The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-24
DEATHADOUDLE BLOW TO HER
MARRIAGE PACT or MRS. CLARKE,
OR CURTIS, QUESTIONED.

Man Once Presper0us In San Francisc
Came Hero After Divrce-K Known b.
TIVE Names-Wom oman He Lived with Ha
Contract without Netary's Seal
cuRTIs.-on Tuesday. Aug. a. 1905. Jonathan
Curtis, aee1 ~ years.
Funeral private. San Fnnclso pspsrs pleas
copy.
This death notice appeared in one o
yesterday mornings newspapers In thii
city. Mr.. Curtis died In the Cameron
apartment house, 10th street and st
Nicholas avenue, whore he was known K
the attendants and the other tenants a,
Jonathan Clarke. His death was duo te
commissions or epilepsy.
In the neighborhood Of the apartment
house Mr.. Curtis was Also known ~ Mr.
Clarke. Tho apartment was rented, a.
far ~ the management knew. by Mr.. and
Mrs.. Clarke. The woman known a. Mrs
Clarke says she was the wife Of the deceased
She wasn't known under the name Of Mrs
Curtis about the apartment house, but
was called Mrs. Clarke. Her maiden name
was Caroline Clarke. She u . worry pretty
woman, who doesn't appear to be over
30 years Of age.
Mr.. Curtis, or Clarke, was connected
with the establishment Of Eberhard Faber,
the manufacturer Of lead pencils on Pearl
street. At the ofioes OF the concern he was
known a. Curtis.
DR.. John P. HensinE. Of SlA West l25th
street, who attended the man during his
last and other illnesses. knew him a. Clarke,
whom he came to mako out the death certi-
cate. he asked the usual perfmctory ques-
tions Of Mrs. Clarke to AL the Board Of Health
blank. He was about 10 put In married
without . question, when . business asso-
ciate Of the dead man stopped him. remark
ing that he wasn't sure about that.
Mrs. Clarke was consulted, and she de-
clared that she and Curtis wore married.
She produced proof Of her assertion. .
written agreement between Curtis and her-
self to the effect that they were man and
wife. It was signed by both, but there was
no seal Of notary public on it. Tho doctor
shook his head, and the business associate
communicated by phone with lawyer
who, he says, after hearing tho facts, re-
marked:
'Thats not legal marriage. The lady
has been fooled
When the death certificate was filled
tanned the word -divoroed.' This was
put in after the business associate had told
the doctor something Of Mr.. Curtis's past.
Jonathan Curtis WAS born In Philadel-
phia. As very young man he went to
San Francisco and in time became the
Of the largest pencil manu-
featuring and stationery concern ON the
+. i to.t SLOPE He married s1 and became
years ago there was trouble in the Curtis
household, and Curtis and his wife were
divorced.
Curtis lost heart and grip on his business.
Things went from bad to worse. and the
children were placed IN the care OF relar
let his business 60 and came to this city
and joined Eberhard Faber. whom he had
known many years. Az one Of the firm
put II ysssterd.y: Father made q place
It was about . year and 2 half ago that
citation with Faber In business, the two
lived together. A year ago Fsber Wa
and Curtis, at the suggestion Of
two men In the Faber firm, than wont to
live in . boarding house ON Manhattan
avenue. The two men In the firm also
and with her lived her daughter. Caroline,
who was employed Is designer for the
Dskneator.
Some months after Curtis went to live
It the house Mrs. Clarke, the landlady,
He'd. It was after her death that Curtis
md the daughter took the apartment In
which he died and in which they were known
ls Mr.. and Mrs. Clarke.
Mrs. Clarke. or Curtis. when seen last |
evening at the handsome apartment which |
,he still occupies on the seventh floor OF
he Cameron, said that she did not wish to
discuss either her affairs or those OF Mr.. !
Curtis. Her aunt was with her, having |
,ome over from Brooklyn. and she cautioned |
Mrs. Clarke against making any state
nent. She took occasion, however, to
how letters addressed to Mr.. Curtis that
lad been delivered at the Cameron.
Funeral services for Mr.. Curtis will take
'lace to-day and the interment will be In .
near this city.
SAN Francisco, Aug. 23.-Jonathan Cur
Is was we'll known stationer here ten
ears ago. He married daughter Of
Ienry Payot Of the big stationery firm OF
'ayot. Upham 4 Co. He got q divorce
rom his wife and then went TO New York.