The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-12-22
JUMPED TO DEATH
Daughter of Ex-Secretary of the
Navy Herbert Takes Her
Own Life.
Severed an Artery of Her Wrist
and Then Jumped From q
Window.
Injuries Received by a Fall
From a Horse Caused Acute
MelanchOlia.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.-Miss Leila
Herbert, daughter of ex.Secretary Of
the Navy Herbert Of Alabama, died at
her home in this city as q result OF q
,ump from the third story Of her home
on New Hampshire avenue, in the most
fashionable part of the city. just off
Dupont Circle. The sudden death and
tragic features surrounding it were
great shock to the great circle of friends
she had made in the course OF her life
in Washington as the daughter of
popular representative in congress from
the South and later as one Of the cabi.
net circle of ladies when she presided
over her fathers household during the
four years he was secretary OF the
navy under the last Cleveland admins.
tration.
Her death was traceable indirectly to
an accident while horseback riding in
her native state of Alabama about two
months ago. She had always been en-
Enthusiastically fond of riding and while
paying visit to her old home started
for a ride on q horse that had not been
broken. It stumbled and she was
thrown violently to the ground. sus-
tanning severe injuries to her back. She
was brought back to Washington but
recovery was exceedingly slow and 1t
was not until last Sunday that she was
able to 90 out Of the house. On that
day she went driving for the first time
since the accident and DR.. w. w.
Johnston, the attending physician. no
ticed considerable improvement.
An Authorized Statement.
The following authorized statement
was made by gentleman familiar with
all the facts of the suicide:
.Miss Herbert at the time Of the occur.
renee was suffering from acute melan.
cholia. 1t developed several weeks ago
as the final result Of injuries received
by being thrown from her horse last
spring. ..a
1.-The melancholia was not insane in
the sense Of being accompanied by De.
lusions. At the same time there was
profound depression and, as Is always
the case in this type OF disease,
there was great danger that sui
cidal tendencies would develop. For
this reason nurses were provided to
maintain the closest watchfulness. No
suicidal tendency developed, however.
until Monday, when for the hrst time
Miss Herbert made an attempt to get
out of the window, but was restrained
by the nurse. This led to additional
caution and two nurses alternated in
constant watchfulness Of the patient.
She was at all times rational, quiet and
gentle, and it was supposed the disease
would yield to treatment. Early in the
morning the nurse on duty noticed q
small spot Of blood on the bed cover
inRs, she inquired what it meant, but
the invalid endeavored to paes. It by
lightly. On making an investigation,
however, the nurse found that the
under bed clothes were satuFsted with
blood and that Miss Herbert had
severed the artery. Of her wrist with
q pair. Of scissors. d Feeling thai
the emergency was great, the nurse
hsstened to. the door and sailed ar
alarm, In this nomentary wtthdsewNl
from the bedside, Miss Herbert leaped
out and sprang from the window. The
plunae was made head foremost, 90 thai
she lighted on the top Of her head OF