Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-14
STRANGE DEATH PACT
Last Girl of Six Attempts Sui
eide in New York.
ALL CAME FROM ST. PAUL
Various Reverses Made Them Shun
Life's Battle.
MAN MIXED IN THE TROUBLE
Girl Now Locked UP, But Says She
Ultimately Will Make Way
With Herself
ALL CAME FROM ST. PAUL
MAN MIXED IN THE TROUBLE
Special Dispatch To The Star.

Special Dispatch To The Star
NEW YORK. March 1i.-Helen Baxter,
seventeen years old. attempted suicide in
her furnished room, on West 43d street,
this morning by opening up the gas jets
and a radiator. She was discovered in
time and will live. although she told the
police that she would kill herself some
day If she got the opportunity.
The girl told remarkable story TO the
effect that she was one of six girls who
had come here from a business college
nj St Paul. Mimi. and that all of them
had committed suicide with the excep-
tion of herself. She refused 10 give the
names of the other members of this al
legged suicide club or tell when they
killed themselves.
Helen Baxter is the girls right name
A1e police believe. She told lieutenant
of police that she was born in Sweden
and came 10 this country with her par
ents when she was seven years old, at
which time the family moved to St. Paul.
Couldn't Hold a Job.
She said that she had a married sister
living in Brooklyn. Shortly after she ar
rived in this city she got a job in 18th
street shop. she said. and five months ago
she met "a well-to-do restaurant proprie-
tor. now in Europe. They later parted
company and she lost her job. After re-
manning for some time without another
job she got "A place as telephone girl.
WI chp hni har
details she hid from the police.
The girl laid her clothes on the bed last
night as one might do who expected to
go away shortly.
Behind the bed was letter torn into
small pieces 1t was evidently farewell
missive which began in ink and was fin
ished in pencil. There were some souve-
mir postal cards from Boston signed
Ernest, some from Revere, Mass, from
Tom of South Bend Ind. Asked who
this man was the girl refused to give any
information further than to say that he
was a banker.
Friends All Gone.
When asked why she had tried to end
her life the girl astonsher the ambu-
lance surgeon and others who had crowd
ed around by her story of the fate of her
friends.
why should not be allowed to die?"
y
ST. Paul with me a year ago, after we
left school. have all committed suicide.
] want to die as they died and join them. =
Was il a suicide pact?" she was asked.
My five friends are all dead and they
died they chose was her reply.
The girl refused to give the names of
any of her girl friends. A short time
after their arrival in New York, she said.
one of the girls married. She did not
live happily with her husband, however.
and killed herself few months after
been seeking employment without sue
cess.
Man Proved False.
She sought death and found it by the
same means her friend had used The
next 10 go I'm the same way according TO
Heien's story. was one of the girls who
had fallen victim To a mans false
friendship. With three of their compan-
ions dead the three that remained wor-
ried constantly. and when hard times
cane and employment was hard to r1nd
two OF the three voluntarily followed
their friends TO the grave. That left
Helen alone Then man came into her
life. The man was represented to her as
Immensely wealthy. she said and for Z
time she was happy. Then lie suddenly
sailed for Europe. She had nothing mere
TO live for after that. she said. and de-
Cded to join her five friends in death
Helew said her father is dead but her
mother still lives in st. Paul She re-
fused TO give her mothers address When
il was found that the girl would recover
she was taken 10 police station and
locked up, charged with attempted sui
eide.