The Inquest
at Norwich
Norwich, Ont., June 10: When the jury investigating the
mysterious death of Mrs. Orena Riddell [sic] assembles on
Thursday evening next for what is expected to be the final sitting
of the coroner's enquiry, it is practically a surety that the
provincial analyst's report, which will then be ready for
presentation, will show the presence of a considerable quantity of
prussic acid in the stomach of the woman.
This assurance is based on the strong and characteristic odor
of this deadly acid which was detected about the mouth of the
woman when examined by two physicians shortly after her death, and
later distinctly present when the stomach was being removed and
sealed up at the time the post-mortem examination was being made.
High Constable Hobson of Woodstock was in Norwich yesterday,
looking up certain features of the case regarding which the Crown
had received vague information. He refused to disclose the
particular theory upon which he was working, but there is a
possibility that the Crown will be able to throw some new and
unexpected light on the tragedy.
Veterinary Surgeon Roy Riddell [sic], husband of the
dead woman, is not in Norwich at the present time. He was at
Wednesday's session of the inquest, but left on Thursday morning
to visit his home at Waterford, from which place he brought his
bride two years ago. He was always a nervous, excitable man, and
he has not attempted to practice since his wife's death. He is
expected to return in time for the concluding session of the
inquest. Dr. Riddell [sic] has always been very popular
with all classes in Norwich and the surrounding country..
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Norwich, Ont., 16 Jun 1920: The inquest into the sudden
death of Lorene Riddle, the young wife of Dr. Roy Riddle, a well
known veterinary surgeon of Norwich, was continued at the Norwich
town hall last evening before Dr. Ellis, the coroner, but the
enquiry was not concluded, nor was the mystery cleared.
The peculiar features surrounding the death have aroused
intense interest in the village and surrounding country. While the
hall was not crowded at the outset, it filled up rapidly as the
hearing progressed and at the close of a session of three and a
half hours was packed with townspeople who had eagerly followed
the evidence.
At the present time it cannot be said the case is more than one
of a mysterious death. But in its unusual character it presents
features which may well baffle the best efforts of relatives and
officials to satisfactorily clear it up.
Mrs. Riddle, a charming young lady of 25 years, widely known
and highly respected both in Norwich and Norfolk county, from
which he and her husband came, was found dead on the dining room
floor of her pretty home in Norwich, by her husband on returning
from his rounds about 9 o'clock on the evening of Thursday, June
7.
According to Dr. Riddle's testimony, collaborated by other
witnesses, he left home about three o'clock on the afternoon in
question and drove six miles into the country, making several
calls and returning until nine o'clock in the evening.
His wife was home alone. A number of calls on telephone
were received by her in his absence, and about eight o'clock that
evening she communicated with him by long distance telephone,
locating him at a point on his rounds, telling him of the calls.
She also spoke to others on the 'phone that evening and was
likewise seen sitting on the verandah about eight 0'clock. All
witnesses testifying on this branch of the case declared Mrs.
Riddle, so far as they observed, was in the best of health and
spirits. Naturally she was bright and cheerful, and was not given
to despondent spells.
What was the agency that brought death with such tragic
suddenness between eight and nine o'clock on the evening of June
7? That is the issue before the jury. In order to settle it the
most rigid probe is being made into all facts surrounding the
case. The contents of the stomach of the deceased have been sent
to Dr. Ellis, the analyst, of Toronto. His report has not yet been
received.
From the drift of the enquiry last night it was evident that
the theory of the crown is that death was due to the
administration of some drug, possibly by the deceased herself in
mistake. In this connection, Dr. Riddle admitted he had been
prescribing for stomach trouble, from which his wife suffered,
giving her saltpeter and a potassium mixture, which, he said, had
a soothing effect.
