The Washington times., 1901-10-16
Observation-Disclosures
Suicide of Naval Officers Wife
at the Portland Flats.

Mrs. Grace Taylor Pnrmenter Jumps
From IA Window Oh Her ApHrt-
mcnt-Dced SuppoSedjy Indnccd
by Mania Following MeIaEcholia.
Mrs. Grace Taylor Parmenter com
mitted suicide yesterday morning by
jumping from window in her apartment
on the fourth floor Of the Portland Flats,
at the intersection OF Fourteenth Street
and Vermont Avenue, at Thomas Circle.
She was horribly manslJd. and died with
in two hours after striking the sidewalk.
She was the wife OF Lieut.. Henry e. Par
menter, U. S. N, who for some time has
been on special duty at the Navy Depart
mont in the Bureau of Equipment The
funeral will take place Thursday morn
ing at 10 O'Clock. from the home Of the
deceased in the Portland Flats, and the
inttrmert viii be at Arlington.
Lieutenant PdrmeRteT and his wife have
lived at the Portland Fla,s for about a
year and have occupied an apartment on
the fourth floor. They have taken their
meals at the cafe attached TO the eStab-
lishnent, on the lower floor OF the build
ing. Mrs. Parmontel was about thirty
five years old and for some time past had
been in poor health. Recently she had
been suffering from form OF melan-
cholia that not infrequentiy is followed
by an attack OF mania in which an effort
Is made at self-destruction. She has been
attended by Dr. William 5. Dixon, of the
navy.
Yesterday morning Mrs. Parmenter
showed no unusual symptoms and break
tasted quietly with her husband in the
cafe Of the house. She talked pleasantly
-r,r RAJ tnF
down town on a shopping expedition. A
few minutes before O'Clock Lieutenant
Parmenter finished his breakfast, and
leaving his wife at the table, hurried to
his desk at the Department. Mrs. Par
menter leisurely completed her meal, and
then took The elevator FOR her room
There was no one in the apartment when
she reached it, and she went to the Ii
brary window and looked out for some
minutes This window is recessed be
tween two bay windows that obstruct the
view up and down the street Immediate
j. beneath the window. about forty feet
below. is a picket fence enclosing a deep
and narrow area.
No one seems to have seen the unfor-
tunate woman she dropped, but from
the position in which the body was found
it Is believed that she Jumped from the
window. She struck the pavement and
lay perfectly inert. She had fallen face
downward, and her outstretched hands
almost reached the curb.
Several passersby ran to her assistance.
At the corner drug store the telephone
was rung for an ambulance, and the pro-
prietor of the apartment house. ". c.
Downey, was notified. Mr. Downey hur-
ried to the street, and, recognizing Mrs.
Parmenter, picked her up in his arms and
carried her into the building. Here she
was placed on the elevator and with the
assistance Of several OF the porters was
carried to her room.
Dr. Charles r. Collins. whose office is
opposite the house, at 1l25 Fourteenth
Street northwest, was almost instantly at
the sid, OF the unfortunate woman and /
was soon joined by DR.. John Van Rens- /
selaer, Of Thomas Circle. Lieutenant
Parmenter was telephoned for The mos
sage reached him just as he was sitting
down to his desk. he. hurried home.
reaching there within fifteen minutes
after ths accident.
Mrs. Parmenier mad been rendered un- |
conscious by the fan. but as her husband
took her hand her eyes opened for mo- |
ment and she seemed TO recognize him /
She was unable to speak, however, and !
was suffering such intense pain that the 4
physicians deemed it expedient TO place |
her under the influence Of opiates.
a careful examination of the body was /
made, and it was found that her injuries |
were necessarily fetal Both the upper !
and lower Jawboncs were fractured and |
splintered, and many OF tile teeth knocked !
out. The bones Of the nose we're also /
splintered and driven up into the frontal 1
bone of the forehead. There was com /
pound fracture Of the bones Of the right 4
elbow and number of the ribs were frac-
tured. One % these -ibs had apparently
penetrated the outer sack of the heart
and impaired its action
1t was evident that nothing could be
done to save her life. and upon the arrival
of DR.. Dixon. who had been attending Mrs
Parmenter. the other physicians with
drew. II lacked few minutes of II
O'Clock when she breathed her last.
Coroner ]. Ramsey Nevitt was notified
by telephone and soon arrived at the
house. He was informed of the circurn-
stances attending the case and Of the
spells OF melanchJlia TO which Mrs Par
menter was subject. He carefully exam
3ned the ground and gave il as his oDin-
ion that it would have been ilnpossibIe
Tor the BODY TO have reached a point so /
far from the building line had she fallen
a falling body. he stated would have
either fallen upon the picket fence or into
the area.
In view Of the circumstances the Cor
oner could not give d certificate Of death
from any cause other than suicide, and he
Old so. Mrs. parnle1lCr WAS
enormously reported 10 be the daughter
of deceased admiral. Her father is a
DR.. Taylor, who is at present a practicing
physician N Honolulu. All Of the immedi- /
ate relatiN es Of the deceased have been
teleCraDneQ the news of h,r SAD daYb