Norwich bulletin., 1922-03-20
F|edFromGayParty
To Commit. | Suicide
Student Otto Holdor Larsen
Used Poison He Provided
His Friend, Pauline Virginia
Clark.

Boston, March 1s.-Death by poison
ended the fight Of Otto Haldor Larsen.
senior at the Massa chusetts Institute
Of Technology, from the gay party at
which Pauline Virginia Clark, divorcee.
ended her life early last Thursday morn
ing. His body was found today in the
iFenway behind the. Museum of Fine
'Arts. Apparently he had been dead only
"a short time.
Two letters signed by Larsen. assert
ing that Miss Clark had long intended
to commit suicide and that Larsen had
| supplied her with poison, were received
ny a Boston newspaper and Medical Ex-
| ,aInlner Magrath several hours after his
! body was found. In the letter to the
medical examiner, Larsen said that Miss
| Clark requested him several weeks ago
| 10 procure some poison for her in order
/ that she night take her own life. She
had long before decided on this course,
She said she told him.
Il agreed to do this" the letter con-
tinued, Extracting from her the prom
| Use that she would not use it until her
mother came home. She game me her
/ promise and I prepared for her q solu-
tiop of strong poison
The letter related how Larsen had met
! Miss Clark six weeks ago and they had
become intimate friends. 1t is said that
Miss Clark. told him of her excessive de-
preston and Of various incidents in her
life.
l. II wondered how she resisted 50 long
the temptation that death really is the
! letter added
The letter then described how he sus-
peuteti thai Miss Clark was going tc
break her word and take the poisor
among her guests on Wednesday night
and although she again promised to de
fer her act. she suddenly stood up ant
drank the fatal potion.
81 called a doctor and attempted K
assist her" the letter continued. 'fWhe;
saw that she was dead. left because
would not give myself up to be grille'
| by misunderstanding police I took tn
remainder OF the poison with me. I
was my property after Miss Clark wa!
dead.
Il had intended to take poison befor
met Miss Clark. She was the world
| finest. woman
The rarties ir Miss Clarl's apartment
the Letter said, were not wild revHls. .bl:
were only for the purpose OF killing ith
roroseness Of her life.
IN his letter to the editor Of a. Bbsto
paper. condenning the printing OF stor
les Of scandal. lie advised that tire ed
tor also take poison, when your ,irfc+
iority becomes too conscious in you
mind, II you Nave one
It was Larsen's first love aftai
friends said tonight. He cames TO Ante:
y lea in 1918 as one of ten stfderlts ser
to America by the Norweg an goverr
me1t 20 study American lengiaeeriu
: r1atn,Js Until last January he kne-
- NJ girls ard applied himself, diligently I
: his studias.
Then hs met Miss Clark and their a
tachnert grew steadily Quarrels b'
: tween the young woman and rich friend
:. over Iarsen's p0Dularity resulted. La
: sens friends declared. and when 81
= :. was driven to choose between Larse
:. and love and rich friends and luxuT-
| she chose Larsen.
! Larsen was taking a chemical cour:
= = at the. institute. He rad been q freruey
= visitor at the extensively furnishe
Newfbury street apartment OF Miss Clar
) to whom his friends said he was deep
I, attached. Last Wednesday night !
was one of the guests at lively part
= there.
II In the early hours Of Thursday NOR
ing Miss Clark. who had been laugl
;, ing and drinking. suddenly collapse
% and fell dead. It was found tiat 81
- had taken poison. Larsen, highly excl
~ ed, seized the bottle in which some
a the poison remained, ran from the apar
ii merit and notified a physician. then .di
II appeared. NO trace or MIN was DISCO
. cred until his body was found today.
y Bayard Wharton Of Philadelphia.
Harvard student, who also WAS at Ii
pa rty. said that larsen was of mo
bid disposition. He said also that Il
young woman had been neiancho
I much Of AZ. time recently, although 81
appeared gay Wednesday night. Wha
y tons. father. Henry Wharton, came
e this city yesterssov and engaged an a
\ torney TO look after his sons interest
Miss Clark. formerly an artists mo
Is ell. was divorced in September last fro
te lieutenant Commander William
Is Thomas. L. S. y. Acquaintances sa
0 she had many admirers and was in Il
= habit OF entertaining lavishly.
Y A few days before her death she shoI
II ed TO a young woman friend bot
r, which she said contained poison. r
e marking that she would use It when s.
was Through With life" Wharton sa
1t She had shown him two bottles. one 60
al tanning perfume. but had said nothil
P about the contents Of the other.
le Medical .H,xar.insr Mag~sth who pr
N rounced Miss C!arl;'s death case
b suicide, began an Investigation into t
lg death C Larsen shortly after the boz
: was found.