Deerpark Diary Town of Deerpark 1863 School House Museum Town of Deerpark Historian, P.O. Box 621, Huguenot, NY 12746 845 856-2702 www.1863schoolhouse.org March, 2016 Vol. 13 No. 1 Murder Inquest Begins have been stooping when he was boy. I asked if anyone had looked for shot. Allerton asked the doctor if he traces of who may have done the Early Movies Part II could tell at what height the gun was shooting? I went through the fence fired from. Cuddeback answered, and about 100 yards away, I saw a “From a standing position about 30- man’s tracks leading up towards 40 feet away.” where the shooting took place, about Mandeville Murder 25 feet from where the boy fell. The The Inquest Begins tracks came from Elting’s house, both coming and returning. No other In the December issue of the tracks but dog tracks. David Mc “Deerpark Diary,” the events sur- Combs came with me. The tracks rounding Chauncey Mandeville’s were fresh.” murder were introduced. The focus Blandina, Philip Elting’s sister, of his murder investigation now turns was called up. She testified that he to the Coroner’s Inquest. Tuesday, came into the house 15-20 minutes Aug. 22, 1882 at 9AM, the inquest before the shot was heard. He had was called to order in room 19 of the gone upstairs to lie down. He told Delaware House, located then on her to call him when the cows came Elting Homestead lower Pike St. in Port Jervis. The for milking. She said she heard the “Caudebec in America” murder created quite a bit of excite- shot and the groaning. Blandina went ment as a crowd of eager listeners upstairs. Her brother was lying on huddled around windows, doors and top of his bed, fully clothed. She After the noontime break, the next in the hallways of the old hotel. T. J. could not remember what was said, witness was called, Susan Stoll. Miss Lyon and James Allerton conducted then Elting came down stairs. They Stoll was a tenant of Elting’s and she the examination on behalf of Mande- both saw a crowd of people had gath- lived just up the road a little distance. ville. L.E. Carr and Cornelius Elting ered in the corn field, but did not go She had been down the lane by Elt- Cuddeback appeared as council for to investigate. Elting grabbed the ing’s house to fetch water, when she the accused Philip B. Elting. The stool and went to milk the cows. She heard the shot. She ran over to the Coroner’s Jury was manned by Town added, “We keep 16 cows. He then house and asked Blandina Elting to of Deerpark residents Orville J. took the milk to the creamery.” Blan- come with her. However, Blandina Brown, Oliver Gordon, Samuel Bev- dina claimed she knew that there refused to go saying she couldn’t. ins, Samuel Conkling, Charles Mor- were many guns in the house, but Susan was the first on the scene and ris and Francis H. Simpson. All were never knew her brother to threaten or found Chauncey lying on his back acquainted with Elting. shoot at anyone. with a quarter-sized hole in his side. The first to testify was Dr. Solo- Numerous witnesses testified to James H. Brown was then ques- mon Cuddeback, who had been pre- quite a different story saying repeat- tioned. Brown stated, “I heard that a sent at the autopsy. Holding edly that either they themselves or man had been shot. When I arrived Chauncey Mandeville’s jacket and others had been threatened and or there were many people gathered and vest, Cuddeback pointed to the bullet shot at by Elting. Numerous neigh- they had a wagon ready to load the holes and surmised the victim must bors and passersby claim to have seen Elting in the area of his lane just acts speak volumes. Every instinct of prior to the shot being fired. And his (Elting’s) nature would have driv- Movies Before Hollywood again, numerous witnesses fixed the en him to the scene. On any other oc- time of the shooting by the clock casion, he had been swift to detect a Part 2 chimes from Robinson’s and Dock- trespasser track on his soil. But no, he Movies made in Cuddeback- erty’s, the town clock and finally by took his stool and went to milking ville during the years 1909 and 1911 the passing of the milk train. and left the dead for dead.” involved local residents who played bit With Allerton’s flair for language, The inquest lasted three days de- parts in some of the scenes. Standard he described that lovely afternoon by spite having to change rooms because melodramatic gestures were used in saying, “It was a Sunday, for many it the roar of passing trains made hear- these early silent films