New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-21
Physician, Whose Wife Is
Kin to John Claflin,
Stays Self.
INJECTS POWERFUL
POISONS INTO ARM
Former New York Practitioner
Recently Member of Exclu-
elusive Pequot Colony.
fRv Telegrnnh 20 The TrIhune. ]

fBy Telegraph tn The Tribune.1
New London. Conn, Nov. o0.-Dr.
Horace II. Tinker, a wealthy member
of the Pequot Colony. whose wife is a
distant cousin Of John Claflin, merchant
and president Of the New York Cham
Der of Commerce. died about II o'clock
this morning after injecting poisonous
drugs into his body. DR.. Tinker used
a hypodermic syringe TO force the
poison into mis- system at least twenty
four hours before his death.
1t is believed that DR.. Tinker was
suffering from depression because Of
his wife's i'll health. Mrs. Tinker's
heart is said to be affected, and brood
ing over her condition is thought TO
have unbalanced her husbands mind.
The exact nature Of the poison by
which Or. Tinker ended his life is not
known. II was a composition Of power
full alkaloids. according to b. Harry
NJ. Lee. a medical examiner. DR.. Lee
said several drugs were undoubtedly
used
Wednesday morning DR.. Tinker was
discovered by his chauffeur. Dennis
McEwan. lying on a couch. \ few min
utes previously he had injected the
poison. and when found was breathing
with difficulty. McEwan did what he
could to relieve his employer, then
summoned physicians. DR.. Tinker was
unconscious when they arrived, and in
spite of continued effort T." cid lot re-
cover.
On table in Or. Tinker's room three
notes were found which indicated tnat
he had contemplated death and planned
his actions carefully. The first Of the
letters was addressed to the chauffeur,
another 10 his wife. while the third
was for Mrs. George :. Morgan, wife
Of DR.. George s. Morgan. a we'll known
homeopathic physician of this city.
Five years ago Dr. Tinker came here
from New York, where he had large
family practice, and since then the
Morgan and Tinker families. both resi-
dents Of the Pequot colony. had been
close friends.
The letters did not explain the rea-
son for DR. Tinker's taking his life.
In them he merely asked McEWan and
Mrs. Tinker to arrange for the in
quest. funeral and other matters arls-
ing from his death.
Mrs. Tinker was at Morristown, y.
j.. il was learned this morning, where
she is i'll. She was staying al the
home Of her cousin. John Clafin. She
was notified Of her husbands death and
left almost at once, arriving here late
this evening.
From acquaintance of DR.. Tinker it
was learned to-day that for months
the dead man had shown signs of mel
ancholy. His depression of late was
particularly noticeable. With his
friends. however, he never discussed
his troubles or gave them an inkling
that he contem. lated suicide.
Mrs. Tinker's health has been i'm
paired some time. About two months
ago she went TO the Clahin home in
New Jersey, and 1t was reported that
she intended staying there indefinitely
in hopes Of being benefited by the treat
ment she was undergoing.
The death Of DR.. Tinker was investi-
gated this afternoon by Coroner Frank
lin II. Brown. An autopsy to determine
the nature of the poison used was per-
formed, but the findings were not dis
closed.