Evening star., 1923-03-10
KEEPS KEEN|WATCE
!. At MONUMENT TOP
Guard Instructed TO Prevent
Repetition of Fatal Leap
by Student. !,
ACCIDENT, SAYS FAMILY
Verdict Of Suicide Causes Protest.
Funeral to Be Held
Monday.
ACCIDENT, SAYS FAMILY

Extra precautionary measures ars
being taken by the guard on duty In
the top OF the Washington Monu-
ment to prevent q repetition Of the
fatality yesterday afternoon, when
Albert Birnsy seip OF 1894 Lanier
place northwest committed suicide, az
decided by, coroner's jury, by leaping
from the south window.
Lieut.. Col. C. o. Sheriff. officer in
charge OF public buildings and
grounds. said today that the guard
on duty in the top OF the great shaft
had been instructed to watch all visi-
tors carefully in view Of the effect
Seip's death leap will have on The
public mind He pointed out tina,
heretofore the guard has devoted his
time principally to keeping order and
directing the loading and unloading
OF the elevator.
May bar Windows.
Col. Sheriff. does not look with
favor upon the suggestion that bars
be placed In the Monument windows,
holding the belief that they would
materially mar the excellent view of
the city now obtained from the top.
However. il 1t is found necessary TO
take TAX this step" said Col. Sheriff.. we
Coroner J. Ramsay hewitt last night
issued certificate of suicide in the
death OF Sein Although information
reaching the authorities was to the
efect that tha man had been a vic
tim or extreme'nervous troubles, hay-
ing undergone treatment In sani-
tarlums for tfds ailment which fol-
lowed intensive study at Cornell Uni
versity. Coroner Nevitt is reported
to have taken the stand that the
height Of the window from the floor
~ 10 vile
width OF the opening of the window
from which the plunge was made
precluded any possibility Of purely
accidental death. Even taking into
consideration the nervous condition
Of the victim. the certificate of sui
eide was issued because of the be-
lief that to get through an opening
eighteen inches in height and four
feet above the level OF the floor
voluntary act was necessary.
At the home Of Seip today the pos
tive conviction was expressed thai
the death was not the result of sui
eide. but an accident. 1t was sug-
gested that Seip. being intensely in
terested in construction, had leaned
from the Monument window TO study
balance and falling.
According to the sister-in-law OF
the mans mother, who is at the home
attending 10 Mrs. Seip, who is suffer
ing from the eueCtS OF the shock
Seip was in the best of spirits Thurs
day. He had made plans for the fol-
lowing day. she said.
Funeral Service Monday.
Funeral services will be held AT the
Lanier place residence Monday morn
ing at 10 o'clock. Burial will be in
Oak Hill cemetery. /.
Sefp. who was twenty-five wears
oid. was the grandson of Gen. Birney.
Union soldier and former minister 10
france. and is survived by his moth
or and six half brothers and sisters.
An uncle. A. A. Brney. prominent at
torney here. died a few years ago. An
other uncle. DR.. F. Birney. is a promi-
nent Philadelphia physician
before entering Cornell, Seip at
tended the District public schools and
also was student at Mckinley Tech
nical High School. Records at police
headquarters show that he was at the
Washington Asylum Hospital twice
once in 1916 and again in 1els-for
observation Of his mental condition.
His mother. according to the author
tiles. had him transferred from there
to Philadelphia sanatorium. His
presence at the home of his mother
was during a short visit previous TO
ms return to the sanatorium..