Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-23
DR.. HOUCK GIVES
MORE CLUES TO
HIS MISSING WIFE
Physician Promises to Tell
"Everything" if DR.. Kirk
Is Made Officer.
SEVERAL NAMES AND
ADDRESSES REVEALED
Gallinger Psychiatrist and Police
Confer in Secret After
the Interview.

DIR. knutt Houck, whose wife has
been missing since their mysterious
disappearance from their homo
Wednesday week ago. was put
through severe grilling by headquar-
ters detectives at Gallinger Hospital
today, but the result, according to de-
tectives, gave them little additional
information toward a solution of Mrs.
Houck's whereabouts.
Early today DIR. Houck told DR..
Grover c. Kirk, psychiatrist at Gal
linger, that if he would have himself
"deputized" he would tell him every
thing" DIR. Kirk communicated with
police. He was sworn in as a special
officer and with Headquarters Detec-
tive Kuehling and Capt. Wilson Of
the Anacostia precinct interviewed DR..
Houck for several hours.
Goes Back to Ward.
After the interview DIR. Houck went
back to his ward. leaving the police
closeted with DIR. Kirk for some time.
Afterward Dr. Kirk declined to reveal
what had taken place in the confer
ence, while the police officers said
that the only additional information
DR.. Houck had furnished them con-
sisted in one or two names and ad-
dresses of persons with whom Mrs.
Houck may have sought refuge after
leaving Washington.
marked the search for Mrs. Houck
gave way this morning to admitted
concern over the young wife's fate
and concerted efforts on all sides to
solve the mystery with the utmost
dispatch.
A number of clues which had hither-
to been regarded as unlikely to de-
velop any important facts were be-
ing investigated vigorously by police.
while psychiatrists at st. Elizabeth's
Hospital, where DIR. Houck was
ditional facts which may have an i'm
portant bearing on the case. These
strongly indicated that the woman
could not have gotten far from Wash
ington. if she left her home alive.
Fear of Tragedy Grows.
Police and physician friends Of DR..
Houck admitted that they were begin
ming to become bewildered over the
failure of Mrs. Houck to get in touch
with some member of her family, IL
she is still alive. Fear seems to be
growing that she may have met a
Tragic emu tI0 SllC
peared, eight days ago.
Psychiatrists who knew both DR..
and Mrs. Houck well said they were
still convinced the young physician
did not seriously harm his wife during
an episode of semi-coma when the
breakdown overlook him. They were
equally sure nothing would have per
suaded her to commit suicide. On the
other hand, they frankly declared
they had expected to hear something
from her personally by this time.
The long. fruitless wait also began
to have it's effect on DIR. Houck, who
inquired more frequently last night
and this morning whether ANY word
had come about is wife. When close
friends visited him last night the air
of buoyant optimism he has shown
ever since his return from New York
was gone. In it's place. the visitor ad-
mitted, was an apparent concern over
the failure Of police to find any trace
of Mrs. Houck.
Had Only $40 in Cash.
1t was learned that DIR. Houck told
the police he was almost certain that
his wife had no more than $40 in
cash when she left their home. This
would not have taken her far. and he
gave the name of some friends in
Norfolk, Va. who were close enough
for her to have fled to them in her
grief over domestic troubles and his
mental collapse. He also suggested
some people in Rochester, N. Y, and
elsewhere, but attached most i'm
portance to the Norfolk home.
Physicians at st. Elizabeth's Hos
pital disclosed for the first time today
that DIR. Houck left note and a check
fa xxyif0 vxyEn h0 fod fv.orf
their home, to show up two days later
in Hornell, N. Y. The note simply stated
that he had gone to st. Elizabeth's
Hospital. The check was for about
SIT, the sum total of their balance in
bank. But Mrs. Houck never re-
turned to claim either check or note.
Mrs. II. K. Houck, DR.. Houck's
mother. called on District Attorney
Peyton Gordon yesterday with a
physician from st. Elizabeth's Hospi-
tai to inquire when the deranged
physician might be transferred to q
private sanitarium. Mr.. Gordon told
them he could see no reason for not
DIR. Houck Immediately, but
suggested that the transfer be de-
layed few days so that the husband
would be available il anything i'm
portant developed.
Mother Returns Home.
Assured that her son would be taken
care of. Mrs. Houck returned last
night to her home in La Crosse, Wis.
She expected to make one stop en-
route, the nature of which was not
disclosed. She intrusted the transfer
of DR.. Houck to his friends at ST.
Hospital, who pointed out
that it would be best to remove him
as early as possible to expedite his
The apartment at 1927 Nichols ave
nue., where DIR. and Mrs. Houck lived
happily until they delved too deeply
into the problems of psychiatry, was
closed today. The owner said he would
not attempt to rent 1t until the mys.
terry concerning Mrs. Houck was
cleared up. All of the furniture had
been carefully removed to a Washing
ton storage house, where it would be
available IL it were needed by the
Houcks again.
DIR. Philip s. Craven, psychiatrist
on the staff Of st. Elizabeth's Hos
pital. close personal friend of both DR.
Houck and Mrs. Houck and their fam
ly physician, was called into a con-
ference with District Attorney Cor
lon this morning. 1t was DR.. Craven
who, accompanied by Count Alfred
found DIR. Houck In his
apartment a week ago yesterday sob
ping over the disappearance Of his
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