The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-11
Burglar Shoots Mrs. Mary
Lawless Rorschach
Through Heart.
COMMITS CRIME a'
WITH HER Pts STOL
She Had Already Fired on Him
Twice, When He Wrested
Pistol from Her and
Fired at Close Range.
Joe Lawless's
Sister.
Especial to The Ttmes-pispateh.l j

Especial to The eTtmes-Dtspatch.l
NORFOLK, VA, September 1o.-ona
of the most shocking and brutal mur- s
ocrs of which there is any record In
this part of Virginia was that which
occurred In Portsmouth at 3.15 o'clock
this morning, when Mrs. Mary Lawless
Rorschach. wife of. Lieutenant Frank
Horseback. u S. NJ, was shot through
the heart and killed In her home, No.
sa2 Park Avenue by a burglar. The
whole city of Portsmouth and even Nor
folk, where the murdered lady had
many friends. were thrown into state
OF excitement as result of the shoot
iEg.
Mrs. Rorschach fingered long enough
after being shot TO tell her son, Frank,
Jr, how she had been shot and to run
for help. When Mr.. P. c. Trugien, her
nearest neighbor. arrived at the Rors-s
chach home, the lady had expired.
Mrs. Rorschach.s own fearlessness
led her In the way of death. In tho
house with none to whom she could
look for assistance save her son Frank
and young child. she heard the intru-
der down stairs Going down stairs
with a pistol in one hand and lamp
in the other, she heard the burglar In
the kitchen, butsit Is doubtful II she
saw him.
She fired two shots through the kit
chen door. Then 1t was, according to
| what she told her boy and what cir
lcumstances would indicate. the burglar
rushed on her. wrenched the pistol out
| of her hand and fred shot through
l,er heart at close range. the fire from
the discharge of the revolver having
burned the victims night clothing. Tho
intruder then took fight, dropping tho
pistol as he passed through the wood
house door In tho rear of the kitchen.
Had Money About Neck.
Mrs. Rorschach had a large sum of
| money suspended around her neck when
fshot That was left undisturbed az
we're handsome diamond finger and ear
I rings which she wore.
Mr. Trugien and Mr.. and Mrs. Fl. w.
West. who also promptly responded to
the alarm, found Mrs. Rorschach lying
at the foot of the stairway with her
/ head resting on the second step. The
police were at once notified OF the
crime by telephone. They responded
promptly with bloodhounds which We're
put on the trail of the murderer, but
the dogs lost the scent after having
Followed the trail for short distance.
1t is not known whether the MUIR
I derer was a negro or white man.
With evidence against him far from
conclusive, Thomas Archer, a mulattc,
employed as a laborer by the Merchants
and Miners Transportation Company.
i was arrested as suspect early to-day.
Archer says that he does not know
what he was arrested for and denies all
i knowledge of any murder committed.
/ Archer lives at 1923 Glasgow Street,
4 and was taken out of bed. Police Of
/ fcer Elliott at 4 o'clock this morning
saw negro enter the house.
His shoes were found to be damp as
,Iif he had been walking through wet
/ grass. and his wool hat was wet.
Archer is said to have been nervous
4 when first arrested. but he grew com-
i posed as the day passed
Blood Spots on Hat.
i Two red spots which appeared as IL
4 they may have been made by blood.
i were found on Archer's hat, the rim of
4 which was turned down. These will
4 probably be subjected to a microscopic
Etest. So
The police think that tine murderer
i and Mrs. Rorschach may have been
II cllnched when the shots We're fired.
Both bullets fired by the lady We're
j found in the wall of the Kitchen.
II A newsboy who was out early this
running rapidly toward a small foot
bridge about 5 o'clock not far from tho
{ flRorschach home. 1t was In that di-H
Erection that the bloodhounds went
t when they lost the trail. The negro
! was taking off his coat as. he ran,
/ Bernard b. Ferguson, Superintendent
J of the Portsmouth Gas Works, also
heard two men running past his home,
a half dozen blocks from the scene OF
the murder, long after midnight.
Think Archer Guilty.
Tho police believe Tonight that the
5 negro Thomas ArcheS, arrested early
!, in the day, is guilty of the murder.
IThey are weaving strong case of ctr-a
; Icumstantial evidence against him. The
T prisoners shoe also fits the track made
! by the murderer, and still further evil
. dence against him is given by Mrs.
, Quintin Overman who, sitting at the
, front window OF her home near the
7 Rorschach home at the time OF the
murder. saw a man pause under an arc
: flight as If undecided as to which way
to go She described the clothing OF
The man before being advised of tho
color or pattern OF tho clothing worn
by Archer, and her dissertation corres-s
ponded almost exactly With that Of
! Archer. @The prisoner was recently dis
'I charged from the navy, and the police
s,| declare that While In the navy he OBJ,
g eE.tatned Knowledge of tho life at the
I Rorschach home. Taken there late
this afternoon to the spot where the
murder was committed, the police say
4 that he first became nervous and then
q asbeu, Mrs Overman thought the man
y she saw under the arc light q White
man, but Arcker is Very light mus
a Iatto, and the police say might easily
il Ihe taken for white man under an
arc light II seen from a point short
9 Idistence away. "A
9 While tho police are strongly IN
!, clined to the belief that Archer Is guilt
: ty they have not ceased In their efforts
) TO ferret out the case and will make
5, lother arrests should evidence Justify
dtlt Horace Lee, the negro arrested lata
q this AFTERNOON, is stin being held, a!-
. though the police will nop say more
4 apout his arrest other than he Was {arr
: lrested at The request OF MRS. Rors-
Giehach's relatives, The entire police