Remembering Tillie Smith Defending Her Honor

As the spring semester rolls around the corner, the anniversary of Tillie Smith’s death on April 8 approaches. Some Centenary students do not know about Tillie (1866-1886) or her story. It is important to keep her memory alive, along with defending her honor.

Tillie’s Story: A Tale of Domestic Violence That Rocked a Nation

Tales about the heroic death of the young Tillie Smith on April 8, 1886 have circulated for more than a century.

Local author and historian Denis Sullivan wrote In Defence of Her Honor, a nonfiction book that serves as a definitive account of one of the most notorious crimes of the late 19th century. Tillie Smith was violently raped and murdered during an era that valued modesty, etiquette and manners. 

According to the author, Matilda “Tillie” Smith was born on June 20, 1866 in Waterloo, NJ. She moved from Waterloo to Hackettstown in 1885 and became a kitchen maid at Centenary Collegiate Institute– a coeducational preparatory school founded in 1867– that eventually evolved into Centenary University. 

On the night of April 8, 1886, Tillie went with her friends to a play on Main Street. She ended up meeting two acquaintances–Harry Haring and Charles Munnich–while at the entertainment hall. 

The story goes that Munnich walked Tillie home after the show ended, but she arrived at the school past curfew. She was due back at Centenary by 10 p.m., but arrived ten minutes after. 

Munnich asked Tillie if she wanted to stay at a hotel with him, but she declined his offer. Munnich left as she walked around the side of the building, and this was the last time anyone saw Tillie Smith alive.  

Sullivan continues that the next morning at 8:40 a.m., Hackettstonian John White found her body while walking his dog. Tillie had been raped and murdered. Her body was discovered where the Taylor Memorial Library is now located on Centenary’s campus. 

The person accused of committing this crime was a man named James Titus. He worked at Centenary for 11 years as a janitor at the time of Tillie’s death. 

Why was Titus accused? Well, the account of this story continues that on the night of her murder, Tillie had gone to him before she went out with her friends. She asked Titus if he could help her sneak back in past curfew by leaving the door open. He disagreed, saying he would not break the rules for her. 

According to the Hackettstown Historical Society, the trial for James Titus took place in Belvidere, NJ on April 28, 1886. Titus was arrested and charged for rape and murder, then served 19 years in prison. 

According to Murder by Gaslight, a publication that discusses 19th century murders, Titus testified on his own behalf: “They tried me in absence, and falsely convicted me of a crime of which I declare here and now, in the presence of this court and my countrymen who hear me that I am not guilty.”

He continued, “and I most humbly ask the court to spare my feelings by sentencing me in as few words as possible, as nothing the court can say about the crime of which I am convicted can apply to me, as I solemnly repeat I am not guilty.” 

Titus returned back to Hackettstown 19 years later when he was released from prison. He was not executed for his crimes, but his wife no longer saw him and people in town did not talk to him. 

“Reasonable Doubt”

Before and after James Titus was charged for the murder of Tillie, there was doubt that he was the one who actually committed the crimes. Both local author Sullivan and a local resident agree. 

“...Investigative reporters from several New York City daily newspapers spun a circumstantial case around [Titus]. He was tried, convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death… Did they manufacture a circumstantial case to increase their papers’ circulation?” questioned Sullivan. 

A deep dive into Centenary’s archives finds a folder about Tillie that corroborates this idea. When searching through this folder in Centenary’s archives, there was a mention of a resident of Independence Township, named Erik Anderson, who spoke about Tillie. 

“If you look at the case and if you read the trial documents, it’s really obvious that there is a ton of reasonable doubt,” said Anderson to NJ.com on Dec 6, 2009. 

People speculate that he confessed to the murder because he was afraid for his life. Anderson looked through Sullivan’s book, along with all the transcripts, and he believed there is no evidence that can pin the crime on Titus the janitor. 

In 2009, Anderson showed his determination to close Tillie’s case once and for all by researching Tillie’s case, specifically through Sullivan’s book, In Defence of Her Honor. He collected evidence to prove Titus was innocent, and then sent a letter to the governor to try to pardon Titus for Tillie’s murder.  

It was also believed Titus was “too small” to have hurt Tillie, as he was smaller in stature than her. Tillie was a strong young woman and it would have been difficult for only one man– especially a man as small as Titus– to beat her. 

“According to Anderson, the prosecutor ran out of leads quickly, and the newspapers from New York, Trenton, and Philadelphia wanted to hold someone accountable for Smith’s murder; consequently, they campaigned against Titus,” said NJ.com. 

