1914-03-21aaaa

The remarkable events of the week since James Gow and Adam Mackay had been served with summonses regarding morality charges had provoked comment from every segment of Hamilton society.

         The day after Gow’s suicide, both the Hamilton Times and the Hamilton Spectator published lead editorials on the matter. Both are quoted in full, and shows very different areas to focus upon.

         The Spectator’s editorial was carried under the headline, “A Dreadful Tragedy’ :

         “Yesterday after noon, this city was startled by the news that one of the two prominent businessmen committed for trial on a serious charge had ended his life by cutting his throat.

         “It is to be hoped that the deed was done in a fit of temporary mental aberration, induced by mental strain and a poignant sense of social disgrace. One can hardly admit the possibility of a man in his right mind, with such a load on his conscience tethering himself by an act of self-murder into the presence of his Maker.

         “If death ended all, many a man, overcome by remorse or despair, might reasonably seek oblivion. But even the materialist cannot be sure that death ends all. The ordinary man, though not a Christian, must feel that there is at least a chance that the doctrine of eternal retribution for unforgiven sins may be true.

         “How can anyone in his senses take that route. Many would share the impression that the mere fact of suicide indicates mental derangement.

         The life-story so unhappily ended will carry an object lesson to all who consider it, and specially to young men. Successful in business, enjoying a good position, and well married, this man would seem to have possessed everything required to make him happy, and yet happy he was not. A cankerworm was settled in his heart.

         “When a man feels that he is in moral peril, his best course is to apply what Dr. Chalmers used to call the expulsive power of a new affection. Contemplation of the morally beautiful will bring about an aversion from the morally hideous.

         “The Apostle Paul enjoined a practice in harmony with the latest psychology when he said : ‘Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely; if there be any virtue, and if there be praise, think on these things.’

         “If we become like that which we admire, we should turn our gaze to the infinitely holy One who stooped to become the exemplar and the Saviour of men.”¹

              ¹ “The Gow Tragedy”

         Hamilton Spectator. March 21, 1914.

         The editorial writer with the Hamilton Times to a much more prosaic take on the matter.

         The Times editorial was published under the headline, “The Gow Tragedy” :

         “James Gow, committed to a higher court and out on bail on a scandalous criminal charge, took his own life yesterday afternoon, thus removing himself beyond the power of all earthly courts and ushering his soul into the presence of the High Court of Heaven.

         “The very nature of the crime with which James Gow was charged shocked the community, and the incidents and circumstances leading up to and following the laying of the charge have become an absorbing theme of conversation among the people of Hamilton for several days.

         “The tragedy of yesterday was an additional shock to the citizens, and was as unexpected as it was tragic. His suicide will relieve the courts of the necessity of passing upon his guilt or innocence.

         “No doubt the notoriety which was forced upon him during the past week or so in connection with such an unsavory case, coupled with the fact that he had other troubles, both financial and domestic, preyed upon the mind of the unhappy man so that he preferred to face death rather than face his accusers.

         “There has been a good deal of adverse criticism of the authorities’ determination to hold this trial in secret, not only barring out the public, but also the members of the press.

         “It is out of the usual order of things, and it can only be justified by very strong reasons. Public trial is the right of every accused man or woman, and any other kind looks as if born of despotic rule.

         “But we imagine that Mr. Mackay does not hanker after publicity. Yet the public have rights which should not be lightly ignored.

         “The crown justifies itself in holding this trial in camera by claiming that it could not get the witnesses to testify in public, and besides they wish to protect these girls.

         “The times willingly admits the force of these arguments. These girls are the daughters of poor people, who have as much right to be shielded as any other. They are not charged with any crime. But their very appearance in public in public would bring lasting shame, not only upon themselves, but upon their families.

         “Some of them may have been misguided, and yet not be bad girls, and the Times wishes them to have a chance to live this thing down. Consequently, it makes no demand for an open trial. It expects, however, that the Crown will see to it that a proper report of the proceedings is given to the press as the case proceeds, when it is brought to trial.

         “So far as the accused is concerned, publicity can do no more harm that it has done.

         “There has been some comment at the smallness of the bail asked for the liberty of Gow and Mackay, some saying it was absurdly inadequate in the face of such a charge, and should have been $10,000 instead of $2,000.

         “For James Gow, at least, it would have been better had he been kept in confinement until his trial.”²

              ² “The Gow Tragedy”

         Hamilton Times. March 21, 1914.

         Comment on the Gow suicide extended to the pulpit of many Hamilton churches during the Sunday services of March 22, 1914. The Spectator sent one of its reporters to two services, one in the morning and one in the evening.

         In the morning, the reporter went to the Victoria Avenue Baptist Church where he heard Reverend W. H. Cline’s sermon, titled “The Way of the Transgressor”

         “He referred to Friday’s tragedy, and said it was an object lesson, for there were many in Hamilton who could take a warning from it. The speaker touched on the pathetic side of the case and referred to the dead man’s devotion to his daughter.”³

              ³ “Denounce Suicide : Hamilton Preachers Alluded to Gow Case in Sermons.”

         Hamilton Spectator. March 23, 1914.

         Reverend George H. Williams, pastor of the Centenary Methodist Church, titled his sermon at the evening service, “Thou Shall Not Kill.”

Reverend Williams bluntly labelled Gow’s action a “cowardly crime.” :

“ ‘ If a man by his own actions stains his character, any remarks made about him are true, and no blood can wipe the stains away,’ said the speaker.

“ ‘But when a man is innocent, he takes his life in vindication of his honor, he does a foolish thing. Self-destruction is a base and cowardly crime, and there are men at the present time who, by their riotous living, are committing slow suicide.’ ”³