St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1908-03-28
R. H. DARLINGTON DEAD
Oppressed with Business
Troubles, Burdened
with Ill Health,
He Jumps from the Fifth
Story Window OF the
GruneWald Hotel
Times-Democrat of March "a.

CLAC LII III VA onOIAlS COII OIOS. W. AIILlALCu,
of Franklinton, La, committed suicide
yesterday afternoon by leaping from
the fifth story hall window of the Grune-
wald Hotel. Without giving any warn
ing of his intention, except in his
disturbed mental condition, which had
manifested itself most of the afternoon
in strange actions and unaccountable
restlessness, he left the room in the
hotel where his sister and her little girl
were sitting, and few moments later
was lying mangled corpse in the alley
way below. Financial troubles are said
to be responsible.
Mr.. Darlington reached New Orleans
yesterday morning with his sister, Mrs.
L. L. hampton, her little girl and his
brother, C. S. E. Babington, former
State Senator and now living at 1913
Foucher street, New Orleans. The
party came from Magnolia, where
Robert Babington had been spending
week or ten days with his wife and
child. When they reached New Orleans
they were met by L. L. Hampton,
president of the Luce Compress and
Cotton Company of this city, brother
ir-law of Mr. Darlington, and went to
the Grunwald, where Mr.. hampton and
his family have been living since
October, Mr.. Lamptons permanent
residence is in Magnolia.
The early hours of the afternoon
were spent by Mrs. hampton and her
little girl and Robert Darlington at the
hotel and it became evident to Mrs.
hampton that something was trouble
ing her brother deeply, as he was rest
less and depressed, and she became
much concerned about his condition.
So much was she exercised over his
behavior that she was afraid to allow
him from her sight. He wanted to
go out several times, but his sister
demonstrated with him. Finally, how
ever, he said that he wanted to go
down stairs, and she permitted him
to go, at the same time giving him
her parasol, which he asked for.
In few moments Mr.. Darlington
returned to the room, and then left
again. He paced up and down the
corridor several times, and then sud
denly Mrs. Hampton noticed crowd
of people in the street beneath. Open
ing the door of her room, she looked
down the hall and saw her parasol
balanced on the window frame. Fear
ing that something had happened to
her brother, she ran to the window,
and looking down, recognized the
form on the ground below.
One of the maids of the hotel said
that she noticed Mr.. Babington for
possibly an hour or more before the
tragedy occurred, pacing up and down
the hotel corridor. She said that he
would go to the window out of which
he leaped and look out and then turn
and walk down the hall, frequently
going into his sisters room and COM
ing out again. The maid was probably
the last person to see him before he
went to his death.
The alley where Mr.. Babington's
body fell is about twelve feet between
the walls of the buildings On either
side.' In leaving the window frame it
is probable that Mr.. Babington gave
jump, for he missed the cornice
which extends out from one of the
lower stories of the hotel, and struck
short crossarm which supported
some electric wires, and was fastened
to the wall of the building on the op-
posite side of the alley. The force Of
the fall tore down the wooden piece
and pole at the corner of the alley
which also held the wires. When the
body was found it was in mass of
wires, although it was said that they
were not charged and were removed
from the body without difficulty.
The body was not badly disfgured.
There was long cash extending down
the front Of the head and the nose was
badly mashed One hand was broken
and one leg twisted and probably
broken from the fall. There was some
evidence of burning on the hand and
face, and it is probable that among
the wires with which his body came
in contact in it's downward course,
there was live one which left its
mark.
The man was undoubtedly dead be-
fore reaching the ground, for the en-
tire distance Of the drop was esti-
mated at about sixty-fve feet, and
his body had gained momentum
through at least fifty feet of space
before it struck the piece supporting
the wires. His head probably struck
this arm, inficting the deep wound
and resulting in instant death.
Mr.. Darlington was forty-six years
of age and had spent most of his life
in Franklinton. He is survived by al
wife and one child, who are now in
Magnolia. Mrs. Darlington was noti-