Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-28
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY
Charles G.. Forster Kills Wife
and Commits Suicide.
DUE TO DEsP0NDENCY
ILLNESS OF BOTH PARTIES AS
CRIBED AS CAUSE.
The Deeds Probably Committed Yester-
day Afternoon, but Discovery Made
This Morning.

is an assistant secretary to the President
shot and killed his wife, Elizabeth Forster
| with revolver, and then killed himself
with the same weapon. Such was the
verdict OF the coroners jury Summoned
this morning by Justice of the Peace
Charles 8. Nichols. From the circum-
stances it is believed the shooting occurred
between and O'Clock in the afternoon.
Considerable time elapsed before a jury
could be obtained today. and the verdict,
as stated above, was rendered by the jury
| shortly after hearing all that could be said
| in the way of evidence. The jury consisted
of Mayor Cornelius Eckhardt foreman
! John B. Stubbs, James p. Snyder VIM II.
Mannakee, T. A. Kelly, w. j. Umstead,
James p. Raney, James E. Kelly, Geo. w.
Hyatt, VIM Beedle and John A: Wagner:
The health officers, DIR. VIM. L. Lewis and
Alton w. Cornwell, a councilman of the
town, were the only witnesses examined by
the jury. Mr.. Cornwell explained to the
jury the condition of mind under which he
| believed Mr.. Forster to have been laboring
for the past week or ten days, and DR..
Lewis gave certificate as to the causes
of the DEATH Mrs. Forster was evidently
standing a short distance away and In
front of her husband when she was shot,
the bullet entering at the base of the
brain.
tered above the right eye and came out be-
low the right ear.
In the judgment of Dr. Lewis both met
with instantaneous death. There was no
sign of a struggle Of any kind, and 1t was
evident the plan was Well outlined by Mr.
Forster In advance and that the deed was
committed shortly after he and his wife en-
tered the house yesterday afternoon.
Mr.. Cornwell's Statement.
Mr.. Cornwell stated t. reporter of The
Star that Mr.and Mrs. Forster had been
guests at his house since the 10th of March
last and that Mr. Forster had become very
respondent during the past week He
bought a place here early last fall and lived
in the house until about the middle of De-
cember when, principally on account of the
illness of his wife, he returned to Washing
ton for the winter. During this time his
own health had been failing, and this to-
gether with his wife's illness and some
financial reverSes no doubt caused his de-
About 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon"
said Mr.. Cornwell, Mr.. and Mrs Forster
left my house together. saying IL they did
not return shortly they might go to tho
city
went over to their house, rang the bell e
number of times and in other ways tried
to attract their attention, but to no pur-
pose. l therefore thought they had gone
to the city. Later in the evening L went
over again, and, getting no response, went
to the electric car station and asked the
conductor If Mr. and Mrs. Forster had re-
turned His reply was that he had not
seen them. They had not returned this
morning, and / called on Mayor Eckhardt,
and, stating the case to him, asked him
to accompany me to the house, as further
inquiry this morning developed that NJ.
and Mrs. Forster had not been seen by any
one going to or returning from the city.
Mayor Eckhardt Immediately summoned
Marshal Wagner and went to the Forster
house. AS no entrance could be effected
on the ground floor a ladder was procured
and the mayor and marshal effected an en-
trance at second-story window of a room
adjoining the one in which the bodies were
later discovered.
Apeep In at the window Of their bed
room told the story in part. as the pros
trate form Of one of the occupants could
be seen from the window. Entering the
room. the body of Mr.. Forster was dis.
covered, with his head lying in a pool OF
eye and at the back of the right ear. his
right arm lying across his body. Near his
hand was the pistol with which the
tragedy had evidently been committed. His
overcoat had not been removed.
"At his feet law the body Of his wife. with
bullet wound in the back of her head
at the base OF the brain. In her LEFT
hand was an alarm clock. which she had
evidently Just taken from the bureau and
wound, as 1t recorded this morning when
found very nearly the correct time OF
IA box containing nve cartridges was
found in the rear OF one of the outhouses,
which evidently was the box that contained
the pistol when purchased. This perhaps.
proves the assertion Forster made to his
wife several days ago, that ne had given his
pistol away. The one used was to all ap-
pearances new and had just been pur-
chased"
Dependency Attracts Attention.
Mayor Eckhardt stated that one evening
last week he had called at the home Of Nj.
Cornwell. Mr.. Forster and a number Of
friends Of Mr.. and Mrs. Cornwell were
there. He found Mr.. Forster in about the
same despondent condition as he was when
he had seen him a few days before He
urged him to try to forget his troubles,
and prevailed upon him % take q walk
about the town. Every effort was made to
induce him to take a more hopeful view OF
the future. but apparently to no purpose,
as throughout the entire walk he remained
in the same quiet, Respondent mood with
which he started.
His Brother Notified.
Rudolph Forster. brother Of the dead
man, received a telephone message shortly
after o'clock this morning advising him
Of the murder and suicide. He hastened at
once to the scene. The news caused deep
sorrow at the White House. especially
among the friends Of the dead man and
Charles q. Forster had been q $1,000
clerk on the White House rolls since July
Of last year. He had worked there for
several years prior to that time upon an
assignment from the pension ONCE. He
was Of a quiet. unobtrusive disposition,
susceptible to Impressions Of various hnde.
He had recently complained to Chief Clerk
Young and other fellow clerks that he could
not eleep at night and could not eat This,
together with his wife's long alnese, bore
heavily upon him, and he had several timen
suggested that 1t would be best to end sy-
erything in suicide. Once he said he would
do this but for his wife. His idea had beeu
to drown himself In the Potomac, * the
drift Of his remarks indicated his inteu-
tons His feilow-clerks recognised that he
must be In deep trouble, but did not be-
His Wike's 1llnsss esSiouA
Forster's wife had been In sueA ~