The San Francisco call., 1909-07-29
INSANE SON OF
SOCIAL LEADER
ENDS HIS LIFE
Arthur M. Richie Jumps to His
Death in DR.. Gardner's
Belmont SanatOrium
Demented Man Cared For in Va
riOus Institutions by His
Mother, Mrs. Adair

arthur NJ. Rltcnle, son OIL Mrs. caro-
lima Adair, one of the wealthiest and
best known society leaders in England
and the United States, met tragic fate
Sunday noon at Dr. Gardner's sana-
torium in Belmont. but so closely were
the facts guarded that only the burial
yesterday afternoon revealed them.
Ritchie's death was due to a broken
neck sustained in leap to the ground
from the roof of the hospital. The
supposition is that it was a case of de-
iiberate self-destruction. The patient
had been recently committed for in
sanity, however, and his motive must
remain more or less uncertain.
He had protested violently against
his detention and as soon as the oppor-
tunity offered, escaped from his apart
ment. climbed to the roof and jumped
body was found a few minutes later
by an attendant
Cousin of Beylard
Ritche's history is intertwined with
that of the British aristocracy. He
was connected with some of the best
known families both in England and
America. Duplessis Beylard of Bur
Iingame he counted as his cousin.
Ritchie had been confined in asylums
abroad, but always harbored the be-
lief that he had been committed at the
instance of influential relatives who
desired to get him out Of the way.
Ritchie was the son of Captain
Ritchie of the British army, whose
widow married John George Adair. an
extensive land owner in England. Upon
the death of Adair in 1885 his large es-
tate passed to his widow. For several
years Mrs. Adair has been one of the
noted hostesses of London. Her en-
tertainments have been regarded as the
extremes of fashion. She is close
friend of the Whitelaw Reids and Wis
tied them at Millbrae last winter.
Confined i'm London
For number of years Ritchie, who
was As years old, had displayed signs
of insanity. He was an inmate of an
institution in London and escaped from
there to Denmark. where he was again
made his way to Paris. and again he
was detained. Not long ago he came to
America and shortly after reaching
New York he was committed to an in
sti+ution in White plains
With the same success that had at
tended his previous efforts, Ritchie
broke from his watchers in White
Plains and made his way to the Pacific
coast. He settled in San Francisco and
took rooms at 1341 Ellis street He
lived quietly and nothing was heard
OF him until a few weeks ago, when he
complained to the police that he had
been drugged and robbed of 5000 An
investigation failed to throw any light
on the supposed assault.
when on July Is Ritchie again re-
ported that he had been drugged and
robbed, Captain Anderson detailed De-
testives Taylor and MacPhee to make
a complete investigation. They found
that Ritchie had given repeated evil
dence of disordered mind and held
him for examination as to his sanity.
While at the detention hospital Ritchie
talked nationally and gave full ac-
count of his career, which later proved
to be accurate. He was dominated
hewever, by the idea that his relatives
desired to be rid of him. While his
case was pending the law firm of Will
son & Wilson. acting for his family
intervened and he was placed in Doctor
Gardner,s sanatorinm.