#auto thieves

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“Dogged By Misfortune, Toronto Orphan Faces Hamilton Magistrate,” Toronto Star. March 5, 1938. Page 01. ---- Lost Mother at 8, Father Killed, Estate Diminished, Court Told --- HE PLEADS GUILTY --- Is Remanded When Counsel Explains Guardianship May Be Reviewed --- Special To The Star Hamilton, March 5. - William Volway, 18-year-old Toronto orphan, faced four charges in court to-day. He pleaded guilty to taking a truck without the consent of the owner, to attempted theft of an auto, to theft of goods from an auto, and to stealing a first aid kit. Volway was with two other youths, who pleaded guilty earlier in the week to taking a truck without consent and he surrendered to police after the father of one of the lads asked police to issue a warrant for the arrest of the boy.

‘Volway’s mother died when he was eight years old,’ David A. Robinson, defence counsel, told the court. ‘Two years later his father was killed in British Columbia, and the boy was placed in the custody of an aunt in Toronto. The lawyer who was left in charge of a $4,500 estate willed to the boy has since been disbarred and there is not much of the money left. It is in the process of settlement in the higher courts. ‘The boy’s aunt did not seem to know much about children and on top of that, he was raised a Protestant by his parents and she is a Roman Catholic. There was a constant battle over religion, and the boy ran away to his uncle, a captain in the regular United States army. ‘The captain got him a job in Chicago, and the Toronto aunt later had the boy deported,’ defence counsel continued. ‘He came to Hamilton, and worked here for a time. Then to keep himself living, was forced to accept a job in which he answered the telephone for 24 hours a day, living on the premises and receiving $3 a week.

‘With two other companions he took a truck for a joy-ride and these other offences were a direct result, for the trio, hearing that police were after them, because frightened and laid plans to escape from Hamilton.’ Magistrate Burbidge decided to remand Volway until Tuesday when Mr. Robinson explained that efforts were being made to transfer his guardianship from the Toronto aunt to the United States army captain.

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“Car Thief, 16, Jailed Despite Repentance,” Windsor Star. March 12, 1938. Page 03. ---- First Offender to Guelph as Court Finds Too Many Boys Taking Autos; Example Must Be Made ---- ONE of three who pleaded guilty to driving away an auto without the owner’s consent, 16-year-old Fergus Westfall, of 419 Curry avenue, was sentenced in city police court this morning to six months determinate and three months indeterminate, in Guelph Reformatory.

COURTS NEW POLICY Magistrate Hanrahan explained that the sentence was in observance with a new policy, that of sentencing the person who drove the car.

Suspended sentence for two years on bond of $500 each was accorded the other pair involved, Lovell Dow, 16, of 1119 Curry avenue, brother of Dess Dow, who two months ago was sentence to seven years in penitentiary for armed robbery, and Archie Greer, 17, of 1060 Oak avenue. A fourth lad, under the age of 16, will be dealt with in juvenile court.

Counsel for Westfall urged his release on suspended sentence, stating that this was his first appearance in court, and that he came of a respecable family. Assurance was given that he felt repentant and would not be involved in trouble again.

Crown Attorney Allan reviewed facts of the case, explaining that on February 4, the boys had taken an auto owned by CC. G. R. Armstrong, surveyor living at 392 Josephine avenue, drove it through La Salle and Leamington and abandoned it about four miles out of Windsor, when the supply of gasoline was exhausted.

385 CARS STOLEN ‘Records show 385 cars were stolen last year,’ said Magistrate Hanrahan, ‘and of that number four were not recovered. Some were damaged in accidents and others were stripped of parts. It has been established that the practice of stealing cars is confined mostly to youths of ‘teen age. Suspended sentence has been given in many cases and this undoubtedly has led others to believe there is little personal risk involved.

‘Discussing this matter with Magistrate Brodie we concluded that some effort must be made to stop thefts of this kind and we have decided that the person who starts a car and drives it must receive some sentence. Consequently, in this case, Westfall, the sentence of the court is six months determinate and three months indeterminate thereafter in Ontario Reformatory.’

As sentence was pronounced relatives of Westfall burst into unrestrained weeping.

