Evening star., 1922-03-20
Student ENDS life
AFTER GIRLS DEATH
Larsen Before Taking Poison
Writes Full Description of
Miss CIark'S Suicide.

BOSTON, March 20.-The body of
Otto IIaldor Larsen. Norwegian stu
dent at Massachusetts, Institute of
Technology who. ended his life yes
terday by swallowing the poison left
by Pauline Virginia Clark. divurcee,
when she committed suicide two days
before, was in morsue mere today
awaiting autopsy. Medical Examiner
Magrath had anticipated this formal
ity by saying that suicide was OBJ
vious. In the case OF Miss Clark also
the same finding was announced.
Whether there was pact between
them. however, was still in doubt. In
several letters by Larsen, found on
his body when it was discovered in
the Fenway behind the Museum of
Fine<Arts yesterday, were statements
that he prepared the poison originally
for the woman of whom he was en-
amoured. gave ii to her, and took the
Vial containing what was left after
She had fallen dead among her guests
"hecause after Miss Clark's death IT
was my property and | could use ii.
Further light on his mental proc
eSScS was contained i'll reference
to his Eight from the party and his
subsequent hiding.
preIerTcu 10 walt uItll my leSti-
nony would be of value. then give 1t
and take the rest of the poison"
Larsen Supplied Poison.
Two letters. signed by Larsen, as.
eerting that Miss Clark had hong IN
tended to commit suicide and that
Larsen had supplied her with poison,
were received by Boston newspaper
and Medical Examiner MaGrath sew
eral 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. She
had long before decided on this
course" he said she told him.
81 agreed to do this the letter con-
tinued. Extracting from her the
promise tIat she would not use 1t
until her mother came home. She
gave ME her promise and l 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 frlends II
said that Miss Clark told him OF her
excessive depression and OF various
incidents in her life.
II wondered how she resisted 50
long the temptation that death really
is" the letter added.
Feared Girl Would Break Word.
The letter then described how he
SUSPECTED that Miss Clark was going
to break her word and take the
poison among her guests on WedneS-
day night, and, although she again
promised to defer her act, she sud-
denly stood up and drank the fatal
poison.
II called a doctor and attempted to
assist her." the letter continued.
"When 1 saw that she was dead, !
left because ] would not give myself
up to he grilled by non-understand-
ing police j took the remainder of
the poison with me. 1t was my prop
erty after Miss Clark was dead.
Il had intended to take poison be-
fore 1 met Miss Clark. She was the
worlds finest woman.
Denies Parties Were Revels.
The parties in Miss Clark's apart
ment, the letter said, were not wild
revels. but were only for the purpose
of killing the moroseness of her life.
In his letter to the editor of Bos-
ton paper, condemn1ng the printing
of stories of scandal, he advised that
the editor also take poison, when
your inferiority becomes too conscious
in your mind, if you have one.
1t was Larsen's first love affair,
friends say. He came to America in
1918 as one of ten students sent to
ment to study American engineering
methods Until last January he knew
no girls, and applied himself dill
gently to his studies. Then he met
Miss Clark and their attachment grew
steadily. Quarrels between the
young woman and rich friends over
1.arsen's popularity resulted. Lar
sens friends declared, and when she
was driven to choose between Larsen
and love and rich friends and luxury,
she chose Larsen.
Asked Chemist for Poison.
At the start of his letter to tho
medical examiner. Larsen said:
In order that the disgraceful COM
nent of certain Boston newspapers
upon the death of Miss Clark may be
given chance to come to compile
tion, I take TIE liberty in this way
to tell what 1 know about the trag-
edy.'
A portion of the letter follows:
Miss Clark was not a society
belle of the pleasure-seeking type.
Her harming parties were given to
kill the moroseness her life had pre-
cipitated in her. Defiant of society,
too strong to ask for help or SYM
pathy. she had long ago decided upon
how the end should be when her
many devoted friends no longer could