The Rich Hill tribune., 1903-12-24
STAYS FAMILY
CLEVELAND FATHeR ENDS LIFE
oF ZACH mEMeeR m TURN.
KILLS us WIFE WmlE SIZE SLEEPS
Than Catches HE son and senda Bul.
let to HE Braln--overeomes struo.
plea % a.vear.oid pauehter and
Kills Her Youngest Child Muir
dered Before Ne A~akengL


CLEVELAND. /. r. Especially Roscoe
" Derby. nachiniat. about IS. exter
Minated his family suhday by shoot.
Ing his wife. his three children and
then himself The crime Is believed
90 have been due TO despondency over
the impoverished condition of the fam
iIy purse and the near approach OF
Christmas
The crimes we're extraordinary in
their thoroughness and evidently there
was no miahap in their enactment.
The wife was killed first while sleep
ing at her husbands side In bed; two
Of the children were killed as they
ran hither and thither through the
house in the darkness OF early morn.
ing. endeavoring to escape their merci-
less parent. The third child was
killed in its bed after its elder brother
and sister had been killed.
Derby had been down town as late
as IL O'Clock Saturday night ostensibly
shopping. but IN all probability getting
ammunition for his revolver. When he
got home his wife and he talked with
neighbor who had been calling. over
the approaching festival Derby
seemed pale and nervous. shortly af.
ter his arrival at home the neighbor
left and the Derby family went 20 bed.
The crime is believed 70 have been
committed about 4 o'clock Sunday
morning. Mrs. Derby was shot to
death ia bed, two bullets having been
fired into her forehead and a third
probably fired after the children had
been exterminated, in the back OF the
neck.
Mrs. Derby probably was killed dur
ing sleep The expression on her face
was calm and peaceful Two OF her
children, however. probably had a
struggle with their infuriated parent.
because they had been awakened by
the noise OF the revolver being fired.
and sought 10 escape him, but without
avail.
Harold's body was found lying In a
pool Of blood in the kitchen and that
Of Alice in the dining room. with her
face TO the floor and q bullet in her
breast
Harold may have been chased by
his father, as there was evidence OF
flight in the manner in which the fur
nlshings OF the kitchen were thrown
about. From the location of the bull
lets in his head. the boy evidently was
caught By his father In a strong grasp
and held while the weapon was placed
against the little fellows forehead and
the bullet fired into his brain. Also
there was evidences OF a struggle on
Aliee's part
The last Of the children 10 die was
Thomas. aged 5. He had remained in
bed. probably still asleep. and also re-
eeived bullets into his head. dying in
stantly.
After the extraordinary crimes had
been committed. the perpetrator OF
them went into the bedroom where
his wife had been killed. and. lying
down at her side. fired a bullet into
his own brain. and died at his wife's
side.
number OF poolroom race checks
were found about the house. showing
that Derby had been trying his lucs on
betting.
The first knowledge Of the crime
was communicated in a letter written
by Derby Saturday 20 a friend who
lived not far away. and which was
sent him by special delivery The
letter was to the effect that when II
had been received the Derby fsmily
would be dead
When the friend hurried 10 the
house all that had been promised wa,
seen 10 have been fulfilled.