New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-01
SLEEPLESS, KILLS HERSELF
Would Rather Die than Lose
Mind. Old Woman Writes.
ENDS LIFE WITH GAS
Physicians Widow, Living Alone,
Was About to Join Sister
in California.

DeSpondeDt and afraid OF losing her rea-
son, Mrs. Pauline Dastler, widow of Dr.
Franz Dastler, committed suicide by in
haling gas on Saturday night Her body
was found yesterday by Mrs. Jansen. the
janitor of the apartment house at No. SIS
pltai, was called by Patrolman McIvor, of
the West Tooth street station, and said Mrs
Dastler had been dead for hours All the
windows were left open, and when Mrs.
Jansen went upstairs she found the door of
the seven-room apartment open and a smell
of gas pervading the floor. In an inner
room. on her bed. lay the body of Mrs.
DastIer, with rubber tube IN her mouth
and the gas turned on
On her toilet table was note saying that
she was forced to suicide because she was
sleepless and afraid of losing her mind.
Her note read as follows: May God and
those belonging to me forgive me for what
am doing. Not being able to sleep, ] know
that I Will sooner or later break down or
lose nv reasoning, then rather die, for l
am such q nervous wreck. I have tried sc
hard to keen UP, but my strength is at an
end: for nv boy / do not need TO worry; he
loves his mother and is In good hands.
Then followed q few words in German
and the signature Mrs. Dastler.
The hoy referred TO is her grandson, the
son of Edward B. Amend. q member of the
drug firm of Elmer & Amend, Third avenue
and 18th street Mr. Amend was called In,
and explained that since the death OF his
first wife. seven years ago, he had lived
with his IN yther-in-laW, Mrs. Dastler, at
+ha APARTMENT in S7th street, until last Oc-
+oher when he married again. He had two
children when mis- wife died, but the little
sjrl died a couple of years ago. and since
that time the grandmother had fits OF
despondency After his marriage MIR.
Amend moved to the Creamery Park sec
tion of the CITY but continued to pay the
rent of the APARTMENT in which Mrs DaSt-
Ter lived alone The lease expired in Oc-
tober however and Mrs. DaStler was to go
then to visit her sister, who lives in Cali
fornia- Another sister lives in Bay Ridge.
Mr.. Amend was much affected when he
discussed his mother-in-law's death. Mrs.
Dastler's husband. DR.. Franz Dastler, he
explained, was one OF the leading ply
scians Of the city and was rapidly acquir-
ing fortune when he died. thirty-two
years ago. leaving a wife and a daughter
who became Mrs. Amend.
when my wife died I lived with Mrs.
Dastler." he said. She always called me
her boy. and my little son was also referred
TO by her as her boy She had been de-
spondent for q couple Of years past, but
had never given any intimation Of any in
tention of doing anything TO end her days.
She visited my wife and myself only a few
DAYS a. go, and I visited her frequently, and
our relations were those Of mother and SON
She was very fond of my boy, too
The lease OF this apartment was up in
October and Mrs Dastler had begun to
prepare for trip TO California to see her
sister, whom she had not seen for years In
the last few days she had evidently hurried
her packing. for she vas almost ready TO
move at once / can see no other reason
for her act than that given in her letter.
that she was afraid Of losing her reason
through insomnia Her last thought was
for the boy, as the few words in German
refer 10 him.