1883 - March 1

On March 1, 1883, the adjourned police court investigation into the case of Fred John Gibson’s accounts with the sheriff’s department was reopened.

John R. Hinds, a clerk in the sheriff’s office, testified that Sheriff McKellar had ordered that all accounts had to be entered into the daybook kept in the sheriff’s office. Gibson had failed to comply with this order consistently.

When the clerk reminded Gibson of Sheriff McKellar’s directive, Gibson said, “I’m deputy sheriff, and I can do what I like.”

The counsel for the defense was able to determine from the clerk that the accounts book had not been regularly kept for two years and that the deficit that Gibson had been charged with had been accounted for.

The next day, counsel for both the prosecution and the defense in the Gibson case met Magistrate Cahill at the Police Court. The prosecution admitted that there was no longer a case against Gibson.

The magistrate therefore discharged the deputy sheriff:

“The deficits in the execution account were caused by drawing from that account moneys to defray the expenses of the office. Gibson is said to be only to blame in taking upon himself too much responsibility.”¹

¹ “The Deputy Sheriff : The Bottom Falls Out of the Charge Brought Against Him” Spectator. March 2, 1883.

An abrupt change in the weather prompted the following article in the Spectator of March 2, 1883 under the headline, “The Thaw:”

“The thaw of the past few days has destroyed the sleighing in the city, though on some of the country roads, the sleighing is still better than the wheeling. There are bare spots on the roads between Hamilton and the Beach, and between Hamilton and Dundas. There is a good deal of hard ice on the city streets yet, but they are very dirty, and today, for the first time in three months, wheeled vehicles are in general use. The dirt on the streets prevents the running of the street railway company’s sleighs, but the tracks are being opened up for the cars.”

The inquest into the deaths of Edward Mason and Thomas Douglas  as a result of the railway disaster reopened on February 28, 1883 at No. 3 Police station, Coroner White presiding.

Proceedings at the inquest were, according to the Spectator reporter present, negatively impacted by the lawyers in attendance:

“The examination of the witnesses, whose evidence threw more light on the cause of the accident, was impeded by the presence and interference of the counsel for the different people interested. The three learned gentlemen did not agree in many respects. As an answer fell from the lips of a witness who was apparently trying to tell a straight story, the legal gentlemen who grab, turn it over in their minds, fix it up, and each with a different version would fire it at the coroner and request him to take it down. The coroner, very prudently, looked after the evidence himself, and consequently got it straight.”

The most combative lawyer was Henry Carscallen, who represented the conductor on the Pacific Express.

After considerable conflicting testimony, the inquest adjourned to continue the next day.

On Thursday March 1, 1883, Larkin Hall on John Street North was the location for a public lecture. The Main speaker for the evening had been advertised as being Professor C. A. Johnson, a man described in the Hamilton Times as “the well-known professional, astronomical lecturer, literary and educational writer, editor and publisher of the British Lion and the American Eagle.”

Johnson began the evening by addressing the paying audience as follows : “ ‘I have much pleasure to introduce to you our chairman for the evening, Rev. Dr. Davis.’ The reverend doctor said he would defer his remarks until the Professor had delivered his lecture. Mr. Johnson, having insisted on the rev. doctor speaking first, he (the doctor) asked Mr. Johnson to act as chairman, while he made a few remarks. Professor Mallory was then asked to step forward amid loud applause, after which Rev. Dr. Davis said : ‘The speaker before you have got a right to stand forward and tell you about his subject. In a trance a man or woman pass through things; as no things are here before you, who knows the secret place of thunder?

“Mr. Johnson interrupted and said the speaker could talk about his trance, but not about the secret place of thunder.

“The rev. doctor at last agreed to talk about the trance. He said he saw such wonders in his trance as no one would recognize as being saw. There are three elements, and he had passed through those elements. He then entered into a deep lecture on astronomy, and when he had said “being that he did not come to lecture himself, he would show.”-

“Prof. Johnson interrupted and asked him to stop speaking until after he was through. He also appointed Prof. Mallory as the proper Chairman.

“Prof. Johnson arose and was warmly greeted. He said the people should be warned of anything that is dangerous. “I am here to warn you of thunder and will show you that thunder did more harm than lightning. I was received very warmly in Buffalo. Very many had become relieved in their minds on my showing them that thunder did more harm than lightning. I have no objection to anyone laughing. I am a clever man myself and very jovial. I have always been very timid of thunder. I often imagine I hear thunder when I really do not. In the sound of thunder, there are two circumstances that need comment. The one is the long continuation; the other, its force. On June 17^th in the year 1712 – (applause). Gentlemen, you are not required to believe everything I say. Think for yourselves. Thunder may take place without lightning. I* have come to the conclusion, and I think my conclusion is right, that thunder takes place without lightning. In proof of this statement, in 1836 there were seventy-three days in India, when there was thunder without lightning. I have given you these facts and figures to show you that it has thundered without lightning.

