BANKRUPT ACTOR'S.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 65, 17 March 1900, Page 5 (Supplement)

BANKRUPT ACTOR'S.

FINAL TRAGEDY

Willis Clark, a variety actor, who hadn't held a steady job since a year ago, attemptedto kill his wife in front of the Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York, last month. Then he put the revolver to his mouth and. fell dead at the feet of his wife and child. Mrs Clark received a letter from her husband asking her to meet him early in the afternoon. Mrs Clark, with her daughter, met.-him at-the appointed time. They walked towards Broadway and discussed their financial affairs. Mrs Clark noticed that her husband was very excited, and she said to him that she hoped he would not do anything rash. "I've pawned my gun," said Clark, "and I couldn't if I wanted to." They turned into Broadway and walked down in front of the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Mrs Clark was near the kerb, her chiid in the middle, and Clark Inside. They had co»ti2 within 20 feet of the corner when Clark pulled a revolver from his pocket and fired three shots at his wife's head. One of the bullets clipped a piece out of her white Alpine hat. Another grazed her left temple. The third went near enough to her head to grain the right side of- her face with powder. She was so frightened ihat she didn't even scream. She stood still holding on to her daughter's hand, gazing in horror at her husband. Pedestrians who were near scattered, and only one man had' the presence of mind to run to Mrs ■Clark's rescue. $Cc grabbed her husband about the waist, but before he could reach the revolver Clark had shot himself. A physician shoved his way through the crowd, bent over Clark, and pronounced him dead. The suicide left a long, incoherent, and badly written letter, in which he abused his wife arid about everybody who had tried to help him. He said his sight was failing, and hinted at a plot against him which was the cause of the tragedy.