Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-17
Study0rdered
ToCut Load at
81. EIizabeths
by PHIL THOMAS
star stan writer

ordered a survey at st. Eliza
bethS Hospital with a view to-
ward eventually reducing the
number OF patients committed
there as a result OF criminal
court proceedings.
The hospital superintendentS
action was revealed yesterday |
In a letter sent to Federal
Judge Alexander Holzofi. noti-
flying the judge that DR.. |
OverholSer has yielded to a
threatened contempt OF court |
action over his failure TO COM
NIT two men sent TO the hos
pital by the jurist on April /.
Yesterdays letter was written |
by United States Attorney |
Oliver Gasch. who had been re-
quested by Judge Holtzoff on |
Tuesday TO start the contempt 1
proceedings. DR.. Overholser, on
April 2, said he could not ad-
init the pair because OF over
crowded conditions in the
maximum security division. He
suggested. at that time, they !
be placed on a waiting list.
But the Judge had responded
with the request to Mr.. Gasch |
for the contempt proceedings. |
saying that public officials
belonging to the executive !
branch Of Government may
not disobey or postpone ODE
dience to a court order, no
matter how sincere and honest
their course may be-"
Space Not Adequate
Mr.. GaSch's answering let
ter Of yesterday said the psy-
chiatrist told him his action
was not a refusal to carry out |
the judges order. but rather
q recognition of the fact that. |
in his Judgment, there was not !
adequate space in which such |
patients could be housed"
The hospitals maximum Sc |
curity division, now housing |
100 patients sent there by the |
courts. has a capacity Of only |
IT'S beds.
Mr.. Gasch, after a confer
ence with the pSychiatristsges-
terday, said DR.. Overholser has
ordered the survey to determine
what patients may be dis
charged under existing law"
The United States attorney
also wrote that DR.. Overholser
is taking the necessary steps
to determine whether some ad-
ditional space can be made
available for patients COM
mitted to the hospital in con-
nection with criminal charges.
Mr.. Gasch said his confer
ence with DR.. Overholser
brought out the fact that no
additional beds have been |
placed in use at the hospital
since 1914.
He said DR.. Overholser told |
him the Budget Bureau has de-
clined to authorize additional
beds, with the exception OF a
375-bed maximum security divi-
sion to be ready for use in July. |
1859.
Waiting List Grows
Mr.. Gasch said the waiting
list of those ordered committed
to the hospital includes Il at
the District Jail and 10 at Dis
trict General Hospital total
of SO. However, a hospital on
cial said yesterday that two
more were put on the list after
DR.. Overholser returned from
his conference with the United
States attorney.
In complying with Judge /
Holzoff's order committing the
two men to the hospital. DR..
Overholser yesterday said he
would Jump the pair over the
heads of others who are prob
ably in equal need of care
here"
Judge Holtzoff's clash with
DR.. OverholSer is not the first
time he has disagreed with
psychiatrists.
In a recent case, the judge
held a man. John Raymond.
competent to stand trial after
members Of the st. Elizabeths
staff testified the man was one
of the sickest patients in the
maximum security. division.
When Raymond came to trial
before Federal Judge Edward
M. Curran, the judge ordered
him sent back for further men
tai tests at District General
Hospital. The result Of this was
that Raymond was returned to
St. Elizabeths by Judge Curran
as mentally incompetent, to
stand trial.