The Indiana State sentinel., 1879-02-05
Strange Plots and Counter Plots of
Deep-Dyed Criminals.
Murder, Perjury, Sudden and Untimely
Deaths, Strange Confessions and
Horrid Suspicious.
A Story That, i'm Dramatic Interest,
Equals the Best French Novel.
Especial correspondence OF the sentinel.l

easterly direction through the valley of the
Little Miami rlver, walled in on either side
by high hills for distance OF 35 miles, when
you come to little town formerly called
Deerfeld, but now South Lebanon. Al
though surrounded by rugged and rather
romantic scenery, there is nothing in the
town itself to attract attention, unless it be
its look OF thriftlessness. Taking
the. omnibus for Lebanon, over the
Lebanon Pile, about mile out on til 9 road
in a northerly direction you begin to ascend
a rather steep hill, and as you approach the
summit your attention will be called TO
neat two-story white frame house, standing
back some 200 yards from the road, with
several tall cedars in front, and approached
by neatly graded and graveled drive. That
is the place where the Roosa pronounced
Ro-se) murder was committed.
Here is the scene OF tragedy which has
scarcely parallel in the annals of crime.
Here with his family dwelt John Roosa, who
owned farm of 800 acres. was connected
with the best families in Warren county,
altogether well -to-do and man of irfiu-
ence. In 1864 he became insane, and on the
18th of December of that year was confined
in the Daytoa Asylum for the Insane. The
family. which consisted of Mrs. Melinda
Rooss, the wife and mother; Alice Belle, a
beautiful girl of fifteen; Frances, aged
twelve; Jeanette, aged s5ven and boy
baby, Harry, aged two, remained at the
homestead, and an old man named Jesse
Cousins lived with them.
About December 20, Mr.. Roosa, having
partially recovered, wrote to his wife direct
ing her TO have some barley (about eleven
hundred bushels, which was stored IN the
barn) delivered to a brewer at Morrow Town,
and advising her TO draw the money aud
keep it about the house for use. Being much
elated at the business manner in which her
husband wrote, 1t being to her mind an in.
dication of his speedy recovery, she thought
lessly read the letter at the village store.
The injunctions of the letter were fully car
RED out. except that on December %, Mrs.
Ronsa went for the money and the brewer
being absent on business she did not get it.
AN AWFUL TRAGEDY.
On the morning of December 26, the
family OF neighbor, Mr.. Scott, was sur
prised to see little Nettie, as Jeanette was
called. approach their residence at day
break, and as best she could tell them that
all at home had been murdered. The neigh
borhood was alarmed, and the people, in
company with the little one, repaired to her
home to find her story true. The fair young
girl, Alice Belle, was found dead on the din.
ing room floor with dozen frighttul cuts on
bor tha fri -,
which she died. The faithful gray-hsired
old man was found dead sitting in a chail
in the kitchen, near the lounge on which he
had slept, which was covered with blood
Tie floor and walls were bespattered, and
there was abundant evidence OF a fearful
struggle.
The baby boy, Harry, was found in an ad-
joining room with his head cleft in twain
from the forehead to the base of the skull
Mrs. Roosa, the beautiful young wife anc
mother, was found near her babe with four
teen wounds on her person, seven OF which
had penetrated the skull, two great wound.
on either cheek, and both her breasts spill
WIDE open. She afterward fully recovered
but the frightful Gears marred her beauty
forever. Frances, the girl of II, was on
ioules AZ .me SAM .h IL ;,.r. aus M; sns solms
eonui.iun e ,a,', % H.r ;n;nraj IT, srat -, ~as
w Unis une unlnJ uisu' io nisI eneoLy L
waS that MI. hoosa nau esoapeu rom tns
asylum anu ihuroeleu nis innocenes, ano
ane wounus' II wss uecioso' hao oeen IN
hicteu Will ha'cne''
STORY OF THE CRIME.
Little Nettie told the following story: Sh,
| and Alice were sleeping across the hall from
where her mother, Frances and Harry were
During the night she was awakened by
noise and saw man sitting on the bedsid,
! in his ShlrtSleeveS and Dereneaded, holding
M Ahee oy tue manu- aiiu .aihins 70 ner; i;, %. ~
SS Soio s.',e ~ nc ' " 1 VIZ mou Al n..
Ins que ha mas CO. haerd aI;oa h ha@1;nn sni
d ner Iesu oIo Ia t.,,;nC ,,'o % an'
PFC paoaaIns ia rJd Nc; ae' ;1 a,, '' t,a ,ona,