The Detroit times., 1909-05-12
NOUN TAIN OF LIES
CRUsHEs OUT LIFE
Herman Kelvin Kills Himself (;
Unable to Bear Burden of Amaz-
ing Falsehoods He Told Wife.

NEW YORK. May 12.-Maybe II
was 20 rid himself OF the crushing
weight OF mountain OF falsehood that
he had piled. lie by lie. upon himself
that Herman Kelvin. % years old.
killed himself In MS home at No. 222
Elm-aVe., Glendale. Queens. one OF
his lies. on which light was thrown
was that he was clerk I'm the Gus
tom house. The truth was that the
had taken civil service examinations
several times. but always failed.
Instead OF confessing Ia his wife. he
kept up the deceit From time To time
he told her he was going 20 take more
examinations for higher position.
and on every occasion he reported
that he had passed and that his salary
would be- raised.
Mrs. Kelvin thought IL rather
strange that in their two months OF
married life he never brought home
any pay. But he always gave a ready
excuse, Once he said his name had
been spelled wrong on the pay roll
and he would have TO wait until the
rext pay day. Al another time he told
his brother.in.law. who Is employed
in bank. that he would mail two
checks 10 be cashed \ week after
that the brother.in-law asked Kelvin
why the checks had not reached him.
Kelvin replied that a postotfice clerk
had stolen them and had been arrest
ed Several days after that he an
nounced he had received s. for APP
pearing as a witness against the
clerk. The wife. however, never saw
any part OF the 81.
Six months ago Kelvin was employ
ed by the Metcalf Co.. silversmiths
OF No. West Thirty-ninth-st. He
got 500 a week He had been keep
ing company with Miss Clara Sander.
daughter OF Henry Sander. OF No. 3i5
L.afayette-aye.. Brooklyn. for more
than three years. The pair hestated
about getting married because or his
small pay friend or Kelvin told
him he could easily pass the exam
ination for junior clerk in the Gus
tom house. where he would start IN
AT s22 week.
Kelvin studied for the examination
and spent much time over his books.
About ten weeks ago he took the eN-
animation and felt sure he had pass
ed So confident was he that he gave
ND his position with the Metcalf Co.
fitted out an apartment in Queens ana
married the girl he loved. He tod
her he had passed and was getting
$50 week in the custom house.
Two weeks after the marriage day
Kelvin came home and said he had
received two weeks vacation Mrs.
Kelvin thought this strange, but DID
not question him Soon after he re
turned To work" he told her he had
passed a new examination and would
get S25 week. She believed that,
too. though she never saw the money.
A little more than week ago ne
said he intended taking an examina-
ton FOR the secret service. A few
DAYS later he told his wife he and two
other men had tied for first place
with SO per cent. and as there Sas
only one position vacant the three
would have TO be examined again.
Next day he said he had been success
full and would get SIS week. He add
cd that he didn't know whether TO be
clated over his good fortune. as ne
might be sent to European smuggling
cases.
Returning home from visit To her
parents, Mrs Kelvin stumbled over
the dead body OF her husband IN the
kitchen. He had placed an end or &
rubber tube in his mouth and turned
on the gas.