SUICIDE OF LEY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25344, 27 October 1945, Page 7

SUICIDE OF LEY

DEATH _IN CELL STRANGLED WITH TOWEL PRISON AT NUREMBERG NAZr-LABOUR CHIEF (Reed. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON. Oet. 20 Robert Ley, the former German Labour Front leader, committed suicide in Nuremberg prison, where he was awaiting trial as a war criminal before the international tribunal. Ley stuffed his throat with pieces torn from his clothing and then strangled himself with a towel which he tore into strips and knotted together. Correspondents say the suicide had apparently been carefully planned. Ley had oven taken the trouble to soak the towel in water so that the knots would not slip. - The sentry guarding Ley's cell and three adjoining cells became suspicious when Ley did not appear to be moving. He called his name hut got no reply. Guards at once entered the cell and found Ley dead. Doctors were called but artificial respiration and injections were of no avail.

Shortly before the suicide, the chief prison officer had changed the mattresses in all the cells so that the Nazi leaders awaiting trial could not hide any secret suicide instruments. The soil of a peasant farmer, Ley was 55. lie was a doctor of philosophy, lie was captured last .May alter trying to disguise- himself, and was No. 4 on the Allied war crimes list, coming after Goering, Hess and liibbentrop. A fanatical Nazi, Ley organised the Strength Through -Joy movement and as Labour Front chief ruled more than 20.000,000 German workers.