1915-06-22dd

There was seemingly a never-ending parade of interesting cases at Hamilton Police Court sessions in 1915.

Such was the case on the session held in the morning of Tuesday, June 22, 1915. Three cases in particular provided enough interest for the Spectator reporter to write the following article for that paper’s afternoon edition:

“Thomas Beard, 3 Minto avenue, twostepped in front of the magisterial throne this morning and paid a fine of $5 for trespassing at the home of Mrs. Eliza Turner. Beard, according to the evidence, was the fall guy in a horse deal. Mrs. Turner and two men brought a horse around to Beard’s place and dickered with him for an animal he owned. He finally agreed to exchange animals  and accepted $40 to boot. Beard discovered later that the equine he took in exchange was one of the pair that Mr. Noah chased up the gangway of the well-known ark.

“ ‘I found out I had been beaten and I called around to get my own horse back, and I didn’t break down her door as she says,’ exclaimed Beard.

“Mrs. Turner’s story was sadly different. She said Beard threatened to burn down her house and kill everybody in it. The magistrate accepted her story in preference to Beard’s tale and imposed a fine of $5.

“Giuseppe Didonna, 92 Burlington street, learned today that he was a shade less popular at his wife’s home than the common or garden variety polecat. His frau, charging him with non-support, said he ran away and left her for months at a time and then drifted back and dined on her boarding-house fare until the roaming bug bit him again. In the five years they have been married, Mrs. Didonna received but one month’s pay from her hubby.

“ ‘And I want him to stay away from me altogether,’ she announced.

“ ‘If he don’t, he’ll go to jail,’ rapped out the cadi.

“J. A. Southerby, 26 Rutherford avenue, charged with exceeding the speed limit on his motorcycle, convinced the court a mistake had been made. His cycle, he said, had been out of commission for ten days and the number on the summons didn’t correspond with the number of the vehicle. Apologies were tendered and he was acquitted.”¹

¹ “Beard Claimed He Was Stung : Tried to Recover Nag and Then trouble Followed”

Hamilton Spectator.      June 22, 1915.