The Washington times., 1908-09-22
VzNSANE NEGRO PATIENT MURDERS MAN
AND WOMAN IN 4 MOMENT OF FRENZY

Z11N
could be found. So far as the hospital
officials know, she was absolutely alone
IN the world.
When Lightfoot was placed on the
operating table at the hospital it was
found that he was peppered with small
shot. from his heels to his head. At
the base of his skull was found a deep.
jagged wound.
Much Shot in Body.
DR. William H Hough, the physician
operating on the mailman, said that
there were some three to four hundred
small shot in his body. and that he
was suffering from shock. While he
thought that the man would recover.
he says there is a possibility Of his
succumbi,lg to his injuries.
Lightfoot was suffering from form
of insanity known as "dementia pracox'
one of the common forms The sufferer
from this form OF insanity. say the
physicians, may at any time become
excited and their mania take the form
of homicidal tendencies.
When he partially regained conscious
ness just after being taken of the table,
1ightfoot said the last thing he re-
membered was standing behind Pat Ma
loney and trying 10 get a chew Of TO o.
bacco. From that time until the time
he recovered his better senses after the
operation. bis mind was absolutely
blank. He said he remembers nothing
OF the murder or OF The wild chase
through woods and swaKlps, and nothing
OF being shot by q purSUer.
After the operation he was taken back
to the building in which he had lived,
and put in a room under guard. He Will
be kept under guard until some decision
IS reached for his final disposition. II
&c he nIawp1 i
confinement in the criminal insane
ward, and remain there the rest Of mis-
life
This was caused by a rock thrown by
one OF the patients Just before the
maniac plunged into the woods after
striking Miss Robertson The physi-
clans who operated upon Lightf3ot said
that It was remarkable that the uulatto
could have kept on his feet after re-
Ceiving such blow; that it would have
killed the ordinary man.
Although riddled with shot and weak
from loss of blood. the maniac is in no
danger Of death What win be done
with him the officials Of the hospital
have not yet decided.
Bodies Now in Morgue.
The bodies Of Patrick MaIoney and
Miss Fonin are now lying in the in
stitution norge. known as the rest
house. Their features are crushed al
most beyond recognition. as the terrible
weapon. welded by the powerful
maniac. almost cut their skulls in twain
Lightfoot is a veteran Of the Philip
pine campaign, having served IN the
Forty-eighth Volunteer Infantry. He is
thirty-twO years Of age. is powerfully
built, and weighs about 200 pounds. He
was committed to- the institution from
Washington April 30, 1900
Insane From Bino.
Lightfoot's insanity IS due to the eff
fects Of overindulgence IN the Philip
pine drink. binO. made Of rice and
herbs This beverage, when used 20 ex-
cess, permanently unbalances the mind
Scores OF soldiers OF the American
army which subdued the Philippines
have fallen its victim
Patrick Maloney had been In the en-
pIoy Of tie institution for more than
thlrty-fve years. He had spent prac-
tically all his life at the Government
hospital.
With his wife and one child he lived
in small cottage within the institution
grounds. He was a native of Ireland
and man Of extraordinary strength.
Those who knew him say that II he had
been given a moments warning, the
result would have been different
only few days ago Maloney was
heard TO praise the conduct Of the
mulattO laborer and TO say that he was
one Of the best men who had ever
worked under him. Z. W. Skinner,
another guard, who had LightfoOd IN
DER MIN fOr three years, also declares
that ne was one OF the most exemplary
patients at the institution.
Could Not Be Expected.
DIT. William A. White. superlntend-
ent OF the hospital. said this afternoon
that the act Of the maniac Lghtfoot
could in 10 way be anticipated.
Il am utterly at a loss 90 explain the
terrible deed" said Dr. White 1T is
one Of the most remarkable instances
Of a murderOus impulse springing I'D in
normally harmless lunatic that 1 have
even seen Lightfoot aIways has been
model patient during the eight years
he has been here. NO complaint has
ever been made about him. When
heard of this awful affair, I communi-
Gated with the police. and with the
coroner Immediately
7 deplore the death Of MalOnev and
the patient Miss Follin. very much"
Cannot Be Punished.
1t is only another painful proof that
the human mind and its workings is an
unsolved problem. I do not know now
what Will be done Lightfoot is. Of
course, an insane person, and therefore
not amenable to punishment by inn
prisonment- I expect TO hold a confer
ence with the District officials and some