Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-11-02
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette
Washington, ID. c., Nov. 2.

Correspondence OF the Alexandria Gazette
Washington, d. c., Nov. 2.
Louis Mortfeld, a contractor, 40 years
of age. who came here from st Louis,
shot and killed his wife, Sophia, aged
81. and then committed suicide at .
O. clock this morning at their home, 2lO
New Jersey avenue. Mrs. Mortified was
shot through the head with pistol.
Mortified shot himself through the heart.
He was an inmate of the Government
Hospital for the Insane up TO ashort time
ago and was on parole. Insanity, IT Is
said, prompted his terrible crime That
the double tragedy was contaminated
is said to have been due largely to the
apathv. or fright, Of the men in the
vicinity. For more than half an hour,
while the woman was struggling with
the insane man, fighting desperately for
her life, the landlady made every eff
fort to procure assistance, but no one
would respond. Mortified had been
married twice. His first wife died some
wears ago. After his second marriage
he was stricken with paralysis and his
mind being affected he was sent to the
asylum. He escaped shortly after his
admission in st. Louis and returned to
this city about four months ago. He
made his wife promise that she would
not send him back to the asylum, and
the keeping of this promise cost her
life. Mortified showed no signs yester-
day that he was contemplating the crime.
Secretary Loeb announced this morn
ing that arrangements had been made
for the reception by the President OF
"Eliiah" DOwie and his cabinet this
afternoon. A telegram from New York
this morning states that Dowie is still
in the city and may not come to Wash
ington for several days.
According to figures that will be made
public this afternoon by the Comptroller
of the Currency, National Bank circula-
ton decreased during the month of Oc-
tober by 1915, S52. During the II
months ending October 81, the circula-
ton was, however, increased by $685.
1874, $40.
In his annual report to the Secretary
of the Navy, Rear Admiral NJ. 1. Endi-
colt. Chief of the Bureau Of Yards
and Docks, made public today, says that
the expenditures in his department dur
inc the fiscal year aggregates Sc, 6O4, 500,
81. The report continues: "The eflicien-
cy of the navy yards and stations has
been materially increased by the improve
ments added during the year, although
the increase has hardly kept pace with the
rapid growth of the navy ahoat, and it
is hoped more liberal appropriations may
be secured, both for the construction OF
new works and the maintenance and re-
pair of existing improvements
The estimates of the appropriation for
the postal service for 1905, handed to
The Postmaster General today, calls for
a total of Sl6S, OS5, 40, an increase Of
SI4,574,I21 over those for the years
of 1903 and 1904.
In decision by the Comptroller of
The Treasury today the Secretary OF War
is authorized to commute the rations OF
militiamen of the several States and pay
in money at the ratio of 20 cents for each
day they have served in camp. This
rate is the cost of the usual army ration,
out in many States when the militia IS
in camp, the State authorizes a consider
ably higher expense. The effect OF the
decision is to make the United States
bear a portion of the cost of feeding State
troops instead of furnishing actual army
rations which in many cases are not used.
Under the directions of the Postmaster
General inspectors are investigating the
iepartment of the Third Assistant Post
master General Madden relative to
.harges that have been made against
Mr.. Madden. This, is the first case in
the pOstoffice scandals to touch any OF the
assistant postmasters.
A circular has been issued by the Treasury
Department formally announcing that the IN
terest on the outstanding five per cent. 5onds
will cease on February 2, 1904, and that the
principal and accrued interest Of such bonds
will then be paid. In the meantime the re,
demption of these bonds, with interest paid
up to February / Will continue, under the
terms of the circular Of September %.
All out going trains are carrying many gov.
eminent employees going home to vote, ard
hundreds will leave today who live in the
nearby States. Practically every New Yorker
on the government pay roll has secured per-
mission to go home to vote.
President Roosevelt will leave w lshlngton
at midnight in order to cast his ballot at
Oyster Bay tomorrow. He will start back to
Washington at 11:l5 tomorrow morning, arriv-
ing here at S:15 p. m.
Judge Pritchard has set November Ord as
the date for beginning hearing in the post
office fraud cases. The first cases to be taken
I'D will be those for the government against
4. w. Machen, former chief Of the free de-
livery service; the Croft Brothers, Of Wash
ington, D. c., and George + Lorenz, former
postmaster at Toledo, o., and his wife. At
torneys for the defense declare that they in
tend to fight to the last and intimate that the
trial for the first case will consume several
weeks
Mrs. LYDIA f. Larrell white, 81 years old,
living at go Tenth street southeast, commit
ted suicide this afternoon by hanging herself
TO a bedpost
TRAIN DERAILED. -NOrthb0und
Kanawha and Michigan Railroad, train