Woman Reunited With Her Head After 129 Years

Story out of Margate, Prince Edward Island:

She was 17, single and pregnant, an uneasy combination in 1880s Prince Edward Island.

Now, more than a century after Mary Tuplin was murdered, a ceremony has been held to reunite her head with her body, amid new questions about whether William Millman, who was convicted of the murder, actually killed her.

"They hung the wrong boy," said Bobby Williams, a Tuplin relative who lives in Alberta.

Williams was responsible for arranging a service on Aug. 21 at the United Church cemetery in Margate, P.E.I., where Mary's skull was buried with the rest of her remains.

What happened to Mary, and how her skull became separated, is a story discussed at the dinner tables of her relatives ever since. It has also been the subject of songs and poems on P.E.I.

Williams said he feels very grateful to have finally given his distant cousin a properMargate, ceremony with a minister and family present, even though it came 129 years too late.

Tuplin's body was pulled from the Southwest River on July 4, 1887, just a short distance from where she lived with her parents in Margate.

She had been shot twice in the head. Her body was weighed down with a heavy stone, and it was discovered that she had been six months pregnant.

Right from the start, William Millman, 20, became the prime suspect.

Millman maintained his innocence and claimed an alibi, to no avail.

The jury's recommendation for mercy was denied, and Millman was hanged.

Following the trial, Tuplin's skull remained in a paper bag at the Johnson and Johnson pharmacy in Charlottetown, which also served as the coroner's office. Williams said the building has changed hands numerous times over the years -- each time Mary's skull and other historical items going with it.

Robert Keezer, another of Tuplin's relatives, said it was an emotional ceremony, with about 30 relatives and area residents in attendance.

He said he plans to continue to pursue his investigation in hopes the truth will finally be known. He won't name his suspect until he feels he can prove it. Cont.

Story from - CTV News