1914-03-21aa

For the three Hamilton newspapers on Saturday March 21, 1914, the suicide of James Gow was prominent on each of the front pages. The reporters during the previous afternoon and evening hours, had been rushing to learn as much about the incident as possible. Then they each had to write updates for the successive extra editions of their newspapers.

         The Spectator’s efforts were typical of all three newspapers.

         On hearing of the suicide, a reporter rushed from the newspaper’s downtown newsroom to the hotel, then put composed a bulletin which was posted outside the Spectator building, the bulletin immediately being read by a small crowd. With a half hour, an extra edition of the Spectator was printed with only the front page changed to include details of the tragedy as they became known. A second and third extra edition would follow.

         Overnight, there was time to focus and employ their full writing skills to capture the shock and tragedy of the death of James Gow.

         The Spectator reporter’s account was particularly skillful :

         “The suicide at the Terminal Hotel yesterday afternoon of James N. Gow marked another tragic chapter in a sensation that has stirred Hamilton since last Saturday, when the police served the victim and A. B. Mackay, another prominent business man, with summonses charging them with serious offenses against young girls.

         “Dejected and broken-hearted over family and financial trouble, his separation from his wife and daughter and with his honor in question, Gow went to a higher tribunal than the court I which he was committed when he slashed his throat and died almost instantly. The news of his rash act spread like wildfire and caused an even bigger sensation than the bomb that the police exploded when they started the prosecution.”¹

              ¹ “Gow’s Dramatic Death Was Not Unexpected : His Self-Destruction Was Carefully Planned : The Desparate Act of a Dejected Man.”

         Hamilton Spectator.  March 21, 1914

         The Hamilton Times’ reporter also captured the situation well, describing the suicide of James Gow as “the most surprising and fearful of shocks to Hamiltonians” :

         “Although figuring disadvantageously in the investigation into complaints about young girls at the house he owned on Hughson street south, Jas. N. Gow was more the victim of recent developments than the criminal charge itself. Incidental worries so harassed the unfortunate man that hours before his untimely end his dejected appearance was noticed by many.”²

              ² “Awful End of James N. Gow : Man Accused of Immorality Slashes Throat With Razor : Declared That He was ‘All In’ during Morning and in Afternoon Read Report of Suicide of Girl : Adam Mackay Not Surprised When He read Times Extra – A Jury Summoned for an Inquest.”

         Hamilton Times. March 21, 1914.

         At the preliminary hearing into the charges, Gow appeared to be rather calm, even unflappable, concerning his situation. However, after the court was adjourned, and he was sent with Mackay to the police court cells to await their bail applications being granted, Gow seemed to lose his nerve and became very agitated.

         When finally released after posting a $2,000 cash bail, Gow was observed to be shaking like a leaf as he left the police court building.

         Adam Mackay was concerned about his friend’s state of mind, and convinced Gow to not stay at the Hughson street house, but join him at the Terminal hotel where he intended to stay as well.

         Gow went to his Hughson street south home, and under the supervision of the sheriff’s officer on duty, packed some personal belongings in a trunk. According to the bailiff, Gow, in chatting with him, was constantly referring to his daughter – “his little girl” as he repeatedly referred to her.

         Gow also left a sealed letter with the bailiff, asking him to forward it to his daughter when all the contents of the house had been sold.

         Arrangement was made to take the trunk to the Terminal hotel, and so began the last hours of Gow’s existence on this earth.

         The Following is the Spectator’s account of Gow’s Last Day:

         “Arriving there (Terminal Hotel) about 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon, he was given room 18 on the second floor. Mackay also stopped there, and they had a long talk during the evening.

         “They occupied separate rooms, but it is known that Gow rested little during the night. The agitation that he displayed the previous afternoon was even more marked in the morning

         “Hotel attaches say that they heard him in the morning but he did not put in an appearance until shortly after two o’clock in the afternoon. He went straight to the dining room at that time, and employees noticed that his usual smile was missing. He ordered the meal, but ate sparingly, and returned to his room shortly afterwards, where he was again heard nervously pacing up and down the floor of his room.

         “A maid in passing heard a peculiar noise. Alarmed over his actions from the previous afternoon, she suspected something was wrong and immediately notified the proprietor.

“Mrs. Mullens and a relative went to the door and tried to open it, but it refused to yield. She called to the maid to get her something to stand on. A chair was brought, but something higher was required to look over the transom. The maid then brought a table and Mrs. Mullens stood on it.

“She was shocked at the sight she saw. Stretched across the bed, fully dressed, was the body of Gow, his throat almost slit to the ears and his head resting in a pool of blood.

“Mrs. Mullens screamed in terror.

“ ‘This is terrible, terrible,’ she cried.”¹

One of the last people to see Gow alive was Miss Mary Brockbank, a waitress and lady clerk at the Terminal hotel, who was interviews by a Herald reporter :

“Mr. Gow came into the dining room at twenty minutes to two. We close the room at 2 o’clock. There were no other diners so far as I can remember. Mr. Gow ordered tomato soup and a lamb chop.

“I did not think he looked overbright, so I asked him, ‘Are you feeling well today, Mr. Gow?’

“He replied: ‘No, I don’t feel up to much, thanks.’

“All through his scanty meal he seemed very much preoccupied.

“ A moment or so after 2 o’clock, he rose and left the room, saying he would be going out soon. I Saw him go upstairs.”³

³ “Suicide of J.N. Gow Creates Sensation : His Terrible Act Was Evidently Premeditated As He Showed Signs of Mental Distress All Yesterday : A. B. Mackay Said He Was Not Surprised As Gow’s Troubles Had Weighed Heavily Upon Him of Late – Inquest Opened.”

Hamilton Herald March 21, 1914.

On the second floor rotunda of the Terminal Hotel, Gow on his way to his room passed the wife of the hotel proprietor, Mrs. Mullens. She was watching a salesman demonstrate a new carpet cleaner. Mackay interrupted long enough to say quietly to Mrs. Mullens, “I feel miserable.”

Less than an hour later, Mrs. Mullens was again on the rotunda, seated on a sofa. After maid, Lucy Nethcart, heard the noise in Gow’s room, she informed Mrs. Mullens. After peering through the transom over the locked door, Mrs. Mullens called for her brother-in-law, Thomas Mullens. A ladder was found and placed against an outside wall of the hotel. Tom Mullens climbed to the window of Gow’s room. The window was locked but Mullens forced it open, and climbed into the room. After unlocking the door, he went to a telephone to inform the police of what had been discovered.