Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-12-24
MERC|LESS PARENT
STAYS HIS FAMILY
Shoots His Wife, His Three Children
and Then Himself.
CHILDREN STRUGGLE FOR LIFE
Wife Was Killed While Sleeping
Children Struggled with Parent
without A~vail-Crime Due
to Dependency.

Cleveland, o., Dec. 21.-Roscoe W.
Derby, a machinist and about As years
old, exterminated his family early
Sunday by shooting his wife, his three
children and then himself. The crime
Is believed to have been due to his
dependency over the impoverished
condition of the family purse and tho
near approach of Christmas.
The crimes were extraordinary in
their thoroughness and there was. evil
IDENTIFY, no mishap 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 the early morning,
endeavoring to escape their merciless
parent. The third child was killed in
its bed after its elder brother and
sister had been killed.
Wife shot While Asleep.
The dead are:
Roscoe w. Derby, his wife, Della,
Harold, aged eight, Alice, aged seven,
and Thomas, aged five.
Derby had been downtown late Sat-
urday night. o~stensibly shopping, but
in all probability securing ammuni-
ton for his revolver. When he got
home his wife and he talked with a
neiShbor who had been calling over
the approaching festival. Derby
seemed pale and nervous. Shortly
after his arrival at home, the %neighbor
left and the Derby family went to bed.
The crime is believed to have been
committed about four O'Clock Sunday
morning. Mrs. Derby was shot to-
death in 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.
Children Fought For Life.
Mrs. Derby probably was killed dur
Ing sleep, the expression on her face
showing no sign of a struggle, and it
was clam and peaceful. Two of the
children, however, probably had "a
struggle with their Infatuated parent,
because they had been awakened by
the noise of the revolver being fired
and sought to 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 a bullet in
her breast. Harold may have been
chased by his father, as there was.
evidence of a flight in the manner in
which the furnishings of the kitchen
were thrown about. From the location
Of the bullet in his head, the boy evil
IDENTIFY was caught by his father in a
strong grasp and held while the weap-
on was placed against the little fell
lows forehead and the bullets sent
into his brain. There was no evidence
OF a struggle on Alice's part. The
OF the children to die was Thomas,
aged five. He had remained in bed.
probably still asleep, and also received
bullets into his head, dying instantly.
Deliberately Planned.
After the extraordinary crimes had
peen commltted 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 W brain and died at his wife's
side.
A number OF pOo1room race checks
were found about the house, showing
That Derby had been trying his l,,ck
on betting.
The first knowledge of the crime
was communicated in a letter written
by Derby Saturday to a friend who
lived not far away, and which was
sent by special delivery. The letter
was to the effect that when it had
been received the Derby family would
be dead. When the friend hurried to
The house Sunday morning all that
mad been promised was e e to have
been fulfilled.