Evening star., 1909-05-27
Woman and Two Men Use
Poison, Gas and Pistol.
ALL WITHIN FEW HOURS
One Victim Swallows Carbolic Acid
While Riding in Car.
DRAMATIC SCENE AT MORGUE
Mistake in Identity Causes Aged
Mother Intense Grief-Motive
Unknown In One Instance.

Unknown In One Instance.
Louis Rosenthal. ffty-three years. 919
New York avenue shot through right
eye.
Mrs Elizabeth Allen. forty-five years.
IS Randolph place; inhaled Illuminating
gas.
Frank H. Ball. twenty-five years. Clar-
endon, Va, swallowed carbolic acid.
Three suicides reported to the coroner
in less than three hours was the record
of violent deaths yesterday afternoon.
Coroner Nevitt was still at the house
of Louis Rosenthal when he was advised
of the suicide of Mrs. Allen, and snort
ly after returning to his home he was
informed Of what Ball had done while
a passenger on a car crossing the Aque-
duct bridge. Rosenthal and Mrs. AHen
took their lives because of despondency
caused by i'll health. while In the case
of Ball friends are unable to assign
any cause for the deed.
Ball belonged to one of the best known
families in Loudoua county. having been
one of six brothers. two OF them. Charies
and Robert being residents of this city.
He was employed as a skilled laborer in
the bureau Of engraving and printing ana
was regarded as faithful employe.
HE was one of the best laborers In the
service" said Director Joseph Ralph this
morning, land l was surprised when
heard of his DEATH
Director Ralph said there was no truth
In the printed statement that he had been
dismissed from the service.
He was just the man who would never
have been dismissed" the director stated
He was always attentive to his work
and there was never any reason for COM
plaint against him. Yesterday morning
he telephoned to the bureau that he was
sick, and asked to be excused for the
day. His request was granted, and the
next we heard was that he had taken his
iife.''
Thought Dead Man Her Son.
Some trouble was experienced by the
police and morguemaster in the matter
of bringing about the Identification Of the
body of Ball. Shortly after he took the
fatal dose and before he had been taken
from the car on the Old Dominion line to
GEORGETOWN University Hospital he was
identified by passenger on the car, but
Policeman Farquhar saw him and de-
clared he was Robert L. Shirley, cab
man, and his name was so reported to
police headquarters. The mother OF Shir-
ley, having been told that her son was
dead, hurried to the morgue and saw the
body.
So greatly excited was the mother that
she declared the body was that of her
son and gave vent to her feelings. She
kissed the cheeks of the man who was
cold in death and would not listen to the
statement of Charles Ball, brother of the
deceased. who recognized the body as
soon as he entered the District deadhouse
Il certainly know my dear boy" said
But. madam" said Charles Ball. "you
are mistaken. That is the body OF my
brother
Mrs Shirley was led away from the
morgue sobbing, and returned home to
Al% I&n Gf f0
daughter-in-law, who had heard the re-
port had gone to the New Willard Hotel
and seen Shirley. She. too. was greatly
excited over the report. and when she
she threw her arms about his neck and
wept. Last night there was great re-
joicing in the Shirley home. Ball, who
formerly lived in Leesburg, Va. moved
at home when informed Of what her hus-
band had done.
Spent Day in City.
Yesterday morning Ball came to the
city and spent the day here, boarding the
4 o'clock car on the Old Dominion line at
seth and NJ streets. He had stopped at
drug store on his way to the cars ana
purchased a small quantity OF carbollc
acid, and when the car was part way
over the bridge he took the bottle from
his pocket and drank portion OF It's
contents. Other passengers, alarmed at
his conduct. summoned w. j. vernon,
conductor of the car, and the latter was
given the bottle by the dying man. A
few minutes later the unconscious man
was being hurried to the hospital. Death
claimed him shortly after the hospital
was reached. and later his body was re-
moved to the morgue. Undertaken Muir
ray took charge of the body last night
and prepared it for removal to Leesburg
for interment
Mrs. Allen, who was found with the
end of gas tube in her mouth and an
other jet wide open. was barely alive
when her son, George. thirteen years OF
age, returned from school about
O'clock Ralph. his brother. seventeen
years of age, returned shortly afterWard
Yesterday morning before the ooys wen.
that he need not look for her upon his
return, conveying the idea that she might
be away from home. and the boy went
away with no thought of what his mother
really meant.
Left Note to Husband.
Gas was escaping from the house when
George reached there from school and he
was unable to enter. Calling to Mrs.
Irene Topham, a neighbor, George went
in the house with her and assisted in
opening doors and windows on the lower
floor 1t was found that the door to her
sleeping room was closed and fastened,
and assistance had to be summoned. A
few minutes later DR.. ]. c. Tappan was
at the bedside Of the dying woman, who
had in her hand note she had written
to her husband This message was turned
over to the husband. Harry Allen, who Is
employed at Luna Park
The statement made by Mrs. Allen
early In the day indicated that she had
contemplated the deed at that time, al
though she had never said anything to
her husband to cause him to suspect
she was tired of life. She was native
of England, and while she was the pic
ture of health. her husband stated to the
coroner, she suffered from rheumatism
and was unable to get about the house
TO attend to her duties. Her suffering
had made her respondent and probably
prompted the deed.
The suicide of Louis Rosenthal, as
stated in The Star yesterday, followed
illness. 1t is said that he had been
under treatment for a nervous trouble
and that he had suffered from insomnia
Not long ago he took the apartment at
919 New York avenue with brother-in-
law, the latter thinking his companion
nervousness His condition did not i'm
prove, however. and yesterday Rosenthal
shocked his brother-in-law and a host
of friends by ending his life, which deed
was committed only after some diff
Guilty.
Fired Three Shots.
Three shots were fired by the nervous
man. but only one Of them took effect.
He was In a rear room when the first
shot was fired. the bullet missing him
and going through a partition. After
0oipc m the front room of the apart-