Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-23
new PAT|ENT GETS
OUT OF HOSPITAL
Officials Meanwhile Devise
Plan to Hold Those Mental
Iy Dangerous.

Agencies of the Federal Govern
ment, taking cognizance of the fire.
quent release from St. Elizabeth's
Hospital Of patients who are likely to
become dangerous to the community,
have devised a plan to protect not
only the mental sufferers, but the
public as well.
The step was made necessary by
the recent activity for discharge or
those patients who never had been
adjudicated insane by court of COM
petent Jurisdiction, but had been COM
mitted to the hospital under an old
statute. This law gave the Secre-
taries of War and Navy power to send
a soldier, sailor or marine to the in
stitution, but Justice Adolph A.
Hoehling of the District Supreme
Court recently ruled that after their
discharge from the service they could
not be held any longer at st. Eliza
beth's.
Hereafter, under the scheme agreed
to, when a patient, coming under this
classification, is released, and the
psychiatrtsts feel he is not fully
equipped mentally to engage in the
battle of life, he will be arrested, given
a luhacy hearing and the question OF
his sanity will be settled by jury.
Procedure Is Outlined.
The procedure would be for DIR.
William A. White, superintendent OF
st. Elizabeth's Hospital, to notify the
District Commissioners that in his
opinion the man released is likely to
become dangerous, and they, through
the corporation council, would instt'
tute lunacy proceedings under the
authority granted them.
Another case under Justice Hoehl-
ing's ruling was disposed OF in court
today. Joseph A. Murdoch, who had
been committed to the hospital by the
Secretary of the Navy, and has since
been discharged from the service, was
released from the institution by Chief
Justice Walter /. Mccoy. Assistant
United States Attorney Neil ]. Burk-
inshaw consented to the release, as
the man never had been adjudicated
insane.
At the same time Chief Justice
Mccoy granted a writ of habeas cor
pus in the case Of Edward ]. Mccall
lig, which was applied for by Attorney
George +. Curtis. McCallig, several
days ago, was released from the hos
pital under the Hoehhng ruling and
as he emerged from the courtroom
was arrested by Detective Sergt.
Fowler on complaint OF Mrs. McCallig.
Through Attorney Curtis, McCallig at
tackled the authority of the police to
arrest him under the law governing
lunacy procedure and charged con-
tempt of court, inasmuch as he had
just been granted his freedom.
No Further Trouble.
No further trouble has been expe-
rienced at the Temporary Home for
Soldiers and Sailors at 921 Pennsyl-
vania avenue southeast, where five
discharged patients were taken We'd
nesday night Immediately after their
release. Two Of the Ave, according to
occupants of the home. acted in a
very peculiar manner" One dis
turbed the sleep OF Ia World War vet
Grams throughout the night by fire.
quent yeIls that i've got a gun"
1t Is understood that preparations
were being made today to get the men
to their homes outside Of Washing
ton. Under the regulations OF the
home, board and lodging is given
war veterans for ten days. while
transacting business with the Vet
Grams Bureau or Pension ONCE. At
the end Of the Today visit, they are
required to leave.
The plan to prevent the running
at large Of patients who are or might
become dangerous was adopted yes
terday afternoon at q conference In
the office Of United States Attorney
Peyton Gordon. Those present were:
DR.. White, DIR. Arthur B. Moves, as
sistant superintendent Of the hospital;
o. w. Clark. assistant director of the
Veterans Bureau; j. orc. Roberts,
acting general counsel for the Vet
Grams Bureau; DR.. Ord Everman,
chief psychiatrist Of the bureau; Col.
Blanton Winship, assistant Judge
Advocate General Of the Army;
George Milling, of. the Judge Advo-
cate Generals Office Of the Navy; e.
o. Patterson, solicitor Of the Interior
Department: w. H. Whaley, assistant
corporation counsel, and Mr.. Burkin-
shaw.