The evening world., 1903-04-30
SAY WIFE DROVE
HIM TO SUICIDE
Friends Of Policeman Clark,
Who Jumped off Washington
Bridge, Say He Was Hounded
to Death by Her Drinking.

IulHk W lHt CnlllTen, llllr1dlc
friends and %neighbors of Police william
A. Clark, who killed himself yesterday
by Jumping from Washington Bridge TO
the Speedway, he was entirely innocent
OF the charge preferred against him off
beating his two-and-a-half-year-old son.
on which both he and his wife were
held. and which caused his suspension
from the force.
There is no doubt that despair, cause
by this false charge, prompted him to
take his life. Even his eight-year-old
boy, John. declares that his father sut-
fered unjustly. and says that he was al
ways kind to him and the other chill
dren.
AS the story OF this mans life un-
ravels 1t reveals a struggle bf years to
reform a wife who continually drank
TO excess. and who. as far, rs can be
Termed. terribly abused her little boy In
one OF her drunken RACES. Then when
officers of the Children's Society were
informed that the child was covered
with bruises n decorations as the re-
suit OF the mothers frenzied attack the
man shouldered more than half the
blame to protect her.
When he secured his release on 81. 900
bail after having been locked up In his
own s~tation-houEe. he made UP his
mind to end his own life. That he had
come to this decision he did not conceal
from his eIght-year-old hoy. The mis-
cry that must have filled the life of this
mere child can be imagined when he
accepted stolidly his fathers
ment OF intended suicide.
This little fellow is peculiarly preco-
clous and he took the impending trag-
edy stoically. thinking in his small
mind; We'll. he's down. There doesn't
seem to be anything In the (ture for
him. the way mother goes on. and l
guess It's the best thing lie can do"
When the father was released from
the West One Hundred and Twenty NTH
meet him and rode up on the car with
him. The policeman then told his son
that all his papers were lockd up In a
certain ain d aTsS nv He 6ns said ! ,h 3 sa1e an az
me or your mother" Then. as the car
fellows hand and said: You had bee
ter get of. kid. 1 am going UP the
As the boy jumped OF the car the
father called out again In choking
xoIee minute, ,Goodi sPsr b k,d ;r, g%SeSs's Sya sro a
ken body lay stretched in the dust on
Not a man in the police station where
Clark had been for several years had
One and all said that It was impossi-
BILE for them to think of his being brn-
tai TO hts children. as he had always
been of a gentle, easy-going nature.
He had a mighty. hard time with
"As far as we know. she rarely drew
a sober breath. Two years ago he
was compelled 10 arrest Gur for drunk
nessess, and n year later che was sent
to Blackwell's Island for six months
for the same ,esson., ,,-rs, ,vsr
to the Children's Aid Society. and he
decided never to live with the woman
again. But when she came out she
followed him about like "A dog, beg
ging 10 be taken back. She came 10
her knees to him. 5ne pursued him
on his beat. and finally he gave In
and took her back. She had hardly
been back a week when she started m
again as of old. and the Ne he must
have led trying to keep her In check
The woman Is now IN n police cell
on the charge of beating her little hoy.
WheE she was told OF hcr husbands
death she became frantic n hysteri-
cal.
Lawyer Speaks Kindly Of Him.
Louis ]. Grant, a lawyer who was
to appear In defense OF Patrofnan Will
KILLED himself 10 save his wite's name.
He was innocent. / met him ten min
utes before he threw himself from the
bridge and lol he was ci syiSen sSok erS of hss
homes 10 remain in the department two
years more, when he could be retired
on half y