The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-12-28
NO. 80.

melancholia. 1t developed several
"eeks ago as the final result of injuries
received by being thrown from her
horse last spring.
The melanCholia was not insanity
In the sense of being accompanied by
, deluslons. AT the same time there
: was profound depression, and as is
always the case in this type of disease
there was great danger that suicidal
tendencies would develop. For this
reason nurses were provided to main
tain the closest watchlulness.
" No suicidal tendency developed,
however, until yesterday, when for the
hrst time Miss Herbert made an at
tempt TO get out of the window, but
was restrained by the nurse. This led
10 additional caution and two nurses
alternatcd in constant watchfulncss Of
! the patient. She was at all times
rational, quiet and gentle, and it was
| supposed the disease would yield to
treatment.
EARLY this MOI ming the nurse on
duty noticed small spot Of blood on
the bed covering, and inquired what it
meant, but the invalid endeavored to
pass it by lightly. On making an in.
Vestlgatlon, however, the nurse found
That the under bed clothes were
saturated vith blood and that Miss
herbert had severed the artery of her
wrists with pair Of scissors. Feeling
that the emergency was great, tho
nurse FASTENED to the door aud called
an alarm. In this momcntarv with
arawal from the bedside Miss Herbert
leaped out and sprang from the win
DOW. The plunge was nhdc head
foremost so that she lighted on the top
OF her head o" the a phalt pavement.
J MS injury alone was sufficient to have
caused death from conclusion and it
was doubtless the immediate cause.
Aside from this cursory examination
indicated that the skull was fractured.
Inc severance OF the artery also would
nave resulted fatally. When the
physician reached her. Miss Herbert
was still brea, hing but died about an
hour after the leap"
The coroner returned verdict of
suicide during temporary insanity.
AS lhe factS In the case were Lear
ne decided that an inquest was un-
necessary
Her death was traccabc directly to
an accident while horseback riding in
a A'aoama about Two months ago She
always had been enthusiastically fond
OF riding, ard while paying "a visit to
her old home, started out unn day on
Is morse that had not been we'll broken.
IL Stumbled end she was thrown
to the ground sustaining
severe injuries to her back. She was
brought back TO Washington, but re-
covery was exceedingly slow, and it
was not until last Sunday that she was
iole to go out Of the house. On that
lay she went driving for the first time
,lnce the accident, and DR.. w. w.
johnston, the attending physician,
noticed considerable improvements
Miss Leila Herbert was the eldest OF
1X- SECRETARY Hcrbert's three children,
ard was charming figure in Washing
ION society. She came with her father
TO Washington when he was elected to
congress and at once took charge of
MS household affairs, making tho
Herbert home one of the most attrac-
i've and comfortable in Washington
rom the spirit OF true Southern hospi-
,allty which gave il an atmosphere of
Us Cwn among fashionable homes
"hen her father became secretary
)l the navy in President Ctevciand's
second administration Miss Herbert
was called upon to take her place in
the circle OF cabinet ladies, where she
met with success the heavy social re-
3ponsibilities placed upon her youth
full shoulders. Socially she was ex-
,cedingly popular and her presence
was sought at all gatherings. Her
social trlumphS here were repeated in
Europe where she went to attend tho
great naval demonstration OF kiel.
Within the past year she had not eu-
loyed robust health, but this only in
luced her to redOubc her devotion to
outdoor sports and exercise, and it was
while regalning her health by outdoor
riding that she met the accident that
indirectly resulted in her death.