Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-02-21
SHE LEAPED TO HER DEATH.
MRS. MINNIE HAYS-wIGLEY
JUMPS FROM BRIDGE.
Thought To Have Been Mentally Derang-
ed Al Time Body Taken To-
Home Of Parents.

Home OF Parents.
Mrs. Minnie Wigley. wife of Will
lam Wigley, a Qusie dealer of Balti-
more, and daughter OF Mr.. Joseph :.
Hays, who is engaged in the same
business in this city. committed sui
eide shortly after o'clock this morn
ing by jumping from the draw of the
county bridge over the Severn river.
something over mile from .Annapo-
lis.
Mrs. Wigley had Deen receiving the
attention of Or. James J. Murphy. OF
this city. for the last two weeks for
severe nervous trouble involving
hysteria and delerium, and there is
no doubt THAI she committed the act
which caused her death while suffer
ing from renewed attack. Mrs.
Wigley was ordinarily in the best of
spirits and was popular in this city.
The act shocked the community great
ly and profound sympathy is felt for
her parents aud for her son, youth
OF about eighteen years, who has lived
with his mother and grandparents
here for several years.
Mrs. Wigley left her home on Main
street shortly before ! o'clock and her
absence was not noticed at the time.
Her parents did not know of her death
ulnil informed by DR.. Murphy, to
whom the sad task of informing them
was given. Mrs. Wigley was seen TO
Jump from the bridge by a colored
woman, Eugcnia Tucker, who was
crossing from the North Severn side.
The woman stated that Mrs. Wigley
walked slightly past the draw from
the Annapolis side and then returned
and walked ont on the abutment which
supports the draw and jumped into
the water. The water at that point
about 30 feet deep and the tidal cur
rent is very strong.
The cOlored woman, who was less
than hundred yards distant when
she saw Mrs. Wigley jump into the
water, ran To the place and saw her
floating in the water just by the
abutment. She stated that Mrs. Wig
ley appeared TO be dead, though the
space of a minute could not have
elapsed. From this circumstance it
is believed tnat tho shock of plunging
into the cold water may have caused
death by heart failure and it has also
been suggested that Mrs. Wigley may
have been seized with a vertigo and
fallen into the water, though the
probabilities are against this theory.
The colored woman gave the alarm
and Mr.. John Weldon, the bridge
keeper, put out in a small boat as soon
as possible. In the meantime the
body of Mrs. Wigley. who was prob
ably dead when the woman saw her,
continued TO float and was carried by
the strong northerly wind for the dis
lance of over half n mile. Mr..
Weeden finally caught up with it and
attempted to tow it back to the
bridge, but found that he could max
little Roadway against the strong
wind. He called some colored oyster
men who were in a large batteau to
his aid and together the body was
brought to the shore at a point
near the Annapolis side of the bridge.
Sheriff Iinthicum and Justice John
n. Davis, DR.. j. j. Murphy and
Mr.. Joseph S. Hays, the father of the
deceased woman, were notified and
arrived on the scene in a short time.
There was no question That she was
dead and Justice Davis did not con-
slider an inquest necessary after he
had examined the woman who had
seen the act and some others. Mr..
Weeden, who recovered the body, had
seen Mrs. Wigley as she went over
the bridge, but had no Idea that she
contemplated suicide. 1t was found
that Mrs. Wigley wore no shoes, but
had on only rubbers next TO her stock
ings. This confirmed the belief that
she was not in her right mind. The
body was taken to the home of Mrs.
Wigley's parents on Main street.
DR.. James j. Murphy stated today
that there was no question that Mrs.
Wigley was mentally irresponsible
when she committed the act. He had
attended her during the last two weeks,
he said, for a severe nervous trouble,
marked by aggravated hystetia and
delerium, and that there was no doubt
that n recurrence of this trouble had
completely unbalanced her mind.
Mrs. Wigley has been separated
from her husband for a number of
years, though they are not divorced,
and has made her home with her par
ents here since her separation. Her
husband is a musical dealer, having
stores on n. Howard street and
Broadway in Baltimore. 1t is said
that she had information that he was
about to institute proceedings to Sc
cur- divorce and that this had n
depressing effect upon her mind, as
she disliked the notoriety.
Ordinarily Mrs. Wigley was of a
bright and lively disposition. She
was fine musician and was very
popular with the patrons of her fatn-
er S store and had a large circle Of
friends. She was a regular church
attendant She was about 40 years of
age and had but one child. No incl
dent has ever happened in Annapolis
which shocked and aroused the sym