The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-11-18
FALLS TO DEATH
. FROM FIRE ESCAPE
Patrick Buckley, "Boy Guide" of
Alexandria, Takes Fifty
foot Plunge.
NEWS NOTES OF ALEXANDRIA

Alexandria, Va. Nov. 1.-THE body of
Patrick Buckley, twenty years old, the
boy city guide" was found at $50
o'clock this morning lying on the brick
pavement beside the fire escape in the
! rear OF the old Braddock House. from
which he had fallen nearly five hours be-
fore. The grewsome discovery was made
by Walter Ale, who has rooms in that
place.
Buckley was lying on his back and his
face was covered with blood, which had
run from his nose and ears as a result
| of the fall. An examination disclosed
! that his skull was crushed at the base of
| the brain on the left side. Buckley fell
a distance of fully fifty feet. and death
must have been instantaneous.
1t was at first thought that Buckley
| had been the victim of foul play and
probably had been pushed from the fire
escape by some one. Chief Goods, to-
gether with other members Of the police
| force and Commemorative Attorney S.
G. Brent and Coroner S. B. Moore: made
| an investigation of the case Coroner
Moore decided that Buckley met acct
dental death and gave a certificate ac-
cordingly, deeming an inquest unneces-
sary. The arrangements for the funeral
have not vet been completed.
From what the police could learn OF
the affair Buckley had been drinking
last night and during the early part of
the night had with him several compan-
lens. 1t was after o'clock when he
left Greek lunch room on King Street
supposedly for the purpose of going to
his home. Instead, however, he made
his way TO the old Braddock House and
entering the hall proceeded up the steps.
The noise made by Buckley at that hour
aroused some OF the occupants, among
them w. w. Simpson, lessee of the
place, who cried out TO Buckley to stop
the noise. However, Simpson was I'M
aware who 1t was, thinking that pos
sibly ii was some of the roomers in the
place who were late in turning in. The
noise ceased and no further attention
vas given the matter until the finding
Of the body this morning.
An investigation made disclosed that
Buckley. after entering the place, had
gone directly to the fourth floor of the
building to the extreme east end. Here
Re discarded hat and Overcoat and left
them lying on the floor near a window.
Raising the window he went to the fire
escape. a winding iron affair fully pro-
tected by a sufficient number of guard
rails.
Buckley Forbidden the House.
Why Buckley should have made for the
However, it is recalled by occupants OF
the place that Simpson had forbidden
Buckley to enter the place recently, on
account of his attention to his daughter.
The presumption is that when he heard
Simpsons voice cry out TO stop the noise
that he. in all probability, believed that
he was being followed, and, feaFiag detec-
ton, had made for the fire escape as a
place of refuge.
Buckley was unmarried, and a son of
Patrick Buckley, of this city.
The place where Buckley met his tragic
end is a place where. for many years
past, he had guided thousands of tourists
from all parts of the country. A few feet
away from it is the historic old Carlisle
House. with whose history the deceased
was so familiar that in each instance his
accurate descriptions of these places, to-
gether with their history, had endeared
him to the tourists who had the good
fortune to obtain his services as a guide.