Evening star., 1918-02-08
IS TOLD0F KILLING
OF HOSPITAL NURSE
coroner's Jury investigates
Staying of Miss Mary Med
ley at St. Elizabeth.
OBERLE, ASSAILANT, HELD

Testimony given at an inquest held
over the body of Miss Mary Medley.
. nurse at st. Elizabeth Hospital.
who yesterday morning was killed by
Harry oberle. an insane patient, showed
that Miss Gladys Sellner, sixteen years
old, admitted several insane patients,
Oberle being one Of them. to the dining
room under her charge, and that she
was there without male attendant
or supervisor to protect her.
Miss Sellner told the jury she was
not afraid of the patients. although
she had felt that she needed to be on
the alert. so far as oberle was con-
cerned. He had had words with her.
she stated, but had never struck her.
and she was surprised yesterday when
ne took the carving knife from her
hand.
She told the jury that one of the
insane men had been in the habit of
cutting bread for the dining room in
her charge. Such was the practice
when she went there to work, she
stated. and it had not been changed.
Saw Miss Medley Stabbed.
Frd c. withrart, sailor. also was
witness. He told of having heard the
noise of crashing glass when Oberle jump
cd through basement window, and said
he followed through the grounds and saw
him stab Miss Medley. He was walking
along a path near the administration
building. the witness stated. and did not
stop or say anything to her.
Withhardts appearance on the witness
stand in the uniform Of a sailor was fol-
lowed with an explanation that he was
In the hospital as an attendant 1t was
testified that because of the lack Of a suf
ficient number Of attendants to handle
the $500 patients in the hospital, DR..
White, the superintendent, was given the
services Of forty soldiers and sailors, who
were detailed from the Army and Navy
to serve as attendants. Many of the pa
tients in the institution are from the
Army and Navy.
1t was testified that Oberle was ad-
ing in the Army. He was discharged
from the Army, the jurors were told,
and it was suggested that he probably
was there when he killed Miss Medley
merely as a volunteer patient.
oberle Returned to Hospital.
Other witnesses told of the conduct of
Oberle, and the jury held him for the
action of the grand jury. Because of
his mental condition, however, he was
returned to the hospital instead of
being taken to jail
Oberle was at the morgue in charge
Of two attendants during the time the
inquest was being held. He was not
permitted to hear the testimony, how
ever, it being feared he might become
excited and make a troublesome out
break.
During his conversation with his
questioners at the hospital yesterday,
It is stated, Oberle praised one of the
physicians at the Institution for hav-
ing performed an unusual operation.
He declared the physician had behead-
ed a member of his family, restored the
head without any show of the opera
tion, and also restored the patients
health. At no time was he able to re-
call the attack on Miss Medley. and
physicians at the hospital are satisfied
he has no recollection of it.
Funeral services for Miss Medley will
be conducted in the Church of the In
carnation. Congress Heights. at 9
o'clock tomorrow morning. Interment
will be in Mount Olivet cemetery.