The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-10
Wealthy and With Ample Re-
sources He Shoots Himself.
CAUSED BY SYNDICATE CRASH
Asny StsrkJJ Mlia M,,sl as Iracsn,a
hui Lost kaHh Ia Ito Klsndk. and
Speculation.

New York. May i0-Loslng heavily by
he collapse OF the Webb Meyer syndi-
.ate, Henry starkey. wealthy. and with
family resources which would have been
1t his command 10 meet even large
financial reverse. committed suicide in
he fashionable Union League clubhouse,
lt Bedford avenue and Dean street,
Brooklyn. He directed one bullet at his
heart. but II missed its mark Then he
Ared second and fatal shot which pene-
srated his brain. what losses, the
pnly known reason for his suicide. were,
he told none OF his friends.
Mr. starkey. with his wife, who was a
Miss Simpson, niece OF New York
pawnbroker lived in the st. Marks apart
ment house. at 81. Marks and Bedford
avenues Their union was very happy,
though they had no children.
His wife was wealthy in her own right,
rs were other members OF his family.
His father, Clinton w. Starkey. was
president OF the Oriental Bank, at Bowery
and Grand street, Manhattan, when he
retired. several years ago. The latter's
home is al l31 Hooper street. Williams
burg. while his daughter Mrs. James
s. Schoes, the wife of wealthy lumber
dealer, lives at ll9 Hooper street.
WROTE FAREWELL LETTERS.
He was a member of the Union League
club. and husband and wifes when not
spending the evening together at home,
as was their habit. would often dine at
the club.
Thursday night he entered the club house
about II O'Clock and after chatting with
several of the members. left them, saying
that he was going upstairs TO write some
letters. Soon after midnight he sum-
moned the clerk and asked that room
be prepared for him. Then he finished his
writing, and about ! O'Clock he had the
hailboy mall his letters.
One OF the letters was addressed TO
Mr. Gillispie He called at the club house
again yesterday and a boy was sent TO
Mr.. Starkey's room. He returned, saying
he got no response. The steward, through
an adjoining room. entered the room OF
Mr.. Starkey. to nnd the man lying on
the bed dead. His hand still clutched the
revolver with which he had shot him
self An ambulance surgeon said he had
been dead several hours. The body later
was taken TO the home OF Mrs. Scholes,
where Mrs. Starkey was visiting when
the news of her husbands death reached
her.
In the club house there was much ex-
cstement emong the servants when they
heard of the suicide. many OF them pre-
pairing to leave the place They were
finally quieted.
KLoNDIKE AND SPECULATION.
Mr.. Starkey for many years was in the
trucking business and became wealthy.
When gold was discovered In the Klon-
dixie he sold out his business and went
there, where he met his friend Gillispie,
who came from Seattle. Together they
staked about 20 claims, but found no gold.
Mr. Starkey made three trips TO the
Klondilxe. but he frequently told his
friends that II was a poor venture.
Since HIS return to the city he had done
no business, other than 10 dabble In
stocks in Wall street. After the Webb
Meyer syndicate. collapsed. his friends
say. he did not appear to be the same
man.
''Starkey. since he went TO the Klon-
dixie" said one Of the members OF the
club yesterday lost In every money
venture that he went into. He was not a
man who talked much about his affairs
until recently. The failures in Wall
street last week struck him hard, but how
much money he buried there he refused
20 say. Even II II was close onto a quar-
ter OF a million. the members of his
family could easily make the amount
good for him. There was no need for him
to resort to such desperate measures" I"
Every one In the apartment house In
which the Starkeys lived understood that
he was in business in Wall street. The
pair kept to themselves and did not
mingle with the other tenants.