Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-03

NEW YORK. January 3.-The death
early today of James X. Keene re-
moves a figure which was long familiar
in financial and sporting circles. not
only in this country but abroad. Mr..
keene died in private hospital at 2:15
o'clock this morning, following an
operation performed on him yesterday
for abdominal trouble. the end coming
somewhat suddenly, although 1T had
been realized that his condition was
very serious.
Mr.. Keene underwent the first opera
ton for his trouble in Italy two years
ago and second one in London in
the summer of 1911. at which time
there were doubts that he would sur
vive He rallied, however. and return
ed to New York last fall and went into
seclusion in apartments at a hotel.
The fact that he was seriously i'll
again became known about week
ago when his favorite valet, Frank
Fissler, committed suicide.
His removal early this week to the
private hospital at the instance OF Fox
hall Keene. his son. was made agalnst
his own wishes. as he had ridiculed
the assertions Of the doctors that he
was in a critical condition.
Born in London "a Years Ago.
Mr.. Keene was seventy-four years old,
having been born in London in 1888. His
early life was spent In California as a
miner, where he made a fortune later in
stocks. His later career in Wall street
came to a practical end with the collapse
in January, 1910. of the Columbus and
Hooking pool, of which he was manager.
Mr. Keene has owned many, and at the
time of his death still owned a few, or
the most prominent race horses in this
country and Europe, and his winnings for
many years were the largest of any
American In the horse racing world.
Career Of James r. Keene.
James Robert Keene was highly vi
talized combination Of marvellous powers
and contradictory traits. master spec
ulator, one Of the greatest tactcians
which Wall street ever knew; adamant
when reused to resistance, and implac-
able as a foe, he also had hidden strains
Of simplicity and benevolence.
It was the turf which found his heart
AS a child he loved horses: as a man he
idolized them. His greatest joy in life
was in rearing victors for his colors and
in advancing the interest of the Ameri-
can sport Of racing. His sardonic humor
dropped from him as a mask when he
breathed the aid of the track. One has
but to call up the names of IrOQuOis, Fox
hall, Sysonby, Domino and Colin, to real
ize what James r. Keene did for the de-
velopment of the turf and for wholesome
sport.
Had Basis Of Good Education.
Mr.. Keene's father had been a well-to-
do merchant, and was able to give his son
the basis of a good education. The Keene
family moved to Lynchburg, Va, and
finally went to Shasta, Cal, borne thither
on an excited wave of emigration in quest
of gold and silver
For a time Keene led horses to water
for soldiers at Fort Redding. He liked,
even In those days. to be near where he
could hear even talk of the breed. He
peddled milk, became a cowpuncher.
worked in mill, drove a team, taught
school, studied law and edited a newspa-
per. Mining. freighting and stock rails
ing brought him a bare livelihood His
first strike came with the rush into Ne
vada after the discovery Of the great
Comstock lode. Speculation ran riot. For
tunes We're made over night.
Mr. Keene cleared $4,000. He then went
to San Francisco and within a few months
had made his fortune ten times greater.