Patterson Cemetery District, Stanislaus County, CA 

Submitted by Gale Stroud and Burta Herger 26 Aug 2007

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van Ross Rochester 520619 p1
1 Dead, 1 Injured, 1 Sought After Knife Fight; A Westley Farm labor camp resident is being sought for murder this week
as the result of a drinking fight at the camp Sunday night He is Samuel Herman Samuels,53, recently of the Fresno area.
Dead of knife wounds across his chest and back is Rochester van Ross, 36.  In the county hospital from a knife wound in
her chest is Mrs. Lottie Ruffins, 32.  She was in critical condition at first but at last check has been reported as
recovering. According to Sheriff Captain Jess Ross, it began shortly before 5 p. m. when Samuels was sitting in the home
of Bob and Carrie Shaw, drinking with van Ross and Mrs. Ruff ins.  At Samuel s complaint, Mrs. Ruffins passed
Samuels a whiskey bottle.  He drained it dry.  In anger, Mrs. Ruffins shoved the bottle down his mouth. Samuels invited
Mrs. Ruffians outside and she followed, armed with a butcher knife, with which she took several swings at him.  Van
Ross tried to make peace and made Mrs. Ruffins put the knife down. Then Samuels slapped Mrs Ruffins three times.
Samuels then went back to the Shaws and asked them to return the pocket knife he had loaned them.  Samuels returned
and resumed the argument.  Again, Van Ross sprung between them to make peace but was unable to prevent Samuels
from inflicting an eight-inch cut across her chest.  Van Ross tried pushing Samuels away but received a gash in his chest
and back. "I ll get even with you!" Van Ross gasped, then fell dead. Samuels dived into Shaw's home for two minutes,
then disappeared down the highway. Sheriff Dan Kelsay combed the area with 11 reserve deputies and four regulars.
Samuels is described as 5 foot, 9 inches, 160 pounds, graying hair and colored.  He was wearing a straw hat, brown sports
shirt, blue levis and brown shoes.  Van Ross s body is at the Evans Chapel awaiting arrival of relatives for disposition.