Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1903-12-25
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 Avnii-CrImc Due
to Dependency.

Cleveland, o., Dec. 21.-Roscoe w.
Derby, a machinist AMI about - years
old, extorminatcd his family early
Sunday by shooting his wife, his three
children and thcn himself. The crime
Is believed to have bccn due to his
dcspondcncy ovcr the impoverished
condition of the family purse and the
neal approach of Christmas.
The crimes were extraordinary in
their t~horotgbncss and there was. evil
IDENTIFY, 10 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
hitler and thithcr through the house
in the darkness Of the early morning,
endeayoring to escape their mercilcS3
parent. The third child was killed in
it's bed after its elder brother and
sister had been killed.
wife Shot while Asleep.
The dead arc.
Roscoe w. Derby, his wife, Dollar
Harold, aged eight. Alice, aged seven,
and Thomas. aged five.
Derby had been downtown late Sat.
urday night, ostcnsibly shopping, but
in all probability securing ammuni.
ton for his revolver. When he got
home his wife and he talked with a
neighbor who had been calling owe
tho approaching festival. Derby
seemed pale and nervous. Shortly
after his arrival at home, the ncighbor
LETT and the Derby family went to bed.
The crime IN believed TO have been
committed about four O'Clock Sunday
morning. Mrs. Derby was shot to
dc1th in bed, two bullets having been
fired into her forehead and a third
probably fired after the children had
been exterminatcd, 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 il
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 fred
ana 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, VITA
her face to the loor and a bullet in
her breast. Harold may have been
chased by his father, as tncrc was
evidence of a flight in the name in
which the furnishings Of the kitchen
were thrown about. From the location
Of the bullet in his head, the boy owl
IDENTITY was caught by bis father In s
strong grasp and held while the wcap.
on was placed against the little fcl.
lows forehead and the bullets sent
into his brain. There was no evidence
Of a struggle on hlicc's part. The
last Of the children to die was Thomas,
aged five. He had remained IN bed.
probably sim asleep, and also received
bullets into his head, DING instantly.
Deliberately Planned.
After the extraordinary crimes had
been committed the pcrpctrator of
them went into the bedroom, where
bis wife had been killed, and, lying
down at her side, fired n bullet into
his brain and died at his wifc's
side.
A number of pOOlroom race checks
were found about the house, showing
that Derby had been trying his luck
on betting
The first knowledge Of the crime
was communicated In a letter writer
by Derby Saturday t. a friend who
lived not far away, and which wa.
sent by special delivery. The lctte'
was to the effect that when it. ha,
been received the Derby family woul,
be dead. When the friend hurried {,
h mouse Sunday morning all tina
mad been promised was seen TO hav,
been fulfilled.