The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-14
LOUIS DE- LANCE A SUICIDE.
PLAYWRIGHT FOUND IN ROOM
WITH THROAT CUT.

OF hIcn anu NhOuty-b OOf LOchtu Oh
Inside-Relatives hGaeF 81 to TGG1s.
Louis De LANCE, playwright and former
actor, so years old, was found dead in his
room on the third floor front Of Mock's
Hotel, l45 West Forty-second street, at
1890 o'clock yesterday morning. His
throat was cut from the left ear to his wind
pipe. He had been dead several hours.
Mr.. De LANCE was dressed in his under
clothing, and the door was locked from the
inside, the key remaining in the lock-, His
waistcoat, however, vas missing with a
gold watch that had come down to him
from Commodore Stewart, grandfather
of the late Charles Stewart Parnell. His
money also was gone.
The police arrested at 1880 O'Clock this
morning a newsboy, Samuel Herman, II
years old, OF So East Third street. Herman
is said by them to nave made two visits to
De Lange's rooms between 2 and 4:30 yester-
day morning.
On the first occasion De Lange was with
him and he took a small bundle ava
with him. Herman denied he had entered
the rooms, but admitted that he had seen
De LANCE go in. The night Waterman Of
the building told the police he was certain
Herman was the boy he saw with De Lange.
The police are also looking for a night
hawk cabmen who took the two men to
the hotel at 4:s0 o'clock, got so cents from
De Lange and then went away.
Capt. DAILY of the West Forty-seventh
street police station thinks that it is a case
Of suicide following intoXication. Coro-
neFs Physician O'Hanlon, who examined
tho body, also thinks it a suicide case,
because he says the man had strength
enough after his throat was out TO walk
some dist ance and could easily have alarmed
the hotel employees. De Lange's brother,
who roomed directly over him in the hotel,
thinks 1t was suicide, but he also thinks
the dead man was robbed by his visitor.
De Lange's throat was cut with his own
razor.
De LANCE had lived with his wife and
son, about 3 years old, at Mook's Hotel for
two months. The wife is an actress whose
stage name Is Selma Mantell. She is play
ing with jos Weber's company In "Twiddle-
Twaddle,' taking the part Of the Shotp
Girl. Mrs. De LANCE, with the child. vent
to visit her mother in Long Island City on
Monday afternoon preparatory to under
going q surgical operation.
De LANCE was about Mook's Hotel early
in the evening and went out, saying he was
going to the theatre. He went back shortly
after midnight and the manager OF the
place, Henry Oster, says he saw him at
1 o'clock in the morning just before the
hotel was closed and that he was appar-
emily sober.
De LANCE had a drink or two and went
out again. Nothing was seen Of him until
$50 o'clock, when he returned with a smooth
faced, stout young man, about 20 years old,
wearing a black cap. The night watch
man, Stephen Lagodinsky, let the men in
and a maid, Til|ie SGuer, cav them go to
De Lange's room. They remained there
about fifteen minutes, when the young
man emerged. carrying a small bundle.
The night Waterman says he heard De
Lange say:
Don't say anything about this
IAN right responded the caller.
De Lange, who was under the influence
Of liquor. followed the man out in four
back in a cab. The cabman wanted so
cents and got it, leaving the place immedi-
ately.
De Lange's brother. who is a comedian
under the stage name Of Alexander Clark.
and Mrs. Clark, who was up several times
uuIlllk luO ihBhpt 80 thoN o0OA oANOA tAO
two men came in she heard words in De
Lange's room. The door ives open and
she listened. She declares that she heard
De LANCE exclaim:
"Oh, don't do that. Please don't do
that
Mrs. Clark at once aroused her husband
and told him what she had heard. She also
says that she saw De Lange's companion
leave the hotel hurriedly. The Waterman
says that the man seemed to be excited
- -z-A ~,k -,,taIIr % III hnn rI M MN
versation, although he was in the lower
hallway.
Mr.. Clark; on being aroused, heard no
noise. He said yesterday. that he was pre-
pared to go to his brothers aid with a
revolver, but all being quiet he thought
At 1880 O'Clock yesterday morning the
brother, having heard nothing from De
LANCE, went to his room and tried to arouse
him. He failed, and told the proprietor.
The latter sent Henry yischer. a waiter,
with a pass key, and Mr.. Clark to the room.
Mr.. Clark took the key, and by working
with it in the lock pushed the key that
was in the door on the inside from the lock
and entered. De Lange was found dead
marked with the initials Il. M. M" those
Of his foster father, beside him.
Coroner Shrady gave a permit to nave
the body removed to an undertaking es-
tabllShment, wneTe IL was examined by Dr.
O'Hanlon. Coroner Shrady said he was
unable TO tell whether 1t was a murder or
suicide case and he notified Capt. DAILY OF
the Twenty-second precinct, Another
brother. Rudolph NJ. De Lange, whose adj
dress the police did not secure, was then
called in.
Mr.. Clark at first told the Coroner hat
his brother had 5000 on Monday. The
manager of the hotel corroborated this
20 far as to say that De Lange had paid
him $50 on Monday and had quite a lot Of
money besides. It was also asserted that
De LANCE paid a music publisher $50 on
Monday, The brother said he thought that
De LANCE m ave had 500 left.
Detective Quinn questioned the brothers
closely and at 8 o'clock last night he re-
ported to Capt. DAILY that Clark had taken
back what he had said about money and
had said that De Lange was in financial
difficulties. The brother said that De
LANCE had pawned many articles, includ-
ing the Commodore Stewart watch, at a GER
tain place. Quinn went to the place and
found that n man named De Lange had
ia wncd certain articles within the last
five months Where the place was the police
would not tell. The articles we're a gold
watch, pawned for $40 in October: a match
safe, in December for Sl2; a gypsy ring,
containing two red stones and a diamond,
in December for $50, and a diamond horseshoe
pin, in February. for $50, Detective Quinn