The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-23
F. H. MORRIS KILLED
TRAGEDY N WASHINGTON OFF,
CIAL LIFE YESTERDAY.
SHOT BY DISBURSINe CLERK.
Man WAS EITHER CRAZED RY
DnINK or INSANE.

Auditor Norris Of the War Depart
m"nt. of Onto. KiIicd ~ samneI
Macdonald OF the same state-1rvo
Men Had ueen Cioscted Alone
when shooting Was Hcard-Mae-
Donald Then Tried 60 Kin Hina-
self.
Washington. pev - Frank ~ Norris
Of Ohio auditor Of the war Department..
was shot and Instantly killed about 2.ie
o'clock this afternoon hy Samuel Mac
Donald also % Ohio. recently a dlahura-
ius clerk OF tho treasury. Ia the formers
office at the Windcr building. on SEVEN
teenth street Macdonald aftcrward shos
himself ana also slashed his throat with
a penknfc.
Auditor Morris was closctcd alone with
Macdonald when the shot was fired In
trging 20 make his escape Macdonald
also assaulted the watchman. Thomas
Cusick. with the butt of his revolver He
was arrested while leaving tne building
Before being taken into custody. how
ever. he shot himself IN the stomach. and
also made an uely cash la hls throat
with small pcnknifc When the officers
arrested him. he was heard 10 exciaim;
~ did It. I know rm done for"
An ego witness 10 tho latter part OF ths
encounter between thc two men stated
that. upon hearing the sound OF shots, he
ran into the auditor Office which he had
just left Upon entering the room he be-
held tho two men struggling So each 9th
er's arms. Macdonald holding his revo.-
yer ctose up 90 Morris breast MacDon-
aid. after firing. again attempted 90 get
out OF the room, but encountered NUM-
ber OF clerks and empoyca. which the
sound Of the firing had brought to tho
doors. and then turned aad fired again.
THIS ls believed 90 have been the fasal
shot Employees who knew Macdonald
said ho had had a grievance against Aior-
ris. who. be claimed was responsible for
having his pay reduced others who
knew him said that they could not at
tribute his deed 10 anything bat q dis
eased brain from ovsrindulgcnee la h-
quor lie was well regarded ny the treas
ury officials. but was not popular with
some Of the suhordluatcs 10 his Office who
complained that he was unnecessarily
harsh In his treatment OF them. and often
exacted more work than they could DO.
Mac Donald ls a brother - william Mac
Donad the wcll-kuown baritone singer Of
the Bostoninns. and who is said TO have
educated him for the operate stage. He
has been ia the government service since
soon after the civil War.
Ia February. 1000. his accounts were
found short 1900 and upon being required
20 make an explanation be claimed that
on one occasion he had forgotten 90 close
hts safe on leaving his office aud that u
had been robbed Of the fi00. Ho proc
duccd evidence which tended 10 exoncrtfe
him from the charge OF taking che money,
and as he Immediately made good tho
amount nothing further was done except
10 reduce his snlary 60 81 80 and trans
fer him 20 the ofiice ~ tho auditor Tor tho
Poaoffce Department. where he was eH-
ployed at the time % the tragedy II q
stated that Macdonald has been hard
drnkcr at times and hat many of his mis-
fortunes can he tracosi 90 this source. He
has many friends. however. who regard
him az a man Of many exccllcns quail
lies