“MYSTERY” PARTY

Grey River Argus, 27 April 1937, Page 5

“MYSTERY” PARTY

New York Woman’s Suicide A PRACTICAL JOKER’S WORK(Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Received April 26, 11-10 p-m.) NEW YORK. April 26. The police to-day made a statement regarding the suicide of Airs Helen Alont, aged 25, a former actress, and the. bride of a month of a wealthy interior decorator. She committed suicide by inhaling gas- Therie were 400 guests invited to a prospective cocktail partv af, the t'nieThe police stated that a note indicating hep intention to commit suicide was left by Airs Alont- This note has indicated that chain letters sent to the, guests who assembled were sent by a practical joker, instead of by the woman herself- The letters went to a score of friends. instructing them to make two copies of this letter, and to mail the copies to their friends. The letters promised a “mystery party’that would be the most unusual one in New York’s history-

The police have refused to reveal the contents of the .letters. The invitations specified an apartment in the building; but not the Alont apartmentThe suicide of Airs Alont was, apparently, a coincidence, and was not bilked with the “mystery’’ party-

The arrivals ascended the lii’’ and rang the bell which, however, remained unanswered- They smelled gasThey then summoned the superintendent of the apartment,, who found Airs Alont on; the floor of the kitchen, with the tube connected with the gas range in her mouth- Artificial respiration was- tried, but it was not availingThe woman’s husband was then located at his office- He said that he and his wife had quarrelled shortly before the time fb r the party- The guests in the lobby, many- of whom were not acquainted with Alont, were told that the party had been cancelled- They therefore left, most not being aware of the tragedy-