The Portland daily press., 1893-05-09
TRAGIC DEATH AT A CLUB.
MI. Robert Hodges Commits Suicide
in Baltimore.

He Married a Granddaughter Of John
Neal-The Deed Supposed To Have
Been Caused by Grief at the Loss OF
His Wife and Observation-Disclosures OF
the Affair."
A sad suicide occurred in Baltimore
last week, thesparticulars of which have
just come to hand Mr.. Robert Hodges
(the youngest brother of ex-Mayor
Hodges of that city, and husband OF
Miss Eleanor Neal Sherwood, daughter
of Mrs. Sherwood, formerly of this city,
and granddaughter of the late John
NeaD shot himself through the head
with revolver at his rooms in the Mary
land Club, corner of Charles and Eager
streets. Mr.. Hodges retired to his room
at an early hour, and before that had
been in the best of spirits. Shortly after
10 clock the next morning, his little
son, Neal Hodges, called at the club and
asked for his father. Edward Dorum,
one of the colored bell boys, went to the
dining room, as it was the hour at which
Mr.. Hodges took his breakfast. Not see
ing the gentleman there, he at once went
to Mr.. Hodges's room, which was on the
third story of the house, Immediately IN
the front of the building. The door was
open, probably five or six inches; but
the boy, not wanting to disturb Mr..
Hodges should he be sleeping, waited
few minutes. Then, realizing that the
hour was late, and that the lad down
stairs had an appointment with his father
probably to go to Christ church, which
they regularly attended-he raped gent
ly on the door. There was no response.
Again Dorum raped. This time the
knock was louder and longer, but there
was no response. The bell boy stood
there minute longer, but finally pushed
the door open. Lying across the foot OF
the bed was the dead body of Mr.. Hodges
In his hand was clutched 32-calibre
Hopkins-Allen pistol, while from a
wound in the right temple the brain was
slowly oozing. The walls and the bed
clothing, as well as the night shirt of the
dead man, were covered with blood. The
body was cold, and the deed had been
done several hours before.
The coroner was called, and was salts
| fed it was case of suicide. Mr.. Hodges
| left nothing to indicate that he had con-
templated the act, or to explain it. There
was not a scrap of paper to show that he
had thought of taking his own life. No
sound was heard by the other guests OF
the club during the night, though there
were gentlemen sleeping on either side
of the chamber in which the deed was
committed, and it can only be matter
of conjecture as to the hour at which he
| took his life. The deed seems to have
been committed on the spur of the mo-
ment, inasmuch as Mr.. Hodges had care
fully disrobed and had placed his cloth
ing iii convenient position to reach it the
next morning when he arose. When
found he wore nothing but his night
shirt. He had evidently sat on the edge
of the bed, and had in this position tax
en- his life. There was a Jagged wound
in the right temple, where the bullet en-
tered. 1t had ploughed its way through
the head, and was taken out by DR.. Hill
from the other temple, where it hac
lodged.
1t is thought that Mr.. Hodges's act wa'
prompted by grief at the loss of his wifi
few years ago, followed quickly by thu
death of his mother, of whom he was
very fond. Mr.. Hodges went to the ma
val review in New York last week, being
the guest of his brother-in-law, Captain
Fl. F. Picking, of the United State
cruiser Charleston, who formerly com
manded this light house district, ant
who married sister of Mrs. Hodges.
Mr.. Hodges returned from the nava
review on Friday night, and was appar
emily in the best of spirits. He seemed
very fond of his little son, and Away
looked forward to the visits of the lad
The son lives with his grandmother, Mrs
Mary Sherwood, at the corner of Eutay
place and Preston street, Baltimore.
The sad particulars will be read wit
interest by the many friends of tn
Hodges, Picking and Sherwood familie
in Portland. Both Mrs. Hodges an
Mrs. Picking passed their lives in thi
, city until their marriage only a few year
, ago.
Fishing Notes.
linn Daniels il IRVING his 1ucL 9