Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-09-13
WHITE MAN IN
MURDER CASE
NOW RELIEVED THAT HE KILL
ED Mrs. FRANK RORSCHACH
IN PORTSMOUTH.

Norfolk, Va. Sept. IS.--All that
was mortal of the late Mrs. Mary
Iawloss Rorschach. wife OF Naval
Lieutenant Frank Rorschach and the
victim OF an unknown burglar. who
invaded her home and shot her TO
death Tuesday morning while she
endeavored TO drive him therefrom.
was yesterday afternoon laid to rest
in the Lawlcss plot I'm Oak Grove
cemetery Portsmouth
The body OF Mrs. Rorschaeh was
laid TO rest by the side OF her grand
parents, mother and twelve brothers
and sisters
Simple funeral services. conducted
according to the rites OF the Catholic
church. of which Mrs. Rorschach
was devout member. were held In
the Rorschach home. sac Park ave-
nue., Park view, Portsmouth. yester-
day afternoon with the Rev. Father
l.ackcy, assistant pastor OF st. Paul's
/ Catholic church. celebrant.
The ball-bearers were: r. b..
| Daugherty, Walter l.. Bilisoly,
Judge William ~ Portlock. Alexan-
der Warner. Paul C. Truglen. l.. G.
Hail, Andrew Ainsworth and II. r.
Butt, Jr.
IL was the desire of Lieutenant
Rorschach to defer the funeral and
1 hatr loI A. L.,
rive from Parsons. Kans.. but the
condition OF the body made an early
funeral quite necessary. Lieutenant
Rorschach's relatives are now on
their way from their western home.
The cause OF the body taking such
form as to make an early burial
necessary Is attributed to the delay
of the coroner, whom Il is reported
make "A post mortem examination OF
/ the body until six hours after death.
/ The inquest 20 be held today may
rdsnlt In startling developments. II
is now believed In certain quarters
I that Mrs RoTschach was not muir
dered by n negro but a white man.
who finding himself recognized by
/ the woman, decided that the only
means Of escape for him would be
to take her life and that quickly
/ by placing the pistol he took from
the defcnseess woman to her heart
and firing the deadly shot.
| 1t now develops that In June. 1905,
while Mrs. Rorschach was away at
n steamboat wharf seeing her hus-
band off TO his ship burglar en-
tered the home and stole her pls-
tol and several rings. but was care
ful not to take rings with initials
7 therein
Mrs. Rorschach had not since had
a pistol except q cheap one which
she returned when neighbors told
her she should have more reliable
weapon
Last Sunday night Mrs. Rorschach
upon returning TO her home, accom-
panied by friends, heard some one
trying TO get in the rear way She
Ewald and borrowed a pistol from
Mrs Ewald as she had done on sew
eral occasions before The burglar
was frightened of
~ is reported that a United States
sailor saw and recognized this man.
The burglar who entered the house
Tuesday morning and killed Mrs.
ROrschach was looking for money.
lie had opened her desk drawer in
the back parlor and had made no
attempt TO disturb slverware or
anything else
% is now believed Chat Mrs
Rorschach was not coming down
.afaIrs with a lamp In her hand. but
was creeping down in the dark to
wound the burglar In an effort to
establish his identity when the bur
glar. who had had the lamp, in go
iug through things rushed upon her.
a cuf0e followed The shots hrst
fred are believed TO have been fred
by Mrs Rorschach while the burglar
was struggling with her as the shots
went up in the wall some sixteen
feet from he floor
There were no marks about her
Throat but her foot and leg were
cut whore she fell on the broken
glass OF The shade to the lamp Her
foot was also black whore she may
have stepped ON the lighted lamp 10
b. exHuguish flames
Q While the negroes. Archer Lee
and Shield. are stnl being held the
5 belief That % white man IS the guilty
person grows and developments
o. along 'his line may occur at ans
"a time