SUICIDE EXPECTED
GRAF SPEE’S CAPTAIN FAREWELL ASSEMBLY (Reed. Dec. 21, 3 p.m.) NEW YORK, Dec. 20. Messages from Buenos Aires state that German associates of the commander of the Graf von Soee, Captain Hans Langsdorff, said to-day that they had expected him to commit suicide, since the order, believed to have come directly from Herr Hitler, forced him ignominiously to scuttle the Graf von Spee instead of resuming the battle with the British cruisers as he desired. Captain Langsdorff called all of his officers to his hotel and chatted for three hours. Shortly after midnight he arose and circled the room shaking hands with each. He then retired, requesting not to be disturbed.
His conferees said that, no one present doubted that they were speaking to the commander for the last time.
At 8.30 o'clock an aide discovered the body lying on the bed with a bullet wound in the temple. Three letters were found. They were addressed to the German Embassy, his widow and his parents respectively. Where he obtained the revolver is a mystery since the Germans were ail disarmed.
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Bibliographic details
Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20127, 22 December 1939, Page 11
Word Count
182SUICIDE EXPECTED Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20127, 22 December 1939, Page 11
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