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if-you-fan-a-fire · 7 months

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"BOY, 16, STEALS HORSE AND CYCLES 80 MILES," Toronto Star. September 30, 1943. Page 2. --- Michael Stiles and Juvenile Rode All Day Round Don Valley ---- JAILED FOUR MONTHS ---- County Police Court, County Buildings, Magistrate Keith. Charged with theft of a horse, on which he rode the Don valley trails for a whole day, and with theft of a bicycle which he rode 80 miles to Lindsay, Michael Stiles, 16, pleaded guilty today before Magistrate Keith. The boy was sentenced to three months at Guelph for the horse theft, the term to be concurrent with a similar penalty imposed at Lindsay for housebreaking. He was also given a one-month consecutive term for bicycle theft.

Det. Harold Speight of East York police said that Stiles and a juvenile had taken two horses and saddles from the stables of the Bar-Branch riding school on Broadview Ave. on Sept. 17. The horses were ridden around the Don valley all day and were later found abandoned one and a half miles from the stables.

Stiles told the court he had been working as a machine shop operator in Toronto, but recently had lost a finger and was waiting for compensation. Det. Speight said the boy had been living alone in Toronto, his mother having gone to Sudbury.

"You'll have a hard life ahead of you if you don't straighten up, son," declared his worship in passing sentence.

Pleading guilty of theft of $3.25 from the Milk for Britain fund. theft of an auto rug and theft of two rings, a boy of 16 was remanded for sentence until Oct. 7 by Magistrate Keith today.

His worship was advised by Detective McLellan that accused's father was in the army.

"You're not much help to your mother," observed Magistrate Keith to accused. "Why don't you get out and work and earn some money. You should keep your name good. otherwise you haven't got any- thing."

HAD BANK REVOLVER ---- "B" Police Court, City Hall, Magistrate Browne Appearing for judgment on a charge of receiving a revolver, stolen from a King St. bank, Frank Holmes, who admitted a record. was convicted and sentenced to four months imprisonment. Holmes claimed to have bought the revolver from a child for 75 cents.

Appearing for sentence on a charge of theft of a ring from a young woman, with whom he had been keeping company. Pte. Donald Penfield was sentenced to 60 days.

"The drunk driving charge will be dismissed and on the careless driving charge to which you have pleaded guilty there will be a penalty of $50 or 30 days." his worship told Joseph Aiken when he appeared for judgment on the more serious charge. Two witnesses denied that accused was intoxicated.

A conviction was registered against Ormie Drew and a fine of $100 or one month imposed, when he appeared for judgment on a charge of obstructing Plainclothesmen Sutton, Edgeworth and Patton, when they sought to enter his Wellesley St. house. Accused and three members of his family had denied the charge.

At the request of the crown Antoni Lizert, charged with a breach of the oil controller's regulations by having loose coupons. was remanded to Oct. 4. with bail $1,000.

#toronto #police court #east york #youth in the toils #horse theft #stolen horse #bicycle theft #stolen cash #drunk driving #juvenile delinquency #young delinquents #juvenile court #sentenced to prison #guelph reformatory #toronto jail 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 · 2 years

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"Drug Addicts Are Sentenced," Ottawa Journal. June 26, 1942. Page 20. ---- Charged with illegal possession of morphine, two self-admitted drug addicts were given prison terms by Magistrate Strike in police court this morning. James Hotchkiss, 39, of 59 Gwynne avenue, Toronto, was sentenced to two years in Ontario Reformatory, and Margaret Scriver, 24, of no address, was given the same term at Portsmouth Penitentiary at Kingston. Hotchkiss who pleaded guilty to another charge of stealing six wed- ding rings valued at $60 from the People's Credit Jewellers, Limited, was sentenced to two years also on this charge. Sentences are concurrent.

