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nobelmemories · 6 years

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My parents home 1959 originally 200 Nobel Road

MORE NOBEL MEMORIES - ALONG THE NOBEL ROAD

Part I

The picture I have shown is of our old family home and was taken about 1959. I had just bought an old wringer washing machine for $5 as we were planning on getting married in a couple of months. I wanted to see if it worked before I took it up north. Lol.

As most of you will realize many of my memories are prior to my young age and come from things I have heard as well as seen. I am starting today by stating that my mother Violet May Crawford and father Sidney Ernest Crawfod were married on the 24th of October 1929. They first lived in the house that is located on Portage Lake Road, now Pineridge Drive around fire number 44. It is now vacant, but was later owned and occupied a life time by Elmer Sly and his wife Olive Crawford my dad’s sister. Followed by Don Mortson and his wife Florence Sly and is presently owned by Paul Lubbelinkhof and his wife Pam Mortson. I have many happy memories of my visits to Uncle Elmer’s and Aunt Olives. Some good and some bad. It seems to me the bad ones were more fun. I have a recollection of riding Uncle Elmer’s calves when he was not there, and no that was not cousin Florence that was seated ahead of me. LOL. We had a special way of motivating the calf. I do have one sad memory. Uncle Elmer and the rest of the family were going away one weekend and they asked me to feed the two young pigs. I don’t remember just what age I was but, I was pretty young. I got the chop and the bran mixed up and fed the pigs pure bran. The pigs died.

Sometime in the very early thirties mother and dad bought a few acres of land from Dave Lumsden at what use to be 200 Nobel Road and is now 143 Nobel Road. The Lumsden farm was directly across the road and is still there as is our old house. The old road to Nobel use to travel north from the old golf course and swing in behind the little cemetery and what was the Voyageur Restaurant then up through where the McDougall Office now sits, across Pineridge up past Greg Lubbelinkhof’s house and came out onto Hammel Avenue just past the old Claudney or Collison home. The Nobel Road was later changed again so it came up in front of where the Voyageur Property was, it then swung in front of our property and behind the old Oscar Mace property crossing directly across Pineridge and joining onto what is now Hammel Ave. The old roads marked the front and back of our property. The next change was around 1932 when it was changed to its present position coming up in front of where the Voyageur Property later was and up the hill. This later became Hwy. 69.

At the time they were building Hwy. 69 my brother Deane was just a baby. My mother had placed him in a carriage and had it beside the house for him to sleep in and get some fresh air. We had a collie dog named Nicky who was very protective of the baby. The dog was laying beside the carriage. The dynamite crew working on the highway had gotten into some liquor and were a little over zealous in the amount of dynamite they used. Just at this time Don Sly was coming through the back yard to get a ride to work with dad. He had taken a shortcut over the rocks, to our house. Just then the dynamite went off, throwing rocks all over the yard and house. Don ran for cover behind the trees in the back yard. Nicky seen Don running for cover and blamed him for the explosion. The dog tackled poor Don by biting his backside. The good news was no one was hurt badly. Poor Don!

Another story that my dad told me happened in the early thirties, One night a fairly strong earthquake shook the area. Dad was in bed, he opened up the window of the bedroom facing the road trying to figure out what was going on. He could hear a woman screaming, then Dave Lumsden yelled from across the road. Sid somethings wrong lets go. Dad and Dave headed south on the road to what was the Godfrey home. Later Fisher’s. Apparently the lady was a little superstitious, the earthquake had frightened her and she was hysterical. Dad said he had to slap her face, then placed one of her small children in her lap. She finally calmed down. I guess her husband was at work. When I think back and put myself in her position, it must have been pretty frightening, we never seem to have earthquakes in this part of the world. What would you do if everything suddenly started shaking in the middle of the night?

When the second Nobel Road went by in front of our property, it was much lower than the present driveway. Dad had built a garage right at the road for our old 26 Buick-McLoughlin car. He had to drive down into the garage. It was close to the road so he did not have to shovel a long driveway in the winter time. When the third Nobel Road or early Hwy 69 was built they raised and widened the highway a few feet. Dad moved the garage back about twenty feet and put it beside the driveway, now you had to drive up into the garage. This became a bit of a problem through the fourties. The Burwash Industrial Farm was in full swing. One of the favourite ways for the escapees to get away was to jump a southbound freight train. They would jump off in the Nobel area, walk down the tracks to the then Slaght’s Road, now Murray Point

Road, then walk out to Hwy. 69, across the road was our garage. They would hot wire our car and be on their way. I remember more than once Dad having to get a ride down to the Orillia area to retrieve his stolen car. I think it was into the fifties before he finally moved the garage up to its present position right beside the house. I don’t think there has been a car stolen out of it since. Mind you it might have had something to do with them closing the Burwash Prison Farm.

