The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-11-23
LACK LONDON'S
SUDDEN DEATH
Found Unconscious in Bed and
Passed Away Wednesday
Evening at California
BURIAL no BE PRIVATE
Man Who Wrote "The Call Of the
Wild" Had Been Tramp, Sailor,
Prospector and
Farmer.
BURIAL TO BE PRIVATE

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service1
SANTA ROSA, Calf, Nov. 23.-
Complying with recently expressed
wish of the dead author, the body OF
Jack London. Novelist and adventur-
er, who died at his Glen Ellen home
last night, will be buried privately
Friday. Few OF the literary folk
whose friendship he possessed and
who loved his writings, and London
himself, will be In attendance. Ac-
cordink to present plans, the funeral
will be private and burial will be In
Oakland.
Londons death was sudden. We'd
nesday morning when his Japanese
valet went to waken his master. he
found London unconscious in his bed
at his Glen Ellen estate near here.
Physicians were summoned who de-
clared the author was suffering from
a touch of ptomain poisoning or acute
Indigestion. London was aroused
with difficulty, but recovered con-
seriousness before noon and then ap-
peared to be recovering rapidly.
| This was only . temporary strength
however ard London soon lost con-
seriousness again, never reviving be-
fore death which occurred at 7:45 last
night. Attending physicians say he
died from gastrointestinA type OF
uraemia.
When London retired Tuesday
niRht he complained OF a palm in his
stomach, but thought 1t no more than
Indigestion.
Jack London, who wrote 30 many
tales Of adventure himself. mad
a life story that rivaled that OF
any Of his heroes. Born in San
Francisco forty years ago. as child
he roamed the streets OF this city.
For several years, UP to the age OF
ten. he lived on ranches. His peo-
nile moved to Oakland, where London
was educated in the public schools.
He graduated from grammar
school at the age Of fifteen and i'm.
mediately entered in q life OF wild
adventure successfully he became a
salmon fisherman, an oyster pirate
and longshoreman and then shipped
before the mast. The seven seas ne
sailed for two years.
Returning to San Francisco he now
began a series of land adventures,
tramping the whole country over as
vagabond and "hobo." Many times
he was Jailed as a "vag' but he saw
all the United States and Canada
and even roamed about England. In
1897 he entered Oakland high school
but quit "by request he said. and
scenting new adventures in the re-
Gently discovered Klondike, went
there. His year of life in the arctic
crystallized his literary ideas and
furnished the impetus that made his
success as a writer sure. He had
written half dozen books before
that but none had attracted atten-
ton. Returning from the arctic he
began to pen series Of tales Of the
Alaskan trails. Then came "The Call
of the Wild" and Jack London leap
ed into literary fame at bound. He
had found himself and from that
time forward he advanced rapidly.
He wrote prolifically, having made it
a habit for years to do 1000 words a
day-no more, no less.
Several years ago London became a
gentleman farmer" He purchased
a large estate at Glen Ellen and there
presided over s wonderful ranch. He
labeled the valley in which his place
was located "The Valley of the Moon"
and finally wrote about 1t. Recently