The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-05-03
LITTLE ROSENFIELD CHILDREN
WERE MURDERED.
FATHER KILLED ALL FOUR
Body Of Eldest Boy Found Badly
Battered in Mississippi
River.

st. Paul, May 2.--There is now no
longer doubt as to the fate that has
overtaken the Rosenfield children.
They were murdered by their father
and thrown into the Mississippi river.
Whether the man afterwards sought
to expiate the deed by taking his own
life, or whether he is now fugitive is
as yet undetermined
The battling mystery which haG
taxed the police departments of the
twin cities for nearly a week. was
brought near to solution today when
the body of Joseph Rosenfield, 9 years
OF age, the oldest of the four was
found, battered and bruised, caught in
the debris of the sheer boom of the
st. Paul Log and Boom company, a
short distance below the Marshall
avenue bridge, where it is believed
the crime was committed. The child's
forehead was dented, his nose broken,
and other evidence pointed to the be-
lief that the father had first murdered
the little fellow before consigning his
body to the river.
1t is very probable that before many
days elapse the bodies of the other
victims will also be found. They
were, Mary Rosenfield, aged Z; Will
lie Rosenfield, aged 4; Samuel Rosen-
field, aged 2.
Was Hard Drinker.
William Rosenfield, the father, who
perpetrated the deed, was man of
little intelligence. He worked about
livery stables and according to all ac-
counts, was a hard drinker. This,
it is said, was what led to the break
ing up OF the family. His wife be-
came tired of his intemperance, and
taking three Of the children went to
Minneapolis to live with married
sister. Rosenfield retained possession
Of the oldest child and placed it in
the care of it's God-mother, a Mrs.
Bowlin of this city. 1t is said he brood
ed great deal over his family trou-
bles and often gave utterance to dire
threats of vengeance for his supposed
wrongs. For many months he is said
to nave been plotting to obtain posses
sion of the children that went with
his wife. Last Wednesday he was dis
charged from his place at the livery
barn because of drunkenness.
According to the proprietor of the
stable, he was in an ugly mood and a
fight between the two was narrowly
averted. About o'clock in the even
ing he went to another barn and Sc
cured horse and buggy, saying he
wanted to take the children for a
drive. He went to Mrs. Bowlin's
house and asked that she get Joseph
ready to accompany him. Although
told that the little fellow had already
gone to bed, he was so insistent that
Mrs. Bowlin awakened the boy and
dressed him for the ride. Rosenfield
then went to Minneapolis, reaching
the house where his wifes sister re-
sided ABOUT l0:3O. The wife was alb
sent, being at the sickbed of another
sister IN a. distant part Oh. the city.
Rosenfield was thus able to secure
possession of the other children with
out much difficulty.
Made Threats.
To those in the house he talked
somewhat mysteriously ana in a
threatening manner, saying that when
they next saw him and the children
they would be wearing crepe on their
arms. AS the man was evidently
under the influence of liquor, no at
tenticn was paid to his talk. So far
as has been ascertained, that is the
last seen of either Rosenfield or the
children, while they were still alive.
However, the man doubtless started
towards st. Paul with the children.
He must have reached the Marshall
avenue bridge about midnight. This
is lonely spot remote from habita-
ton, and it is not strange that such
crime could have been committed there
at that hour of the night without leav
ing a clue. Doubtless the children
were all asleep. Taking them one by
one, the inhuman father must have
crushed their skulls with some blunt
instrument with which he had come
prepared, and having killed them he
threw them from the bridge into the
river below, or he may have cast them
from the bridge while they slept.
The bridge is a high one, being
about $50 feet above the water. The
river, too, is generally full of floating
logs and these may have inflicted the
injuries which were found upon the
body of Joseph.
The method of committing the crime
is, and probably always will be, unless
the perpetrator is still awe, matter
of pure speculation. Thursday the po-
lice of the~Prairie avenue station dis
covered the horse and buggy. the only
occupant being puppy which had
been q pet of the children. The own
er of the rig had reported to the po-
lice that it was missing. Not until
Monday was there suspicion that al
crime had been committed. Since
that time, however, the police Of both
cities had devoted most of their en-.