Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-10
VETERAN PLUNGES
14O FEET TO DEATH
FROM TAFT BRIDGE
Charles S. Denton, Recently
Discharged From Hospital,
CooIIy Planned End.
SUICIDE is FOURTH
FROM SPAN IN 60 DAYS
Calls Rooming House and Asks
That Lynchburg, Va, Girl
Be Notified of Death.

Charles S. Denton, SO years old, q
war veteran, who recently had been
discharged from Naval Hospital, where
he was undergoing treatment, plunged
TO his death from william Howard Taft
Bridge, On Connecticut avenue, shortly
after 6 o'clock last night.
The suicide was the second there this
week and the fourth in so days.
Denton planned his end coouy and
nnethodically.
Half an hour before he died he called
up Mrs. A. B. Stewart, at whose home
1106 Thirteenth street, he had been a
roomer until Wednesday, told her what
he contemplated doing and asked that
she notify Miss Betty Worley, Lynch
burg Va.
When Mrs Stewart sought to dis
guade him and asked from where he
was calling, he told her that she would
attempt to balk his act If she knew
where he was.
Spoke Of Jump as Adventure.
A note found in Denton's clothing,
addressed ITO All to Whom it May Con-
Germ" spoke of his contemplated jump
rs an adventure into space"
II am taking what perhaps great
many people will term the towards
way out" the miSsive read. Life for
me Is no longer worth the struggle.
What could be more logical for an
elimination for all time than an ad-
venture into space. FINS. I am,
CHARLES S. DENTON.
twill some one be kind enough to
notify Capt White at the Veterans Blu
reou? There is something I asked him
70 do for me. Thank you. G. S. D."
Four Persons Witness Leap.
EotYr yNa,cox,e ~o~, TNa,.AaaS. lo.-
cording to their statements to Pvt. r.
J.. Hannah of the fourteenth precinct.
Ray Grigsby of 3546 Alton place, Mrs
James Cliff, $500 Alton place, and John
w. Harrison, 306 s street, were crossing
the bridge at the time. while Louis N
Goodman, 2148 0 street, was sitting be-
low in Rock Greek Park when he looked
up to see Denton Chamber up on the
bridge railing. halt for a moment sill
houetted against the sky, then drop
140 feet.
DR.. William F. Funk of 37Ol Connec-
ticut avenue and DR.. James F. Coupal
OF 1924 K street, private physician to
former President Coolidge, arriving on
the scene. pronounced Denton dead and
his body was removed to the morgue.
At Hospital Three Months.
Denton, who had no known relatives,
Foo aAAAAAOCC0 W NAVEL t1OSP4Jdl O1l Oc-
cember II because of general run
down physical condition and remained
there three months.
Since his discharge he has roomed at
odd times at Mrs. Stewards home. She
knows nothing of his past.
While at the hospital he had told at
taches If anything happened to him to
notify q Miss Elizabeth Goode. of Rich
mond. Police understand that Miss
Worley, the Lynchburg girl, only knew
Denton through exchange Of letters.
Expression Of Gratitude.
The Capt White spoken of in Den
tons note presumably was Capt. EG-
ward T. White, a cooperative in the
Contact Division of the Veterans Bu-
reau, who aided Denton to obtain a
bonus loan last month. Capt White
said this morning that he supposed
Denton's reference was only intended to
be an expression of gratitude, as he had
not asked him to do anything else.
Bureau records show that Denton
served in the 659th Company, Motor
Transport Corps, during the war, and
later was in the S4th Infantry. He en-
listed from Fort du Pont, Delaware.
The beneficiary of his bonus certifi-
cate Is Sol Edelstein Of 1882 South
Charles street, Baltimore, described as
his s"best friend" The beneficiary was
changed in 1927 from Harold P Brasel-
man Of Philadelphia. Papers in his
record set out that he has no relatives
The Veterans Bureau is arranging for
burial in Arlington.