New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-13
DR.. LATSON'S END SUICIDE
Financial Reverses and Drugs
Convince the Police.
MOTHER THE ONLY O0UBTER
His Private Secretary Says Their
Cult Did Not Admit the
Actually of Death.

The body Of Dr. ". r. G. Latson, VINO
was found dead on Thursday night In his
apartment at No. $50 Riverside Drive, was
turned over to his relatives YESTERDAY
after the authorities had examined H.
Mrs. Gertrude Latson, of No. $50 Bran-
hurst avenue mother Of the dead physi-
clan. still insists that the wound by wnicn
her son died was not a self-inflicted one
but the detectives who went out on the
case on Thursday night were called OF
yesterday, and officially the death Is vdes-
ignated as a suicide.
Miss Alta Marhelka- who had been acting
as private secretary for DR.. IAtson' TOTO
Coroner Feinberg yesterday that she was
also student, with the dead physician. OF
theosophy and mysticism. adding that the
cult which they followed did not admit the
actually Of death. DR.. Latson, she SAID
was not dead, but had discarded his body
as he would discard a worn garment.
An autopsy was performed on the nody
yesterday by DR.. O'Hanlon. coroners phy-
sician, but the vlscera Will be examined
later by chemists to determine whether
Or. Latson swallowed poison. Several DOT
ties which had contained morphine ana
hyoscine were found in the physicians IL
brary-the room in which his body was
discovered Professor Larkn. OF Columbia
University. will examine the stomach 10
see IL there are any traces OF these poisohs.
Miss Marhelka testified that she did not
know of any reason why Dr. batson
should commit suicide. but the police IN
vestigation disclosed two significant facts
the first, that Or. Latson evidently had
suffered severe financial reverses OF late
forcing him to reduce his establishment.
and the second. that he had been drinking
heavily and had become an absnthe nend'
The latter alone is accepted by the invesu-
gators as sufficient explanation OF his SUI
eide.
According TO a bartender In one OF me
saloons in Broadway. near 18th street, Dr'
Latson had been a constant Nlsltor, anu
had confined his drinking exclusively TO ao-
sinthe. few days ago. this man said' Dr.
Latson was slipping absnthe at the end OF
the bar when a man playfully released
small and harmless garter snake, which
wriggled down the mahogany toward the
doctor DR.. Latson dropped his glass and
ran out Of the saloon. grooming and mutter-
ing TO himself.
Lieutenant Jones. OF the Police Depart
ment. the pistol expert OF the force, made
an examination of DR.. Latson's body late
yesterday afternoon in the undertaking
rooms 10 which 1t had been moved. and, al
though the police officer reserved his state
ment to give It 10 Commissioner Dougherty,
the undertaker's assistants who were pres
ent said that Jones found nothing TO lead
him to think that a murder had been com
mitted.
The reports OF DIR. Latson's recent fnan-
cial reverses are intertwined with stories of
his teachings and workings with mysti-
cism. 1t was said at first that he had been
conducting a school for nurses. but later
developments, borne out by the frank ad
missions of Miss Marheka, disclosed that
this school was one of religious rather than
medical teaching.
Two other young women, who had also
been pupils of DR. Latson. II was learned.
had occupied an apartment on the top floor
Of the same building I'm which he lived, and
one Of the rooms OF this upper apartment
was fitted up In semi-royal, semi-religious
STYLE A sort of throne-like dais. from
which the doctor conducted the rites OF his
little cult, was described as the chief feat
ago this apartment was given up and
thereafter. il is said. collectors began 10
bother the doctor. who. it appeared. had
paid the rent on both apartments previous
10 that time