Evening star., 1951-04-06
Dr.. RutIedge EndsLife;;
Faced Term in Staying
OF Wife S Seducer
By the RssocIaied Press

HOUSTON, Tex, April Cdr.
Robert C. Rutledge, jr., who killed
his wife's seducer, chose death to
a prison cell.
His 70-year sentence confirmed
by the Iowa Supreme Court. and
his freedom on $4,000 bail near
an end, the handsome 30-year- old
|children's doctor wrote a last love
letter to his beautiful wife. Then
he executed a carefully planned
suicide.
The weapon was carbon monox-
ide and the time indefinite. But
the setting was the couples fav-
orite spot in the countryside.
Live is heeting," he wrote his
blond. statuesque wife Sydney.
Forget about this time will
cure a lot of grief"
DR.. Rutledge's body was found
in his automobile late yesterday.
There was proof it had been there
all day, probably all Wednesday
night
Climax to Sensational Case.
His suicide was the last act in
| q case that included murder-of
Byron Hattman-and one of the
most torrid and sensational trials
in the history of American law.
The lives and loves of DR.. Rut-
ledge, his wife and Mr.. Hattman
were unfolded in a courtroom in
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1949.
There Mrs. Rutledge testified
she was forced to submit to Mr..
Hattman after boat ride and
drinking party in July, 1948.
The defense argued DR.. Rutledge
was defending the sanctity of his
home; the State that DR.. Rutledge
lay in wait in a hotel room,
knocked Mr.. Hattman out with a
blow on the head and stabbed him
with surgical precision and skill. 4"
Books Press AcceIerator.
DR.. Rutledge bought a hose, ran
it from his cars exhaust pipe
through a window and taped it in
place. With three heavy medical
books holding down the accelera-
tor. he waited for death at field
8 miles from town where he and
his wife often went to fly model
airplanes.
II love you," he ended the letter
to his 25-year-old wife. She had
to be given sedatives for serious
shock when she learned of DR..
Rutledge's death.
But the love he further expressed
was not made public.
His wife received the letter
Wednesday. at the home of friends.
DR.. Rutledge had taken her there
because he didn't want her both
cred by reporters on his sentence
being confirmed.
Three hours after the letter was
postmarked at 1:30 pm, DR.. Rut-
ledge called his wife. He told her
he planned to stay at a hotel in
order to avoid reporters and would
see her later.
She Called Police.
When she got the letter, she en-
listed the aid of police in trying
to find him. ,e..~
He was not found until $50
p m. yesterday. s. .-.. -.
1t was the second suicide at
tempt for the young doctor. When
police appeared at his apartment
In st. Louis December II, l948. to
question him in Mi. Hattman's
death, Mr.. Rutledge locked him
self in bathroom and swallowed
poison. Police rushed him to a
hospital where a stomach pump
saved him.
The Rutledges moved here, to
his former home, after he served
|279 days at Iowa's State Peni-
Itentiary. He was released under
appeal bond posted by Mrs. Laura
Rogers Of Sioux City, Iowa. There
had been an attempt to raise bond
for him in st. Louis, where he
practiced before the Staying.
On tiny farm in East Texas,
near Jacksonville, the parents of
Mr.. Hattman heard the news of
DR.. Rutledge's death.
ut is the Lords way of taking
"a hand" said Mrs. Hattman. She
murmered, Vengeance is surely
the Lords"
closing times. The competition,
the council said, would help ell
inmate hottie clI1hs