New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-26
WOMAN LEAPS TO DEATH
Demented Teacher Jumps from
goth Story of Office Building.

Chicago. Nov. 25.-Possessed with the
idea that she was pursued for dishon-
orable purposes, Miss Maud Van Deusen.
TWENTY-FIVE years old. leaped from the
twentieth story OF an office building ana
was crushed 10 death on the stone paving
OF an alley at the street level She
iumped from "A fire escape nearly 80 feet
above the ground. Her body struck an
other fire escape at the first floor and
bounded into the alleyway. Nearly all
her bones were broken.
Miss Van Deusen, according to papers
found on her person. was a school teacher
I'm Humboldt Neb. 1t appeared that she
had been seeking a position here ana had
been obsessed with the idea that she had
been I'm danger from white slaVers.
She wrote that she had been driven to
appeal for protection TO Chief OF Police
McWeeny, to the federal Department oil
Justice and to social settlement workers.
She had prepared for her death by PIN
ming across her bosom a strip OF white
linen which had been stained crimson at
either end and on which she had printed
I'm large letters. Death Before Dishonor.
She had tied around her neck copy oil
the New Testament In which she had
marked passages in ST. John. She held heI
handbag in her hand as she Jumped anu
II was picked up near her body. In IL
was another marked Bible and type
written statement OF several THOUSAND
words entitled Part of My LIES His
tory" IL will die clean. II / have to kill
stF.ftN at no n on
Of the sheets.
A strip Of bacon, a small paper of pep
per. an ounce OF tea and 50 10 In currency
also were found In the handbag The po-
Ice assert that Miss Van Deusen evident
" was deranged when she leaped from
the building The landlady Of the house
I'm which Miss Van Deusen had been
roomIng said that the young woman had
been without employment for some time.
IT am trying TO write this without the
least emotion" her typewriter state
ment began, ''anJ though the following
statements may seem dramatic, your rea-
son will assure you that they contain only
common sense. i have very little money
and am not allowed to hold a position. I
Will accept IlO pul WHdt Il CARL
II do not get help 1t will be a certainty
that | cannot escape falling into the
hands Of the spiritualist white slave
trade, and that will force me to self-de-
struction."
The police do not understand what Miss
Van Deusen meant by 'spiritualist white
slave trade"
A copy of letter in her handbag adj
dressed to Miss Jane Adams, OF Hull
House, read:
II wonder II this note will ever reach
you. Good people nowadays are pro-
tected by secretaries so that II Is hard
to get to them. shall love you II you
are good really or intend TO be as you de-
termine.'
A letter. apparently written by Miss
Adams In reply, stated that she was too
busy to see Miss Van Deusen at that
time, but would make later appointment
with her.
IL was learned tonight that Miss Van
Deusen was the only daughter of DR..
Lydia Van Deusen, OF Falls City, Neb.
She is said to have told friends that she
worried a great deal over a Hindu cult.
The young woman ls said TO have been
harassed by hallucination that she was
pursued by the representatives OF this
cult. Miss Van Deusen came to Chicago
from Cincinnati June %, 1910.