The Cotton Factory Times. — 1898-08-12 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

Death of Dr. Edward AYeilirtg. HIS RELATIONS WITH THE LATE ELEANOR MARX. A TRAGIC STORY.  Dr. Edward Aveling (also known as "Alec Nelson ") died in his study at Strafford Mansions, Albert Bridge, S.W., on Tuesday week, after a short illness. A week ago an old wound, caused by an operation, re-opened, and he was told that this would be a matter of life or death with him.  It took a fatal turn, and in his study on the evening named he laid down the book he was reading, closed his eyes, and peacefully passed away. He was the son of Dr. Aveling, of Abney Park, and in early years associated himself with Mr. Charles Bradlaugh, Mrs. Besant, and others in the Secular movement. He took great interest in questions of politics and religion, and was a fluent speaker, and a smart debater. He wrote many dramatic pieces, which he generally produced himself, and sometimes he assumed characters in their representation. Dr. Aveling's age was 47. On Saturday afternoon his remains were cremated at Woking. The body was conveyed from his residence at Battersea Park to the London Necropolis Company's premises at Waterloo at an early hoar. Here it was joined by about half-adozen immediate relatives of the deceased shortly before noon. The coffin, which was of deal, covered with light blue cloth, bore no inscription. On it ware placed six floral emblems, trimmed with mauve ribbon. When the train arrived at Brookwood Railway Station the coffin was transferred to a hearse, while the relatives followed in two mourning coaches to the Cremation Society's crematorium, which is situated about four miles away. No service was held. Upon reaching the crematorium the coffin was placed upon a bier in centre of the chapel, and the relatives then riled by to take a last look at it. The most affected was a young lady attired in deep mourning. Upon her arrival in the chapel she sank into a chair in a state of collapse, and was unable to accompany the others into another room to make the final arrangements for the disposal of the doctor's remains. After a few moments the whole party left the building and returned to London. Later in the day the body was cremated, the ashes being placed in a niche in the chapel to await interment by the doctor's relatives.  The death of Dr. Aveling ends a tragedy of two lives, the full pathos of which has only just been revealed by the letters published by Mr. Edward Bernstein, the London representative of the German Social Democrats, in a German Socialist paper. It was in 1832 that he quarrelled with Mr. Charles Bradlangh and Mrs. Besant, with whom he had been working, and joined the Socialist movement. There he met the other figure in this tragic story—Eleanor Marx, daughter of Karl Marx, who has just died in Loudon, a woman of accomplishments almost as varied as his own, and, as Mr. Bernstein shows, the possessor of a tender heart and human sympathies, which Edward Ave. hug lacked. He was at that time married, bat separated from his wife. Miss Marx became so much attached to him that she commenced to live with him as his wife, an arrangement which existed till her sad. suicide in March last.  • Mr. Bernstein says that Aveling's character steadily deteriorated, and that while Miss Marx was always hoping it would improve when financial wornes were removed, this did not prove to be the case. Fred. Engles left Eleanor a oousiderable legacy, the greater portion of which Aveling wasted in dissipation. Then last summer he took all the availabie funds, and left her at Sydenham. Here is a letter she wrote to Mr. Fred. Delmuth, Socialist workman, son of her old beloved nurse, who appears to have borne for her the regard of a fosterbrother :—" My dear Freddy,—Again this morning not a line! I have forwarded your letter at once. How can I thank you for all your kindness and friendship to me? I thank you truly from the bottom of my heart. I have again written to Edward this morning. He is undoubtedly unaffectionate. But one cannot wipe out 14 years of one's life as if it had not been. I think that anyone with the slightest sense of honour—not to speak of goodness and gratitude, would answer that letter. Will he do so? I almost fear that he will not." When Aveliug did finally return be was a broken man—an invalid awaiting a serious operation. On February 3 Eleanor writes :—" I am so surrounded with troubles, and quite without help (for Edward cannot yet help himself), that I scarce know what to do. Edward has gone to London to-day. He will see his doctor, and so on. He would not allow me to go with him! That is sheer cruelty—and there are things that he will not tell me. Dear Freddy, you have your children. I have nothing, and I see before me nothing that makes life worth the living." 

Article type: Incident