Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-22
SWALLOWS CARBOLIC ACID
SUICIDE OF MABEL STRAUB
NINETEEN YEARS OLD.
The Belief Expressed That She Had
Become Despondent Over
Love Affairs.

ended her life last night by swallowing
carbolic acid swallowing enough to kill her
without leaving her conscious long enough
to give her an opportunity to summon as
sistance had she desired to do SO. Life was
extinct when her mother went to her room,
but believing her to be still alive the
mother ran to the street and screamed for
help. Policemen Barrett and Sweeney of
the eighth precinct responded. and they
summoned an ambulance and had the
young woman taken to Freedmen Hos
pital where the physicians pronounced her
dead. Coroner hewitt gave permission for
the removal of the body to. an undertaking
establishment, instead of having it taken to
the morgue.
Miss Straub swallowed the poison while
she was in her room at her home, 2O34
Brightwood avenue. She said nothing to
her mother or sister last night TO andlcate
her purpose, and they were horrihed when
they learned of what had occurred. MaDel
had remarked that life was not worth liv-
ing, and that she would be better off dead
than alive, hut this was not considered TO
be serious Her last act, it is believed, was
prompted by disappointment in love ana
general dissatisfaction with her lot in life.
1t is stated that several years ago, when
she was employed in a store on Ith street,
she had an unpleasant love experience
The man was policeman, and it was al
legged he pretended to her that he was SIN
gle.
Policeman's Alleged Statement.
The policeman met her in the store where
she was employed, it is stated, when he
went there to make purchases. He had his
child with him at the time, and when Miss
Straub asked him about the little one he
is alleged to have told her that he was his
nephew. Frequent visits were paid to the
hous4 by the officer but the mother of Miss
Sfrauh learned that he married man,
and trouble followed. An investigation was
made by the police department, ana the
policeman was dismissed from the force;
This incident caused the girl great deal
of worry. Later a cousin of the young
woman was murdered by a married man
with whom she had been keeping company,
and the affair caused Mabel addltlonal
trouble
Despite this however, it is said she had
CHEEKY disposition and was fond of being
out with young people. Thursday night
she went to a resort near the city with a
gentleman friend and her sister. Her rel
atives are of the opinion that she had q
quarrel with him or some other friend. She
went to work in store near 14th ana l
streets yesterday, where she had been en-
ployed returning home at dinner time.
Complained of Illness.
II don't feel WELL" she said to her moth
er land 1 don't believe 1 will return to
work.
Friday nights but when she complained OF
being Ill her mother suggested that she re-
main at home and rest. A remark made by
the young woman indicated that she had
become tired of her position, and that she
was anxious to give it up. Mrs. Straub
went to her daughters room with pitcher
of water shortly before 10 O'Clock. and
about thirty minutes later she returned and
found she had swallowed the acid.
On the floor near the bed was the bottle
from which the poison had been TAKEN the
label having been scratched from it in or
der that no one might be able to tell from
what drug store she had purchased 1t.
1t is said a ring that had been given her
Christmas by a gentleman was missing.
Mrs Straub noticed that her daughter was
not wearing the ring and asked her what
| had become of it. She said she had left
| it at the store, but some of her friends
| though she had had a lovers quarrel and
that she had surrendered the ring to her
lover Coroner hewitt made an investiga-
ton this morning and gave certificate or
death in accordance with the facts. The
body was prepared for burial. and the
funeral will probably take place Monday.