The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1901-05-03
WILLIAM ROsENFIELD OF sT.
PAUL KILLS FOUR CHlL.
DREN AND HIMSELF.
DROWNED IN THE MISSISSIPPI
Murderer and His Victims Had Been
Missing for = Week and It Was Gen.
orally Believed a Terrible Crime
Had Been Committed-FindinQ Of
the Body Of the Oldest Child Abso-
luteiy Confirms the Belief.

st. Paul. May 3.-The discovery In
the Mississippi river of the body of
Joseph Rcsenfeld, the s-year-old son
OF Mr.. and Mrs. William Rosenfleld,
has brought to light quadruple mur-
der and suicide. William Rosenfleld.
the father, and the four children. Jo-
seph. aged 8; Mary, aged Z; William,
aged 4, and Samuel. aged 2, have been
missing for a week and although 1t
was generally believed that a crime
had been committed the discovery OF
the body OF the Oldest child was the
first absolute confirmation of the the
Dry The tragedy is without parallel
in the criminal history OF Ramsey
county. both in the number Of VIC
Tins. in the element OF mystery which
has surrounded the deed and the de-
liberation with which It was planned
and carried out.
Rosenfield and his wife had been
separated for some months and the
children had been cared for by rela-
tives and friends. On the night OF his
disappearance Rosenfield secured the
oldest child from It's godmother, Mrs.
Bowline. 533 L'Orient street, this city.
He then tried to hire rig from his
former employer. F. Schroeder. the
Fourth street livery man. but Schroe-
der. who had discharged him for
drinking, refused to let him have a
horse. He secured rig. however.
from T. J. Swartz. Eight and Wacou-
Ia streets. and drove to Minneapolis.
where he visited the home of his
vife's sister. Mrs. Charles Bodeau.
His wife. who resides there. refused
TO return and live with him. and there
was stormy scene. he argument
continuing until midnight. He then
went to the house OF another sister,
Mrs. Charles Bigfors. on Ninth ave
nue. south. securing the other three
children. who. he said. he was going
TO take 10 his sister, Mrs. Charles Os
wald. 1929 Lyndale avenue north.
Neither father nor children We're
seen afterwards till the body OF the
child WAS found in the river.
AS soon as Mrs. Rosenfield learned
Of the disappearance OF her children
she reported the matter to the Min
neapolis police. but no clue was found
as to the whereabouts of the children
until Friday, when Liveryman Swartz
identified as the horse hired by Ro
eenfield an animal which Patrolman
Larson OF the Prior avenue station
lad picked up at Prior and Marshall
avenues Thursday morning. When
the officer found the animal 1t was
dragging a weight. and the buggy was
occupied only by small dog. which
Mr.. Swartz also identified as a com
panion of Rosenfield when he came tc
hire the horse.
Mrs. Joseph Levagood. 20S2 Mar
shall avenue. saw the horse comine
from the direction of the river about
80 y. M. and when the st. Paul and
Minneapolis police began to compare
their funds of information. it was be
lieyed by the local officers that Rosen
field had ended the lives OF himself
and all the children.
Another sad feature OF the case Is
that during the excitement following
the taking of the children. Mrs. Rosen
fields sister. Mrs. Bodeau. has died.