The Washington times., 1908-03-16
Aged Postal Employe
Takes Own Life After
Brooding Over the
Change of Position.
Was Found Unconscious
From Gas Last Month.
Confined to His Bed
Since That Time.

NIorose and comforuess for many
days because of his transfer from the
Mi Pleasant postofhce sub-statiou TO
Station ID. in the southwest, William
\. RIdgely, an aged postal clerk, this
morning jumped from the fourth story
window of mis- house l1Oi Thirteenth
street northwest. 10 instant death on
the brick aIleyway in the rear of the
house.
Mr.. Rldgely was alone, Mrs. Ridgely
having left the room a few minutes be-
fore. She had hardly reached the dining
room before she heard the awful crash
of her husbands body on tine window
shutters and then the stone alley Nay.
lie was killed instantly.
Found Unconscious.
Three weeks ago Mr.. Ridgely was
found unconscious in his room with the
gas jet flowing. Al the time the affair
was believed TO be an accident. After
a hard fight for life Mr., Eidgeiy re-
covered. and "a few days ago was re
moved from the hospital to his nome.
lie has been confined TO his bed since.
Mrs. Ridgely said this morning that
in the light of tOdays tragedy the
former incident may not have been an
accident after all but an attempt upon
. his life. as it occurred about the sane
time that the transfer OF Mr.. Ridgely
was announced. For the last ten years
il is said he has been pleasantly situ-
ated al the Mt Pleasant station. the
work being particularly agreeable 10
him He was ordered 10 report to Sta
tiOn D. Ia the southwest, on February
q. He Immediately became Respondent /
worry has increased constantly as the I
thought OF the proposed transfer preyed I
upon his mind. He had never reported I
for duty at the d substation, the gas
poisoning affair incapacitating him at
The time it was TO go into effect.
Wife Tells of Trouble.
Mrs. Rldgely gave the following ac- /
count of her husbands death this morn /
ing:
Mr.. Ridgely was sixty-three years /
old, ana forty years had been connected /
with the city postoftiCe. Prior 10 his /
assignment ten years ago 10 the Mt. 4
Pleasant station he was assistant su-
perinttndeuJ of city delivery fGr sew
eraI years. He has been delighted with
the Mt Pleasant station work the en-
tire time he has been connected with ii.
and the aunOuucem mt OF his transfer
anOut three weeks aEO came as great
shock 90 him. he began TO brood over
removal to the southwest section sta
Jiou, something entirely foreign 10 him.
for he has always had q most cheerful
disposition. A short time before TINS The
UC1tu OF superintendent g. h. HarJung, I
of the Mt. Pleasant station occurred,
and this also seemed &c grieve him as
The two were close friends.
In Good Spirits.
Last night and this morning, how
sVsr, lie seemed 10 be in good spirits.
Ne has slept alone for a number of
wears. and when / entered his room
this morning TO ask what he wished
Tor breakfast l noticed nothing unusual
about him. He gave his order and also
asked that 1 send for his physician later
on in the morning, as he wished his
arms treated. He has been unable 20 use
his arms since they were bl1d at the
liHe Of the poisoning By gas.
Il had hardly reached the dining room
when we heard that awful crash of
hi body. as il struck the stone AT the T.
I,ar OF the house. The servant and / /
discovered his DOuy q moment later
Nnau we went TO investigate the noise. ]
Iuat is all there is TO IL. IT IS terrible,
i can ascribe no other reason than
I5s illness and his worry over the trans
fer. but we did not think his melan-
Clltl-d MoNl0 emu Aihc tliAos
Detectives View Body.
Detectives Fortner and O'Brien, Of the |
central office reported at the Ridgely@i
home Immediately and notified Coroner \
,-ar-tt. After a short examination the (
.f.rctives agreed that the case was /
.-e cf suicide and obtained permission /
fsam the coroner TO remove the body |
wahin the house. pending the arrival (
o~ chat official When found, Mr.. Ridge
ass body was lying almost diagOnally !
r-ssss the alley. his head near the
Fa.g door step and his feet in the d. /
-,.LIou Of L street.
ire bodv seemed but slightly bruised. /
Which leads the detectives TO think that
D. window shutter impeded its progress
3 inward Blood was moving irom I
r, md in the head. indicating that con-
-g'On at the base Of the brain caused
C-ath The limbs were not broken,
Suicide Planned.
although the act was evidently
planned within a few moments. Ridge
IS took the procaution of going 10 the
fourth story window in order 10 fall
Greater distance. His bedroom was upon
The third floor
Ar Rjdsely leaves a wife and two
-.1s. William 4. Ridgely, Jr., and Harry
s. itioseiF. The FORMER son Is a clerk
IN tEe Iostofficc Department. tho lat
Ter Is employed IN the Department of !
Justice The elder AIr- Ridgely moved /
70 Washington over nifty years ago
frcu Upper Marlborough, Nd Mr. !
R.dSely WAS veteran In Tie postal
service. AID had always been ouffa [
popular among the employees. as well
as holding the confidence of his suDe-
rinrs. who recognized his ability.
lie was q member of the Calvary I
Methodist Episcopal Church
ThC funeral arrangements have NOT
bSCn completed