Family Tree of Dennis and Marie Eltz Sutton Rebecca Jane Apgar

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Rebecca Jane Apgar

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      Sex: F

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Individual Information

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          Birth: 13 Aug 1850 - Fairmount, Tewksbury Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey 868
        Baptism: 
          Death: 24 Jun 1896 - Hampton Junction, Hunterdon County, New Jersey 869
         Burial: 27 Jun 1896 - Lower Valley, Tewksbury Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey 870
 Cause of Death: 
Events
•  Note: Death Details, 25 Jun 1896. 

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Parents

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         Father: Jacob A. Apgar
         Mother: Elizabeth S. Schuyler

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Spouses and Children

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1. *John H. Sutton 845 
       Marriage: 17 Mar 1866 - Mountainville, Tewksbury Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey 871
       Children:
                1. Alvah C. Sutton
                2. Cora Minnie Sutton
                3. Thomas D. Sutton
                4. Georgia Lillian Sutton 845
                5. John W. Sutton
                6. Clarence Apgar Sutton
                7. Bessie L. Sutton
                8. Pearl Alda Sutton

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Notes

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Death Notes:

of self-inflicted pistol wound.

HAMPTON JUNCTION, N.J., June 25 - Mrs. Rebecca Sutton shot Martin Reed yesterday morning and then put a bullet in her own heart. He died in a few hours. She died instantly. They were paramours, and came from Califon, a village not far away, where Mrs. Sutton's husband lives. She was 48 years old and he was twenty years younger. They first met at Califon. Reed boarded with the Suttons, who had eight children, the youngest being 14 years old. There are also tree grandchildren.
The intimacy began at Califon, and Mrs. Sutton finally left her husband. She and Reed then lived together next door. Finally the woman came to Hampton Junction to keep house for Hotel Keeper W. J. Iliff, who formerly was prominent politician in Hunterdon County.
Last night Mrs. Sutton went out for a drive. She came back about 11:30 o'clock and Iliff went down stairs and let her in. He saw no one with her, but from what followed it is pretty certain Reed was present, but was keeping himself in the background. This morning Mrs. Sutton arose at the usual hour and got breakfast. While she was at work Iliff came down stairs. Later she went to her room, and soon after Iliff heard several pistol shots. He ran to her room and found Reed unconscious in the bed with two pistol wounds in the left temple and one in his left ear. The woman lay dead on the floor. A pistol was under her. One shot had been fired by her into her breast after she had shot Reed, and it must have killed her instantly. Reed lived until 2 o'clock.
Reed was a saw mill hand and day laborer of Califon. He was single. After Mrs. Sutton left Califon he lived most of the time at Beattytown, but frequently saw the woman at this place. It is said that Sutton knew of his wife's infidelity long before she left him. There were frequent family quarrels. The wife declared she had ample reason to leave him. Two weeks ago Sutton came here and had a talk with his wife. She fmally agreed to go home with him and try to get along. She was gone a week and then came back and told Mr. Iliff that it was no use. She could not live with her husband.
She said she had left after a terrible quarrel. One of her daughters said today that Sutton had struck his wife. It turns out that when Mrs. Sutton went driving last night she drove over to Beattytown and found Reed. She asked him to come back with her. At first he refused, promising he would come today. Mrs. Sutton was insistent, however, and finally he packed his valise and got in the carriage with her. The driver says that during the ride he heard nothing in their conversation suggestive of trouble. They left the carriage at the livery stable, where Mrs. Sutton had hired it, and walked toward the hotel. After Iliff let the woman in she must have let Reed in secretly.
The pistol used by Mrs. Sutton belongs to Iliff. It was kept in a case in a small stand in his room. The case was found on Iliff's bed. Whether Mrs. Sutton intended to murder Reed when she insisted on his coming to Hampton Junction with her last night can only be conjuectured, but from the fact that she left the pistol case exposed to view, it can be inferred that she did not take the pistol as a safeguard, but fully intended to use it immediately.
Reed was shot probably while he was asleep. There was no evidence of a struggle in the room. The woman's clothing and flesh were burned by the powder. Mrs. Sutton was a well perserved woman, but only fairly attractive. Reed was tall, thick-set, and not accounted handsome.
John Sutton, the husband, and one of his daughters arrived this afternoon. He upbraided Iliff for allowing Reed to come to the hotel. The daughter said the trouble between her father and mother was all due to her father. Sutton said he would take the remains after the inquest.

General:

A double tragedy took place at Junction, this county, early last Wednesday morning, when Rebecca Sutton, of Califon, shot her lover then herself. The tragedy occurred at a hotel kept by I.J. Iliff. Mrs. Sutton, wife of John Sutton, a well-to-do farmer, shot her young lover, Martin Reed, three times in the head while he lay sleeping in her room, and then sent a bullet through her heart.
Mrs. Sutton was about fifty years old and the mother of eight children. Reed was about thirty-five, unmarried, and worked in a sawmill in Beattystown, Warren county. Reed first met Mrs. Sutton, while boarding with her husband in their home at Califon. Their friendship ripened into love, followed by separation of Mrs. Sutton and her husband.
Mrs. Sutton then procured employment at J. W. Iliff's hotel, at Hampton Junction. This was ten weeks ago. Reed since called every Sunday night and remained until Monday. The Sunday previous he failed to appear and Tuesday evening, Mrs. Sutton hired a rig and drove to Beattystown for him. They returned together about midnight and retired to Mrs. Sutton's apartments.
Mrs. Sutton arose early Wednesday morning and prepared breakfast and while Iliff was busy in the garden, went to his room, obtained his revolver and then stole into her apartment where Reed was still sleeping. She placed the revolver against his forehead and sent a bullet through his head. She then shot him twice more behind the left ear. Mrs. Sutton then shot herself through the heart.
Iliff heard the shot and hastened to her apartment and found Mrs. Sutton lying on the floor dead and her clothing on fire, where the bullet penetrated her body. Reed lay in bed breathing heavily and unconscious. Dr. Servis was summoned, but could do nothing for Reed, and he died three hours later, without regaining consciousness.
Reed's non-appearance Sunday evening and the thought that he might have deserted her is thought to have driven Mrs. Sutton to take Reed to the hotel and murder him and end her own life. ⁸⁷²