Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13
Probe Is Ordered
In Hospital Escapes
Five Prisoners
Flee Wards at
D. c. General

- 49, OOuuOb0 VI
Health Director DR.. Daniel L.
Seckinger today announced an
immediate investigation into the
escape of five inmates from the
District General Hospital.
Two prisoners slipped through
Ia window screen in the maximum
security ward over the week end
and three other patients got
away last night by overpowering
a guard. Two of these are still
at large.
DR.. Seckinger named DR.. Fred
erick C. Heath. deputy director
of public health. and William E.
Bowman, executive officer of the
department, to find out just what
lis behind the escape of the in
mates, particularly the flight
from the maximum security
ward.
Charged With Homicide
One of the two recaptured
prisoners. Will Arts, 81, colored,
of the 1000 block of Montello
avenue NE, was charged with
homicide in the fatal shooting
of his girl friend, Juanita Butler.
30. of 1909 I street NE. He was
found at noon yesterday under a
bed in the 500 block of Seven
tenth street NE.
Like Arts, the other prisoner,
Bernard Coleman White. 81, of
Fredericksburg, Va. was at the
hospital for mental observation.
White, accused of a long list OF
housebreakings, fell Is feet from
"a rope made of bedsheets, and
broke an ankle. He was recap
tured from a six-foot ditch into
which he fell.
Renewal of Charges
The escapes kicked off a re-
Inewal of charges by DR.. John
Schultz, head of the hospital
Ipsychiatric division, that the Sc
curity ward was anything but
secure.
DR.. Schultz recalled his pre-
diction that somebody would get
out" unless changes were made.
after the screens were put in
over two years ago, we found they
were inadequate" DR.. Schultz
said. I'VE assumed they were
maximum detention. but actually
they were moderate detention
screens.
I'VE asked and asked that they
be corrected. Finally they put
some kind of springs on the locks
which helped. but we predicted q
breakout like this"
Memorandum Sent
DR.. Schultz said he sent three
memorandum to DR.. Philip A.
Stebbing, hospital superintend-
ent, on the subject.
] DR.. Schultz said the second
floor of the unit has maximum
security screening. but that the
maximum security section does
not.
DR.. Stebbing said when the
screens were installed, II believed
they were safety screens" Later,
he said, it was discovered they
were not designed for maximum
security.
He said the new psychiatric
building will be completed in IL
or IA months and that to re-
place the present screens would
cost a lot of money.
Police Guard Ward
He said he had asked the Met
ropolitan Police Department to
station a man there for the next
few days until doctors are sure
the inmates are no longer rest
less. This, he said, is merely a
Iprecaution.
DR.. Stebbing said the city hos
pital is not the place to hold
for mental observation persons
charged with crimes. He blamed
part of the personnel shortage
and security conditions on the
influx of these cases, as required
by law, since the summer of 1855.
DR.. Stebbing said the pris-
oners pried off safety screens,
which were believed to be more
effective than they proved.
The escapes were discovered at
80 am. yesterday. The addi-
tional charge Of prison breach
was placed against Arts and
three persons at the apartment
where he was arrested. They are
Wilson Thompson, 80. his wife
Mary, 38, and Ted Bynum Of the
1900 block Of Penn street NE.
All are colored.
Second Break
The second break for freedom
occurred at 1890 pm. Police said
the three patients tied up
guard. George Traherne, SIS. OF
2800 Sixteenth street NE. with
his suspenders and fastened him
to a chair with his belt.
The men still missing are
David Saunders. "a. of the 600
block Of E street Sc, held for
mental observation, and Thomas
Hawkins, 81, Of the 400 block
OF Falls Terrace Sc, under
treatment for drug addiction.
The third fugitive, a l5-year-old
boy held for mental observation.
was found in the 1900 block Of
A street Sc.
Taking the unarmed guards
keys, the trio opened doors in
the second floor ward and slipped
out through tunnels under the
East Building. The ward usually
lis for alcoholics, but DR.. Steb-
bling said 1t was being used By
about 40 patients because Of
crowded conditions.