TRAGIC SUICIDE

Evening Star, Issue 21689, 7 April 1934, Page 13

TRAGIC SUICIDE

JAPANESE DAVIS GUP TENNIS PLAYER JUMPS OVERBOARD FROM STEAMER Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. SINGAPORE, April 6. Jiro Satoh, the Japanese Davis Cup player,' committed suicide by jumping overboard from the steamer Hakone Maim twelve hours after leaving Singapore with the Davis Cup team for Europe. He had landed at Singapore with the intention of returning to Japan, as he was suffering from neurasthenia, but after a medical examination he continued the voyage. He was very depressed. A three hours’ > search failed to find the b'ody. His will was found in the cabin. The Hakone Maru was stopped. It is reported that Ryuki Miki, who is at present in England, is likely to lead the Japanese team against the Australians. FAREWELL LETTER LEFT „: ' SINGAPORE, April 6. Batch left a letter of farewell, indicating his intention to commit suicide. ■' BLOW TO JAPAN’S HOPES TOKIO, April 6. Japan’s Davis Cup hopes received a shattering blow by the tragedy of Satoh’s suicide. The Japanese Lawn Tennis Association received a telegram about his disappearance from the Hakone Maru on Thursday evening, and it is presumed that he went overboard while in the Straits of Malacca on the way to Penang, where the vessel was due this afternoon. The news was confirmed by the local agents. When the association received his telegram earlier in the week saying that h* ■■ wanted to return owing to illness the association replied persuading him to continue. Apparently he suffered a nervous breakdown on shipboard, but even while he was at home he used to act queerly, sometimes walking the Tokio streets with a compass. His friends are of the opinion that his responsibility, with this year’s critical prospects against Australia and Britain, weighed too heavily on his mind. A GREAT SPORTSMAN - BRITISH TENNIS CIRCLES SHOCKED. . ' LONDON, April 6. (Received April 7, at 11 a.m.) Batch’s '’death has- ; greatly shocked tennis circles. Perry, interviewed, said that Japan and the game had lost one of the finest players and the greatest sportsmen who ever walked the court. Austin said he was Japan’s finest player, and always gave the impression that he would be the last man on earth to come to such an end. ON VERGE OF NERVOUS BREAKDOWN KOBE, April 6. ■; (Received April 7, at 11 a.m.) Satoh’s suicide is confirmed. The Hakone Maru’s captain states that the ship, searched fruitlessly. Saioh’s fiancee reveals that Satoh jokingly threatened to commit suicide in the event of his being forced to proceed to Europe. Satoh refused selection, but was finally persuaded against his will, knowing that he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.