Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-10-15
lO||N|||A|N5g|RIN|fCIS
v. 3. Tuthill, Who DISAPPEARED In
1883 Found ii California Sol.
disrs' Home.
Application Of Q Pension Means o.
His Discover -Insurance
Case Dismissed.


His Discovery Insurance
Case Dismissed.
Special to Times- Republican.
Waterloo. Oct. 15.--William n. Tut
hill. who strangely disappeared on Oct.
%. 1883, from Ottawa, Kas., and who
long has been mourned 40 dead, has
been found. He is living under his own
name in the soldiers Home in Santa
Monica, Cal.
The discovery was made thru the APP
plication OF Harriet "A. Tuthill, his wife,
for a pension as widow of union SOL
der. Search OF the records revealed the
fact that a man Of the name in the Cali.
fornia home was drawing q pension,
and further inquiry brought q full ex-
PLANTATION.
Tuthill claims he wandered away
while out OF his mind. and when he re-
covered reason a few days later decid-
ed to remain away from hie home.
Mrs. Tuthill will withdraw from the
icourtsa contest over an insurance claim
on her husbands life. which was first
begun four years ago. It has been tried
twice in the district court at Waterloo
and is now in the supreme court await
ing decision on an appeal by the plain-
tin.
Tuthill in 1873 resided at New Abba,
Ia, with his wife and family. That year
q lodge of the Ancient Order OF United
Workmen was established there and he
became a member. having his benefci-
airy certificate for $4,000 made payable
to his wife. In October. 1853, he was liv-
ing in Ottawa, Kas.. where he had
charge Of the building Of a large church
and other contracts.
On Sunday, Oct. 90, 1883, Tuthill went
to Kansas City with one of his work
men. leaving word with his wife that he
would return home that night. That
was the last seen of him by any Of his
friends and relatives, altho a vigorous
search was prosecuted for many months
At the time of the strange disappear
ance there We're rumorse giving Tuthil's
companion dark record and that a
murder had been committed was sus-
pected by many.
Detectives We're employed. but they
could find no trace OF the missing man
or his companion after they reached
Kansas City. The wife waited and
watched. but at last gave up all hope
of ever seeing her husband again. She
believed he had either been murdered or
killed in some accident.
A few years ago Mrs. Tuthill removed
to Dubuque, where she has relatives
and where che still makes her home.
Then the claim against the grand lodge
.of the Ancient order.of United Work
men, on the beneficiary policy held by
her husband, was forwarded for collec-
ton. Payment wac refused on the
ground that there was no proof OF death.
Mrs. Tuthill in December. 1886, began
an action to recover on the policy. The
basis Of the claim before the court was
the legal presumption that person who
has been missing and unheard OF for
seven years is legally dead. The case
was transferred to this city and went to
trial before Judge F. c. Plat.
B The jury rendered a verdict for the
plaintiff, but the finding was set aside
on technical grounds and a new trial orr
dered in October. 1898. The case again
came to trial in the court here before
Judge Blair, who instructed the jury to
find verdict for the defendant on the
ground that the claim was barred by the
Iowa statute Of Limitations. more than
ten years having elapsed between the
disappearance and supposed death OF
5Tuthill and the commencement Of the
action.
The attorneys for Mrs. Tuthill except
ed to the ruling OF the court. They
claimed that in the absence Of actual
evidence the legal presumption Of death
did not accrue until the last day of the
seven years following the disappearance.
On this point the case was carried to the
supreme court, where a decision was
looked for at the present session Of that
body.
B While waiting for this decision Mrs.
Tuthill filed claim in the pension bu-
reau at Washington. This resulted in
the discovery that a William H. Tuthill
OF the same regiment and company Of
which the supposed dead man was a
member had been for some years draw
ing pension and that he was an in
mate Of a soldiers home in southern
California.
Mrs. Tuthill wrote to the institution
and received a letter which may be the
only explanation ever given, Of the mys-
terious affair. Tuthill expresses no spe-
cial regret at having broken up his home
and no desires for reuniting OF the
ties. He simply says he has no memory
of the evenr Of seventeen years ago be-
yond his leaving home and promising to
return home the same day. He does not
reaching Kansas City, and
says his mind wac blank for several
days When he regained HE faculties he
says he was on Mississippi river
steamer, headed for New Orleans. After
reaching that city. he could not bring
himself to return to his home, and he
took UP the life Of wanderer. and at
last sought refuge in the soldierS home.
Tuthill is now between SIS and 20 years
Of age.
BIG REWARD OFFERED
Adams Express Company Oners
e5, 900 for Return of stolen Pack
age.
Burlington, Oct. 15.-Five thousand
dollars have been offered by the Adams
Express Company for the recovery OF
the $4,000 package stolen two months
ago while in transit from the CONNER