#desperate convicts

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“Convicts In The Dungeon,” Kingston Daily Standard. April 30, 1912. Page 01. --- Darkness Will Tame Their Refractory Spirits. --- Terrible Din in ‘Pen’ --- Other Prisoners Were Locked Up In Their Cells and They Made ‘Rome Howl’ For Hours. --- Languishing in the Penitentiary dungeon in pitch darkness, where no sound can be heard but the impatient steps of the convicts themselves, confined in each cell, now lie the five desperadoes, McNeil, Bonner, Brown, Kelly and Jones, who on Monday made such a sensational escape from the Portsmouth Penitentiary. Before the County Court of General Sessions, which sits in June, convenes, it is expected that the desperate spirit of the most noted quintette of prisoners that have ever been confined at the big institution at one time will be completely broken. Assault and attempt to escape will be the charges on which the convicts will again face the judge and the men will stand virtually convicted as they were caught in the act and will probably have an addition of five years each added to their sentences.

Has Nothing To Say. Warden Platt, when seen by The Standard reporter to-day, would make no statement for publication about the escape and subsequent recapture of his prize ‘cons.’ Evidence in the shape of an iron support, two feet in length, two inches in width, and a quarter of an inch thick - the weapon with which McNeil knocked out and miraculously escaped killing Guard Ross Davis, is on exhibition in the Warden’s office. The plan to make a break for freedom is thought to have been formed by the Meecum brothers, the dwarfed American ‘bad men’ who were convicted under the names of Jones and Kelly. This pair demonstrated the fact that they can converse with each other by telegraph signals tapped on the iron bars when in Toronto jail en route for Portsmouth, and McNeil is thought to have been the tool used by the brainy ones of the gang to make the initial effot towards the break for freedom.

Deceived The Gate Guard. On releasing his fellow conspirators and in getting the uniforms from Guard Davis and the Penitentiary Doctor, the men were in a position to bluff Guard Rutherford on the big north gate which he swung open, thinking that the three men in the convict garb were being detailed for outside work under an able escort.

On getting outside the quintette of convicts raced across the street and up through the warden’s grounds from which position they made off in a body, taking a northwestern course which took them to the forty foot road where three were subsequently recaptured, the other two being caught later at the Cataraqui creek two miles from the penitentiary.

Offered No Resistance. The men offered no resistance when the guards overtook them as they were unarmed, but had Bonner’s attempt to secure fire-arms at the Cummings homestead been successful the bloodshed by the desperadoes would undoubtedly have been much greater and more serious.

When the alarm was run shortly after the men had got through the gate the entire convict body were immediately locked up in their cells and the bedlam they raised, proving by the untoward occurrence that there was some part of the institution in trouble, has never before been heard in the history of the oldest official. The 496 prisoners raised a fearful row for hours and were only quieted when darkness fell.

Guard Davis Seriously Hurt. Guard Ross Davis who was struck down by McNeil, suffered the severest injury, the iron bar striking him over the back of the head cutting a cash which required eight stitches to close and caused a slight concussion of the brain which it is not expected will result seriously. Gardener McCarthy and Guard Cummings escaped with slight injuries, which, however, will be very sore for some time to come. Guard Rutherford, who was temporarily alone on the gate is on duty this morning though his wrist is badly damaged from a blow from a baton and his head bears a lump which tells of contact with the same weapon.

‘Pen’ Short of Guards The Penitentiary is short about ten guards and keepers and it is said that unless the force be added to immediately the fracas of Monday will be repeated by other desperadoes now confined which may easily result more seriously.

Warden Platt has made an official report and at present does not know whether officials will come from Ottawa to investigate or whether the evidence will be taken by himself and colleagues.

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"Ottawa police search for two prisoners," Kingston Whig-Standard. July 18, 1972. Page 2. --- By BARBARA ROBSON Staff Reporter Ottawa city police are continuing to search for two Millhaven Institution convicts still believed to be in the Ottawa area.

Police told The Whig Standard this morning they are checking out "numerous leads" in their search for Thomas McCauley, 35, and Charles Boomer, 33, both of Edmonton.

Last week police believed Donald Oag, 22, of London was accompanying McCauley in the flight from police, who began the hunt for 14 escaped convicts July 10. Oag was captured early this morning near Napanee, however.

Police said a car stolen from Kingston was found in Lower Town, Ottawa, Friday containing fingerprints of McCauley. Contrary to earlier reports, no fingerprints of Oag were found.

Three blocks from where the car was stolen, Kingston City Police found two complete sets of prison clothes near an Elmwood drive home Wednesday. One set of the clothes is believed to belong to Boomer.

