Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-30
William J. Fisher Explains the
Stabbing of William
]. AItd0rfer.
WAS SUDDENLY ATTACKED
AND FOUGHT FOR HIS LIFE
Tragedy in Chevy Chase Home Fol-
lows Alleged Attack on
Young Woman.


years, William L. Altdorfer, former EN-
ploye of the Department of Commerce
and Labor, and later a writer of speca
articles for Sunday newspapers, is dea6
at his bungalow in Elm street, North
Chevy Chase, Md Crazed by liquor. it i:
declared, Altdorfer had acted improperly
toward his own adopted daughter. and
when the friend, William J. Fisher. fol
years a boarder and member of the Alt
dorfer household. came to the girls de-
tense Altdorfer turned on him.
Fisher. who is an employe of the
1sthmian canal commission, was arrested
last night and taken to the Montgomery
county Jail at Rockville. where he was
locked up on charge of murder.
A half-pint whisky flask on the dresser
In the dead mans bedroom, containing
not more than a few spoOnfuls of liquor.
mutefy tells a part of the reasons for
the tragedy.
Altdorfer met his death shortly after 1C
o'clock last night. The weapon with
which the death wound was inflicted was
pair of shears, the nine-inch blades OF
which We're driven to their full length
into his heart. In addition to this wound
four other stab wounds were inflicted on
the frenZied mans body by the little one
hundred-and-seven-pou man whom Alt
dorfer was attempting to choke to death
because he had come to the rescue of
seventeen-year-old Lillian Reeves, Alt
dorfers adopted daughter.
Came Home Intoxicated.
According to statement which Fisher
made at the ROcnsiile Jail today to
States Attorney Outerbridge Spates and
Sheriff Howard of Montgomery county,
Altdorfer came home intoxicated last
night, being assisted into the house by
Lewis Turner. neXt-door neighbOr.
Turner helped to remove Altdorfer's outer
clothing and tried to get him to go to
bed. The intoxicated man refused to re-
tire, however. and. 1t is said, insisted on
drinking the contents of half-pint flask
OF whisky which Turner had taken from
his pocket while undressing him.
When Turner left Altdorfer and re-
turned to his own home next door Alt
0orfer according to Fishers statement
arose and went into the kitchen, where
ne found little Miss Reeves, and attempt
ed TO attack her. Miss Reeves, Fisher
says. called for help, and Fisher came
downstairs from his room and attempted
TO get the intoxicated man back into his
own room. Altdorfer became enraged
at the interference of the boarder and
attacked him.
The pair struggled in the tiny kitch-
en- for several minutes. when Altdor-
Ter appeared to become quiet and
Fisher and the girl went into the
dining room. Altdorfer followed. and
q X
gle. 1t was then that Fisher claims he
was about 10 be overcome by the su-
perior strength of his assailant, and
fearing for his life. seized the pair Of
shears and repeatedly plunged them
into Altdorfer's body.
Body Bears Five Wounds.
Five wounds in all were inflicted
only one being more than superficial.
This wound. extending the full depth
of the nine-inch blades Of the shears.
passed directly through Altdorfers
heart He fell to the floor and before
DIR. Thomas A. Poole of Chevy Chase
could reach the house in response to
an urgent telephone message, Altdorfer
was dead.
Justice of the Peace Clarence Dawson
and Constable Wise, summoned by Dr.
Poole, found Fisher at the house The
latter made no attempt to escape, ana
was placed under arrest He told the
justice and the constable how the deeo
had been done, and why .,.,.ou
At the autopsy held at the Aitdorfer
home today it was decided that, in view
of Fishers statement, no formal inquest
will be necessary.
1t was learned that Mrs. AItdorfer left
her husband about week ago. 1OllOW-
ing an attack in which her husband
brutally beat her. rendering her uncon-
scious. Neighbors, it is stated. have re-
peatedly been compelled to come 10 the
aid of Mrs. Altdorfer and Miss Reeves
when they were attacked by Altdorfer in
the RACES that came upon him when un-
der the influence of drink.
Fisher the man at whose hands Alt
dorfer met his death, is a member OF
the Columbia Country Club. He is a
much smaller man than Altdo.fer.
weighing barely 107 pounds. To state 3
Attorney Spates he said today that this
was the only trouble or difficulty of any
I, u 4, nd q
Is reported to be almost prostrated over
the tragedy in which he was forced to
be the principal actor last night.
An autopsy TODAY was performed py
DIR. Conrad and DR.: Poole of Chevy
Chase. with Sheriff Howard. States At
torney Spates and Delegate A. ]. Cum
mings of the Chevy Chase district
Altdorfer Syndicate Writer.
Altdorfer was for several years a
writer of syndicate articles for a num-
Der of newspapers. and recently started
TO prepare a magazine article on the
tournaments of Maryland, in which he
was being assisted by Mr.. Cummings. He
was addicaed to periodica! overindul-
pence in intoxicants, it is declared and
when under the influence of drink, il Is
stated, he was practically insane, and
a menace to those about him. In his
sober senses he was somewhat aGgres-
was not the kind of man to attempt the
kind Of crime which resulted in his death
last night.
said today that for some time, when
Altdorfer was drinking. he had made
. attempts to attack her. When Mrs
Altdorfer left home a week ago, Miss
Reeves stated. she remained TO keep
house for her father and Fisher, and
no trouble occurred until last night.
1t was stated today that the board OF
guardians would take charge of Miss
Reeves during her minority. but II was
declared by Mrs. Altdorfer and the girl
herself that nothing OF the kind was
necessary.
Besides his wife, Altdorfer is survived
nv two sisters, one living in washington
and the other in Leesburg, Va.
Fisher Makes Statement.
In his cell at the Rockville Jail this
morning Mr. Fisher made the following
statement to a reporter Of The Star:
Mr. AItdorfer came home intoxicated
last night and was assisted into the house
by Lewis Turner, who lives next door
Mr. Turner tried to get him TO bed. anG
removed his outer clothes, but Altdorfe
would not go to bed nor allow his night
shirt to be put on him.
Il was upstairs changing my clothes
(Contnued on Second Pagel