Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-19
Identification of Dr.. Knute
Houck at HorneII, N. Y, Re-
veaIs Double Mystery.
POLICE SEARCH SWAMPS
AT CONGRESS HEIGHTS
Physician CARRIED Only in Under
wear When Picked Up-Both
Left Home Wednesday.

had been reported to the Washington
police, DR.. Knute Houck. staff physi-
clan at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, was
identified yesterday by police at
Hornell, n. Y, where. according TO
an Associated Press despatch, he was
found in front of hotel, "garbed in
his underwear, singing the praises of
Allah and baIbbling incoherent ex-
pressions in what appeared to be an
Oriental tongue
Investigation last night at DIR.
Houck's home, 1927 Nichols avenue
southeast, revealed an even greater
mystery-that his 2S-year-old wife,
Mrs. Gladys Walter Houck, has been
missing since Wednesday. and there
is fear for her life. Headquarters de-
tectives and police have been search
ing the woods and swanps around
Congress Heights for her since yester-
day without finding any trace.
DIR. Houck was taken to the Will
lard State Hospital yesterday by
Hornell officials to await the arrival
of brother-in-law. During all
examination by Hornell physicians.
DR.. Houck appeared to be more
rational. He told them he was a
graduate Of Chicago University. and
that for the last two years he had
been a physician at st. Elizabeth's.
Mother Comes to City.
His mother, Mrs, H. K. Houck of
La Crosse, Wis, who came here fol-
lowing the disappearance Of her son
and daughter-in.law, which occurred
last Wednesday, has been in touch
with Hornell authorities. DR.. Houck
is 80 years old.
No trace or reason for the dlsap-
pearance of the young wife has been
diseoyered by the elder Mrs. Houck.
REPORTS that the wife had returned
home and taken away their two-year'
old son, Hugh, or Ole, as he is known,
were denied by the boys grandmother.
Friends Of the family took the
child from it's nurse the day his par
ents disappeared. He is expected to
he returned to his grandmother today.
Meanwhile she has seen him and sup
piled him with clothes.
Mrs. Houck, it was learned last
night, disappeared from her home
early wednesday morning. When
she failed to return later in the day,
DIR. Houck went out to look for her.
That was the last seen of either, until
DIR. Houck's identification by the Hor'
nell police.
Another circumstance in connection
with DR.. Houck's disappearance, Tor
which his family cannot account, Is
the fact that before leaving the house
he had taken pains, according to
relative, to destroy many of his per-
sonal effects, Including private papers,
of himself and wife and
q life insurance policy taken out re-
Gently. When he left he had EVIDENT
ly taken 500 which was known TO be
in the house No money was found
on him, however.
Called Ideally Happy.
Mrs Houck said the couple had
been ideally happy and that there had
been no signs Of mental Dreakdown
on the part of either. DIR. Houck was
a diligent student. she said and often
studied late at night upon his return
home. His wife also was studious.
Mrs. Houck explained, and it was her
custom to study with her husband in
an effort to keep abreast of his work
and to help him in his problems.
II is Mrs. Houck's belief that her
suffered a nervous
possibly from overstudy.
She had appeared depressed the day
before her disappearance, neighoors
told Mrs. Houck. When she Iet1 the
house wednesday morning she car
ried no valise or handbag. Her little
boy was playing, as usual unoer MS
nurses supervision.
Mrs Houck can give no explanation
for her sons disappearance other than
that he went in search OF his wife.
He made inquiries of several friends,
il was learned, and when neither par
ent came home that evening an as
sociate of DR.. Houck's at st. Eliza
beth's took the child away
Police and neighbors were search
ing all over Congress Heights yester-
day and last night in hope OF fnding
some trace of the missing mother. Ine
elder Mrs. Houck said last night she
WAS certain her SON became mentally
,,nhal ncad-4s a result of anxiety over
his wife's disappearance.
That the wife is either wandering
about the city or outskirts some
where. or is dead, was the opinion eX.
pressed by Mrs. Houck.
IT think she was out of her mind
when she left home" she said. Il
know my son was driven insane from
worry and anxiety"
Doctor Reports Disappearance.
DR.. Craven of the st. Elizabeth
staff was the first to report the miss
ing man and wife to the police. His
friends had hoped that both would be
found in a day or so, but when neither
had shown up Friday they feared
some harm had come to them. DR..
Houck's friends at the hospital last
night said that both the wife and hus-'
oand had appeared to be in poor ply
sical condition, but that there was
wrong with them mentally.
officials at st. Elizabeth's held DR..
Houck in high regard.
When their disappearance became
known, John Walter of Canton. Ohio,
father of Mrs. Houck, and her brother,
Earl v. Walter, also of Canton. were
notified Immediately. as was DR..
Iouck's mother. They came to
at once.
B. E. Clark, brother-in-law. drove
aere from Canton. Mr.. Clark will go
% the Willard State Hospital to bring
DR.. Houck here. Before her marriage,
about Ave years ago, Mrs. Houck was
graduated in dietettcs from an Ohio