A front-page article published in The Port Jefferson Echo on Dec. 2, 1922 detailed a murder-suicide in Huntington that began with a broken engagement and ended with a police investigation and autopsy.
The article, titled “A Tragedy at Huntington,” reported that John Litsch arrived at the home of Edwin Scudder on Monday night and shot Rose Sandrisser, identified as his fiancée, with a .45-caliber automatic pistol.
According to the newspaper, Miss Sandrisser was shot “squarely between the eyes.”
The report stated that Litsch then fled from the house. Edwin Scudder, who had retrieved a shotgun after hearing the first shot, fired at Litsch as he ran toward his automobile.
At first, it appeared Scudder may have shot him.
But the following day, an autopsy reportedly determined that Litsch had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
The paper reported that:
- The bullet entered near Litsch’s right ear and exited on the opposite side of his head.
- His pistol was later found in the snow beside the car.
- Blood found on the gun initially led investigators to believe Scudder’s shotgun blast may have knocked the pistol from his hand.
After the autopsy findings, the homicide charge against Scudder was dropped.
The newspaper stated that the engagement between Litsch and Sandrisser had reportedly been broken off the Sunday before the shooting.
The article concluded by noting that there was still a possibility Miss Sandrisser could survive her injuries.
The story appeared in the Dec. 2, 1922 edition of The Port Jefferson Echo.
See below for the original story:
