Results for ‘CRIMES’
May Open Dressmaking Establishment in Cayuga-Cost of the Trial
[Welland Tribune, 26 April 1907]
Cayuga, April 23-Although it is but a few hours since she was acquitted of the charge of poisoning her husband, Henry Perkins, last Christmas day at Canfield, Mrs. Mattie Perkins has some plans for the future. The woman has in view a dressmaking establishment here in Cayuga, near the home of her aged father and mother. Mrs. Perkins told some of her friends here about the time of her arrest, that she had made about $500 with her needle.
The meeting last night between mother and daughter was a most affecting one. “I knew you were innocent, Mattie,” said her mother, giving her a warm welcome.
The expense of the trial to the county will probably total $4000. Of this the jury will receive $400; the constables $300; Dr. Arthur Jukes Johnson, Toronto, $230; Dr. Bruce Smith, Toronto, $163; Dr.. Bauer, Hamilton, $165; Dr. Kerr, Dunnville, $151; Dr. Arrell, Cayuga, $80; Dr. Snyder, Cayuga, $28.
The Ontario Government pays the fee of Mr. Frank Arnoldi, K.C., Toronto, the Crown counsel. The defence expenses will more than equal the sum paid out by the county. Mr. E.F. B. Johnston, K.C., it is understood received a fee of $2,500.
*Note: Mattie Perkins wed John Henry Brinker, 1 January 1912.
[Welland Tribune, 26 April 1907]
Cayuga, April 23-Mrs. Mattie Perkins is free. After a trial lasting a week, during which her life, her motives and the acts that aroused the suspicion that she had murdered her husband on Christmas Day by giving him a dose of strychnine were held up to the closest scrutiny, an impartial jury decided tonight that she is not guilty.
Two minutes after the jury filed into court at 11 o’clock tonight, Mr. Justice Mabee was out for a short walk, when he received the message that the jurors were ready to announce their verdict. “Have you agreed on your verdict?” asked Clerk MacDonald. “Not guilty,” came the ready response from Henry Marshall of Dunnville.
The prisoner did not realize for a minute what the verdict really meant to her, until her sister, Mrs. Romain Hyslip, whispered the good news that she would sleep in her old father’s home tonight. The jury was out four hours and thirty-five minutes.
A Humane View
The Judge addressed the woman as follows: “The jury after a very long and careful consideration of the case, have been able to take a humane and merciful view of the evidence adduced on behalf of the crown and yourself. Your counsel, Mr. Johnston, in his able and eloquent address to the jury today, pointed out that the real proof was known only to yourself and your Maker. For the sake of your peace of mind and your soul hereafter I trust the verdict is in truth and fact one of not guilty. You are discharged.”
Immediately the woman was surrounded by her relatives, including Mr. and Mrs. G.E. McArthur of Thorold, who have been staunch friends throughout, and escorted to the home of her father, Issac Curry, here.
Discharging the jury from further attendance, Mr. Justice Mabee on behalf of those concerned in this case, thanked them for their attendance. “This doubtless,” he said, “is a source of satisfaction to you, that you have been able to reach this conclusion. I am unable to say that I disagree with you. There are a complicated set of facts, and I am thankful that you were able to arrive at a verdict.”
Mr. Marshall, on behalf of the jury, petitioned for extra pay for night sessions. His Lordship thought he had the power to make the order.
Shook Hands with Jurors
Mr. E.F. B. Johnston, K.C. was not present when the verdict was announced having gone to Toronto. Mr. Gideon Grant, who waited over, said he had heard from sources since the conclusion that Henry Perkins had committed suicide. A paper just found in his pocket would leave no doubt about the matter. In connection with this story, Mr. Grant said he understood the jury had taken this view of the matter. He believed the crown was justified in taking action in the case. Mrs. Perkins, after the adjournment in the court, shook hands with all the jurors.
The last day of the trial opened with the continuation of medical evidence for the defence. The testimony of Dr. McKeown and Kayler was distinctly effective in buttressing that given on Monday which introduced a series of element of doubt as the cause of Perkins’ death.