The farm across the road at present day 143 Nobel Road was the Lumsden farm. It was owned by Dave Lumsden and I believe his wife was Elizabeth Wright. She was a sister to Art Wright who owned the farm behind the Voyageur. It was a beautiful brick home with a wrap around veranda, sitting on the hill. It had a stone wall built to make the ground level in front of the house and I remember a huge honeysuckle tree in front of the veranda. In the spring you could smell that tree right over at our house. The driveway to get to the farm house went straight up from the old Hwy. 69 in a westerly direction then curled around to the north behind the house. The stone wall could could be seen on the right side as you went up the drive. As you went up the driveway at the top of the hill when you curved to the right there was a gate that opened into the barn yard. I remember the building in the barnyard being placed in a U shape, I think there was a grainary and blacksmith shop on the right two or three other buildings, then about a three team horse stable slightly to your left, and the barn with a grainary floor, hay mow and bottom stable on the far left. It was on the hill back a ways from the drop off. I don’t remember Dave ever having a tractor. I do remember his horses. He usually had a team that he would use for show and one for working. My dad had been a teamster and he loved horses, sometimes he would use Daves horses. About 1946 dad tore down the old summer kitchen that use to be on the back of our house and used Dave’s horses with a two handled scraper to dig out the basement. It was like a large metal snow scoop, built much stronger, it had two stout wooden handles. There was a heavy metal; quarter moon shaped loop fastened to the scoop at or near the balance point on each side of the scope. The clevis on the back of the double tree was hooked to the front centre of the loop. Dad would loop the reins for the horses around his neck then lift on the handles as he reached the point where he wanted to scoop the dirt. When the scraper was full, he would push down on the handles and the scraper would ride level on the ground. He would then drive them mostly by voice commands. To where he wanted to dump the scraper by lifting hard on the scraper and turning it upside down. For those that don’t remember the voice commands were simply haw for left, gee for right and whoa.

Its funny, some things you just don’t forget, a few years ago I was using my 4 wheeler with a blade on the front to plow our circular driveway. I had made a snow ramp on the side of the driveway to get rid of the snow. The ramp was about 4 feet high at the far end. It was important not to go to far or over it when pushing the snow up or I would get stuck. My wife walked out on the front deck without my noticing. She heard me shout whoa to myself each time I came to the top of the ramp. She still teases me about that.

Back to the old horse stable, I can still remember the smell and the looks of the old worn boards on the floor of each stall. He also had a lot of red and blue ribbons with a circular button pinned on the wall of the stable. I don’t remember Dave Lumsden as being a big man, but he was fairly tall, gangly and had a very strong voice. He use to plow with one of those old single furrow plows. The field from Richard Cloutier’s (Mac Campbell’s ) driveway to Murray Point Road (Slaght’s Road) the railway tracks and the Hwy. 69 was all one open field with no trees in it. There was another large field over the railway tracks to the south and one to right of Murray Point Road before you come to the tracks where the houses are now. I can remember seeing and hearing Dave plowing. I think one horses name was Dan, the other Doc. We were not allowed to swear at our house. It was with great delight that I listened to Mr Lumsden. I particularily remember one day he was plowing across the railroad tracks and I could hear him as clear as could be. He would yell gedup at the beginning of the furrow and it wouldn’t be long before he was geeing at the end and I can still hear him yelling. DAMN YOU DAN GET OVER THERE!

There was about a four acre corral behind the buildings that had a road right around it, the road went around the barn then back to the west circled again and came out behind Harry Smith’s house approximately. It was mostly fenced with cedar rails as I remember. Dave had an adopted daughter named Stella. She was Deane Simpson;s mother and had married Fred Simpson, I believe from the McKellar area. Fred was overseas during the war and Dave built a small house for her behind the old Harry Smith house. Dave sold his farm to John Vigrass and afterwards moved in with Stella and Dean. Dean and I use to chum together along with Gary Mace and John Vigrass. It was kind of a draw sometimes just who got into the most mischief, but one day Dean stole a box of 44.40 shells from his grandfather. Dean, Gary Mace and I went up on the back side of the big rock behind the pond back of Richard Buttineau’s house. We got a little fire going and were having a great time throwing handfuls of shells into the fire and hiding behind a juniper bush as they exploded. There was shells and lead flying everywhere. This was great fun until Dave hearing the shells going off appeared on the scene. Gary and I took off into the bush. Poor Dean answered to his grandfather. I don’t think our parents heard about it until many many years later. If they had I probably would still be grounded.

I am not sure when Dave Lumsden died but I do remember his wife dying and believe they are both buried in the little cemetery beside the Voyageur or old Tim Horton’s.

They say confession is good for the soul, so will leave the further stories for the next session.

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crebnow · 7 years

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Acreage appeal

Real Estate News from Industry Experts Calgary-area rural communities offer residents a quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city As a former farm kid, four-time Canadian bareback champion, and former Calgary Stampede rodeo and chuckwagon manager, Robin Burwash has spent almost every day of his life enjoying the rural-lifestyle dream he now sells as a REALTOR®. When he […] http://dlvr.it/PVYfmy

#Calgary Real Estate News #Feature #Surrounding Areas

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 1 year

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"SEND SIX TO PRISON FOR THEFT," North Bay Nugget. May 18, 1943. Page 14. ---- Two Get Penitentiary Terms for Stealing Auto in Mattawa --- Phillippe Grenier [TOP] and Ormond Foubert, both of Montreal, were found guilty when they appeared before Magistrate M. G. Gould in North Bay police court on Monday afternoon on a charge of stealing a car in Mattawa on April 28. Each was sentenced to two years and three months in Kingston penitentiary.

Isadore Grenier, Andre Coursol, Gregor Larocque and Fernand Beausoleil, also of Montreal, charged jointly with the first two men were given sentences of one year each at Burwash Industrial Farm. Coursol pleaded guilty; the others, not guilty.