#ottawa #police court #narcotics possession #illegal possession of narcotics #morphine #substance abuse #substance dependence #drug addict #woman in the toils #prison for women #sentenced to the penitentiary #sentenced to prison #guelph reformatory #history of crime and punishment in canada #crime and punishment in canada #canada during world war 2

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 2 years

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"HAMILTON PRISONER PICKS HIS CELL LOCK," Toronto Star. June 8, 1942. Page 27. --- Escapes After Getting Penitentiary Term - Two Flee at Guelph --- Special to The Star Hamilton, June 8 - First escape from Hamilton jail in many years was staged by Russell Dilke a few hours after he was sentenced at noon Saturday to two years in penitentiary. Dilke was convicted on eight charges of forgery. Police said they thought he picked his cell lock. He is believed now to be in a stolen panel truck, a 1938 model, with the name of a laundry on the panels. His escape was not discovered until 8 o'clock Saturday night. He was wearing jail clothes. Dilke is clean-shaven, of medium complexion, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighs 145 pounds. Two Escape at Guelph --- Special to The Star Guelph. June 8 - A search is under way for two inmates of Guelph reformatory who vanished from the dairy barn about 9 a.m. today. They were Alvin Smith, 17, Toronto, and Norman Dakins, 26, of Aylmer. Smith would have been released on July 27 after serving four months for taking an automobile without the owner's consent, and theft. He is described as five feet four and a half inches tall. weighing 146 pounds, dark complexioned with brown hair and eyes. He was wearing blue prison overalls. Dakins, also wearing prison uniform. is described as being dark complexioned with brown hair and eyes. He is five feet four and a half inches tail and weighs 110 pounds. He was due for release on Sept. 3, after being sentenced to three months definite and three months indeterminate on a theft charge.

#hamilton #guelph #escape from prison #prison break #jailbreak #jailbreakers #barton jail #guelph reformatory #getaway vehicle #stolen truck #sentenced to the penitentiary #forgery #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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“100 Criminally Insane Are Moved From Guelph,” Kingston Whig-Standard. February 21, 1933. Page 11. ---- GUELPH, Feb. 21— One hundred criminally insane housed for years at the Ontario Reformatory here, were taken today to Penetanguishene, where a new building has been erected for them.

The transfer was kept secret until after its completion to avoid the gathering of curious crowds. A special special train was used to move the prisoners.

#guelph #guelph reformatory #criminally insane #ontario hospital for the insane #penetanguishene #the prison as asylum #the asylum as prison #prisoner transfer #prisoner transport #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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"FOUR PRISONERS GET AWAY FROM GUELPH REFORMATORY," The Globe and Mail. April 16, 1943. Page 2. ---- Stealing the car of a guard, four prisoners escaped from the Guelph reformatory today. C. F. Neelands. deputy provincial secretary, said he believed freedom of the men would be brief because police and guards have blocked roads in the district.

The break was made with lightning speed, police state. The guard's car was parked near the barn while he was on duty inside. He left the keys in his coat, and these were allegedly stolen by a 19-year-old Toronto youth. He ran from the barn, police say, started the car and drove to where a farm gang was working. Three jumped in the car, which sped off at 60 miles an hour.

Names of the prisoners were given as Thomas Philpot. David Cameron. Robert Anderson and William Pecle, all 19. All except Anderson live in Toronto. Cameron's sentence of 15 months for auto theft would have expired May 18.

The men turned into sideroads near the reformatory. Mr. Neelands said the searchers believe they have the escapees bottled up.

Philpott was sentenced to two years less a day on five charges of housebreaking and theft; Anderson to 15 months for car theft and Poole to two years less a day for housebreaking and conspiracy.

#guelph #guelph reformatory #prison break #escape from prison #getaway car #police chase #stolen car #sentenced to prison #prison farm #auto theft #housebreakers #canada during world war 2 #crime and punishment in canada #history of crime and punishment in canada #toronto

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 2 years

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“Remove Prisoner,” Kingston Whig-Standard. June 23, 1932. Page 12. ---- A prisoner, who has completed a two-year term in the Portsmouth Penitentiary for jail breaking from the Ontario Reformatory, was removed from the penitentiary today by Sheriff Robert Vair and the governor of the County Jail, J. T. Hawkey. to the county jail to await the coming of Provincial Bailiff Fiske who will remove him to the reformatory to serve his unexpired term.

“Given Suspended Sentence,” Kingston Whig-Standard. June 23, 1932. Page 12. ---- Two taxi drivers appeared before Magistrate J. M. Farrell in the police court today. charged with going over the allotted line at the C. N. R. Station at Kingston Junction on the evening of June 18, to solicit passengers. Evidence was given against them by C.N.R. Constable J. J. Graham and Constable Gerald Down, of the city police force. The magistrate found both taxi drivers guilty. but allowed. them to go on suspended sentence.

