John Carter War Lord of Mars

Captain John Carter is the chief hero of the Mars books of Edgar Rice Burroughs. In the first book "The Princess of Mars," Edgar Rice Burroughs states that he personally knew him as "Uncle Jack" and that he frequently visited his father's home in Virginia, just prior to the beginning of the American Civil War. He seemed to have a good sense of humor and was always laughing, and engaged in sports with young and old with the same enthusiasm. He also was a world traveler and liked to tell stories of his adventures. He was well loved, even by the slaves in Edgar Rice Burroughs' father's fictional home in Virginia.
John Carter was athletic, tall, dark and smooth-faced. He was a fine example of manhood and stood six feet two inches tall, and had the carriage of trained fighting man. He had broad shoulders and narrow hips. He had an interesting face with regular and clear cut features and closely cropped black hair. His eyes were steel gray and showed a strong and loyal character with fire and resolve. John Carter had perfect manners and the courtliness of a southern gentleman highly refined. He was also an excellent horseman and was a "reckless" master of the equine.
John Carter apparently never aged and appeared suddenly to Edgar Rice Burroughs 16 years later, with a somewhat preoccupied vision of life. When the Civil War broke out he disappeared and went to Arizona to prospect and was very successful and eventually lived in New York. Captain Carter left his entire estate and writings (of his strange life) to Edgar Rice Burroughs. He was often seen standing in the moonlight with his arms outstretched to the heavens in some kind of "appeal."
On the morning of March 4, 1886, Captain Carter was found dead by the local watchman and the police chief and several other locals assembled in his study. The body was found, still warm, with his arms outstretched in the snow at full length, and the location was the one that John Carter was seen previously with his outstretched arms in supplication to the heavens. The cause of death was determined to be heart failure, according to the coroner.
According to the instructions left to Edgar Rice Burroughs by Captain Carter, his body was to be removed to Virginia without embalming, and was to be laid in an open coffin within a tomb which was previously constructed by John Carter. Further instructions were that Mr. Burroughs was to receive the entire income from his property for 25 years. Additional instructions were that the manuscript (of "The Princess of Mars") was to remain sealed and unread for 11 years, and that the contents were not to be divulged until 21 years after his death. The body laid in the tomb for many years, but its massive door was equipped with a single, huge gold-plated spring lock which could only be opened from the inside...