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The TALES you probably never heard about

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BOATMAN GOT IN WRONG PEW

La Salle Man Fined $200 For Illegal Entry Into Canada

[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 5 May 1921]

Officers Gurnett and Paxton were motoring down the boulevard below Chippawa yesterday, when they saw a very speedy motor launch approaching the Canadian shore. They halted their car. The boatman as he drew near called out, “You’re too far down, back up to the trees.” The officers did so.

The boatman jumped ashore, and a farmer named Snyder stepped up to warn him that he was getting in the wrong pew. The boatman sprang for his boat, which he had not moored and which was moving off. He got a ducking, but did not get his boat.

The officers took him to Bridgeburg where he was fined $200 and costs for illegally entering the country.

The uninvited visitor was Charles Mills, of La Salle, New York. He was fined for a similar offence last February.

The officers are convinced he had come to the Canadian shore for an auto load of whiskey.

GEO. ROBINSON ROBBED AND ASSAULTED

Three Men Beat, Bind and Rob Night Attendant at N.S. & T. Power House

[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 24 February 1921]

While at his duties in the N.S. & T. power house on Tuesday evening, Geo. Robinson, the attendant, a man over sixty years of age, was attacked by three men, and six dollars and his revolver stolen.

About eight o’clock that evening three men entered the power house and engaged in conversation with Mr. Robinson. He eventually turned his back on his visitors, and they, taking advantage of this move, one of them placed his hands over Mr. Robinson’s eyes, while another struck him over the head with a weapon, presumably a black jack, knocking him to the floor. He was immediately bound, hand and foot and robbed of six dollars, which he had on his person, and his revolver. He heard his attackers running away on the board sidewalk, in the direction of the station. It is suspected that they left by way of the N.S. & T., tracks, going south.

He remained bound for a period of about fifteen minutes and only succeeded in getting free with the assistance of his pocket knife, which he managed to open with his teeth.

Although he received only a slight wound from the blow, it was necessary to take him to the hospital to have some dressing. Mr. Robinson left on a late car for his home in St. Catharines.

Mr. Robinson’s wound was on the side of his head and it bled profusely. After receiving medical attention at the hospital he left for his home in St. Catharines. It is expected that he will be able to resume his position in a few days. He was not able to give a clear description of his assailants, though that may have been due to his dazed condition. He said they were large men and one wore a service overcoat. They were not foreigners.

When they stepped in they asked for Noble (A. Noble who alternates with Mr. Robinson as attendant at the power plant.) Mr. Robinson stepped to his table to write out Noble’s address, when he was grabbed from behind then beaten on the head, gagged, bound and laid aside. The visitors appropriated Mr. Robinson’s revolver which hung above the desk.

Mr. Robinson had a jack-knife in his hip pocket which he was able to extract though his hands were tied. Ultimately he succeeded in cutting the cords and freeing himself. Then he raised the alarm and Chief Crabb an Officer Truman were summoned.

ACTION TO ANNUL THIS MARRIAGE

Seventeen-year-old Girl Married Youth of Nineteen and Now Repents

(Special to The Tribune-Telegraph)

[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 24 February 1921]

Buffalo, N.Y., Feb 22-Claiming that his daughter, Iva, 17 years old, left home in the Elmwood Avenue district here last  November 11, while he was out of town with his consent or knowledge, Henry T. Buffum, as guardian for his daughter, has brought action to annul her marriage to Shook. Justice Pierce here in Supreme Court last Monday gave him permission to serve the complaint by publication because Shook lives in Canada. Buffum stated in the papers in the case that his daughter desired to return to him shortly after the marriage but was obliged to earn sufficient funds to defray her expenses. She returned to the father on January 29, this year, and 10 days ago the father was appointed guardian to bring the annulment action. The girl’s mother is dead. Shook is said to 19 years old.

BURGLARY IN THE NORTH WARD

[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 3 February 1921]

On Monday night while Roy Beatty was at the rink watching the Welland hockey team break the Niagara Falls defense, thieves were forcing an entry to his home on Shotwell street, and appropriating about 100 bottles of whiskey.

An entry was made between the hours of 8 and 11 p.m., by forcing a side cellar window, breaking the glass.

The police have no clue as to who committed the theft.

BOY HUNG IN ROOF PEAK FOR SIX HOURS

Companions Left Him in This Predicament and He Was Found Only by Accident

[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 1 February 1921]

A lad named Bailey, aged ten years, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Bailey, corner of Ross and John streets, had a perilous experience on Saturday when he hung suspended by a hay fork rope, from sometime in the forenoon until five o’clock in the afternoon. That he was discovered at 5 o’clock was only an accident. He was on the unoccupied farm of Nelson Young, down the river in Crowland. Mr. Young and his son went over at 5 o’clock for a jag of hay. As they drew near the barn they heard sounds.

