St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-20
The CYANIDE ROUTE.
Actor Henry Aveling Takes It
Into the Great Un-
known.
He Leaves a Touching Little
Epistle to Miss Clara
Thompson.
A Letter Found in His Trunk
Signed Marguerite
Benison.
A Pennsylvania Soldiers Or
phan School Robbed Of a
Million.

NEW YORK, March 19.-Henry Ave-
ling, an actor we'll known in the pro-
fesSion, lies dead in the undertaking
rooms of II. Kipp. at First avenue and
Eighth street. He committed suicide.
Ayeling, who had been Connected with the
''Jim the Penman'' company. registered
at the Sturtevant house, Twenty-eighth
street and Broadway, Tuesday last.
Room No. 305, on the fifth floor, was
given to him. He had no callers, and
seldom went out. Yesterday morning
he appeared atthe hotel desk and asked
for letter. He seemed much diSap-
pointed when ne found there was none
for him. In the afternoon he went to
his room and locked the door after him.
A chambermaid had occasion to go to
his room at about O'Clock. Her knock
ing at the door was unanswered, and
the maid reported the fact to the clerk,
who, thinking there was something
wrong, had the door burst open. On the
bed the actor. lay dead, while beside
him was small vial of cyanide of po-
tassium, of which he had evidently par
taken. 1t told the story, Two letters
dressed to Geoffrev Stein. COZ H street,
Washington, d. c., and read as follows:
To the carcass who may find my she'll
Greeting.
1. l wish William Sheldon, of the Jim
the Penman' company, TO do as he likes with
my remains and l hereby constitute him
sole owner of every cent may die possessed
of, no matter in what shape my property
NAV be. And l ask William (afOresaid) 10
be good enough to prevent Miss Mittens
Wiilett from appearing in any of my obse-
Quies. AvELING.
The other was addressed to Miss
Clara Thompson. 1t read as follows:
Clara Dear: We could not live as we
wished and go now into the great futurity.
Find me there, my darling, il you can.
HENRY. =
The following letter was found among
the dead mans effects. 1t was written
at the Brunswick house restaurant, New
Orleans, and is dated Jan. IA:
Mr.. Aveling: l wish you to understand
am aware of everything: Believe me- |
mean business and am quite prepared to go
TO law to find out the relationship between
Us, but will readily waive all claim TO your val
liable self for small consideration. | think
as you have a good engagement. y per cent of
what you earn is fair. II you prefer 1t will
write on to New York, and Howe q Hummel
will decide for me But without wishing 10
condone crime | can promise land you have
some kHOWleOSe OIL lDdI Will
observe the strictest quiet if you will make
some provision by which l can live. would
not even make that request but for the SLAM
ders you have circulated about my eating
opium and such things that have kept me out
or respectable theaters So you see am not
afraid of anything you can do or say as you
have done me all the injury that could be
done. 4 postotfice order to Marguerite Ben
iSon. general postoffice. or through (name
blotted out), Canal street. will be o. X.
MARGUERITE BENSON
The writer of this letter is an actress
with whom Aveling came to this cOun-
try from England in 1879 with Daniel
Bandmann. They passed among their
acquaintance as man and wife. In
1887 Aveling married Miss Mittens Viii
lett, and they have lived together until
within year. Mrs. Aveling had begun
proceedings to obtain a divorce on
grounds of insufficient support and in
compatibility. The mother has kept
her four-year-old boy with her during
all the time of separation from her huS-
band. The Clara Thompson to whom
one Of the dead mans letters was adj
dressed is an actress living at 353 West
Twenty-second street. She said she
had no knowledge that Aveling intend
ed to commit suicide, and that they
were not specially intimate in any
way.