The sun., 1898-12-14
Henry Wake, Of Norfolk, Shoots
Himself in an
Areaway.
HIS BODY DISCOVERED EARLY
Was a Guest at Delmar, This State,
and Only Left There on Last
Monday Morning--He Was
Worth Half a
Million.

Special to THE SUN.
New YORK, Dec. 13.-At a late hour
last night or early this morning, Henry
Wake, who spent 8 few days at Delmar,
DEL, and who was subsequently a guest
at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, this city,
killed himself in Brooklyn.
He blew his brains out in the area of
the Adelphi Academy, St. James and
Clifton Place.
More than $1OO were found in the
dead mans clothes, in addition to gold
watch and chain and Waldorf Astoria
key.
It was strange place that the suicide
selected for his death. The area is
on the Clifton Place side of the big
academy. 1t is narrow, stone-built
affair, five feet lower than the side
walk. There is no stairway leading
into it, and it is cut off from the side
walk by an iron railing.
To get down to where his body was
found the stranger must have climbed
over the railing and then swung him
self down by his hands until his
feet reached the stone pavement. He
apparently wanted to escape observa-
ton.
Then, as the appearance of the body
indicated, he stretched himself on the
cold fagstonea at the bottom of the
area on his left side, placed big re-
volver to his right temple and blew his
brains out.
He never moved apparently after the
bullet entered his brain. When, at 7.45
o'clock this morning, Detective Robert
]. Robinson, OF the DeKalb avenue sta
tion, found him the muzzle OF the re-
volver was still pressed against the
wound. The weapon was clutched in a
death grip in the suicides right hand.
The stiffened forefnger still pressed the
trigger and it was with difficulty that
the revolver was taken from the dead
hand.
Robinson was passing along the street
and found the body by accident. He at
once summoned physician, but it was
seen that the man had been dead con-
siderable time. '...
The body was searched when taken to
the station. In one pocket was found
lot of visiting cards with the name
-"Henry Wake, Norfolk, Va.," on them.
A large brass key, bearing the imprint of
the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, and num-
bered "33S-2," was also found.
In another pocket were $98 in bills,
and in another $3.50.
Other things found included two bot
ties Of liver pills, a bunch of seventeen
keys, some looking like safe keys; two
round trip railroad tickets from New York
to Delmar, via Norfolk, Va, and three
good cigars. He had an open-face gold
watch and chain and a small chased
gold ring on the little finger of his right
hand.
The railroad tickets were issued De-
cember II, and were for the New York,
Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad. The
portions from Delmar to New York had
evidently been used and those found
were the return portions. Two per-
sons had evidently travelled on the
tickets.
Wake was known at the Waldorf. He
arrived there yesterday morning and en-
gagged room. Later in the afternoon he
gave the room up.
]. P. Higginson. who stops at the Wal
dorf, says that Wake was his wife's
uncle.
At the hotel it was said that Wake
had stopped there many times No one
knew where he had gone after he gave
up his room. No reason could be given
for his alleged suicide.