Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-01
BARONESS
JUMPS TO DEATH
Husband, Arrested Later, In
CenSed That She Broke
Their Suicide Agreement.


Royce-Garrett was taken in custody
in a thicket, hundred yards
from the Arch Creek Railroad sta
tion. early tonight for questioning in
connection with the suicide of his
wife. the beautiful Baroness Royce.
Garrett. who Friday night leaped TO
death from the eighteenth floor of
the Everglades Hotel here.
Police who arrested the baron said
he was attempting to hang himself
with a small piece of. twine.
Baron Royce Garrett said he read
last night in an early edition of the
Miami Herald that an unidentified
woman had leaped to death from the
Everglades Hotel tower He knew
when he read the article, he said, that
the woman was his wife.
Says Pact Was Broken.
The baron's only expression con-
cernlng his wife was of disappoint-
ment that she had not kept an agree
ment made seven years ago with him
that they would die together" when
they died.
Baroness Royce.Garrett, the baron
told questioners, asked him to leave
their apartments in Coral Gables
early Friday morning and not to re-
turn home until the last trolley car
had run on the Coral Gables inter-
urban line. "She told me to be sure
and buy the Herald. too, before I
came home" the baron said. He
bought the Herald and discovered his
wife was dead He said he then
walked on his crutches to Coral
Gables, a distance of miles. and
sat in front of the Antilla Hotel until
daybreak, speculating on methods of
killing himself
He did not return to his apart
ments.
At daybreak. the baron said. he OBJ
tained a ride from a passing motorist
and alighted in downtown Miami,
where he procured bit of twine,
such as is used in tying express
packages. With this concealed in his
pocket. he boarded a bus bound for
Arch Creek, 10 miles north of down
town Miami, determined to hang
himself to a. tree in that vicinity. He
declared he already had failed in an
effort to climb tree in Coral Gables.
Chose Suitable Free.
He selected what he termed a suit.
able tree and sat down TO await
nightfall, he told police.
The baron said he amused himself
through the day calling to the birds
about his retreat, and for more than
an hour small monkey kept him
company in the thickets. He could
not explain where the monkey came
from. Police believe it was the pet
Of some child in the neighborhood.
The day wore on. The baron said
he became restless and moved about
in the thicket. His movement in the
bushes attracted attention of persons,
who notified the police. The baron
was arrested Royce-Garrett readily
answered questions. He told his cap
tors he was planning to hang him.
self. They could not find the rope
which they supposed he would use.
He did not reveal 1t until placed in
the county jail, where he dramatically
flung it to the floor in the warden s
office.
Shocked at Wife's Act.
'I am shocked that my wife did
not keep her word to me-" he explain
ed when asked IL he knew anything
about her suicide. Seven years ago
we agreed that IL we could not, for
any reason at all, live together. we
would die together. She sent me
away yesterday morning and told me
to come home on the last Coral
Gables car Then / discovered that
she had killed herself-killed herself
without giving me an opportunity to
die with her, as we had promised
each other"
Police were undecided as to their
next move, although II was announce
ed that the baron would be held
under a technical charge until a coro-
ner's jury investigates the death of
the baroness at a meeting Monday.
Baron Royce.Garrett lost a leg in
the World War This, he told police
made it impossible to climb a tree
from which to hang himself.
He and the baroness made tht
voyage from abroad together, and
while authorities at Ellis Island ad
mitted the woman, they hesitated te
admit her husband, whom they feared
might become public charge.