New-York tribune., 1915-09-07
IRON MANS WIFE
SUICIDE IN HOTEL
Fear of Operation Drove
Her to Act in New
Victoria.
ALL DEBTS PAID;
DEATH TALE NEAR
"Still Smiling He Pitched For
ward on His Bed Dead" Says
Story Open by Her.

Mrs. Ruth VI. Mould, Of Ridgewood,
y. J., thirty-four years old. wife of
Pittsburgh iron and steel man. settled
all her accounts, wrote letters to her
friends. provided for her board bill and
laid 5000 aside for burial expenses.
Then she undressed, got in her bed in
the New Victoria Hotel, l45 west
Forty-seventh Street, yesterday after
noon and killed herself
For ten years she had been suffer
ing from nervous prostration, and
she had expected either to-day or to-
morrow TO undergo a serious operation.
The excitement from the thought OF
this impending event and her extreme
ly high strung state, as result OF a
fire which recently burned her apart
ment at 9 East Forty-seventh Street,
brought about her act, her friends be-
lieve. Her husband, who has been IN
Seattle for the last five months on
business, had written her asking her
TO ioin him, but her physical condition
did not permit. One of the notes she
left said: 81 am tired of fighting III
health. | am sure | can never get Well
Mrs. Mould registered at the VIC
toria on September 2. The manage
ment knew her. for she had lived at
the hotel two months last year. AT no
time was there anything unusual ABOUT
her conduct, except that she never had
any callers. A physician was the only
one who visited her during her entire
stay last year. She had plenty OF
money. was we'll dressed and appeared
10 be woman of great rennement. "A,
the hotet it was believed she Just came
in from Ridgewood for a short shop-
ping tr y. Al,
Agnes Hany, maid, entered Mrs.
Mould's room yesterday afternon with
a mass kew after getting no response.
She found Mrs. Mould in bed, clasping
a pea,i handled revolver in her right
hand. A bullet woun, was in her right
temple. On the floor near the bed lay
a CON- Of "The Sma.t Set" magazine,
omen 10 a page containing a story en-
titled The Bedside Manner" 1t de-
scribed g story of a person IN poor
health. and concluded: still smiling,
he pitched forward on his face-dead.
On the bureau were found four let
ters. one to the hotel management, one
TO the Coroner and two registered let
ters which the Coroner mailed.
The letter TO the management con-
tanned 500 and read:
Enclosed find money for my bill, and
am very sorry for trouble. Can't help
il. Please send my belongings to IN
closed address and please keep It Sc
cret. Again regretting the trouble
and thanking you, ,,o,n,
The inclosed address was to Mrs. +.
B. Zeeley, "a North Maple Avenue
Ridgewood, n. J.
The Coroner's letter read:
"You will find 5000 in an envelope in
nv stocking for burial expenses.
Please send receipted bill to my hus-
band. II. S. Mould, Hotel Butler, Seat
tie. Wash. You know the cause OF my
death, so I forbid an autopsy My rea-
son is that | am tired of fighting II!
health. | have had ten years OF 1t, and
I am sure | can never be well. have
no courage left. Thanking you kindly
and regretting the trouble.
ruth NJ. MOULD"
Coroner Riordan said he would prob
ably carry out her wishes in the mat
ter of not having an autopsy. The
woman had on a nightgown and pair
of silk stockings. In one OF them was
found the 5000 mentioned in the let