The sad and inexplicable end of Noah Tuttle

Noah Tuttle, 27, had everything to live for, or so it appeared, when he inexplicably took his own life with a pistol in a public shooting gallery in Monterey, California, on the evening of Oct. 8, 1902.

Friends and family declared themselves mystified as his remains made their way back to Lucas County for burial in the Freedom Cemetery a week later.

Young Mr. Tuttle was handsome, a veteran of service in the Philippines during the post-Spanish American War years, apparently happy with military life and admired for his careful habits and cheerful disposition by comrades and superiors alike.

Born at Chariton on Jan. 25, 1875, Noah had a somewhat complicated family. His father, William S. Tuttle, fathered 19 children during four marriages. Noah was one of five born during the third, to Margaret Brown, who died during 1882 when Noah was 7. William then, during January of 1884, married the widow Elizabeth E. Resecker Gallaher. That marriage produced four additional Tuttle children and brought stepsiblings into the mix. One of those stepsiblings, Frank Gallaher, has a minor role to play here.

I've lifted the two images of Noah from Ancestry.com --- at the top, Noah and three of his full Tuttle sisters (from left) Nancy Ellen, Florence Ann and Mary Jane. And at left, Noah in farm-boy costume, complete with corncob pipe.

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During January of 1902, when both young men were in their early 20s and seeking adventure, Noah and his stepbrother, Frank, decided to enlist in the U.S. Army. They anticipated service with U.S. occupation forces in the Philippines. The Chariton Herald of Jan. 16, 1902, reported, "Noah Tuttle and Frank Gallaher, son and stepson of William Tuttle, left Tuesday night for the Presidio at San Francisco. They have enlisted in the regular army and expect to leave before long for the Philippines.

By the fall of 1902, however, Noah was back in the United States and serving with a unit assigned to a camp near Monterey.

His death attracted considerable newspaper attention because of its unusual nature, but a reporter for The Californian, of Salinas, seems to have done the most legwork. Here is his report from The Californian of Oct. 9, 1902:

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Noah Tuttle, a private in Company M, United States Infantry, in camp on the government reserve near Monterey, sent a 22-caliber bullet crashing through his heart at a few minutes past 10 o'clock last night.

The soldier, in company with a comrade, entered McKellott's shooting gallery in the old capital with a ring of merry laughter, which indicated that he was in the very best of spirits. He challenged his comrade for a contest at the target and it was agreed upon that he should take the first shot at the bullseye. A  22-caliber pistol was handed out and Tuttle took up the weapon and deliberately aimed at the target. He held the pistol in this position for a moment, but did not pull the trigger when his comrade mildly interposed, saying that it was "not fair" to draw too fine a bead on the innocent target. Tuttle smiled and the next moment reversed the muzzle, placing it to his breast and before his comrade or the man in charge of the gallery could realize what he was about the trigger was touched and the leaden messenger of death reached the vital target for which it was so deliberately aimed. Without a moan or a murmur the soldier fell and expired instantly. From the time he stretched his measure on the floor there was not a quiver nor sign of life.

The cause of his rash act will in all probability ever remain a mystery as he was a young man of exceptionally good habits and had never taken a drink since his enlistment some three and a half years ago. He was always of a bright and cheerful disposition and his comrades of late had notice no change in his spirits. He had several confidential friends in the company and to them he had mentioned nothing that would lead them to believe he contemplated such an act.

Only a few hours before the tragedy he had been one of the gayest boys in camp, laughing and making everyone else do so. His comrades say that unrequited love could not be the cause as he was a young who cared very little for the feminine sex, but they have searched in vain through his personal effects for any clue that will unravel the mystery. His officers speak very favorable of his army career and looked to him as one of their model privates.

Coroner H.V. Miller went over this morning and conducted the inquest, which resulted  in the verdict that the deceased was named Noah Tuttle, then he had come to his death from the effects of a gunshot wound inflicted with suicidal intent.

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Noah's remains arrived at the depot in Chariton a week later and were taken to Freedom Cemetery for burial beside the remains of his father who, age 81, had died a few days before his son --- on Oct. 4, 1902, perhaps a factor in the suicide. The men of Chariton's Company H, Iowa National Guard, conducted Noah's last rites. His grave apparently never has been marked.

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What of Noah's stepbrother, Frank Gallaher, with whom he had enlisted? Frank, four years younger than Noah, served three years in the U.S. Army, including service in the Philippines, and eventually located in Alabama after his discharge. While in business there, he became seriously ill with tuberculosis and returned home to Chariton to be cared for by his sisters. According to his obituary, he spent most of his time in Chariton living in a tent near the home of his sister, Maggie (Tuttle) Coles.

Iowa had opened the Oakdale Sanitorium near Iowa City during 1907 to care for victims of tuberculosis and Frank was hospitalized there during February of 1916. He died there, age 39, on Dec. 7, 1918, and his remains were returned to Chariton the next day for burial in the Chariton Cemetery.