Ley Strangles Himself In Cell

Dominion, Volume 39, Issue 28, 27 October 1945, Page 7

Ley Strangles Himself In Cell

(By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright) (Received October 26, 7 p.m.) LONDON, October 26. ' The notorious Nazi Labour Front leader, Robert Ley, committed suicide last night in Nuremberg jail, where he was awaiting trial as a major war criminal. x No. 4 on the Allied list for trial, his indictment was served on him a few days ago in common with others in Nuremberg jail. The suicide was evidently carefully planned. Ley had first stuffed his throat . with shreds torn from his underclothing, and then strangled himself with torn strips of a towel. To prevent the knots in the, towelling slipping he had soaked it in water. The towel rope was tied to the bend of the flush-pipe of a toilet. The sentry on duty outside became suspicious when he heard no movement and called Ley’s name several times without getting a reply. When guards entered the prisoner was found seated on the toilet, strangled. Artificial respiration and injections proved unavailing. The son of a peasant, Robert Ley was 55 years of age. He was one of the early members of the Nazi Party. He organized the “Strength Through Joy” workers’ holiday movement, and as leader of the Labour Front ruled the lives of more than 20,000,000 German workers. Suicide Psychosis. Commenting on Ley’s suicide, & London correspondent says that the suicide psychosis is prominent among the Axis war criminals. Himmler, Laval, and Tojo all attempted suicide, the first also with success. The Allied courts needed these leading men. They have at their fingertips information which might be vital in determining the guilt, or degree of guilt, of many others on the Allied lists. Himmler was, for this reason, a great loss, for he, perhaps more than any other, knew the respective responsibilities of Nazi Party adherents. “Such suicides,” said the correspon dent, “must be thwarted, for this, if far no other, reason.” Ley was arrested last May, soon after the German capitulation. Wearing a four-day growth of beard, he was in hiding on a farm some 40 miles son th of Berchtesgarten. When taken by American troops he was wearing a suit of silk pyjamas.