Call
for Water


beg, although he would have received
bounteous sic from his fellow Masons.
and too i'll to seek work, Edwin Alex
ander Kippie, thirty-second degree
Mason and member Of affiliated organi-
zauons OF Colorado Springs. Colo.
sought refuge in an unfinished house in
Merced street near MADEIRA avenue. in
ocean View. north of here. last night
and died from starvation.
- Mystery surrounds his demise, as the
mouse in which he made his death bed
is in a remote locality. and neither the
Inorgue officials nor the police have
been able TO trace his whereabouts
from the time he left Denver. December
is. He was supposed to have reached
this coest about the first Of the year
Deputy Coroner Edward Neihaus tele
graphed TO FL Paso lodge No. IS. z. &
A. H. Of which he was member, but
no reply has been received.
There were found a large number Of
Masonic receipts and effects bearing
Upon his connection with Colorado
springs branches OF the Masonic order.
Ripple had carefully paid all his dues
10 December, 1909. and carried with him
receipts since he was admitted to the
SCOTTISH rite in June. 1905
FROM TWO letters Of recommendation
found on his person. one from r. NJ
Rowland Of a business college in Colo
...rado Springs. and another signed
o.. nqnas Hughes" Ripple was said to
,.1-s nd
qualified to act as an engineer. Hughes
declared that he had been in his en-
-pIoy as an engineer Tor a building, but
was competent book keeper
O.. The police are trying TO discover
:.whether he had relatives living at 7lo
. south Orange avenue. Pasadena, this
ADDRESS being found in his pockets. In
another pocket was found Edwin Alex
ander Kfppie. IS 3 Wahsatch avenue,
. Colorado Springs" On these two clews.
besides his nigh Masonic conn eetlons,
the fuvestfg cations OF the police are
based
UNI1NOWN TO NEIGHBoRs
:. Just how long Ripple had been in
Berkeley is question which has
puzzled the authorities. None Of the
neighbors in the vicinity Of the house
where ne was found dead have been
able 10 throw any light on the mystery
. Two boys, Herman Utah Of 5l2 Lyons
street. san Francisco, and his chum
whom he was visiting. L. Smith or Mon
.rerey avenue, Peralta park, happened 10
be playing near the house last night
when they heaTd cries Tor water COM
F. gne from within the house
Alrhough frightened al the emaciated
tpDearance OF the man whom the boys
found they went 10 Mrs. Ortman, who
:lives near by. and asked for water
a. s<inpie. who said he was dying. She
. answered the summons and rendered
ii1ln what aid she could
He had told the boys that he was
foo III TO work and too proud TO beg
ard had gone 10 the house 70 die he
said that his home was in Denver and
fha+ he had been on the coast but q
few days, whittier he had come iof MS
. health.
p .R5G7U SED WORK
No. finding work after he had wan
6ered through the streets OF san Fran
cisco and Oakland he had come TO
Berkeley in quest Of employment He
was met by rebufs on all sides, and
refusing TO appeal for aid from men,
bers OF the Masonic order had jour
neved footsore TO the hills TO die.
Near the rude house in Merced street
between Montgomery and MADEIRA he
had been overcome by a fainting spell
and sought refuge within.
A rude bunk fashioned out OF rough
lurl berr by former watchman of the
house was his death bed and on It he
stretched himself to die alone and
friendless.
The playful prattle OF the two small
bovs as death hovered near aroused
him from his state OF coma and he
feebly called FOR assistance. The boys
brought water and Mrs Ortman noti-
fed the police. Detective Sergeant
Jamison and Policeman Joseph Leonard
answered the call in an automobile, but
q life was extinct.
Deputy Coroner Edward Neihaus ar
rived late last night to bring the body
10 Berkeley. Kippie was poorly
dressed. and there was every indica-
tion that he had been starved to
death.
DIED OF STARVATION
This belief was borne out by the au-
topsy. which was performed this morn
. ing by DR. II. \. ROwen The organs
were found to-be normal, but food hac
not passed his mouth for several days.
:According to DIR. Rowell there was
e slight touch OF consumption.
Deputy Coroner Neihaus made a thor
-ough examination OF Kfppie's effects to
discover his identity. According TO his
Masonic card from FL Paso lodge he
was born August &c, 1873. He had
taken the fun 81 degrees for the Scot
tish rite. He was affiliated with Con-
tinental chepter No. IS. Order Of the
Eastern str; Delta lodge Of Perfection.
Naclzev chapter Of Rose Croix. Denver
council Kadosh and Colorado con-
sistory 10. ].
A sleeper ticket showed that he left
Denver December IS and two trunk
checks on the Colorado Midland in his
possession carry out the theory that he
had not as YET called for his trunks
when death intervened.
The inquest viii be held Sunday at