The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-08-01

Mrs. Jesse Fifer, mother OF Hazel,
aged 80, and Mrs, Ethel Warren, 27,
were seriously wounded, the former
probably fatally, by Jesse Fifer the
husband and father, who then killed
himself at 1890 o'clock last night,
Mrs. Fifer had sued for divorce, and
last night Fifer went to the private
hospital at 1888 Twelfth Ave, conduc-
ted by his wife, bent on killing her,
From the moment he entered the door
he shot etery one who crossed his
path, and none OF his victims other
than his wife and daughter, were
more than slightly acquainted with
him. Mrs. Niehul and Mrs. Warren
were patients at the hospital After
working all day as gripman on the
Madison Street cable line, Fifer went
to the hospital, which his wife has
conducted as part owner since last
December.
Fifer, armed with two revolvers,
broke into the basement OF the house,
which was formerly private resi-
dence, and crept in his stocking feet
to where he supposed his wife and two
children were sleeping.
Mrs. Margaret McClain, one OF the
prorpietors OF the institution was sit
ting with Mrs Fifer and the little girl
in the parlor. Miss McClain heard a
stealthy step, and called out to ascer-
tain who was walking about the
house. At that instant the door was
pushed open and Fifer, holding a
match so that its light fell upon his
distorted features, appeared in
the doorway my God, its Jesse,
shrieked Mrs. Fifer and the two wo-
men srang up in wild fright
Two shots were fired as the match
burned out and the women ran to-
ward the front ~ the house.
Mrs. L. +. Niehul, asleep in anoth-
er room, upon hearing the shots
sprang out OF bed Lighting another
match, Fifer fired twice in the direc-
ton from whence the shrieks came.
Mrs. Niehul fell backward upon a
couch with bullet through her breast
and died. ...
Mrs. Fifer and her daughter sue
ceeded in escaping through the front
door. Miss McClain ran to room
where Japanese man patient was
sleeping and succeeded in getting out
of the house through a window.
Entering a side room, Fifer saw
Mrs. Ethel Warren, whose husband
is in Dawson and whose little three
weeks old baby lay in her arms. You
protected her Mrs. Warren" cried the
maniac, waving his revolver, YOU
We got to die for that" Standing in
the doorway, not more than ten feet
distant, Fifer shot twice at Mrs. War
rem and she pitched forward to the
floor.
Quickly running to the front Of the
house, Fifer saw his wife and little
daughter on the side walk, The neigh
borhood had been aroused by the
sound of gun fire, and when the fren-
zied ann rushed out upon the side
walk more than a score Of persons
watched the fearful scene from nearby
windows and from door steps.
Almost at the first shot the little
daughter fell to the walk dead. Grab
bing his wife by the wrist, the mur-
derer fired three shots into her body.
Turning again toward the house, at
ter gIancing at his victim for mo-
ment, Fifer walked back over the
trail of blood to the basement, where
he died alone in the dark with re-
volver bullet through his brain.
Miss Margaret McClain, who was
with Mrs. Fifer when the first shot
was fired, said that she had forbidden
Fifer to enter the house. He had ut
tered threats against his wife and she
did not wish to see him again
The wounded were taken to hospit
ais and operated upon.
Mrs. Fifer's recovery is doubtful as
she is injured in the abdomen. Mrs.
Warren, with a wound through her
left shoulder, is conscious, but she
has had several Eemorrhages, and the
doctors fear lung is perforated.
Fifer came here a month ago from
Spokane, where he had been employed
as a railroad engineer He had had