South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-03-20
AFFAIR OF
MODEL STUDENT
ENDS In DEATH
Letters Explain Suicide of
Otto Larsen, Following
Death of Miss Clark.
HIS FIRST LOVE AFFAIR
HOnOred by Norwegian Govt
Gave Sweetheart Her
Death Potion.

Bus IONt Mdrcn l3.-Death by
poison ended the flight Of Otto Hal
dor Larsen, a senior at the Mas
sachusetts Institute Of Technology,
from the party at which Pauline
Virginia Clark, divorcee ended her
life early last Thursday morning
His body was found Sunday in the
Fenway, behind the museum Of fine
arts. Apparently he had been dead
only a snort time.
Larsen came 10 American in 1918
as one Of ten students sent TO Ameri-
ca by the Norwegian government.
Miss Clark was well known in the
east as an artists model and was
divorced from Lieut.. Commander
William d. Thomas. L. S. y.
The tragedy ends the first love
affair of Larsen who knew no girls
and applied himself diligently TO his
studies until he met Miss Clark last
January. Quarrels between Miss
Clark and rich friends grew out of
the attachment of the pair. Larsen
frequently visited the richly furnish
ed apartment Of Miss Clark and last
Wednesday night was a guest there
when she took poison. and a short
time later dropped dead among her
friends who did not suspect the real
cause Of her death.
Two letters signed by Larsen. de-
claring that Miss Clark had long in
tended to commit suicide and that
Larsen had supplied her with poison
paper and Medical Examiner Mac
grath several hours after his body
was found. In the letter to the
medical examiner Larsen said that
Miss Clark requested him several
weeks ago to procure some poison
for her in order that she might take
her own life"
Woman Bent On Suicide.
"Shc had long before decided on
this course, he said she told him.
81 agreed 10 do this" the letter con
tinued. extracting from her the
promise that she would not use it
until her mother came home She
gave me her promise and | prepared
for her a solution Of strong poison"
The letter related how Larsen had
met Miss Clark six weeks ago and
they had become intimate friends.
Il said that Miss Clark told him OF
her excessive depression and of Vari-
Gus incidents in her life.
81 wondered how she resisted so
long the temptation that death real
~ is. the letter added The letter
then described how he suspected that
Miss CLARK was going to break her
word and take the poison among
her guests on Wednesday night and
although she again promised to de-
fer her act. she suddenly stood up
and drank the fatal poison. I called
doctor and attempted to assist
her. the letter continued. when I
saw that she was dead. / left because
] would not give myself up 10 be
grilled by misunderstanding police.
took the remainder OF the poison
with me. II was my property after
Miss Clark was dead.
Student Planned On Death Too
Il had intended 70 take poison be-
fore I met Miss Clark. She was the
finest woman in the world
The parties in Miss Clark's apart
ment the letter said, were not wild
revels but were only for the pur-
pose Of killing the moroseness Of her
life.
In his letter to the editor Of a
Boston newspaper condemnIng the
printing OF stories of scandal he ad-
vised that the editor also take poi
son. when your inferiority becomes
too conscious in your mind. if you
have one"
Larsen's First Love Affair.
II was I.arsen's first love affair,
friends said Sunday He came TO
America TO study American engin-
eering methods. After he met Miss
Clark their attachment grew stead
ily. After her break with friends
over Larsen when she was driven 20
fCAneFnraI THO