New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-01-20
HEARS SHOT OVER phone
THAT ENDS W|FE'S LIFE
DR.. u. G. Houck RusheS Home
and Finds She Has
Killed Herself. ....
VAINLY ASKED FORGIVENESS
Woman Went on Sleigh Ride
with Another Man and Bitter
Quarrel Followed - III p
Health, Says Husband.

Folio ling a bitter quarrel with her
husband on Thursday afternoon, Mrs.
Nora Houck, wife OF DR.. Ulysses Grant
Houck, an inspector of the United States
Department Of Agriculture. stood at the
telephone in her apartment. at No. 129
Wadsworth avenue, yesterday afternoon,
talking with her husband, who, was in
his office. After pleading with him to
T. rgive her and return to the house Mrs.
HouCk dropped the receiver, took a re-
volver from a shelf and shot herself
through the left breast, just above the
heart.
Her husband, hearing the report over
the telephone, tried to get his wife TO
speak to him. Failing, he ran 10 the
street. jumped into taxicab and hur-
ried t. his home. Mrs. Houck died about
ten minutes after he arrived there.
on Thursday afternoon. it is said. Or.
Houck learned that his wife had been
sleighing earlier in the day with an
other man. When she returned he up
braided her. and II is said bitter words
were used. DR.. Houck was still unfOr-
giving when he left his home yesterday
morning TO go to his Office. at No. 1O4
West 42d street.
At 3 o'clock in the afternoon Mrs.
Houck called up her husbands office
and talked with him for more than ten
minutes. She pleaded with him ear
nestly, IL is said. but the husband would
not be reconciled and would not tell her
II he woulC return 10 his home yester-
day.
Finally MIS-. Houck said over the tele-
phone: Very well. dear. just a moment
more. then" and the next moment DR..
Houck heard mufied sound at the
other enc OF the wire.
He was alarmed and called frantically
10 his wife TO answer him. No word
came back. and the husband dropped his
receiver and rushed from his office
When he reached his home he found
Frank Cardova. the elevator boy, and
Nels Nelson. the superintendent, at the
door OF his apartments. Dr. George o.
Herrter, OF No. 31S West 10th street. was
I
in the bedroom occupied by Mrs. Houck
He was leaning over the form Of a per-
son lying on tho bed. DR.. Houck saw
that It was his wife who was being at
tended by the physician. Dr. Hefrtel
shook his head when the husband asked
# his wife was still alive.
According 10 Cardova and Nelson. they
had heard the sound OF the revolver
shot and had broken open the door OF
the apartment. They found Mrs Houck
lying on the floor beneath the telephone
regulation army revolver, belonging tC
her husband clutched in her right hand
She was unconscious but still breathing
The men carried Mrs. Houck TO her
room and laid her on the bed and then
summoned DR.. Heffter. In spite OF the
physicians efforts the woman died with
In ten minutes She was unable to make
any statement.
Dr. Houck found n note addressed to
him from his wife, but would not divulge
its contents. He said II contained no
reference TO his wifes act. He insisted
she had killed herself because OF III
health.
The Houcks were married seven years
ago. They had no children.
Coroner Winterbottom was told Of the
suicide and took charge OF the case.