Evening star., 1908-01-17
WOMAN s FATAL JUMP
Leaps to Death From Thir-
teenth Floor of Hotel.
BOSTON DAME THE VICTIM
Tragic Suicide of Mrs. Herbert M.
Sears.
IN NEW YORK THIS MORNING
Sufferer From Melancholia and
BOSTON DAME THE VICTIM
IN NEW YORK THIS MORNING
Sufferer From Melancholia and
Nervous Prostration for Some
Years--Prominent Socially.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, January 1T.-Mrs. Herbert
NJ. Sears. prominent in social circles of
the Back Bay district of Boston and a
guest at the st. Regis Hotel in this city.
jumped from the thirteenth floor of the
hotel some time between midnight and Z
o'clock this morning and was instantly
killed. Her body fell on the roof of the
three-story house at 695 9th avenue, which
Immediately adioins the st. Regis and is
occupied by Mrs. Benjamin Brewster.
The police reported the case as suicide.
Mrs. Sears had been a sufferer from mel
ancholia and nervous prostration. She
made periodical trips to this city to see
her physician. under whose treatment she
had been for nine years.
The Boston home of Mrs. Sears is sit
uated in the most exclusive section of
the Back Bay district at 2S7 Common
wealth avenue. Her husband is a we'll
to-do retired merchant. who was a mem
ber of the Boston Stock Exchange. The
names of Mr.. and Mrs. Sears occupy a
prominent place in the social register.
Mrs. Sears was thirty-eight years old
and of the brunette type. Her maideT
name was Caroline Bartlett, daughter OF
in-Iaw of Richard d. Sears, former ma
tional lawn tennis champion. Her two
children. Phyllis. thirteen years old. ant
Elizabeth. sixteen years old, remained ir
Boston with their father when Mrs. Scar:
came here nine days ago to be treated BY
her physician. DIR. Joseph Collins of B
East 54th street.
Maid Knew Nothing of Affair.
Mrs. Sears. with her maid Margare
O'Connell, who knew nothing about the
death of her mistress until Corone
Shrady broke the news to her. occupied {
suite of rooms in an L of the hotel on tn,
thirteenth floor. They run east and west
the parlor from which Mrs. Sears jumped
overlooking much of the city to the south
The windows are high above the roofs o
the houses Immediately adjoining on -5tl
avenue.
Mrs Sears was visited last night by DR.
Collins, who called al o'clock. She wa
apparently in the most cheerful spirits
and there was nothing IN her talk or he
actions which would give cause for alarm
Her masseuse. Mrs. Jansen, paid her
visit at o'clock, and some time later
when she had departed. Mrs. Sears sug
gested to her maid that they retire. Th
doo~ to the maids room was bolted, an,
SHE heard no one stirring about during tn
night.
Mrs. Sears was not a good sleeper. I
appears that she sat up in bed reading b.
the light of a shaded student lamp placet
at the head of her bed. A book, the it'll
of which was 1.-The Great Secret" wa
found open on the bed this morning.
Body Struck Stone Coping,
The window from which Mrs. Sear
jumped. and which was found open after
ward, is of an old pattern. 1t extends
from the floor to the ceiling and works ol
a pivot. Outside a metal railing abou
21a feet high fringes the stone coping. Ii
her jump Mrs. Sears cleared this. and he
body shot outward. nothing breaking it
fall for 100 feet. At 697 9TH avenue is
building which was a private house, bu
is now used as an extension to the hotel
Mrs. Sears cleared this. and the bod,
struck on the StoGe coping between 60
and the ilome of Mrs Brewster. There i
lay in the white nghtgown which haG
been partly torn by catching on the meta
fence when she sprang outward.
The butler at the house at 693 9Th ave
nue.. which is built somewhat higher thar
the Others happened to look out of a win
dow at Z o'clock this morning, and h,
saw the white figure on the adjoining roof
He called a policeman, who went up ant
found that it was a woman. Then tn
hotel clerk, who was ignorant that any
body had jumped from a window of tn,
hotel. was told of the occurrence.
Margaret O'Connell. the maid, awoke t.
find the bed of her mistress deserted. bu
thinking that she had merely gone out fol
a walk was not worried until Coroner
Shrady who had been notified by the po
lice. told her what had happened Their
she became frantic. She also had OBJ
served nothing in the actions of Mrs
Sears which would lead her to believe
that she might harm herself.
Visited New York Doctor 3 Years.
From Dr. Collins it was learned thai
Mrs. Sears had been making periodical
visits to him in this city for the las
three years She had been everywhere
in search of cure for her nervousness
and it was at the solicitation of her hus
band that she came here on this last
visit to see DR.. Collins. She was taking
rest treatment. DIR. Collins said he
thought Mrs. Sears must have been suf-
fering from n temporary alteration o
the mind when she killed herself.
Steps were at once taken to inform Mr.
Sears of what had happened. and. word
was soon received from Boston that Inc
was OH his way here. Pending his ar
rival the body was removed to an under
takers establishment
A letter was found afterward carefully
sealed and addressed to Mrs Sears hus
band This the coroner refused to open
From this fact the police think that the
suicide was planned and that Mrs. Sears
had made UP her mind to jump when she
sat down to pen the letter
Highly Respected in Boston.
BOSTON, January 17--Mrs- Herbert M
Sears was the wife of a prominent broker
of this city, the brother of Richard d
Sears. former national tennis champion
and twin brother of Philip S. Sears, alse
prominent in financial circles here
Friends here say that Mrs. Sears had
been suffering for some time from melan,
choIia Mrs. Sears was Miss Caroline
Bartlett daughter of Francis Bartlett. d
lawyer of this city. aud she was about
forty-two years of age.
Mr.. Sears and his wife occupied q
beautiful residence built within a few
years on Commonwealth avenue. The
family includes two children.
Friends of Mrs. Sears in this city state
that she had been in delicate health foI
several years. She seldom travelled with
out an attendant.
Mrs. Sears had been connected with q
number of financial hrms in Boston IoI
fifteen or twenty years. but since about
year ago had not been actively engaged
in business. Mr.. Ssars is ni .moer OF
several prominent clubs, and is particu-
In. int taI in IL -Iaa