Evening star., 1945-10-26
Three Documents Left by Ley,
Who Hanged Himself in Cell
Hitler Labor Leader
Offers Apology for
Anti-Semitic Actions


NUREMBERG. Oct. 26.-Dr. Rob-
ert Ley, one-time luxury loving
chief of Hitler's labor front, hanged
himself in his cell last night at the
Nuremberg Jail, where he was
awaiting trial as war criminal.
Col. John Harlan Amen, inter-
rogation chief, disclosed today that
Ley had left document entitled
my Political Testimony" which,
Col. Amen said, was "a terrific apol-
ogy for his anti-Semitism." The
message was directed to my Ger
man people,"
Ley also left two other documents,
prepared in his cell. One was a will,
addressed to his children; the other
long discourse addressed to his
three wives. A spokesman said he
called on his last wife not to re-
marry, because I know you love
only me-"
Trial Changes Possible.
His suicide may mean major
changes in preparations for the
trial of the % other leading Nazis
incarcerated there. With the OPEN
ing Of the trial just "a days away,
Ley,s death was believed to exclude
the use Of certain documents with
high value as evidence, pertaining
only to the ex-labor boss.
Ley was pronounced dead at $40
o'clock last night (2:l0 o'clock EST
after efforts to revive him failed.
The official announcement, issued
by Col. c. B. Andrus of Denver,
Colo, prison commandant, said the
body was discovered by a guard
who became suspicious when Ley
remained seated motionless in his
cell for more than two minutes.
THE guard called the prisoner
by name and received no answer" !"
the announcement said They (the
guard and the corporal of the guard
entered the cell and discovered Ley
was on the toilet seat. His mouth
was stuffed with rags torn from
his underwear. Around his neck
was the hemmed edge OF a towel,
fastened to the top of the flush
pipe of the toilet. The guard called
the prison officer, 1t. Paul H.
Craven, Madison, Wis, who cut the
prisoner down."
Drew Moose Tight.
Ley had wet the toweling to make
sure that the knot would not slip
and had drawn the moose tight when
he seated himself The guard, who
looked into the cell every 80 seconds
could see only the prisoners knees
Apparently Ley had planned his sui
eide long and carefully.
The % other top-ranking Nazi de-
PENDANTS were not informed of Ley's
death. His body was removed to the
prison morgue. He was buried early
today in an unmarked grave.
Ley was indicted October 18 with
23 other defendants. One of them
Deputy Fuehrer Martin Bormann
will be tried in absentia. His where
abouts are unknown and he Is be-
lieved to be dead.
The leader of the labor bund
which operated under the slogan
Strength Through JOY" showed nc
emotion when he was served with
the indictment in the bare prison
cell. He requested counsel.
The indictment charged him on
three counts-promoting the acces-
sion to power of the Nazi .eonspir-
ators, war crimes and crimes
against humanity.
Film Prepared for Trial.
| A thousand feet OF film, part of
which showed his activities as labor
boss, had been prepared for the
trial and the value of the film as
evidence now was in doubt.
Ley was captured by the 101si
Airborne Division near Berchtes-
gaden and gave his name as "Dr
Ernst Distelmeyer." When Amer
lean counterintelligence officers
tried to question him he produced
vial and attempted to swallow its
contents. The officers knocked the
vial from his hands.
He was identified at division
headquarters by Frank x. Schwarz
Nazi party treasurer, and others.
A fanatical Nazi, Ley rose from
the party ranks to position o.
power as a Hitler lieutenant. He
controlled IS per cent of all The
gainfully employed persons in the
Reich and edited two newspapers
one of which had been described a.
"the widest, maddest anti-Semitit
publication which ever made use ol
the German language"
In his capacity as labor chief Ley
obliterated labor unions ruthlessly
and told all union members except
Jews they were automatically mem