#kingston ontario #kingston penitentiary #jailbreaker #released from prison #prisoner transfer #guelph reformatory #escaped prisoner #sentenced to the penitentiary #police court #taxi driver #suspended sentence #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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“Admits Stealing Twenty Dresses,” Kingston Whig-Standard. October 25, 1932. Page 5. ---- Claude Griffin of Gananoque Sentenced to Ontario Reformatory ----- Gananoque, Oct. 24 —Claude Griffin, a local man who surrendered himself to Chief Constable William Chevis on Saturday evening and admitted the theft of twenty dresses valued at $142, which were consigned to Pattenick's store, from A. Nuttall’s transport truck on February 4th, was tried before Magistrate James H. Sampson yesterday afternoon and sentenced to twelve months determinate and twelve months indeterminate in the Ontario Reformatory.

The accused elected to be tried by the magistrate and Crown Attorney Atkinson of Brockvllle, who conducted the prosecution, called A. A. Nuttall, owner of the transport truck from which the foods were taken, as the first witness. Mr. Nultall testified that the accused was with him on the date In question and that a number of parcels had been picked up at Pattenick's Cobourg store for delivery at the Gananoque branch. Arriving in Gananoque at about 1 a.m., witness had placed the truck in his garage and Griffin had come next day to deliver the parcels around town. He had taken the truck out for about an hour and a half and returned with the parcels apparently all delivered. However,on the following Saturday, Nuttall had been advised that one of the four parcels consigned to Pattenick's was missing. He had questioned Griffith about the shortage, but the accused had claimed he knew nothing about it. Witness had then notified the insurance company of the loan and they had settled the claim for the amount at which the parcel was valued $142.

The next witness was Robert Leavis, manager of Pattenick's local store, who recalled that the shipment was short the dresses on the date in question but did not remember the number of packages received at the time or the value of the dresses.

W. A. Peck, local insurance agent, testified as to the policy covering the loss of the goods and the payment of the claim.

The last witness was Chief Chavis, who told how Griffin had given himself up on the comer of Stone and King streets on Saturday evening.

“Are you still looking for the parcel of goods taken from Nuttall's truck last February?" accused had asked.

"Yes," replied the Chief. '‘Well," said Griffin, 'I'm the man that took it.”

The Chief and Griffin had then gone to the former's office where a voluntary statement had been taken. Accused had been warned that he did not have to make the statement and that it might be used against him. The statement was to the effect that he had stolen the parcel of clothing from Nuttall's truck and disposed of the articles to various people.

“Did you question him as to the disposition of the goods?" asked the Crown. "Yes,” replied the Chief "and he said he had sold them but to whom he did not remember now.”

In summing up the case, the Crown pointed out that the amount involved was considerable. On the other hand, the accused had given himself up and that must be taken into consideration. In passing sentence, the magistrate pointed out to Griffith that if he behaved himself in the reformatory during his stay there, he would not be required to serve the second twelve months of his sentence but would be allowed out on probation.

Griffin, who is an expert driver, drove the car containing himself and Chief Chevis to the county jail at Brockville. He also drove the car to Gananoque from Brockville earlier in the afternoon for his trial.

#gananoque #brockville #stealing parcels #stealing from the boss #theft #turning yourself in #petty theft #selling stolen goods #first time offender #sentenced to prison #guelph reformatory #great depression in canada #history of crime and punishment #crime and punishment in canada

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 2 years

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“From ancient times in has been presumed that prisoners would be given employment when this was profitable or convenient to their captors. They have been put to work in gangs on public buildings, roads, in the galleys and elsewhere, as this has suited public convenience or profit, or for the purposes of punishment. Benefit or advantage to the prisoner has rarely, until recently, been considered; in fact, his treatment has often been directly contrary to his good. Idleness was the lot of many, only relieved by the treadmill or similar contrivances for the carrying out of the sentence which included the phrase "with hard labour." In the county jails of Ontario, apart from cooking, cleaning, etc., idleness is the rule, though in winter, snow may be shovelled, and in the summer some road-making and gardening may be done, and in two or three jails some other work is carried on for the counties concerned. Of course in this Province the jails are merely used for temporary detention or very short terms.

