Arizona republican., 1911-07-13
NAPIER KN|GHTLY
AN ECCENTRIC MAN
AFFECTION FOR HIS DOG HAS
GWEN HIM MUCH PUBLICITY.
Former Resident of Phoenix Who Has
Led a Strange Life.

"A letter received yesterday by \. l..
Higgins of the surveyor generals Of
flee adds both light and mystery to
the strange life Of an eccentric man
named Napier Knightly. who was an
employe of the office for several
months during the year 1905 and who
made the acquaintance of u great
many Phoenix people. The added
mystery is in the fact that the letter
merely enclosed lot of clippings
from Denver and Florida papers car
ryinG dates in the month of May. and
the envelope bore a return order. PEN
written, To Martin de Bencditty of
Fernaudina, Florida. while the writing
is unqucstionably that of Knightly. as
disclosed by comparing it with his
writing on the official records of the
surveyors generals office. II is to say
the least another evidence OF Knight
ly's ecccntricity.
1t is the story of a mans wonder
full affection for a dog which ne re-
gardcd as his only earthly friend.
the latter's death and the unusual
disposition of the remains II is of
local interest because knghtly and
the dog We're constant companions
here and because many of the mans
pcculiarities not mentioned in the
former publications are known by his
acquaintanccs here. The word "ac-
quaintances" is used rather than
friends as Knightly would not adj
nit that he had any friends The
story is best introduced by The fol
lowing clipping Of Denver story in
the New York Herald:
Disbursement of the cmbalmcd body
of a fox hound from Il secret grave i'm
Denver. where il was placed eight
months ago in a costly Theoretically
sealed coffin. along with a gold brace
let once worn by an eastern woman.
and the shipment To- New Hampshire.
where they have just been deposited
in the marble mausoleum of wealthy
New England family by Napier
Knightley. brings To- light a remark
able life story. 1t is the story of an
educated, brilliant. ambitious man
Because of an alleged disappointment
in love. Mr.. .Knirhtly became a rcclus,.
his dog becoming his sole and inscpa-
rablc companion in aimlcss travels
over two continents. While here h.
friends. When after fifteen years thg
dog died the body was cmbalmcd Ind
buried in coffin with womaH's
bracelet. Mr.. Knghtly removed to.
Charleston. : G. recently. and soon
aftcrward had the dogs body cX-
humcd"
\ Denver paper gives the same
story at much greater length. 1t.
tells how Knightly had wandered all
over the world in the companionship
of the dog and had finally entered
the engineering branch of the army
service. being engaged in map max
ing in the Denver headquarters 1t
recites how on the death of his ca
nine companion Knightly procured the
most expensive casket ne could buy.
buried the dog and later cXhumcd
tine body and took it east for final
interment i'm New Hampshire
clipping from the Florida Times
Union quotes Mr.. Benditty of Fer
Florida. a friend Of Knightly |
as saying that the story above was
Incorrect in some features. Mr. Ben
ditty says:
"Knghtly's family tomb was in
not i'm New Hampshire. !
and recently learning that the GENE /
terry trustees would not permit the |
intermcnt there of the body OF his ca ,
line comrade he consigned the cas-
let To the waters of the Atlantic !
ocean, off the south coast Of Amelia /