Charged with Poisoning Husband
Prisoner Protests Her Innocence and and an Adjournment Taken till February 27
[Welland Tribune, 22 February 1907]
Cayuga, February 19-The investigation of Detective Greer in the Perkins poisoning case culminated today when Mrs. Mattie Perkins was arrested on a charge of murdering her late husband, Henry Perkins. The arrest was made by High Constable Farrell, assisted by Constable L_ at the home of Mrs. Perkins parents in Cayuga. The constables walked quietly up to Mr. Curry’s home and read their warrant. Mrs. Perkins took her arrest coolly, but protested her innocence. She kept the constables waiting fully half an hour while preparing to accompany them.
“This is an outrage,” she said. “I should have been notified to be prepared.” But the constables thought otherwise, employing themselves in searching the house. They confiscated a trunk, but do not consider it is the one required. When asked if she had brought a trunk from Canfield, she said, “Yes, but it’s for you to find it.”
When the cab drove up she entered quietly accompanied by her sister, Mrs. Hyslip, and was driven to the court house where the information was read by T.E. Cline, J.P.
The information ran: “That you Mrs. Mattie Perkins, of North Cayuga did on the 25th day of December murder your husband, Henry Perkins, of North Cayuga.
Crown Attorney Murphy then moved on behalf of the Crown that the preliminary hearing be postponed till February 27th and Mrs. Perkins was handed over to the jail authorities.
Protests Her Innocence
The prisoner looked somewhat flushed, but was quiet and self-possessed. She was dressed in black, with a veil. She went quietly to the jail but broke down when parting with her sister, and spent the afternoon crying and protesting her innocence. She said the constable told her she would be home at night, and that everyone had deceived her. Mrs. Curry, mother of the prisoner, took the arrest very hard.
The authorities believe that they have a strong case against the prisoner. Thos. McDonald of Canfield is said to have been given incriminating evidence, and letters written by the prisoner to Henry Perkins, brother, will be produced at the trial.
The prisoner refused the key of her home at Canfield to High Constable Farrell, but he obtained it from Mrs. Hyslip at the close of the examination.
Mrs. Hyslip gave the key reluctantly. “I would like to open the house myself,” she said.
“All right,” replied Farrell. “We can open it with an ax. Then she relinquished the key. Acting Sheriff Murphy, Detective Greer and High Constable Farrell immediately drove to Canfield to search the house.
Would Find Nothing
Mrs. Perkins protested they would find nothing and she is the most abused of women. The arrest could have taken place three weeks ago, but Detective Greer wished to verify every clue before taking action. The prisoner scarcely seems to realize the seriousness of the charge and appears quite confident of release.
The case is attracting great attention here, as it is just ten years since Mrs. Sternaman was arrested on a similar charge. High Constable Farrell states the Mrs. Sternaman was not nearly as self-possessed as Mrs. Perkins, but seemed to dread her trial. While never losing self-possession, Mrs. Perkins says her heart is weak and that she may never see trial.
The Case in Brief
Henry Perkins, a carpenter and farm owner, living at Canfield, Ontario, died on Christmas morning 1906 under circumstances which led the authorities to believe that poison was the cause of death. The body was exhumed, and at an inquest held January 22, the jury returned a verdict of poisoning by the administration of strychnine by parties unknown.
The theory that Perkins took strychnine with suicidal intent was scouted because shortly prior to his death he had wired to a friend in Welland to come to him at once. That looked as if he had something important to tell.
Questions put to the widow, Mrs. Perkins, elicited replies, refuting warmly any implied accusation against her. She had at the time of death objected strenuously to a post-mortem examination. Perkins had, moreover, drawn up a new will the night before his death, but the will had not been witnessed. On several days prior to his death the deceased had been severely distressed at intervals in much the same way as in his last illness, and it was the opinion of one doctor that strychnine in comparatively large doses had been administered on Sunday, the 23rd December and on Christmas morning. Perkins had quite a bit of property, and many assertions have been made that “another man” was the chief cause of the tragedy. All this will now be probed.
Toronto Globe
[People’s Press, 19 February 1907]
Hamilton, Feb. 17-It was reported here Saturday that an arrest in the Canfield case might take place by Monday because of a new development since Thursday. It is believed that an arrest will be made in few days in any event, because of a confession made to Detective Greer by one of those who was suspected of having had something to do with the matter, implicating another suspect.