Heavier sentences were handed out to the first two because each had a previous conviction on a theft charge.

Three witnesses were heard. Murray Kolvinko of Mattawa, owner of the car, told of seeing the six in Mattawa on the morning of the theft, of talking with them and of identifying them later in a Toronto police station.

Mrs. Amy Granfield of Toronto identified two of the accused as being members of a party of six who had parked a car behind a garage at the rear of her property on April 28 and had failed to return for it.

Joseph Shield, a member of the Toronto detective force, told of the arrest on the afternoon of April 28, of the six near where the car was abandoned and very soon after that took place. He told also of finding on the person of one of the accused a number of "postage due" stamps used by the owner of the car in his duties as mail courier. Found also in a cell occupied by the accused had been ration books bearing the name of the victim of the theft.

Before passing sentence, Magistrate Gould said: "While the failure of the accused to give evidence is by no means conclusive against them, still it is a matter to be considered, when joined to the fact that all five who pleaded not guilty were found in Toronto with the one who pleaded guilty and also with the fact that two of them have been definitely identified." Continuing the magistrate said that identification was sufficient to involve all six in the theft.

Crown Attorney E. A. Tilley conducted the prosecution and Arthur Courtmanche was interpreter.

[AL: Grenier was 22, married, a truck driver and had served a two year term at St Vincent de Paul Penitentiary. He was convict #7309 at Kingston Penitentiary and worked in a broom factory - he was transferred August 1943 to Collin's Bay Penitentiary, the lower security camp. There he was inmate #2109 and was released February 1945. Foubert was 22, single, a construction welder by trade, and had done time in Montreal and Ontario prisons. He was convict #7310 at Kingston Penitentiary and worked in the change room. He was a difficult prisoner and reported five times for insolence or poor conduct. He was transferred August 1944 to Collin's Bay Penitentiary, and released in early 1945.]

#north bay #montreal #police court #mattawa #car theft #car thieves #stolen car #youth gang #ex-convict #jailbirds #french canadians #sentenced to the penitentiary #kingston penitentiary #sentenced to prison #burwash industrial farm #canada during world war 2 #crime and punishment in canada #history of crime and punishment in canada #northern ontario

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 3 years

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“WIFE SAYS HUSBAND GOT WORST OF "SPAT",” Toronto Star. April 30, 1921. Page 2. ---- Mrs. Israel Wanted Colonel Just to Chastise Her Mate. ---- With his head so elaborately bandaged as to indicate that it had been. cloven and that without the bandage it would be in grave danger of suddenly separating and falling to the ground in two pieces John Israel. a gentleman of the Ethiopian race, labored into the dock this morning to answer to the charge of assaulting Louisa Israel, his faithful spouse.

Taking the stand, Mrs. Israel meekly intimated that there had been a family quarrel. And now, now that she had got him here more or less at her mercy, now that she could tell the court a pitiful story and probably have her John sent far away for many, many weeks, all of which not doubt she had Intended to do, she did. nothing of the kind. She had to wipe away a tear, indeed.

"Sir," she cried, "I don't want him sent to Jail, sir. If you could chastise him, sir, that's what I would. like you to do. Just chastise him, sir." Now, what could the colonel do after that but attempt to "chastise" John?

Then the soft-hearted Louisa again pleaded for mercy. "Sir," she whined, "I think he has had enough. We had a fight, and I had a big stick in my hand and struck him."

"Did he get the worst of it?” enquired the bench.

"I should say he sure did," replied. Mrs. Israel. And her eyes glistened with that twinkle which perhaps prompted Kipling to remark on the deadliness of the female of that species.

Following a little more "chastisement" from the bench, Mr. and Mrs. Israel walked out arm-in-arm, heading for home and happiness, even as they had done when they left another totally different scene years ago where they were made one.

Still in the Dark. Eighteen months in Burwash reformatory had not convinced Joseph Bennett of the fact that society requires its members to respect the rights of private property.

Hardly a month since he was discharged from the institution, and here he was up for theft of a pair of boots. from a down-town store. At home there were awaiting Bennett a wife and four little children, the clerk announced.

Bennett added his family had got along badly - had hardly been able to make ends meet during his recent absence. He did not know what they would do if the court imposed another sentence of imprisonment.

Col. Denison was informed that the young man was addicted to the use of drugs, and opined that perhaps another two months - this time at the jail farm -would make a desirable improvement in Bennett's physique and outlook on life generally.

Hundreds of citizens already know of many varieties of jewels that are "dirt cheap" in comparison with the ultimate cost of booze. And during the next three months at the jail farm, Joseph Umansko will undoubtedly have opportunity to make a pretty accurate estimate of just what it cost him to have a little private stock in his home that was connected with a store.

About a month ago, young Nelson Pickering received a sound spanking from the vigorous hand of his uncle. And Nelson, though only sixteen, purposed in his mind to "get even."

This was the explanation given by both the boy and his mother this morning, when Uncle charged Nelson with stealing his watch.

Nelson was very, very sorry. He had vented his spite, he told the court, and now he regretted it.

Col. Denison vented a few caustic remarks about boys who can't take a spanking when they deserve it. He had no doubt at all that Nelson had deserved that spanking.

