Murder

The M & B Liquor and Deli on Whittaker and Willis Roads was damaged by fire the morning of Tuesday, April 19, 2005, and now stands as a boarded up eyesore. Today few people are aware the store was the site of a murder in 1925. At that time Harry Cyb operated a combined gas station and general store at the site. Harry closed the store at about 10:00 P. M. on the night of Friday, September 18, 1925 and went to the the house at the back of the store he shared with his wife and five childern. Two cars pulled up in front of the store, and Harry was told someone wanted oil. He was hit in the head and knocked unconscious while pouring a bottle of oil into the car. He was dragged into the car, and the car was driven off.

The fmily had to get a ride to the village of Willies to find someone with a telephone so they could call the police. Police at Ypsilanti first went to the store, but as no one was there, went to Willis as that was where the call had come from. As they dove down Willis Road, they saw a spot in the road, but did not stop. At Willis they were made aware of the facts of the case. Then they went back to where they had seen the spot in the road, and found it was blood. The officers followed the trail of blood to the side of the road, where they found Harry alive but unconscious. He was taken to Beyer Hospital, where he died the next morning.

By the police had taken into custody Herman Crossis, who was found walking by the road near the store. Crossie was duk and had bloodstains on his clothing. Officers went to the home of William Crossie where they found Owen Lidke who was not drunk, but had bloodstains on his clothing. William Crossie, the brother of Herman, was questioned, and, as there were bloodstains on his clothing as well, was taken into custody. As the police drove back to the store William seated in the back seat of the car sang all the way, except when they came to the site where the body of Harry was found. Then William stopped singing and all but stood up in the car to look at the spot where the body had been found. He had not been told of the body.

The three men stood trial in circuit court and were found not guilt, as the evidence was insufficient. Harry Cyb sleeps in his grave at the back of St. John's Catholic Cemetery on river Street. His headstond stands alone, as there is no one buried near him.