Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1897-10-22
A Leap Ends Her Life.

two years Of age, employed as a clerk in the
General Land Office, Washington, com.
mitted suicide shortly before noon on Fri.
day last by jumping from the stone coping
of Cabin John Bridge. She was picked up
unconscious in the ravine 1876 feet below,
and carried to Washington on an electric
car. At the terminus of the road, in George
town, she was placed In the Seventh Pre-.
cinct patrol wagon, and conveyed to the
Emergency Hospital, where she died i've
minutes after admission.
Miss Badgey resided with her mother,
Mrs. Julia Gardiner, at 1925 Thirteenth
street, northwest, Washington. While the
last Census Bureau was in existence she
was employed there as a clerk, and was
transferred after the work of the bureau
was conclued to the General Land Office,
where she had since been employed. Mrs
Gardiner is a clerk in the Agricultural De.
partment.
About two years ago Miss Badgley suf-
fered from nervous prostration, which
brought on melancholia. For long time
her health was at a low ebb, and she was
in an exceedingly weak and nervous con-
dition. After awhile her health seemed to
be better. She improved in spirits as well,
and until few weeks ago her cheerfulness
and vivacity delighted her friends, who be-
gan to hope that she had entirely recovered
her heath. Then she seemed to suffer from
recurrence of the old malady, and grew
intensely melancholy and respondent. Her
constantly failing health influenced her
mental condition for the worse, but at no
time did she indicate, by words or action,
that che contemplated taking her life.
The circumstances show, however, that
the suicide was deliberately planned. As
sociates of Miss Badgley at the Land Office
say she went there on Friday morning and
drew her salary for the halt month. Her
fellow clerks noticed that she seemed I'M
usually quiet and dispirited. She must have
returned home and deposited her money
and other valuables in the house before she
started on her last journey. as she had no.
thing in her possession when she jumped
from the bridge except a paper bound vol
ume Of "Qua Vadis."
This book she was seen with on the car
which she took shortly before II o'clock to
go to the Bridge, by Conductor John Ryan,
who also saw her take the fatal leap. She
read occasionly on the trip to the Bridge,
which was short, as there were few cars and
no waits. At the terminus of the road she
left the car, and the conductor saw her walk
up the hill and go on the bridge. The dis
lance from the center of the big stone arch
to the ravine below is 1876 feet Miss Bldg-
ley walked out to the centre of the bridge
and, laying her hat and the book on the
stone coping, climbed up and jumped over
A man, whose name was not learned, was
standing on the bridge, and started toward
her with warning cry, but was too late.
Conductor Ryan also saw the leap from his
car, and calling some others TO his aid ran
up the ravlne.
Miss Badgley was lying limp and appar-
entity lifeless in the bottom of the ravine
when they reached 1t. They picked her up,
tenderly, and perceiving that tiny spark o.
life remained, carried her to the car and
started as rapidly as possible for Washing
ton. One of those who remained at the
bridge sent telephone message ahead and
the Seventh Precinct patrol wagon was mott
fled to meet the car.
The young lady was placed in the wagon
and taken on run to the Emergency Hos.
pital. Drs. Bshr, Jeuneman and Fife made
an examination and administered stimu
lants and restoratives, but she was too great
ly hurt to respond. She died five minutes
after she reached the hospital, without hav-
ing regained consciousness. Strangely, the
body was not bruised and apparently no
bones were broken. Coroner Carr was noti-
fled and gave certificate of death, not deem
ing an inquest necessary.
The young lady was identified by her
name and address which she had written
on the fly leaf of the novel which she car
ried with her. Her friends were communi
Gated with, and as gently as possible the
news was broken to her mother. Mrs.
Gardiner was almost crazed with grief.
Her daughters failing health had been
source of constant worry to her, as the young
lady's condition of melancholia baff1ed the
skill of physicians. Both mother and daugh
ter have made many friends during the ten
years they have spent in Washington, and
all felt the loss.
Mrs Gardiner and her daughter came to
Washington from Schoharie, N. Y, where
q brother of the Young ladY resides He