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From:
Subject: Re: [GenConnecticut-L] the axe murderers
Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2003 15:00:45 EDT

In a message dated 4/20/03 11:01:55 AM Central Daylight Time,
writes:

> I have Tuttles in my line
> and had never heard that story.
>

Figured out who it was- this is from my notes:

Valerie

http://www.rootsweb.com/~nwa/murder.html
Sarah Tuttle was merely a flirt, but two separate incidents have guaranteed
her place in history. At a court held in New Haven, May 1, 1660, Jacob
Murline and Sarah Tuttle were prosecuted for "sinful dalliance". They were
accused of "sitting down on a chest together, his arm about her waist and her
arm upon his should or about his neck, and continuing in this sinful position
about half an hour, in which time he kissed her and she kissed him, and they
kissed one another", as the witnesses testify. This complaint was made by
Sarah's father under a law that whosoever should inveigle or draw away the
affections of any maid or maid servant for himself or others, without first
obtaining the consent of her parents or guardians, should pay, besides all
the damages the parent might sustain, 40 shillings for the first offense, and
for the second towards the same person, 4 pounds and for the third, fined,
imprisoned and corporally punished, as the Plantation court may direct.

The term "inveigling" appears to have had rather wide implications. There
were cases in which the young man charged with this offense had done nothing
more than to walk with the girl on a country road. Young women who consented
to advances from the men were also looked upon with legal disfavor. Mr.
Tuttle pleaded that Jacob had endeavored to steal away his daughter's
affections.

Additionally, the Governor declared that "the business for which they were
warned to the Court he had heard in private at his house which he related to
stand thus; on the day John Potter was married, Sarah Tuttle went to Mr.
Murline's for some three hours. Mr. Murline bid her go to her daughters in
the other room, where they fell into speech of John Potter & his wife, that
they were both lame, upon which Sarah Tuttle said that she wondered what they
would do at night whereupon Jacob came in a tooke away or took up her gloves;
Sarah desired him to give her the gloves, to which he answered he would do
so, if she would give him a kiss, upon which they sate downe together, his
arme being about her & her arme upon his shoulder or about he necke & he
kissed her & shee him, or they kissed one another, continuing in this posture
about half an houre. Mrs. Murline now in Court said that she heard her say,
she wondered what they would doe at night & she replied they must sleep, but
there was company with her in the roome, and she was in a strait; but it is
matter of sorrow & shame to her."

Jacob was asked what he had to say to these things; to which he answered,
"yes he was in the other roome & when he heard Sarah speake those words he
went in, where shee haveing let fall her gloves, he tooke them up & she asked
him for them; hee told her he would if shee would kisse him which she did;
further said that he tooke her by her hand & they both sate downe upon a
chest, but whether his arme were about her & her arme upon his shoulder or
about his neck, he knowes not, but he never thought of it since, till Mr.
Raymond told him of it; for which he was blamed & told that it appeares that
he hath not layd it to heart as he ought. But Sarah Tuttle replyed that shee
did not kiss him; but Sarah being asked if Jacob had inveigled her, she said,
no; tho Tuttle said that he came to their house two or three times before he
went to Holland & they two were together & to what end he came he knowes not
unless it were to inveigle her & their mother warned Sarah not to keep
company with him. Jacob denyed that he came to their house with any such
intention nor did it appeare so to the Court. The Governor told Sarah that
her miscarriage is the greatest that a virgin should be so bold in the
presence of others, to carry it as she had done & to speake such corrupt
words, most of the things charged being acknowledged by her self, though that
about kissing him is denyed, yet the thing is proved. Sarah professed that
she was sorry that she had carried it so foolishly & sinfully which she sees
to be hateful; she hoped God would help her to carry it better for time to
come. The Governor also told Jacob that his carriage hath beene very evil and
sinfull, so to carry towards her; & to make such a light matter of it as not
to thinke of it (as he had exprest) doth greatly aggravate."

Sarah was characterized by the court as a "bold virgin" who had better mend
her ways. She said meekly that she would. Jacob was set free and told to shun
such virgins as Sarah. The Court declared, "that we have heard in the
publique ministry that it is a thing to be lamented that younge people should
have their meetings, to the corrupting of themselves & one another; as for
Sarah Tuttle, her miscarriages are very great, that she should utter so
corrupt a speech as she did concerning the persons to be married & that she
should carry it in such an imodest, uncivil, wanton, lascivious manner, as
hath beene proved; & for Jacob, his carriage hath beene verry corrupt &
sinfull, such as brings reproach upon the family & place; the sentence
therefore concerning them was, that they shall pay either of them as a fine
20 shillings to the Treasurer."

Sarah Tuttle died at the hands of her brother, Benjamin on November 17, 1676.
Twenty-nine year old Benjamin made his family's name in history with that
rather indelicate instrument, the ax. That night he began quarreling with
sister, Sarah. A fragment of paper preserved in the CT State Archives
contains a statement by Benjamin.

