Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-26
SUICIDES SHOCK
ENTIRE COLLEGE
University of Pennsylvania Au'
thorities Deny Reports Of
Agreement by Students.


PHILADELPHIA. Jan. 25.-oficials
of the University of Pennsylvania to-
day said there was no evidence to
show any connection between the
three recent suicides by members Of
the student body. 1t was first re-
ported that there vas some sort Of
a pact, but no evidence that such was
the case has been found.
The third suicide happened Satur-
day. when Raymond r. F'eldman, q
law st udent, inhaled gas in his room
Feldman's act, happening WITHIN
eight days of the tragic deaths of Ad-
Olson Hartley Mccullough and War
dell T. Townley, both university stu
dents and suicides, has caused
greater sensation among the students
than has been known In a generation.
Townley was buried yesterday at
Bloomfield. n. ]. He was a graduate
Of the High School at Ridgewood, ~
]. A chum of Townley at the Ridge
wood school killed himself three
months ago.
Feldman, according to his friends'
was repeating his second year IN tne
law school and stood in grave danger
of falling again. This fact. in addl-
ton to his timid, taciturn disposition
is believed to have prompted his SUI
eide. 1t is also said by his associates
that he smoked through the day ana
far into the night without cessation.
About noon Saturday Mrs Mary
Loekery, who keeps the mouse ~
which Feldman roonled. detected the
| odor of gas in the halls. Sne locateu
| the source of the fumes as Feldman s
| room on the third floor. which he has
occupied for three years. When she
tried TO open the door and found IL
| locked she surmised what had hap
pened to her moody lodger and ran
screaming into the street. Policeman
Holland. of the Twenty first district.
was summoned. He broke down the
/ door of the students room and founo
| him seated in a chair, with blanReI
muffled about his head and a gas
tube pro jecting into his mouth. Lying
open beside him were a letter from
! his mother, who lives in Tunkhan-
mock, Pa, and Bacon's essay on
! Death
Holland threw up the window and
| attempted to resuscitate the boy In
| the meantime a patrol wagon was
summoned. Feldman was taken to
the University Hospital, and for
nearly an hour DR.. Piper subjected
his body to treatment by the pull
motor. After he found the case was
/
dead and sent his body to the morgue
The general opinion of Feldman
was voiced Saturday by James Beaz-
ley, who as vice-president of the dead
boys class, knew him as well as any
of the students. He said:
"Feldman's reticence and moody
disposition was often a matter OF
comment among his classmates. He
never Joined law club or fraternity
and continually avoided the society
of his associates. He was particularly
ill at ease in the presence of women
Yesterday while he was sitting in
Professor Henning's class on Bills
and Notes two women students came
to another part of the lecture hall
None of the students ever saw hin
/ look anyone squarely in the face, oil
/ rise to express himself in the recita-
ton periods and discussions. While
attending classes he always sat witt
bowed head and disconsolate ex-
preston. His moroSeness last year
when he failed in his final examina
! tions, was so pronounced that mum
Der of the students decided TO make
an organized effort TO cheer him up
He repealed all of our efforts. how
ever, and avoided us when he saw u
approaching. Another noticeable
characteristic of Feldman's was hi
smoking. He had a pipe or cigarette
in his mouth whenever he was not II
class"
Feldman is the son of August W
| Feldman, of Tunkhannock. Pa. The
| father was notified of the students
death by Provost Edgar F. Smith, and
| left for this city to take charge of the
| body.
In a statement given out Saturday
Provost Smith asked that the news
papers publish editorials that would
set forth clearly to the university
men the sin of suicide. He declared
! the boys should face their struggles
1 bravely so long as their strength
! lasts, and if the fight becomes toe
strong for them they should drop out
without feeling their failure is dis
! grace.