Evening star., 1940-04-07
Il. Massie, Figure
In Hawaii Staying,
Al 81. Elizabeth S
Naval Officer Goes to
Hospital for Observation
And Treatment

It. Thomas H. Massie, U. s. NJ,
who figured in the Honolulu "honor
staying" in 1882 following an assault
on his socially prominent Washing
ton wife, the former Thalia Bell
Fortescue, has been under "observa-
ton and treatment" at st. Eliza
beth's Hospital since last Wednes-
day, it was learned yesterday.
Omcials there refused to discuss
his condition but it was learned that
he had been sent here from Nor
folk, Va, for treatment at the Naval
Hospital and later was transferred
TO St. Elizabeth's for observation
and further treatments. He had
been attached to the U. S. S. Texas
The naval officer, whose second
wife figured two years ago in an
international incident" at Tsirg-
tao, China, had been in i'll health
for some time.
1t. Massie, a native Of Kentucky,
was graduated from the Naval
Academy in 1927. A few months
later he married Miss Fortescue
at ceremony in the Washington
Cathedral.
Case Rocked Social Circles.
The brides mother, who also
figured in the Honolulu case, was the
former Grace Bell, daughter OF
the late Charles j. Bell, Washing
ton banker. In 1910 she was mar
ried to Maj. Granville Fortescue,
noted war correspondent, cousin
Of President Theodore Roosevelt
and one Of the latter's Rough
Riders.
1t. Massie was on duty in Hawaii
when the case that rocked social
and political circles in this country
occurred. Mrs. Massie had left
party at a cafe to stroll alone along
the road She was assaulted by
several Hawaiian men.
Later one Of the suspects was shot
and killed. The body was found,
wrapped in a sheet, in car driven
by Mrs. Fortescue: with 1t. Massie
and a Navy enlisted man as pas
sengers.
Mrs. Fortescue and 1t. Massie.
with two other naval men. were
tried in the Federal court. To their
defense came Clarence Darrow. IA
NOUS criminal lawyer, who had re-
tired from practice He pleaded
the "unwritten law" and in It.
Massie's case claimed the oficer had
suffered from mental amnesia"
after the shock of the attack on his
wife.
Sentences COMMITTED.
They were convicted OF mar
slaughter and sentenced to 10 years
in prison. Gov. Judd commuted
the sentences of all four to one hour
In the custody of the Territorial
high sheriff. The fact that they
were not imprisoned kept the naval
record Of 1t. Massie unmarried.
Indignation ran high in the Navy
and in Congress over the assault
on Mrs. Massie and the convictions
that followed. The Staying had
elimaxed q series of violent cases in
which American women were saia
to have been attacked. The Senate
ordered Gov. Judd to investigate
vice conditions in Honolulu.
In 1884 Mrs. Massie obtained a
Reno divorce from her husband.
She divided her time thereafter be-
tween Washington and Europe The
Bell estate, Twin Oaks" Is now
leased to the Chinese Embassy.
1t. Massie was married for the
second time to Miss Florence Storms
OF Chehalis, Wash, in 1887. A year
later he was on duty aboard the
U. S. S. Tulsa at Tsingtao. One
night when his wife was returning
to her quarters after a visit to the
ship, she was struck in the face by a
Japanese sentry It was one of sew
avail 0~1a ~D ,$e that l,o