The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-12-25
TRAGIC END OF A LIFE.
Hx-Secretary Herbert's Daughter
Leila Commits Suicide.
During Fit of Mcinnchoiia the i'm
fortunate Young Woman Plunges
from "a ThIrd-story window
and Is Killed.

Washington, Dec. %. - Miss Leila
Herbert, daughter OF ex-Secretary
OF the Navy Herbert. of Alabama, died
at her home in this city as the result Of
a fall from the third-story OF her home
on New Hampshire avenue in the most
fashionable part OF the city just of
Dupont Circle. The sudden death and
tragic features surrounding il were n
great shock 20 the great circle OF
friends she had made in the course of
her life in Washington, rs the daughter
OF popular representative in congress
from the south and later as one OF the
cabinet circle OF ladies when she pre-
sided over her fathers household dur
ing the four years he was secretary Of
the navy under the last Cleveland adj
ministration.
Her death WAS tracable indirectly TO
nm accident while horseback riding in
Virginia last September She had always
eenenihusiastically fondof riding. and
while paying a visit TO friends started
home on a horse that had not been
broken. II stumbled and she WINS
thrown violently 20 the ground sus-
tanning severe injuries TO her back
She was brought bnch 10 Washington.
but recovery was exceedingly slow and
IL was not until last Sunday that she
was able 60 20 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.
Tuesday afternoon the following au-
thorlcd statement was made by a gen
tlemau familiar with all the facts Of the
suicide
Miss Herbert az the time or the occur
renee, was suffering from acute melan-
cholia n dcveloncd several weeks ago as
the final result OF Injuries received by be-
ing thrown from her horse last spring.
"The molancholia was not insanity IN
the sense or being accompanied by delu-
slons At the same time there was pro-
found depression. and as Is always the case
IN this type or disease. there was great dan
ger that suicidal tendencies would develop.
For this reason nurses were provided 10
maintain the closest watchfulncss. No SUI
icidal tendency developed. however. until
Monday. when for the first 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 aIternated IN constant
watchfulnoss Of the patient. She was at all
times rationm, quiet and gentle. and II
was supposed the disease would yield
20 treatment Early Tuesday morning tho
nurse on duty noticed a small spot OF blood
On the bed covering She inquired what Il
meant but the invalid cndeavored 10 pass
~ by lightly on making Investigation,
however, the nurse found that the under
bedclothes were saturated with blood and
that Miss Herbert had severed an artery OF
lSr wrist with pair OF scissors. Feeling
that the emergency was great. Il - nurse
hastened 70 tho door ana called an alarm.
In this momentary withdrawal from the
bedside Miss Herbert leapcd out and sprang
from the window. The plunge was made
hcadf0remost. SO that she lighted on the
top OF her head on the asphalt pavement.
This injury alone was sufficient 10 have
caused death from conclusion Of the brain,
and IL was doubtless the immediate cause.
Aside from this a cursory examination
indicated that the skull was fractured The
sevcring OF the artery would also have re-
suited fatally. When the physician reached
her Miss Herbert was SIN breathing, but
died about an hour after the leap"
The coroner returned verdict of sui
eide during temporary insanity. As the
facts in the case were clear, he decided
the inquest was unnecessary.
EN-Secretary Herbert reached Wash
ington at ten o'clock Tuesday night,
having been on his way from Alabama
20 spend the Christmas with his family,
when the news OF his daughters death
met him on the train.