CHARACTER LACKING ‘We often find,’ continued the magistrate, ‘that others are involved. They go along, apparently, because they have not the moral character to say no. The other two appearing before me have spent several weeks in jail and I believe I would be justified in releasing them on suspended sentence. I do not wish to ive the impression, however, that in all cases those who accompany the driver will not be sentence. Inquiry will be made as to past records....’ ---- “Ex-Dog Catcher Beats Up Wife,”  Windsor Star. March 12, 1938. Page 03. ---- FREED ON BOND --- Eugene Lamar Told to Be Good in Future ---- Eugene Lamar, formerly dog catcher for Sandwich East, Walkerville East, Windsor, and Riverside, but now an auto plant employee, residing at 1253 Rossini boulevard, was bound over to keep the peace, in city police court this morning. He consented to a $500 good behavior bond after Magistrate Brodie heard partial evidence on a charge of wife assault.

Mrs. Lamara claimed her husband beat her quite frequently while intoxicated but was ‘not so bad’ when sober. She said he staged his last attack on her March 5, in the presence of two of his friends and ran after her when she went to ‘call the law.’

The case was proceeding on an even keel until a woman’s voice rang out sharply from the rear of the room.

‘Show the mark on your chest,’ the voice commanded.

‘Who is that?’ Magistrate Brodie asked. Sergeant Herod, court orderly, went on a hunt for the interrupter and escorted her to the outer corridor.

‘Have you a mark?’ inquired the magistrate. Mrs. Lamara turned from the rude gaze of courtroom spectators and exhibited the mark. It was immediately afterward that the magistrate asked Lamar if he would consent to a peace bond. --- “Ready to Leave City ‘in a Hurry’,” Windsor Star. March 12, 1938. Page 03. --- ‘Give me a chance and I’ll leave in a hurry,’ Fred Cann, 22, of Ingersoll, assured Magistrate Brodie in city police court this morning. The magistrate decoded to take the young man at his word and turned him over to Major Tuck, of the Salvation Army, for temporary supervision.

Cann was picked up last nigt after accosting people on Ouellette avenue. He claims he has ‘the chance of a job’ in St. Thomas.   

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“Adds 6 Months To Prison Term,” The Globe and Mail. May 14, 1937. Page 07. --- Listowel Youth Pleads Guilty in Goderich to Four Charges --- COMPANION SENTENCED --- Goderich, May 13 (Special). - Sentenced at London this week to two years in penitentiary for car thieving, Roy Thibideau, 21-year-old, Listowel youth, with a long criminal record, had six months added to his term, by Magistrate Makins, today, after he had pleaded guilty to two charges of breaking and entering, one at Fordwich, and the other at Listowel, also a theft charge in Howick Township.

Two years and six months, on each charge, to run concurrent with the London sentence of two years, was meted out. Thibideau smiled throughout the proceedings and said ‘Thank you.’ at the conclusion.

Thibideau’s companion in crime, Wilfrid Roberts, a mere boy, also from Listowel, pleading guilty to the same charges, was given one year in reformatory on each, they to run concurrently with a one-year term given him at London a few days ago. A three-month indefinite term was added.

Since 1934, Thibideau has served five jail or reformatory terms, his record showed.

[AL: Thibideau, born in Brussels, Ont., to Belgian immigrant parents, he was very much a child of the Depression in rural Ontario: he had never worked a formal job, had been in and out of county jail since he was 16, and had served a 3 month term at Burwash. He worked on the prison farm (in the barn and cellar) for the rest of 1937, and was then transferred to Collin’s Bay and worked the dairy barn there. He was released from there in June, 1939. This was not his first penitentiary term, with two more stretching into the late 40s on record.]

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“Gets Three Years For Theft of Automobile,” Ottawa Citizen. January 6, 1939. Page 04. --- On remand since Dec. 31st when they pleaded guilty to stealing an automobile, Harry Bodner, 24 years, no fixed abode, was sentenced by Magistrate Strike to three years in Kingston penitentiary and Donald Minnie, 17 years, also of no fixed abode, drew a reformatory term of one year definite and not, more than three months indeterminate thereafter.

The two were arrested in Montreal, after the police fire shots, and were found in possession of an automobile, valued at $500, the property of Charles J. Duncan of Ottawa. The sentence for Bodner was more severe because he had a bad police record, the magistrate declared.

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Shiras Hills area manhunt in Marquette, MI after stolen vehicle recovered by police Stolen car thieves spark manhunt in Marquette Mountain and Mount Marquette and Shiras neighborhoods By Greg Peterson…