The New York herald., 1922-05-09
DR.. Riedel infatuated With
Young Woman in Troupe of
Hippodrome Performers.
TAKES POISON IN BED
Eye Specialist Married, but
Separated From Wife Sew
eral Years Ago.

Infatuation for young woman who
until the season closed was a profess
sional skater at tie Hippodrome
caused Dr. Alfred Fl. Riedel, an eye
specialist, to kill himself with poison
yesterday in his office apartment at
the Hotel Markwell, 220 West Forty
ninth street, between Broadway and
Seventh avenue.
DR.. Riedel, who was a graduate Of
a German university and had good
practice, had frequently talked about
the girl to William w. Green, pro-
prietor of the hotel. He said as long
ago as last November that he intended
to lend it all' because the skater
ignored his attentions. He cabled to
her parents in Germany In the hope
of bringing their influence to bear In
result He was married when young
man, but the couple lad separated
several years ago. Mrs. Riedel Is said
to be living now in Erie, Pa. They
had no children.
One Of the Hippodroine skaters told .
friend on Saturday evening that she was
worried by DIR. Riedel's conduct and by
threats which she said he had made.
Midway in the Hippodrome season she
left the company for a week IN order to
avoid the doctor. She said site had told
him repeatedly she did not care for him.
but he would not believe her. The Hip
podrome being closed. she was consider
ing the offer of an out Of town engage
ment when she heard Of the suicide.
Door barred to Patients.
Patients arriving a. DIR. Riedeps ONCE
yesterday forenoon were unable to get
in. Recalling that the doctor had said
several times he would TAX; his own
life, Mr.. Green broke the lock. He found
The body of DR.. Riedel. wrapped in
black bathrobe, lying on bee beneath
an electric light in the sleeping apart
ment of the three room suite. DR.. Helen
Jedlicka, from Flower Hospital. thought
that he had died not long before the
body was found.
DR.. Riedel had told Mr.. Green that
when he decided to make his exis he
thing. He repeated this about week
ago and confided to the hotel man that
he had prepared the potion" Mr.. Green
on such occasions tried to cheer DIR.
Riedel and turn his mind to other things.
and he thought he had succeeded. The
only letter found In the rooms was one
dated last year and bore no relation to
the Doctors death.
on n dresser was a photograph or
Young woman in skating costume, with
a name and "Of the Charlotte company
written across 1t. Charlotte was the
premiere of the Hippodrome skating
troupe. Mr.. Green said ne would never
tell ANYBODY what the name was. The
girl was not one of the more prominent
members of the group of twenty Ger
man skaters who appeared at the Hip
podrome last winter.
Maybe n Letter I'm Mail.
A box Of stationery lying on trunk
In DR.. RiedeIs bedroom caused the po-
liece TO suspect that he had written the
promised explanatory letter and mailed
IL before taking poison. None OF his
relatives or friends has yet reported
receiving such a letter.
DR. BENJAMIN Schwartz. deputy chief
medical examiner. said that DR.. Rledel
had killed himself with n poison the
nature of which would have to be de-
termined by an autopsy, which will be
made at the city moreue. The body vii
then be given into the care of Harry ].
Blenderman. a contra ctor of 342 Madison
avenue. and who is a brothcr-in-law OF
DR. Riedel.
DR.. Rledel was born In Brooklyn. He
was a visiting surgeon at the Knapp
Memorial Institute. Fifty-seventh street
and Tenth avenue. His father died In
Brooklyn about two months ago. His
mother is so feeble that she has not
been told OF his death. She has another
son, who is now In Europe, and a
daughter. who Is Mrs Blenderman. Dr.
Riedel was 49 years old.