New-York tribune., 1921-10-15
Girl
Dies by Leap i'm
Front of Train
Dorothy Wilson, l8, Student
of Journalism, Throws
Books ON Track and Ends
Life at Harlem Station
No Cause for Act known
Lived at Philipse Manor
With Aunt; Father, F. p.
Wilson, N.Y.Business Man

Dorothy Wilson, eighteen years old,
student of journalism at Columbia
| University, whose home was with Mrs
II. P. Wall at Philipse Manor, N. Y,
was crushed to death late yesterday
afternoon when she jumped under the
wheels of a New York Central out
bound local train at the 125th Street
Station in Harlem.
The train was crowded with com
muters, among them many women and
girls, and something approaching
panic prevailed when the train was
brought to jarring halt by efforts OF
the crew to avoid striking Miss Will
son. Frederick Hiot, of Peekshill, who
was standing on the station platform,
nearly lost his life in an effort to
catch the young woman as she jumped.
Score Work to Extricate Body
The first car of the train struck
Miss Wilson, tossing her body ahead
and then wedging it between the station
platform and the car. Sergeant John
Sullivan and Patrolman James Sullivan
of the East 126th Street station, as
sisted by a score of railway employees,
worked fifteen minutes before they
were able to extricate the young wom-
ans body. She died five minutes after
being conveyed to the baggage room of
the station.
Before leaping from the station plat
form Miss Wilson threw her text books
and other school paraphernalia, bound
together with strap, in the path of
1
name and address,
Mrs. Wall who later identified the
body, said Miss Wilson was her niece.
She was unable to account for the
young woman's suicide. Mrs. Wallis
statement TO the police was that so far
as she knew there were no circum-
stances III Miss Wilson's life that
might have prompted the act. She
had expected her niece home at the
usual hour, she said, and when she
failed to arrive on the train which
vas always met by her she began an
investigation. While making inquiries
she was notified of the death.
The dead girl wore a small diamon
solitaire ring. A letter addressed to
Dear Betty related to a Washington
visit the writer had expected shortly
to undertake. 1t contained nothing
that seemed to offer an explanation of
the suicide.
Wrote of Trip to Washington
The letter beginning Dear Betty"
read:
81 can see your eyes with cheer, but
7 don't understand it at all. Look when
you read the part marked. | am on my
way to Washington for months vaca-
ton with Donalds. Of course, I am
very sorry I shall miss your tea. But,
-. 10 hI
hypocrite with you. I'd much rather
be in Washington, and I've strong
suspicion that you'd like to be there
with me.
wed have such lovely time gig
CLING together. Mr.. Donalds with his
broad Scotch accent and those Penn
Dutch farmers make real combna-
ton. Their conversation is really very
amusing and neither has anv idea what
the other is saying. ] am
Here the letter ended.
Henry P. Wall, husband Of Mrs.
Wall, who is advertising agent of the
Chicago Opera Company, accompanied
Mrs. Wall to the East 12Gth Street
police station to identity the body.
Mrs. Wall said the Dear Betty" let
ter was intended for Miss Wilson's
sister, Mrs. Betty Donald, Of Rose
bank, Staten Island Mr.. Donald also
visited the police station. lie sara
the suicide was u0accountablc.
Frederick B. Wilson, father of the
dead girl, called at the police station
late last night. He said Miss Wilson'S
act was inexplicable. There had never
been, SO far as he was aware. anything
in the Young womans life which could
have caused her to be despondent. The
only explanation that occurred to him
was that possibly Miss Wilson had
studied too hard at Columbia.
Mr. Wilson lives at AZ West Ninety
fourth Street and is 4 real estate
broker