The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-20
SHOCKING
Mysterious DOu-
bic Tragedy.
Mrs. Chaplin and Mrs.
Meade Found Dead.
Woman Had Evidently Been
Killed With Pistol.
Indications Point to the Suicide OF
Young Meade.
- a
Indications Point to the Suicide OF
Young Meade.
The Bodies Were Discovered by Dead
Woman's Ien-Year-Old Son,

Falls Village, Conn. FEB. 20.-Tbis viii
lage which Is part CT the town oil
Canaan, was horrihed today at the dis
covery of a tragedy by which two well
known persons, tho wife OF the village
postmaster and a clergymsn's sou, came
to their death, In a manner, which is as
yet unex planned. but which at present
bears every indication OF the murder of
the woman by the man and the latter's
suicide. At Z o'clock this morning Mrs.
Walter Chaplin, the wife of Falls Villages
DO stnIaster. Walter Chaplin, was found
cead on the floor of the Chaplin dioing
room. A few feet away was the dead
body of Charles Meade, popular young
man. about % years OF age and the son of
Rev. IL. b. Meade, formerly Congrega-
tjonal preacher here, but now of Scotland,
a smatf town IN EASTERN 6CunectICut Not
far distant was revolver and several OF the
cham bers were empty. Bullet wounds In
the todies of the dead couple told the
story in part, but the mystery surround
ing the circumstances leading up to the
double crime 10 as yet unsolved.
MIR. Chaplin, VINO is the postmaster by
appointment OF President cleveland, has
during mis- administration Of this small
office, conided the business of the office
to bis wife, in order that he might attend
10 other business. He had been for some
time superintendent of the fisheries in
Sheffield, Mass, owned by Henry Lisnop,
a we'll known Isilroad man, residing in
Bridgeport. His duties, as supeFi intendent
have rendered il necessary for him to
spend a large part of his time in Sheffield,
and it was his custom TO run TO his home
in Falls Village three or four times q
week.
mir. Chapin was not at his house last
night snt Mrs. Chaplin was supposed to
be spending the night alone in the house
with her ten year old con Joseph.
| The boy arose this morning and ma DC
/ tis way to ether parts of the house.
Reaching tue aiming room door, be
! sought TO open IL, but found 1t partially
/ blocked by weight. The little fellow
at length succeeded in forcing il open Il
! find lying against 1t on the floor the
BODY OF his mother. He did not wait tS
Investigate further but ran from tn,
house TO nsighbors and gave the alarm
The Cnapin house was soon the scene o
the greatest excitement and in short orae
practically the whole village was wilo q
learning of the discoveries detailed
above. Tie village sut thofities we:e sool
at work. A message was speedily sen
to Coroner higgins at Winsted who re
| plied that ne wouli reach tie scene a
the earliest possible moment.
The excitement had in no way subside,
at $3.50 when an express train rolled i
from Massachusetts and Postmaste
Chapin slighted, proceeded to his nome
where be purposed to spend Sunday. Tn
terrible news which was broken to bir
oy frienos he was utterly unprepired 70
ano the man was well nign prostrsted
BY order of the authorities the bodie
we're left in The positions In which the
had been found. until the arrival OF tn
coroner. Meanw hile the vicinity of tn
Chaplin residence was the Mecca for u
Falls Village ana the villagers gsthere
In little knots to discuss and explain th
! tThgcuys luc pISNST W bt duiit
task. How young N, ade happened to b
in the Jhspin home last night is nc
known. lie had been a frequent call.
upon Mrs. Chaplin. who was ia the neigi
torhood of Is years of age. There h'
been some talk concerning the relation
OF the couple, but it has merely bsen &
a gossipy nature. The citizens of tt
town talked among themselves concernin
the matter, but became extremely rsticer
when spproached by stners than their In
meo tate friends.
Mr.Chapin, the sffilcted husband, ,refus
absolutely to say anything or receive "a
consola ion OF MS friends. The family
Mrs. Chspin, who was a Falls Village cir
are also proslrited and are completely
a loss TO xclain the fearful tragedy.
The premises which Afforded the sect
! Of the deaths srs not now open to Il
public. Mhelner- or not thera-was-
, struggle bss not been learned, snd the n
details cannot be known until Coron
Higgins has arrived snd Investigated.
Another Theory.
Coroner Higgins arrived from winst'