The Washington times., 1927-03-09

had dwindled to two $40 bills.
State Troopers Illingsworth and
Jesch. Of the New Jersey State con,
stabulary, after an Investigation
covering several weeks. will make
their report to Judge Henry B.
Ware, president, at the historic Cape
May courthouse today.
Was Suicide"
The report. first of all, will reveal
that Miss Clarke ended her own life.
That several years ago tho woman
changed her mode OF living from
one burdened with poverty to g wom-
an whom fortune had looked with
favor.
Despite the rumors at first preva-
lent that Miss Clarke was a member
of a socially prominent and wealthy
Pittsburgh family, a letter received
by Coroner Thompson several weeks
ago from Joseph r. Fisher, of Pitts.
burgh, gave the authorities the first
inkling OF the true status or the
case.
Fisher advised Coroner Thompson
that he had been appointed executor
of the estate and that, after a thor
ough investigation, had found that
Miss Clarke's estate had $50 in cash.
Fisher asked that portion OF the
money forwarded Sby him to Thomp-
son as expenses incident to the
funeral Of the woman be refunded.
But the coroner, who still stuck to
the theory that the woman was muir.
dcred, has so far refused to grant
| the request Of Fisher, a cousin OF
the dead woman and himself in Hmi-
ted circumstances.
According to the State police,
Miss Clarke many years ago was
teacher and later a nurse. Her fam
lily was of extremely moderate cir
cumstances, and as a young girl she
many times yearned for the things
which only the wealthy could afford.
Luck Knocks at Door
Then suddenly Lady. Luck came
knocking at the door. A brother
long absent from home and almost
forgotten. struck gold in California
and not many months passed before
the brother returned to his home.
Less than a decade ago, the brother
died, and part of the estate was left
to Miss Clarke. Fortune had come
to her over night, and with yearn-
ing to travel and to enjoy the life
which she had seen others lead from
afar, Miss Clarke made a recent
vow to herself to live a life of luxury
until her fortune was gone, and then
when that fortune was finished so
her life would be ended, a life that
would experience for few brief
years at least the thrills that gold
can buy.
For in a diary written in small
notebook and found at the bottom Of
a much-handled trunk the woman's
determination to live life Of luxury
! and then commit suicide when she
had been relieved of life's where
withal, was made matter of record.
And in her plans to end a life that
had been lived on foreign shores as
well as at home, Miss Clarke had
carefully discarded all traces Of her
identity.
Calmly Walked to Death
State troopers. it is said. talked
at length with woman who con.
versed with Miss Clarke on the
train which carried her from Cam.
den to Cape May. The report of
those State troopers who inVesti.
gated win reveal that Miss Clarke
declared that she was melancholy
and that she had not long to live.
According to members.of the Coast
Guard stationed at Cape May the
body Of the woman was found at a
point on the beach midway between
high and low tides. and 1t is
declared by the authorities that she
committed suicide by walking out
into the surf at high tide to a depth
OF possibly three feet. and thenU
exhausted and faint at heart. lay
down to die while a 20-mile gale.
with rain and sleet, spent its force