Police arrest Arbutus(Balto.) man after beating death in bar.

Baltimore Sun ^ | 3/30/09 | Kevin Rector

[gate2wire]

Baltimore County police arrested a 41-year-old man in the beating death of another man in the bathroom of Morsberger’s Tavern on Frederick Road in Catonsville at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Benjamin Wayne Shorter, 41, of the 900 block of St. Charles Avenue in Arbutus, was arrested at about 10:25 p.m. Sunday and charged with the murder of Franklin Schissler, 66, of the unit block of Wade Avenue in Catonsville.

Police found Schissler badly beaten and unresponsive on the floor of the men’s bathroom of the bar after responding to a call about a fight there at 1:33 p.m., police said.

Schissler was taken to St. Agnes Hospital, where he was pronounced dead Sunday afternoon, police said.

Shorter had left the bar before police arrived, and was later found near Wilkens Avenue and Wilton Farm Drive.

Police said Schissler and Shorter did not know each other.

Police said they currently have no motive for the crime.

Shorter was denied bail and is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center in Towson, police said Monday.

[gate2wire]

Sheesh. Have spent a lot of hours in this place over the years. Glad I wasn't there yesterday.

[gate2wire]

Heard about this?

[incredulous joe]

sad story

i used to happy hour at the windsor mill

i would expect such a thing there

not catonsville

[gate2wire]

Agree. Been a long time since I’ve been in the Windsor.
People have been calling me all morning wondering if I know these guys. I don’t by name.

[Nonstatist]

I was over at the Dunkin Donuts, a block over, that morning. Such a little hole in the wall, I guess its just a stopover after buying booze at the package store. Catonsville’s changed a lot, but I guess s#it happens. A shame.

[Vision]

Wow. That is right in the heart of Catonsville.

I’ve seen some strange stuff lately. Went to the framing store a few doors down from the bar and there was a guy sitting on the sidewalk drinking malt liquor screaming he “couldn’t take it any more.” Almost called the cops but he moved on.

[gate2wire]

Morsberger’s has been there forever. Started by the current owner’s Grandfather (current owner is @52 yrs. old.) In all the years, I’ve only heard of a couple fights. Within the last year, they’ve had a non-fatal stabbing and now this.

[gate2wire]

Yeah. We’re getting more and more street people here on Frederick Rd.

[pabianice]

Benjamin Wayne Shorter, 41, of the 900 block of St. Charles Avenue in Arbutus,

Translation: homeless, violent bum

[gate2wire]

That address is just yards from the city line. Not a neighborhood I walk after dark.

[Nonstatist]

Violent, maybe, but his apartment is only about 2 miles away, and this was a Sunday and plain old liquor stores are closed in Md., so he may have just been having a bad day. I read elewhere they were arguing about washroom “priveliges” or some such thing. Sounds like a drunk’s argument, to me.

[gate2wire]

Yes. Word around here is they were arguing over bathroom use.

[Skid Marx]

What the...?

[Ten Beers Gone]

Wow. I grew up off of the 1000 block of Maiden Choice Lane (Westland Gardens) and I had many friends who lived in the neighborhood around St. Charles Avenue - I used to ride my bicycle over there all of the time. I went to Catonsville High School and I too have spent many hours at Morsberger's - if you are from the area you it's a good chance you know someone named Morsberger. I usually stop by there on July 4th, grab a brewski and watch the parade.

Hard to believe this happened in Catonsville. Prayers for the family of the deceased.

[Ten Beers Gone]

i used to happy hour at the windsor mill

i would expect such a thing there

In the late '80's and early '90's I played in a band that would play there from time-to-time. Back then, it wasn't a bad place. But now...whoa! I wouldn't go in there now with my 9mm locked and loaded! It's a d@mn shame.

[rogue yam]

All of these replies from people with extensive local knowledge yet no real explanation of the “changes” this area has undergone. Will anyone tell the rest of us what is going on there?

[Ten Beers Gone]

All of these replies from people with extensive local knowledge yet no real explanation of the “changes” this area has undergone. Will anyone tell the rest of us what is going on there?

I'm not an anthropologist or sociologist, but I am an observer. The western (Woodlawn, Catonsvile, Arbutus/Halethorpe et al) & eastern (Essex, Rosedale & Sparrows Point et al) Baltimore County suburbs of Baltimore have always been solidly middle-class. Some would say because of the proximity to Baltimore City the crime has migrated from the city.

However, I think there is more to it than that. My belief is that the pervasive decline of morals and civility is at the root of the problem - that looks to be happening everywhere and not just in the Baltimore suburbs. It boggles my mind: someone was stabbed to death in Catonsvile bar because of a fight over using the friggin' bathroom?! Has the world lost its collective mind?! (well, Obama did get elected) The outrage and shock expressed by those of us who are from the area is because this kind of thing would have never happened thirty years ago.

I hope that sheds some light. Just my two cents.

[gate2wire]

I don’t get it.

[gate2wire]

Yes, I graduated from Catonsville and know some members of the Morsberger family very well.

[csvset]

Benjamin Wayne Shorter.

"Wayne" is a factor.