Crestfallen, the blushing nephew left the dock, with a warning in his ears as to what he should expect if he got into trouble again and came back.

#toronto #police court #theft #stolen boots #illegal possession of alcohol #substance abuse #dope addict #assault #spousal abuse #intimate partner violence #jailbirds #sentenced to prison #toronto jail farm #burwash industrial farm #black canadians #crime and punishment in canada #history of crime and punishment in canada

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 1 year

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“‘CAN'T STRAP ME NOW', DYING PRISONER CRIES,” Toronto Star. February 2, 1933. Page 5. ---- Frank Smith, Burwash Inmate, Feared Return to Bull Gang as Life Ebbed ---- STARTLING EVIDENCE --- Investigation Into Conditions at Northern Ontario Reformatory Continues ---- "Are they going to put me in the bull gang again? Are they going to beat me - again?" were the delirious questions of Frank Smith, Burwash farm inmate, the night he lay dying from broncho-pneumonia in the hospital on July 12, a fellow-prisoner insisted yesterday afternoon at the investigation now proceeding into charges of cruelty toward Smith.

"You can't strap me any more, I'm dying." had been his protest to Sergeant Vincent two days after the sergeant had strapped him and, according to Wm. Rhoades. another prisoner. had kicked him and twisted. Catching sight of Smith in his upper berth, the sergeant had asked: What are you doing up there? Do you want some more of what I gave you?"

Evidence that cough medicine was taken down by the prison doctor to Smith even when he was put in "the hole" for ten days in his nightshirt, with four blankets, to sleep on the cement floor and subsist on bread and water in his weakened condition, was also brought out by Frank Regan.

Mr. Regan, representing Walter Lasher, former Burwash inmate orderly [pictured bottom left] emphasized the fact that Dr. Wm. Mosley, prison doctor at the time of Smith's admission to Burwash. had set down on his report that the man had "marked chronic bronchitis with sibilant and sonorous sounds in the chest." His description of Smith on this same sheet of paper was "well nourished." In two weeks something had happened for the doc- tor to note that Smith's condition was now "undernourished." What caused the change in such a short time was a question Mr. Regan repeatedly asked without any definite answers.

Ignored Doctors As another illustration of what he contended was the way the doctor's orders were disobeyed by Sergeant Vincent:

"Four weeks exactly after my operation for appendicitis, the doctor said I wasn't to do any work outside. If I worked it was to be. just around the dormitory. But for complaining about the food the sergeant ordered me right out to work."

"Sergt. Vincent told Dr. Gunn I was persistent malingerer, and lazy, and had no temperature. 'Let me see that thermometer, demanded the doctor. "Why, this man has a temperature of 101 and should be in the hospital." the doctor said," witness testified. He gave him a thorough examination and had him sent to Sudbury for an appendicitis operation.

"Smith was yellowish looking when he came out of the cell," this prisoner declared,

"Would it be fair to say that Smith was on a hunger strike in the cells when he didn't eat?" asked Mr. Sedgwick. "No." he replied.

The doctor had brought down medicine for Smith and this prisoner. some cough medicine for Smith, and salts for both of them. They used some of the salts on black fly bites, but it didn't work.

The sergeant, seeing all of Smith's bread piled up said. "there's no use. my bringing bread down for you, if you won eat it." "Give it to S - (the other prisoner). I don't want it." Smith said, according to this prisoner.

Smith's Last Hours "I was also beside Smith on the night he died." said this prisoner. "I was waiting for the train to go to Sudbury for my operation. Lasher looked at his watch; it was about twenty minutes after four. Lasher rang the emergency bell."

This prisoner gave a vivid account of Smith's last hours. He saw Dr. Gunn in the hospital put on an apron and rubber gloves and went over to him between nine and ten. The doctor left about 10.30.

In the night, according to this prisoner's story. Smith was delirious. He called out once: "Are they going to put me in the bull gang again?" Another time he asked: "Are they going to beat me again?" At one time he wanted to get up. "You can't get up for a few days yet?" Lasher told him. Another time Hayes, the second orderly, gave him a drink. "He was breathing like a steam engine. You couldn't sleep listening to it." said this witness.

From Lasher's affidavit Mr. Sedgewick read a charge that Dr. Gunn had been neglectful and had not bothered with the dying man, say in: "Do what you like with that bird. To h --- with him!"

The witness had not overheard such a remark and had seen the doc- tor attending to Smith before 10 p.m. Another charge read by the examining solicitor from Lasher's affidavit. was that Dr. Gunn had made no examination of Smith's dead body.

"You think that Smith was given good treatment?"

"Yes, in the hospital, but before. his last illness. I certainly don't."

Witness insisted Smith had asked for cornflakes about 4 o'clock on the morning he died and Lasher had got them for him.

"I don't think such a thing is done in a civilized country," said Mr. Regan.

"Certainly, the autopsy will show that," declared the witness.

The investigation is proceeding to-day at the parliament buildings. It is open only to ex-inmates who wish to give evidence regarding Smith's death and members of the press.

W. R. Jones, a former Toronto policeman, had hardly given a statement to the investigators that Smith had been a malingerer and had eaten soap balls than he was faced by a second statement he acknowledged he had written and smuggled out of the Don jail in November in which he stated Smith had been cruelly treated by the Burwash officials. In this missive he also stated that he had been transferred from Burwash to the Don jail because he had complained to Superintendent Oliver of the abuse Smith had received, and had not been allowed to communicate with the outside world ever since. Jones said he had been suffering from a disordered mind when he wrote his first charges at the jail. The second charges to-day were right, and in these he claimed Smith had taken soap pills.

