Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-09-26
SUICIDE IS VERDICT
IN MODELS DEATH
Coroner's Jury Frees Speidel
After Inquest Over Body
Of Miss Rochkin.

Sylvia Rochkin, 23-year-old artists
model, committed suicide early last Fri
rafter of a houseboat in Little River,
Q cOroner'S jury decided today.
The verdict, which freed the dead
woman's sweetheart, George B. Speidel,
who had been under arrest since her
death, was returned after the jury had
heard nearly four hours testimony from
detectives and friends of the model.
The dead woman's sister, Mrs. Laura
Kramer, New York City, also took the
witness stand, asserting that Speidel,
on recent trip to her home, told her
he and the model were married.
Declaring she did not know her sis
ter was not Speidels wife until after
her death, Mrs. Kramer told the jury,
Were all conventional people"
May Reopen Case.
Possibility that the case may be re-
opened was seen, when Mrs. Kramer
and her brother, Benjamin Rochkin,
also of New York City, requested con-
ference with Assistant U. S. Attorney
John r. Fitzpatrick, who represented
the Government in the case Both
Rochkin and Mrs. Kramer refused to
make any statement concerning their
object in asking the conference.
They also declined to give any in
formation regarding their sisters
funeral. other than to say she already
has been buried" The body was sent
to Baltimore Saturday, according to
attendants at the Morgue, but Miss
Rochkin's widowed mother. who Is sub
ject to heart attacks, has not been in
formed of her death.
Partial corroboration of Mrs. Kramer's
testimony was given by Detective Sergt.
John C. Dalglish, who declared Speidel
admitted to him that he had inferred
that he was Miss Rochkin's husband by
telling the sister, on recent trip to
brother-in-law.''
Recalled to Stand.
Dalglish made the statement on his
second trip to the stand, having been
recalled at the request of the dead
recalled after the inquest had been
dramatically halted by the brother and
sister, who demanded the right to
croSs-question witnesses.
Coroner Joseph D. Rogers, after
conference with Fitzpatrick and Spell
ders attorney, Joseph Kelly, ruled that
only the coroner, the attorneys and
members Of the jury had legal right
to question witnesses. He consented,
however, to permit the brother and
sister to present their queries to Fitz-
patrick, who put them to the wit
neSses.
Miss Rochkin appeared to be in a
state of extreme mental anguish"
throughout the day before she was
found strangled. according to signed
statement made by Speidel and read to
the jury.
An hour before the inquiry was begun
a large crowd gathered outside the
Morgue. apparently anxious to hear
Speidel's story. Every seat in the in
quest room was occupied and many per-
sons were turned away.
Details Of Romance.
In his signed statement, Speidel
gave a detailed description of his re-
lationS with the model, whom he
met last May Is. The romance was
begun. he declared, with her full
knowledge Of my marital status" Spell
del, it was brought out in other testi-
mony, has been separated from his wife
and 5-year-old son for the past two
years.
Speidel awakened about 1890 am.
last Friday, he said, and found the
young woman, with a pajama cord
Topped twice around her neck, hanging
from a ceiling rafter of the houseboat.
docked near Rosslyn, Va, about $50
yards east of Key Bridge. Yelling for
help, he said, he half-lifted half
dragged the woman into the adjoining
room and placed her on a studio couch.
After calling again for help he said,
he ran to restaurant in Rosslyn and
telephoned the Fire Rescue Squad His
message was relayed to seventh precinct
police, who arrested Speidel after max
Ing preliminary investigation of Miss
Rochkin's death.
Finds Woman Dead.
Policeman Carl G. Mccormick. sew
enth precinct, testified that when he
reached the boat in response to Spell
del's telephone message, he found the
model lying on the couch, with the
bath robe cord knotted around small
nail beneath her head. She was pro-
nounced dead few minutes later by
DR.. James Thompson, who accompanied
an Emergency Hospital ambulance to
the boat.
A suicide note purported to have been
written by Miss Rochkin fragments of
which were found on the floor of the
two-room boat by Dalglish who later
pasted them together, were introduced
In evidence. A sentence written by
Speidel after his arrest also was intro
duced, as were the cord and nail and
five police photographs of the scene OF
the woman'S death.
The sentence written by Speidel at
the request of Dalglish-"I am happiest
with George"-was entirely dissimilar
from the suicide note, the detective told
the jury.
Nail Fitted Into Rafter.
When Dalglish began his investiga-
ton, he testified, one of his first acts
was to replace the nail in the hole in
which Speidel declared it was driven
when he found the model hanging from
the rafter. The rafter was slightly
spintered beneath the hole, indicating,
the detective pointed out, it had been
torn out by Miss Rochkin's weight.
The model, according to Speidel's
signed statement, underwent a criminal
operation at the home of a midwife
last Monday. Speidel declared he sent
$50 to her in New York City to be used
for that purpose.
After a trip to the artists colony in
Provincetown, Mass, with Miss Rochkin,
Speidel went on, he returned to Wash
ington. where she rejoined him in an
apartment in the 1900 block of street. |
She called to see him at the Post ONCE
last Monday, he said, and informed him
the operation had been performed. He
Immediately rented the boat from Harry |
Underestimate. a friend, he said.
Told of Her Fiance.
In an oral statement made prior to
the signed one, Speidel, according to |
Dalglish, declared Miss Rochkin told |
him her f1ance, named only as Philip"
shot himself to death in New York City
several years ago. The model, Dalglish
said Speidel informed him. worked at
both the Corcoran Art Gallery and
George Washington University under |
fictitious names. |
Dalglish was assisted in presenting !
the case to the Jury by Detective Sergt. |