The Tragic Death of Ellen Lucas: A Victorian Murder Case

On October 2, 1874, eighteen-year-old Ellen Lucas was excitedly preparing for her wedding the next day. After a rushed dinner at her home in Bridgeport, Connecticut, she changed her clothes at 7:00 PM and told her mother she’d be back soon. Mrs. Lucas watched her daughter walk to the corner, where she was supposed to meet her fiancé, James E. Lattin. Ellen never returned home.

After her family and friends launched a desperate search, two workers made a grim discovery: Ellen’s body lying face-down in a stream at a secluded area called The Cedars, near Berkshire Pond in Northern Bridgeport.

The Investigation

At first, some thought Ellen might have taken her own life. However, several facts quickly ruled out suicide:
– The stream was too shallow to drown in
– Ellen had been happy and excited about her wedding
– A medical examination showed she hadn’t drowned
– The only visible injury was a small bruise on her forehead

The investigation revealed another crucial detail: Ellen was six months pregnant. All signs pointed to murder, and suspicion fell on her fiancé, James Lattin.

James Lattin: A Troubled Past

James Lattin was a 26-year-old butcher’s assistant who, despite his handsome appearance, had a dark history:
– He had married at 19 to a 15-year-old girl, but the marriage lasted only three months before his wife divorced him
– He had spent time in New Haven Jail for theft
– Disturbing rumors circulated that he had tortured animals
– Ellen’s parents had objected to the marriage because of his reputation

Evidence Against Lattin

The case against Lattin grew stronger as investigators uncovered more evidence:
– He had purchased poison from a local drugstore, and strychnine was found in his stable
– His alibi about being on his cousin’s boat fell apart when witnesses placed him with Ellen near the train depot
– A woman named Mattie Smith testified that Lattin had asked her about abortion medications, saying he was engaged to a pregnant woman but didn’t want to marry
– Ellen’s siblings saw him alone in Bridgeport at 8:30 PM the night of the murder

The Trial

The murder caused a sensation in Bridgeport:
– Hundreds of people visited the crime scene daily
– The courthouse was so packed that the sheriff had to block the entrance with ladders
– Extra police were called in to control the crowds

Concerned about getting a fair trial in Bridgeport, Lattin’s lawyers chose to have two judges hear the case instead of a jury, using a new Connecticut law. After a two-week trial, Judges Beardsley and Sanford found Lattin guilty of second-degree murder. While they were convinced he had killed Ellen, they felt the circumstantial evidence wasn’t strong enough for a first-degree murder conviction. Lattin received a life sentence in State Prison.

The Public’s Verdict

The Samford Advocate summed up public opinion when it called Lattin a heartless villain who had pretended to love Ellen only to gain her trust. In their view, he had committed a double murder by killing both Ellen and her unborn child.

This Victorian-era murder case shows how circumstantial evidence, witness testimony, and a person’s reputation could combine to convict someone of murder, even without modern forensic evidence. It also provides a glimpse into 19th-century American society, where a murder trial could become a public spectacle and where a woman’s pregnancy outside of marriage could push her into a dangerous situation.

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SOURCE: “The Bridgeport Tragedy” by Robert Wilhelm for Murder By Gaslight: https://tinyurl.com/3q58xd6f