POLITICIAN'S FATE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22493, 10 August 1936, Page 10

POLITICIAN'S FATE

MEMBER OF CONGRESS SUICIDE OF MR. ZIONCHECK EARLIER SCANDAL RECALLED Hy Telegraph—Fress Association—Copyright (Received August i), 5.5 p.m.) NEW YOUK, August 7 A message from Seattle slates that Mr. Marion Zioncheck, a member of Congress, was killed to-day when he jumped from a window in his fifth-floor office. The police state that Mr. Zioncheck'fi death has been definitely established as a case of suicide. Deceased's brother-in-law said he accompanied him to his office, where, without warning, he ran to the window and jumped.

Mr. Zioncheck's wife was sitting in n motor-car in front of the building and witnessed her husband's death. Karlier in the day Mr. Zioncheck had been taken to a doctor, who had pronounced his mental condition as serious and advised that he should bo carefully watched. The question of the immunity of members of Congress from ordinary arrest arose in the case ot Mr. Zioncheck. The owner of his apartment, Mrs. Young, was alleged to have been thrown out on May 30 when she was attempting to evict him, and she sustained a broken hip. While in hospital Mrs. Young stated that the police refused to arrest Mr. Zioncheck because lie was a member of Congress, but she was determined to press charges of assault against him. After the fracas with Mrs. Young, Mr. Zioncheck was in continual trouble, lie was arrested, and later released, on a charge of disorderly conduct. Ho damaged his motor-car in a traffic accident and threatened to blow up a hotel where lie thought his wife was hiding from him. Finally he was alleged to he mentally deficient and was confined in a mental hospital for observation. Ho escaped on June 28 and returned home, and no further action was taken against him.