The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-21
CRIME OF DESPONDENT
CLEVELAND MAN WIPES
OUT FAMILY OF FIVE
Family Purse Depleted and He
Was Unable to Raise Funds by
"Playing the Races"
SHOT HIS WIFE FIRST
Killed Her as She Lay Asleep and
She Died with a Look of
Peace on Her Face.
THREE CHILDREN NEXT
Pursued and Shot the Two Eldest
Then Lay Beside His Wife
and Shot Himself.
SHOT HIS WIFE FIRST
THREE CHILDREN NEXT

CLEVELAND, Dec. 2O.-Roscoe w. Der
by, a machinist about forty-five 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 dependency over the i'm
pGverishment 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 husbands s
side in bed: two of the children were killed
as they ran through the house in the dark
ness of 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. The
dead:
ROSCOE w. DERBY.
DELLA DERBY. his wife.
HAROLD DERBY, aged eight.
ALICE DERBY, aged seven.
THOMAS DERBY, aged five.
Derby had been down town as late as IL
o'clock last night ostensibly shopping, but
in all probability securing ammunition for
his revolver. When he got home his wife
and he talked with a neighbor, who had
been calling. over the approaching festival.
Derby seemed pale and nervous. Soon
after his arrival home the neighbor left
and the Derby family went to bed.
The crime is believed to have been COM
mitted about 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 children had been exterminated,
in the back of the neck. Mrs.
Derby was killed during sleep, the express
sion on her face showing no sign of a
struggle, and it was calm and peaceful.
Two of the children, however, probably
had struggle because they had been
awakened by the noise of the revolver be-
ing fired. and sought to escape him. but
without avail. Harold's body was found
lying i'm q pool of blood in the kitchen, and
that of Alice in Yhe dning-room, with her
face to the floor and bullet in her breast
Harold may have been chased by ms fatner,
manner in which the furnishings or the
kitchen were thrown about. From the To-
cation of bullets in his head. the boy. evi-
IDENTIFY was caught by his father in a
strong grasp and held while the weapon
was placed against the little fellows fore
head and the bullets sent into his brain
There was also evidence or a struggle on
Alices part
The last of the children to die was
Thomas He had remained In bed, prob
ably still asleep, and also received bullets
in his head, dying instantly. After the ex-
traordinary crimes had been committed the
perpetrator of them went into the bedroom
where his wife had been killed and lying
down on the bed fired a bullet into his own
brain and died at his wife'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 letter written by Derby
to 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 family would
be dead. When the friend hurried to the
house this morning all that had been prom
ised was seen TO have been fulfilled.