The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-02
SUICIDE FOLLOWED
BY 100000 SUIT
Clara Ingc, Dead Actress, Also
Figure In Divorce
Action.
MAX HART DEFENDANT

Two divorce cases. an alienation OF At
fections suit and the suicide OF the
woman who was the central figure In
two Of the actions. were revealed yester-
day in the Supreme o when counsel
for Max Hart. a vaudeville booking
agent with an alleged income OF $4,000
a year. asked Justice Finch to strike
from the complaint in a suit against
him an allegation that he was RESPONSE
bic for the suicide on December ~ last
Of the vaudeville actress known as Clara
Inge. the Baby Doll"
Miss Inge killed herself BY taking an
overdose OF heart medicine In an apart
ment at 3Q5 West Forty-fifth street.
where. IL Is alleged. Hart was maintain
ing her and her mother. She was the
wife OF charles r. Eckel. n manufac-
turer Of automobile tires. TO whom she
was married In 81. Joseph. Mich. In
1911, and was the mother Of a four
year-old boy.
The papers in the case showed that
as the alleged result Of All EFFORT BY
Hart to aid Mrs. Eckel to divorce her
husband so he could marry her. he hired
detectives to trail Eckel a year ago. and
n suit was filed against Eckel last May
A few days before Mrs. Eckel killed her.
fPlI MART WIS pldIillt8 W. . ~
wife. Mrs. Madge Hart. under circum-
stances which would warrant him In
bringing a divorce action against her.
The scheme miscarried. and after the
death Of Mrs. Eckel. Hart. II Is said.
confessed to his wife his relations with
the other woman. Mrs Hart then
brought q divorce suit OF her own.
100000 Damages Asked.
Eckel is suing Hart for 100000
damages. In his complaint he states
that he lived with his wife until De-
cember - last when. plaintiffs wife. In
"A desperate state Of mind, and highly
agitated, and with the intent and pur-
pose to free herself from the defend
ants control and influence. died by her
own hand In All apartment in the prem
ises at 3o5 West FORTHWITH street, In
which said apartment the defendant. un-
known To the plaintiff, had provided for
plaintiffs wife out of his own funds"
The plaintiff alleged that Hart enticed
his wife away III November. 1914. and
maintained her to the time OF her death
that he induced her 10 remain with him
and kept her from returning to her hus-
band by giving her money and other
gifts. by various promises and by max
ing ~"slanderous statements concerning
Ickers unfitness to be her husband.
Eckel said that In March. 1914, he
called at Harris office land entreated
and begged him not to interfere with
the relations between plaintiff and his
Wife"
Harris Arrest Asked For.
The complaint charges that Mrs.
Eckel was n woman easily Influenced
and that At various times she was about
ready 10 return To her husband. but that
the defendant threatened To XIII her X
she went back home and IL. her despera-
ton she killed herself. Eckel asks that
an order OF arrest be issued for Hart
and tha Hart be kept in confinement
until any judgment returned against him
is paid.
Counsel for Hart asked Justice Finch
to strife out many allegations OF the
complaint. on the ground that they are
no; material TO the case and have been
inserted for the purpose OF .~lic!ting SYM
patty. The court reserved decision.
An affidavit made by Mrs. Madge
Hart. Wife OF Ma Hart. OF her applica-
ton for aiimony pending her divorce
suit. in which she names Clara lnge as
correspondent. was made public ycster-
dav. Mrs. Hart says she married Hart
In 1908 wnen she was a vaudeville per-
former, II. had no occupation at the
time, hat with money she furnished him.
shc says he went into the vaudeville book
inE business and now has an income Oh
S5O.00n a year from that source and
earns $1,000 more as owner OF u thlrd
interest IN theatres In Akron and
Youngstown. Ohio. and Erie. Pa She
SAYS lie has property worth $500, 00U.
Mrs. Hart said she was not convinced
OF her husbands relations with Mrs.
Eckei until after the iatter's death.
"My husband admitted to me- she said,
that 1t was In consequence OF his desire
To- wed her that he had arranged 10 Sc
cure "A divorce for her from her hus-
tand and that as long AS ] was not will
ing to get a divorce from nm he saw
10 other way of gaining his freedom
iIan by trying 10 trap me-