Evening star., 1953-08-25
Insurance Man
Slain by Knifer
In Apartment
Butcher Accused
In Fight at Home Of
u. S. Womon Worker

to death early today in a South
west apartment house during a
terrific struggle with the man
friend of a woman who lived
there.
A suspect accused of the stab
bing was arrested at Garfield
Hospital at $3.50 am. when he
asked for treatment of hand
cut. He said he was a butcher.
Two hours earlier, the insur-
ance agent, William R. McLaren,
Al, of 1896 Lanier place NV,
had been pronounced dead at
District General Hospital by DR..
B. M. Hopkins. Mr., McLaren was
an agent for the United Insur-
ance Co.
Victim Severely Cut.
When DR.. Hopkins saw Mr..
McLaren after he was rushed
from the scene of the fight at
495 G street S.W. to the hospital,
he described him as one of the
most severely cut men he had
ever seen.
Mr.. McLaren had stab wounds
In his back, chest and neck.
The suspect was identified as
Alphonso Roulhac, 80, colored,
an employe of a grocery ware
house. He was charged with
murder. Police said he lived in
the 1900 block of Twelfth
street NV.
1t. Lawrence Hartnett, acting
chief of the homicide squad, said
Roulhac admitted the stabbing
after being questioned. He was
taken to the District Morgue at
noon to face coroner'S inquest.
Detective Sergt. Pat Deenihan
Of the homicide squad, said the
struggle that led to Mr.. Nc
Laren's death began around 6:15
am. in the apartment of Mrs.
Ruth I. Jones, 33, colored, an
employe of the Bureau of En-
craving and Printing.
Woman Changes Story.
Mrs. Jones at first said the
insurance man called on her to
collect premium before she left
for work. according to Sergt.
Deenihan. He said later she ad-
mitted that Mr.. McLaren had
spent the night at her apart
ment.
Sergt. Deenihan said she re-
lated this sequence of events:
They were in the living room
about 6:15 am. when the door
burst open and in came the man
whom she described as an "ex-
boy friend" Without speaking
q word, he drew a knife from
his pocket and attacked Mr.. Nc
Laren.
The two men struggled until
Mr.. McLaren broke away and
ran out of the apartment. His
asSailant followed and caught
him on the third-floor stair
landing.
They continued fighting down
the stairs until the second floor
landing was reached. There Mr..
McLaren collapsed and the man
fed.
An insurance policy book later
was found lying on a table in
the apartment living room.
Sergt. Deenihan said blood
was spattered over the apart
ment living room and the stairs.
Tells of Warning.
1t. Harnett said Roulhac told
him he had warned Mr.. McLaren
several weeks ago to keep away
from Mrs. Jones.
He said Roulhac gave this ver-
sion of what happened:
Roulhac was on the way to
work this morning when he saw
Mr.. McLaren's automobile parked
in front of the apartment. He
went up to the apartment and
entered.
He Immediately attacked the
insurance man, stabbing him
several times in the struggle in
the apartment. The fight con-
tinued outside and down the
stairs.
He left McLaren crumpled on
the second-f1oor landing and
went to his mothers home at
305 S street NE, where he
changed his shirt. He then went
to Garfield Hospital to get treat
ment for cut on his hand.
NeighbOr Calls Police.
Walter Hawkins, who has an
apartment on the first floor,
called police after being awak-
ened by the fight.
r. I. Campbell, regional man
ager for the United Insurance
Co., said Mr.. McLaren had been
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