The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-11-12
FIFTH edition.
SECOND love LED
TO Suicide.
Frank Clark, a Married Man, the
Victim.
IL lNHAlEs ILLUMINATING Gas

Work and While Here Met Miss sophIn
Er1cst and They Talk OF NIarrInae-His
Wife stu Iiving-Its Pathetic Climax.
Rather than face tho ordeal of having
nus wire know OF his Intimate relationship
with Miss Sophia Ernest. q divorced
young woman, 70 year old Frank Clark of
suicide last evening by inhaling illumin
ating gas. Clnrk's death Ia a very sad one
ana The troubles which led him to DOM
nit the rash act dates back over seven
months.
The base deception which he practioed
In Winning Miss Ernest and the subse.
quent remorse which he knew was to
CONFRONT him and from his own wife. was
too much for him and death lie knew was
the only escape. Premeditated suicide
was the easiest escape and that he chose.
LARK was pattern worker In the en-.
ploy OF the Malleable Iron Company and
considered by his employees as a good
workman. He had been In Wilmington
Since March ard while here boarded with
Hubert In tho East Eighth street house.
SATURDAY night he returned home from
his work as usual and after partakinR OF
the evening meal. dressed and left the
mouse, but not before he had remarked to
the mem bers OF the family Goodbye, II
don't see you any more"
As this was remark he was never be-
Tore heard to make tine mem bers of MIR.
Huhers family we're surprised and won
dereu what Significance IL might contain.
from that time until o'clock this morn.
ing none OF the members OF MIR. iIuher'a
family saw Clark. AT that time Mrs. Nora
htockwell, his daughter noticed Clark, Ia
the yard but she did not spelk To him. At
the time he WAS dressed aud appeared In
tho best OF spirits
Mi. Huber says Clark was about the
mouse previous to that time. About, IL
O'CLOCK he heard him enter tho house and
afterward heard him leave. After Mira
Stockwell retired 1t is supposed CIark
again went to his room and made fiDai
preparation to END his miserable career
Tor such IL must liave been. The pressnoe
OF a pencil and paper gave every reason TO
oeheve he had written q letter which sus.
piclon was coilllrmed after a search in n
basket under the bed In 1t was the letter
OF his wife and OF the sorrow HIS death
MouId cause her. But he would moi
through letter tell her of his Intimacy
Will Miss Ernest. SO he concluded to burn
it. w
lie then removed his outer clothing.
ana after placing at the bottom OF the
door pa lr OF trousers, In the key-hoIe
paper ana closing every window In the
room aud looking the door, he laid on his
ped ana awaited the death that WAS sure
TO follow. Abound his head he wrapped a
sheet, anu when his cold bomy was found
lhis morning the sheeL was still In that
position which Indicated quiet death.
freplous to retiring Saturday night
Clark told Mrs. Huber that sne need not
awaken him Monday morning as he was
going awny. and when she arose at $50
O'CLOCK she rsmembe his request and
~ accordance thereto did not wa zen him.
When Mrs. StooR we'll arose a short time
alterward she detected The smell Of escap.
M Kas On going to Clark's room and
hhding the door locked her suspicion be.
came aroused aud rushing down stairs
informed Mrs. Huber to TINT effect.
III the meantime Mr.. Huuer had become
awakened and he also detected the smell
o! gas. Patrolman Foster was notified
and ne and Mr.. Huber burst open the door
CLARK was cold and lay In the position
descrlbad. Or. First was hastily called In
but life was eSiEot. The body was moi
oiscolored. Tho jet was turned on and SO
suohS was the gas that IL was sitting A
search revealed nothing that would lead
10 tho cause Of his death. In his thumb
were several personal letters but there
were from none Miss Alien. lrhere were
many from his wife, mother and several
young men.
AFTER becoming acquainted with soma
matters OF personal character to Clark,
ard which had therein II shallow of sus
plclon OF base deception toward his wife
anu the woman lie had been keeping COM
pany Win, REPUBLICAN reporter called
upon Miss Sophia Ernest who lives In
tho tnlru story OF the house Mt No 3O1
Jefferson street. After ringing the door
bell vigorously Tor d few moments Miss
LrnesI raised an upstairs wuuow and
looked out. She arrived at the door few
seconds later and ustered tho reporter to
hef room Before arriving there how.
ever, she inquire I: 'Is there anything
tbs matter with frank"
After reaching her room, where her
mother was. the sad news was broken to
her ana she became historical. Between
sobs she exclaimed why did he do it9n
.'is he really dead9' and after being In.
formed oil him having wife her sorrow
was touching. Miss Ernest Ia n brunette
ana handsome. She recently obtained q
ulVorce from we'll known young man,
whose name Ia withheld he being con.
nectcd with prominent New Jersey fam.
liy. MISS Ernest beng unable to con.
verse, Mrs. Ernest taikoi. She said Clark
had been with Ter daugh liter all day yes-
terday and then appeared very Affection
ate-
lie paid her daughter the highest re-.
speot al MI times At this stage of the
conversation Miss Ernest revived aud
oYerheuIing our remarks Interrupted us
by eNclaiming that she was not n wife.
She continued the conversation saving
that Clark had frequently asked her to be.
come his wife. which offer OF marriage she
refused as shs had not yet secured her
divorce papers.
They were at the the theatre last Tues.
lay night ana SO apparently devoted to
hsr was lie that lie hud said they would go
TO hts home at Trenton on ThanksRlylI,Q
Day. Miss Ernest was iooaing forward
To the visit rs one which would make her
equainted with his family, and then all
would lie completed and their wedding
ceremony would follow. She said he lsfs
her at III O'Clock last night He told har
he was going away this morning but did
not say where he was going. Their part.
Ing was an alfeGtiOnate one.
when inforiaed that Clark was mar.
,ied man ana tlat ILLS wife was still living
Miss Ernest again became hysterionl.
ana 10 think he could have deceived ma
so, exclaimed she between her crius Mrs.
y, assisted her daughter and quleted her
lof u short time but she was SO completely
1rokan down over the sad affair tnat aha
lRd TO go to her room The scene was
touching one. After Aliss Ernest had raLIr.
9u Mrs. Ernest said that she had every
confidence in Clark Her knowledge Of
lis marriage unherved her almost as thu
lews had her daughter ami che wept as
me tolu Ler daughter.nevsr again to trust
man.
Clark, she thought was an ideal young
nan anu was very sorry that his intimacy
ietween her daughter and MIN had come
o such tragic climax. Then followed
ome personal infOrmation; and as the re.
,orter was leaving Miss Ernest requested
nat che DO allowed to SEQ the body Of her
Infallhfui lover before IL was buried.
Clark's pArants and wife at Trenton were
lotiiied and they arrived this afternoon.
irs. Clark also became hysterlcal when
he looked upon the body Of her un.
aithful husband. No arrangements for
he funeral has been made. Deputy Core.
er Palmer will hold no Inquest but will
i've a certificate OF death from suicide,
Piles! Piles! Piles.
YMPToMs-Moisture intense itching and
tingng; most " nght; worse by 5cratShi M
allowed to continue. tumors form which
ften bleed aud ulcerate. becUmiuH very