Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-14
Major G. J. F. Pierce in
Emergency Hospital.
He Is STILL ALIVE
CLAIMS INJURY WAS RECEIVED
BY ACCIDENT.
Hospital Authorities Positive Bullets
Were Fired With Intent
Of Suicide.

Maj. c. J. F. Pierce, an official iii
the District water department, is in
the Emergency Hospital with seven
bullet wounds behind his right ear
and is still alive.
Maj. Pierce claims to have been
injured by accident, while the hos
pital authorities are positive in their
statements that the shots were such
as could only have been fired with
suicidal intent.
Seven self-inhicted bullet wounds in the
head behind the right ear and the man still
alive and conscious, is the remarkable hos
pital report made today in the case Of
Maj. c. ]. F. Pierce. an official of the Dis
trict water department. who occupies bed
In one of the wards at the Emergency Hos
pital.
The weapon used was a small 22-caliber
revolver, loaded with small "cat cartridges
or fiobert caps. Had the pistol been loaded
with the regular sized missiles, 1t is the
opinion of the surgeons that the first shot
might have penetrated the brain and re-
suited fatally
The hospital authorities express the belief
that the seven shots were fired by Major
Pierce with suicidal intent. The wounded
man stoutly maintains that his injuries are
the result of an accident. He does not,
however, attempt to explain his peculiar ac-
cident proposition. When questioned about
the matter his invariable reply was:
TT was an accident
The shooting occurred about 3 o. clock this
morning, II is believed in Major Pierce's
apartment in the Everett, at the corner of
III
Alone in His Room.
He was alone In his room at the time and
the successive revolver shots did not
alarm the other guests in the hotel, as
nothing was known of the affair until he
had descended from his room on the top
floor to the apartment of the proprietor
of the Everett. He raped on the door and
when the proprietor's wife responded she
found Major Pierce standing in the hallway
bathed in blood. In tone of alarm she
asked what had happened His reply was:
Il have accidentally shot myself. Please
send for a physician"
Instead of sending for a doctor a hurry
message was sent to the Emergency Hos
pital, and the ambulance from that institu-
ton quickly responded DR.. Martyr accom-
panying the vehicle. He found Pierce in
his room, he having returned there after
notifying the proprietor of the hotel of his
condition. At no time did the wounded
man lose consciousness, but he appeared to
be quite weak from the loss Of blood.
ALI in Small Radius.
An examination made at the hospital
disclosed that the seven shots had all
struck within a small radius of the head,
Just behind the right ear. Some of them
were imbedded in the skin, while two were
found Embedded in the skull. There was no
serious fracture. and Maj. Pierce talked to
Surgeons Martyr and White while they
We're extracting the missiles and dressing
the wound
Il don't just know how It happened"
said Pierce, but the shooting was acct
The physicians found Mai. Fierce to he
suffering from depression such as follows
over indulgence In stimulants As Ii is
regarded as impossible that the seven sue
cessive shots could have been fired acci-
dentally, the friends of Maj. Pierce believe
he was suffering from temporary abberra-
ton of the mind when he inflicted the
wounds.
was closed about 2:30 o'clock this morning
Up to that time Maj. Pierce had not re-
turned to his apartment. 1t is the belief
of the attaches of the house that he came
in some time later and finding the premises
closed and locked, he secured entry in the
rear. Going to the hotel office the first
floor he secured the 22-caliber revolver from
the desk, where It was kept by the pro-
prietors. He carried the pistol to his room
and some time after fired the shots.
Mai. Pierce recently returned from san
itarium, where he was under treatment for
about one month. and his unusual depres-
sion has been the occasion of comment
among his acquaintances of late
While his condition is somewhat serious,
the Emergency Hospital surgeons say he
may recover unless unforeseen complica-
tions arise.
Mai. Pierce is a native OF West Virginia
and Is about ffty-hve years of age. He
had been employed for some time as In
spector in the office OF the water registrar
of the District government. 1t Is not be-
lieved he had any military experience in
the civil war but he had frequently told
acquaintances at the Everett Hotel of his
thrilling experiences in the western Indian
campaigns. He claimed to have served with
Generals Custer. Miles and others of the
Indian hghting officers.
At late hour this afternoon the hospital
authorities report that Major Pierce is rap
idly improving. A policeman called to see
him this afternoon to ask him IL there were
any other persons besides himself in his
room when the shooting occurred.
NO SIR" was the reply. Il was alone
You see, this was purely an accident.
had been fooling with an old pistol and
had some cartridges in a bag. l didn
know the gun would shoot. but 1t has
hair trigger, discovered. and the accident
happened"
When the policeman left Pierces room
the wounded man had filed his pipe and
was contentedly putting away at 1t.
S