Etc. -- The Orena (Bradshaw) Riddle Inquest
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A lightly edited page 4 article from the 23 Jun 1910 issue of the Waterford Star newspaper. 
Also see
Mrs. Riddle's obituary. Also see the Riddell Murder. Also see Riddle Editorial.

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.

 

Copyright 2018 John Cardiff