Evening star., 1898-09-22
WOMAN THREATENS MURDER
Martha Dorsey Visits Attorney Richardson's
Office With Homicidal Intent.
Her Arrest Follows and She is Held
for Examination as to
Her Sanity.

Martha Dorsey, a burly co1ored woman,
aged about thirty years, today arrest
ed by Detectives Weldon and Lacy on the
charge of threatening to kill Mr.. Mason n.
Richardson. one of the assistant attorneys
for the District of Columbia. The woman
Was taken into custody while she was in
Mr Richardson's office, awaiting his ar
rival, she having gone there with the avow-
Jed purpose OF executing threat previously
made
Mr.. Richardson says he believes the wo-
man is insane but is inclined to think she
fully intended to do what she said she
would. He has for several months past
had trouble account of Martha, who
was formerly employed by Mrs. Richard
son as q servant.
On the night of June 10 last as was
stated in The Star of the following day,
Mr. Richardson's house was robbed of
considerable quantity Of jeweiry and other
valuables. Martha acted at the time
though her mind was unbalanced but Mr..
Richardson did not then think she had any
homicidal tendencies. Mrs. Richardson dis
pcn5ed with the Woman's services and she,
Of course, left the premises
Some time later Mr. Richardson was
amazed to receive from the Palais Royal a
bill for goods said to have been purchased
by 4 member of his family and amounting
to 500 AS his family had not bought any
goods from the house referred to on credit.
Mr.. Richardson advised that no attention
be paid to the bill, and this course was fol-
lowed. Still later, however, he received a
second bill for the goods. Mrs. Richardson
then decided to investigate the matter and
she found that Martha had purchased a
rousseau at the Palais Royal, informing
me manager of the house that Mr.. Rich
ardson would pay for them.
hn nav
Richardson was while he was acting re-
Gently as prosecutor in the Police Court.
curing the absence of Mr.. Pugh, when the
woman was arrested for vagrancy. Being
satisfied that she was insane, Mr.. Richard
son SO. had had her examined by Dr.: D. Percy
Tickling, surgeon of the Washington
Asylum who recommended that she be
sent to ST Elizabeth's Before the ques-
ton was definitely settled however, the
woman was set at liberty. by whom it is
not known. and Mr.. Richardson says he
thinks it was done in error
Receives Il Letter.
This morning, upon going to his office,
corner of Louisiana avenue and Az street,
Mr.. Richardson found awaiting him let
Ter from Mrs. Blanche Slocum, sister of
Martha, and while reading It, Lawyer Hew-
lett entered and informed Mr.. Richardson
that Martha Dorsey, was in his office, and
said the former should never enter the
court house again, as she intended to kill
him on sight. The woman further inform
ed Mr.. Hewlett that Mr.. Richardson was
really Howard Schneider, who was hanged
several years ago for the murder of his
wife; that Schneider had come to life and
was going about in the person of Mr..
Richardson. and she therefore intended to
kill him. Mr. Richardson dec!ued that the
time had arrived for him to protect him
self and he at once went to the detective
bureau, where he laid the facts before Act
ing Inspector Boardman. The inspector
Il
the woman. Mr.. Richardson, accompanied
the detectives round to his office, where
the two found Martha waiting, apparently
to put her threat into execution. The ofil-
GERS at once took her into custody and es-
corted her to detective headquarters, where
she reiterated her assertion in Mr. Hew-
let's office that Mr.. Richardson was really
Howard Schneider She admitted that ever
since she left Mrs. Richardson's S employ
the latter was very kind to her, and had on
several occasions given her money to help
her along.
Martial was taken to No. 1 station and
locked up to await further proceedings. AT
a later hour today she will be examined
regarding her mental condition by the po-
ice surgeons. A search by the matron at
the station did not disclose the possession
by the woman of any weapon, and it is
now supposed she had expected to be able
to strangle Mr.. Richardson.
Regarded as BIaekmnil.
The letter from Mrs. Slocum referred to
above, and which Mr.. Richardson regards
as an attempt to blackmail, is as follows,
the spelling and punctuation being followed
as in the original copy:
Mrs. Blanche Slocum
Washington D. c.
Mr.. Richardson
Dear Sir
| When | left the city four months ago
my sister Elizabeth was living at your
house a servent and sence that time have
heard nothing from her until a friend en-
form me that she was ever i'll and was
| Wandering around the streets of Wash
ington and when she was no longer able
| to take care of herself she went to the
| Polece and you had her sent to the work
house claiming that she was going crazy.
That is the reward for the secret OF your
| fambily that she has garded for the last
| eight years Every one up here knows all
| about il up here, and l saw Mrs. Hensey in
| the country fast weak, and she was simply
| wild about the way you had treated her
| when she had done every thing that she
| could to schield you. Now the winter is
| coming on and my husband is living in
| Pittsburg with another woman and l have
| three little children to support and matt.
| was all that l have in this world to depend
! upon for help.