The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-01-13
The Murder Of the ROOsa Family.

of the horrible slaughter in Deerfeld, O.
on Monday night of last week, when the
family of John NJ Roosa were savagely
murdered in cold blood. Mr.. Roosa was
in the Dayton Insane Asylum, twenty
seven miles distant, when the deed was
done. Mrs Roosa whose wounds, as
well as those of her daughter, Frances,
are still regarded as mortal, has regained
sufficient composure and strength to give
the following connected account of the
bloody tragedy:
CAT o'clock the family retired as usu-
al. The mother, with Frances. ten years
old, and Harry, two years old. occupied
one bed; Alice, fourteen years old, and
Nettie, eight, occupied another room and
a hired man, Jesse Cousins, slept in the
kitchen. CThc house is situated Il mile
from Deertield, and halt a mile from the
pike leading to Lebanon.) 1t was per-
haps one o'clock when Mrs. Rosa was
awakened, and saw man, in his shirt
sleeves and stocking feet, with a lamp in
one hand and a hatchet in the other, COM
ing into her room. She did not recog-
nlze him, but knew it was not her hus-
band. She afterwards learned that her
hired man, Jesse Cousins, had before this
been assaulted and left for dead The
tiend Immediately struck her on the head
with the hatchet, stunning her almost to
insensibility, but she sprung out of bed
and fell on the tioor-he repeating his
blows on her head and breast, until she
lay almost senseless He then coolly
slaughtered the helpless children, Frances
and Harry, as he thought, but the latter
only was killed. He then turned his
bloody steps to the room where Alice and
Nettie were sleeping. He dragged Alice
out of bed, and told her to get him all the
money in the house She went to her
mothers room, and there witnessed the
horrible spectacle presented by the moth
er and her sister and brother bathed in
their blood. Her mother told her where
the pocket book was, which she cot and
took to the man, telling him that was all
they had, and he could have everything
they had if he would only spare their
lives. He took the pocket book which
contained only light or ten dollars, one
dollar twenty-five cents of which he left
in it as he threw it aside, cursed her, and
slew her as he had the others. While he
was doing SO little Nettie came to the door
to see what was going on, when he told
her to 90 back or he would kill her. She
hurried away and hid herself in the bed
clothes and was not disturbed The muir
derer then went back to Mrs. Roosa, who
meantime was conscious enough to keep
still, and feigning death when he looked
over her, he left her under the belief that
she had expired. She, however, saw him
leave the house by going out at the wind
ow, on the sill of which were the bloody
tracks of his feet.
After fearful and horrible suspense Of
half an hour Mrs. Roosa heard the breath
ing and moaning Of the hired man, and
ventured to call to him. He answered
that he was dying and could not come t(
!. her relief He lived until near morning
when he became still in death. The chilc
Nettie, however, crept from her hiding
place, and amid the blood, the dead ane
the dying, she watched until morning
when she ran down to the nearest neigh
bor's, MIR. SCOTS, and told what had hap
:. pened Mrs. Roosa and Frances a
once received all the attention and relic
that could be given. The man Cousin
was found sitting up, dead, in a chair
A coroners inquest was held the SAM
day, which resulted in nothing SO far a
the author of the fiendish murder is con
cerned."