The Washington times., 1926-09-11
Fear Escaped Lunatic May Kill
TRIED TO
AVENGE SELF
ON WEEKS

i
their guard today, following the
escape OF Patrick ]. Grove, i
dangerous Iunatic, from the police
at the District Courthouse yester-
day afternoon.
For two years Grove has avoWeG
his intention of avenging himself
for what he considers to be q perse-
cution by the War Department.
DR.. Arthur Moves, assistant super
intendent at st. Elizabeth's Hos
pitaI, characterizes the recent in
mate Of that institution as ''one Of
the most dangerous lunatics VIC
have had to handle. =
It is feared that Grove will at
tempt to carry out plans for a slay-
ing, laid while he was in the saw
ice. after the Illustration of which
he was committed to the asylum in
1924.
At that time he was caught while
War Weeks, flOurishing an Army
revolver, and swearing that he
would kill the Secretary.
Being an enlisted Army sergeant,
the man was still under the juris-
diction of the war authorities.
So tIeyS turned him over to st.
Elizabeth's for observation and
tres tment. While there. according
to DIR. Moves, he wrote letter to
the Secretary of War declaring his
determination to stget even" IL ever
given the chance.
He often had trouble with the
guards at st. Elizabeth's. but caused
little harm since IL was easy to
subdue him when Iinarmed.
1t is said that he possesses un-
usual strength and vitality for
man 50 years old, and for that rea-
son he was put under a. heavv
guard when taken to court yes
terday.
The court action was taken by
John A. Savage. who was recently
released from St. Elizabeth's.
Savage had come 10 the institu
ton from LeaTenworth. according
to DR.. Noyes. He now. has an Of
flee at 1917 New York Ave N. w.
Since Groves Army enlistment
had expired the st. Elizabeth's )
authorities no longer had any
jurisdiction over him.
Savage took mis- course on this
technicality and Justice Hitz, after
hearing the case In court, declared
his intention of serving writ OS
release.
When the court stated this inten-
ton, said Sanitary Officer Phillips,
Of the District Health Department,
the men guarding Grove though.
their duty was over and left the
courtroom.
In the meantime, action has been
taken by the District police to
swear out a warrant for the fugi-
tive on charge of carrying con-
cealed weapons, as result of his
visit to the War Department two
years ago.
When the policemen serving this
warrant arrived at court and when
discovered that Grove had disap-
peared. He presumably left the
building in the company of his
cousin. Mrs. Annie Hennessey, Of
1906 Second Ave, New York city.
failed to locate Miss Hennessey, and
Detective F'laherty, of headquarters,
who Is handling the case, is at a
loss where to look for Grove.
If Grove remains in the city,
it is feared that he will again at
tempt to carry out his oath of
revenge by making an attack in
the War Department.
II, on the other hand, he fears
immediate recapture, then it is ex-
pected that he has momentariIy
hidden In the outskirts to wait
his chance for carrying out his
threat
On the chance that he has re-
turned with his married cousin
to New York city, the District
Attorneys office has wired to
the New York police to arrest him
for return here on the warrant.
Mrs. Mrytle DeMontis, who has
supported Grove in his various
attempts at freedom, denied today
that the veteran was dangerous
lunatic." Mrs. De Months declared
that Grove is the subject Of legal
and medical persecution, and she
intneds to lay facts about this per-
secution before the District Inves-
tigating Committee soon to meet
here.