Apparently Happy Relations Between Husband and Wife Foster This Supposition
Ralph Curry Maintains His Purchase of Strychnine Was to Destroy Rats
[Welland Tribune, 1 February 1907]
Cayuga, Jan 28-Mystery still surrounds the poisoning case at Canfield, and while a dark cloud of suspicion hovers over the affair many persons favor the theory of suicide. Mrs. Perkins considers herself a much abused woman. She has denied herself to reporters, but before doing so stated freely that the rumors regarding herself were the work of enemies.
“I do not know what people are trying to do to me,” she said, plaintively, “but I know who are doing it, and when all is cleared up, as it will be, they will be punished. I have lost everything,” she said, “there will be no will, no insurance, I have lost my husband and my support as well, and now people will not leave me alone.”
Mrs. McDonald of Canfield, neighbor of the Perkins family, speaks strongly of the apparently happy relations existing between Mr. and Mrs. Perkins.
“She used to come over here for water, Mrs. McDonald said, “and what more natural than she should run in for a chat. She used to bring over his letters and read them to me, and it was Henry and Mattie all the time. They were more like the letters of a lover than those of a man who had been married fifteen years. On Friday morning she came over crying with a letter, and said that Henry had had another of his attacks and was very bad. I tried to quiet her and said he often had them, but she seemed to feel pretty bad. I think it is an awful pity she always threw her letters in the fire, for if anything does come out of this fearful business they would have been very strong evidence for her.”
The theory of suicide is sustained by the words of the dying man to Mrs. McDonald on Christmas morning, when she was called in: “Mrs. McDonald, I am done for. This is the last of me,” and when she tried to comfort and cheer him by saying he had often had attacks before, he took very little notice of what she said. From whatever source he had derived the knowledge, he evidently thought his hour had come.
Not much importance is attached to the sensational report of the purchase of strychnine at a local drug store. The poison book of W.A. Quinsey, druggist, is not now locked in the safe of the crown attorney nor is it even now in the latter’s charge. The book is now in the hands of its owner. The signature attached to the purchase as it appears in the book is unmistakeably that of a man’s, and seemingly that of an untrained hand, and is no doubt that of Ralph Curry, the brother of Mrs. Perkins. Curry does not deny that he purchased the poison on the date mentioned in October last, but maintains that it was obtained solely for the destruction of rats, with which the cellar in the Curry dwelling was overrun. The strychnine was mixed with milk and placed where it could easily be obtained by the rodents. The family have not since been troubled with the pest. When the poison was purchased several other parties were in the drug store and Druggist Quinsey believes that Ralph Curry himself signed the poison book. It is not generally believed that this purchase had any connection with the case.
THE PERKINS INQUEST
Purchase of Strychnine at Cayuga Drug Store
Toronto World
[People’s Press, 29 January 1907]
Cayuga, Jan 22-”We find that Henry Perkins died by strychnine poisoning but by who we cannot say.”
Such was the verdict of Coroner Arrell’s jury given at the inquest today at Canfield, upon the death of Henry Perkins.
The town hall at Canfield was packed to the doors. The jury returned their verdict in fifteen minutes.
Four doctors present, when asked, after the evidence was in, for the cause of death, all swore that death was due directly to strychnine poisoning administered in large quantities.
Rumors of suicide are scouted from the fact that deceased had dictated a telegram to a friend a couple of hours before his death to come at once. William Spencer of Welland arrived too late.
Every Ten Years
In the county of Haldimand it is interesting to note that there have been ten year cycles of murder. Every ten years since 1850 there has been a murder trial at the Cayuga court house. First it was Herod who killed Calvert, then King and Blows, the highwaymen for the murder of Nelles, Locci, an Italian, for the murder of Mrs. Daly and her family followed by the sensational trial of Mrs. Sternaman for poisoning her husband.
TO EXHUME FATHER’S BODY
Suspicion at Canfield that the Elder Perkins also Died from Poison
[Welland Tribune, 25 January 1907]
Canfield Jan. 23: It is now stated that Crown Attorney Murphy has ordered the disinterment of John Perkins, father of the late Henry Perkins, who died some eighteen months ago, an aged gentleman very highly respected. The cause of death was diagnosed as cancer of the stomach. It is now surmised that the trouble was possibly the same as his son’s who was poisoned by strychnine on Christmas Day last.
