Ernest Hemingway Dead

Press, Volume C, Issue 29556, 4 July 1961, Page 15

Ernest Hemingway Dead

(N Z Press Association—Copyright)

LONDON, July 3 Warm and affectionate tributes in memory of the notable American novelist. Ernest Hemingway, who accidentally shot himself at his home near Sun Valley, Idaho, yesterday, poured into news agencies today. Francois Mauriac, a member of the French Academy said in Paris: "I can only salute with emotion his memory It is a great loss for American letters and for the novel” In Sweden, which hon oured Hemingway with the Nobel Prize for literature Radio Sweden put on a special programme in tri bute to him. In Madrid. Antonio Ordonez. a famous Spanish matador, who was one of the principal characters in one of Hemingway’s last works. "The Dangerous Summer," said last night: “I have lost in Ernesto someone I loved very much." Moscow Radio today recorded the death and said in its North American broadcast: “Mr Heminsway was ve r v popular in the Soviet Union Most of his works have been translated here." All his books—with the ex ception of “For Whom the Bell Tolls," about the

Spanish Civil War—were translated into Russian, and were best sellers. The film version of “The Old Man and the Sea” is to open in Leningrad tomorrow President Kennedy said in a special statement on hearing of his death: "Few Americans have had a great impact on the emotions and attitudes of the American people ... He almost single handedly transformed the literature and the ways of

thought of men and women in every country in the world.” Banner headlines in the national press announced Hemingway's death to Britain today. An obituary in “The Times” said: “Death was always one of his principal themes as a writer, and he had himself been confronting it directly ever since he had broken away from the suburban environment in which he had been raised to volunteer in 1918 for service on the Italian front as a driver with the Red Cross field ambulances. “He enjoyed the business of living and his gay spirit will remain a reminder of the things that matter." A coroner at Ketchum. Idaho, will decide today whether to hold an inquest into the death. Wearing pyjamas and a dressing gown, the 63-year-old Hemingway was found dead from a head wound by his fourth wife. Mary, who rushed downstairs from her bedroom after being awakened by the shot The coroner. Mr R. Goldrick. said the wound was selfinflicted “It could have been accidental or otherwise There is no evidence of foul play, and no witnesses”

The writer's death was similar to that of his father. Dr. Clarence Hemingway, who was found shot to death

in the bedroom of his suburban Chicago home in 1928. Hemingway had been discharged only a week ago from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where he had been treaied for hypertension. During his stay there, a doctor described the author’s condition as excellent. But friends said that when he returned he looked thinner and appeared depressed. His weight had dropped from 14 stone 41b to 12 stone 31b. The author was bom on July 21. 1898. one of six children. He spent much of his boyhood in Michigan, leading an active life and accompanying his father on long hunting trips in the northern part of the State. After graduating from high school he became a junior -reporter for the “Kansas City Star." but soon joined an American ambulance unit bound for the Italian front in World War I. During the years between ‘the two world wars he wrote for magazines, did correspondence for newspapers. and worked on bis novels.

He is survived by his wife, the former Mary Welsh, also a writer, whom he married in 1946. She was his fourth wife His first three marriages ended tn divorce. He was the father of three sons by his first two marriages. >. ' X.’