Evening star., 1937-04-02
Z YOUNG WOMEN
ENDLNES BY GAS
IN SUICIDE PACT
Fumes Kill Pair, C|asped in
Each Others Arms.
Note Is Left.
ONE HAD WORKED
AT CATHEDRAL HERE
Apartment House Owner Calls
Police, Who Force Door to
Make Discovery.

Clasped in each others arms, the
bodies of Adrienne Courtenay, 27, and
Dorothy A. Lawrence, %, were found
In bed today in their gas-fllled apart
ment at 1851 Lamont street. They
had been dead apparently for at least
two days.
On dresser was found four-page
which they asserted, according to po-
lice, that they were ending their lives
"for reasons known only to ourselves"
Both were known to have had aspira-
tions for stage careers.
w. w. Weadon, owner of the house,
from whom the girls rented their
apartment, said they were last seen
Tuesday night when they returned to
their rooms on the second floor and
locked their door. Weadon knocked
repeatedly on the door this morning
and, when he failed to receive an
answer summoned tenth precinct po-
lice, who forced their way in.
A rubber tube had been extended
from a gas fixture and placed under
the pillow on which the girls were
lying. Although police said the gas
apparently had been flowing since
Wednesday morning, its odor was not
detectable in other parts of the house.
Had Worked at Cathedral.
Miss Courtenay at one time wes en-
ployed as a secretary in the library at
Washington Cathedral. She studied
for the stage for several years and
appeared in minor roles in the tabloid
productions of the Washington Shake
speare Society.
Recently, with Miss Lawrence, she
made a voyage to England, and, on
her return, told friends she intended
to make her residence abroad.
Miss Courtenay came to Washing
ton from Minneapolis as a child. She
was educated at the National Ca
thedral School for Girls and came
to work at the Cathedral Library
through the interest of Right Rev.
IlSSlIlali, oAollOP VA W eAoiA-
ington, who had known her family in
Minnesota. She was the granddaugh-
ter of Rev. DR.. Charles Courtenay, au-
thor of the best-seller Growing Old
Gracefully" DR.. Courtenay was once
vicar of ST. Peters, at Tunbridge
Wells, England.
Miss Lawrence, also aspiring to
stage career, was tutored for a while
by Dr. and Mrs E. V. Wilcox, and
played important parts in several of
their productions.
Was to Appear in Festival.
Charles Edward Russell, publicist,
historian and authority on the drama,
q friend of Miss Lawrence, said he also
had tutored her in dramatics and
that she was engaged in recent weeks
in preparing to appear in the poetry
festival of the Arts Club in May.
Mrs. Russell, who knew both girls,
said she understood that Miss Courte-
nay was related to British peer
and that the grandfather in Eng
land recently had died and left her
some money.
DR.. Russell said Miss Courtenay al
most died about year ago from an
overdose of sleeping potion, but had
been revived by Miss Lawrence. About
10 days ago, he said, Miss Lawrence
told him that Miss Courtenay had
been urging suicide pact, but that
he thought he had dissuaded them
from the idea.
Apartment Rented Year Ago.
Weadon told police the young women
rented the apartment about year
ago
Miss Courtenay, it was learned, was
employed as secretary to DR.. Joseph
F. Elward, 1925 I street. Dr. Edward
said she had worked for him about
two months. She did not appear for
duty on Monday, he said, and on Tues
day Miss Lawrence called to say Miss
500 GAS poua AoN