The Washington herald., 1908-06-08

DR.. Joseph Pospisiel, forty-five years old,
graduate physician and dentist, went in
sane early yesterday morning, and, after
driving his wife and children from their
house. at 6S5 Seventh street northeast.
held dozen or more policemen at bay
with a revolver for hours and then shot
himself through the right temple. He
died before he reached the Casualty Hos
pital
The physician began shooting shortly
after o'clock, firing two shots at police
men who tried 20 break into the house
From that time until he killed himself he
fired nearly thirty shots. Sitting in the
second-story front window OF his house
he shot at every person who came near
him.
a crowd Of nearly 800 persons were at
tracted by the shooting. and blocked the
streets for squares. It is considered re-
markable that no one was killed. as the
insane man fired up and down the street
lodging bullets in trees and breaking
flower pot on the front steps Of a house
more than a block away
Worked at Pension Bureau.
The physician. who was employed in
the medical division OF the Pension Of
fee, belonged to many societies and fra
ternities. and his madness is attributed
70 a belief ,hat members Of the Macca-
bees. one OF the tents Of which he was
elected commander on Thursday night
last. were plotting 20 kill him and murder
his wife and children He talked con-
stantly OF the plot against his life and for
DAYS was in such a nervous state that ne
neither slept nor ate.
DR.. Pospisiel first became violent short
" after y o'clock Saturday night. He
had told his wife that evening that some
thing was going to happen He walked
up and down the floor continually. About
] o'clock he made his three children
Joseph. twelve years old: Elsie. eight
years old. and Eddie, four years old-get
out Of bed and pray that their father
might not be killed. He made his wife
join the children in prayer. meanwhile
carrying a loaded revolver in his hand.
At 2:4O o'clock the physician opened his
front window. and leaning out. called 70
his next door neighbor, A L. Fessenden.
of 6S3 Seventh street Mrs. Fessenden
answered him. He told her the police
and members OF the Maccabees were
after him and were going to kill him and
his children. He asked Mrs. Fessenden
to take the children into her house and
keep them. Declining to go to the front
door, he passed the children TO her
through the window, distance Of about
three feet
Shortly after the children were taken
from the house. Mrs. Fessenden heard
Mrs. Pospislel begging her husband not
TO shoot Fearing he was mad and about
tc kill his wife. Mrs. Fessenden awakened
her husband and sons. Albert and Leon
The oldest son. Albert. was sent to the
Ninth precinct station. He met Police
men Mantz and Ehlers. and they returned
to the house with him.
Heard Wife Pleading.
The policemen heard a woman's voice
saying:
Please don't shoot For Gods sake.
think what you are doing!"
Believing the physician was about to
murder his wife. the policemen went 10
the back door and broke into the house.
They started to rush up the stairs to the
second floor. but as they put their feet
on the bottom step they we're greeted
with revolver shot. Another shot was
fired second later. The policemen re-
treated TO the backyard.
While DR.. Pospisiel was shooting at the
policemen. Mrs. Pospisiel ran to the front
window. and. throwing up the sash. was
about TO jump to the ground when Mrs.
Fessenden leaned from her window and
asked her TO come into her house Mrs.
Pospisiel went to the side window.
through which the children had been
taken and, with the assistance of her
neighbOr. climbed into the next house.
After the policemen left the house the
mad physician ran TO the front room TO
look for his wife. He could not find her.
and. being told she was next door. tried
to get into that. house. The windows
were bOlted. however and Policeman
Smith ran into the yard to attract his
attention. The madman fred at the DO
uceman, who beat hasty retreat
Finding It impossible TO get into the
Fessenden house, the madman locked
and bolted the doors and piled beds.
chairs. and furniture against them He
then threw two or three gas stoves down
the steps, making an effectual barricade
against any one coming up the steps.
Returning to the window in the second
story front room. ne waved the pistol
about his head and fired several shots
into the crowd, which had gathered
Policeman Smith went into the yard and
tried to talk with him. IA Pospisiel sho,
at MIN twice. Policeman Ehlers pick, :
Continued on Page ?, Column a.