“A voice – ‘How do you know?”

“The Professor – ‘My learned friend, that is for you to find out; I represent The British Lion, and I won’t stand such a question – I am frightful of the thing and am sometimes afraid I will go to heaven sooner than I would like. Thunder is sometimes heard when it is cloudy; it is also sometimes heard in clear weather. This surprises a great many. When the sky is clear, the thunder is not heard (Continuous laughter and applause). Thunder and lightning are only engendered when clouds are piled one on top of the other. I remember being frightened of thunder, and lately I have been telling people all over the country to be aware of thunder. I am not afraid of lightning. In some parts of the world thunder is never heard. Some people think that the same thunder is heard all over the world. This is a mistake. It may thunder in Hamilton and not in New York. This may be surprising but it is so. It may be surprising to some, as I have said before, that in some places it never thunders. In Norway, it never thunders, therefore we can understand it is not so dangerous there. I would advise you never to run, ride or walk fast when it thunders. Some people say to me that the secret place of thunder is with married ladies. I think this is wrong. I want it distinctly understood that thunder kills from a general stand point. (Applause and laughter.) When a cannon is fired off, you will see the flash first, but it is not the flash that kills. What is it? (Voices – the ball.) I have no objection to powder, but I have to shot. I want you all to understand that it is thunder that does the harm, not lightning. On the 5^th of July 1826, I can’t tell you at just what hour, but it really occurred at that time, a farmer in Cornwall was thrown by a roar of thunder. If this is so, is not thunder the most dangerous article? When he woke up, he was asked, “What have you perceived?” He said, “I have heard nothing and have seen nothing.” Why? Because thunder had driven all the senses out of him. Yet some say thunder is not dangerous. Thunder is no respecter of persons. In 1776, a thunderbolt damaged a minster and his church. The minister knew nothing and became so deluded and insane through the shock that he said he had seen nothing – no lightning, no thunder. Gentlemen, thunder is a dangerous thing. (Laughter and applause.) You must do your own thinking, gentlemen, and I will do mine. (Laughter.) Thunder really is the powerful agent, and if lightning always accompanies thunder, as some people say, it is because I have not seen it. It is strange no one has ever discovered the secret place of thunder but the British Lion. It is that has attracted attention in all the large cities of the United States of America. (Laughter.) The creation of thunder is an event, and it does not happen without a cause. (Loud applause.) In my opinion there is a beginning and an end to all things but the Creator. There is a scientific case of thunder. I believe the secret place of thunder is located in the electric clouds, and in my opinion there is no other place but the clouds for a secret place of thunder. You may differ from me. If you do, you can fix it to suit yourself. (Loud applause.) When the cloud melts away, that settles the entire thing (Loud and continuous applause.) The Chairman, Dr. Mallory, asked the audience to separate Prof. Johnson from his lecture. As Rev. Dr. Davis wished to continue his lecturer on astronomy, Mr. Mallory would take up no more time. The rev. doctor was again received with great applause (A voice – give us your trance.) The doctor said he passed through a trance and had seen the three elements. He saw the sun travelling on; when he came into contact with the sun, he stopped with his conducting angel and saw it pass. He went on to say that the sun had three spouts – a water spout, a wind spout and - . Prof. Johnson and Mr. Mallory seeing that the rev. doctor was wading into astronomy, cut off his speech, and Prof. Johnson asked the audience to sing ‘God Save the Queen” and disperse, but they could not sing, and as there were many present who would not disperse until the learned professor would reply to their queries, the audience again became seated. The professor expressed his willingness to have them put any question they wished and he would give them every attention. Great excitement prevailed among the audience, several expressing their great interest in science. The following questions were asked the renowned editor of the British Lion :

^1.       From what standpoint is it safe to view thunder?

^2.       Have you ever seen thunder?

^3.       What are the chemical ingredients of thunder?

^4.       If it is dangerous to ride fast, did the thunder cause the recent accident on the Grand Trunk?

“The lecturer took notes of all the questions and said that he was willing to hear what they had to say, but that he had not agreed to answer anything. He advised them all to think for themselves. (Tremendous applause.)

“Rev. Dr. Davis, who was stopped by Mr. Mallory as he was entering upon a lengthy discussion on the sun’s three spots, announced his intention to deliver a lecture himself at an early date. The object of the evening’s lecture was solely for literary and educational purposes. Those  present were most enthusiastic over the learned dissertation on the ‘Secret Place of Thunder.’ Hamilton’s friend and scholar, C. A. Johnson, is a great thinker.”^¼

^¼ “Thunder’s Secret Places : Learned and Eloquent Dissertation by the British Lion Editor : Dr. Davies in a Trance” Hamilton Times. March 2, 1883.

