Alice Mildred ORCUTT
Attempts Suicide Because of Murder Case Publicity

Former Employer of Suitcase Mystery Victim Drinks Poison and Slashes Throat With Razor Because of Despondency Over Affair

"Brockton, Sept. 16 - William F. Bowen of Bridgewater, one of the persons questioned in connection with the death of Mrs Alice M. Wolschendorf of that place, parts of whose body were found floating in the Merrimack river at Tyngsboro in two suitcases two weeks ago, swallowed poison and slashed his throat with a razor today. He is at a hospital here."

"Dr William M Robb of Boston was arrested Friday charged with performing an illegal operation on the woman, causing her death, and Dr Dalva Swope of this city was charged with being an accessory."

"Despondent Over Case
Members of Bowen's family told the authorities that the man had been despondent since he was questioned by state police and by Dist-Atty Arthur K. Reading of Middlesex county on the Wolschendorf case. Mrs Wolschendorf was employed by Bowen to drive his automobile for about a year and a half. Witnesses told the district attorney that the last seen of Mrs Wolschendorf was when her son, Harold, and Bowen drove her to the Back Bay district of Boston, in the vicinity of Dr Robb's office, on August 27."

"Mrs Charles E Jackson, whose home at East Bridgewater adjoins that of Bowen, heard peculiar sounds in the Bowen back yard today and sent her husband to investigate. Jackson found Bowen moaning in pain behind a clump of bushes, and apparently dying. He had swallowed the contents of a two-ounce phial of poison and afterwards cut his throat with his razor. When Chief of Police Russell of East Bridgewater arrived, at Jackson's summons, Bowen said: --"

"'Chief, they lied about me. Let me die.'"

"Blames Publicity
In the Bowen house at the time were his son, Warren, the latter's wife and their 12-year-old son. They had not known the man's plight until the neighbor came. Later, members of the family refused to discuss the Wolschendorf case, but Mrs Warren Bowen said the newspapers were to blame for her father-in-law's condition.

"'This scandal will drive the rest of us to do the same', she said."

"State Officer Stokes, who had been working on the 'suitcase mystery' since the torso and limbs of a woman were found at Tyngsboro, came here from Boston as soon as he learned of Bowen's attempt."

"Bowen, who carried on business as a real estate dealer, is 52, married, and a father of seven children."

"May Recover
Physicians at the hospital said tonight that Bowen appeared to be gaining strength and that in spite of his age, there was a possibility of recovery. A policeman was assigned to watch at his bedside to guard against possible attempts at suicide."

"Late today state officers visited the hospital and questioned Bowen for a considerable time. They did not make public the result of the visit."

Date: September 17, 1923
Location: Massachusetts
Paper: Springfield Republican