The times., 1901-03-13
A RAZOR ENDS Two LIVES
Charles MOrehiser Kills His Wife
and Commits Suicide.

A Shocking Tragedy Near the SOL
diers' Home-Thc woman Murder
ed while Bending Over Her Hnby
The Details of the Crime.
Mrs. Margaret Morehiser was bending
over the bed where her seven-month-old
baby Law last night when without a word
Of warning her husband. Charles II.
Norehiser. drew a razor from his pocket
Bnd slashed her throat from ear To ear.
From the gaping wound the blood gushed
forth and literally baptized the infant as
she lay there laughing and cooling. The
mother turned and ran into an adjoining
room. where she fell dead at her father
feet. The crime was committed shortly
before . o'clock last night at the home oi
Patrick Ford the old gatekeeper at the
whitney Avenue entrance to the SOL
diers' Home grounds.
Morehiser saw his wife fall and then
closing his razor. left the house ran
through the gateway down Whitney Ave
nue. to Bright wood Avenue and thence 10
the grocery store of John Green, in Mar
shall Street His hands and clothing
were covered with blood as ne
rushed excitedly through the store to
the kitchen in the rear. Mr. Green op-
serving the mans peculiar actions. fol-
peculiar conduct.
Refore he could make an enquiry
Norehiser without an explanation, SAID
Goodbye" and then drew the blade
across his own throat Mr. Green seized
the mans arm IN an attempt TO stay
the deed but withdrew when M'rehiser
turned unon him and tried To cut hlm
.yith the weapon Before the grocery
man could summon assistance M"rehlser
had again drawn the keen steel across ms
throat lie then threw the razor upon the
roor, and with the blood streaming from
two ghastly wounds, ran out the store AS
wildly rs he had entered. His strength
sustained him until he had reached Steu-
ben Street. block below, where ne ieii
helpless to the pavement.
In the mean time q crowd OF eXcited
people had gathered. and the police at
No. $ station were notified Of the tragedy
An ambulance removed the man To Freed
mans Hospital, where he died few
minutes after being placed upon the "per-
ating table
Morehiser was u years of age and for
the past month or six weeks had been an
inmate of the Soldiers Home He had
served foT five years in the Sixth Cavalry
and upon being discharged from the army
about thirteen years ago he returned TO
Washington. He was engaged in several
different pursuits and for a time was the
proprietor Of "A barber shop on Bright
wood Avenue. near Marshall Street
About two years ago he was engaged as
warirnaster in the Soldiers Home Hos
pital and served there until about six
weeks go when he was discharged. II
was during the time that he was thus
employed that he became acquainted with
Margaret Ford. the daughter of the old
whitney Avenue gatekeeper She was
20 years Of age when, in October, 1899,
they oIoped to Alexandria and We're mar
ried by a justice of the peace When
they returned home her parents were
deeply iucensed and insisted that they
should Doe remarked by a clerg, man.
Rev. Dr Green. OF Alexandria. performed
the second ceremony.
Norehiser and his wife went To live in
q cottage Oh Whitney Avenue just out
Fideof the Soldiers Home grounds. He was
much older than she. and they did not live
happily together. Upon several occasions
he assaulted her. and she threatened to
rause his arrest. After their baby "a girD
was born last July, Mrs Morehiser told
her husband that she intended to leave
him because Of his cruelty. lie declared
then that Il she left him he would kill
both her ana the baby. On New Years
day she left him and returned 10 her IA
thers home. He followed her and crea-
ted a disturbance at the house. Sey-
sral times afteTward he visited her and
Endeayored 10 induce her To live with him
Bgain. She declined 10 do so. and he re-
fused to provide any support for her or
The child Last Saturday she asked him
for money 10 procure something Tor the
babe. and he told her he had not yet
drawn his pension. and that his papers
were at the Soldiers Home. In the even
ing he went TO see her and exhibited the
t5l Of pension money which he had just
drawn. but refused TO give her any Of il.
Shortly before o'clock last night he
went to the lodge and asked TO see his
wife. Mrs. Ford. his rnother-iu-law. told
him that he could not come in the house
because ne had treated his wife cruelty
and upon several occasions had created n
disturbance there. lie did enter however
and talked with Mrs. Morehiser while her
mother was in an adjoining room with
the baby. which lay asleep in her car
Tiage. When the infant awoke Mrs
Morehiser carried the little one into the
room where NOrchiser was sitting and
placed her upon the bed. Mr.. Ford the
cid gatekeeper, was reading his evening
paper in the adjoining room, and neither
be nor his wife heard any Of the conversa-
zion which passed between Morehiser and
their daughter in fact, M0rehissr was
sullen and talked but little. His wife
stood bending over the babe when he ap-
preached her from behind and drew the
razor across her throat. She uttered
a feeble cry and, turning, ran into the ad-
Joining room and fell dead upon the floor.
The child lag rubbing its tiny hands in
icer mothers warm blood as Morehiser
stood looking for a moment upon his
helpless offspring as IL meditating whether
or not ne would also take the life Of the
Iittle one His courage seemed 10 nave
failed him, however for he closed the
weapon and ran out of the house without
attempting to infict any injury upon the
babe.
Mr and AIRS. Ford sprang 10 their
daughter assistance, but could render no
Gid. The old man had started toward tho
Soldiers Home 10 procure assistance
when he heard the screams Of his wife.
and fearing that MorehiseT had made an
assault upon her, he rushed back to the
lodge The murderer had left however.
and was running down Whitney Avenue
Michael Hackett aud his wife and Mrs
bridget as well as several other neigh
bors living just outside the grounds.
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