Milford chronicle., 1892-08-19
Arsenic in the Well.

John Rosscr and family Of Oak Grove, near
Seaford, Delaware, haye been victims Of one
of the most henious crimes that the criminal
annals Of Delaware have recorded. The act
of poisoning we'll of water on his farm by
some person as yet unknown, has resulted
in the death OF Raymond Rosser and all Of
the stock on the farm. The whole story is
as follows
Thursday week, August 4th, John Rosser
toek his wife and baby and his wlfe's mother,
Mrs. Dallas, and drove over to Concord camp
meeting, returning at night. It was during
their absence that the we'll was poisoned, as
no trouble had been caused by the water
prior to that time, and the trouble began
shortly after. On their return all drank
heartily of water drawn from the we'll before
retiring for the night.
By morning all four were sick and they
did not improve, although they had no sus-
piciOn that the ailment was anything more
than a somewhat diarrhgal attack During
Saturday aud Sunday their sickness con
tinued, the distressing symptoms becoming
more pronounced. Sunday Benjamin Rosser
Of Seaford, John Rosser's brother, accompan-
led by his wife and Nellie Evans, his niece,
went over to see the sick family. They
drank of the well water during their visit
and both were sick. So did Nellie Evans,
who is daughter of William Evans, the man
who is suspected of having placed the
deadly poison in the we'll Nellie suffered
like the rest
Benjamin Rosser wanted his brother to
send for a doctor last Sunday, but the latter
did not deem it worth while, as he ascribed
the trouble to the hot weather and thought
t would soon pass away. But Monday morn
ing came and found them still suffering, es-
pecially the baby, whose condition was seri-
Gus. Theu DR.. w. F. Haines of Seaford was
Utterly uususpicious of any evil human
agency in connection with the cases, DR..
Haiues had no thought of poison, and treated
the cases as the ordinary summer maladies
which they resembled The baby had all
the symptoms of aggravated CHOLERA inian-
tum, and fingered in great agony until about
- O'Clock Tuesday night, when he died. The
issued by DIR. Haines gave chol
era infautum rs the cause of death, The
next day the baby was buried by Daniel
Adams, an uunertaker living at Wooden |
Hawk, about ten miles from Seaford. The |
ntermeut was made at BloomerY NJ. E. |
Church, just over the State line in Caroline
county, Md.
Right after the funeral the suspicious Of
he Rossers were aroused, and they began |
o think something was wrong with the well |
water. John Rosser and his wife continued |
lick, and so did Mrs. Rosser's mother, Benja- !
min Rosser's wife and the girl, Nellie Evans.
t was also learned that two children of
Charles Ross, colored, had also been taken
lick soon after drinking from the we'll. Two
# John Rosser's cows aud one Of his horses
,ecame affected The horse has since re-
overed, but one of the cows died and the
ther is still very sick Benjamin Rosser
vas also affected. He thought he noticed a
litter taste in the water while at the house
f his brother Sunday night He went out
nth little Raymond Rosser, who was fever
silly thirsty aud drank two glassfuls with
ager avidity. Benz lniin Rosser took but
w swallows at the time, not liking the taste.
lie now remembers that he noticed some
-hite substances clinging to the walls Of the
ell, but as the curb had been recently white
asked he gave no thought to this cireum-
ance.
But these little accidents, and the contin-
ed sickness Of all who were drinking the
alter finally made the we'll an object Of sus S
icion. Then the belief was entertained
lat if the water had been poisoned it was
' vindictive act; aud another ciicum-
auce was developed that went far to con- S
IN the belief that human hepd had de-
1erately put poison in the water for the q
irpose Of destroying the lives Of the entire
osser family,in pursuance Of a threat made ;