Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-12-22

ing Her Strep ct h-The Fatal Fall
Was Intentie nv IL Suicide-A Beau
tlful and PC lpralar Young W oman
in Society.
"dshingt I'll, D. c., December 21.-
MISS Lena Elerbert, daughter of ex-Sec-
rotary or fthe Navy Herbert, OF Ala
oama, Committed suicide at her
nome 4. this city this morning
Dy Arowing herself from the
tnird story of her home on New
mar Npshire avenue in the most fash
LOT Sole part of the city, just. off Dupont
= rcle. The sudden death and tragic
aatures surrounding it were great
dnsock to the great circle of friends she
bad made in the course of her life in
washington as the daughter of pop
,ular 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 ad-
ministration.
Her death was. traceabie indirectly
to an accident while horseback riding
in Virginia about three months ago.
She had always been enthusiastically
fond of riding and while paying a visit
started out one day ON a horse that
had not been we'll broken. 1t stumbled
and she was thrown violently to the
ground, sustaining severe injuries to
her back. She was brought back to
Washington, but recovery was exceed
ocf
Sunday that she was able to go 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. noticed consider
able Improvement. This morning she
was unusually bright and cheerful and
schatted animatedlv with her married
sister, Mrs. Micou, who made her home
with the eX-Secretary aud his daugh-
ter. 1t had been Mise Herbert's custom
for several years to take her breakfast
in her room.
This afternoon the following author
lied statement was made by gentle
man familiar with all the facts Of the
suicide:
Miss Herbert at the time of the oc-
'currence was suffering from acute me-
lancholia. 1t developed several weeks
ago as the final result of injuries re-
ceived by being thrown from her horse
last fall.
THE melaucholia was not insanity
in the sence of being accompanied by
decisions. At the same time there was
profound depression, and as is always
the case in this type Of disease, there
was great danger that suicidal tenden-
'cles would develop. For this reason,
nurses were provided to. maintain the
closest watchfl hneSs. No suicidal ten
dency develor Jed, however, until yes
terday, wherl for the first time Miss
Herbert ma Ae an attempt to get out
OF the vino Dw, but was restrained by
the nurse. This led to additional eau
ton, and two nurses alternated in
constant ,watchfulness of the patient.
she was. at all times rational, quiet
ana ge' ale, and it was supposed the
dlsease would yield to treatment.
Early this morning the nurse on duty
motto 81 small spot of blood on the
bed coverings; she inquired what it
me- nt, but the invalid endeavored to
pa s it by slightly On making an ex-
a. nination, however, the nurse found
nat the under bed clothes were sat
grated with blood aud that Miss Her.
Bert had severed the artery of her
wrist with pair of scissors Feeling
that the emergency was great, the
nurse fastened to the door and called
IAN alarm. In this momentary with
,drawal from the bedside Miss Herbert
leaped out and sprang from the top
window. The plunge was made head
foremost, so that she lighted on the
top Of her head Oh the asphalt pave
nlent. The injury alone was sufficient
to have caused death from conclusion
and it was doubtless the immediate
cause. The severance of the artery
also would have resulted fatally
When the physician reached her Miss
Herbert was still breathing, but died
about an hour after the leap"
The coroner returned a verdict of
suicide during temporary insanity. AS
the facts in the case were clear, he
decided that an inquest was unneces-
sary
Miss Leila Herbert was the eldest of
ex-Secretary Herbert's three children
and was charming figure in Washing
ton society. She came with her father
to Washington when he was elected to
9 Congress and at once took charge of
his household affairs, making the
Herbert home one of the most attrac-
tive and comfortable in WASHINGTON
from the spirit of true Southern hos
pitality which gave it an atmosphere
of its own among fashionable homes
When her father became Secretary of
the Navy in President Clevelands Sec
ono administration, Miss Herbert was
called upon to take her place in the
circle of cabinet ladies, where she met
with success the heavy social respons-
Utilities placed upon her youthful Shout
'oers Socially she was exceedingly
popular and her presence was sought
at all gatherings. Her social triumphs
.Eere were repeated in Europe. 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
redouble her devotion to out-os-door
sports and exercise. and it was while
regaining her health by outdoor riding
that she met with the accident that
indirectly resulted in her death.
She was remarkably beautiful wo-
man of the blond type.
RELEASED FROM CUSTODY.