The sun., 1903-11-27
SHOT BIS WIFE AND HIMSELF.
FEDERAL EMPLOYEE COMMITS
MURDER AND SUICIDE.

He Leaves Letters Confessing That He VA
Responsible for the Death OF . Cir
Who Died After An OperatiOn-Ths
Doctor Arrested On Charge OF Murder
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7s.LAs q sequel "a
the death on Monday last IN . sanitarium
at Brentwood. Md, from the results Of q
criminal operation. OF Miss Margaret Hale
and the arrest OF Dr.. Joseph v. Ohlendorf
hesd Of the institution, on tho charge OF
murder, Robert F. Hale, the man reepon.
sible for the girls condition, this morning
killed his wife and then committed suicide.
Hale left letters confessing that he was
responsible for the girls death and pro-
feseing repentance. Miss Margaret Hale
and Robert Hale were employed in the
Government Printing Office. They were
not related, but passed among their friends
as cousins.
When Miss Hale died at the Brent wood
sanitarium last Monday DR.. Ohlendorf
Issued a certificate giving the cause Of
death as heart disease The local authori-
ties considered, however, that the circum-
stances surrounding the case were sus-
pioious, and Chief OF Police Sylvester
OF Warrington was asked to investigate.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook performed
an autopsy. which showed death to have
been due TO criminal operation.
Last night DR.. Ohlendorf was arrested
and held, in Hyattsville, Md, on charge Of
murder, without bail.
About midnight last night the local su-
thorities received information Of the arrest
OF Ohlendorf. and two detectives called on
Hale, who was known to be an intimate
- -. IL II is
about the case.
He was in bed at the time, but dressed
and received his visitors. He denied that
he had criminal relations with Miss Hale
or that they ever had been anything but
the best Of friends. He was cool and COL
lected throughout the interview and the
detectives left under the impression that
Hale was innocent Of any guilty knowl-
edge Of the case.
This morning about 9 o'clock Hale put
on q bathrobe and went to his front door for
the morning papers. He read an account of
Miss HAle's death. including paragraph
stating that an employee Of the Government
Printing Office was under suspicion and
would soon be arrested. He put the paper
aside, went to his desk and wrote several
letters, took drink Of whiskey. and. get
ting his revolver, returned upstairs.
Two hours later a neighbor, passing
tho house, noticed that the house dog
was sitting on the doorsteps bowling dis
maIiy. The neighbor entered the house.
and in the bedroom on the second floor
found the bodies OF Hale and his wife.
loft temple and Hale had blown the top
Of his head of. He had lain in bed
with his wife, drawn the covers over both,
and then with one arm free killed her and
then himself.
From letters left by Hale it Is thought
that when downstairs he intended to Kill
himself only. One note reads:
l have disgraced myself; ! have dlssraced
In the world. write, this that all may know
that she was not TO blame IN any way. shape
or 1sa nso. 1S5 my and percy sss
the end would not Be as 1t Is. death and dis
grace for me.
In the letter 10 his wife, Hale wrote:
anay Sss Espss 20 IN ss xs.s uHs Fsni
kindly S me .,ss so~smes as there
an' ns%s Scr a se'e % You sefi
fnd ali your papers Ia the tin box. Collect
LIE You iVi viii apd building T associsson ci
book In my vest pocket Collect some money
from the typographical union.
In Wow OF the above notes, it 10 supposed
that when Hale entered the room with the
intention Of killing himself the sight Of
his wife and the thought OF what the inquest
Get for to-day would bring forth unnerved
him and made him desperate.
Mrs. Hale was from Horseheads. near
Elmira, N. Y. Halo was 50 years Old
and his wife was 80. He was a Mason
and belonged to q number Of fratsrnal
and labor organizations.