Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-18
SAYS MIND WAS UPSET
Relative Gives Reason for Mrs.
Pitman'S Suicide.
MENTION OF SPIRITUALISM
Body in Cellar Near States With
Messages From the Dead"
SWALLOWS CARBOLIC ACID
Coroner Responds to Call and Decides
That Inquest Is Unnecessary.
Police Investigate.
MENTION OF SPIRITUALISM
SWALLOWS CARB0LIC ACID

Mrs. Aida Pitman. forty-three years
of age. committed suicide this morning
about 6 o'clock in the cellar at the
home Of her sister, Mrs. Marion Cam
BILE. 1896 Pennsylvania avenue southeast
An investigation disclosed that she had
swallowed carbolic acid. Mrs. Pitman
was spiritualist. and in the cellar
near where her body rested on a mat
tress was a small slate on which was
written what purported to be the last
messages she had received from the
spirit world.
Mrs. Pitman, who was the widow Of
Frederick Pitman, an insurance agent,
was a native and former resident Of
Albany. N. Y, having come here from
that city about six years ago. She
resided at the home Of her brother-in-
law, Marion Gamble.
Shortly after o'clock this morning
Mrs. Gamble missed her sister from her
room. and went in search of her. finding
| the body on a mattress the latter had
spread on the cellar floor. DR.. E. But
Ter Allen was summoned from across the
street, and upon examination declared
life was extinct. The physician was of
the opinion. however. that Mrs. Pitman
| had been dead only a short time.
| Alleged Messages From the Dead.
| The spirit messages referred to were
as follows:
Aida Dear: Mercy me. what marvel
Gus things we people are putting the
| spirit realm into the world I once lived
and died in. I can hardly realize it. How
under the sun came you here today? l
was afraid you had forgotten me entire
night soon Don't fear me. You had
| better live with your ma.
Fred is with me. We often see your
mother. SOPHIA PITMAN."
Dear Aunt Aida: A little note is about
all I can manage to get on slate. 1
often have heard Of this. but did not
know much about it. II any one ever
speaks of when I died please correct 1t
and say that l never died at all. I am
living and as we'll as I ever was. Tell
to her
Lovingly as ever.
| EDDIE GAMBLE"
Views of Mr.. Gamble.
Mr.. Gamble was summoned to the cellar
| by his wife. On a chair near where the
body rested was the bottle from which the
| fluid had been taken and the glass into
which it had been poured. Only short
| distance away was the slate on which
was the spirit message. Other states were
there, but the messages had been erased
| from them.
That" Mr. Gamble said to a Star re-
porter. pointing to the spirit message. lis
the whole cause Of the trouble. and
wish 1 could find a way to handle the
people who are responsible for it
Mr.. Gamble said 1t was not until about
| three weeks ago that he and his wife as
certained that Mrs. Pitman was deeply
engaged in the study of spiritualism. He
| said she had been SO troubled as the re-
| suit of her Investigations that she was
Il 80
the boy brought tears to the eyes of the
! father
He was my boy" Mr.. Gamble added
and l don't like to see his name connect
ed with such foolishness''
Pointing to that part of the message
which reads Tell ma to come here" Mr..
| Pitman remarked that he regarded that
as an inducement to get his wife to visit
| the spiritualist.
Inquest Not Necessary.
Coroner hewitt examined the three small
states found in the cellar. looked over
the spirit message and said he knew Of
nothing he could accomplish by holding
an inquest. He said he realized that the
| testimony given at such hearing would
probably make interesting reading but
| the law. as he interpreted 1t, called for
| nothing more than the giving Of certifi-
cate of death DR.. hewitt added that the
case was a peculiarly sad one. He gave
the required certificate and members Of
| the family had an undertaken prepare the
| body for burial
| An investigation Of the suicide was
made by the police of the fifth precinct.
| They ascertained that Mrs. Pitman had
called at a drug store yesterday. said she
| was Mrs CANDLES sister and that she
wanted the carbolic acid to use for house,
cleaning purposes. She was careful to
remove the label from the bottle but the
druggist made no effort to conceal the
fact that he had made the sale. 1t being
in accordance with the legal requirements.
Nobody in the Gamble home heard Mrs.
Pitman when she left her room this morn
ing to 60 to the cellar. Many articles of
furniture and other household effects were
stored in the cellar. the mattress upon
!. which Mrs Pitmans body was found
being among them. Sophia Pitman. sis
ter-in-law of the suicide. whose name was
signed to one Of the spirit messae es. died
several years ago.
Relatives in Albany. n. Y. were notified
of the death and some Of them are ex-
roctad tn come here to attend her funeral