Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-08-18

it was by a yindictive act, and another cir.
cumstance was developed that went far to
confirm the belief that 4 human cud had
deliberately put poison III the water for
entire Rosser family. in pursuance Of Il
threat made years before to do this very
thing.
AN INQUEST WITHOUT BopY.
Isaac Rosser went to Deputy Coroner
George q, Phillips at Laurel, and told him
about the strange sickness Of the Rossers
and the death of the child. Deputy
Coroner Phillips thought it the proper
thing tn hold an inquest, and so he came
TO Seaford yesterday morning for that pnr-
pose. He summoned jury and the in
quest was held in Cobourn's Hall.
Ordinarily, a dead body is a necessary
adjunct to a cornner's jury, but this I'M
portant feature OF the affair was omitted
in this case. IL was presumed to be an
investigation of a crime, but the GofpWS
deficit was missing, hechld was inferred
in the cemetery over the Maryland line
and ii did not occur 10 Deputy Coroner
| Phillips TO cXhume the body, and swear
The Jury over it, rs required BY law and
custom. lie summoned the witnesses, and
| in their testimony much light was thrown
| on the mysterious affair Then the in
yestigation was adjourned until next
Friday.
THE MAN VINO POISONED THE WATER.
The Rossers are very free in expressing
the belief that the nan who put poison III
| their well is onc William Evans, whose
| present whereabouts are unknown. They
give Evans a very hard name and what
| they say about him reveals the existence
Of a bitter family fc,id.
William Eyliis, who is about Is years
| old, married a sister of the RoSsers 20 years
| ago. lleowned a farm near SmithSyillc,
| Caroline county, Md. They had II family
! of sin children Evans, SO the R0sscrS
| claim. was Il man Of violent temper and
| evil disposition. The say he abused his
| Wife terribly, frequently beating her
! shamcfully The brothers bcsOught her
| to leave him, hut She refused for long
| time About four years ago. after one of
| his attacks, she was persuaded to swear out
! q warrant for his arrest on a charge OF us
| suilit and battery, and Isaac ROsSrr, one Of
! her brothers, got the constable ~ dcPutile
| him to serve the warrant. Tie constable
| was only too glad tu nblige him. Isaac
Rosscr went to Evans house, and Exams
came out with shotgun IN his hands.
They had 4 lively time, but Isaac ltosscr
was victor and bore his prisoner oil to
Denton jail. Evans was held in 500 bail
to keep the peace, and not being able to
furnish security lad to stay in prison ser.
cfal weeks Finally the h4il was reduced
to $500. which was furnished and Evans
was released. For awhile hu acted dGcently
but soon relapScd into his former habits
and became more brutal than ever
One day three years ago he beat his wife
terribly while She was iii a weak and en-
fecblrd condition, and then She yielded 10
the solicitations Of her brothers and left
him taking the children With her. Isaac
l;osscr went eyer to the farm and brought
away her personal property. Evans re.
,.N-i,,nI ,,,l d, NIT Fll A
in which he was beaten. This made him
more angry and vlndicuve than ever.
THREATENED 10 poison THEN.
Evans left the neighborhood saon after,
hut plenty Of people there heard him make
threats against the lives Of the RosSers.
lie Was heard to swear that he would
poison the entire family, ii ii took him ~
years. He went t. laCony, Pa, where he
worked for awhile in the biSston saw
works but WAS discharged for dissolute
habits and Observation-Disclosures Last Spring
he rrt0rnedta Maryland and sold his farm,
his wife against the wishesof her brothers
joining With him in signing the deed OF
sale Even NJ this time he tolls! his wife
that lie was determined TO kill all tho
members Of the tosscr family.
sEES Is TnE SEiGHHnRnnon.
It is nov firmly believed that William
ENaus visited John Russcr's farm last
Thursday week, while the family wcr,
away At camp-mectng. A man answering
his description WAS seen that day. inquir
ing tide way to oak Grove, and toward,
miaht was seen beyond oak Grove gong ii
thadireGtionnf Cambridge, skElking across
lots and evidently trying 10 conceal him
self The Russcrs firmly believe that ht
WAS at their place ani that he put puisol
in their we'll. He is an EnglShman, anr
it Is thought Tint ne IS using the proceed!
Of his farm 70 take him back TO England
ARsESIc WAS usEp.
. The water was poisoned with arsenic
, This fact WAS developed by Il careful
rhcmieal analysis made By Harlan !.
Wallace, a graduate in pharmacy am
member Of The druggist firm Of Dr, W, \
laluCsN 90. lie took sample vt lhi
n water and found evidences of the prcscuc
& 81 arsenic III very pronounced quantities
. The poisOner must have thrown enough
i arsenic il the well tulnake sure Of KILN
!, the entire family had thcy kept on drink
ing the water far awhile without suspicion
q Mr.. Wallace also took samples Of mill
/ from the affected cows, aud analylct
r them, with the result Of finding decide
. trace, Of arsouual poisoning
- These analyses and several others mad
hy Mr. Wallace will he used lii the full in
vrstigalion III the case Mat will be mad
Dcputv Acknowledgement Branch II tiilr
K III. rl,-n 0n In nart IF III St,t,. Th i hod
. MI ma chiliI viii i. oy6umrJ And III
. sInnfach nunfv2ri C6rnnrr tin1r,s Il
II lIgm,,yan 81 j,rnrrtown hn. nlsn be"
Il srini,n%ned, ana Mi ur"bnby srlr,
7 another jury, swear them in over til
= body. and conduct the inquest in due leg,
= form
i TIr rnisnrird w.ll wns covered ~
..,',,l,.i,s r,,mditfnn brr,rSn Lnnym
4 M, IN, uuch If A nnblic drinkiug nlnrc
Il, ID. l,,,,,rr E,,,,t h iisr 4 r,a,,," l., ~,
q ,rni,,y,frn If H. drnth. G,nIin,, ,',,,ncrt,rs