Dutton, Thomas Richard

The decomposed body of an unidentified man, believed to have been murdered, was found floating in water in the mill shaft of the Potoso Mine, one-quarter mile south of the Picher Oklahoma city limits, at 10:45 o'clock Wednesday morning. The body was removed at 12:45 o'clock and taken to the morgue. County officers in Miami were notified shortly after the body was found by Superintendent Ed McKay and a hard rock lead and zinc miner. The officers immediately left Miami, arriving on the scene of where the body was found shortly before 1 o'clock. The body was found by the two miners who went to the Potoso Mine to arrange for pumping water from the shaft and reopening the mine. The body was found floating on top of the water at the 226 foot level. The body was removed by hoisterman Will Jones, who was assisted by J. C. Ashcock and George Stelneck. A little trouble was experienced when a fuse burned out and a delay of about 10 minutes was experienced when the body had been removed about half-way up the shaft. Although the decomposed condition makes it almost impossible for the body to be identified, shortly before noon the report was given out that the body was that of Thomas Richard Dutton, 49, who mysteriously disappeared from his home, a short distance from where the body was found, nine months ago. Dutton lived but two houses or a distance of about one-fourth of a mile from the Potoso Mine. Dutton, formerly an employee of the Empire District Electric company, later took a position as light man for the Northeast Oklahoma railroad. Three days before Dutton disappeared from his home he remarked to his wife, "Mama, do you know they are going to kill us?" Mrs. Clara Dutton, widow of Thomas R. Dutton, was at the Potoso Mine Wednesday morning as the body was being removed from the shaft. She turned her head away as the body was brought out of the shaft. She will be given an opportunity to attempt to identify the body at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon. Dutton carried a gold watch when he disappeared.

Death of Thomas Dutton remains as much a mystery as the day the body was discovered in Potosi Mine. That the cause of the murder of Thomas Richard Dutton, the person or persons implicated, and the scene where the tragedy took place may always remain a mystery is the belief of those who have followed the case closely since the discovery of the body in the mill shaft of the Potosi Mine near Picher, on Wednesday, August 16. Ten days have elapsed since the discovery of the body and the case has advanced no further than it had a day or two after the body was discovered and after the special investigation had been completed. Although County attorney Ollie Mason stated shortly after the investigation had been completed that the mill shaft might yield important evidence which would support him in making an arrest, there are equal chances that the mill shaft is void of important clues to the murder of Dutton. The nature of the wound found on the skull of the body taken out of the mill shaft was responsible for the verdict of murder being returned by the investigating jury. Dutton was reported to have disappeared from his home south of Picher, October 29, 1921. The time which was elapsed has given the murderer plenty of opportunity to dispose of clues which might lead to an arrest and a conviction in the case. "Someone wanted Dutton out of the way and so he was murdered." This is the only semblance of a cause for the death of the Picher electrician given by County attorney Mason. Who this someone is still remains a mystery and may always remain one. Note: There are two different spellings of the mine in which the body was found.