Honour Roll

1904-06-17

Age: 30

Provincial Cst. Irving was assigned to look for an armed robber who was suspected to be on a train arriving in Webbwood. He located the suspect and escorted him off the train. At this time, the suspect pulled a gun which was hidden in his sleeve and shot and killed Cst. Irving.

The suspect fled the area, but later was captured near the Spanish River four miles west of Nairn Centre. He was tried in Sault Ste. Marie and later hung for his crime.

Provincial Cst. Irving predates the OPP.

1903-10-27

Age: 48

Constable Barron was responding to a whistle for help from the J. Bidwell Mills residence on Catharine Street North in Hamilton at about 0100 hours in the early morning of October 27, 1903. Mrs. Mills and her son were home alone and called for help upon hearing noises in the backyard. Constable Barron went into the backyard to check and two men, possibly three, attacked him. He was shot at three times, two missing and the third striking him below the heart. Although badly wounded he summoned assistance by blowing his whistle. He died the following day. Although several theories were discussed it was resolved that he had disturbed a break and enter in progress.

The murder of Constable Barron was never solved. Hamilton policemen at the turn of the century were unarmed. Most didn't even have a dark lantern to light their way on the night shift. Those were reserved for officers working the beats in the downtown core but were so antiquated most refused to carry them because they smelled and leaked on their uniforms. As a result of his death, the Police Commissioners who for twenty (20) years had held out against arming the force, changed their minds and allowed officers on night shifts to carry firearms.

1901-06-04

Age: 54

Constable Boyd & Constable Stewart were transporting three suspects who were on trial for bank robbery in connection with a holdup at a bank in Aurora. The trio had been extradited from Chicago. They were shackled and were being transported by cab from the courthouse to the jail accompanied by the Constables.

During the transport a stranger approached the cab and threw in three revolvers. A gunfight ensued with the Constables. Constable Boyd had been struck in the head and died at the scene. Constable Stewart was able to continue the battle and with assistance from some civilians the trio were recaptured.

Constable Stewart was seriously injured in the shootout but survived. One of the prisoners was also shot and survived. The two suspects were arrested and sent to jail.

One of the men committed suicide in jail by jumping off of the top tier. The second suspect was hung on July 18, 1902.

1898-06-24

Age: n/a

Michael Toohey was arresting a vagrant, Marion "Pegleg" Brown, in London who shot him twice. At the trial the autopsy revealed that the shot that entered his chest had killed him. Brown who had escaped from jail in Texas, was captured three months later in Washington State. He was returned to London, tried, convicted and hung in the County Court House and jail in London in 1899.

1894-05-03

Age: n/a

On May 3, 1894 Constable William Lindsay, a Town Constable for the Village of Comber, was confronted in the street late one evening by a drunken farmer who Lindsay had arrested for cruelty to animals a few months prior. The farmer had spent the evening in the local bar downing beer after beer; building up his courage to finish his planned act. Since the farmer's conviction and $60 fine for his offence, his hatred for Constable Lindsay had grown until this dark night when he planned to kill Lindsay. He shot Lindsay in the abdomen. Mortally wounded, Lindsay died a short time later. The farmer was arrested, convicted and hung for his crime.

Constable Lindsay fought in the Crimean war and won medals at the battle of Sebastopol. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland.

1893-01-25

Age: 32

Constables Robert Rankin and Peter Dezelia, both of the Chatham Police, joined County Constable Alex McDonald in the search for a suspect, which lead them to the small hamlet of Jericho in Raleigh Township.

The local area men, who had gathered together forming a posse, had already beaten George Freeman a blackman, who had relations with a young white girl. A larger crowd was collecting in Chatham arming them to search for and lynch Freeman.

The three officers went to Freeman's father's home late at night. George met them at the front of the house. McDonald tried to talk with Freeman, to give himself up. Freeman not knowing the men were police fired at them with a revolver. Cst. Rankin went behind the building attempting to sneak up behind Freeman but was surprised, meeting Freeman's brothers William Henry and Alexander, who were armed with an axe and hoe. The brothers attacked Cst. Rankin who was unarmed. Cst. Dezelia ran to the cries for help from Robert and fired his revolver at the two brothers. His weapon jammed, as he ran after the two. George finding Rankin down began to club him about the head as he lay on the ground. Both McDonald and Dezelia left the property to call for reinforcements from Chatham.

County Cst. T.R. Coogan (who was also a blackman) later arrested the three brothers. They were tried and sentenced to prison in Kingston for manslaughter.

1892-10-19

Age: 63

He was 63 years of age at the time of his death, married with five children, and had been a police officer for 18 years.

Detective Phair was one of the only two detectives in the force. During a struggle with two vagrant gunmen, Phair was shot and later died. The pair were found guilty of manslaughter as the Judge felt Detective Phair did not properly identify himself as a police officer. The pair were sentenced to 12 years in Kingston Penitentiary. Henry was born in Armagh Ireland.

1892-09-06

Age: 25

On September 6th, 1892 while attempting to arrest an armed drifter, Special Constable John Davey was shot in the chest at point blank range. John Davey was on foot patrol at the Grand Trunk Railway yards in Cornwall, Ontario. The Circus was in town. Also in town was a former resident turned highwayman James Slavin, who was out to extract revenge on anyone who got in his way; shortly before noon he found a few willing combatants in two local toughs, John "Black Diamond" Roach and Antoine Lafess. Two shots rang out, Roach and Lafess were wounded, the crowd screamed and Constable Davey, along with a Good Samaritan Louis Lafave ran to investigate. Davey intercepted the fleeing shooter knocking him down. Lafave grabbed the drifter from behind and was shot in the shoulder. As Constable John Davey pounced to control the shooter, he was fatally shot dying within seconds.

John Robert Davey was born in Cornwall on April 27th of 1845. He was the son of Barnard and Catherine and had 8 siblings. He was a Captain in the 59th Stormont Dundas Militia Unit and a Major in the Militia Band. John owned and operated his own Leather and Harness shop across the road from the police station. He was 47 years of age, married with three children Charles, James and Frank. He had been sworn in as a Constable with the Cornwall Police in August of 1892.

1891-01-07

Age: 50

50 years of age at the time of his death married, and was a police officer for 14 years.

He was driving the police patrol, fell from the wagon, got his foot caught in the gears and was dragged down the street by the runaway team, his head repeatedly striking the frozen ground. He died a few hours later the same day. He was born in England.

1854-10-02

Age: 38

On October 2nd, 1854, Constable Richards entered the Village Inn to arrest a male wanted for the robbery of a local farmer. During the arrest, Constable Richards was shot by the suspect. He died a few hours later as a result of his injuries.

Born in the East Indies, Constable Charles Richards was approximately 38 years of age and married without children at the time of his death.