Yellow Journalism

Tillie’s case was a sensation, as journalists from all over the East Coast, especially New York City, came to Hackettstown to investigate and report on her murder. 

“Titus seemed usually self-possessed, and, as each separate charge was read, he answered in a distinct voice plainly audible all over the courtroom, ‘Not guilty,’” said an article published to The New York Times on May 9, 1886.  

This newspaper account from the time of Tillie’s death is just one example of out-of-town newspapers using sensationalism–known as Yellow Journalism– to sell their papers.

Yellow Journalism emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and used sensationalism and inaccurate reporting rather than truth to sell stories. The term comes from an issue of New York World, where a cartoon of a child wearing yellow appeared. The color of the cartoon was meant to attract more readers, the same concept as Yellow Journalism. 

Big city newspapers thought that Hackettstown reporters were not sophisticated enough to cover this story, according to Sullivan. 

“The daily newspapers keep fanning the flames, and hardly a day elapses but that fresh fuel is added; The Sun, World and Herald just now are running a race, and the reporter who gets up the most sensational article is considered the best fellow,” said The Washington Star on May 6, 1886. 

Tillie’s Grave

Tillie was originally buried in a pauper’s grave– where graves are often unmarked and shared– in Union Cemetery in Hackettstown. After her trial, people started sending and donating money for her to have her own grave and headstone. 

Now, she is reburied with her own headstone at the highest point of the cemetery; "In Defence of Her Honor” is written on her gravestone, which is a Victorian-era phrase that means  she died fighting against her rapist. 

Tillie’s Legacy: Why We Must Never Forget

As time passes, Tillie’s impact on the Centenary community does not fade. According to Explore Warren, a local publication covering Warren County, NJ, The Centenary Theater created a production called The Tillie Project in 2002, as they recounted the events of her life and death. The play was written based on research yet was considered historical fiction. It was written to showcase the unspeakable brutality that occurred in 1886. 

Two local authors have been intrigued by Tillie’s sad story and have penned books about her. 

Maryann McFadden, a local author, wrote a historical fiction piece about Tillie’s death titled “The Cemetery Keeper’s Wife.” The novel is a work of fiction about Rachel Miller who moves to Union Cemetery after marrying the cemetery keeper, Adam, whom she only knew for 12 weeks before her marriage. 

The story unfolds as she walks the grounds of her new home and finds Tillie Smith’s monument. After reading the words, “She Died in Defence of Her Honor,” on the headstone, she remembers a memory from her past. Coincidences linked to Tillie keep occurring, which causes Rachel to become obsessed with her case. 

If you are interested in reading this fascinating historical fiction account of Tillie, stop in to the Taylor Memorial Library, which has copies to lend. 

Another local author, Denis Sullivan, wrote a nonfiction novel about Tillie titled In Defence of Her Honor. Out of curiosity and with a sharp eye for research, Sullivan started looking into the events of her murder. He included pictures, documents, maps, and other pieces of the case within his book. 

The novel also includes Tillie’s death certificate, along with the only transcript from the trial. He found evidence that the crime could not have been committed as prosecutors–and yellow journalists–believed. 

Tillie’s Recent Legacy

Meanwhile, back on campus, reminders of Tillie remain. In the Seay building of Centenary’s campus, there used to be an eatery called “Tilly’s” where Starbucks is now located. 

“The snack bar on the Centenary College campus was named ‘Tilly’s’ in the fall of 1986 in Tillie’s honor. The name was chosen by the students in a campus-wide referendum,” according to the article in the Star Gazette published on May 4, 1989. 

Within the Hackettstown community, English teachers at Hackettstown Middle School teach a lesson on Tillie. Students learn about the night of April 8, 1886, and about the influence of yellow journalism in Hackettstown and local news during the time period. 

Although 138 years have passed, Tillie Smith’s impact on the Centenary community remains. 

Q&A

We wondered what do people in town and on campus know about Tillie? We set out to find out by asking some questions. Following are some responses from people in the Centenary and Hackettstown community who shared what they know about Tillie Smith. 

Do you know who Tillie Smith was? If so, what do you know?

Lauren Helder, a freshman at Centenary

“Honestly, no. I have never heard about Tillie or her story, but I would love to learn more about it.”

Caelyn Campbell, a senior at Centenary

“Yes, I know a lot about Tillie Smith. I learned about Tillie in middle school. We were given a lesson about her and that’s when I first learned about her case. Ever since I heard about her, I wanted to learn more. I have visited her grave at the Hackettstown Union Cemetery multiple times, and I named one of my dogs after her. Her story has had an impact on me, and I love learning more and more about her.”

