Results for ‘CRIMES’
[People’s Press, 26 December 1911]
Ben Doan was brought in by Policeman Laing in the height of an extended celebration. He was caught at the Welland House. There the bartender alleged that Doan had robbed another man of $90 while the latter was drunk and while the two were left alone in the bar-room. Ben sneaked out the back door and went down North Main street. He gave the money to Harry Somerville, telling Somerville that the money belonged to him and to keep it until he came back for it. In police court on Friday he claimed he had taken the money to protect the intoxicated man from having it stolen by some other person. Ben was charged temporarily with vagrancy and remanded to gaol until the name of the victim can be ascertained. He will then be brought up and charged with theft.
[Welland Tribune, 12 March 1873]
Welland gaol on Monday morning last witnessed, for the first time, we believe, an exhibition of the powers of the cat-o-nine-tails as a moral suasive agent. The victim in the case was one William Armstrong, a mulatto.
His age is set down in the gaol register as 33, but he looks at least ten years older. He says he used to live in Montreal, but he came from the States here. One of his legs is of wood, having left the original away down in the Shenandoah Valley whilst fighting the battles of Uncle Sam. The offence for which he became eligible to illustrate the reforming influence of the many-tailed cat was that of assault with intent to commit rape upon a young girl named Saylor at a farm house near Fort Erie, in December last. The punishment took place at the early hour of half-past seven in the morning, in the day room of the old wing of the gaol, and was witnessed by but the Sheriff, the Gaol Surgeon and two or three others,-and the prisoners, all of whom were summoned to have the “fearful example” fully impressed upon their minds. The “cat” was manufactured at Lemon’s harness shop, and consisted of nine whip cords fastened to a staff about a foot in length. The lashes were about twenty inches long, and were scientifically adorned with a couple of knots each, for the more efficient torture of their victim. The instrument appeared light and inefficient, but the fact that its knots deeply indented a board, even when wielded by an unaccustomed arm, evidenced that appearances in its case were deceptive. The whipping-post was the most formidable feature of the affair, and it was not surprising that the victim turned pale upon being led to it and fearfully enquired if they intended to kill him quite. It was a stout upright post with a strong cross-piece. The prisoner’s arms were stretched along the horizontal piece and finally tied, his feet-no foot, for the wooden pin defied the manacle-was fettered , his back bared and the flagellation began.
The executioner claimed to be familiar with the use of the cat, and from the artistic regular, had unremitting manner in which he laid on the stripes, no one need dispute the claim. At the first cut or two, the victim ground his teeth and convulsively pressed his head against the post, but no further expression of agony escaped him. The knots on the lash came between the shoulders every time, and after a the first few strokes, the flesh began to give away and the blood to stand out in places where the knots fell repeatedly, as well as to slightly crimson the lash. After the twenty-five lashes had been duly administered, the prisoner was untied and laid down, and his lacerations washed with salt and was water and afterwards with oil. He stood the punishment well at the time, but was too stiff to get out of bed the next morning. Before his release he is to have another flogging, also of twenty-five lashes. The man who handled the “cat” is an old British soldier, a resident of the village. He is the person who some years ago fell out of Charley Loesch’s loft, where he had been sleeping off the effects of an overdose of whiskey, and alighted upon the back of a horse tethered underneath. The horse became frightened at receiving his burden so suddenly, broke loose, and carried his load to Port Robinson. There the wielder of the cat woke up and endeavored to dispose of the animal for a few dollars, but suspicion was aroused and he was arrested and taken to Welland gaol. He gave a plain statement of the case as above, but the judge and jury rather singularly didn’t appear to place implicit reliance upon his word, and he was forced to undergo a term of imprisonment. He received $2 for whipping Armstrong-a job which he was nowise delicate about, not scrupling to perform it without disguise.
[Welland Tribune, 7 March 1872]
A man named Arthur O’Connor assaulted the Queen while driving on Constitution Hill, on Thursday afternoon last. When the Carriage stopped at the gate at Buckingham Palace, O’Connor ran to the side and presented a document and pistol at the Queen at the same time, threatening her to sign the former immediately or die. He was instantly arrested by the Queen’s attendants, when it was found that the pistol was not loaded and of so primitive a construction as to be incapable of being fired, if loaded. The document proved to be a pardon for all persons imprisoned as Fenians.
O’Connor is about 20 years of age. His father is an Irishman; his mother an Englishwoman, and he was born in England. His house was searched but nothing tending to criminate anyone with him in the insane plot was discovered. The papers found on him are evidently his own work, and the impression of all who heard them read is that they are the products of a deranged mind. He was committed to stand his trial at eh assizes.
Dime Novels Turned Frank Neureuther’s Mind.