The prisoners were making plans to make a protest to the superintendent, Jones said. He went to the superintendent and told him. The superintendent, he said, talked the matter over with him frankly.

Overstepped Mark He stated further that when he went to see Superintendent Oliver, the prison camp head had said that Sergt. Vincent, "had overstepped the mark by laying hands on Smith."

"You haven't been talking to any officers of the attorney-general's department, have you?" Mr. Sedgwick asked witness. "Certainly not."

After a vivid account of what happens to a man when he takes soap pills, Jones was asked for more details...

"Did you ever see a mad dog?" he asked. "No." replied Mr. Regan. "But I've seen many people who resembled them."

"But this witness never had the symptoms." suggested Mr. Regan, pointing out that Smith had the opposite symptoms. He never had temperature. one of the main symptoms, instead his temperature was subnormal.

Smith attended sick parade almost every day, and his temperature as proved by the book was normal.

#burwash industrial farm #prison brutality #death in prison #medical neglect #prison discipline #prison conditions #corporal punishment #1933 burwash probe #great depression in canada #convict revolt #words from the inside #prisoner autobiography #prisoner protest #crime and punishment in canada #history of crime and punishment in canada #medical care in prison

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 2 years

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“TWO INDIANS SENTENCED,” Kingston Daily Standard. July 21, 1922. ---- Sudbury, Ont., July 21. In Police Court Thomas Wabagezuz and Louis Shawanabin, two Indians who escaped from Burwash on April 10, were sentenced to two years each in Portsmouth penitentiary by Magistrate Brodie. When their term is up they will have to go back to Burwash to finish out terms for robbery and housebreaking, which they were serving at the time of their es- cape. Each man still has 22 months to serve. Wabagezuz and Shawanabin are known as two bad Indians and their fellow Redskins on the Manitoulin Reserve are said to be afraid of them. They were first sentenced at Gore Bay. Wabagezuz will be remembered as the Redskin who smashed up the jail in Little Current on the occasion of his arrest there about two years ago.

#sudbury #gore bay #manitoulin island #prison break #escape from prison #escaped prisoners #sentenced to the penitentiary #kingston penitentiary #indigenous people #anti-indigenous racism #first nations #first nations reserve #anishinaabe #northern ontario #crime and punishment in canada #history of crime and punishment in canada #burwash industrial farm

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 4 years

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“ASKED TO BE SENT TO PENITENTIARY,” Kingston Daily Standard. September 7, 1920. Page 9. ---- Magistrate Granted Request Of Four Escaped Prisoners From Burwash ---- Sudbury, Sept. 7. - Four escaped prisoners from Burwash begged Magistrate Brodie Saturday to send. them to Portsmouth Penitentiary instead of back to the Jail Farmi. Their names were Fred Plewes, Frank Turner, James Richards and Frank Taylor. They alleged inhuman treatment. It was pointed out to them that if they were sent to Portsmouth Penitentiary it could not be for less than two years, but they insisted that this sentence be passed, declaring that they dreaded above all things being sent back to the farm. Taylor, Turner and Richards. escaped on August 31 and pleaded guilty. Plewes, the other prisoner, helped them escape by shoving aside. a guard, but did not make a get-away himself. When they were all sentenced to two years. in Portsmouth Penitentiary they thanked the magistrate warmly. Sergeant O'Leary, of Burwash, said that the treatment of the prisoners was left to the discretion of the warden, but did not think they had been as badly used as they alleged.

#sudbury #burwash industrial farm #escape from prison #prison break #prison brutality #prison discipline #prison farm #sentenced to the penitentiary #kingston penitentiary #crime and punishment in canada #history of crime and punishment in canada

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 3 years

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“GENERAL ESCAPE AT TORONTO JAIL FRUSTRATED BY A NARROW MARGIN,” Toronto Star. May 4, 1921. Page 1. ---- PRISONERS WHO FIGURED IN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE FROM TORONTO JAIL From left to right are shown: Water Hale, chauffeur, bed as a material witness in the trials of Hotrum. McFadden and the Conleys following the Sabine murder and many robberies; Charles Heber, sentenced to three sears in Kingston for robbery, who is one of the men suspected of sawing a bar from the jail window; Roy Hotrum, awaiting trial charged with murder, who is suspected of sawing a bar from his cell door; George Clemence sentenced to 3 years in Kingston, on whom the saws were found: Eddie Goodfellow, sentenced to Burwash, and Solly Flaterwasser, sentenced to Burwash. Goodfellow and Flaterwasser are suspected of being implicated in the attempt to escape ---- Notorious Criminals Awaiting Transfer to Penitentiary, as Well as Prisoner Held on Serious Charges, Saw Bars of Cells and Almost Gain Their Freedom. ---- SOAP USED TO HOLD SEVERED BARS IN PLACE === Two daring attempts to escape from Toronto jail, by criminals convicted and others waiting trial were discovered and frustrated within.twelve hours over night through the vigilance of the jail guards. With these attempts, it makes three since Friday.

