Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-03-18
TOTTENVILLE'S TRAGEDY
1t Is Still Shrouded in Mystery's
Mantle.
DID WRIGHT HAVE AccOmpLIcEs.

Inspector Byrnes Believes He Did and
THAT They Assisted Him In killing Rus-
tinger-The Strange Double Suicide
Theory Many Pulling Things.
NEW YORK, March ls.-The great Rut-
finger Wright-Eyans mystery is still as
unbelievable as ever William Wright,
however, did not murder his friend, Carl
Ruttinger, in order to secure for his sister,
Ruttinger's wife, the s30,0OO insurance
Ruttinger had on his life, and the theory
that the Tottenville mystery was a scheme
10 swindle insurance companies and that
the body OF the murdered man found was
not the body of Ruttinger at all, was oflici-
ally sat upon by the Equitable Life Assur-
ance society yesterday. The Equitable car
ries $50 900 of the $50, 900 insurance on Rut-
fingers life Manager johnson explained
yesterday that the man who had translated
the policy issued from the Berlin Office Of
the company had made q mistake ia the
uame Of the beneficiary, and that il WAS
not Ruttinger's wife but his mother who
would benefit by his death
what the Equitable People Think.
Ruttinger and his wife had been
estranged for some time, and she intended
getting divorce from him The theory
that Wright might have murdered his
friend for his sisters benefit was based
entirely on the statement OF the company
that the policy was made out in favor Of
Mrs. Ruttinger. the wife. Manager john
son also made this statement: "The com
parry Is satisfied that the body found near
rottenville Is that OF Buttinger The
| company mas information from Ruttinger's
family in London that Ruttinger was a
fast man, fond OF women, and that not
infrequently he carried with him large
sums Of money
"The Equitable believes that Carl Rut-
finger was murdered but they do not
think IL likely that Wright murdered him.
The company is now making a careful in
vestigation into all the facts
These statements seem to knock out the
insurance fraud theories that have been
advanced
Wright Was Surely Erred Evans"
District Attorney Fitzgerald, of Rich
mond county, continued working yesterday
on his theory that erred Evans" the
Aston House suicide, was Wright AT the
end Of the day he was so sure he was right
that he was willing Go bet months
salary that when the body of Evans was
exhumed today it would be identified posi-
lively as that of Wright The clothing of
Evans was carefully examined
The boots hal a little red mud on them.
'That settles it, said Captain Blake, Of
the Staten Island police, as soon as he saw
the mud. THAT'S Tottenville mud or Mt
least Staten Island mud Il was suggest
ed that the same kind OF mud came from
Jersey, but the captain said that that par
ticular mud was surely from Staten Island,
and the district attorney agreed with him
The boots were examined carefully, and on
one were found the letters Nv. w, - the
letters that were embroidered on the corner
Of the handkerchief that had been craramed
down murdered Carl Ruttinger's throat
They looked as though they had been
stamped in the leather In the other boot
there was a single letter that looked as
near like w as it did anything else.
Brand New Theory.
Mr. Fitzgerald went TO Tottenville in the
afternood TO attend the funeral of Rut-
finger He found when he got there that
the whole police force of Staten Island had
evolved a new theory. Il was that Rut-
finger and Wright had agreed to commit
suicide together. They differed in their
choice Of methods. Wright went to Tot
tenyille with Ruttinger 60 hid him in kill
ing himself, and then went to the Aston
House and cut his throat, preferring that
method TO stranguation, A little more
evolution might make this theory a reason
able one. The insurance policies on Rut-
fingers life were not non-contestable and
would not become so for two years II he
committed suicide before they became CON
testable his mother could not benefit by
! them.
Ruttinger and Wright might have re-
solved TO commit suicide, and Ruttinger
might have had Wright fix up his body so
il would appear that he had been muir
dered.
The Policies Would Have Been Paid.
II he were murdered then the policies
would have TO be paid. District Attorney
Fitzgerald would not listen Co the police
theory. He got into an argument with
Sergeant Drummond, of the Tottenville
police. He believed, he said that Wright
had surely murdered Ruttinger and he
had overcome him by dosing him with
morphine in liquor As soon as Ruttnger
was unconscious he had crammed the hand
kerchef down his throat and strangled
him
These Things Are Puzzling.
II the body OF the Aston House suicide is
that OF Wright here are few things that
win have to be explained; Where is the
watch and the other jewelry that il is
known Ruttinger hady 10 was not found
on Evans body. Where is the money it
was known Ruttlnger hadg Not cent
was found on Ruttinger's body, and only
q. IS was found in the pockets Of Evans
/ clothing.
what Inspector Byrnes believes.
On Feb Ruttinger gave 800 to Wright.
| Wright would not spend SO much in one
day II Wright was Evans where is this
money! Inspector Byrnes decided yester
day that Wright was Evans. lie has de
cided also, that Wright had accomplces
20 help him murder Ruttinger.
Two of his detectives, il is alleged, have
| traced Wright's trunk from Mr. New.
house to a boarding house up town, and
they have learned that he went by a differ
ent name from either Evans or Wgight
They have also got evidence it is said, that
may lead TO the running down Of Wright'i
accomplices in the murder Evans body
will be exhumed this afternoon and vii
be brought to the morgue at 5o'clock. Mr.
New and other persons who knew Wright
viii look at IL, and they will probably de
eide the question Of identity,
1
what WIN New York DO with IT.
| ALBANY, March ls.-Propositions are al
ready coming in here for the disposition o