Evening star., 1930-12-15

"A cVOI4S c4dO DIS IIdIQ anu uIlylelQlIS
as the character of the man himself is
ready for the final entry in the ledger
of life of Charles E. Chaplin, quondam
brilliant city editor of the New York
World, whom death found, strangely
enough, in Sing Sing prison, Saturday
night.
The stone stands in the caves of a hill
in Glenwood Cemetery swept by Decem-
Der winds.
At the top is his name, then a space
where will be craven "Died, December
13, $780," the end of his story.
Below is written: His wife, Nellie L.
Chaplin, Died September 16, 1913"
There lies under the stone he erected
the wife he slew, as he said, to keep her
from suffering want; mad act that
crowned a career with tragedy, and that
sent Chaplin into the numbered ranks
Of felony.
Mother Also There.
There, too, is the dust Of his mother
and a brother, long dead and in that
company Chaplin will dream away
eternity.
Twelve years ago, the newspaper world
which knew him so well was stunned
when Chaplin, noted for his "hard-boil-
ed" factors, ended the life of his wife
with bullet, explaining simply that he
was in financial straits, and feared for
her future, for he was than a man of
go. He had intended to kill himself
also. but courage failed, he said.
His sentence was 20 years to life;
Sing Sing received him, and there he
became $3.50.
Then came the stories of the man.
He hated trivial news. Irwin Cobb's
celebrated quip-"I hope it's nothing
trivial" made when, as reporter under
Chaplin, he heard one day that the city
editor was ILL., is recalled.
Chapin's instructions to a reporter
who had suffered at the hands of a man
Chaplin had sent him to see were: GO
back and tell him he can't intimidate
me" Still another: A reporter on
beat in midtown, got across the river
from outlying New York late one morn
ing. and seeking to shield his hardness
called up to report that his beat was
quiet"
Checked Up on Report.
How about the story Of the food"
Chaplin asked, in effect.
What hood?" queried the puzzled
reporter.
There must be food" Chaplin said,
"for that's the only way ferry boats
could get up in the middle of New
York"
His quick ear had caught the sound
Of ferry boat whistle while the re-
porter was telephoning.
Behind the walls of Sing Sing Chaplin
became little more than a memory, kept
alive by occasional stories by Cobb. who
wove group Of magazine articles about
a fictional city editor. for which Chaplin
was generally credited with having been
the inspiration.
Later on Cobb went to Sing Sing and
spent day with Chaplin, and in an
other magazine story gave to the world
the tale of the labor of love that filled
Chapin'S last years-the cultivation of
a magnificent flower garden in the
prison grounds.
Old Fire Was Gone.
But Chaplin was growing old, the old
fire was gone, and his oft-expressed
wish was: II want to die, I want to
get 1t over with. Three years more
would have brought a parole, but he
had no interest in that.
He had been i'll for a long time. In
recent weeks this illness grew more
pronounced, and Saturday night the
end came. Due to congestion in the
prison, he had been quartered in an
upper room of the death house, and
Lewis z. Iawes, Sing Sing warden,
and his close friend, was with him at
the end, and to Lawes, Chaplin, accord
Ing TO the Associated Press, handed a
sealed letter arranging for his burial
effects, and for the care of his beloved
effects, adm for the care of his beloved
gardens.
Had Been Fighting Death.
II have been fighting death nearly
a year." he wrote, "and now I feel I
have about reached the limit of my re-
sistance"
Il desire to be buried by the side of
my wife in our family plot in Glen
wood Cemetery, Washington, D. c. MY
sister, Marion A. Chaplin of Washington,
holds the deeds"
He expressed a desire to be buried
in the least expensive casket obtain
able and he expressly desired" that
no service be held either here or in
Washington.
Il hope" he wrote, "that you will
find sufficient funds to my credit here
to cover the expenses
Chaplin made few bequests. There
was little enough to bestow. My gar
den books" he said, "are to be used
by whomever you assign to carry for
ward the garden. The contents Of my
Office and the radio there 1 give to
Mr. Halpin "a prison officer. The
contents of my room I give to Everett
Herriott "a male Nurse, who has been
very kind to me through my long ILL
ness. He is very deserving"
Thanks to Warden.
With a word of thanks to the warden
and the members of your fine family, %
the letter closes with the signature,
Charles Chaplin, 90 800"
When the anonymity of Sing Sing
swallowed UP Chaplin, there were two
left to grieye, brother, Frank and the
sister. They never saw HIN again, but