[Welland Telegraph, 19 April 1912]
His mind partly turned by excessive reading of dime novels and continuous dwelling on criminal scenes in moving picture plays, a young boy named Frank Neureuther, aged seventeen, attempted to carry out some of the depredations of the dime novel and motion picture characters.
Neureuther was employed at the home of W.F. Haist on Hellems Avenue to do some papering. He took a gold watch valued at forty dollars, and a large quantity of other jewelry and money from the residence of Mr. Haist. Strange to say the valuables were not missed until after the Chief of Police had arrested the boy.
The prisoner gave the above mentioned reasons as the cause of his downfall. Magistrate Burgar allowed him to go on suspended sentence. The jewelry has been returned.
(Before Mr. Hellems)
[Welland Tribune, 15 January 1892]
Jan.11- W.J. Rutledge, an inmate of the Industrial Home, was charged by Keeper Hemming with insubordination and with punching Richard Hanna, another inmate. The charge was sworn to by witnesses, but Rutledge, who showed a good deal of skill and intelligence in his own defence, claimed that other witnesses would tell a different tale. The case will be disposed of tomorrow at 9 a.m.
Jimmy McEvoy, an old pensioner and general choreman about the hotels here for some years past, came up as a vagrant. Whiskey is Jimmy’s ruination, as it is that of so many. Jimmy was given two months in jail which will tide him over next pension pay day.
Jacob Heaslip, of Fort Erie, charge with abduction of his sister from his step-mother, appointed the child’s guardian by a U.S. Court. The case had previously been heard. The magistrate’s decision was that he could make no order with respect to the disposal of the child, but could only deal with the alleged abduction as an offence by itself. Action for the possession of the child would require to be taken in a higher court. As to the abduction, the defendant was admitted to bail to answer at next sittings of high court, G.W. Ramey and M. Vanderburgh going on his bonds.
[Welland Telegraph, 14 December 1871]
Some little time ago a presumptuous individual, known as Squire Bobby Lamont, a Justice of the Peace, was convicted before the Reeve of this town having forcibly broken into a pound and removed therefrom a number of sheep. He was committed for trial, and for some time was under arrest. Strange to say, at the late General Sessions, the case was not brought forward and upon enquiry we find that it has been settled. How? It is due to inform the public. Will Mr. Hill, our Reeve, be kind enough to afford all particulars relative to this compounding of a felony. Was there a money consideration? How much? And who received it are questions demanding answers.
Charged With Obtaining Suit Under False Pretenses
[Welland Tribune, 17 September 1909]
Wm. Doan of Welland, a son of Ben Doan, fisherman, who used to inhabit these parts, has been charged with obtaining one of G.A. Porter’s $25 suits under false pretenses.
It is said that Mr. Doan was behind a great amount in his grocery bill last August and gave his grocer an order on the steel plant for his wages until October 6th. In the meantime Mr. Doan’s destiny became separated from the plant where they make iron and steel, and G.A. Porter, the well-known clothier, attired Mr. Doan in a brand new suit and accepted an order on the steel plant in payment of the same.
Mr. Porter, however, is not, in business for his health, and the long green looks good to him. In due time an information was laid against Mr. Doan and a summons issued, but Mr. Doan has not put in an appearance. A warrant was issued for his arrest, but Mr. Doan could not be found. If he is living in town his abode is not in the most conspicuous place.
TILL TAPPED AND BOOZE AND CIGARS TAKEN
Three Suspects Arrested
[Welland Tribune, 17 September 1909]
When F.W. Kilgour, the portly proprietor of the M.C.R. Hotel, came down stairs on the morning of Tuesday last, he found the hotel had been burglarized in the night.
Three bottles of Imperial were missing, and a quantity of cigars. The cash register had been opened and relieved of $2.75. The money taken consisted of twenty-five cent pieces, ten dimes, and three quarters. One quarter was left in the till as a nest egg.
The burglars had gained entrance by raising one of the windows with a pick and removing the bars. Their operations were not heard by anyone during the night , and Mr. Kilgour was entirely unaware as to who his night visitors were.
In the morning the news of the burglary gradually spread, and Alex Harper, councillor for Crowland, and a well known man in his district, put Mr. Kilgour wise to the fact that three or four fellows who looked suspicious to him, were taking it easy under a tree in the T.H.&B track.
