The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-04-29
AN AWFUL CRIME.
A Woman and Her Four
Children Murdered.
Wash Tuttleton, the woman's Step
Son, In JAN Charged with
the Crime.

IlllltS SOutH vi HtTc ltsl uiSut III Ilit
Maiden neighborhood.
Mrs. Jane TuttietOn. widow, and her
four small children, ranging in age
from to II years, were murdered,
and the family residence set on fire to
hide the crime.
James Henry Tuttleton. stepson
of the murdered woman. and half
brother of the children. is now under
arrest for the crime.
Wash Tuttleton, the head of the
family, died two years ago. leaving Il
valua Dle landed estate to be divided
between three children by his first
marriage. and his widow and four
children by a second marriage. He
named his second son. j. II. Tuttle-
ton. by will. IA administrator. His
conduct of affairs was not pleasing
to the heirs, especially to his step
mother. who brought suit several days
ago for $1,000 due her from certain
rentals upon the lands. This suit
brought about bitter feeling between
the two, but the trouble was temporar-
lily patched up yesterday by an agree
mcgt whereby the widow was to re-
cciv,. 500 in cash and certain prumis-
>ory notes to cover the balance.
WHAT NEIGHBORs SAW.
ABOUT nightfal Tuttleton repaired
to The country home of his stcpmother
To- arrange all the details This w;,-
the ,ast seen of the family alive. and
of Tuttleton. until he was picked up
in the yard. Shortly before 9 O'Clock
nei%hbors were attracted to the Tuttle-
ton homestead by flames that were con
suming the house. AZ they neared
the scene they We're met with the odor
of burning flesh. The body of the
oldest son. Wash. aged l.. was living
across the door facing with Il bullet
hole in tie head. anu with one foot
entirely burned away. IN the family
room were the other members of the
family almost wrapped in flames.
They were carried out into the ward,
The mother, charred almost beyond
recognition. and with the upper por-
tion of the head and face entirely
gone, and the children. with roasted
flesh, We're laid side by side.
In one corner of the ward and with !
IN Il stones throw of the murdered
family was found the body of J. Fl.
Tuttleton. bleeding from Il dozen knife
wounds. He was arrested and taken
to the Maiden Jail. He made "a state
ment, IN substance. that while ar
ranging the details Of his business
with his stepmo.her. two men entered
he room and. at the point of a pis-
OF. demanded that he hand over the
money that they knew he possessed.
te refused. whereupon they opened
ire on him. The first shot struck the
woman in the head. and she fell a
orpse at his feet. He ran inIo the
ard. under fire from the two men. and l
'as overtaken ami beaten and cut .
nto unconsciousness. He knew moth |
NJ further until he was aroused by t
he neighbOrs. Both men were heav- c
y masked. he said. One was tall I
nj Heavily built. and the other short I
nd thin. The murdered woman WAS +
killed with some heavy cud- C
el, as the lower face was crushed in t
tverai places. the children had bui- {
I wounds in their bodies. The two C
Oungest were doubtless killed in their )
eep, as the bodies We're taken from b
Irning beds. This morning a pistol
nd knife with which the bloody deed
as done were found in the yard. and
ey have since been identified as the
'operty of Tuttleton. u
THE INQUEST. OF
An inquest was held this afternoon. to
1t the jury adjourned until tomorrow IN
r new developments. Tuttleton was I'll
.amined in Jail this afternoon. and W
marks of violence We're found upon cl
: person. save the knife wounds. es
pom his person was found a forged pa
ceipt for $50. bearing date of April OF
, and signed Mrs. }. Tuttleton. II
The feeling against Tuttleton Is in 50
use. and TODAY when he was taken &C
Dm the Jail toward the place of in
est the demonstrations became so
irked that the officers were compelled
fight their way through the crowd of
at gathered about him. Tonight a. Is
o'clock he was driven at full speed ",
the Cotton Belt depot, put aboard ws
engine that was ready, and taken wi
stward toward New Madrid. Where Sa
was taken no one knows, but the an
pposition is that circuitous route a