The Washington herald., 1918-09-12
MANIAC TAKEN
AFTER SIEGE
Insane Officer, Barricaded
in Hotel, Captured
by Ruse.

After successfully defying the en-
tire police force of the city for two
days, Lieut.. True 8. Burgess. the
demented army oficer who escaped
from St. Elizabeth's Insane Asylum
Tuesday and barricaded himself In
q room at the Metropolitan Hotel.
was captured yesterday afternoon
by Detectives O'Brien. Kelly and
Mullen. with Policemen Carrico and
OMeara.
The man was persuaded by the
hotel manager to surrender his gun
the manager telling him over the
phone that he would have to either
give up the gun or leave the hotel.
Rather than give up his room Lieut..
Burgess agreed to place the gun
outside his door for the police au-
thorities to take in charge.
seised BY Detective.
At o'clock the demented officer
called downstairs for change for q
fiye-dollar bill. Detective o'Brien
brought the change upstairs and
called to Burgess to reach over the
transome and take his money. AS the
mans hands appeared over the trans
some the detective caught Burgess
wrists in a vise-like grip and held
them while the door was battered
down.
Burgess gave himself Up without
protest, and even stated that he was
ashamed Of himself for raising such
disturbance. During the time he
was In charge of the police he acted
In rational manner, giving no indi-
cations that he was suffering from
any mental trouble. Several notes
were found on him giving his reason
for contemplated suicide. One was
addressed to his sweetheart, stating
that all was over and that he Was
going to take his life.
Lieut.. Burgess Is a member OF the
Medical Corps. having received his
commission a little over a year ago.
A native OF Russellville. Ark. he re-
ceived his education at George Wash
ington University. He Is 30 years old.
Realized His Condition.
A few months ago he was sent tc
st. Elizabeth's, suffering from ar
incurable mental trouble. A ply
sician himself. the officer suspected
l NhaN MS IAOublc was - hN
had asked several times to see his
| each time. It Is supposed that ht
finally succeeded in securing the
chart and resolved to take his lif,
when he saw 1t confirmed his sus'
| piclons.
A friend who dined with him las'
week declared last night that th'
. l.. - -
| he would commit suicide IL he dis
covered that he could never recover
While at the hospital Lieut.. Bur
CESS was allowed the freedom of tn,
| grounds as he was not considered {
dangerous man, despite an attach
on one of the doctors at the hospita
some time ago. Tuesday morning
about 10 o'clock he left the asylum
and came to the city. At one of tn,
| stores in the downtown section h
bought a Colt revolver, paying s2I
for IL, and then went to the Metro
politan Hotel where he registered.
| At 40 Tuesday afternoon he callet
up DR.. John Murphy at the hospita
and asked him to come to the hote
to see him. He told him that he wa!
about to shoot himself and that hehat
| lett note fOr the coroner. Dr. Mur
ply arrived at 7:S0. accompanied b!
headquarters detectives and attend
ants from the hospital. Burgess
threatened to shoot himself IL the,
did not leave but the doctor. DR.
Murphy motioned them away AM
tried to quiet the demented man
Burgess kept the muzzle OF his re
volver pressed to his forehead durint
the entire interview. and finally DR.
Murphy left. leaving Detective Scriv
ener on guard.
The authorities decided that
would be best to keep the man a!
quiet as possible until they could plal
some scheme to disarm him. Afte
! the hotel managers ruse had sue
| ceeded Burgess was taken first t
police headquarters and later to tn
insane hospital