^½  “The G.T.R. Collision : On March 1, 1883, the formal opening of the Hamilton Gymnasium took place:

“In consequence of the gymnasium proper not being large enough to contain many persons and give an exhibition at the same time, Mr. Bruton fitted up a temporary apparatus in the new Central hall, 102 King street east, in front of the gymnasium rooms.”²

² “Hamilton Gymnasium” Spectator. March 2, 1883.

The audience attending the opening of the gymnasium was given an exhibition of exercises. Chief of Police Stewart was chairman of the gathering.

Stewart’s remarks were summarized in the Spectator as follows:

 “The value of judicious exercise and the benefit he had derived from the gymnasium itself were cited. He stated that he wished some law could be enforced here as had lately been passed in Germany, making it compulsory that all the scholars in the public schools should take a course in gymnastics. He referred to its value to the ladies also, in improving the health and toning up the system, and hoped that the ladies of Hamilton would make use of the hours set apart for them specially in the afternoon.”²

On March 2, 1883, the Hamilton Times reprinted the Dundas Banner report on the aftermath of the announcement of the results of the recent provincial election in that community:

“On Tuesday night, when sufficient evidence had been received to make certain that Dr. Macmahon had been returned by a handsome majority, some enthusiastic individual proposed a torchlight procession. The matter was not discussed, but at a moment’s warning, lighted torches were produced and a large crowd of boys formed, and preceded by a sleigh containing Dr. Macmahon, Mr. Coots (president of the Dundas Reform Association) and several others, marched up Main street in procession. The main body of Reformers gathered in the committee rooms knew nothing of the affair until it started, and we have no desire to declare the procession either a successful one or a wise one, but such an exhibition of blackguardism and cowardly ruffianism occurred on the part of Tory toughs, led by several prominent and hitherto considered respectable members of their party, that there is no course open but to point out to the so-called party of ‘gentlemen’ that hereafter their cognomen would be more exactly that of the ‘party of hoodlums.’ After the Reform procession had passed the Tory committee rooms, making no annoying demonstrations whatsoever, it was proposed by some of the most active committeemen amongst the Tories, the duty workers to this and the last campaign, to attack the procession. The roughs gathered at that place took up the cry, and a rush was made, those carrying torches assaulted, lighted torches thrown at those in the procession and lumps of snow and ice hurled at those in the sleigh. Several people were severely hurt, and, of course, the procession, such as it was, was broken up. Prominent Conservatives stood on the sidewalks, laughed and thought the ruffianism displayed a clever thing, and an admirable exhibition of the young Conservative spirit, and made no effort to call off their hounds.”

          Following up on the Dundas Banner report, a Times reporter said that he had talked with a “young Dundasite” who “boasted that nearly all the torches had been destroyed, and that Dr. Macmahon had been struck with chunks of ice.”^2.5
2.5 “Blackguardism in Dundas : Actions of Which True Men Should Feel Ashamed” Hamilton Times. March 2, 1883.
          March 1 seems like an early date to be thinking of spring.

However, given the easing of the wintry weather conditions in Hamilton at the turn of February to March, 1883, the Times sent a reporter down to the bay. His report follows:

“The mild weather is having a perceptible effect on the ice in the Bay. It is beginning to have a honey-combed, sodden appearance, and it will not require many more days such as yesterday and today, with one or two heavy winds, to break it up.

“Those whose business leads them to speculate seriously on the opening of navigation expect an early breaking up of the ice and are making preparations for it. Among them, the boat builders are the busiest class, and they are actively at work getting out the new stock of boats or repairing the old ones in preparation for the early demand which is expected.

“Foremost amongst this class is Mr. H. L. Bastien, whose stock of new boats shows that he has not been idle during the winter. He has built some forty lapstreak boats of different sizes – all stout, serviceable craft, and a good many of them elegantly finished. Besides these, he is turning out four luggers, which he expects to have completed by the time the boating season has fairly begun. All the boats which Mr. Bastien has finished so far are superior in build and finish to those turned out in any previous season by him.

“Mr. Luke Thompson is just completing a fine, large sailboat, which he has been engaged upon nearly all winter.

“The steamer St. Magnus is being got ready for the season by her owner and builder, Mr. Robertson. Her cabin is being closed in. She is to run between Montreal and Duluth next season.” ^2.5

^2.5 “Prospects of Navigation : Activity in the Boat Building Business : Preparing for the Season” Hamilton Times March 1, 1883