CLARK, Harry Leonard

Wickenburg (AZ) Graphic Thursday, November 6, 1930, p 5 c 4 Out For Revenge, He Kills Innocent Man San Francisco--Victor Russo, aged Italian sculptor, bought a pistol and started for Oakland to revenge himself upon a partner he believed had wronged him. Inadvertently, he told police, he touched the safety catch on the unfamiliar mechanism--and the pistol went off. In line of fire was Harry L. Clark, prosperous Los Angeles representative of a New Jersey printing machinery company, who was killed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Los Angeles (CA) Times Friday, October 3, 1930 Angeleno Slain While On Trip Oakland, Oct 2--Victor Russo, on his way, he admitted, to "get" a former partner against whom he had a grievance, accidentally shot and killed a man identified as Harry L. Clark, Los Angeles business man, aboard the ferry Yerba Buena as it left the Oakland slip this afternoon. Police quote Russo, who is 65 years of age, as saying the weapon was discharged accidentally as his hand encountered it in his pocket. Clark was standing in front of him and received the bullet in his back. The ferry turned back. Clark's body was taken to the Oakland Morgue as the boat proceeded to San Francisco, where deck hands identified Russo as responsible for the shooting. The revolver, with one cartridge discharged, was found in his pocket. Clark, whose address was given as 735 1/2 South Mansfield avenue, Los Angeles, was a representative of the Scott Press Company. He formerly was mechanical superintendent for the Los Angeles Express. A son, John M. Clark, is a student at St Mary's College. Russo said his former partner, whom he planned to "get' is Guido Fornaciari of Oakland. Widow Prostrated at Family Home Here Harry L. Clark, 50 years of age, had been a resident for (sic) Los Angeles for the past fifteen years. He was a mechanical superintendent of the evening express for nine years, and for the past few years had been the western representative of the Scott Press Company of Chicago. Mrs. Anita Clark, his widow, was prostrated at her home at 735 1/2 South Mansfield street last night, and declared that she had never heard of her husband's slayer. In addition to his widow Clark leaves two sons, John, 18, a student at St Mary's College, and George Sheron, 19, a student at the University of Southern California; two sisters, Mrs Evelyn Sutherland of Reno, Nev., and Mrs. W. Solenburg of Alameda, and a brother, George Davison of New York, who is now living in Los Angeles. Her husband, Mrs. Clark said, left here last Monday on a business trip that took him first to Stockton. He then went to Oakland for a visit with his son, and expected to call on some business concerns, before his return home next Tuesday. She leaves tonight for Oakland. Clark was born in Auburn, and spent his entire life in the West. He traveled extensively in the past few years covering territory for the press concern in all Pacicic Coast and western States. He was a member of Arlington Lodge of the Masonic Order. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ also see: Oakland (CA) Tribune, Saturday, October 4, 1930, pgs 1 & 2 (Key Killer Faces Death Charge Here) and Oakland (CA) Tribune, Wednesday, October 15, 1930, pg 19 (Confession of Russo In Issue)