The first attempt, which would have been a wholesale get-away, involving eleven men, was being effected in a wing on the third floor,where Charles Heber and George Clemence were found by Guard Spanton standing, suspiciously near a window, in the bathroom, at 9.30 last night. Guard Spanton examined the bars of one of the windows, and a section of a bar, about one foot in length, came out with the pull of his hand. Heber and Clemence were sentenced to three years and are waiting to be called as witnesses in other trials and later to be taken to Kingston penitentiary.

The next attempt was discovered at 10.30 this morning by Governor Major G. Hedley Basher, while he was testing the cell doors and windows. He found that a bar had been cutout of the cell door occupied by Roy Hotrum, awaiting trial with William McFadden, charged with murdering Cecil Sabine. Hotrum was not in the cell at the time, and had been transferred to another cell while his cell was being cleaned.

McCullough's Escape Recalled. From details given to The Star by Governor Basher, it seems that, due to the crowded conditions of the jail, he had been forced to place fourteen men in a wing not suitable for housing prisoners, such as he is holding at the present time. This wing is in the northeast section of the jail, on the top, third floor, directly over the death cell, looking into Riverdale Park.

"All prisoners were put in their quarters at eight o'clock," said Governor Basher, "and lights extinguished. It was at nine-thirty when Guard Spanton visited the corridor, making his rounds, when he saw Heber and Clements, not in their beds, but standing by a window in the bath-room. He examined the bars, and found one had been sawed, and then held in place with soap."

The window is about ten feet from the ground, and the bar, when taken out, left a space about a foot square,insufficient, to permit a man to get through. If a second bar had been removed, it would have made it possible for a man to get out. From the window to the ground is a sheer drop of thirty-six feet, into the death.yard, containing "murderers' row."

A jump of this distance would have certainly caused injuries, and a further difficulty would have been encountered in scaling the fifteen-foot jail brick wall skirting the jail. In the room with Heber and Clemence were the following men: Robert Colestock, Hewart Gunn, Hughie Dickie, Reginald Thomas, Eddie Goodfellow, Walter Why. Walter Hulse, John Tinsley and Solly Flaterwasser. Goodfellow has been sentenced to two years less one day in Burwash. Walter Hulse is the driver of the taxi in which the Conleys, Hotrum and McFadden operated, and is held as a material witness in their coming trials. Flaterwasser is going to Burwash.

Two Small Saws Located. Following the discovery, Governor Major Basher questioned the men.They all denied knowing anything of the attempt, but on searching them, two small four-inch pieces of hacksaws were found secreted in Clemence's clothes.

He also denied knowing anything about it. Unable to find an admissions to the leader, or as to the one who conceived the attempt. Governor Basher singled out Heber, Clemence, Goodfellow and Flaterwasser as suspects, and immediately isolated them, to "let them cool off," to use Major Basher's words. The bar had been sawed clean through at both ends. The marks are quite fresh, and would indicate that the work on them had been very fast, as the men had been in that room only two days.

The cell which Hotrum occupied is next to one occupied by John Doughty and two cells distant from the one formerly occupied by Arthur Conley, who attacked Guard Crowe on Friday night last. Hotrum had apparently worked fast, in the last day or so,and completed his work on this bar, although if he had gained freedom through his cell door, he would have only been in his corridor, and no nearer freedom.

Hotrum is now in another cell, and although he was searched this morning, nothing was found upon him.that would have aided him in sawing the bar. Men Have Been Separated. How the saws were taken into the men is not yet known by Governor Basher, although it is assumed they were taken in either by the men them-selves, through means unknown, or in food taken to the prisoners by their friends. Men who go into the jail are stripped of their clothing at their first admittance, but it might have been when they were taken to the police court that they obtained the saws. Heber was in the court of general sessions recently as a witness while the Conleys, Hotrum and McFadden have not been there for some time.

To-day, Major Basher stated he had broken the men up entirely. McFadden, Hotrum and the Conleys have been taken away from coming indirect contact with other prisoners and are in close confinement.

"What action are you going to take?" Major Basher was asked. "Are you going to cut off visitors to the men, or parcels coming in?"

"We cannot stop everyone who wants to visit prisoners," Major Basher replied, "or parcels coming in, but in view of what has taken place since Friday, I am going to stop all visitors or parcels to the Hotrum, McFadden and Conley gang.”

Must Have More Accommodation. Prior to the attack made by Arthur Conley upon Guard Crowe on Friday last, there has been rumors afoot throughout the jail that something was going to be done, and in view of the fact that the trials of Hotrum and McFadden were first set for Thursday and now set off until next week, something in the nature of an attempt to escape has been anticipated. After Conley's attack, more were heard among the men,that "that was nothing compared to what was going to happen."

Governor Major Basher told The Star that it was absolutely imperative that the east wing of the jail be reopened in view of the crowded.condition. The wing was closed some time during the war, with the hope that prisoners would be taken care of at Burwash. "The wing should be opened not only to take care of the large number of prisoners, but in order to classify the men," said Major Basher. The plumbing of the wing is not yet in a fit condition to put men in. There are 120 men in the jail, and according to Major Basher, it requires one guard to ten men.

