1915-05-27uu

In most ways, May 27, 1915 was just another day at Hamilton Police Court. However, the magistrate did have to deal with a situation brought before him by Deputy Police Chief Whatley.

Three men, Js. Crosky, an Austrian, and H. Hoffman and Johann Maras, Germans, had been taken into custody by the police:

“Deputy Chief Whatley explained to the magistrate this morning that the prisoners were bitter against England, and should be put out of the way for safekeeping.

“His worship advised him to communicate with the military authorities and ask that a guard be sent to Hamilton to take charge of the trio.

“Franz Wilhelm, 67 Fullerton avenue, another Austrian, who was brought into the station on Sunday night, too the oath of allegiance and was paroled.”¹

¹ “Enemies of King To Be Interned : One Austrian and Two Germans in the Tolls”

Hamilton Spectator.   May 27, 1915.

After the three men were dealt with, court resumed with the kind of cases that were all took frequently brought before the police magistrate.

One man had been in custody on a domestic violence charge :

“Gordon Pook, who has been languishing in the cooler for a week, announced this morning that he was perfectly willing to support his wife. No one came forward to furnish a bond for his future good behavior, and the magistrate was forced to take him at his word.

“ ‘I’ll be a good husband to her if she is a good wife to me,’ announced Gordon.”¹

Two other prisoners, who also had been in custody for a sometime, appeared before the magistrate. They had been held in jail in connection with the death of a woman:

“Arthur Brooks and William Haines, who were being held as material witnesses until a coroner’s jury investigated the death of Pearl Foster, were allowed their liberty. The verdict returned last night was that dealt was due to alcoholic poisoning and that no blame was attached to anyone.”¹

In another case, two brothers, Clem and Frank Bloom, of 63 Clyde street,, along with Jakes and Annie Barnett, were charged with refusing to pay fare on a train from Toronto. Each were fined $2.

The final cases all received a short description by the Spectator reporter on duty that morning:

“James Carson, 93 Cannon street west, an Indian lister, drank of the Indian oil and was asked to divvy up $2.

“David Torrance, David Simms and Harry Williams were disorderly. The two Davids were touched for $5 each, and Harry was let down with a fine of $2

“A fine of $30 bars Linden Hubbard from freedom. He tried to convince the magistrate that he was not a vagrant.

“ ‘If you can pay a fine of $30, I’ll believe you,’ smiled the cadi.

“Harry Stock, who has a speaking acquaintance with every policeman on the force, came back again. This time he was charged with insanity.

“Harry and Ann Smith, Frederick avenue, charged with ill-treating a horse, were fined $5.”¹