Evening star., 1933-05-02
G. v. SORORITY GIRL
TAKES LIFE BY GAS'
Miss Ruth White of Spring.
field, Va, Left Poem Behind
Disclosing Her Grief.

A scrap Of poetry she left behind
gave police clue to the melancholy
thoughts of Miss Ruth White as the
2l-year-old George Washington Uni
versity student was dying of illum-
mating gas this morning in a suite
maintained by her sorority in the 1000
block Of G street.
A certificate of suicide was issued
by Acting Coroner A. Magruder Mac
Donald in the belief that Miss White
sought death as an escape from grief
for her fiance, Julian B. Peters, acci-
dentally shot and killed April 4 near
Rockville, Md.
Miss White, manager of the univer-
dty rifle team, died at Emergency Hos
pital about two hours after she had
been found unconscious in the gas-filled
kitchen of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority
suite on the second floor of an apart
ment house at 202o G street.
Miss White was found sitting in q
chair by Janice Hale, 4423 Hunt avenue,
Chevy Chase, Md, another member OF
the sorority. In her lap. according to
police, was the poem entitled Some
where" part of which indicated she had
contemplated suicide. Four jets OF q
small gas stove were turned on. Acting
Coroner A. Magruder Macdonald said
he would issue certificate Of suicide.
Lived I'm Springfield, Va.
Miss White, senior at the university,
was carried to an open porch by Charlie
Couser, janitor Of the building, who was
summoned by Miss Hale. Members OF
the fire rescue squad worked over
Miss White for nearly two hours. but
failed to revive her despite the fact they
administered several tanks OF oxygen.
DR.. Daniel Borden ordered her removed
to the hospital where she died few
minutes later.
Miss White, whose home was In
Springfield, Fairfax County, va, mao
been q member of the rifle team since
1881. becoming manager the following
wear. In 1890 she served on the edi-
torial board of the Hatchet, student
publication. She also had been a
member of the Womens Athletic Asso-
ciation for the last two years. She
was taking a course in college library
science.
The bit of verse, written on scratch
pad sheet, was turned over to Mac
Donald by Detective Seret. John Wise
and William Liverman, who were called
into the case by Policeman r. M.
Davis, third precinct.
Poem Left Behind
It read:
How can I cease to pray for thee?
Somewhere, in Gods great universe
thou art today.
Can He not reach thee with His ten
der care?
Can He not hear me when for thee l
pray?
What matters it to Him who holds
The hollow of His hand all worlds, ali
space
That thou art done with earthly pain
and sin.
Somewhere within His ken thou hast q
place,
Somewhere thou livest and hast need
Somewhere thy soul sees higher
heights to climb;
And somewhere still there may be
valleys dim
That thou must pass to reach the hills
sublime.
Then all the more because thou canst
not hear
Poor human words Of blessing will I
pray.
whereSoever
In His great universe thou art today"
A large crowd Of students and resi-
outside the building while the rescue
COMMITTED to School.
Miss White commuted between
Springfield and the university, her
father driving her back and forth each
day. Last night, however. the police
reported, she attended q meeting Of the
sorority and decided not to 60 home.
Although it could not be learned how
long the gas had been turned on, other
members of the sorority said they had
smelled fumes as early as last midnight.
Peters, whom Miss White met last
Summer while she was working at o tea
house In Maryland. was found shot to
death near Glenn, Nd, his gun close
by. After an investigation by Mont
gomery County authorities, it was de-
cided he had accidently killed himself
while trying to shoot hawk.
Since then, it was said, Miss White
had been in mourninaS