Sir A. Conan Doyle Dead (Dundee Courier)
Sir A. Conan Doyle Dead is an article published in the Courier And Advertiser (Dundee) on 8 july 1930.
Obituary of Arthur Conan Doyle.
Sir A. Conan Doyle Dead
FAMOUS NOVELIST AND SPIRITUALIST
Created "Sherlock Holmes"
Promised His Family to Communicate from "Other Side"
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous novelist, died yesterday morning.
His death took place at his residence, Windlesham, Crowborough. He had been ill for about two months with heart trouble.
His illness is attributed to his work in Scandinavia last October, when he gave a series lectures on spiritualism.
Before he died he promised that he would keep in touch with his family after he had "passed over."
Sherlock Holmes
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle first won fame as the creator of Sherlock Holmes. With this character he set the lead for the modern detective story.
Sir Arthur was also notable for the work he did in connection with the Oscar Slater case. To him must be attributed credit for keeping the public mind alive to the difficulties and doubts of the case, and on him reflected a good share of the ultimate success of the Slater appeal.
He was born Edinburgh on May 22, 1859. He wrote his first book of adventure at the age of 6, and illustrated it himself, but his literary career dated more correctly from 19 years of age, when his first short story was published.
Doyle studied medicine at Edinburgh University, and it was the inductive methods of his Professor, Dr Bell, that led to the creation later on of the most famous detective in fiction.
At 28 he introduced Sherlock Holmes in "A Study in Scarlet," and few years later produced his masterpiece, "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes." In all he wrote over 60 books and plays.
Sir Arthur vigorously espoused the cause of Oscar Slater, who was sentenced to imprisonment for life for the alleged murder of Marion Gilchrist in Glasgow. Believing that there had been a grave miscarriage of justice, he conducted a strenuous campaign for the reopening the case. In this he was ultimately successful, and Slater was acquitted.
A little later, however, Sir Arthur sued Slater for part of the costs of his defence, but the matter was eventually settled amicably.
Talks with the Dead
Sir Arthur was firm believer in Spiritualism and the power of the inner vision.
He claimed to have had conversations with the spirits of Cecil Rhodes at his grave in the Matoppo Hills, and also with Lord Haig and Joseph Conrad.
In the cause of Spiritualism he travelled extensively, and lectured in all parts of the world.
In 1900 Sir Arthur contested Central Edinburgh as a Liberal Unionist, and Hawick Burghs as a Tariff Reformer in 1906. He called upon all spiritualists to oppose the Conservative Government in the general election of 1929.
Son's Tribute
"He was a great man and splendid father," said Mr Adrian Conan Doyle, one of his sons, yesterday.
"My mother and father were still the lovers they were the day they were married. Their devotion to each other at all times was one the most wonderful things I have ever known.
"She nursed him right through his illness to the end. His last words were to her, and they show just how much he thought of her. He simply up at her and said— 'You are wonderful.'"
The Future
Questioned as to whether Sir Arthur had spoken before his death of communicating with his family after death. Mr Adrian Conan Doyle said— "Why, of course. My father fully believed that when he passed over he would continue keep in touch with us. All his family believe so too.
"There is no question that father will often speak to us just he did before he passed over.
"His death is a great loss, but only in a physical sense. I know perfectly well that I am going to have conversations with him. We shall miss his footsteps and his physical presence, but that is all. Otherwise he might only have gone to Australia.
"We will always know when he is speaking, but one has to be careful, because there are practical jokers on the other side as there are here. It is quite possible that they may attempt to impersonate him.
"But there are tests which my mother knows, such as little mannerisms speech which cannot be impersonated, and which will tell that it is my father himself who is speaking."