Mr. Kilgour telephoned to Chief Jones and the two together, about 1 o’clock, drove up in the direction indicated to investigate. They spied four men under a tree close to the T.H.& B yards, and proceeded to take them in charge. One fellow “tied his kite,” and left his shoes and coat in possession of the Chief, not intentionally as a keepsake, but because he didn’t have time to take them along. They pointed a revolver in his direction but he didn’t stop for a little thing like that. One of the other three picked up a whiskey bottle and threatened to knock the Chief’s brains out, but big F.W. slipped around behind and brought him down to the ground. This left two-a big ‘un and a little ‘un. The big fellow was asleep and was quite easy to deal with. When he awoke, he found he was handcuffed. The little one didn’t show fight and that is the story of their arrest.
One empty whiskey bottle, which was similar to those stolen from the hotel, was found where the prisoners were, and a railway man produced another, which he found in the yard. The prisoners had a number of broken cigars on them and a lot of five and ten cent pieces and one quarter. They were noticed dropping some money as they were being marched along to the town cells.
In the afternoon one of the cells became filled with a dense smoke. One of the prisoners stated he let a match fall on his handkerchief and it went up in smoke, but the authorities are more inclined to believe he was burning some papers he didn’t want seen.
On Wednesday morning the three were arraigned before Magistrate Burgar on the charge of vagrancy. They gave their names as Frank Prentiss of Pittsburg, James White of Buffalo and James McDonald of Toronto. They pleaded not guilty. The first two claimed to have walked from Fort Erie on Tuesday morning arriving here about nine o’clock and the last mentioned said he came via Burlington_____Robinson. They said they were in search of work.
They were remanded to Welland jail for one week.
Willie Hannigan Steals Another Horse
[Welland Tribune, 4 January 1895]
Welland, Jan.1. Some months ago when little ten year old Willie Hannigan stole the horse and rig from Morwood’s and escapaded to Chippawa, and was not prosecuted, the TRIBUNE predicted that the result would be bad both for the public, and the boy, who should have been sent to a reformatory. That prediction has very speedily been justified. On Sunday afternoon last, Willie stole another horse and buggy, this time from the shed of the Methodist church, where the rig had been left by Mr. Levi Wilson’s children who were in attendance at Sunday school. Willie took the same route as before, but unfortunately for him in doing so had to pass Mr. H.N. Dell’s residence on the Crowland road-and thereby hangs a tale. Mr. Wilson jr., had been keeping company at Mr. Dell’s, and the horse was so accustomed to going there that when he got opposite the gateway he made a break for in. Willie was unprepared for this and in trying to keep the horse from turning in ran him into a fence corner. It so happened that Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Wilson were visiting at Mr. Dell’s at the time-Mr. Dell being Mrs. Wilson’s father. Mr. Wilson saw and recognized the horse as his father’s, came out and asked the boy whose horse it was and other particulars. The lad said his name was Willie Hannigan, that the horse belonged to his (Hannigan’s) father and that he was going to Chippawa. Mr. Wilson said he guessed not, and took charge of the rig, which had been overturned and the harness broken in the meantime, the young thief decamping.
Surely this last outrage must convince the authorities that they are doing a dangerous and unwise thing in allowing boys guilty of such depredations to go unpunished or unreformed. The thing is spreading and will continue to spread until an example is made of guilty parties.
A NINE-YEAR-OLD HORSE THIEF
Willie Hannigan of Welland
[Welland Tribune, 12 October 1894]
WELLAND, Oct. 6th-Willie Hannigan, who lives with his uncle, Thomas Hannigan here, cut up quite a caper yesterday for a boy of between eight and nine years of age. It seems Willie had quite an observant eye and disposition, and noticing that Mr. James Morwood, grocer, sometimes made use of his nephew’s horse to deliver goods, he founded quite a job thereon, which worked to perfection. He went to Mrs. Morwood’s on Young street, and attempted to hitch up their horse to a light wagon but was not big enough to get the harness on. Upon being caught at this by Mr. John Morwood he represented that he had been sent for the horse and wagon by Mr. James Morwood’s clerk. John thought it a little strange that so young a lad should be sent for the rig, but never dreaming it was all a put up job actually hitched up the horse for the boy and started him off. Instead of going to John Morwood’s, Willie turned on Division street and after amusing the boys in the east end of the town by running the horse about the streets for an hour or two, set out to visit some relatives at Niagara Falls South. He missed his way, however, and brought up at Chippawa, where Mr. Flomerfelt, seeing that the horse was exhausted, and suspecting that all was not right, took the animal in charge. Willie promised to return home if Mr. F. would let him have the horse, but this was refused, and he continued his trip to Niagara Falls South on foot. The horse was of course missed the same evening, and easily traced to Chippawa and recovered, people all along the road having noticed the little boy running the horse. Willie, too, like a bad penny, has returned. Otherwise than in this scrape the boy’s reputation for honesty is bad, and the sooner he is committed to the reformatory for as long a term as the law allows, the better the chance will be of saving him from a criminal’s career.
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