Evening journal., 1897-06-09
WEST STREET TRAGEDY
Miss Hattie Rile Committed
Suicide This Morning.
FELL FROM HER BEDROOM WINDOW
SHE HAD BEEN DESPCNDENT FOR
SOME TIME-TRIED TO DIE BY
INHALING CASHIER BACK AND
NECK BROKEN.


NECK BROKEN.
Miss Harriet f. Rile, one of the best
known women in Wilmington, met a
violent death early this morning. She
fell from a fourth story window, crush
ing her head to a pulp, and died in
stantly.
Miss Rile was for years money order
clerk in the Wilmington post office,
and was considered one of the most ex-
pert in the service. The cause OF her
death is unknown. The theory Of sui
eide is advanced, but why she should
attempt her own life is a mystery
James Martin is a butcher in the
Second street market. Ii has become
the routine of his life to start for his
place of business at o'clock. This
morning, at about twenty minutes after
that hour. as he was within few
yards of the corner of West and Eighth
streets he heard some one raise win
dow He raised his eyes trifle and
saw the shutters fly open on Eighth
street in the front room of Mrs. Hance's
clearinghouse. Almost contemporan-
eous with the act Of pushing open the
shutters he heard three short groans.
A WoMAN's BODY FELL
A tree concealed a clear view OF the
window. and Mr. Martin was about to
pass on without giving the matter fur
ther attention, when a white object
shot through the air before him and
struck the brick pavement on Eighth
street with a dull thud. He immediate
" sprang to the side of the object, and
found it to be the body OF a
woman robed in night attire Mr.. Mar
tin turned the body over and, finding
that death had been instantaneous, i'm
mediately sounded the alarm. After
ringing the bell Martin dropped in a
dead faint.
In a short time a number Of people
had gathered, including DR.. George
r. Carmichael, and the body
was carried into the house No.
$40 West street. On examination
the head was found to be crushed to a
pulp and the wound bled profusely.
| Her back and neck were also broken.
Blood stains marked the spot on the
pavement where the woman fell.
IT WAS MISS HATTIE RILE.
At the clearinghouse 1t was learned
that the name of the dead woman was
Harriet E. Rile, who for the last thir-
teen years has been employed as money
order clerk at the Wilmington post Of
fee
Miss Rile went to her dinner at 7.SC
o'clock and, to all appearances, there
was nothing in her manner which led
anyone at the clearinghouse to sus-
pect anything out of the way. Through
out the evening, until she went to her
room, she was in good spirit, and moth
| ing unusual in her manner was noticed
by those about the house.
MAY HAVE BEEN SUICIDE.
The assumption about town is that
she intended to commit suicide as the
key-hole was stuffed and bed clothing
laid along the door and the gas turned
on full head The probability is she be-
came nauseated and went to the win
dow for air. Being light-headed, she
/ possibly leaned too far out and lost hei
balance, crashing to the pavement be
low.
WAS IN BAD HEALTH.
Miss Rile has been, troubled for q
long time with nervous dyspepsia, anC
this, coupled with the fact Inat recently
she lost a niece of whom she was very
fond, may have had much influence il
bringing about her death.
Her age was somewhere in the neigh
borhood of 40 years, and her charactel
was unimpeachable. She was a leadei
of the infant class at st. Paul's Churci
for the last thirteen years, and thos'
who came in contact with her, speak o
her in the most praiseworthy terms.
HAD LIVED HERE THIRTY YEARS
Miss Rile had lived in Wilmington
thirty years and had many relative
here, including Mrs. James Harvey AM
Mrs. Maggie Messenger, sisters, and DT
n J. Harmer Rile, Thomas II. Rile, Jane
Rile and T. H. Rile, brothers.
HER CHARACTER ABOVE RE
PROACH.
Postmaster Enoch Moore, in speaking
of the dead woman to-day, said she ha
been in the employ Of the post offic
thirteen years. In ming that position
she had been a faithful, earnest an
conscientious worker, and her charaC
ter was above reproach. Her report
during all those years in that capacit
, , have always been remarkably correC
: : even to a penny, and her position wi
> ? be hard one to fill.
Colonel Moore said he was talking
her only yesterday. and there was n
indication of any dependency or an
difference from her usual cali
n and pleasant manner. Quite often {
!, late she had asked Mr. Moore TO gran
d her a brief absence from the Office
o go to the cemetery where her niec'
S May Rile, is buried. The death of th
= girl had seemed to prey on her mind
k great deal. and was noticeable at th
IS post office.
% NEWS SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE
The horrible fate of the woma
spread like wildfre. Pedestrians VIII
had occasion to pass the vfcinit
. where the woman lost her life stoppe
= and gazed at the lofty height frol
I, which she fell
- Postmaster Moore said this mornin
- that since Miss Rile's death he ha
: been besieged by applicants for her p'
% sition. Il have had six women WI
want the place to call" he said. IN
one outside of the civil service, 'hov
ever, will be considered"