During the last half of the past century in Great Britain, the United States, Canada and elsewhere, work was increasingly alloted to prisoners for the triple purposes of lessening the cost of maintenance to the taxpayer, the improvement and upkeep of the property, and also for the health of the prisoner, the idea of work as punishment operating less and less except in rare cases. Fifty years ago, prison labour was (and is even yet, in too many of the American States, about twenty) let by contract at a small sum per day which was devoted to reducing the cost of prison upkeep. This had certain financial advantages to the state and showed that many prisoners could be productively employed, but the objections to it are very serious and the pressure of enlightened public opinion and of free labour is compelling governments to discontinue it. However, it is clear that with the passing of the contract system other work must be devised for prisoners to save the cost of upkeep of institutions and to prevent the degenerating results of idleness. This is a problem that is now acutely faced in the United States since the passing of the Hawes-Cooper Bill, which in a year or two will practically eliminate contract prison labour in the United States. The prison contract system has not been in operation in Ontario for many years. But an additional object in the employment of prisoners has for some years been demanded by an increasing section of the public. Until recently, the prisoner’s family or dependants could go to the devil so far as the public cared. Officialdom certainly no interest. The man had broken the law and had to be punished by imprisonment. If his dependants suffered it could not be helped. Friends, philanthropic agencies, churches and municipalities might help the innocent dependants if they pleased, but it was held that the punishment of the prisoner must not be lessened nor the burden to the state increased because others were suffering also. The fallacy of this contention eventually became so clear that in a number of the states of the American Republic, experiments were made in the employment of prisoners at productive labour and the crediting of "wages" to the prisoner for his dependants. After a good many years of trial this payment of "wages" has practically become a settled policy in some institutions.

There are, however, some serious difficulties and objections to it. If F. and P. have wives and families and are both out of work and in want, and P. finds that by committing a crime, he may be successful in getting money, or if unsuccessful, he and his family are supported by the state, will not F. be tempted to follow P’s example, or feel grave injustice at the spectacle of a lawbreaker and his family being aided while honest persons are left to suffer? Furthermore, while it is clear that the state could, if it wished, pay a bonus or gratuity to anyone, and while it may be reasonably contended in certain cases that such a bonus or gratuity should be paid out of the public funds to the dependants of prisoners, a real wage can only be economically sound and possible if it is a fair recognition and return for actual net value given. Whether and what wages can be paid to prisoners will depend, therefore, mainly on the following:

The prisoner's physical and mental ability and his attitude.

The availability of employment suited to his abilities.

The length of the term for which the prisoner will actually remain inside the institution and at a particular job which he has been trained to perform efficiently.

The market and demand for his products.

The cost of handling the product.

The cost of housing, feeding and custody; and depreciation and repairs of building and equipment.

The interest on capital invested in the plant and material.

Possibly the first item is the most important but all are closely related. On them all depends whether a wage can be economically paid and if so, how much, or whether the defects and unfortunate attitude of the prisoner and the overhead charges are such that he is and will remain a financial loss to the institution.

An examination of the annual reports concerning the persons committed to the five Provincial Reformatories or Industrial Farms of Ontario and to the two Toronto Municipal Farms show that about 10% could neither write nor read, about one-third had no trade, and a large number of others who were classed as mechanics or agriculturists were not really skilled workers at all. In other words the great majority of the inmates of our institutions are practically untrained and their economic value is by no means high, even as free men.

After a good many years' association with prisoners, though I have found many very likeable men among them, some highly capable and intelligent, and not a few decent and in many respects reliable; I think it is safe to say that a large number are not dependable (for mental, moral or physical reasons) and the great majority are not economically of very great value, being untrained, and not having the right attitude toward public service. It would, I believe, be safe to say that of the prisoners mentioned in the Deputy Provincial Secretary's reports, two-thirds lack the ability and attitude which would make the payment of wages to them economically possible under any practicable internal custodial conditions, and when the actual intra-mural custodial conditions are taken into account the number which might possibly be paid wages on a sound economic basis is still less. Another important feature of the problem is that usually over half of those convicted in a year in Ontario are given sentences of three months or less and an increasing number receive indeterminate sentences.

These facts, without any others, show how difficult it would be to attempt to pay wages to non-penitentiary prisoners in Ontario on any sound basis except in occasional cases. The problem of penitentiary long-term prisoners is, of course, another matter, not am I here dealing at all with the question as to whether the province should undertake to assist the dependants of its prisoners out of the public purse. That is also another matter and would involve a revision of a past policy which places dependents upon municipalities rather than upon the Province. However, the Ontario Extra Mural Employment System with which this report deals is based upon the assumption that whether the payment of gratuities to dependants of prisoners is proper or improper, it is certainly undesirable if it can be avoided.

