The Washington herald., 1914-07-11
ensign IS AGAIN
DECLAREDNSANE
Edward G. Hargis. Of Ken
lucky, Used Counterfeit
Court Seal.
WANTED EDICT VACATED
Divorced Beautiful Wife About Month
Ago Because She Fled
from Him.

counterfeit seal of the District Su-
preme Court. which has been put 70
strange use. played conspicuous part in
the iunacy hearing OF Ensign Edward
@, Hargis, u. S. N. retired, nephew of
the late Judge Hargis. Breathitt County,
KY. feudist, before Justice Anderson In
Equity Court. No. u. yesterday.
After divorcing his beautiful wife, who.
before her marriage, was Beatrice
Hawley, daughter of Rear Admiral
Hawley on the ground of desertion. Har-
gis returned TO Washington to have a
lunacy decree Of the District Supreme
Court asainst him vacated SO he could
control his salary Of S1ls month.
A Sensational Trial.
After a rather sensational trial Justice
Anderson held the ensign was still In
sane and to save him from being sent
back to the Government Hospital for the
Insane the retired of1cer's attorneys,
Maddox and Jefford. promised to send
him back to his home near jackson. KY.
The District Court therefore will continue
to disburse his salary. II has been pay
ing his father. who is now a State sena-
tor. SIS a month for his keep. and Civ
ing the remainder TO his wife.
The wife obtained a separation from
Hargis a few years ago and he within
the last month was granted an absolute
divorce.
Mrs Hargfs is now summering with
her family in New Hampshire. The
elopement Of Miss Hawley and Hargis
caused a sensation. Their happiness was
suddenly cut short by the development
of insanity In the husband, supposed TO
have resulted from a fever contracted
while in service in the Philippines.
Mrs. Hargis feared for her life and
finally her husband gas surveyed. As
a result he was adjudged insane by a
jury in the District Supreme Court. He
was committed in May 1903 to the hos
pitai for the insane here. About a year
ago his father obtained his discharge,
promising to take care OF him himself
He is now thirty-six.
Returning to his old home near Jackson.
young Hargis conceived the delusion
that he must have a seal of the court
which had declared him insane. He had
one made in Chicago, but II is far from
perfect. He began writing letters on
navy letter heads to the
Judge adyocate~of the navy. sending a
copy of each to the President OF the
and some to Justice Anderson, Of the
District Court. He swrote about Shree
zach day for a period OF at least eight
putting the court seal even on
each copy. He wrote about the most
trivial occurrences of Breathitt County. /
He insisted throughout yesterdays trial |
that all these letters were Official and |
objected to their admission.
Taken by Surprise
Taken by surprise by the introduction |
BY the Navy Department Of a high stack |
II these letters. Hargis' counsel and two |
DR.. d. r. Logic and DIR. d. |
Percy Nickling, were disconnected for a |
moment The expert had testified that |
n their opinion the man had recovered
lis sanity. After listening to his pathetic |
,norts to explain away the hisepistolary |
illusions both alienists went back on the |
Itand and reversed themselves in the /
ullest and frankest manner. They were \
10Th now convinced he was suffering |
rom an incurable form Of paranoia. DR.. |
cornelius De weese pronounced him
dangerous lunatic.