Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-17
THE TOTTENVILLE MYSTERY.
Have the Remains of Carl Ruttinger and Wn
Wright Been Found?

wright Been round!
The murder mystery at Tottenville, Staten
Island, caused by the discovery of a corpse
there a week ago yesterday, as narrated in The
STAR at the time, promises to become as famous
as the Maxwell-Preller trunk tragedy of st.
Louis or the Birchell-Benwell murder of Blen-
helm swamp near Woodstock, Canada. The
New York Herald today thus describes the
latest developments:
Staten Islands latest murder mystery, dou-
BILE mystery before, became mysterious in G
threefold sense with yesterdays developments.
Carl Emanuel Ruttinger, or one like him. dead,
and Nv. w." his friend, Vim. Wright, whose
handkerchief was crammed into the throat of
the Arthur Kill corpse, missing, were the iden-
titles of the earlier mystery.
The unknown" Aston House suicide of Fob
ruary 3-"Fred Evans BY his own registration
at the hotel, but missing Edgar by the identi-
fication of Perrin Ii. Sumner. author of the
Yonkers mystery-was the third figure that
stalked. like one risen from the dead. into this
strongest OF recent mysteries yesterday.
WERE THEY THE SAME?
Facts that seem all but conclusive we're de-
veloped showing that VIM. Wright. the MUIR
dered Ruttinger's close friend, who has pre-
served an inexplicable silence since the corpse
was found IN the lonely Arthur Kill off Totem
vile, $. L., one week ago yesterday, has boen
silent because death sealed his lips when Fred
Evans cut his throat at the Aston House in the
carly hours after midnight on the morning OF
February 3.
Marvellous rs the thing may seem, Yesterday &
disclosures were far more convincing proof
that William Wright and Fired Evans were
the same than the evidence on which scores OF
men have been hanged to satisfy the law.
THE MYSTERIES OF NIGHT.
Since February /, on which he started for
Boston, or was said by his friend Carl Ruttin2er
| to have done so. William Wright has not been
| seen alive. He could not have disappeared
more completely had he been buried in potter
field, where the corpse OF Fired Evans" now
lies.
Since February no one has seen Carl Rut-
finger alive. week ago yesterday "a corpse
with the hands bound behind the back and Vim.
Wrightis handkerchief stuffed into the throat
| was picked up out OF the M Id and shallow water
| OF 1ottenvllle. That corpse has been identified
| positively as Ruttinger s. and there are con-
| yincing reasons for believing that he met his
| death on the evening oil February 2.
| On flat Same night Fired Evans went ia
| the Aston House and cut his throat. He had
first carefully cut out OF his clothing every mark
or initials that might show who he had been
and every other trace OF possible identification
was gone That corpse has never been identi-
| ned except by Sumner, the sensation monger
and his tools. 1t went to a grave in paupeI
ground unclaimed.
But if William Wright was Erred Evans
what was his motive for suicide? If lie had
killed and robbed his friend Huttinger. or had
a hand Ill the murder, why did he not live to
enjoy the blooa-bouSht spoils1 If, by in
credible combination OF circumstances, Wright
Was ignorant OF Ruttinger's fate what con
ceiyable theory can be advanced for his self
| destruction!
| All these are questions. \ theory of mania
sudden burst o. renorse, may supply the
| answer-who can teil.-or ii may be hid forever
in some strange secret OF relationship between
J the men, unknown to any save themselves
| Until further light is shed upon the triply com
plicated mystery those may ponder sucl
| theories who will.