Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-09
Policeman Sends = Bullet Through
His Own Brain.
OVER Ills RECENT ARREST
Had Been in Police Court, Charged
With Theft.
A Fla HUI FICER

suicide yesterday afternoon by shooting
hlmself through the head. The deed was
committed In a sleeping room Of the station
at exactly O'Clock, and singularly enough,
the snot was fired at the moment the Off
GERS name was called for him to go on
DUTY. The bullet entered his head directly
over the left eye and penetrated his BRAIN
Several physicians were summoned, among
them DR.. Carr, the coroner and the dying
man was removed to the Emergency Hos
pttal. where he died at $3.50 o'clock. He
did not regain consciousness.
Pol1ceman Corbey was to have gone on
DUTY at 1 O'Clock yesterday, and he was
IN the station some minutes before the time
ana mingled with his fellow officers, but
nad very little to say. Lieut.. Kelly entered
the space behind the rail Just before 1
oclock, and blew his whistle for the men
oey started toward the front office, but in
stead OF getting in line he turned back and
went up to the second floor.
Ihe lieutenant picked up the roster of
the platoon of which Corbey was a men,
Der, and started to read the Names
here, answered one man after another,
until "Corbey' was called, when there
came no response. Just at that instant a
tenant inquired:
Where's Corbey?"
he was out there a minute ago." re-
sponded one OF the men in line.
What was that noise?" the lieutenant
next asked.
"A door slammed" was the response.
NO." said the lieutenant. that wasn't
mace by the slamming of the door,
Made Immediate Search.
The platoon broke and the men went in
all directions to ascertain the cause of the
noise as well as to find the missing officer
10 IC f1l
heutenant's young son, in an excited tone.
policeman Mansfield was short distance
behlnd him. Lying carslessly across Police
man Lynch's cot was the form of the dying
man, while on the floor near the next bed
was his revolver His hat, which had been
on the floor.
1t was apparent from the nature of the
wound In his headathat the bullet had pene-
trated his brain and his death was merely
q question OF few hours, at the most DIR.
chamberlain was the first physician to
reach the unfortunate man, and soon after
ward DIR. Gladmon arrived. DR.. Carr came
next ard he had the wounded office taken
10 the- Emergency Hospital. An operation
was performed, but. as the physicians well
knew, 1t was useless procedure. In the
meanwhile Mrs. Coroey had been Informed
Oh OF, wh h; had happened, and in company
win Mrs. Virgins, wife of Officer Virgins
she hurried to the hospital, but was not
permitted to see her husband.
The taking of the officers own life was
the result OF a disordered mind, caused, it
Is believed, by brooding- over his trial in the
PoliGe>Court for the alleged theft mention
3D. AS published in The Star the watch
was stolen from room in the Owen House
during fire, not quite three years ago
Corbey was member of the fire depart
ment at that time, on duty with No. 1
Engine Company, on K street. This COM
pany went to the fire On second alarm
and Corbey was in the building at or about
the time the watch is CHARGED n bau hon,
stolen. About two weeks ago the watch
turned up in a secondhand store, where it
had been disposed of by Corbey, and when
the transaction was reported 10 police head
quarters the officer was summoned to make
an explanation. Later hs was taken into
court and, as already stated, he was ac-
quilted.
1t Is argued by friends of the deceased
that he was innocent of the charge of theft
This is based upon the fact that he knew
full well when he disposed of the watch
Its number would be reported to the head
quarters of the police department. and its
identity would thus be made known. He
made no effort at conceament, and when in
the Police Court he told a straightforward
story OF the purchase OF the watch from an
unknown man, his story was accepted as
the truth and the charge was promptly dis
missed.
The Affair Worried Him.
The acquittal by a jury, however, was
not all that the officer desired. He was not
fully satisfied and so expressed himself
soon after the verdict was rendered
Il don't mind 1t so far as I am con-
cerned." he remarked to friend, but I'm
thinking of my wife and child"
Lieutenant Kelly had so much confidence
in Corbey that he did not even suspend
him while the charge was pending against
him, and in court he gave evidence of the
good character of the accused. Precinct
Detective Hartigan played similar part
in the case, and the testimony of such Off
GERS was not to be disregarded by the
jury.
Scores of friends sought the officer as
soon as he was acquitted to extend their
congratulations, but although he returned
to duty he has never appeared as-fie did
before the charge was filed against him.
To his fellow officers he talked of the case
as If it had brought disgrace upon him. al
though he said he knew he was innocent.
During the past two or three days the Off
Ger showed signs of losing his mind, al
though he continued to attend faithfully
to his police duty. Realizing his condition
his brother officers did all they could to
keep his mind off his recent trouble, and
friends strolled along the streets with him
while he was on duty. The accusation
was always on his mind, however. and he
imagined the officers in the precinct were
not paying the same attention to him that
they did before his experience as q de-
PENDANT in court.
'"The boys don't treat me as they did,"
he remarked to one of the officers. "They
don't speak to me and can't stand it."
Saturday night Corbey went on duty at
o'clock, and whsn he reached the neigh
borhood of the government printing office
he asked Policeman Virgins to go over on
his (Corbeys) beat with him. This he
could not do, but promised that he would
meet him at o'clock. During the night he
spoke to friends whom he met and fire.
uuently expressed the belief that Policeman
Virgins was going to arrest him because
there had been pocket book stolen in a
store on his beat. This he. told a number
of persons, and ct Midnight when he re-
turned to the station he acted as If he
really expected be would be locked IN.
Coroner Carr decided that he would hold
no inquest A certificate Of death was given
and the body was removed to his late
home.
Yet Young Man.
The deceased was not thirty years old.
His aged father and other relatives live
in Maryland, near Muirktrk. not far from
Laurel. He was fierist. but about four
years ago he gave up a position at his
trade and secured position in the fire de-
partment. A year later he became a MEM