Evening star., 1935-08-05
WOMAN, J0BLESS
AND ILL, SUICIDE
IN 8STORY FALL
Native of Dakota PIunges
From Apartment Roof
to Rear Court.
ROOMMATE ATTEMPTS
FUTILELY TO STOP HER
Representative Lambertson of
Kansas Was Waiting to Drive
Her to Farm.

III health, aggravated by discourage
ment over failure to find employment,
drove Miss Inez Babcock, 27, to COM
nit suicide yesterday by jumping from
the roof of an eight-story apartmen,
building.
Miss Babcock, a native Of Stark
weather, N. OAK, had come to Wash
ington about 10 days ago TO seek
Government job. A graduate Of the
University of North Dakota and the
holder Of a masters degree from the
New York Retailing School, she had
been working in Minneapolis, whence
she came to live here in the Marchete
Apartments. ll21 New Hampshire ave
nue., with two friends, Alice Haney and
Sadie Wickman, both Federal en-
ployes.
Ill Some Time.
Miss Wickman said today Miss Bah
cock had been in i'll health for soma
time, requiring periodic medical atten
ton. 1t was her opinion that the sui.
eide was attributable to this reason
rather than failure to find work. She
said Miss Babcock did not seem seri
ously affected by her unemployment.
Lately, Miss Wickman said, Mis-
Babcock behaved strangely, often ap
pearing listless and dazed. She va
rational, however, and gave no hi-
of an intent to take her life, accord
ing to her roommateS.
Miss Babcock went for an auto
mobile ride yesterday with a friend
George C. Dickens, 1139 New Hamp-
shire avenue, and returned short
before pm. to join her roommate
in the apartment. They said 81
appeared upset and started pacine
the floor
Shortly afterward, Representativt
William P Lambertson of KansaS
called at the apartment for Miss Wick
man, who had taught school in his
home town, Fairview. Kans. He was
going to drive her, with his daughter
and secretary, to the Marlboro farm
of Representative Usher L. Burdick Of
North Dakota. Miss Wickman came
down, leaving Miss Babcock with Miss
Haney, claSsmate at the University
of North Dakota.
Lambertson had started his cal
when he heard screams.
That's Inez," Miss Wickman
gasped.
! They ran to the rear of the apart
ment building and found Miss Bah
| rnHk HFIIn0T7lpd tho ~
Emergency Hospital ambulance was
summoned. but DR.. J. N. Schultz, am
bulance physician, pronounced Miss
Babcock dead on arrival Deputy
Coroner Christopher Murphy issued a
certificate of suicide
Tries to Halt Plunge.
According to Miss Haney, her dis
tracted roommate burst from their
eighth-f1oor apartment and raced
down the hall and up fire-eScape tc
the roof. Miss Haney, guessing hel
intent, pursued and grabbed her arm
about two yards from the roof edge
Miss Babcock wrenched free anC
plunged over the edge.
Mrs. H. G. Reynolds, an occupant OF
an apartment on lower floor. saw the
body hurtling through the branches
Of an oak tree. She shouted to her
husband, who ran to the rear court
where he found Miss Babcock still
breathing but unconscious. She dieo
a moment later of a broken neck.
Miss Haney was so overcome thar
she required attention by physician
in the ambulance which came for Mis-
Babcock. She was still prostrateL
today.
Miss Babcock's body was taken T.
the morgue, where it was held pendin
word from relatives. Boyd Freeborl
! SiSSeton, S. Oak, a relative wit.
whom Miss Babcocks mother is stay
ing, was notified. A brother, Way.
Babcock, lives in Ashley, N. Oak.