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As a conclusion to its investigation into the state of the public alleyways in Hamilton, a Spectator reporter invited Dr. Ryall and Mr. George Murison, Health Inspector to accompany him on a tour of inspection.

The reporter chose to take the two gentlemen to the alleyway which ran from Catharine street to Spring street, between Main and Jackson streets.

Dr. Ryall said that the overgrown weeds along the alley might not cause any health problems, but indirectly, they could since decaying rubbish might be hidden by the dense vegetation:

“ ‘Well, what would suggest as a means by which this could be remedied?’ queried the reporter.

“ ‘Well,’ answered the doctor, ‘there should be a regular scavenger system, and everything carted off as soon as gathered. This is the only way by which the city can be kept thoroughly clean. It is not the place of the medical officer of the board of health to see to the cleaning up of the city. He can only report what he sees, and it remains for the board of health to see to the cleaning up of the city.’ ”¹

¹“Health of the City : From a Medical as Well as Official Standpoint”

Hamilton Spectator.  August 9, 1883

As for the Health Inspector Murison, it was his view that the alley was not in a bad condition at all, claiming that there was only a couple of piles of manure, a lot of ashes spread around, and a heavy growth of weeds:

“The city, he declared, was in a cleaner state now than it had been for a long time, and the desire of the board of health officers was to keep it as clean as possible, at as little expense as possible.”¹

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During August 1883, the Hamilton Spectator had been examining the state of Hamilton’s sidewalks and roadways and the report was not totally favorable.

It was noted that while the Board of Works was doing reasonably good work in laying new sidewalks in various parts of the city, but much more attention should be paid to the old and broken down sidewalks which, at a minimum be temporarily repaired, until replaced.

Another cause for complaint was the abysmal condition of the city streets, most of which were desperately in need repair:

“Apart from the dangerous condition of the streets, many complaints are made because of the discomfiture occasioned to passengers crossing city streets in wet weather. This is owing to the uneven state of the roads which allows the water to remain in pools upon the crossings, which, in many cases and in very busy localities are several inches below the level of the road:¹

¹ ““Hamilton’s Streets : The Bad Condition of Its Sidewalk and Highways”

Hamilton Spectator.  August  03, 1883.

The Spectator report on poor sidewalks and roadways concluded in Hamilton concluded as follows:

“There are many streets in Hamilton that are beautifully situated and are adorned with beautiful residences; but there is the same marked absence of anything to beautify the public highway.

“The owners of properties on these streets signify their willingness to erect boulevards opposite their residences, but as this involves considerable expense, they do not feel inclined to construct them while a large number of cows which infest certain neighborhoods are permitted to run at large.”¹

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 In the aftermath of Maria’s McCabe being sentenced to hang for the killing of her baby, there was lot of sympathy for the young woman.

However, after the statement she had given to police soon after her arrest appeared in the newspapers, there were immediate responses to some of her claims, and perhaps the widespread compassionate opinion about Maria was tempered.

There were two versions given to the Hamilton Times about Maria McCabe’s behavior.

The first was a letter from Mrs. Foster :

“To the Editor of the TIMES:

“SIR,- In your last night’s paper, I noticed a statement concerning Maria McCabe which I would like to contradict.

“I have not ill-used Maria, as she has stated. I have certainly told her that she must leave my house, but not with the baby. I took Maria in when no one else would; I pitied her and the baby. She was poorly clad, and it was snowing.

“I tried all in my power to keep her in the house, but she would not listen to me. She has often told me she was young and that she would not be kept down by any man’s child. Maria states that I turned her out at 3 o’clock in the morning; but I contradict it, for we are not up at such an hour.

“I told Maria if she did not quit giving me abuse, I would put her out; it was then about eleven o’clock, and she got up and walked out. She came back and took the baby out of the chair. I told her she could not have him, but she said she would, saying where she was he would be also.

“Maria also states that she walked about with the baby until 2 o’clock, but it is untrue, as she did leave my house until half-past 3 in the afternoon. She told me the father of the baby was waiting for her in a covered rig to take the child to his boarding place. She returned to my house between 7 and 8 o’clock in the evening, and took some things belonging to the baby. She then told me she had got a boarding place for the baby, but did not like it. She also told me that the father was holding the baby outside until she went out. I told her not to stop long, as her supper was waiting for her. She returned about half-past 9, crying, and did not leave the house until the next night, when she went down to my doctors for some medicine for herself, as she said she was in pain.

“While the baby was in the house, she would go out and leave him crying. I have often come down stairs and found her gone out. I have taken the baby and walked the floor with him until Maria came home. I did to keep Mr. Foster from scolding her. I could not keep her in the house at night. On one occasion, I told her it was not her night out and that she could not go, but when I went to bed, she went out through the kitchen window.

