The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-05-02

o.. 20
The worst fears are justified. The Lake
street bridge was the scene of an awful
crime week ago last night.
William Rosenfield, the ST. Paul hostler,
undoubtedly killed his children and proba-
bly, himself, too.
The body Of the eldest of the children,
the 9-year-old boy, Joseph, was found in
the river below FIT. Smelling this morning.
The broken nose and fractured skull in
dicated that the poor little fellow had been
struck with some blunt instrument or had
been injured by fall-such as that from
the Lake street bridge to the river, a
hundred feet below.
vigilant search for the other bodies
is now in progress.
Mrs. ROsenfeId Overcome.
To Journal man fell the sad duty
of carrying the dread news to Mrs. Rosen-
field this morning. She was at the home
of her mother, Mrs. J. E. McCune, 827
Washington avenue S. Mr.. and Mrs. Nc
Cune were also there at the time Al
though the household had been expect
ing the news for a week past, when it
came they seemed but Ill able to bear it.
A pitiable scene ensued. Mrs. Rosen-
field, in side room, off from the small
parlor, threw herself on the bed and
moaned: "Oh, my poor Joe, my poor Joe,
I'll never see him again
Mrs. McCune also seemed completely
unnerved and wrung her hands in hel
grief.
They all felt that the finding of the one
body meant that all the children had suf-
fered the same fate
Mother May Die.
Mrs. Rosenfield because of the severe
strain of the past week, is perilously near
nervous collapse. The finding of the body
of her son Joseph, it is feared, may re-
suit fatally to her. Within an hour after
the news had been taken to her she fell
into a nervous condition bordering upon
dementia and a doctor was summoned.
She was, of course, not able to go to st.
Paul to view the body of her little one.
Her condition is considered critical, and
there may be still another chapter in this
dark tragedy.
Mr. and Mrs. McCune left for St. Paul
late this afternoon. Mrs. Frank Bigford,
259 Ninth avenue S, a sister of Mrs.
Rosenfeld, accompanied them. Mrs. Big
ford had held out to the last that there
would still be some word from the chill
dren and Of Rosenfeld. Her bitter an
guish this morning, when she heard the
news, was terrible to see.
Mr.. McCune, when told of the finding
of the boy Joseph, took the street car to
see Mrs. Charles Oswald. 1129 Lyndale
avenue N, a sister of Mr.. Rosenfield.
Mrs. Oswald, like the others, was greatly
overcome by the sadatidings.
Joseph's Body Found.
One of the most battling mysteries that
the police of the two cities have ever
handled was cleared up this morning when
the waters of the Mississippi threw
Log Boom companys works the remains
of Joseph Rosenfield.
The body of the boy was discovered by
Joseph Lachapelle wetchman. He was
making his morning inspection of the
boom.
He drew the body to shore. tied rope
around it, cut some branches from maple
tree, placed them over the body and then
ran for telephone.
Within a few minutes the entire police
department of st. Paul was aware of the
discovery, and it was generally consid-
cred that the crime of William RosenheId,
drunkard or maniac, was established.
A father whose son fell into the river
some days ago, telephoned to the Ramsey
county morgue that the body was prob
ably that of his son. He could be identi-
fed. the father said, by a bandage on the
left arm. Coroner Miller ordered OUT
Morgue Keeper Richardson with the
morgue wagon. Within threequarters of an
hour the coroner had pulled the body or
the boy out of the water. A discovery was
made which adds even more horror to the
crime. When the body was turned over
20 Gould no seen there was
a rush of blood from the nostrils. The
nose was hattened and broken. The left
side of the forehead was dented The
right eye seemed swollen and blackened
(This was the diseased eye.)
Body Identified.
Charles Adams, the driver of the morgue
wagon is employed at Schroeder's livery
stable. where Rosenfield, the murder, once
worked. When he saw the body he i'm
mediately recognized the features OF
Joseph Rosenfield, the Oldest child, years
Of age.
The body was placed in the morgue
wagon and the party, consisting of Cor
oner Miller, Keeper Richardson and
number of reporters made its way back
to the city.
It is expected that at any time the
bodies of the other three children may
be taken from the river.
Body at the MOrgue.
Morgue Keeper Richardson examined
the clothes Of the boy. They consisted Of
a dark coat, dark pants. black stockings
a pair of shoes little too large, and a
light shirt.
In the pockets he found four tops, a rub
Der ball and twenty or more milk tickets,
reading, Good for one quart of milk,
1103 Washington avenue s..
He washed the slime and mud from the
face and found another mark of Identifies
tion. a cataract or film over the left eye,
caused by measles. Coroner Miller and
DR.. Finnel held an autopsy this after
noon.
An Autopsy Held.
Mr.. McCune, the grandfather. arrived in
ST. Paul about p. m. and identified the
body as that of Joseph, his grandchild.
He returned to Minneapolis to engage an
undertaken to prepare the body for burial.
The fuheral will be held in Minneapolis
tomorrow.
Coroner Miller and DR.. Finnell. after an