In it he said that he was with his sister, that they had had a falling out,
that he was afraid she would do to him what he had done to her, and that he
had no love for her. He and Sarah may have been arguing about the division of
their dead father's considerable property, or perhaps Sarah made a
disparaging remark about their sister, Elizabeth, who was showing signs of an
impetuous nature and lack of decorum which was quite at odds with the Puritan
standards of the day. Benjamin may have reminded Sarah that she was no angel;
she had scandilized the town in her youth by publicly exchanging kisses with
a Dutch sailor, for which she and the sailor were fined.

Whatever the quarrel was about, Benjamin resolved it in a terrible, final
manner. He went to the barn, got an ax, returned to the house and struck
Sarah on the head, "maulling & mashing her head to many pieces in a barbarous
and bloudy maner." Benjamin then ran away and hid in the woods, but was later
apprehended and tried and convicted for the murder May 29, 1677.

An official record of the case appears in Crimes, op. cit. Document No. 80:

A veardet of a Jourey's Inqest in Stamford, novemb'r 18th 1676 one the death
of Sarah Slason, wif to Jno. Slason; howe was found barbarsley Slayen In hur
one hous, as followeth -

"We hous names are hear undar wretten (of the Jourey) and how a greed undar
outh decleare: the body of the womman we found leyeng dead a cros the hearth,
with hur head In the cornar of the chem[ney?], wounded after this mannar: the
Skull and Jaw, eaxtremly broken, from the Jaw to hur neack, and soo to the
crown of the head, one the right Sied of the Same, with part of her brayens
out, wich ran out at a hool, wich was Struck through her head, behind the
ear. Judgeng the weppon with wich It was dune to be with a narro ax that laye
near hur, wich was much bloddy a bout the pooll of the same, and a pone
Inqisishon from the children of Jno. and Sarah Slasson, Jno. Slasson, sune to
Jno. and Sarah, as a boye aged a bought twelief years, sayeth that, beeng In
his fat[her's] hous one Sattarday night, the 18th of this Instant, a bought
one houar and half with In the night, his mothar, him self and the rest of
the children beeng thare, his mothar beeng at the fiare, Sitteng In a chare,
and bengimun tuttell Setteng [at] the chimny cornar near his mothar, his
mothar was saying to hur children She was Sorry hur husband was gone to mr.
bishops without his Suppar, exspecteng he was gon to watch, for She feard he
would be Sick for want of It. Bengiman tuttell replyeng verry Short, that he
might have had It befor he went If he would. his mothar ansreng him a gaiene
with this reply: (you ned not be Soo short), a pone wich he went out of the
dooars, an when he was out his bothar bead his Sistar Sarrah, Shutt the dore,
beang It Smockt, and as She went to Shut It, bengiman tuttall came In with
Sumtheng In his hand and Spock these words anggarly: (Ile Shut the doar for
you) and soo went to his mother and struck her one the right Sied of the heed
with that he broght In his hand, but knoes not whethar It was an ax or other
weppon; at wich blow She fell and nevar Spock nor groned more; and followd
with Sevrell blows aftar She fell, Standeng over hur, a pone wich he rune out
of doars and cried [two illegible words]. Just as he struck his mothar the
furst blow, bengiman tuttell Sayed (I will tech you to Scold) and a pone
thaire criyeng out, bengiman tuttell fled; There beeng no parson In the hous
when the mistchef begun, to help them. Sarah Slason, dafter to Jno. and Sarah
Slason, was a bout aged a bout niene yeares, declared the same varbattom.

Wee, the Juary, doe declare that the decklaratshon of the boy and the gurl as
above was declared befor us by them, and doe Judg that the wund one her heed
was the caus of her death, as witnes our hands.

henary Smith
Danyell Scofeld
Samuel dibboll
Caleb hiatt
Jno. Asten
Jno. Selleck
Rich: Law
Frances Bell
Jno. homs
Jno. Grene
Isak [illegible]
[illegible]"

"The Grand Jury haveing heard the accusation against Benjamen Tuttell did
return that they found the Bill here followes the Indictment: Benjamen Tutle
thou art indicted by the name of Benjamen Tutle late of Stamford that not
haveing the fear of God before thine eyes thou hast most wickedly risen up
against thy sister, Sarah the wife of John Slawson of Stamford afoarsayd some
time in November last about the 18th day & by smiteing her with an axe or
some other instrument of death thou hast slayne her for which according to
the law of God & the lawes of this colony thou deservest to dye. The prisoner
haveing heard the Indictment read was required to Answer Guilty or not
guilty; he Answered not guilty & referred himselfe to be tryed by God & the
country. The former Jury being called man by man & the prisoner ordered to
look upon them & accept or except against them, he accepting of them the case
was comitted to the sayd Jury. The Jury return that they finde Benjamen Tutle
Guilty according to the Inditment. The court haveing considered the return of
the Jury doe approve of the same. And accordingly did sentence the sayd
Benjamen Tutle to be carryed hence to the place from whence he came & at a
convenient time to be carryed thence to the place of execution & there to be
hanged by the neck till he dyes & then out downe & buryed. This court
appoynts that execution be done upon the prisoner according to sentence the
13th of June next & the secretary is appoynted to signe a warrnt to the
marshall to see execution done according to the sentance. And the reverend
Mr. Nath. Collins is desired & appoynted to preach the lecture that day
execution is to be done."

Benjamin was hanged at New Haven, June 13, 1677.

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