The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-05-20
FAMED ARTIST
SUICIDE OVER
SPURNED LOVE
Ralph Barton, CariCaturiSt,
Shoots Self in Lavish
Penthouse Home.
RICH, IN GOOD HEALTH
Friends Lay Death to His
Unrequited Affection for
KreSge HeireSs.
By United Press

By United Press
NEW YORK, May 2o.-Ralph
Barton, famed artist and carica-
turist, shot himself to death to-
day in his lavish penthouse apart
ment in midtown Manhattan, ap-
parently as a result of unrequited
love for beautiful heiress.
His brother, Homer Barton, actor
and traveller, said Barton had been
deeply in love with Ruth Kresge of
Detroit, heiresS to the Kresge mil
lions.
The girl is engaged to Rufus
Clark Caulkins, said to be a men,
Der of the diplomatic service at
Riga.
Barton was wealthy and in good
health. He was divorced last month
from his fourth wife. Germaine
Tailleferre, who charged him with
desertion. He returned to this coun-
try recently.
Suicide, Says Police Report
Friends said Barton once was en-
gagged to Miss Kresge.
The brilliant artists body was
discovered in his bedroom at about
10 a. m. by a maid.
He was clad in pajanlas and was
lying on the bed with small re-
volver at his side. A bullet wound
in the right temple caused his
death. An official police report said
he had killed himself.
Barton's third wife, Carlotta
Monte Rey, is at present the wife Of
Eugene ONeill, the famous play
wright.
Barton was native Of Kansas
City, where his mother. Mrs. JOS
ephine Barton, once noted as an
artist in the west, still lives.
During the war he attained fame
for his series of satirical sketches
in Puck.
In 1927 the French government
made him a member of the Legion
of Honor in recognition Of his bril-
liant work.
ANaNCo y 0J AOA AtAcd0
In addition to drawing for va
rious popular magazines, including
Liberty and the New Workers. Bar
ton did illustrations for books, no
tably Balzac's "Droll Stories" and
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"
The artist left two notes, one to
Mary jefferson, his maid, who had
been in his employ for seven years,
and one unaddressed.
In the unaddressed note, police
said, the artist wrote: Il am mel
ancholy, without funds and in need
of money. I am tired of living"
In the note to the maid he apollo
gized for not being able to pay her
more than $35 of her salary. The
$35 was included with the note.
Noted as Wet
Barton has the reputation of be-
ing a gay, witty man-about-town
type who went in for Respondent
and sometimes eccentric dress.
Barton spent much of his time
abroad, and was one of the most
regular commuters between New
York and Paris.
Four years ago he made public
that he was going to
France to live permanently. He
bought a house in Paris and one in
the south Of France.
Il like a drink" he said, before
leaving, ''and I like a smoke. New
York no longer is a fit place in
which to live. It's only somewhere
to have your office"
"AlI Americans Are Crazy
Two years later Barton came
back. Then he said:
New York is a crazy city and
America Is madhouse. That is
why I came back. I feel belong
here.
Americans are crazy, and find
I am crazy too.
We're all too rich. We have too
much money. I have too much
money. That's why I'm crazy.
AN artist ought to be prohibited
from earning as much money as I
do. Yet if some one suggested
cutting my earnings, I'd scream so
you could hear me for three blocks
He was quoted as believing that
H. L. Mencken was the American
who would have the greatest influ~
ence for good in his time, and that
Henry Ford would have the greatest
influence for evil.
Police said Barton wrote his own
obituary before he killed himself.