In the Provincial institutions of Ontario a creditable effort has been made to use the labour of inmates to the physical and mental advantage of prisoners and public. In the Ontario Reformatory at Guelph for example, work is done each year by prisoners in weaving, farming, packing, canning and turning out other products to be used by provincial institutions, which reduces the expense of upkeep by three or four hundred thousand dollars. A very creditable figure indeed. But the full aggregate annual cost of that reformatory is twice that sum. This showing of such a well-managed institution demonstrates the practical economic difficulties in the way of paying wages to intra mural prisoners. If reformatory products were more extensively used by provincial departments which now buy from the regular markets, the taxpayers would undoubtedly benefit; but even then the feasability of a general payment of wages would be by no means sure. If certain industries in the reformatory, such as the abattoir at Guelph or the Brick and Tile Plant at Mimico for example, and certain selected inmates were alone to be considered, the matter would be somewhat simpler and less difficult of solution. It might be worth while to make a definite experiment of a "one industry" place like Mimico for a few years as a wage-paying institution, with carefully selected prisoners. But the full institutional overhead of the Province should really be included and all the institutions and prisoners considered together. The taking out of this institution and these selected prisoners would increase the deficit on the rest. The apparent settled impossibility in Ontario of the sale of the products of prison labour in the open market, and the failure up to the present of an adequate use of prison labour for the needs of provincial institutions and departments, makes it impossible as yet to use prison labour to its full economic extent even if its full value were much higher than it is.”

- Alfred E. Lavell, Report of the Commissioner For Extra Mural Employment of Prisoners For Ten Years, to October 31, 1930. Toronto: King’s Printer, 1931. p. 4-6

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 2 years

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“AYTON HOLD-UP BRINGS 2 YEARS’ TERM FOR YOUTH,” Owen Sound Sun Times. February 5, 1942. Page 5. ---- Joseph Kolodziezok of St. Catharines Is Sentenced on Thursday ---- Joseph Kolodsiezok of St. Catharines [PICTURED] was sentenced to two years in Kingston Penitentiary by Magistrate E. C. Spereman in police court here on Thursday morning on a charge of having in his possession a revolver while in the act of committing a crime, theft. Kolodsiezok, who is only 17 year of age, pointed the loaded revolver at Ernest Halm, of Alton. He and a 15-year-old companion were later caught after a wild chase over country roads and fields, north of Ayton. Kolodsiezok pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing a revolver without a license. On this charge, he was sentenced to six months to run concurrently with the penitentiary sentence. The accused also pleaded guilty to two charges of theft of hose from Ernest Haim and Joseph Russell, and was sentenced to three months on each charge, sentences to run concurrently and to be served before the penitentiary term commences.

Kenneth Mighton of Hanover appeared for sentence on nine charges, to which he had pleaded guilty in police court in Hanover on Jan. 29 after police had broken up a gasoline theft ring. Mighton was sentenced to three months on four charges, two of theft of gasoline from the Swift Canadian Co. at Hanover, one of theft of two car gasoline tanks, and one of theft of a truck tire. He was also sentenced to one month on each cf five charges of theft of small quantities of gasoline. All sentences will run concurrently and will date back to Jan 29.

Walter and George Thompson of Durham, aged 16 and 17, had each pleaded guilty at Hanover, on Jan. 29, to two charges of theft of small quantities of gasoline. On Thursday each was sentenced to one month on each charge sentences to run concurrently and to date back to Jan. 29.

Ernest Yandt, who had pleaded guilty at Hanover to three charges of theft of gasoline, was remanded until Feb 6 for sentence at Durham.

[AL: Kolodsiezok had already been in the St. Catharines jail twice before this particular escapade. He was the child of Polish immigrants, and was himself born in France as an infant but the whole family came to Canada in 1930. He was employed as a factory hand at time of crime. Kolodsiezok launched an appeal on his sentence, and had the reformatory terms dismissed by a judge. He therefore didn’t arrive at Kingston Penitentiary until April 28, 1942, and became convict #6913. He worked first in the machine shop, then asked to be sent to the prison farm. Remarkably, despite his age he was not transferred to a lower security prison, and was released December 1943.]

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