The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-14
FELL PRONE ON KNIFE POINT.
RANKIN DUVAL, ACTOR, ENDS HIS
LIFE BY SUICIDE.

Had Played in The Daring OF the Gods
and Favored the Knife rs q Means OF
Ending Lire-Threw Himself In Front
OF n Trolley, but MOtOrman Checked Car
Rankin Duval, ar actor who once had an
important part in Belasco's The Darling
Of the Gods" tried TO kill himself early
yesterday morning by falling on a knife
which he placed point upward on the ioor
OF a saloon at se7 Sixth avenue. He died
last night in the Roosevelt Hospital.
Duval was the son Of a Baltimore merchant
and has been on thes stage twenty years.
He has suffered from nervousness for some
time. His mother left him an annuity,
but because of his habits the trustee Of the
estate, MIR. Schalk of Wagner, Schalk d
Co. Of rs Broad street, allowed Duval only
enough to meet his living expenses. Part
of the time Duval lived at the Players
Club at 10 Gramercy Park and part OF the
time at the home Of a cousin, DR.. Paul
Allen Of 5 East Forty-eighth street. He
had Just left DR.. Aliens house when he
fell on the knife in the Sixth venue saloon.
Early yesterday morning Duval left DR..
Aliens house and walked to the corner OF
Sixth avenue and Fiftieth street. The
motorman OF a northbound car was aston
islred when he saw a tall, well dressed
man throw himself onto the track in
front of the car. and had just time enough
to throw of power and prevent crushing
the man.
What's the matter with your Are you
crazy?" asked the motorman.
Il must die tonight the young man
said, without excitement, in an Ordinary
tone. @lOu cannot stop me-
There was no policeman at hand ana
the. motorman sent his car on. de noticed
that the man walked into the saloon OF
George Mc9uillan, at sO5 sixth avenue
was sprucing up the place when Duvai
walked in. He poured a stif drink oil
whiskey for Duvd and went on polishing
glasses. Duval walked over to the Tree
lunch counter and picked up a knife with
a bladea foot long, used to slice cheese.
ANY objection if | use this?' asked
DuvaI OF the bartender.
Sure not" said McQuillan, thinking
the young nan was about to cut some
cheese. Help yourself
McOuillan heard a ripping sound and
looked up from his work behind the bar
He saw that the young man had torn open
his ~overcoat, o and other garments
and left his chest bare and was trying tC
stab himself. As McQuillan jumped tow
ard Duval from behind the bar Duval
holding the knife point straight upward
fell forward on 1t. The blade went into
his body nearly its full length, missing
the heart an inc or two and making q
terrible wound.
Get DIR. Allen" said Duval. I'm goinG
to die
McOuillan hustled out and found Police
man Noonan. Duval was still conscious
when the policeman went back with McQuil
Ian and told Noonan that his name wal
Rankin Duval and that he was an actor.
Il am not fit to live" he said to Noonan
Il had to die. Nobody can prevent mn
from dying
While Noonan and a surgeon from Roose'
welt Hospital were working over Duyal
Eugene Dalton, motorman Of the car II
front Of which Duval had thrown hinsel
about half an hour previously. entered tn
saloon. He had Just stabbed his car in tn
Fiftieth street barns. As soon as he saw
the wounded man on the saloon foor N
said il was the same man who had trieC
TO commit suicide in front of his car.
In Duval's pockets were letters and
checkbook. The checkbook bore the nam
of Wagner a Schalk, bankers at rs Broa,
street. DIR. Aliens wife said yesterda,
that Duval was the son Of Charles DnvaI
a well to do Baltimore merchant. Will
PLAYING in THE Darling OF the Gods Duva
got the idea, his friends say, that death b
hara-kiri was not a bad way to die, and ha
said that when he -cashed in IL would b
after the Japanese manner
Apparently Duval had planned 10 XII
himself in his room at DR.. Aliens o
; "Wednesday night, but had changed hi
mind, DIR. Aliens butler yesterday morI
ing found a long knife on Duval's table an
observed that the gas was still burning.