The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-06
ANGLERS DEAN DIES,
CREMATED SAME DAY
Kit Clarke, Who Knew No Ill
ness for 81 Years, Was Hit
by Automobile.
WANTED QUICK FUNERAL
Noted Fisherman and Show
Publicity Agent Constant
as a Pedestrian.

Kit Clarke, dean OF anglers. 81 years
old, died Thursday in his home. sos
East Seventy street, F1atbush. and
in accordance with his wishes, was cre-
mated the same day In his lifetime
he often had remarked he wanted no
fuss" made over him.
He had never been seriously i'll or
needed the services of doctor until re-
| Gently, when he was knocked down by
! an automobile while crossing Nassau
street That was the beginning OF COM
plcations that finally caused his death.
His mother lived to he 30 years old and
my death will be like hers" he once
| remarked the machinery will simply
| run down"
It was Kit Carson Of Western days
| that gave Birket Clarke his sobriquet of
Kit" He liked 1t so we'll that even
his mother called him by the name Mr..
Clarke Is especially known to readers
| OF THE Sun for he contributed to its
columns for more than a quarter OF
! century. His first contributions called
| attention to the big trout of the Range
leys and later OF the same breed of fish.
when he brought the Quebec fishing
country into prominence.
In Lake Amabelish The lent pair of
| hands" as he put IT. toward landing
the greatest array of brook trout | have
ever seen or heard of. Just think of
twelve trout weighing fifty-six and a
half pounds, which three men caught
within two hours"
An Old New Yorker.
An old New Yorker. he was never
| happier than when recalling old days
ard events and those prominent In them,
| and took pride in the fact that his letters
to the editor OF THE SuN always found
a place promptly in the editorial page.
| Mr.. Clarke had wonderfully reten-
| tive memory and was the friend of Hor-
| ace Greeley. Abraham Lincoln. Grover
| Cleveland. Thaddeus Norris. Seth Green.
Fred Mather. William C. Harris. Deca-
tur Emmett who wrote Dixie; George
w. Sears C"Nessmuk'D. Alvah Dunning
| stephen G. Foster. Charles Hallock
founder OF Forest and Stream: Charles
f. Murphy tnot of Fourteenth street.
but the maker of the first split bal boo
| rod). Amos J. Cummings. Wallace f..
! Blackford, Bashford Dean, Chester A.
Arthur Joseph jefferson and Billy Flor
ence. Among his acquaintance were
many other theatrical favorites.
| Early in life he was publicity man for
Adam Forepaugh and added 5000 to
its treasury by exhibiting a dead ele-
plant How much he added by his
| $4,000 beauty contest for Adam
Forepaugh will never be known. The
contest brought photographs from all
over the world. Nj. Clarke was with
the Haverley Minstrels and the magiclans
| Hartz. Keller and Zera.
1t was on a trip coming back from
Drury Lane. London. where he estab-
lshed Haverley's Minstrels. that he de-
c.ded he would make change in EN-
ployment that would permit him 10 have
| :. permanent home. With a brother he
engaged in the jewelry business and re-
! tired only a few wears ago that he might
| take things a little easier
walked Miles Each Day.
Mr. Clarke early in life formed the
| walking habit and up TO the time of his
automobile accident usually did ten
miles daily. one % his pleasures after
reacing THE Sun In the morning was
TO walk from his Fla isush home 10 THE
SuN office, for which he had a great
affection. rest for a quarter Of an hour,
smoke a cigar and then go back TO his
home He liked a game of cards and
unlike most old men went to bed late
He kept abreast OF events. but he never
wrote letters 60 newspapers telling how
to win the war.
Nr. Clarke issued only recently a
brochure concerning Harry Houdini, who
visited him often and was with him on
Sunday last A Sun editorial, read TO
him by Mi Houdini. which mentioned
Mr.. Clarke for his ability as an angler
pleased the veteran much when on his
death bed.
Mr. Clarke wrote Where the Trou,
Hide" and The Practical Angler He
was also n collector Of books on angling
and recently sold a first edition OF Izaak
Walton's "Compleat Angler" for $4,000
Mr.. Clarke leaves widow. two daugh-
tiers and a son.