The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-11-03
DUNCAN ELLIOT
ENDS HIS LIFE
Ill Health Drives Former Well
Known New Yorker to Sui
eide at Annapolis.
DIVORCED, JOINS ARMY
Served i'm Cuba and Philip
pines; Retired as Lieuten-
ant-COlOnel.
Special Despatch to Tue Sun.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. Nov. 2.-Lieut.-
Col. Duncan Elliot, United States
Army. retired. formerly we'll known in
society circles of New York city. and
' for some time commandant of the
cadets OF st. James College here, shot
and killed himself with his service
pistol tonight. 1t was said that he
had been Ill, and had been confined
to his apartments in Humphrey Hall,
one OF the college buildings, for the
last ten days.
Col. Elliot was 56 years old and un-
married. He served with the Cuban
insurgent army prior to the Spanish
American war, and In 1898 volunteered
in the United States Army and served
In the Philippines in 1900. He was
retired in 1917 for physical disability
with the rank of Captain OF cavalry.
His rank as Colonel was
temporary.
Twenty-Five years ago Col. Elliot, then
a civilian, was one of the best known
young men of New York city, and his
! escapades and doings were widely
chronioled in the society columns He
was the son of prominent Philadelphia
plysicisn and came TO New York some
ten years before the Spanish-American
War to make his fortune.
Early in 1891 he astonshed the social
worlds of New York and Newport by
paying court to Miss Sallie Hargous
famed at that time as the reigning
beauty of the old Four Hundred. She
was also an heiress to several million
dollars and members of her family did
mt lnAlr NrrffH 20 II
lots suit Her brother took her to
Europe to get her away from the i'm
pecunious suitor for a time. but when
she returned Elliot pressed his suit
with renewed ardor. and finally the
Hargous family gave in and they were
married by Bishop Potter In Newport
on September is, 1891. Three children
were born to them, one OF whom died.
Soon afterward Elliot resigned his
clerkship and engaged in the manufac-
ture of pea soup, but without success
He then moved to Westchester and lived
the life of a country gentleman, with
n big estate there, and he and his wife
became prominent in Westchester social
circles In 1896 the house in westches-
ter burned to the ground and Mrs. Ell
'iott saved the three children from
death. Through the fire II became known
that Col. Elliot was not at home and
1t was said later that he had been
at early mass with several friends who
were trying to convert him to the Ro-
man Catholic faith
II was considered significant in So
ciety, however, that the estrangement
between Elliot and his wife widened
after that, ana rumors soon began to be
heard of an impending divorce suit. In
April. 1898. It was announced that Mrs
Elliot was to sue for a separation, and
In May OF that year the papers were
filed. That came month Elliot an
nonunced that he was going to Cuba to
Join the Cuban insurgent army, to
prove his manhood to his wife and
friends" He Joined the staff of Gen.
Lecret and nothing further was heard
OF him until the following September,
when he returned to this country. Later
he was appointed a Lieutenant In the
army.
Capt. Elliott and his wife never lived
together after they separated just be-
fore he went TO Cuba. and she was
awarded a decree of divorce In 1891. and
several years later married Capt. Wood
bury Kane. She is now the wife of
Capt. Douglas II. Gill and is abroad
with her husband. Her sister is Mrs
George De Forest.