It was June 10, 1920. Mabel Kenyon of Pawcatuck headed to the home of her lover, Dr, Herbert Tetlow. Mabel was very distressed about her husband finding out about her and Tetlow's five-year affair. He found out when Mabel had a baby that apparently wasn't his.
Mabel left her home in Pawcatuck, and arrived on the second floor of 141 W. Broad St., at Tetlow's apartment. They fought over what was going on with the baby and about Mabel's husband finding out about the affair. After arguing, she left.
The next morning, they were fighting again in the doctor's apartment. Finally, Mabel left once again. She went home and grabbed a .38 calibre Colt, and ran frantically into the apartment threatening to commit suicide. The doctor, told her not to, and to hand him the gun.
As Mabel handed Tetlow the gun, she shot him. Tetlow was killed instantly, dying in his bedroom at 141 West Broad St, on June 11th, 1920.
Apparently, no neighbors heard what was going on, but in statements to the police, neighbors believed that Tetlow had shot himself.
When Mabel was questioned by the police, she had said thatTetlow was the father of her seven-month-old son. She confessed to shooting the doctor on the second floor of 141 West Broad St.
Mabel was tried in the Criminal Superior Court in Norwich, Conn. for second degree murder. Her defense was that "she had shot Dr. Tetlow, with whom she had a liaison, in an attempt to commit suicide in his apartment."
Mabel served a 10 to 15 year sentence, and her husband raised the baby.
Twenty years after the murder on West Broad St., Mabel's son Hugh murdered his girlfriend Rita Wheaton. He was charged with first degree murder.
Special "thank you" to the following:
pqasb.pqarchiver.comNew York Times Oct. 23rd, 1920 edition
New York Times June 12th, 1920 edition
