Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-12
YOUTH IS RELEASED
BY CORONER'S Jury
IN FATHERS DEATH
Inquest Fails to Bring CHARGE
Against Henry Alt, IS, Who
Killed Parent.
EVIDENCE SHOWS THREAT
MADE AGAINST MOTHER
Inquiry Continues for More Than
Three Hours in Domestic
Tragedy.

coroner's jury this afternoon
ordered the release of Henry Ait, is
years old, who stabbed his father To
death at their home, Ala X street, yes
terday in defense, according to testi-
mony, of his mothers life.
\ Evidence adduced at the inquest.
which lasted for over three hours.
tended to show that John Alt, SIS years
old, a well known contractor, had
threatened to kill Mrs. Alt and other
members of the family when the boy
catching up with his father, who was
armed with a pistol, in the back ward
OF their home, plunged butcher knife
into his back.
sharp verbal exchanges between AS
slstant United States Attorney Charles
q; Murray and DR.. George H. Baier of
1875 Harvard street marked the inquest
Pcilce learned. yesterday that MEM
bers of the family informed DR.. Baier
that Mr.. Alt had committed suicide.
1ney said that the physician reported
TINS TO Coroner j. r. hewitt. A police
man was sent to investigate and he, on
examining the knife wound in the back,
discounted the suicide theory. Head
quarters detectives later obtained a con-
tesslon from Henry Alt that he stabbed
his father The physician also admitted
he ala not examine the wound
Was Family Physician.
DR.. Baier was questioned almost an
hour.
On direct examination by the District
coroner, DR.. Baier said he had been
the Alt family physician for more than
ID years. He added when he reached
the scene at 1890 o'clock yesterday
morning he was told Alt had shot
himself
Il inquired where the gun was and
was told ne might have thrown it out
the window" DR.. Baier said.
The physician told of finding the
mans body lying face downward in a
rear room Of the Alt home
n. Murray, on oss-exarnination. at
tempted to force the witness to saw who
nad told him the man had killed him
self. DR.. Baier at first testified he was
uncertain and then asserted that Henry
was the first member of the family he
had seen on arriving at the home. The
physician said he presumed the boy was
the one who had said the father had
taken his own life He refused to make
a Definite answer, however.
Did you examine the wound?" Muir
ray inquired.
mo, sir" Dr. Baier replied.
DIDN'T you think 1t was your bust
ness to find out where the wound WASP"
I minister to the living, not the
dead" the physician countered.
so, you just took their word for it
when some one told you he had COM
mitted suicide. and made no effort to
learn whether they were telling the
TRUTH"
Yes. If that is the way you want
TO put it." replied DR.. Baier.
Conversations Recalled.
A short time later the witness testi-
fled he was unable to remember who
originally told him the father had taken
his own life because he was excited.
Further questioning developed, however,
That he had been able to recall con-
versations he had with members of tho
family soon after reaching the Alt
home
You could remember better after be-
ing shocked. Is that it?" Murray de-
manded
Yes" the witness replied.
DR.. Baier testified ne learned several
months ago that Alt was IN a serious
condition from heavy drinking. He said
ne advised members of Ats family to
nave the man placed in an institution.
Reported Them Afraid.
''They refused" he said, telling me
they were afraid he would kill them
all when ne got out" The witness was
excused
DR.. Joseph D Rogers, deputy cor
oner, was the first witness. His AUTOPSY
report revealed Alt had been suffering
from chronic alcoholism. Death resulted
from internal hemorrhage and shock
caused by a deep knife wound. The
weapon, he said penetrated the back
two inches below the peak of the
shoulder and pierced the left lung.
After the assistant district attorney
had questioned half a dozen witnesses
in an effort to bring out the source of
the report that Alt had committed sui
eide, Fred Denhofer, a friend, who was
called to the home shortly after the
stabbing, testified it was Frieda. a
daughter, who first told DR.. Baier that
Alt had shot himself
Denhofer said he and the three chill
dren of the family were standing in the
hallway when DR.. Baier arrived. He
said the physician pronounced Mr. Alt
dead and then he turned and talked
to them. The physician, Denhofer said.
asked Frieda what had happened to her
father. Denhofer testified Frieda told
him her father had committed suicide.
The witness said he was a waiter at
the Hamilton Hotel He testified that
he climbed through a window of the
home after finding the front door
locked. He said that he and Frieda
searched Ats clothing for gun with
out success. He said he then put a
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