The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-10
Wife of Naval Officer Dies
From Bullet Out Of
Her Own Pistol.
HUSBAND WITH Big FLEET
Criminal Escaped Without Plum.
der and Bloodhounds Pursued
Him, but Soon Lost Scent.
Mrs. Rorschach Lived
Alone at Portsmouth, Va.

NORFOLK, Va, Sept 10.-Mrs. Mary
Frank Rorschach, United States navy,
and sister of Joseph T. Lawless. for
mer secretary of the Commonwealth of
Virginia, was murdered in her home,
1892 Park avenue. Park View, Ports
mouth, by an unknown burglar early
today.
She was shot through the heart with
her own pistol, taken from her haEN by
the burglar after she had fired twice
upon him through an open door leading
into the kitchen, where he was cor
nered.
Whether the murderer was a negro
or white man is unknown. He escaped,
dropping the pistol as he fed from the
house. Blood hounds carried to the
house from the Portsmouth jail secured
a scent and ran from the house. This
was soon lost, however, and the hounds
have since been unable to pick up the
trail
Mrs. Rorschach, whose fearlessness
was well known, was living with her
two children, aged Z and respectively.
Her husband is Lieutenant Rorschach,
formerly of the United States battle
ship Kentucky, but more recently pro-
NOTED and transferred to the cruiser
Tennessee, now with Admiral Evans S
feet off Provincetown, Mass. on target
practice.
The shots awakened the oldest boy,
Frank, jr., and the mother cried to
the boy upstairs. Frank, somebody has
taken my pistol and shot me. Go
quickly for help
The boy rushed for help, as directed.
but when he returned with neighbors
his mother was dead. An effort was
made to inform Lieutenant Rorschach
by wireless of the tragedy.
The Rorschach home is Immediately
in the rear of the Naval Hospital woods
in Portsmouth and near a lumber mill
to which negroes frequently pass. A
newsboy who lives nearby saw negro
shortly after the tragedy running rap
idly by his home towards small foot
bridge. whence the bloodhounrs went
when they caught the scent.
While Mrs. Rorschach had lamp in
her hand, the burglar was in the
kitchen in the dark. She evidently
heard the man and aimed in that di-
rection Both bullets fired by her were
found in the wall of the kitchen.
Mrs. Rcrschach, with her money tied
in a roll and hanging around her neck,
had run downstairs by the back steps.
She was found lying with her head on
the second step. The pistol had been
placed close to her left breast over her
night dress. 1t was a five-shooter and
only three chambers were empty. OF
these two were fired by Mrs. Ror-
schach and one by the burglar. Her
money and jewelry were untouched.
The victims youngest child. Lawless.
slept through the excitement.
Mrs. Rorschach was handsome, about
SO years old and one of the most ac-
complished musicians in Virginia
Lieutenant Rorschach was formerly of
Kansas, but was appointed to the navy
from Virginia.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1o--The Navy De-
partment received notice of the murder of
Mrs. Rorschach today in dispatches from
Joseph r. Lawless brother of the unfor-
tunate woman, and from the chief of police
of Portsmouth, Va
Lieutenant Rorschach was located on
board the armored cruiser Tennessee. now
at the Boston navy yard. The captain of
the ship was requested to break the news
to the young husband 1t is understood
that he will be Immediately relieved from
duty so that he may at once go to Norfolk.