Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-21
FOUND DEAD IN BED.
Millionaire Woodman, of the Linseed
Oil Trust, the Victim.
SOME INDICATIONS OF SUICIDE.
Discovered by Girl First in Deep Sleep,
Afterward LifeleSs.
A LETTER MAY SOLVE THE MYSTERY

| CHICAGO, Aug. 20.-The dead body OF
Clark Woodman, one of the wealthiest citi.
zens of Omaha, and a director in the Lin
seed Oil Trust, was found this afternoon in
his room at the Grand Pacific Hotel. The
general supposition is that the death was a
suicide. The cause for such an act is still a
mystery, and all the circumstances do not
by any means confirm the theory of suicide,
which is, however, strengthened by few
strange and unexplained facts.
Mr.. Woodman arrived at the Grand
Pacific late Monday night. No one in the
office remembers seeing him after he retired
to his room at that time. On Wednesday
evening chambermaid entered the room
and found him lying across the bed fully
| dressed, with the exception of his coat.
Hearing the sound of his breathing she sup
posed that he was merely sleeping.
THE DEAD BODY FOUND.
She did not re-enter the room until this
afternoon. She found the body still in the
same position, but the face was horribly
discolored and the odor of the room indi-
Gated death. DR.. r. w. Steger was at once
summoned and found that such was the
case. The condition of the body made it
plain that he was breathing his last when
seen by the chambermaid Wednesday night
On the table were two bottles, one con-
tanning ammonia and the other spirits of
camphor. The bottles stood on a piece of
letter paper, on which was written, "3 OF.
chloroform, 1 o. ammonia" Something
else had been started below this on the
paper, but it was not completed. A stamped
Id al 10 III
Clark, Omaha, was also on the table. The
handwriting on the envelope and on the bit
of paper did not correspond.
ALLEGED TO HAVE LOST ON GRAIN.
Mr. Woodman was member of the grain
commission firm of Woodman & Harris,
with offices at 917 Rookery building The
current rumor this afternoon was that Mr..
Woodman, whose estimated wealth is in the
neighborhood of 81 900, 900, had lost large
part of his fortune during the recent rise in
the prices of grain on the Board of Trade.
No one could be found to confirm this
rumor. The Junior member of the firm, j.
L. Harris, claimed that except in company
with himself. his partner never visited the
Board of Trade, and that even then he did
not go outside the regular work of the firm.
Strangely enough, however, Mr.. Harris did
not know that Mr.. Woodman was in the
city until he learned of his death. He had
not seen him for week, and presumed that
he was in New York.
"I can imagine no conceivable reason for
suicide said Mr. Harris, who was evident
ly greatly shocked at the event. "Nlr.
Woodman has been my partner since 1888,
and before that time l lived at his house in
Omaha. In all that time L have learned to
know and like him thoroughly.
NO DOMESTIC TROTrRur
sIf you were to ask any one in Omaha
for the happiest family in the city, think
the first names to be mentioned would be
Mr.. and Mrs. Clark Woodman. If death
came at his own hands it would appear i'm
possible that family troubles could have
caused it, and, personally, know of moth
ing in a business way which could have
done So"
Mr. Harris statement was confirmed by
his brother, George B. Harris, Vice Presi-
dent of the Burlington Railroad, who had
known the dead man intimately, although
they hadn't met for some months Mr.
Woodman was tall, handsome man of
about 55; with snow white hair and mus
tache. He was not drinking man nor had
he any known dissipation. His friends
hope, despite the circumstances, that death
resulted from heart disease. If it was that
of a suicide the letter which he left ad-
dressed to H. G. Clark at Omaha may ex-
plain the mystery. Mr.. Clark is one Of his
Oldest friends, wealthy citizen of Omaha,
and at one time was in that city interested
with Mr. Woodman in a lnseed oil mill.
Other facts may, however, be developed
at the inquest, which will be held to-mor-
row morning at Klaner's undertaking estab-
where the body was taken to-
night. For the present Dr. Steger, who was
the physician summoned, refuses to give
any information based on the condition in
W hich he found the hodv