Peyton Fezenko, a Centenary alumni

“No, I haven’t. I was at Centenary for one year and never heard anyone talk about her.” 

Lena Lutcza, a senior at Centenary

“Yes I do. I know she is the ghost that supposedly ‘haunts’ Centenary because she died on the campus back in the 1800s.” 

Annette Smith, the assistant director at the Counseling Center

“All I know about Tillie Smith is that she was a student who died on campus. I never heard about her before until a year or so ago; they had something about her ghost on campus around Halloween. Even though I grew up in Hackettstown and came to the University for events as a kid, I had never heard the story before.” 

Kerry Barnett, a professor and assistant director of international studies at Centenary

“I do know who Tillie Smith was, and I’ve worked at Centenary for quite a long time–20 plus years. So interestingly, I’ve also seen her story change over time.” 

“Back in the beginning, the cafe was called ‘Tilly’s’ and she was sort of a mascot idea. At that time, people were like ‘she’s a ghost’ or ‘sometimes you hear her up in the Seay building;’ it was sort of a myth.”

“Early on, maybe after Denis Sullivan published In Defence of Her Honor, her true story became much more known and it was tragic and terrible. She was not just a figure of fun; she was someone who was murdered and raped. That was an interesting shift.”

“Even more recently, the abuse and crime became more of a focus that she was a victim of abuse and a victim of all kinds of things. That was what I’d call the third stage of people’s understanding of her.”

“I do know that at the time her case was a sensation, it was one of the early Yellow Journalism cases where people came out from the city to follow the trial and a guy confessed or was forced to confess. It seemed to be unclear whether that was real or not. I’m not sure if the evidence was 100% convincing, but it seemed like it was a dramatic story. The local people took on her case and had a lot of sympathy.”

“I haven’t been [to her monument] but I’ve seen pictures. I think local people donated to that, she became a hero, and she died in defense of her honor. I don’t know if that’s true but that was the story.” 

Rita Keene, library user experience manager

“Yeah, I do know quite a bit about Tillie. 
I know that she wasn't actually a student. She worked here in the kitchens, and  the night of the murder, she had plans with her friends in town to see a show.”

“There are still clearly common misconceptions. For example, a lot of people think she was out drinking in town. I know she let one of the maintenance guys know who she worked with that she was going to be out past curfew.”

“She let him know just to prop a door, leave it open for her, because she was going to be late.
Then by the time she got back here, something happened to her and that is how they found her. And I know Titus was accused and was found guilty only because he confessed, even though he did, until his passing, maintain that he was not guilty.”

A Word From the Authors

Maryann McFadden, author of The Cemetery Keeper’s Wife

The following is a quote from Maryann McFadden’s press release:

“In what was akin to the OJ trial of its era, Tillie Smith’s name was smeared and her virtue called into question in what some cite as the first case of Yellow Journalism in Joseph Pulitzer’s newspaper the World,” said McFadden. “Much like the fallout so many women experience when coming forward to report their rape today, Tillie was essentially put on trial herself as her ‘reputation for chastity’ was questioned in an effort to save her assailant.”

Denis Sullivan, author of In Defence of Her Honor

We were given the chance to interview Sullivan via email. 

What inspired you to write about Tillie? If you could tell readers one thing about Tillie, what would it be?

“What inspired me to write about Tillie Smith was seeing her monument in Union Cemetery. The inscription that ‘she died in defence of her honor,’ with its additional ‘erected by an appreciative public’ practically screamed out that there was a story waiting to be told,” said Sullivan. 

“I began my research in local newspapers of the period, but found myself frustrated by accounts that were often contradictory, or left important questions unanswered. I was determined to satisfy my curiosity, and kept at it until, eventually, I collected enough primary source material to tell the entire story as a historian would.”

“I hope you've had an opportunity to read it,” he added. 

“What struck me most about Tillie was that except for her murder, we would likely never have known her at all. The tragedy of her death opens a window on the mores of 19th century Warren County–a place not very different from other rural areas at a time–when upward social mobility was virtually impossible for a young woman of her background.”

“Still, she was determined to make a better life for herself. Raised in a poor, dysfunctional family in Waterloo Village area, she was illiterate when she came to Hackettstown at age 16 and began work as a domestic in a local doctor's household.”

“For another it might have been a boring, dead-end job; for Tillie it was a place where she learned to read and write, and where she gained experience that enabled her to obtain a far better opportunity job at Centenary Collegiate Institute less than two years later. Sad to say, we'll never know how that determination to make a better life for herself might have played out.”

_________

Tillie Smith’s story is a major part of the history of Centenary University and Hackettstown, and keeping her memory alive is important. She will be remembered for defending her honor.