Mr. Ball questioned very closely as to the presence of
prussic acid in Dr. Riddle's dispensary at his home, eliciting the
information that it had been kept in stock. The crown attorney
also probed exhaustively as to Dr. Riddle's knowledge of the
working of the acid and as to whether he had ever communicated
such information to his wife. The doctor said he was aware a small
quantity of prussic acid would cause a most instant death, and
while he had not told his wife of this, he had warned her in a
general way not to take any medicines from his dispensary, as
there were many poisonous drugs there. He added that there were
books in his library about the use of the acid in question.
Another line of query concerned Dr. Riddle's actions on finding
his wife's dead body. He lost control of himself completely and
rushed out of the house, summoned a neighbor and then ran to a
barber shop for a doctor, later going to the central telephone
office to 'phone, whereas all the while there was a 'phone in his
own house a few feet from where the body lay.
The insurance question was also taken up, it being known that a
year ago February Mrs. Riddle had taken out a policy of $2,000 in
her husband's favor. An agent had approached him for insurance and
the doctor suggested he call on his wife,as she had been talking
about insuring. A clause in the policy made it ineffective in the
event of suicide within a year.
The arrival of the report of Prof. Ellis of Toronto, on the
analysis of the stomach is awaited with great interest, as
practically the whole mystery in connection with the tragic affair
will be solved by its contents. If there is nothing in the
stomach, death undoubtedly was natural, although unusually sudden.
If anything is found, particularly if it should be prussic acid,
as seems to be anticipated by the course of the crown's
interrogations, the investigation will have just begun. Effort
will then be in order to determine how it was secured and whether
or not it was self-administered or possibly taken in mistake.
The inquest will be continued next Thursday night, when Dr.
Ellis' report will probably be ready.
Promptly at 8 o'clock the proceedings opened in the town hall,
which was not filled at theh hour, with Coroner Ellis presiding
and County Crown Attorney R. N. Ball of Woodstock, conducting the
examination of witnesses. There was a great array of jurymen,
numbering 15 in all, and some 14 witnesses were heard.
Mrs. John Hattsell confirmed the testimony that Dr. Riddle and
her husband reached her home about nine o'clock.
[One line of type not readable]
Royal, where Dr. Riddle had his office, had four calls from Mrs.
Riddle during the day, the first at 7.30 in the evening, and last
at 7.45, all enquiring for her husband. She had been in the custom
of calling up in this way.
Miss Pearl Kramer, who was at Tuttle's house, six miles from
Norwich, answered the 'phone about 7.45. Mrs. Riddle requested
that the doctor call her up when he arrived there. She wanted the
doctor to hurry home.
John Tuttle, residing five miles from Norwich, testified that
he had not known Dr. Riddle was to call at his home on this
occasion, but he had been in the habit of dropping in for moment
when in the vicinity of professional service. This night Mrs.
Riddle had called up somewhere about eight o'clock, stating that
she expected the doctor to call there and asking that when he did
Mr. Tuttle request him to call her up on 'phone.
Shortly after eight the doctor drove up alone in a rig. The
witness hailed him as he approached, informing him that his wife
wanted him on 'phone. The doctor thereupon went into the house and
'phoned his wife, and on coming out did not inform witness of the
nature of the conversation. After coming out of the house the
doctor went down to witness' barn and talked for some time about a
colt, then leaving probably about 8.30 presumably for home.
In answer to a juror, witness said Mrs. Riddle's phone message had
requested the doctor on arriving at Tuttle's to "hurry
home."
William Lancaster, who was at the Tuttle home on the occasion
in question, said Mrs. Riddle's 'phone call came in about eight
o'clock and Mr. Riddle arrived about 8.15. Witness heard doctor
call up his wife, say "Yes, alright," and then
"I'll go down and see the barn and them come home."
About 8'30 the doctor left for home, after going down to the barn,
as he had said.
"Did you notice from the 'phone message that Mrs. Riddle was
in distress at all?"
"No I noticed nothing of the sort."
