Mysterious Death of Mabel Tuttle - 1906

She Loved Not Wisely, But Too Well

Newburgh NY Register, December 1906

A very sad case, resembling in many ways that of Grace Brown, has just transpired near Delhi, [Delaware Co.] in which the victim of too much faith in man was Miss Mabel Tuttle, a farmer's handsome daughter, who about to become a mother, ended her life by some unknown vegetable poison. The miscreant responsible is said to be Carl Richards of Oneonta, who disappeared as soon as the girl's death was made public.  He had known her from babyhood, and her father purchased his farm from his father. The girl's mother recently visited another daughter, Mrs. Meehan.  at Otisville, and bought some silk for a waist for Mabel there, as Richards had promised to marry Mabel. The girl had clumsily attempted to bring about the death of her child in addition to taking poison.

Delhi Girl's Mysterious Death - A Rigid Investigation Will Follow

The Otsego Farmer, December 7, 1906

Mabel Tuttle, nineteen years old who resided on a farm with her parents near Delhi, Delaware county, is dead under such circumstances that the coroner is making the most rigid kind of an investigation into the circumstances leading up to the tragedy.  She was but nineteen years old, a student in the high school last year and up to a short time ago, she was preparing to be married on December 3 to one Carl Richards of Oneonta. A few days since preparations for the wedding were stopped.  An autopsy failed to establish the cause of death and a chemical analysis is to be made of the contents of the stomach.

Monday afternoon Mrs. John Meehan of Ottsville, a married sister of Mabel, returned to the Tuttle home to spend Thanksgiving and Tuesday night the sisters slept together.  Mrs. Meehan says that they did not wake up until daylight.  Mrs. Meehan remarked that it was late and she then proceeded to dress.  Mabel sat up in bed.  While Mrs. Meehan was standing in front of the mirror, Mabel suddenly exclaimed "Oh Annis!" and sank back unconscious on her pillow.  Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle were at the barn milking and Mrs. Meehan at once rushed out and summoned them to the bedside of the stricken girl.  They found her in an unconscious condition and thought she lived for an hour, she never rallied from that condition.  Dr. William Ormiston of Delhi was summoned and when he arrived at the house the girl had passed away.

The coroner who is Dr. P.L. Craig of Davenport, assisted by Drs. H.A. Gates and William Ormiston performed an autopsy.  This was concluded on Thursday afternoon.  The viscera was removed from the body, sealed up and sent to Albany for chemical analysis.  Though the physicians did not find anything which they could certify as to the cause of death, they did find that the girl would have become a mother in four months.  And it was also ascertained that death did not follow as the result of a criminal operation.

From letters found among the girl's effects it was evident that someone signing the name of Carl Richards of Oneonta was, according to the writer's admissions, the coroner ways, responsible for the girl's condition.  But a significant and to the authorities an all important fact is that the correspondence apparently ended about a month ago.  In the last letter written over a month ago, the writer said he would arrive on December 4, and to it he renewed his declarations of love and fealty.  In previous letters he had said that he would keep his promise.  Richards is said to be a member of a well-to-do family in Oneonta.  He came to this neighborhood last June and spent a month with a family residing two miles from this village and it was on this visit that he is alleged to have made the acquaintance of Mabel Tuttle. But for this meeting, it is said that the girl would have today been a student in the Delhi high school.  The Tuttle family physician is Dr. H.J. Goodrich.  He is in New York, but it is said that he had not attended any member of the family in a month.  The inquest will be continued after the report as to the contents of the stomach ahs been received.  It was at first thought that she may have committed suicide.  

In Oneonta Richards is well known.  Inquiry for him on Friday revealed that he had not been seen in Oneonta since the day previous. At his home it was said that he left town on Thursday and his whereabouts were not known.  His father, Lyman Richards, said that he had no knowledge that the young man was engaged to be married and knew of no intimacy with Mabel Tuttle.  He had heard nothing of the approaching marriage. The only information in relation to the matter was the receipt of a telephone message received about noon Friday, stating that Mable Tuttle was dead and the funeral would be held on Saturday. The younger Richards has been a wayward fellow and his companions here will not believe that he seriously intended to be married.

The inquest was opened in Delhi on Wednesday of this week.  It is learned that Miss Tuttle had visited recently in Oneonta and had been entertained at Richards' home.

Coroner's Inquest in Delhi Girl's Death

Utica Herald-Dispatch, December 7, 1906

Oneonta:  An investigation of the cause of the death of Mabel Tuttle of Delhi, who died under peculiar circumstances November 28, has been commenced by Coroner Craig of Delaware County, who, after the examination of several witnesses adjourned the inquest to December 19.

The testimony of the doctors who performed the autopsy, Dr. Gates and Dr. Ormiston, was that an operation of a criminal nature had been performed upon the girl from 24 to 36 hours before her death.  While both said that it might have been done by the girl herself, they swore that it was not probable that she could have done it.

The first witness sworn was the father of the dead girl, William N. Tuttle. he stated that Mabel had been at home the greater part of the past year, with the exception of her visit to the Richards family in Oneonta in the middle of last August. She had also assisted in housework at the family of a neighbor for two weeks.  Came home from there about the first of November and had been home since that time.  he was not aware of her condition until, as near as he could remember, about the 15th of October.

Anna Tuttle, mother of the girl, corroborated the testimony of her husband.  

Mrs. Charles Rice, another sister of the deceased gave testimony of no special important.  

The doctors were unable to determine positively the cause of death from the autopsy.

Investigation Will Probably Die

The Hobart independent, December 22, 1906

Delhi:  The investigation by the authorities into the death of Mable Tuttle, whose sudden demise, under peculiar circumstances is fresh in the minds of readers, will probably die.  Coroner Craig and District Attorney Neish who have investigated the matter extendedly, think it is improbable that any person can be convicted of any crime in the death of the girl. While she undoubtedly came to her death as the result of an attempt to relieve her delicate condition, yet evidence incriminating anyone would be difficult to secure.