The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-22
MISS HERBERT
COMMITS SUICIDE
Daughter of Ex-Secretary Of the
Navy, Hilary A. Herbert.
WAS TEMPORARILY INSANE
Her Death FraCeable to a Fall While
Horseback Riding.
A CHARMING FIGURE IN SOCIETY
Was Mistress of the Herbert Home Dur
ing Her Fathers Official Life.
rR1UMpHs kEPEArEp IN EUROPE
Was Mistress Of the Herbert Home Dur:
ing Her Fathers Official Life.
TRIuMpHs HEPEATED IN EUROPE

Washington. Dec 21-Mlss Leila Herbert,
daughter of ex-Secretary of the Navy Her
bert, of Alabama, died at her home in this
city this morning, as the result of fall
from the third-story of her home on New
Hampshire avenue, in the most fashion,
able part of the city, just off Dupont Cir
Gle. The sudden death and tragic features
surrounding it were a great shock to the
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 cabinet circle of ladies when she
presided over her fathers household dur
ing 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 Virginia
last spring She always had been enthusi-
astically fond of riding, and while paving
a visit to her relatives, started out one day
on a horse that had not been well broken.
1t stumbled and she was thrown violently
to the ground, sustaining severe injuries
to her back. She was brought to Wash
ington, but recovery was exceedingly slow
and 1t was not until last Sunday that she
was able to go out of the house. On that
day, which she spent driving for the first
time since the accident, DIR. H. H. John
ston,- the attending physician, noticed con-
siderable improvement. This morning she
was unusually bright and cheerful and
chatted animatedly with her married sis
ter, Mrs. Micou, who made her home with
the secretary and his daughter. 1t had
been Miss Herbert's custom for several
years to take her breakfast in her room
and later prepare for the society obliga-
tions for the day. Shortly before 10 o'clock
she dressed to go down stairs, but-instead
of descending to the parlor, went to the
rear rooms of the third-story of her home,
whence she fell to the ground, sustaining
injuries which caused her death before Dr.
Johnston could arrive on the scene
Her Father Absent
Her father was not at home at the time,
being on his way here from Alabama
The death was reported to police head
quarters as case of suicide due to melan-
cholia and temporary alteration of mind as
the result of a long illness.
Miss Leila Herbert was the eldest of ex-
Secretary Herbert's three children, and was
a charming figure in Washington society.
She came with her father to Washington
when he was elected to congress and at
once took charge of his household affairs.
making the Herbert home one of the most
attractive and comfortable in Washington
from the spirit of true southern hospitality.
xrhicb paU al nj tS WI
among fashionable homes. When Mr. Her
bert was appointed secretary of the navy
during President Cleveland's second admin
istration, Miss Herbert was called upon to
assume place in the circle of cabinet la
dies, where she creditably filled the oblga-
tions placed upon her youthful shoulders.
Socially, she was exceedingly popular, and
her presence was sought at all gatherings.
Her social triumphs were repeated In Eu-
rope, where she went to attend the great
naval demonstrations at Kiel. Within the
past year she has not enjoyed robust
health, but this only induced her to re-
double her devotion to out-of-door sports
and exercise, and it was while regaining
her health, by outdoor riding, that she met
the accident that indirectly resulted in her
death.
This afternoon the following authorized
statement was made by gentleman famil-
lar with ali the facts of the suicide:
Acute Melancholia.
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 from
being thrown from her horse last spring.
The melancholia was not insanity in the
sense of being accompanied by delusions
At the same time there was precision and
as always the case In this type of disease,
there was great danger that suicidal ten
denotes would develop. For this reason
nurses were provided to maintain the clos
est watchfulness No suicidal tendency de-
yeloped, however, until yesterday, 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 adj
ditional care, and two nurses in turn main
tanned careful watchfulness of the pa
tient. She was at all times rational, quiet
and gentle, and 1t was supposed the disease
would yield to treatment. Early this MORN