Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-10
INSANE NAVY MAN
WOUNDS ANOTHER
Weapon Obtained on Parole
Used Against Roommate
at St. EIizabeth's.

Need of a law safeguarding the
sale Of weapons again was empha-
sized last night, when Charles A.
Navy and patient at ST. Elizabeth's
Hospital. was shot and dangerously
wounded by Chester c. Rounds,
chief machinist in the Navy and also
an insane patient in the government
hospital.
The police department of this city
has made efforts to have Congress
restrict the sale of weapons, and it
was pointed out by police officials
today that enactment of such a meas
ure would have made last nights
shooting next to impossible.
1t was about 1890 o'clock when
shots in Maple ward attracted the
attention of attendants and aroused
sleeping inmates. Rogers, with bullet
wounds in his head and shoulder,
was in his room, while Rounds, great
ly excited, paced the floor with the
pistol in his hand.
Relieve Him of Weapon.
Fear was felt that the excited man
might do further harm, the attendants
discovering that he had an additional
supply of ammunition, but they sue
ceeded in taking charge of him and
relieving him of the weapon and car
tridges.
Because of the fear that additional
harm might be done, hospital officials
summoned policemen from the elev-
enth precinct. Sergt. Lynch and
Motor Cycle Policeman Karl Scherer
responded to the call.
Rounds had been quoted by the
time they reached the hospital. He
set apart for the care of the criminally
and dangerously insane patietns.
Rogers received one bullet wound
in his head, the bullet entering near
the right ear, while the other bullet
made a hole in his shoulder. Two
other shots were fired, the bullets
lodging in the wall.
The wounded man was able to tell
the hospital authorities and the police
that he was in bed asleep when he
was shot in the head, a singing SEN
sation arousing him. Seeing his
roommate standing over him with
jumped from his bed and was trying
to shield himself from further harm
behind a chair, he stated, when he
was shot in the shoulder.
Permitted to Visit City.
Rogers was unable to suggest any
reason for the shooting. He had no
disagreement with Rounds. who had
been paroled and permitted to visit
the city, he stated, and he was with
out means with which TO DEFEND him.
self against further attack.
box of fifty cartridges and sew
eral loose cartridges were found in
Rounds possession in the room. He
told the police he purchased the wea-
pom and ammunition at a store on
Pennsylvania avenue near the Peace
exact location. Nothing was learned
from him as to why he shot his room
mate.
Dealer Admits Sale.
Ignatius S. Tamorria, in business at
209 Pennsylvania avenue southeast
later told Detective George Wech that
he sold Rounds the pistol with which
he did the shooting. The sale was
made yesterday after several visits
had been paid the dealer by the pa
tient.
Route L. r. F. D., as his address. Had
he said he was an inmate Of the hos
pital he probably would not have been
able to obtain the weapon.
Tamorria told the detective that the
purchaser of the weapon had been in
his store several times the past week
or ten days looking at revolvers. but
it was not until yesterday that he
made a purchase. There was nothing
about his demeanor to suggest ir-
responsibility, the dealer stated, and
he had no reason to suspect his Gus.
toner was insane.
Had the police plan of making ap-
plication for the purchase of a wea.
pom and giving time for the police
to learn something of the character
of the prospective purchaser beer
adopted, police officials stated
Rounds never would have been able
to make a purchase.