“As to striking her, I did it once, because when I went upstairs, I found her fooling with one of the hired men.

“I remain, yours truly,   MRS. FOSTER,

P.S. – And since Maria has went to jail, she has sent to me for things, and I have brought her down both clothes and food; and it is a poor return for kindness.”¹

¹ “The Other Side : What Mrs. Foster Has to Say About Maria McCabe”

Hamilton Times.   October 26, 1883.

The second version about how Maria McCabe conducted herself, was published the next day, after an interview between a Times reporter and Mr. Lewis Jones, of the Alhambra Saloon :

“Mr. Jones has been ill for some months past, and when called upon was in bed and appeared to be suffering great pain. He naturally feels aggrieved that his name should have been brought before the public in the medium of a contemporary, and believes that Maria McCabe’s first utterances concerning him were prompted through a desire to levy blackmail, and her subsequent statement with the object of appearing consistent.

“Mr. Jones said : Maria McCabe came to my house to live as a servant; I noticed that she was very fond of running out with young fellows at night, and I have observed young men (as she passed through the billiard room) get up and follow her out; it seemed as if  she had made engagements with them from the fact that they returned immediately after she came in the house; I consulted with my wife upon the matter, and thought that the girl was not acting properly; as she was an industrious girl, and the best servant we ever had, my wife concluded to get along with her, if possible; Mrs. Jones noticed that there was something wrong with her, and sent her to Dr. Wilson to examine her; He pronounced her enceinte ; My wife questioned her closely in regard to the matter, and she said that a young man, who had brought her out for a drive, had taken advantage of her; my wife questioned her as to whether I had improper intimacy with her; she denied it positively; afterwards, I found that she had been keeping company with a young man; (Mr. Jones mentioned the name to the reporter) one night I saw enough to convince me, as they were on the stairway, that the pair were too intimate; after all this, in consultation with my wife, she concluded to befriend her, and take care of her through her trouble if she would only behave herself; Mrs. Jones told Maria this, and also that she could have a home as long as she wanted it, if she would conduct herself as she ought; the more kindness shown to her, the worse she treated us; she never approached me in any way, shape or manner as to the trouble or the author of it.”²

² “The McCabe Case : Mr. Lewis Jones Makes a Statement to a Times Reporter : The Murderess’ Unenviable Record”

          Hamilton Times.  October 27, 1883.

          The reporter also spoke with Mrs. Jones who aid that Maria’s behavior was disgraceful:

“She (Mrs. Jones) frequently advised her as to the consequence of such conduct, and Maria’s reply was that she could not help it; she was fond of the boys, did not care a snap for married men, did not want to get married and settle down, etc.

“Mrs. Jones told her that if that was her policy, she could leave at once. After the drowning of her child, Mrs. Jones had heard of her escapades on the streets with men.

“The reporter tried to see the man whose name Jones had mentioned, but was informed that he had left town.”²

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The critic of plays and musical performances for the Hamilton Spectator had something to say about audiences in the city, and in December 8, 1883 column, he lets his feelings be known in no uncertain terms :

“Recently a very fine play was presented by a very fine company at the Grand Opera House here. It is safe to say that such a finished performance has not been seen in Hamilton in the history of years.

“Such artists as Sarah Jewett, Annie Russell, Fanny Ten Eyck and Herbert Kelsey took part. And yet the company played to starvation business. The manager went away grumbling, and vowing that Hamilton was one of the worst show towns he had ever struck. It may have been that Divorce was not properly advertised. It may have been that Hamilton people thought the show was a bad one.

“And this is almost invariably the case. Good shows come here, and in nine cases out of ten, they draw poorly. Last season, E. A. McDowell’s company played a week’s engagement at the Grand and dropped money every night. Yet the company was an excellent one, and the plays presented were first class.

“But Charles L. Davis comes along with a miserable affair called Alvin Joslyn, outs up as much paper as a circus does and fills the house. And the people who go to the show laugh at Davis’ inane cackle and chuckle gleefully over the superb idiocy of the play.

“Such a state of affairs as this does say much for the intelligence of Hamiltonians. It will be argues that Davis does not appeal to a higher order of intelligence and that the class of people who go to see him is not the same class that patronize better shows. Perhaps. But this does not do away with the stigmas cast upon the ambitious city by this state of affairs. Hamiltonians are great theatre-goers as a rule. But they seem to prefer mediocre and poor performances to good ones in the majority of cases.”¹

                ¹ “Music and the Drama  : Information Concerning Singers and Players”

Hamilton Spectator.  December  08, 1883.