The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-21
All Three Are Captured and Put
to Death in the Dark With
Il Revolver.
CRIME WAS PREc0NcE!vED.
Letter to Friend Gave First News
of Tragedy-Poverty in the
Presence of Christmas
Thought to Have
Been Cause.

Cleveland. o.. Dec. 2o.-Roscoe ". Der
by. machinist. about IS years old.
exterminated his family early to-day 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 the near
approach OF Christmas.
The crimes were extraordinary in their
thoroughness and there was evidently no
mishap In their enactment. The wife was
killed first. while sleeping at her husband 8
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 slain
LETTER IN MAIL REVEALED CRIME
The first knowledge OF the crime was
communicated in a letter written by Der
by yesterday to friend. who lived nos
far away, and which was sent him 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 this morning
all that had been promised was seen t"
have been fulfilled.
The dead are:
Roscoe w. Derby; his wife. Della: Har-
old. aged s; Alice, aged z. and Thomas.
aged < Derby had been downtown late
last night, ostensibly shopping. but IN Gil
probability securing ammunition for MS
revolver. When he got home his wife and
he talked with neighbor. who mad been
calling, over the approaching festival.
Derby was pale and seemed nervous.
Shortly after his arrival at home the
neighbor left and the Derby family went
to bed. 80
The crime, It is believed, was commit
ted about 4 o'clock this morning. Mrs
Derby was shot to death in bed. two bull
lets having been fired into her forehead,
and a third, probably fired after the chill
dren had been exterminated. in the back
of the neck.
KILLED WIFE
WHILE SHE SLEPT.
Mrs. Derby probably was killed during
sleep, the expression on her face showing
no sign Of a struggle. and it was calm
and peaceful.
Two of the children, however. had a
struggle with their Infatuated parent. be-
cause they had been awakened by the
noise Of the revolver and sought to es-
cape 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 bullet in her breast. Harold
may have been chased by his father. as
there were evidences Of a. fight in the
manner in which the furnishings Of the
kitchen were thrown about.
From the location Of the bullet in his
fead. the boy evidently was caught by
his father in strong, grasp and held
while the weapon was placed against the
little fellows forehead and the bullet sent
into his brain. There was no evidence Of
a struggle on Alice's part. The last of the
children to die was Thomas, aged s. He
had remained in bed. probably still asleep
and also received bullets in his head.
dying inst lntly.
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 bullet into his own brain.
A number of poolroom race checks were
found about the house, showing that Der
by had been trying his luck on betting.