1883 - March 2

“Pushing Ahead”
          Hamilton Times. March 3, 1883.
          “Rev. C. A. Johnson has completed arrangements for the publication in an enlarged form, of the British Lion and American Eagle. Things look more favorable now than ever for the appearance at an early date of these newspapers in daily form. The enterprising publisher and proprietor is to be congratulated. The Lion will be printed at the Times office as heretofore, and the Eagle published in New York.”
          In the March 2, 1883 session of the Hamilton Police Court a matter concerning the behavior of a man named Joseph Dillabough at a meeting of the Salvation Army the previous evening. The complainant was Thomas Stout, a Salvation Army orderly – Stout was also known as being the first Hamiltonian to join the Salvation Army.
          The case involved Dillabough causing a disturbance at the meeting. When the offender was put out of the hall, Dillabough threatened to stab Stout. The captain and lieutenant of the Salvation Army in Hamilton then called the police and evidence was gathered confirming the threat being made.
          As described in the Times, there was no sympathy for Dillabough :

“The Magistrate expressed his opinion that people should be left free to pursue their own religious course – or, as he expressed it, ‘to go to heaven in their own way’ – and in order to warn young men against disturbing the Salvationists in future he fined the defendant $10 and bound him over to keep the peace.”^.5

^.5 “Police Court”

Hamilton Times. March 3, 1883

       

  “The Rambler : Some of the Things He Has Seen and Heard in His Peregrinations” Spectator. March 3, 1883

“I see that the charges made by Sheriff McKellar against his deputy, Fred. John Gibson, have fallen to the ground. I did hear that Mr. Gibson felt himself so aggrieved that he thought of entering an action against the sheriff. Better not. It’s only a sort of family quarrel anyway, and don’t reflect much credit upon either of the principals engaged”

On the evening of March 2, 1883, the coroner’s inquest into the deaths of Edward Mason and Thomas S. Douglas, killed in the railway collision west of Hamilton, was concluded.

Conductor James Hamilton was closely questioned about his decision to allow his train to proceed from the Hamilton Grand Trunk Railway station without ensuring that the day express from the west had passed through.

To Mr. Carscallen’s questioning, Conductor Hamilton replied:

“When I saw the Toronto train come in, I was honestly under the impression that the train was No. 8; and it don’t stand to reason that I would run my head and those of my passengers into jeopardy unless I did think so.”³

³ “The G.T.R. Inquest : Conductor Hamilton, of the Pacific Express, Examined” Spectator. March 3, 1883.

The verdict of the jury included a recommendation that, in view of the accident, a rule should be adopted by the railway company, making it imperative on both engineers, when there is a pilot engine, that they both fully understand any orders affecting the train.

From the Spectator of March 5, 1883 :

“Ice Boating – The brisk northwest wind, bright sun, and smooth ice on the bay yesterday, brought out all the ice boats in the city. Except for the open space at the canal, the ice is solid and firm from the city to the Beach. After the thaw and subsequent cold, the surface is smooth and hard, except for a few spots of shell ice. For the first time in many years, the sailing to the Beach is excellent, and yesterday, a dozen boats sailed from the city to John Dynes’ house. The wind was brisk, and even strong in puffs, and the boats flew along at a rate that no other contrivance of man ever attains. An iceboat is the most wonderful machine in the world, and no description can give an idea of its wonderful speed in a strong wind. You must see an iceboat and ride on it to know what fast travelling is. Then you will not be astonished when you are told that a boat sails from the foot of John street to the Beach in four minutes. The Ice yachtsman does not want a flying machine.”

An alarming and disturbing case was brought Hamilton Police Magistrate Cahill on Monday March 4, 1883. The case involved a man named John Higgins who lived with his wife and four children in a hovel.

The times reporter detailed the shocking nature of the lives of the members of the Higgins family and the decision of the Police Magistrate Cahill in the matter :

“During the recent  bitter cold weather, this family have occupied a small cabin in the extreme western limits not far from the old R. C. cemetery. Sometimes they had fuel; oftener they had none. The chief occupation of the father, according to the neighbor’s statements was drinking whiskey; the mother was also said to be fond of liquor, and it was no uncommon thing for the youngsters to have to stay out all night. Mrs. Coumber testified that one of the little boys had been out all last Saturday night, and that the night before she had taken him in. Constable Bainbridge deposed that the hovel tenanted by the Higgins was not fit for pigs. It comprised one room – 14’ X 10’ – and huddled together were man, wife, four children and a dog and a cat. There was an excuse for a bed, but no clothing. There were no windows in the premises. Alderman Carruthers, who sat with Mr. Cahill, suggested that the children should be sent to the Home, an idea which was concurred in by the Magistrate. Higgins and his wife were sent to jail for a spell in default of paying fines for drunkenness.”^3.5

^3.5 “Terrible Destitution : Saddening Revelations in a Hamilton Hovel”

          Hamilton Times . March 5, 1883

“For every white face in the auditorium of the police court this morning, there were three dark ones. The case in which the colored people were interested was one which threatened the existence of the society – the Brotherly Union – which has lived in Hamilton for nearly 25 years. There is an eruption just at present in the Hamilton branch of the society, which has its origin in the States. The name of the society, as far as the Hamilton branch is concerned, appears to be a hollow mockery”

⁴“Brotherly Union : A Name That Does Not Fit a Society Worth a Cent”

Spectator. March 8, 1883.

          The annual business meeting of the Brotherly Union was contentious to say the least.

          In the contest to elect a president of the society for the coming year, William Mallory was narrowly defeated by Alexander Dodson. Mallory and his supporters, unhappy about the defeat, later discovered, in going over the financial books of the society that Dodson had improperly approved a loan of $25 from the society’s account to a man named T.J. Derrick.

          At the next meeting of the Brotherly Union society, the meeting at which the Dodson was to begin his 1883 terms as president, a noisy, turbulent confrontation erupted. Two supporters of Mallory, the defeated candidate for the presidency, Messrs. Dublin and Dowden, physically tried to prevent President Dodson from assuming the chair of the meeting.

          Great disorder prevailed as physical pushing and shoving ensued.

          Richard Hammond, the duly appointed marshall of the Brotherly Union, tried to cool down the inflamed situation by threatening to call the police:

          “The squabble continued till 11 o’clock, during which time Hammond was knocked about the room by the obstructionists.

“ ‘They came near knocking down the stove,’ a witness said, ‘I didn’t want the stove knocked down as there was fire in it.”⁴

When the dispute reached the police court, the heated dispute flared upon again.