The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-14
His Hand Clasped Revolver and a
Bullet Wound Was in His Temple.
A PROMINENT BUSINESS MAN.
Mr.. Wake Was One OF the Best Known
Men In His Line OF Business In Nur-
foIk-His Untimciy Death Casts
aGloom Over a Large Cir
Gle OF Friends who
Loved Him.

NORFOLK, VA. Dec. f3.-Specia!.-
kilograms received here stating that AIR.
Henry Wake committed suicide In
Brooklyn last night, came as great
shock TO his friends and relatives In
Norfolk.
That he died by his own hand is not
yet, it seems. clearly established. Living,
he possessed the warm friendship Of hun
dreds here. and dead by his own act or
not, he win receive their sympathy
OF particularly generous nature.
honorable in business. and genial In
temperament, the dead man was unlvef-
sally respected. and hundreds loved him.
HIS BUSINESS RECORD.
He was regarded as one Of the most
prosperous Of Norfolks business men
and at his large store. at old No. III
Water street. large business was done.
He was thought 10 do perhaps the largest
business in his line-hardware. mill and
ship supplies-in this state.
The business was established by Elliott
& Wake. T. L.. Elliott and Henry Wake.
Mr.. Wake bought Mr. Elliotts interest
after two years. and since then has had
no active partner whose name appeared
I'm the firm.
HIS FAMILY
Mr. Wake who was a brother OF Miss
Mary G. TruxtOn, wife of Commodore VIII
liam T. Truxton L. 5. n. deceased, some
time commandant Of the Portsmouth
Va) Navy Yard and a commander OF
great renown.
He was a brother also OF Mr.. Richard
Wake. Of Wake q Old. one of the most.
prominent legal firms here. Another,
brother Is Mr. w Talbot Wake. insur-
ance agent. Atlantic Hotel building, Nor
folk DR.. Frank Anthony Wake. Of the
longtime established wholesale drug
concern. formerly Wake 4 Williams.
Water street. is cousin TO the dead gem
tleman. Mr.. Wake was also brother
OF Major Willoughby Wake u. S. A..
who was for some years stationed &C
Fort Monroe.
Mr. Henry Wake was at the time OF
his death president OF the Virginia Club
OF ENGLISH EXTRACTION
The Wakes are OF English descent. the
progenitor OF this branch OF the family,
a clergyman OF the established church,
settling I'm Norfolk some fifty years ago.
The members OF the family have beer
for years especially prominent In society
as i'm business.
Mr. Wake went 10 New York accom-
panied by his sister Mrs. TruXton, TO
consult Dr. Janeway. a specialist Of ner-
vous diseases, regarding his health
In view of later developments his
friends are disposed 10 believe that he
was murdered. as ii was his custom To
carry n considerable sum OF money upon
his person.
The following relating the particulars
OF the discovery OF the body OF MIR.
Wake, was received here to-day:
shortly after daylight this morning.
a woman passing along Clifton Place.
Brooklyn. saw the shape Of a man hud-
died together on the brick tagging In an
areaway.
SUICIDE SUSPECTED.
LAS access to- the areaway could not
be secured i'm a casual manner, Ii Is pos
sible according to the police, that the
dead man had wandered from New York
to Brooklyn with the determination to
Kill himself. that the areaway as to Its
adaptabity impressed him, and lowering
himself into the cell like space, he lay
down and turned the revolver toward
his heart II was a second shot. how
ever. one through the temple, that killed
him.
Mr. j. p. Higgenson, a broker at 5,
Wall street. who called at police head
quarters subsequent Identified the BODY
as that Of Mr. Wake. his uncle by mar
miage. More than SEQ was found In the
dead man clothes, also a gold watch and
chain.
TO AVOID OBSERVATION.
ut was strange place he selected
for his death the area on Clifton Place
side OF the big academy. lt Is a narrow
stone built affair five feet lower than the
sidewalk There Is no stairway leading
into II and IL IL cut OF from the side
walk by an iron railing.
TO get down 10 where his body was
found, he must have climbed over the
railing and then swung himself down by
his hands until his feet reached the
stone pavement. He apparently wanted
10 escape observation. Then, as the ap-
pearance of the body indicated, he
stretched himself on the cold fiagstones
at the bottom OF the area. on his left
side, and shot himself He never moved.
apparently after the bullet entered his
brain. Detective Robinson found the
muzzle OF the revolver still pressed
against the wound. The weapon was
clutched in the death grip Of his right
hand His stiffened forehnger still press
ed the trigger. and IL was with difficulty
that the revolver was taken from the
dead mans hand. His left hand was
doubled under his body. A physician
says he had been dead for considerable
llinc WITCH
THE BODY IDENTIFIED.
THE body was searched wnen taken
10 the station. In one pocket was found
a lot of visiting cards. with the namo
Henry Wake. Norfolk, Va on them.
Besides money he had two bottles OF
liver pills, a bunch OF seventeen keys,
some safe keys. two round trip railroad
tickets. New York and Nor<slk. Va;
and three good cigars. A small chased
gold ring was on the little hnger OF his
right hand. He had on well-httins
dark mixed suit of clothes. with patent
leather shoes and undressed Kid gloves.
His railroad tickets were issued ON
December lith. and were for the New
York. Philadelphia and Norfolk railroad.
Mr.. Wake was known at the wal
dorf. He arrived there yesterday MORN
ing and engaged room. Later IN tIs
afternoon he gave the room up.
Tho police thought the case migns
develop into murder, but they found two
empty shells in the revolver. showing
they believe. that he killed himself sy
dring tWioa"