#toronto #toronto jail #jailbreak #attempted escape #prison break #sawing bars #death cells #sentenced to the penitentiary #kingston penitentiary #sentenced to prison #burwash industrial farm #armed robbery #armed robbers #robbery gone wrong #sabine murder #crime and punishment in canada #history of crime and punishment in canada

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 5 years

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“JAIL FARM ESCAPEES CAPTURED,” North Bay Nugget. August 30, 1939. Page 1 & 5. ---- Trio Seen Climbing Aboard Train; Taken Off at Pickerel --- Burwash, Aug. 30 - Been by alert guard as they dashed for a passenger train early today, three trusties who fled the Burwash prison farm last Thursday afternoon are back in custody today, hungry and facing an additional charge of breaking and entering to the ordinary routine charge of escaping from lawful custody.

Money Useless The three men Russel Dilke [LEFT], Ernest Bean [RIGHT], and Hubert Halliday found that the $80.79 they stole when they rifled the cash box of the prison farm store was of little use to them when they got into the bush, for during their week of freedom they had bean unable to spend a cent of the money for supplies.

Still dressed in prison clothes, their faces heavily bearded, the three were taken from the tender of a C.P.R passenger train which they had caught as it pulled out or Bayswater early this morning. They were seen running for the train by guards who phoned ahead and when the train stopped at Pickerel River they were removed.

Easily Captured "They evidently thought that by this time we would havo called in our guards," said Col. W. H. Powell, superintendent of the prison farm. "I suppose after their week in the bush they ware getting desperate and willing to take chances. But we had the patrols still out and when they dashed for the train as it was pulling out of Bayswater our men saw them. Their capture after that was a simple matter. We merely took them from the station when the train stopped at Pickerel River."

Col. Powell was of the opinion that the men had had very little to eat during their period of absence.

“They managed to get a few sandwiches stashed away before they made their break," he said. “Rut those wouldn't last them very long. They were a pretty hungry bunch when they reached here this morning.”

For Bean, who was sentenced at Barrie, it was the third attempt at escape. His first break was in 1938 when ha was shot In the heel and was at liberty for only about 10 minutes.He tried again unsuccessfully Iast January. Halliday was sentenced In Toronto and has a long string of criminal convictions while Dilke was a prisoner from Hamilton. All would have been released within the next few months. Because of the breaking and entering charge, the men will probably be brought to Sudbury for trial.

[AL: All three men were given two years in penitentiary for the escape and break and enter on September 9, 1939, the photos date from these convictions, not their recapture. Bean was 31, from England, a farm labourer, who had been unemployed for years before going to Burwash, and from Barrie. He was convict #5761 at the penitentiary and worked in the mail bag shop. He was released October 1941. He had three previous penitentiary convictions. Dilke was 23, from Hamilton, a former accountant, unemployed for several years, and with a reformatory record of two previous convictions. He was convict #5762 at Kingston penitentiary, and worked in the tailor shop. He was released November 1941, and broke the rules twice during his term for contraband smoking and talking outside of regulation periods. Halliday was convict #5763, and tried to appeal for clemency and the reducation of his unexpired sentence at Burwash. This was denied, and he was released October 1941.]

#burwash industrial farm #pickerel ontario #prison break #escape from prison #escaped prisoners #hiding in the bush #sudbury #northern ontario #sentenced to prison #sentenced to the penitentiary #kingston penitentiary #great depression in canada #crime and punishment in canada #history of crime and punishment in canada

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 1 year

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“Burwash Prison Death Probe Resumes in Toronto,” Toronto Globe. February 2, 1933. Page 1. ---- Inquiry into the death of Frank Smith at Burwash Prison Farm was continued yesterday at Queen’s Park. In picture No. 1 are shown, from left to right: Frank Regan, counsel for Walter Lasher, whose complaints started the probe; Joseph Sedgwick of the Attorney-General’s Department; and James Norris, Inspector of Prisons, who is conducting the inquiry. No. 2 is Dr. Donald Gunn, medical officer at Burwash; and No. 6 of Dr. William Moseley, his predecessor. No. 3 is Walter Lasher, and Nos. 4 and 5 are William R. Jones and William Rhoades, respectively, witnesses who testified yesterday.

#burwash industrial farm #prison brutality #death in prison #whisteblower #injury through neglect #prison discipline #prison conditions #public inquiry #attorney general of ontario #great depression in canada #crime and punishment in canada #history of crime and punishment in canada #1933 burwash probe

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 2 years

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“JAILED FOR ROBBING GOV’T LIQUOR STORE,” North Bay Nugget. July 22, 1932. Page 3. ---- Sault Ste. Marie, July 22— (By Canadian Press)— Emile Charette and Edgar Tausignant, Blind River, were sentenced to two years in Burwash prison by Magistrate N. H. Peterson in the district police court today on charge of breaking into the government liquor store at Blind River on July 19 and with stealing liquor valued at $25. Both pleaded guilty.

#sault ste. marie #blind river #police court #break and enter #breaking and entering #liquor store #liquor control board of ontario #stolen liquor #sentenced to prison #burwash industrial farm #northern ontario #great depression in canada #history of crime and punishment in canada #crime and punishment in canada

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 11 months

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"SWUNG ROLLING PIN JAILED FOR ROBBERY," Toronto Star. June 12, 1943. Page 3. ---- Special to The Star Owen Sound, June 12 - Jack Hall, 20, Toronto, who pleaded guilty of robbery with violence, was sentenced to two years less one day definite in the Ontario reformatory and one year indeterminate. He was also sentenced to three months concurrently on a charge of theft of $9 from Melville Duggan of Sydenham township.

