Milford chronicle., 1892-08-19

) Thc4 fps at Laurel and told him about
rkabi tze sickness Of the Rossers aud the
year he child Deputy Corouer Phil
lriaH hght it the proper thing to hold 40
tr and So he came to seaford for that
7nt pse. He summoned a jury aud the in
k4twas held in coIbourn's Hall Ordi-
II Iva dead body is necessary adjunct to
( corNs aner's jury, but this important feature
of the iair was omitted in tails case. It was
presuna to be an investigation Of crime,
but ri CORPUS aelicH was missing The
o,6pghiGnl inferred in the cemetery over the
SAG Yfianu line, did not occur to Deputy
G0ronei Phillips to exhume the bod'S,- ard
swear the jury over it, as required by law
aud custom. He summoned the witnesses,
aud in their testimony much light was thrown
on the mysturi1us aiflir rheu the iuvesli-
CATION was adjourned until the following
Friday.
THE MAN WHO POISONED THE WATER
The Rossers are very free in expressing
the belief that tue man who put poison in
their well is one William Evans, whose pres
cut whereabouts are unknown They give
Evans very hard name, and what they say
about him reveals the existence Of bitter
family fued
William Evans, who is about As years old,
married a sister of the Rossers 20 years ago
He owned a farm near Smithsville, Caroline
county, Nd They had a family of six chill
dren. Evans, 50 the RosseTs claim, was a man
of violent temper and evil disposition They
say he abused his wife terribly, frequently
beating her shameftilly. The brothers be-
sought her to leave him, but she refused for
long time. About four years ago, after one
Of his attacks, she was persuaded to swear
out warrant for his arrest on a charge Of as
sault and battery, and isaac Rosser, one of her
brothers, got the constable to deputize him
to serve the warrant. The constable was
only too glad to oblige him. Isaac Rosser
went to Evans house, and Evans came ont
with a shot gun III his hands. They had
lively time, but Isaac Rosser was victor and
bore his victor off to Denton Jail. Evaus was
held in $500 bail to keep the peace, audnot
being able to furnish security had to stay in
prison several weeks. Finally the bail was
reduced to $500, which was furnished and
Evans was released. For while he acted
decently, but soon relapsed into his former
habits and became more brutal than ever.
One day three years ago he beat his wife
terribly while she was in a weak and enfee-
bled condition, ard then she yielded 10 the
solicitations of her brothers and left him.
taking the children with her. Isaac Rosser
went oyer to the farm and brought away her
personal property. Evans replevined the
stuffaud a law suit followed in whichhe was
beaten. This made him more angry and
vindictive than ever.
THREATENED TO POISON THEM
Evans left the neighborhood soon after,
but plenty of people there heard him make
threats against the lives of the Rossers. He
was heard to swear that he would poison
the entire family, ifit took him 20 years.
He went to Tacony, Pa, where he worked
for a while in the Disstou saw works, but was
discharged for dissolute habits and untrust-
worthiness. Last spring lie returned to
Maryland and sold his farm, his wife, against
the wishes of her brothers, joining with him
in signing the deed of sale. Even at this
time he told his wife that he was determined
to kill all the members of the Rosser family
It is now firmly believed that William
Evans visited John Rosser's farm last Thurs
day week, while the family were away at
camp meeting. A man answering his de-
scription was seen that day, inquiring the
wayto Oak Grove, and towards night was
seen beyond Oak Grove, going in the direc-
ion of Cam bridge, skulking across lots and
evidently trying to conceal himself The
Rossers firmly believe that he was at their
place and that he put poison in their WELL
He is an Fnglishman,
ARSENIC WAS USED.
The water was poisoned with arsenic. This
fact was developed by careful chemical an.
anysis made by Harlan L. Wallace gradu
ate in pharmacy and member ofthe druggist
firm of DR.. W. F. Haines & Co. He took
sample of the water ond found evidences of
the presence of arsenic in very pronounced
quantities The poisoner must have thrown
enoug Ii arsenic in the well to make sure of
killing the entire family had they kept on
drinking the water for awhile without sus-
picion. Mr. Wallace also took samples Of
milk from the affected cows, and analy zed
them, with the result of finding decided
traces of arsenical poisoning.
These analyses and several others made by |
Mr.. Wallace will be used in the full investi-
CATION of the case that will be made The
body of the child was exhumed and the stom-
ach analysed. Coroner George W. Done
van Of Georgetown, summoned another jury, |
and conducted the inquest in due legal form.
The poisoned well was covered up as soon
as its condition became known. It was too
mach of public drinking place to be long
er kept in use, menace to those unaware
of its death dealing properties,
CONDITION OF THE PATIENTS
Mrs. DALLAS, mother Of Mrs, John Rosser,
and Nellie Evans, daughter of the suspected /
poisoner. are nearly we'll Mr. and Mrs. 4
John Rosser and Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin /
'Rosser are still sick and not yet out of dan |
ger. They will not die from the first effects
Of the poison, DR. Haines saws, but the re
suit of the secondary effects aud the conse-
queut inflammation can not yet be predict
ed. At present, however, they are doing
we'll and indications are favorable to their
ultimate recovery.
Two Harvest Excursions.
VIA THE CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE & ST PAUL
R'Y, ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 10Th, AND
SEPTEMBER 27TH, 1892.