The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-09-09
did HE MURDER
THE BABY?
Thomas Toulson Is Under
Arrest on Suspicion
of InfantiCide.

State Detective Bernard J. McVey,
who has been investigating the peculiar
drowning OF Sarah Boulden, the 4-year.
old colored child, at Newark, returned
to this city last night bringing with him
Thomas Toulson, the child's stepfather,
who he committed to Jail on the charge
of murder.
The State detective Mas reticent con-
cerning the evidence against the prisoner
but it is understood that Toulson is sup
posed to have held the child under water
until she drowned.
There must be strong train OF cir
cumstantial evidence against the pris-
Oner.
According to report the child was
drowned in stream not over three feet
wide and seven inches deep.
Two weeks prior to her death her par
ents had her life insured in the Metro
politan Insurance Company and agent
Parish, OF Newark, took the risk.
The child's mother was away at the
time OF the drowning and the father was
LETT at home with the children.
The stream in which the little girl met
her death was about % yards from her
home and it would have been impossible
for her have to fallen in and drown un-
less she was taken with fit She was
sound and healthy and not subject to any
spells, spasms, convulsions or tits.
TouIson found the child's body and
gave the alarm. She had been dead
about three hours and if she was muir
dered the deed was done between i
O'Clock in the morning and O'Clock in
the afternoon.
There is great excitement at Newark
over the alleged murder and it is an open
secret that the chain OF evidence against
Tculson is serious and his neck is prob
ably in jeopardy. .
Although Detective McVev seemed
well pleased with his work at Newark
yesterday. he will go there again today
and probably make another arrest.
The prisoner and Insurance Agent
Parish disagree in reference to the pay
ment made on the policy.
Parish states that one payment was
made and the prisoner emphatically de-
MES it,
The payment was five cents and the
face value of the policy calls for $50,
which the company has not paid pend
ing examination.
The drowned child was between four
and five years of age and was born in
Virginia. Her fathers name is Boul.
den.
Tonson is laborer about So years old
and has been married to the child s
mother about two years and has a child
by her.
1t is alleged that he had no love for
his wife's first child and often treated
h in brutal manner.
/ lie will have some knotty questions to
answer at his hearing before Squire Me-
dill at Newark next Thursday.
The mother OF the drowned child was
formerly employed as domestic in the
family OF ex-Congressman L. Irving
Handy.
Detective Mcvey after bringing his
prisoner to Wilmington took him into
Chief Of Police Dolnn's private office at
the City Hall and questioned him closely
assisted BY the chief The result Of the
examination was kept dark by the two
officials.
The stream in which the child met her
death is known as "Boogie Run" and can
be waded across by four year old cl lid
without danger.
When the childs' body was found
Coroner Wander accompanied by his
physician DR.. D. |. McCollcy went to
Newark and held an autopsy aud in
quest.
The coroner's jury decided that the
child came to FER death by drowning
! and Coroner Nandever gave certificate
of burial in accordance with the verdict.
Despite the coroner's decision Deputy
Attorney General Peter l.. Cooper in
sLrncted Detective McVey to investigate
the case.