The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-03-28
SOCIETY SHOCKED
BY ESCAPAOE
Philip HIchborn Blew Out His Brains
Because His Wife Deserted
Him For Horace
WyIie.
THE LAVENDER BRIDE
Four Year Old Orphan Romps and
Plays In RIIssfuI Ignorance
Of the Dark
Tragedy.

WASHINGTON, March 2S.- Baby
laughter as he romped and played
pealed today from the lips of four
year old Philip Hichborn, Jr., in his
blissful ignorance of the suicide or
his father, crazed by grief over tho
elopement Of Mrs. Hichborn and
Horace Wylie, society clubman With
his grandmother, the widow of Rear
Admiral Hichborn. the child has been
kept ignorant of the tragedy which
has shocked society of two continents.
The baby is made an orphan by Hich-
born's suicide and the desertion On
his mother, now believed to be at
Monte Carlo with her affinity"
Equally pathetic figures of the
tragedy are Mrs. Wylie and her
four children deserted by the husband
and father whose infatuation results
today in Philip Hichborn lying in his
coffin with a gaping bullet hole
through his head. Wylie's children
are old enough to realize the blight
Of tragedy which has fallen upon the
two Washington homes today, but
Baby Hichborn is free from the burden
of grief which his mother and Wylie
have brought upon him. Not until he
is several years older, it is said, viii
the sordid story of his mothers elope-
ment and his fathers suicide be tola
him. The child will not be permitted
to attend his fathers funeral.
I No effort was made today by the
Hichborns or Mrs. Wylie to locate
Wylie and his affinity. Their names
are seldom mentioned in either of the
deserted homes. They are supposed
to be living on tiny island near
Monte Carlo. Mrs. Martha PearsaIl,
sister of young Hichborn, in whose
home he blew out his brains yester-
day afternoon, is Frustrated tolay de.
nying herself all callers. She was
formerly the lavender bride" OF
James G Blaine, Jr., having been
divorced and married to Captain
Pearsall, U S. N. In the palatfa,
Wy1ie home, deserted wife is again
stricken with the horror of the scan.
man whose wife deserted wealth
home, husband, her baby boy and
friends to become ostracized in a for
eign land with Wylie. Mrs. Wylie
feels the tragedy as keenly as the
Hichborns. She has the consolation
only of the living death of her hus.
band in exile with Mrs. Hichborn
Wylie is dead to her forever, as Hich-
born today lies with the death sacri
flee of wife's desertion.
Only material comfort of $500, ,00u
settled upon her last fall by Wylfe
when he returned in a vain effort to
effect reconciliation is enjoyed by
Mrs. Wylie. The orphaned Hichborn
baby has not even that future com
fort. Hichborn was not wealthy, al
though a member of exclusive clubs
and social circles of the capital.
Friends of the dead man today are ar
ranging the funeral, Mrs Hichborn
Sr., and Mrs. Pearsall being unable
to assist.
Hichborn was found dead in the Ii
brary OF Mrs. Pearsalls home yes
terday evening. Beside his body
clutched in his hand, was the grim
testimony of his self destruction
The bullet had ploughed through his
head and imbedded itself in the wood
work of the mirror behind which he
stood to assure a certain aim. Or
I the desk was note:
81 am not to blame for this.
think / have lost my mind. | want al
my property to go to my son Philip
Mrs. Pearsall discovered the TRACE
dy. She found the library doors lock
ed and her brothers hat upon the
hallrack. She called a policeman He
broke down the door and found the
body of young Hichborn lying lifeless
in pool of blood Mrs. Wylie was
notified of Hichborn's suicide while
dining with friends. The message
came over the telephone. She faint
ed and has since been prostrated.
Pledged to Taft.
TITpifad prac, oacad Tyiro Cary;oa