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Manistee Times-Sentinel
Friday, October 15, 1887

                           ARSON AND MURDER
                           
                   Miss MINNIE DeROSS, According to
                    Current Reports, Is Guilty of Both
                    Crimes - Arrested on the Charge of
                    Larceny.
                    
                 The readers of the Times-Sentinel are
              undoubtedly familiar with the circumstances
              attending the death of a valuable cow owned
              by JAMES HENDERSON, the liveryman, last March,
              evidently by poison; the sudden death of his
              9-months old daughter on the 22d day of June
              last, and the several unsuccessful attempts
              to burn his residence in the early part of
              September last. Within the past few days
              suspicion has pointed to Miss DeROSS, who
              has been a domestic in Mr. HENDERSON'S house-
              hold for about eight years, and last Monday
              she was arrested and placed in the lock-up
              upon the charge of larceny. Outside parties
              suspected that the fires were set by an in-
              mate of the house, but Mr. HENDERSON did
              not share in that suspicion. But so much
              was said that he commissioned a young man
              in his employ to do some detective work by
              pretending to be the girl's ardent lover,
              gain her confidence, and if possible, ascer-
              tain whether she was or was not, guilty of
              any or all of the crimes committed.
                 Last Sunday, while the twain were out
              buggy riding, as the young man's story
              goes, the young woman confessed to her
              lover (as she supposed) that she poisoned
              the cow with "Rough on Rats" and killed
              the baby, giving her reasons for so doing.
              After the young woman returned home from
              the buggy ride she addressed a letter to
              her mother, in which she confessed that
              she poisoned the cow, killed the baby and
              fired the house. This letter was inter-
              cepted by Mr. HENDERSON, confirmed the
              statements of the young man relative to
              her confession, and led to her arrest and
              confinement in the county jail. The girl
              said she poisoned the cow because she was
              tired of milking her; that the care of the
              baby caused her a great deal of trouble;
              that she thought it might as well be dead
              as alive, and when alone with it, and it
              was sleeping, she folded a spread and
              placed it over the child's mouth and nose,
              holding it there with her hand about ten
              minutes, until it was quiet. She told the
              parents that the baby died in a fit, and
              nobody suspected that it died a violent
              death. In regard to firing the house she
              said her wardrobe needed replenishing,
              the house was insured, and if burned she
              would be given a new outfit of wearing
              apparel; that she held the lamp under a
              lawn dress in a bed-room until it caught
              fire, then shut the door, awakened the
              children and left the room, but the fire-
              men came in time to extinguish the fire.
              The other fires she set to divert sus-
              picion. She confessed to having taking
              money out of Mrs. HENDERSON'S pockets,
              and burned some of her dresses, to make
              it appear that burglars had entered the
              house.
                MINNIE DeROSS was born in Bradford, 
              county, Pa., and is 18 years of age. It
              is said she has an admixture of Indian
              and African blood in her veins. She has
              regular features, black hair and a 
              swarthy complexion. When arrested she
              showed no sign of emotion - was the cool-
              est person in the house. At the time of
              her adoption as a member of Mr. HENDERSON'S
              family, her father was serving a term in
              state prison in Pennsylvania, for the
              crime of rape.
                Prosecuting Attorney McALVAY says the
              girl now admits the poisoning of the cow
              and the firing of the house, but strongly
              protests that she did not kill the baby.
              Of course she must be presumed innocent
              until she is proven guilty of the crime
              of murder. The evidence upon the trial
              will undoubtedly throw new light upon the
              case.
              
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