“A dog barking,” said Mr. Young.

“Sounds more like a little boy, “said the lad.

The lad was right.

Bailey had been raised to the peak of the barn in the hayfork rope. As he got to the peak the rope twisted, He could not be raised further; his weight was not sufficient to bring him down again.

When found he was crying bitterly and quite numb with the cold.

Mr. Young had some task to get the boy down. There was no ladder about the place long enough to reach him, so a scaffold had to be built across the mow beams, and even, that was not high enough. Twenty-five feet below was the bare, barn floor.

It was some time after his rescue that the boy was able to talk. He said he had gone in the barn in the forenoon with some companions and they had raised him by the rope and pulley. When they found he was stuck fast and could not get up or down they went away and left him. Bailey said he did not know the names of the boys.

LADY LAWYER IN LOCAL COURT

Miss Kinnear Has the Honor of Being First Woman Lawyer in Welland Court

[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 11 January 1921]

In the Division Court at Welland Tuesday last Miss Kinnear of Port Colborne appeared for the primary debtor in a case which was adjourned to the next court.

H.W. Macomb said that was the first appearance of a lady lawyer in that court, and they were pleased to welcome her.

His Honor joined in the welcome and said he was sorry Miss Kinnear was not on the scene when they had two of her own sex before the court. This was the reference to the corset case referred to in our last issue.

Plate Glass Window Smashed

Goodwin & Ross, Welland, sued the Marland Woolnough Co., Niagara Falls, for $98.60 damage done to a plate glass window on Sept. 2.

Evidence was given by Miss Merringer and Cecil Hemmings to the effect that they saw a truck belonging to defendants go into the alley between the Temple and Brennan buildings. Miss Merringer said she thought the truck was loaded with bags of sugar.

Neither witness saw the window broken, but Miss Merringer stated that when she returned in five minutes time she noticed the window was broken.

No defence was put in, and His Honor gave judgment for plaintiff. Mr. Pettit appeared for plaintiff.

GARFIELD HANGED

[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 2 June 1921]

Norman Garfield was hanged at Woodstock jail this morning.

LOCAL CRIMINAL COURT SEES ROMANY EPISODE

Tribe of Gypsies Fill County Court House This Morning.-Theft The Charge

[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 30 June 1921]

This morning a most interesting case was heard in the Court house. The court room had taken on the aspect of a rainbow.  A tribe of gypsies occupied the principal seats, picturesque in their native costumes of all colors. Four of this tribe were charged with the theft of one thousand dollars from another member of the tribe.

Leo. Thomas, Frank Markolivich, Miller Demotroff and Steve Allaf are the four accused. They were accused of stealing the money from Simeon Lean. The affair occurred in Stamford.

Simeon stated in his evidence that on Sunday, June 12th, about 1 o’clock, Leo Thomas came into his tent. He was followed by three other gypsies. When he got in he asked for one thousand dollars.

“Why for?” asked Simeon.

For reply he was grabbed and his hands placed behind his back, while another man took the money from his pocket. His son came to his assistance but one of the men grabbed him also.

Cross-examined by W.M. German, witness admitted that he had been before the magistrate in Niagara Falls, charged himself, with the theft of $3000. The charge against him was dismissed because of the un-identification of the money.

The wife and children of Lean also gave evidence similar to that of Simeon.

For the defence, W.M. German produced evidence to the effect that on the day in question two of the accused were in Port Dalhousie.

Judge Livingstone stated that he could not make a conviction on the evidence and dismissed the case.

Becket vs Crowland

ROBERT POWLEY

Niagara Falls News

[Welland Tribune, 12 March 1897]

Robert Powley, who shot his wife on Monday across the river, was employed at the construction of the new Grand Trunk bridge. He was in trouble here two years ago for lying in wait to assault a Grand Trunk fireman.  The remains of the poor murdered woman were interred at Fairview on Wednesday.

A TERRIBLE MURDER was perpetrated at Niagara Falls, NY. on Monday night. Robert Prowley, a railroad switchman, forced an entrance into the rooms of his wife with whom he had not been living for over a year, and with an outburst of curses sprang to her bedroom, dragged her from her bed and while holding her down deliberately fired shot after shot from his revolver into her breast. Anyone of them would have been fatal. Powley had been in prison for attempting to kill his wife on a previous occasion, and on getting out, his wife refusing to live with him again, this was his revenge.