The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-09-13
KILLED BY BURGLAR
Mrs. Mary RocTschach Shot
With AGT Own Pistol
HAD ROBBER CORAERED
And Fired at Him Twice Throaeh
Open Door
Murderer Made His Escape-Attempt
to Trail With BIoodhounds Unsuc-
ceSsfuI Murdered Woman Was
Wife of Lieutenant Frank ROers-
chach. OF the United States Army.


Mary Lawless ROershach, wife OF Lieu
tenant Frank Roerschach, Uui.cf
| States navy, and sister OF Joseph T.
| LaWless, former secretary OF the com
| monweaIth OF Virginia, was murdered
| in her home, No. 832 Park avenue
| Park View, Portsmouth, by an Un-
| known burglar at 3:15 o'clock this
| morning She was shot through the
| heart with her own pistol taken from
| her by the burglar after she had
| fired twice upon him through an open
| door leading into the kitchen, where ne
was cornered.
! The murderer escaped, dropping the
pistol as he fed through the wood.
| house door in the rear OF the kitchen.
| BloodhOunds carried to the house
| the alarm was sounded, secured a scent
| and ran from the house. The scent was
| lost, however, and the hounds were
| unable to pick up the trail.
Mrs. Roerschach lived with her two
! children, the elder seven and the
| younger five years old. Her husband
! recently was promoted and transferred
| from the battleship Kentucky to the
( cruiser Tennessee, and is with Admiral
| Evans fleet off PrOvincetOwn.
| The two shots at the burglar aWa&-
ened her elder boy, Frank, Jr. She
| cried to him that somebody had taken
| fer pistol and shot her. The boy rush
| ed for assistance, but when he return
| ed with neighbors his mother was
| dead. An effort was made to inform
! Lieutenant ROerschach by wireless of
| the tragedy.
! The ROerschach home is Immediately
| in the rear Of the naval hspital woods
| in Portsmouth and near a lumber NIL!
| to which negroes frequently pass. 4
newsboy who lives near by saw ne
| gro shortly after the tragedy running
| rapidly by his home towards a small
foot bridge. The negro was taking off
| his coat.
While Mrs. Roerschach had a lamp
| in her hand, the burglar evidently was
| in the kitchen in the dark. Both bull
| lets fired by the woman were found in
the wall of the kitchen.
| Mrs Roerschach, with her money
tied in a roll and hanging around her
neck had run down stairs by the back
| steps She was standing in an entry
way just at the foot of the steps when
she fired. The lamp which she held
| was found at her feet unbroken though
| the lamp shade was shattered. The
pistol had been placed close to Mrs
| Roerschach's left breast and discharg.
| ed. 1t was a five-shoOter and only
| three chambers were empty. These
were the two fired by Mrs. Roerschach
and the one fired by the burglar Hei
money and jeweIry were untouched
| The victims youngest child, Lawless
| slept through the excitement. Mrs
| ROerschach was very handsome. She
| was about Sc years old and one of the
most accomplished musicians in Vir-
| ginia. Lieutenant Boerschach was
| formerly of Kansas but was appointed
| to the navy from Virginia
| Thomas Archer, a mulatto, claiming
| to be in the employ Of the Merchants
| and Miners Transportation Company
! was arrested in Portsmouth as a sus
| pect The negro denied any knowledge
| of the crime. Policeman Elliott, at
| o'clock this morning, saw negro ell
ter the house Of Archer at 1923 Glas;
| gov street, Portsmouth. Archer wher
| arrested was in bed. His hat bore spot;
| L..
shoes were wet, in condition such Il!
might have been caused by walkin:
in wet grass in the rear of the ROer
| schach residence. Archer says he sc
wet in the severe rain last night.
| Governor Swanson this afternoon OF
fered a reward of 5000 for the captur
of the murderer of Mrs. Roerschach
Colonel LawIess, brother Of the vic
tim. is a member Of Governor Swan
sons staff.
Coroner Holiday found the fata
bullet penetrated Mrs. Roerschach'
heart. The inquest has been adjourne
until Friday.
Boston, September 10.-Lieutenen
Frank Roerschach, who is watch OF
ficer aboard the United States steam
ship Tennessee, now stationed at IL
Charleston navy yard, was notified {
the death of his wife at the hands {
burglar. ROerschach was granite
leave of absence and he took the frs
train for. Portsmouth, Va