LATE DARRELL FIGGIS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 December 1925, Page 4

LATE DARRELL FIGGIS

GAS-FILLED BOOM. LETTER TO CORONER OK I NOTES'!’ ON GIRL. LONDON. Oct. 23. Mr Darrel Figgis, the Irish poet, novelist and journalist, and a member I.f tile Free Slate Parliament, was found dead yesterday morning in a boardinghouse at T, Grcnville-sircei, Guilford-streel. W.O. He was in. bed and the gas laps in the room were turned on. ‘Four letii*iv* in his handwriting were on a. table. Two were to Irieiuls in Ireland, one was In the Press, and the oilier addressed to Dr Cohen, the coroner. who last Thursday at Hendon, Middlesex, opened an inquest on Rita North, aged 21, a dancing mistress, who died in Hendon Cottage Hospital. Mr Figgis, who was -13. was 1 a witness at the inquiry, which was adjourned for a fortnight. SILK SATCHEL. By the side of the bed, as il it had fallen from Mr Figgis’s grasp, was a small silk satchel, believed to have belonged to his late wife, who committed suicide nearly a year ago. U conlaineil a cutting of her hair and some visiting cards hearing the name “Mrs Darrell Figgis.” On top of :m ntlm-li** case wsw a now straight-Ilia(lt*cl knife* nunisuriujx about* l()in. long from handle 0> tip. Inquiries have revealed that it was recently bought. The attache case lonlained a number of cheques, one from the Dail Treasury I'm- £3O, apparently being on account of parliamentary expenses. There was also a. £5 bank-note, and near it: a request- that the landlady of tlie hoard-ing-house should be compensated for what trouble she might be caused in connection wil It bis dcal.li.

WITNESS AT IN(,»I'KST ON WOMAN. At (be Ib'iidun inquest Mr Figgis stated that he had known Miss North, who belonged to Ireland, lor two years, and learned from her in the first week of this month, that she was expecting to Laconic a mother. Two operations were performed at file hospital, where My Figgis and Miss North gave the name of Soitllie. Later he gave his correct name to tin* surgeon, saying to him that he had never sailed under false colours iii his life. In the letter to the coroner he is understood to have stated that he had adopted what he thought to l.e the best wav out of the difficulty.

.At. the hoarding-house where he died .Mr Figgis registered in the name of Snuthe. He called there for the first time on Monday at midday and asked for a bed-sitting-room. Stating that he would l:c sitting up at night to write, he made an in<|itiry regarding the efficiency of the gas-lire. He went out until 10 p.m., and before retiring asked not to he called too early. When a servant took hot water to his room in the morning she found the room filled with gas. Newspapers had been arranged round the gas-fire as if to make a funnel to direct the gas into the room and to prevent it from escaping by the chimney. Dr .fames Harold, of :20, Brunswick-squave. IV.C; was called and found that Mr Figgis had died some hours before. BE A ItI) CLIPPED.

Eleven months ago Mr Figgis's wife hired a taxicab in Dublin late at night for a journey to the mountains, some miles away, and on the way shot herself with a revolver which had been presented to her by the late Mr Michael Collins. She had been in a nervous state for two years since their

house iii Dublin was raided by rebels, who clipped her husband’s beard. Mr Figgis was especially proud of his beard and believed that it gave him a resemblance to Parnell. Frequently when his life was in danger he ignored appeals to have it removed as a means of disguise. In 1014 Mr Figgis was conspicuous in the Nationalist gun-running adventures at Howtli, near Dublin, and was interned after the 1010 rebellion. At a drumhead court-martial conducted by bandits lie narrowly escaped banging. In the spring of 1918 he was arrested. A MAKER. OF THE FREE STATE,

With Mr Michael Collins, Mr Figgis pi lived the chief part in framing the Constitution of the Free State and became chairman of the Constitution Committee. In the 1923 election he was returned to the Dail at the top of the poll from Dublin County, but since then his influence in Irish allairs had waned. lie was a literary man first and a turbulent politician afterwards. Mr Figgis had made no substantial contribution to literature or the drama, hut his work, which included novels, verses and plays, was geneially of an admirable standard. For some vears be was literary adviser to the Dent, publishing house. Recently he had devoted himself exclusively to newspaper and reviewing work.