Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1894-11-12
TOOK HIS OWN LIFE.
Frank Clark Seals His Room
and Then Turns on the Gas.
WHEN FOUND He WAS DEAD IN BED

The Causes Leading to the Suicide Un-
known-He Leaves a Widow In Trenton
-Rumors That ne Was Infatuated with
Woman Here.
This morning about Z 30 o'clock.
daughter OF Martin c. Huber, Of No. 52S
East Eighth street, discovered 8 strong
smell OF gas. on the first floor Of the
house, which she traced to one
Of the rear rooms occupied by one
Of the boarders, named Frank Clark.
She at once notified her faf her who in
turn notified Officer Feaster The door
Of the room WAS burst Ia, when a
volume OF gas poured out, which for a
few minutes drove the officer back On
| entering the ROOM the young man was
seen lying IN bed, with the sheet wound
around bis head and face He had on
his undertaking and stockings The
window overlooking the rear yard
Was shut, the outer blinds
closed and locked. and the cur
tain lowered The keyhole in the door
was found plugged with paper, and
pair OF work pan, aloons lay on the floor,
At the bottom Of the door, closely closing
the aperture between it and the noor
/ The valve Of the gas fixture was found
turned on full head
DR. Harry NJ. First was sent for and on
bis arrival pronounced the man dead,
aud hsphyxiation the cause Deputy
Coroner Palmer was also notified and
took charge Of the body
CLARK came to Wilmington last March
from Trenton, N. j., and entered the
employ Of tho Malleable Iron Works as
1 ofr -
William Clark, wholesale manufacturer
and dealer IN cigars In Trenton. and
was go years Of age. He went to board
with Mr. Huber, to whom he stated that
he bad wife Ia the capital OF New
Jersey, but had buried his only child
several months iprevious. Hs
was nor OF communicative
disposition and rarely told the
family any OF his business He was
seemingly sober and attentive to his
work, and frequently made visit TO his
home presumably to see his wife AT
times he seemed as though something
was worrying him, but il there was, ht
made 3 conhdRnt OF no one at his board
ing house.
His custom was to be ont Of the house
nearly all the time, excepting when ~
meals, 50 that the family never knew
anything Of his habits.
On Saturday evening after supper hl
retired to his room. whore be remained
until about 0 o'clock. He then wen
out saying TO one Of the family as b
I left. Good bye. II / never see yol
4 again" This was said In a jocular wa,
4 aud no notice was taken OF It. He di
) not return until about II o'clock Snnda
\ night, when he came In and passe
4 directly TO his room. About o'clock Mrs
\. Stockwell, married daughter Of MI
' Huber law him, fully dressed, In th
alley az the rear Of the, house. shol
q time afterwards he came IN and agAi
' went to his room Nothing further va
q heard or seen OF him, until his body wa
3 found this morning That the case wa
q one OF suicide Is not doubted, the caua
4 alone remaining q mystery.
Is A clue which may lead to the solutio
.. Of this is found in the fact that he ha
become very much infatuated with
Mrs Sophie Allen. and TO some Of h
. soquaintances had expressed his inter
tion or marrying her. Mrs Allen, who's
maiden name was Ernest, WAS divorce
recently from Lucius e Allen. She ha
been keeping company with CLARK *
Y some time, aud a few days ago told q
= acquaintance whom she met on Il
y street cars. that she and Clark we
y married last Tuesday evening. Thi
y however, che denied to an EvEEIr
v JOURNAL reporter, although she SCENE
! muck broken up over the news Of Il
u l death.
q q Clark's relatives in Trenton were moi
y fed by telegraph and are expected ID
afternoon, when the remains viii
= turned over to them. An inquest W
Il be held later.
s Clark left no letter or information
n to the causes which led to his rash act