Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-09
Shocking Tragedy in East WASHINGTON
This Morning.

CHARLES KNOTT SHOOTS THREE TIMES AT MFRS.
CATHERINE NORRIS AND THEN KILLS HIM.
SELF.
A little two-story frame house, No. $50 Sd
street southeast. the last of a of houses of n
similar character, was the scene this merning
of n shooting tragedy, which threw that portion
of the city into great excitement. The house Is
that where George Morris, track hand on the
Baltimore and Potomac railroad, which runs
along X street almost at the door of the house.
lived with his wife Catharine Elizabeth his
little daughter, and two railroad men, who
boarded with them.
age and OF rather comedy appearance. To this
house. about 3 O'Clock this morning. in went a
young man named Charles Knott. A lady. a
neighbor of Mrs. Morris. who was making a call
al the house, was the only persons here besides
Mrs. Morris. When Knott came I'm the visitor
took her leave. 4 few minutes later pistol
shots were heard in the house. Then Mr.. Cross,
the railIead gateman a the corner of Sd and X
streets, heard a woman's scream. Instantly
Mrs. Norris rushed wildly out OF the back gate
screaming for help. Blood was flowing from
q wound in her head, and she presented n
frighttul appearance. The astonished gate
keeper intercepted her and caught her In his
arms.
Meanwhile, neighbors and workmen In the
neighborhood fastened to the spot. Mrs. Nor
ris was carried into the back part of her house.
In answer to the inquiries she said the man
who shot her was still in the house. This
caused a sensation. He was supposed TO he I'm
the front room, but who would go i'm To seize the
murderer. Police Officer Rauke who arrived just
then settled the matter by going boldly into the
front door, and was followed by Mr.. Cross and
others.
"I GUESS HE'S DONE FOR"
There, lying in the middle of the floor OF the
little parlor, prone upon his face, was the body
of Knott.
az guess he's done for said one of the officers
posse as he turned the body n little with his
foot and looked into the ashen face. The pistol.
a seven shooter "Nictor,' with which all of this
bloodshed was accomplished, was still clutched
a pool of blood about his head and
his shirt bosom was dappled with blood. There
his skull, and another had entered the breast
near the heart, II is supposed that he died
almost instantly after shooting himself.
THE STORY OF THE TRAGEDY,
as ELECTED in fragments from Mrs. Morris was
as follows: Knott, when he entered the house
asked her for picture OF his which she had.
She went out into the back room la take the
photograph from her album. He followed her,
raised the pistol and fired. She tried 10
escape by running out Ia the back yard.
He fired at her three times. and two
of the bullets took effect. entering the skull
near the temple and the other passing through
her lungs She escaped ont OF the yard, and IS
was at that point that she received into the
arms of Cross, the gateman. Knott, IL il sup
posed, returned To the front room, or parlor,
and standing i'm the middle Of the floor shot
ui!li>tH Nv ice. rive ol the ltNOlNer
were emptied.
Mrs. Morris husband was at work on the ra H.
road about two hundred yards from the house.
Knott was seen by railroad men before the
tragedy watching Morris. II Is supposed that
he was awaiting an opportunity of going TO the
house When he would not be seen by Morris.
The latter however. was so near at hand as 20
he aillong the first To arrive a; the house after
the tragedy.
Dr. Herbert. who left Mrs Morris about two
O'clock this afternoon, had succeeded then I'm
extracting the bullet, which was lodged I'm her
lungs. He told a STAR reporter that he would
not at that time undertake TO remove the bullet
from her head. She was. he said. i'm q very
critical condition, though her youth and
strength were greatly in her favor. He thought
the chances were against her, though he had
known even worse cases to recover.
THE MOTIVE FOR THE TRAGEDY
remains somewhat mystery. Even among the
gossips of the neiborhood no suggestion is made
prejudicial to Mrs. Morris character. Knott,
who was about 80 years of age and unmarried,
lived with his aged mother on eth street south
east, near Virginia avenue. He was, IL is
stated, a shoemaker by trade, and sometimes
worked as florist, but appears to have had no
Last winter Mr.. Morris was engaged i'm boat
ing, and necessarily absent from home a great
deal OF hi. time. Knott frequently. visited his
house. until Mrs. Morris being appraised that an
evil construction might be put upon his init
macy, informed him, through his mother. that
when her husband was at home This
caused him to stop his visits, and
he had not been near the house
for some time until to-day. II is thought
that he had conceived a strong attachment for
her, and that his jealousy prompted him to the
tragedy which shocked the community this
morning. Relatives of the Morris family to
whom STAR reporter talked, think that Knott
was insane.
Coroner Patterson will hold an inquest to
morrow over knots remains.
THE BODY OF KNOTT
was left lying in the middle of the parlor all the
day, waiting until his mother could be found.
The persons in the house gave their sole atten-
ton to the woman. who was lying in extreme
agony in the little back room to which she went
for the photograph album. The curbstoues and
fences of the neighborhood were lined all day
with idlers and gOssipS who talked over the
case and questioned the policemen, the report
erS physicians and others AS they came out OF
the house.
At half-past o'clock this afternoon Mrs. Nor
ris was resting quietly. and was Thought to be
doing well. The remains of Knott Will he re-
moved this afternoon to the dead house at the
asylum should no claim be made for them.
NOT UNDER THE CIVIL SERVICE RULES
The appointment of 7. ID. Keller az disbursing
clerk OF the sixth auditor office has been called
into question by some Of the guardians of civil
service reform, upon the grounds that the aI[
dred dollar, or fourth class, clerk, who shall re-
ceive $500 additional for acting as discussing
officer. In this way they claim that tie Office be-
longs to the classified service. and must be filled
through the civil service commission. But dis
tnctly, under the rules, the case is an excepted
one. Before the appointment was made Sixth
Auditor McConville addressed a letter to the
commission asking their opinion, and they re-
piled that the clerk. being a disbursing officer,
Was exempt from examination under the civil
service rules The fifth clause ofrule 10 is cited
1t provides that the direct custodian of money,
for whose heelity another officer Is under
official bond, and disbursing officers, having
custody of money, who give bonds, shall be ex-
cepted from examination. Stenograplers are
excepted also. no matter what pay they get.
COOLER WEATHER ToMoRRow.-Cooler
westerly winds with fair weather are indicated
for New England and the middle Atlantic
states, Tennessee and the Ohio valley and the
lake regions for Friday
THE CABINET MEETING.-As to-day was cab
met day, no visisors were received by the Pres
ident There was full attendance at the
cabinet meeting. The session was short, and
only routine matters were under consideration.
THE PRESIDENT this afternoon received the
delegates to the agricultural convention in the
Ea st room; also, the Montgomery Grays. who
BASE BALL-The Nationals again defeated
the Lancasters yesterday by a score of6 To 3 i'm
a very interesting and well played game. Both
sides batted and felded well, and the game was
won on its merits. Games elsewhere: AT De-
trot-Detroit, 13; Philadelphia, 5. At Chicago
Chicago, 10; Providence, 3. Al Richmond
Trenton, z; Virginia, 8. At Buftalo-Buffalo 8;
Boston. 8. At st. LOuis-St. Louis, &: New York