Mrs. Mattie Perkins, the widow of Henry Perkins, who died at Canfield on Christmas of Strychnine poisoning is a grand-daughter of the late Robert Currie, the well-known soap manufacturer.
[PHOTO: People’s Press, 29 January 1907]
To Be Resumed January 18
[Welland Tribune, 11 January 1907]
The sudden and unexpected death of Henry Perkins, the carpenter working at Welland who went to his home at Canfield to spend Christmas and died there that day, and the opening of the inquest has already been reported in this paper.
The stomach of deceased was sent to Toronto for analysis and the inquest will be resumed on Jan. 18. The Hamilton spectator says that Dr. Bauer, who held the post mortem, told his reporter that his opinion was that Perkins’ death was due to organic causes.
Perkins was a well-to-do resident, owning a house and farm near Canfield where he had lived nearly all his life. He had a wife but no family. So far as known he had no enemies who would seek his life.
AND EXHUMATION
Inquiry into Death of Henry Perkins
[Welland Tribune, 4 January 1907]
On the Saturday before Christmas, Henry Perkins, a carpenter working here for Contractor Peacock, went to his home at Canfield to spend the holidays with his wife. He was taken sick the next day and died on Christmas day, greatly to the surprise of his doctor in attendance. His body was buried but the circumstances were such that a great deal of talk arose, and Coroner Arrell of Cayuga began an inquest last week. The body was exhumed and a post-mortem examination was held by Dr. Bauer of Hamilton, the full result of which is not known at time of this writing.
When deceased left Welland on the Saturday before his death he was apparently in the best of health and his death was a great shock to all who knew him. He was a member of the carpenters’ union, and Mr. Daniel Passmore, an officer of the local union, attended at the sittings of the inquest.
Thieves Make a Big Haul at Lane’s Jewelry Store
[Welland Telegraph, 22 December 1911]
Between two and three thousand dollars worth of jewelry was stolen from the store of H.C. Lane, East Main Street, sometime between midnight and seven o’clock Tuesday morning. The thieves gained admission to the store by removing the putty from one of the panes of glass in a rear window.
Just what time the robbery occurred is not known, but it is believed that it was about five o’clock.
Mr. Lane left the store on Mondy night about twenty minutes to twelve. Two hundred dollars, the amount of money in the tills, was placed in the safe, but all the valuable gold watches, rings and diamonds were left in the show cases and window.
Two lads delivering their morning papers Tuesday morning discovered the broken window and several cuff buttons and a gold handled parasol lying on the ground outside the window. They notified James Nixon and Chief Jones was in turn notified of the theft.
The theory is that there were two men in the job. Chief Jones believes that one man handed out the booty while the other remained outside to receive it. The electric lights in the store were left burning all night.
A number of valuable diamonds in the window were not touched and no attempt was made to rifle the safe.
No description of the men could be secured. It is believed they have been planning the theft for some time and that they made themselves conversant with all the details of the store as the theft was by no means a crude one. Chief Jones has notified the police in neighboring towns and cities.
Included in the jewelry stolen were fifty gold-filled watches, tray of rings and eleven wedding rings, three dozen lockets and bracelets.
A Clue
Later in the day the police were informed that three suspicious characters had been seen in the vicinity of the robbery earlier in the evening. One of the men was rather tall while the others were short and of slight build, probably boys. The pane of glass through which the thief entered the store would not admit a large man, so the theory that these men were implicated seems probable.
It is believed that Officer Tattersall, who was on duty at the time, was followed and watched by one of the men.
Chief Jones believes that the theft was committed by local men and he holds the opinion that they were boys or young men.
That the thieves went through Griffiths’ alleyway toward Division Street after the robbery was learned as several rings, jewelry boxes and prices were picked up along the lane. These were apparently dropped or thrown away by the men.
Chief Jones made a search of the market square on Tuesday morning in an effort to locate more definitely the direction taken by the men.
Found Cases
Chief Jones on Wednesday morning recovered three empty ring trays which had been dropped outside the window by the thieves and which were picked up and taken home by T. Hannigan. Mr. Hannigan informed the Chief that he had found the trays.
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