Donald Munro, an insurance and land agent of Woodstock, was in
Norwich on the evening of Mrs. Riddle's death and had a
conversation with her at her home between five and 10 minutes to
eight o'clock. He had known her before, and while on this occasion
he did not think she was looking as well as usual, saw nothing
unusual.
"Did anything in her conduct indicate she was in distress of
mind?"
"Nothing at all."
"Nothing to indicate that she was ill?"
"No. She stood in the door during the conversation and
appeared in the best of spirits."
Miss Flock, who was passing Dr. Riddle's house at eight o'clock
on the evening in question, found Mrs. Riddle sitting on the
veranda, working at something of a fancywork class. She was not
well acquainted with her and merely passed the time of evening.
Leonard Bloomstock, who conducts a barbershop at Washington
and Maine street in Norwich, saw Dr. Riddle about 9.25 on
the night of June 7.
Dr. Riddle came along and asked witness to get a doctor, adding
that his wife was sick.
"There's something wrong with her or she's sick," said
Riddle.
"Did he say what was the matter?"
"No."
"How did he appear?"
"He seemed to be excited."
"Did you get a doctor?"
"I went to Dr. Ellis' and found him out. Then I started for
Dr. Harvey's but on the way met another party who said he had
already summoned Dr. Harvey."
There was a flutter of excitement when Dr. Riddle was called.
Mr. Ball conducted a most rigid examination, extending over an
hour. The important passages are given verbatum:
"How long have been practising?"
"Four years."
"When were you married?"
"June 24, 1908, at Bealton, in Norfolk County, northeast of
Waterford."
"How old are you?"
"Twenty-eight."
"How old was your wife?"
"Twenty-five."
"Any children?"
"No."
"What was your wife's disposition?"
"Happy, jovial, mild, full of vigor and life and not
despondent."
"Was she healthy?"
"Yes. Never seriously sick since our marriage."
"Always cheerful?"
"Yes, always looked on the rosy side of life instead of the
despondent."
Continuing, Dr. Riddle outlined his movements on the afternoon
and evening of June 7. He left home between two and three in the
afternoon, making several calls, and having tea at William
Wright's in Oxford County, finally reaching John Tuttle's in the
evening about eight o'clock as already related.
When he left, his wife was well and in her usual health, except
for some stomach trouble with which she had suffered. For this
trouble Dr. Riddle said he had treated his wife himself, giver her
potassium bromide and salt petre. The effect of this was to settle
the stomach, a soothing result.
For a week or so before she had been vomiting in the mornings.
The treatment was intended as a nerve sedative. For some months he
had endeavored to relieve her of pain, but had not called in a
doctor.
He did not bid his wife good-bye on leaving.
On arriving at Tuttle's he called up his wife. She answered the
'phone, her voice and talk being usual. There was nothing
calculated to disturb him. His wife merely said that John Swantz
of Newark had put in an urgent call earlier for the doctor to
attend a sick horse, but later had 'phoned her again that the
animal was better.
Arriving home a half-hour or so after leaving Tuttle's six
miles away, he put his horse at his barn in the rear of the house.
Then he entered the house to get his lantern, which was not, as
usual, lighted for him and set in front of the barn. He left the
horse hooked while he went into the woodshed, groping for the
lantern, and not finding it, proceeded to the kitchen to light the
lamp, as the entire house was in darkness.
He lighted the lamp in the kitchen and called for his wife.
There was no response. Not at all alarmed, having found his wife
out on many occasions, he entertained no apprehension.
Carrying the lamp, he went from the kitchen into the
dining-room, off which there is a bedroom. He supposed possibly
his wife had retired, being fatigued. He threw open the door and
at a glance saw the bed unoccupied. Hence he concluded she must be
out.
Then he wheeled to the right and stopping for a moment saw
"the lifeless body of my wife on the floor in the
dining-room." He head laid next to the door connecting with
the kitchen and her feet stretched towards the direction of the
telephone. The right hand was upraised slightly, the elbow crooked
and the hand falling limp from the wrist joint. She was lying on
her back with her face up.
