FABULOUS FIGURE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27093, 30 May 1949, Page 5

FABULOUS FIGURE

“BELIEVE IT OR NOT” RIPLEY DEATH IN NEW YORK NZPA—Copyright Rec. 8 p.m. NEW YORK, May 27, The death is announced of JMr Robert (“ believe it or not ”) Ripley, following a heart attack. He . started drawing during his schooldays and sold his first commercial drawing when he was 14 for eight dollars. At ,the peak of his success, 60,000,000 people read his cartoons daily. He had an insatiable curiosity and visited more than 200 countries. Mr Ripley died in the Harkness Pavilion Hospital which he entered only yesterday. .He lived in.a fabulous Manhatten apartment. He had a passion for things Chinese, and furnished his entire apartment with Chinese curios. He served his guests Chinese foods and staffed the apartment with Chinese servants. He used to provide New York harbour with a bizarre touch by sailing his luxurious Chinese junk down the river past Trans-Atlantic liners. He maintained a country home in Long Island. 1 This home, too, was full of curios valued at 2,000,000 dollars. His “ believe it or not ” cartoons made him a millionaii-e. To collect material he travelled almost constantly and at ’one time employed over 70 persons—including nine just to handle his mail.