1915-06-14dg

Even though the majority of Hamiltonians were preoccupied with the events of the war in Western Europe, there were some elements in the city that carried on with business as usual.

The criminal element was still very much a presence in Hamilton in 1915, robbers in particular. Notably vulnerable targets of robberies were members of the city’s taxi driver population.

Such was very much the case on June 12, 1915:

“Frank Phippa, 29 Tisdale street, a taxi driver, told the police yesterday that he was thrown out of his car by three passengers at the High Level Bridge on Saturday night, and left in an unconscious condition, while the passengers drove off with his automobile.”¹

¹ “Thrown From Auto : Taxi Driver Says Passengers Heaved Him Out and Stole Auto”

Hamilton  Spectator.    June 14, 1915.

The taxi driver gave a full statement about his unnerving experience when he was interviewed by a man from the Spectator:

“Phippa claims he was hired to drive the three men to Ancaster. He did so and everything went alright until the High Level Bridge was reached on the return trip.

“Phippa can’t remember just what happened then, but he believes a bag was pulled over his head and he was tossed out on the road. When he revived, the car and the passengers had disappeared.”¹

The taxi driver indicated that he had given the police a good description of the robbers and a thorough investigation had been promised.

When the morning edition of the Spectator hit the streets, the robbers’ identities and location had not been determined, but it was discovered that the taxi cab had been found abandoned in Oakville.