Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-09-09
The late Shooting Affair between Morrison
and Hester

The late Shooting Affair between Morrison
and Hester.
The history of this unpleasant affair
has been given to Us for publication, by
a gentleman fully conversant with the
facts elected by the examination of the
case before the Grand Jury As it has
excited considerable interest in this COM
munity, we have thought proper to pub
lish his statement, as follows:
We have heard from more than one
quarter expressions of surprise that the
Grand Jury did not indict Morrison for
shooting Hester, and have been led to
make inquiries into the matter, which
have resulted in the opinion that the
Grand Jury acted perfectly right. Indeed,
the only surprise we have heard expressed
by those made acquainted with the facts
is, that they did not indict Hester for an
assault and battery or something worse.
1t seems that Morrison had for some
time suspected that Hester, who professed
to be his best and warmest friend, was
cultivating an intimacy with him to
cover his attentions to his wife, who is
said to be very young, very beautiful, and
fond of society, and who, without suspi-
cion upon her part, received the attentions
which gave her husband ground, as he
thought, for jealousy.
On the day of the difficulty, he spoke
of going to Baltimore, and she went out
in tie morning to make purchase, and
for that purpose went to the store where
Hester was employed as a clerk. He
waited on her, and in reply to his question,
''How were all at home" said, "Very
well, all that are at home; Mr.. Morrison
has gone to Baltimore"
She returned to the house, and found
her husband at home, and they passed the
morning very happily together. About
noon she went out again to visit a lady at
the Potomac house, and, coming on very
much heated, she threw off her dress and
put on long wrapper, and sat with him
till after 3 o'clock, when he started to 60
over to the eating house from which his
meals were supplied.
On Morrison's leaving the front parlor,
i'll which he had been sitting with his
wife, she went into their chamber, which
communicated directly with the front
room, and threw off her wrapper intend
ing to lie down. just at that moment
she heard some one run quickly up stairs,
enter the front room, and appear to be
moving about there for few minutes, and
then she heard sound like taps on the
door between the room. She Immediately
CT 1nfn hn ~ q
which closed of itself, and was there met
by Hester with his coat and pants off,
He advanced towards her in manner
which led her to think he had been drink
ing, and she exclaimed Hester what
do you mean ?-you are drunk-leave the
ROOM" He made no reply, but instantly
passed his right arm around her waist,
and put his left hand on herright shoulder,
and appeared to be forcing her toward the
chamber door or the sofa. She struggled,
and cried out, "For Gods sake leave the
room, or | will raise an alarm" They
both struggled, and her cry was quickly
answered by pistol shot through one of
the upper panels of the door in which
there were lights instead of deadwood.
Morrison, Onfleaving the house had got
partly across the avenue in a diagonal
direction towards 10th street, when, look
ing around. he saw Hester crossing from
the north side of the avenue in the direc-
ton of his house. His suspicious were
again Immediately aroused, but he walked
on until, upon reaching the corner, he
turned and saw Hester enter his house.
He then returned, crossing the avenue at
10th street, still hesitating how to act;
walked on home, and up stairs. On
| reaching the landing upon which the
| doors from the front room and chamber
both open, he heard his wife's cry in the
parlor, "For Gods sake leave the room. "
He then walked into the chamber and
took from the washstand, which stood
near the chamber door, in the corner be-
tween the two doors, a revolver which
was well loaded, and taking it for granted
the door was fast, stepped upon chair,