Evening star., 1936-06-29
D. c. Authorities Order Him
Arrested and Placed
Under Observation.
LEGISLATOR BELIEVED
LOCKED IN HIS OFFICE
Reporters Are Evicted at House
Building, Then Permitted
to Return.
Pictures on Page BIZ
RIJIIFTTN.

BULLETIN.
Kenneth Romney, House serg-
eant-at-arms, confirmed the fact
this afternoon that Representative
Zioncheck was inside his Office on
Capitol HILL A physician from the
Towson, Md, hospital which Zion
check fed yesterday was closeted
with the Representative shortly
after pm.
District authorities today planned
the immediate arrest and commitment
to an institution of Representative
Marion A. Zioncheck, who was be-
heved to have returned to Washington
and locked himself in his suite in the
House Office Building after his escape
yesterday from hospital for nervous
cases at Towson, Md.
Headquarters detectives were ex-
pected to arrest Zioncheck at his
office.
Meanwhile, Capitol police ordered
80 photographers and reporters from
the building, on orders by Kenneth
Romney, House sergeant at arms.
Romney said later he did not mean
to bar the reporters from watching
Zioncheck's door, and gave orders
that they be allowed to return.
II want to do whatever I can to
protect this man." Romney said. "All
want is to see he gets fair deal"
Disclaims Official Information.
Romney said he had no official in
formation that Zioncheck was in his
reports to that effect.
Zioncheck's presence could not be
confirmed Immediately by reporters,
either A man believed to be the Rep
resentative was glimpsed through win
dows from across a court and muffled
footsteps were heard behind the locked
doors.
No one would answer the telephone
or knocks at the door, and employees
of Zioncheck's Office could not be
reached.
Decision for immediate arrest and
commitment of Zioncheck was made
at noon after a conference between
Commissioner George E. Allen, Police
Chief Ernest w. Brown, Acting Cor
poration Counsel Vernon West and
Assistant Corporation Counsel T.
Gillespie Walsh.
Lunacy Hearing Indicated.
Zioncheck, it was said, could be
held for observation at st. Elizabeth's
or Gallinger Hospital pending q lu-
macy hearing before a jury.
The warrant charging Zioncheck
with assault was sworn out by Mrs.
Benjamin Scott Young, who rented
her Harvard Hall apartment to Zion
check. Mrs. Young charges that Mr..
and Mrs. zioncheck assaulted her by
forcibly evicting her from their apart
ment.
1t was indicated that District off,
cials would renew the lunacy proceed
ings against Zioncheck that were
dropped when Mrs. Zioncheck obtained
permission to have her husband trans
ferred from Gallinger to the Towson
hospital last Tuesday.
At Zioncheck's once, no one an
swered the Office telephones, and there
was no response to knocks on the door.
Reporters from across the court saw
man resting at a desk. Zioncheck's
secretary could not be located.
A warrant for assault also is out
against Zioncheck's bride Of two
months, but police have been unable
to locate her 1t has been turned over
| to officers at No. 10 precinct for
service.
Zioncheck's presence in his Office on
Capitol Hill was suspected when re-
porters heard muffled footsteps within.
One amateur sleuth saw a man in
shirtsleeves and suspenders" lounging
at a desk. II it was Zioncheck, how
ever, he made no move to identify
himself.
Scaled Wire Fence.
Maryland police have uncovered no
trace Of the fugitive, who scaled q
71a-foot wire fence and disappeared
with a burst of speed into the sur
rounding woods.
The Representative is immune from
arrest in the District under the rule to
show cause why he should not be de-
clared insane. The order was dis
missed when zioncheck was trans
ferred Tuesday to the Maryland in
stitution.
| The lunacy order was dismissed after
Mrs. Zioncheck and her attorney, Max
zimmerman. obtained permission to
have him transferred from Gallinger
Hospital to the Maryland institution.
While Maryland police have author
ity to arrest Zioncheck, they could not
have him extradited from the District
to be returned to Towson.
zimmerman said he Is convinced the
assault warrants will not stand up in
court.
Thought Problem Solved.
Local authorities thought they had
solved the Zioncheck problem when
they surrendered jurisdiction Of the
Representative to Maryland. After
three weeks under mental obServa.
ton at Gallinger, zioncheck was
taken in q straitjacket to Towson.
Zioncheck's escape Yesterday was