Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-13
TAKES GAS IN HER ROOM
Told Coroner Yesterday of Intention
to End Her Own Life.
Is NOT EXPECTED TO RECOVER
Second Chapter to Remarkable Story
Of Death Pact Between New
York Mystics.

tHe SUICIDE Two Gays ago or DR.. w. Il. T..
Latson, fashionable physician and maga-
zine writer. Miss Alta Marhevka, his
student and aid, attempted to kill her
self in her apartments early today, as
she had said she would She was taken
unconscious from a gas-filled room to
nearby hospital, where 1t was said that
her recovery Is unlikely. The police de-
clare that the young womans act was
undoubtedly part OF a suicide pact with
her friend and teacher.
The girl told the police yesterday of
the studies which she and the doctor had
pursued in Indian mysticism, eastern the
osophy and mystic psychology, declaring
Historically that to neither Of them did
suicide seem crime.
"Only his body is dead" she told the
coroner yesterday who was investigating
the death of DR.. Latson, who was found
with bullet hole in his head. "His
astral body still lives and my soul beats
in unison with his. We shall met again
ere long" She added: DIR. Latson had
often spoken to me Of suicide. Suicide
what is that? 1t is simply Kidding the
imperishable soul and spirit of its base
and wholly earthly habiliment.
Intended to Die Together.
"Dr. Latson and 1 intended committing
suicide together some day. That was un-
derstood. We were simply waiting until
the burden Of life became unbearable.
With him it came yesterday With me
it has come today. I expect to join my
master and teacher as soon as an oppor-
tunity presents itself. I consider suicide
a noble end.
It'll Del
had lacked the physical courage neces-
sary when 1t came time to free his soul
from its bondage of>earthly clay, 1 would
gladly have helped him atain eternity.
l glory in the courage my GOura showed
me when he fired that bullet into his
brain. He died as he had lived-a match
less man.
Last to See Him Alive.
The girl was the last person known to
have seen the doctor alive and was the
first to gaze upon his body. She is de-
clared by the police and other author
tiles who arg examining into the strange
death Of the physician to be The most
remarkable woman who ever occupied
central position in such a tragedy.
SO strange a tale of Indian mysticism,
oriental romance and far eastern the
osophy is woven about the death Of the
writer that open doubt was expressed to-
night by some OF the authorities as to
whether the affair has not taken on
more OminOus bearing than the theory of
self-destruction bore.
Coroner Says Suicide.
Before he talked to Alta Marhevka
Coroner Feinburg was not convinced that
Latson had killed himself, but the girls
explanation and the result of a. post
mortem removed all doubt from the cor
ener's mind.
This girl is incapable of lying" said
the coroner. "She is such a religious
fanatic that she would consider herself
doomed to eternal purgatory were she to
lie. One look into her clear brown eyes
and the sweet spiritual face convinced
me that she was guilty of no wrong
doing We have investigated her story
fully. have checked up her movements
and haven't found single flaw in her
testimony
Il went to his Office" the girl told the
coroner. Ito help him finish an editorial.
let myself in without ringing, as l had
key. When l got into the room he was
kneeling beside a sofa.
Il saw revolver by his side, and went
over and felt his head. 1t was quite
cold. Then 1 don't know what happened
Il think l went out In the han and
said something to the boy. He asked me
II l was going away without my hat and
oat, and realized l had shut the door
and left the key inside. I was, very
nearly crazy, and l climbed in the win
dow and got them and then came out
the same way. OF course. l could have
come out the door, but 1 didn't know
what / was DOING
Miss Marhevka had been DIR. Latson's
secretary for six years-ever since she
was fifteen years old. She is an unusually
good-looking woman.
wearing Beautiful Wings"
He was my man god,'' she said, SIM
ply. HE is sleeping No theosophist
ever dies. He is now floating through
the cArulean blue and Is wearing beauti-
full wings. There Is no such thing as
Latson is not dead. Besides I have a
Latson is living. 1 do not know of any
reason that should have led him to de-
stroy his body"
Lived in Tent One Year.
Ten years ago Dr.. Latson came into
prominence when he and q tenor named
Blake lived for an entire year in a tent
at Woodcliff. N. j.. subsisting on fruit
and nuts. His writings on health cul
ture were widely read. He began prac-
tice In New York at No. 11S Waverley
place, and subsequently moved to No. 50
West 142d street About two years and
q half ago he moved his offices to No. $50
Riverside drive, For a time he con-
Quoted a sanitarflm on Staten Island.