The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-06
THE TUCHfON
INQUEST
The Cause of the Woman's
Death Still a Mystery.
Mrs. TVEsTaN seen HERE
The Husband of theDead Woman
Makes a Clear Statement of
all Facts in his Knowl-
edge.

! on or about February "a, 1897, was tho
verdict returned by the coroner's jury last
night when the death Of Mrs. Tuchton
was Investigated by Coroner j. Thomas
Wright, assisted by Deputy Coroner
Chandler.
Attorney Genorel White was present
during the taking of evidence with Detect
i've Witsil at his left and Stenographer
Hardesty at his right side. Chief Dolan
Captain Chambers and Kane and u num-
Der of police and Detectives Gallagher and
Late of Philadelphia were also present
The result of the inquest deepens the
mystery as no new light was thrown on
tho matter except by Mrs. Wilson Of
Elliott avenue who saw Mrs. Tuchton on
Saturday afternoon in company with a
man who was not her husband
Little attention is paid to the story told
by young Beale and his companion as it
was dark at the time they went along the
race and the object seen was like a big
boy and the groan heard resembled that of
from 7.30 until nearly midnight
Mrs. Mary f. Ellis of $50 South Twelfth
street, Philadelphia deposed she knew
Mrs. Tuchton as having been Miss
Pearce and later as Mrs. Samuel Taylor
The first time sho saw the deceased was
on July last, when she and her husband
/ answered an advertisement and took o
room. He said they were from Trenton
and he visited her about three times u
week during the three months she was at
her house.
/ She was there about three days when
her husband brought a certificate Of their
marriage 1t was signed by Burrell of
Camden. In about month she asked
witness IL she would assist in producing
abortion. The husband always treated
her kindly in her presence She said it
4 A., F,, 1t e., nf
her delicate condition md she heard the
husband say he wanted to get rih OF the
- thing. He would give 500 10 got rid
of 1t.
After refusing to assist in tho operation
a conversation took place on October IL,
and she left her house. The witness de-
posed that when the deud woman's
brother called she begged on ner knees not
| to let him in as Stanley would leave
| her If be knew that she had met her
| brother They disclosed their real names.
| She identified Tuchton as tho man who
| was at her house and identified the switch
| found by Officer Gum.
| Mrs Hettie L. Bedleman testified she
resided at 1907 Thompson street Philadel-
| pbia and that shO knew the deceased as
| Mautle Pearce and identified her by a
photograph. She went to her house on
| Sunday night October If last. She ap-
| piled for board and went for her watch.
| Upon her return she was very nervous and
| mnch excited. After returning from the
telegraph office she put Maude to bed
She expected to be sick on January 15
, and stayed at the house. She continued
! to talk about death. She would say, II
| wish I was dead" Sho gave birth to the
| child on January II. In conversation
| the dend woman said she would never go
| tc Wilmington alive and would die before
| she would live there and would never give
! LiHzic Pyle the chance to laugh at her
/ misfortune This conversation took place
! about ten days ago.
! Before the birth Of the child they loved
| each other dearly. She took the child
J away when it was nearly three weeks old.
! She said sho was going 10 take the baby
! to Iriond in Trenton. Maude came back
! that day About Christmas Maude soitt
Sam was going to sond a turkey and 1t
| came on Christmas eve. When the turkey
/ came Maude came down and said she
/ wished she was an angel and asked which
I was tfc easiest death and Mrs. Bcidle-
! man told her that drowning was the easi-
/ est. She said the chip had been taken to
( Trenton.
| Nlaude told her repeatedly that she
/ would die before she would go TO Will
! mingtOn She talked often about com
! mittinG suicide. When Maude received
! registered letter she read it and burned
! it. Soon aftnrward in answer to n query
/ as to good or bad news. She cried and
/ stated that Stanley had left her and she
! could not 1.-Two without him. On Satur.
! day morning she received il telegram that
! ho would be there on Sunday or Monday
night, Maude left the house at noon on
! last saturday.
| On Saturday night Stanley called and
| said that he sent her $40 After remain
! ing three quarters of an hour he left and
went to Wilmington and returned and
| said he was going to see Maude's brother
! She found out tho whereabouts of the
| child last night when Detective Witsil
called on her. She identified some cloth
ing found there. She could not identify
| tho child there. Sho identified Mr.. Tuch-
| ton in the room.
/ Mrs. Maggie Campbell identified the
| photograph Of Mrs. Tuchton and heard her
make threats of committing suicide. Her
| husband would call to sec her twice q
| week and they were kind to each other.
| She had dread of coming to Wilmington.
| Mrs. Annie Wood testified that about the
/ last Of January the deceased came to her
| house with gentleman to get board for
| her baby. She stated upon Mr.. Tuchton
| coming into the room that he was not the
| man that was with the lady.
The man gave his name as Mr.. Robert
| son of 702 North Eight street but no such
! chid's board in advance.
| DR.. smith testified to having made q
| postmortcm examination of the body.
| Death was due to external violence Death
could not have resulted from drowning
J under the condition of the internal organs.
! If she had fallen n distance of 80 feet
bones would have been broken. II death
| had been produced by the fall then
| there would be water in her lungs. The
skin on the head and face was not broken
| sufficiently to draw the blood, The in
! jurics could have been produced by some
| one else with club without breaking the
skin The skull was not fra itured. The
| other bruises on the body could have been
produced in the water Il" bones would
| have been broken.
In answer to Deputy Coroner Chandler
| he stated no did not think tho blow across
| the head could have been Inflicted attor
she was in the water,
The blow across the face was inflicted
| before she was dead. The shoulder was
| not broken nor out ,of place. DIR, John 2,
| PYLE corroborated DR. Smith as regards
| the injuries to the body. In his Judgment
| she was dead before she met the water aud
the woman was injured in some way.
She did not die instantly as the nails
were blue The right leg and arm were
i swollen.
Detective James Tate deposcd that on
| Sunday night last Iucnton ana MS
! father called at the detective office and re-
| ported the disappearance of Fannie s.
| Taylor from Wilmington, at u a. III. On
| Saturday.
Mrs. Annie Pyle last saw Fannie S.
Tuchton on July g last She heard from
| her by letter in about ten days and sad
| she was in New York.
They kep' company for over two years.
| Tuchton denied the whereabouts of Fan.
ME. She pevR' stated in his presence
| that she would commit suicide Fannie
| md her daughter in,law never had any
words. Ahert s. Reale on last Saturday
| evening was walking along the race. He
| was walking IN company with his ady
| friend He saw al object floating iu the
race and heard II groaD soon afterwaFd
| 1t locked like full grown boy.
Miss Virgic McClcnaghan heard splash h
| and saw the object in the water and heard
| il groan. As long as she saw the object
| 1t was floating on the water.
Miss Lydia McQuillen testified that be.
tween and o'clock she saw lady on
| Washington street bridge. She was
dressed in dark.
Mrs Rebecca Morrow testified she saw
Stanley Touchton on Sunday and Tues.
day mornings He stated he expected to
l see Fannie at her house She said In cna