Hall admitted he attacked Joseph Coffey, Holland township farmer, with a rolling pin bound up, and took $58 from him.

#owen sound #police court #robbery with violence #theft #sydenham township #assault and robbery #sentenced to prison #burwash industrial farm #canada during world war 2 #crime and punishment in canada #history of crime and punishment in canada

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 1 year

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“Lockwood’s Release Refused By Judge,” Toronto Star. December 23, 1932. Page 1. ---- Has Nearly a Year to Serve in Penitentiary --- Mr. Justice Kerwin in weekly court at Osgoode Hall to-day dismissed a motion by B. J. Spencer Pitt for release of John Lockwood of Toronto from Portsmouth Penitentiary.

Mr. Pitt said Lockwood was sentenced to from nine to 21 months at Burwash on January 27, 1926. He escaped on May 29, 1926, and was re-arrested in 1930. On November 7, 1930, he was sentenced by Judge Coatsworth to two years hard labor for his escape. He was held in the Don Jail for nearly a year , was transferred to Guelph Reformatory and later, on December 19, 1931, was sent to Kingston.

Mr. Pitt maintained Lockwood’s two-year sentenced ended Nov. 7 this year.

Joseph Sedgwick for the attorney-general, said the two year-term was to be served in addition to the unexpired portion of the old term. Lockwod, he said, still had nearly a year to serve.

#toronto #osgoode hall #released from prison #escaped convict #sentenced to the penitentiary #kingston penitentiary #guelph reformatory #burwash industrial farm #great depression in canada #crime and punishment in canada #history of crime and punishment in canada

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 1 year

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“Ask For 4 Months, Cadi Grants Favor,” Toronto Star. December 8, 1932. Page 2. ---- Court Recommends Burwash for Musehuk – Drunk Damaged New Police Station --- ‘Thomas Clarke, charged with being drunk,’ read out P.C. Collins in early men’s court to-day.

‘He died last night,’ stated Fred Sherriffs, J.P. ‘He passed away in number three police station.’

Deceased, 29, born in Canada, was charged with being intoxicated on Bathurst St.

A McDonald, charged with being drunk and with doing malicious damage to property, was remanded for a week on his own bail, in the care of Capt. Mason of the church army.

Police alleged that he had been drinking native wine and charged that he entered the new and beautiful No. 12 police station on north Yonge ST. and did $50 worth of damage. For creating a fuss in the lion’s den, he was promptly arrested on two charges.

Orie Thompson was convicted of drunkenness by Magistrate Tinker and was fined $10 or fifteen days.

Steve Museliuk, charged with vagrancy, asked for four months. He got his wish.

‘I am committing you to jail for four months and recommending Burwash,’ said Magistrate Tinker.

Robbery Is ChargeCharged with shopbreaking, Joseph Schwab, 28, of Lippincott, St., and Alfred Currie, 32, of Augusta Ave., were remanded by Magistrate Jones in men’s court to-day until December 14. Bail was $1,000 for each man.

One was arrested by motorcycle officers while he was alleged to have been trying to sell some leather goods belonging to an east-end dealer. The other was arrested by Detectives Butler and Harris.

Police alleged that the arrests solve the theft of 148 dozen pairs of leather soles from the warehouse of Zeomon Enchin, of 19 Grenadier Rd., on Tuesday night. The initial arrest was made by Motorcycle Officers Jerry and Craig from information received.

Appearing for sentence on a charge of stealing a gold watch, John Zone was given 30 days.

Earns $5 a Week‘She told me she worked from 7 in the morning until 9 at night for $5 a week,’ said P.C. Robb in testifying against Rosie Leisiltz, Queen St., charged with a breach of the Liquor Control Act. ‘The restaurant she works in is beneath the single room where she live with a crippled husband and two children. Here were three men drinking beer out of a jug.’

Beer was exhibited and P.C. Colson said that the woman had told him all her trouble. He said he had been the paralyzed husband sitting in a chair.

The crown pointed out that accused was working long hours for little money to support her husband and family, rather than go on city relief.

Found guilty, she was remanded for sentenced until Dec. 21 on a bond of $200.

Limit on the LiquorMary Smith, Queen St. E., charged with having liquor contrary to the Liquor Control Act, pleaded not guilty and denied any knowledge of a half-full jug of wine which was found in her room.

Plainclothesmen Crawford and McKay said they found liquor for which there was no provision made on her permit. It was also disclosed that a limit had been set on the quantity of liquor she was allowed to purchase each month.

She was not allowed to buy more than 48 bottles of beer, two bottles of spirits and 12 bottles of wine.

‘That’s not much of a limit,’ remarked the bench.

Accused was fined $10 and costs or 30 days, her permit was cancelled and her house declared a public place.

Betting Slips in YiddishCounsel Austin Ross, appearing for Louis Binder, charged with recording bets, a plea of not guilty.

Plainclothesmen Mckay and Crawford said they entered a Queen St. W. house and found accused with $44 worth of betting slips.

‘He had racing forms and the slips were written in Yiddish,’ they said.

Mr. Ross then changed the plea to guilty and accused was fined $50 and costs or 30 days.

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