Evening star., 1929-01-02
WOMAN MAY LIVE
AFTER BRIDGE LEAP
Chest Crushed and Skull
Probably Fractured in
Plunge From Span.

Recovering consciousness this after
noon after a leap last night from
Klingle Road Bridge. which resulted IN
injuries of undetermined gravity, Miss
Naomi Elmore, %, this afternoon told
Detective Charles r. Mansfield of the
narcotic squad that she hopes now to
recover.
The detective also reported that she
aScribed her act to dependency over a
love affair. Police had heard she was
worried over ill health.
Emergency Hospital officials say Miss
Elmore has a fighting chance 10 re-
cover. Her injuries include a crushed
chest and probably a fractured skull.
1t was thought also that she had
broken ankle, but physicians did not ex-
pect the full extent of her injuries would
be known until later, when her condi-
tion might permit closer examination.
Had Been in Ill Health.
Miss Elmore, who lives in Apartment
321 of Cathedral Mansions North, has
been in i'll health for more than a year,
and planned to undergo a major op-
Grafton for stomach disorder jan
uary Is. Friends say she never had re-
covered fully from the effects of an
operation last April
Where the young woman jumped,
about Is feet from the south end, the
bridge is 40 feet above the ground She
was not killed. doctors believe, because
she landed at a point where the earth
had been softened by rain.
Motorists Refuse Aid.
Police learned of the incident when
an unidentified man telephoned the
fourteenth precinct shortly before
o'clock and reported that he had seen
woman jump from the bridge. Po-
liceman Ralph Harris was sent to in
vestigate the report. He was unable
to find the man who called the pre-
cinct, and only after some difficulty To-
Gated Miss Elmore by hearing her
moan.
With the assistance of Herbert A.
Roberts, 1921 Connecticut avenue. the
policeman carried the unconscious wom-
an to the street. Two motorists refused
to take Miss ElmOre to the hospital,
one explaining that his car was already
full and the second declaring that he
was an invalid and unable TO stand the
sight of the injured woman.
w. T. Cahill of 4701 Connecticut
avenue. driver of the third car to pass
the bridge. stopped and took the in
jured woman to Emergency Hospital.
After preliminary examination, Drs.
I. Rutkoski and Edward Kelly of the
hospital staff pronounced her condition
critical.
Miss Elmore was not identified until
after she had reached the hospital,
when her roommate, Miss Belle Boyd,
was notified.
Miss Boyd told police her friend had
been brooding over the impending
operation yesterday, and became hysteri-
cal about 8 o'clock last night Declaring
that she had nothing to live for" Miss
Boyd said the other woman left their
apartment, refusing to listen to her
pleas that she remain inside.
Friends Hunt for Her.
When she found she was not able to
control her roommate, Miss Boyd said
she called friend, I. Levinson of 27O9
Woodley road, and told him of the
scene in the apartment. Levinson
called the Fourteenth precinct to enlist
police assistant in a search for Miss
Elmore just few minutes before the
message was received telling Of her
jump.
Miss Elmore's last position was with
the United States Patent ONCE. She
resigned in April because Of the necessity
OF an operation, and has not been able
to work since.
She has but one relative in Washing
ton, her sister. Mrs. A. B. Poore, of 3549
Quesada street. She Is a step-daughter
OF Lieut.. F. H. Baasen, U. s. N,
stationed at Newport r. I. During the
World War Miss Elmore served ia the
Navy as yeomanette.