Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-26
MURDER AND SUICIDE
Double Tragedy Enacted at
Early Hour This Morning.
THE CORONER'S ACTION
CRIME ALLEGED TO BE SEQUEL OF
AN INVESTIGATION
Death of Miss Madge Hale Subject Of
Inquiry-Arrest Of DR..
OhlendorF.
THE CORONER'S ACTION

| Following the investigation OF the death
| of Miss Margaret Hale, the local police
| and the Prince George county authorities
| made an arrest last night. This morning
| there was a partial solution of the mys-
| terry when Robert ]. Hale. printer. shot
| and killed his wife and then committed
| suicide. He had been suspected of re-
| sponslbilty for Madge Hales misfortune,
! and Detective Evans had interviewed him
| at his home, No. 50 | street northc ST He
| denied that he had wronged the girl who
! had died in the Brentmar Sanitarum at
| Brentwood, but admitted that she had pass
| ed off as his cousin. when in reality she
was in no manner related to him. Yes-
terday's investigation OF the case as print
| ed in The Star, resulted in the autopsy,
| and this, il is said, disclosed condition
| which indicated that operation had been
| performed on Miss Hale Dr. Joseph c.
| Ohlendorf, who conducts the sanitarium,
was arrested and held at Hyattsvlle last
| night on a charge OF murder. Magistrate
| Carr committed him to the custody OF Con-
| stable Barr to be held without bail until the
inquest could be held this afternoon.
Author of Double Crime
| Robert J. Hale, who committed the dou-
| BILE crime this morning, was a comrositor
| in the government printing office. He was
| from Scranton, Pa, and had lived here
| about fifteen years. His wife was a Miss
Fannie Reardon and her home VS. at
Horsehead near Elmira, y. y. She first
! married a man nalled Francis. who died.
| and subsequently she became the wife OF
Hale He WAS nfty-two H'ears old, nd q
stylish dresser. He was known 10 have
visited Miss Madge Hale at her boarding
house where he had been introduced as
her cousin. Hale got up about 6:i5 . clock
this morning and went tn the room in the
basement where he fixed the latrobc fire.
Then he went out and got the copy OF the
morning paper that had been left at his
door The condition OF the paper on the
dining room table Indicated that he had
read the story of DIR. Ohlendorfs arrest
and of the subsequent investigation. which
he probably feared would mean his ruin.
Then he wrote several notes. 1t is ap-
parent from the contents of these notes
that it was his intention 10 kill himself and
not molest his wife. From the time he left
| the dining room until he reached the sleep
ing chamber he probably thought over the
matter and concluded that his wife would
be better off If she did not have 10 bear
what he had brought upon her
Message to His Wife.
In the note TO his wife, which was found
i'll his desk, he said:
ITO Fannie the best woman in the
world unfortunately married to a degener-
ate: Think kindly fine sometimes ,as
there were few virtues that were mine.
Have my remains cremated that there
will be neither name nor remembrance.
Find all your papers in tin box
Collect insurance from National Union
and Equitable Life Find building asso-
ciation book In vest pocket. Collect
money from Typographical Union-s3l0
(Signed) ''R. J. HALE
The other note, which was not addressed
to anybody, reads:
graced my wife. the dearest, best and most
noble woman in the world. write this that
all may know she was not to blame in any
way shape or manner for my perfidy. She
was too grand too noble and too honorable,
and If | had done as she always wanted me
TO the end would not be it is-death and
disgrace 10 me- ROBERT J. HALE
Owner Of Real Estate.
Robert j. Hale owned several pieces OF
real estate, including the house in when
he committed the double tragedy this morn
irg Two weeks ago he sold a house on I
street a few doors from his home. His wife
was a devout Catholic, but the husband
was of a different religious belief IL Is
known that she frequently discussed Win
him the question of his manner of living,
and when he was visited by Madge Hale.
the employe of the government printing
office bindery, Mrs. Hale's wife made
known her objections.
.Rut she's my COUSIN the man pro-
tested
Hale and his wife were out together last
night and when they reached home they
went to the kitchen in the basement and
had a light lunch. James Ray, also COM
positor in government employ, occupied
room on the top floor OF the hale nome.
This morning he heard a noise in the house
about 6:45 clock, but could not locate It,
Ray went out to his breakfast and return
ed home about 9:3o O'Clock. AS he entered
the house he was met by HaleS dog Bl-
lou" which had been Haie's constant COM
pauion for several years.
The dogs manner excited the suspic:onS
of the roo,uer and when the latter S w no
signs of Hale or his wife about the house
he went to their apartment One glance
into the darkened room was all that was
necessary to explain their silence
Row left the house and sought ponce
man Crossing Policeman Bryan was found
and he communicated the Information TO
Sergeant Elliott The mouse was s,sltea t,.
was on hand long before noon. The latter
found a bullet wound in Mrs Hale's left
temple and that the bah had passed
through the head. while Hale had shot HIM
self N the right temple. Mrs. ii les body
had not moved an inch from the position
it was in when she was shot, while ms
the blood had streamed almost the entire
length of the room over the mating. The
revolver the husband had used was in the
bed between the two bodies.
Certificates of Death.
Detectives Evans and McNamee were sent
to the house by Captain Boardman ana
they made an investigation The notes left
by Hale were read and the detectives and
coroner had no difficulty in reaching con-
cusion. Coroner hewitt gave the necessary
oart;fcates and committee from n local
lodge of Masons, of which Hale was a
member took charge of the bodies.
Thomas Hale, father of the dead man, is
a carnenter and his home Is at Scranton,
Pa. nephew of Mrs. Hale. Thomas Rear
don lives in this city. and is employed in
a 9th street plumbing establishment.
Inquest Over Miss Hale's Remains.
Detectives Baur and Evans were i'm at
tendance at the inquest held this afternoon
at Hyattsville over the remains of Miss
Madge Hale. The detectives made thor
ough investigation of the case yesterday,
and when DIR. Glazebrook reported i, was
decided to cause the arrest of DIR. Ohlen.
dorf. The detectives consulted States At
torney Levin and Magistrate Carr at Hy.