The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-17
KEPT THEIR SUICIDE PACT.
LOTIS HICR, 'CELLIST, AND
MABEL ECKERT, SINGER, DEAD,
Heart Disease Was Bound 10 Ein Tier Soon
30 Her Husband Decided 10 die, Too
Her Parents Found Them AsphyXi-
ated in Their Home In Philadelphia.


! PHILADELPHIA, April io-Iouis Heck.
/ musical director at Keth's Chestnut Street
! Theatre, and his wife, known on the vaude-
vile stage as Mabel Eokert, we're found
| dead in their apartments at 425 South
Carlisle street, to-day. They had com
mitted suicide in pursuance Of an agree
ment entered into weeks ago.
They left no note or message. Their
bodies we're found by I. W. Eckert, Mrs
Heck's father. who the day before had
received telegram from his daughter
! telling him to take dinner with herself and
her husband to-day. Death was due to
asphyXiation
Mabel Eckert was a concert and vaude-
vile singer when Heck met her. She was
Of a full blooded, Spanish type. Heck,
then a 'cellst, fell in love with her at once.
It wasn't long before they were married.
Mrs. Heck continued on the vaudeville
circuit until about two years ago. Then
Heck became leader Of Keith's orchestra
and the two settled down in the Carlisle
street fat.
Mrs. Heck still sang in concerts In Phil
adelphia and nearby cities and had ambi-
tions toward grand opera. Two years
ago she developed heart disease. As the
malady progressed she was at times in
great pain. year ago she was ordered
by physicians to give up her public singing
Some months later she was told she must
sing very little, even in private.
Three months ago the doctors told her
that the disease could not be checked and
that she might die at any time. The spasms
Of pain increased.
"I'll DO glad when death comes Mrs
Lucy Tlstin, the woman who keeps the
Carlisle fats, says the singer said to her
frequently i'm the last two months. 1t
can't come too soon"
When Heck heard that his wife could not
be cured he lost interest In his work and
frequently to Id friends at the theatre that
he would not be many seconds behind Nab
when she goes,
Last week the woman had a severe attack
Of the disease. The landlady overheard
some talks between the two, and says they
talked frequently Of dying together,
Mrs. Heck's father and stepmother,
both theatrical people, we're to move from
New York to Washington with their COM
pany to-day. Eckert sent a telegram 10
Mabel. telling her they would take dinner
with them here. They got a telegram
Come
Saturday night Heck failed TO show up
at the theatre. Telephone messages 10
his apartments brought no answer. The
janitor pounded at the door. There was
no response. He thought he smelled gas,
but wasn't sure. Shortly after o'clock
this afternoon Mr.. and Mrs. Eckert reached
the fiat. They couldn't get any answer
to the bell and after repeated knockings
called policeman. He broke IN the door.
Mrs. Heck was lying on the lounge fully
dressed. Heck was kneeing beside her,
his head buried in her lap and one arm under
her neck. Both had been dead for hours.
Two gas jets we're open In the gas stove, but
there wasn't much Of an odor Of It. In
another room. the door Of which was open,
a light was burning.
The bodies we're taken 20 an undertaker's
shop. Eckert, who collapsed when he saw
his daughters body, was taken to a hotel.
where he still Is. He. too, suffers from
heart disease.