to help make is a hallow day. The only day they ing difficult. The jury was charged at the story line clear. The audience knew can spare in the week to breathe the 1:50PM and two hours later returned what each of the gestures meant, so it pine air of heaven. The only time they their verdict: “We, the persons im- was important that the actors were able can go and bathe in the pure water of paneled to ascertain the cause of to portray each gesture with ease. the Neversink.” Many people were death of Chauncey Mandeville on out and about, enjoying the break Aug. 21, 1882 find his death came The following are some of the from their week’s toil. They were sit- from a gunshot wound most probably gestures that had to be memorized by ting on their porches and along the inflicted by Philip B. Elting.” Coro- local residents who wished to be cast train tracks, walking down the road ner Shaw said the man was not on in some of the roles: and boating in the Neversink River. trial and that all of the evidence pre- Resolution or Conviction—fists were Mrs.Lambert had heard the shot, sented was circumstantial. The pris- clenched in the air and brought down walked toward the sound, stepped on oner was given a hearing at 9AM the sharply to the side of the body; a chestnut stump and saw Elting by next morning and sufficient evidence the river. She claimed he was trying was found to hold him for an appear- Despair or Shame—The actor’s hands to hide something when Charles Rob- ance before the Grand Jury in New- covered his face, or his head was bur- inson, his wife and two children, who burgh, NY. ied in his arms; were sailing at the time, came into The final part of this series will Fear—Arms were extended with the view. Mrs. Robinson testified that she appear in our June edition of the palm out toward the fearful object, the was in their boat and saw Elting come “Deerpark Diary.” Is anyone con- other hand perhaps clutching the down to the water, wash his hands vinced of his innocence or guilt? Do throat; and turn back toward the house. not assume to know the total out- Help Me Lord—Arms were fully ex- Three days of similar testimony come. tended over head, sometimes hands was documented in “The Evening were clasped; Gazette.” After looking over the pro- Location Diagram ceedings, it is amazing how many “The Evening Gazette” I Love You—Both hands reached out people felt a connection to this case. A–Apple tree in cornfield where to someone; Over and over again, testimony was Mandeville was shot, 29 ft. from Feminine Distress—An actress’ hand given of having heard threats made road. B-B-Orchard where shot was was held to her cheek, or her hands by Elting and the irrational tempera- fired from. C-Elting’s house. D- were placed on both sides of her face; ment that he readily displayed when it Elting’s tenement. E-Lane leading came to trespassers on his property. Come Away with Me—The actor held James Allerton was baffled to find the woman’s hand, and with the other a motive for the killing of such a hand points to the door; peaceable young man as Chauncey Mandeville. He could ascertain no Rejection—Brings hand up to chest enemies from his inquiries. Allerton and then down again. wrote, “So one must look to the char- acter and disposition of the man Other considerations during the charged with the act. A score of peo- filming were make-up and costumes. ple testified to have seen him at the Everyone was responsible for their time and place, just before and after own make-up and costume. Actors ap- the report of the shot.” The fact was plied their own makeup just as they that no one saw the actual shooting. However, Allerton said, “Unnatural had for stage roles in the theater. This caused actors to have a highly unnatu- parked and walked up the winding them with the only weapons they ral look when filmed. Actors and ac- road past the beautiful gardens and have— axes, clubs and knives. tresses were also responsible for their fields. Griffith knew that this was a In August “Leather Stocking” own hairstyle and putting together the perfect place to shoot a film. At the was filmed at the Gumaer stone correct costume for each film. Since horse stable they met Godeffroy house. This is a short version of James no one kept track of what an actor where Griffith explained that would Fenimore Cooper’s famous Leather- wore from scene to scene, the actor like to make some of their films on Stocking Tales about “Hawkeye” and was obliged to remember for himself the Godeffroy estate.