The Washington times., 1936-01-11
PEACE SUICIDE
TOLD DREAD
OF WAR

Twenty-four hours before Mrs.
Capitola Koltes, IS, and her 81
year-old son by her first marriage,
Robert william Ashworth, ended
their lives yesterday-fearful that
q new world war might send him
to die on the field of battle-she
visited headquarters Of the Ma
tional Council for Prevention Of
War.
She spoke at length Of her dread
Of war, saying she had q son and
would do anything to keep him
from going to war.
She then purchased two Of the
peace bonds" being sold by the
organization in q drive to raise o
million-dollar war chest for war
on war.
Libby DeplOres Death
Today officials of the organiza-
ton deplored the deaths. Frederick
j. Libby, former minister, who Is
executive secretary Of the council
and a leader in the peace move
ment for many years, said:
"HOw much better 1t would
have been for this poor woman
and her SON to have lived and
fought for peace rather than
to have died as they did"
Mrs. KolteS and her son, q
sophomore student at George
washington University, died in
her apartment in the Dupont
Circle Apartment, after draining
a cocktail Of fruit Juice in which
poison tablets had been dissolved.
Both Leave Notes
Before they ended their lives,
the mother and son wrote their
wills and q number Of notes.
One from Mrs. KolteS was ad-
dressed to a Washington man
whose identity police refused to
reveal. In this letter she asked
that her brother, DR.. Victor VIII
liams, Of Chattanooga, Tenn, her
former home, be asked to take
care Of funeral details. She also
asked that some one from the
peace organization give q talk on
peace at simple services.
Commenting further on the
suicides, Mr.. Libby said:
'cNOne Of the recent decisions
made In Europe on the Far East
make war inevitable, so one may
face the future with courage"
SCOTS JAPANESE PERIL
Pointing out that sentiment in
this country is overwhelming
against mixing in any more
foreign wars, he continued:
"Japan is never coming 5000
miles to attack the strongest
nation ON the earth.
"Her interests lie in Asia, and
with . hostile China at her
back door and . hostile Russia
mObilizing planes at VladivOs-
tOk, 900 miles from TOykO. she
Is going to be particularly care
full mot to become embrOiled
with u.s."
With the need to "build stronger
ulwarkS against war;" the bond
ale campaign with a million dol
ar goal was decided upon last
rear and endorsed by the peace
commission of the Methodist
Episcopal Church and other re-
igious bodies, Mr.. Libby said.
Miss Rankin an Officer
The first peace bond was sold
by Miss jeanette Rankin, who,
as the first woman elected to
Congress, voted against Americas
entry in the World War. She is
now legislative secretary Of the
council.
In its bond sale campaign lit
erature, the council states it has
no connection, direct or indirect,
with communism. It does. how
ever, advocate membership in the
League of Nations and the World
Court, and seeks elimination Of
military training in schools and
colleges.
Yesterday the son, who lived at
Dewitt Prep, the school he had
attended before going to college,
went to his mothers apartment.
Just what ensued there, just what
was said to make the couple de-
eide on death will never be known.
Young Robert went down to the
apartment office and asked for
two envelopes. He returned to his
mothers apartment. It was then
about 1870 p. m. Ortly few min
utes later there came a ring from
the KolteS apartment phone. The
switchboard operator heard means
and called Arthur Sherwin, assist
ant manager, who rushed there.
\ Both Found Alive
Breaking in he found the couple
writhing on the floor, both still
alive. The mother was clad in
blue dressing gown. On her fling
erS expensive rings sparkled. Rob-
ert was coatleSS. Both we're un-
conscious.
Sherwin called Emergency Hos
pital. Powerful stimulantS were
administered by the ambulance
surgeon, but the mother and son
died few minutes after the am
bulance arrived.
sOn a table police found the poi
son cocktail glass Of fruit juice
in which poison tablets had been
dissolved. An autopsy will be per-
formed today.
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