Mary Pickering Tuplin (May 5, 1870 — June 28, 1887), was murdered in Margate, Prince Edward Island, Canada in 1887, her body found at the bottom of the Southwest River weighted by a heavy stone. Tuplin, who was 17, died of two shots to the head from a .32 caliber revolver. A medical examination also determined the girl was six months pregnant.
Tuplin's alleged lover, 19-year-old William Millman, was charged with the killing and was convicted, largely on circumstantial evidence. Though he professed innocence, Millman was hanged following a sensational trial held in Charlottetown early the next year.
The Murder of Mary Tuplin (Roud #12463) is one of several ballads written about the crime, which at the time shocked the entire country.
In 2016, Tuplin's skull was reunited with the rest of her remains in a burial arranged by descendants. The skull had been separated from the girl's body during the post-mortem examination and was stored for well over a century in what had once served as the coroner's office in Charlottetown.
Background
Margate is an unincorporated village in a rural area of Prince Edward Island. The Tuplins and Millmans were farming families that lived on opposite sides of the Southwest River. Mary Pickering Tulpin was born on May 5, 1870, the daughter of Johnny and Margaret (Marks) Tulpin who had 10 children. William Millman was born in 1868. He was the eldest son of John and Johanna Millman, one of six children.
Mary and William met at a party on New Year's Eve, December 31, 1886, and it is believed he walked her home after the party ended around 3 a.m. Sometime later, Mary told one of her sisters that she was with child and that William was the father. Eventually, Mary's pregnancy and William's relationship with her became the subject of rumors in the close-knit Irish-Scottish community.
Mary's disappearance and murder
Hearing the rumors, William arranged to see Mary on Sunday, June 26. Mary's younger brother John was gravely ill and died early the next morning. His funeral was held Tuesday the 28th, and Mary stayed home to tend her sister's baby. After her family returned from services, Mary left the house without a word. It was just after sundown, and she was wearing a light cotton dress, stockings and a pair of boots. It was the last Mary's parents would see her alive.
Concerned about his daughter's whereabouts, Mary's father went to look for her, stopping by a neighbor's house and calling for her in the night without success. The next day he visited the Millman home on the other side of the river to speak with William's parents. Tuplin also went to an attorney to inquire about having a warrant drawn up for William's arrest.
Word quickly spread about the girl's disappearance, and by Friday, a search party was mounted with at least a dozen men joining in. Two clues were uncovered that led searchers to focus on the Southwest River. A handkerchief of Mary's was found near the river bank, and a boat moored near the Millman property was missing a large stone that had served as an anchor. Using a grappling hook, the men began to drag the river. Finally, on Monday, July 4, they located Mary's body in 4–5 feet of water near a spring. Tied around her waist was the missing stone.
Three physicians were called to examine the body. They determined Mary had been shot twice in the head and also found she was six months pregnant. Learning of the body's discovery, William traveled to Charlottetown that day to speak with an attorney about the accusations by Mary's father. An investigation into Mary's death was launched and three days later, July 7, William was arrested.
During the arraignment, John Millman sought to provide an alibi for his son, unable to believe he could be involved in anything so terrible. While testifying he was with William around the time of the murder, the father fainted. After recovering, he admitted he and his wife had been at a church meeting the night of the girl's disappearance. William was sent to the county jail in Charlottetown to await trial.
The trial
William Millman's Supreme Court trial for murder convened on January 24, 1888, with associate justice Joseph J. Hensley presiding and chief justice Edward Palmer and associate justice James Horsfield Peters present. After jury selection, attorney general Frederick Peters laid out the Crown's case. The prosecutor told the jury only two questions needed answers: Was Mary Tulpin murdered, and if so, who did the deed? Peters said the answer to the first question was obvious. Regarding the second, he said he would present evidence proving William Millman was the murderer.