The recent murder of Ottawa area farmer Gabriel La-lande, 50, of Wendover, 25 miles east of Ottawa, has not been linked to the convicts, according to an Ontario Provincial Police spokesman at Long Sault.

McCauley, serving 25 years for armed robbery and two charges of escape, was the first prisoner to break out of the new maximum security prison last December.

Boomer was serving 37 years for armed robbery, parole forfeiture and prison breach.

Late Thursday an Ottawa suburb hotel was robbed of $340 by a man resembling McCauley. It is believed both men may be armed.

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"Family in Conway isn't too nervous," Kingston Whig-Standard. July 18, 1972. Page 2. --- By DONNA BARNETT Staff Reporter Cecilia Baker isn't nervous about the search going on all around her in the little hamlet of Conway, about eight miles. west of Bath, "but I'm having a hard time sleeping," she said today.

Mrs. Baker and her husband Jack moved into the area when they bought a farm there about a year ago.

All last night and today the area was a beehive of activity along the roads, through the fields and in the air as military and police searched for the four convicts who remained at large from Millhaven Institution.

"None of us is nervous," Mrs. Baker said. "My husband is out in the fields raking hay this morning and one of my boys is out in the barn.

"He says he isn't afraid because he has a pitchfork."

The son is seven year-old Christopher.

The Bakers have two other children and "they all think it's just too exciting," she said.

Meanwhile, about 100 soldiers from the 2nd combat group, Signals Squadron, Petewawa, had cordoned off the area, which is about 25 miles by 1½ miles, on the north side of Highway 33 and one mile west of Conway.

There have been two sightings by residents during the last 24 hours and tracking dogs picked up a fresh trail early this morning. Later, an OPP constable made a definite sighting. He reported seeing a man running through a field and disappear into the woods.

The dogs lost the trail soon afterward, however, and one of the canine handlers said that whoever is in there, did a good job of hiding his tracks".

During the remainder of the morning two military helicopters hovered over the area and foot patrols waited for a positive sighting before entering the bush.

A fixed wing aircraft is also in the air over the area. The soldiers continued to line Highway 33 from about a mile east of Conway.

One sighting was reported about 9:30 p.m. Monday and another about two hours later.

"Inquiry team arrives," Kingston Whig-Standard. July 18, 1972. Page 2. --- The three-man board of inquiry, named in Ottawa last weekend, arrived in Napanee early today to begin the investigation into the escape from Millhaven Institution.

The break occurred July 10 when 14 convicts dashed to freedom after cutting a hole in the wire fences around an exercise compound at the maximum security prison.

The search for four of the convicts still at large is being co-related at Napanee.

Chairman of the commission is W. J. Trainer, a department of justice lawyer who has extensive experience in criminal law and who practised in British Columbia for 12 years.

The other members are Supt. W. G. Perry, chief preventative officer for the RCMP, and F. C. Pitt, deputy director responsible for security at the Joyceville Institution.

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"Millhaven convict took 'holiday' 5 days early," Toronto Star. July 13, 1972. Page 14. --- Special to The Star KINGSTON - Richard Smith, 32, usually pitched a great game for the Millhaven penitentiary convicts ball team. But on Monday Smith seemed preoccupied and was yanked half way through the game. A little while later he and 13 other convicts escaped.

"Obviously some of the players had other things on their minds," a member of the search party said. The inmates team lost, 10-2.

Smith is among the nine convicts still at large. So is Charles Boomer. 37, who boasted to an instructor days before the break-out that he was "going on holidays July 15."

"He left five days early," the search party member added ruefully.

John Hillmer, chief inspector of the Ontario Provincial Police, who is in charge of the manhunt, said he thinks the nine men are still cooped up in dense bush within a few miles of the maximum security pris on 10 miles west of here.

But there are only about 100 ground searchers and it would require 1,000 to scour the woods thoroughly, Hillmer added.

Hillmer, who cracked the Mary Nelles kidnapping case that sent five young men to prison two years ago, said he does not intend to expand the search until there is some indication the convicts may have slipped through the cordon.

The long vigil in intense heat and humidity has left searchers weary.

The death of one guard in a car accident is thought to have been caused by his extra long hours since the 14 prisoners cut through two 15-foot-high chain link fences.

Wally Lloyd, 45, was killed when his new car veered from the road and crashed as he was driving home yesterday from an 18-hour shift. He may have fallen asleep.

Prison officials think three of the 14 convicts planned the escape well in advance, then took others with them in hopes the greater number would make the search more difficult.

Hillmer agrees with a theory making the rounds at Millhaven that some of the escapers could have had a 30-or 45-minute head start before their absence was noticed about 9.30 p.m. after the softball game.

Boomer, the man who boasted of going on holidays." is believed one of the ringleaders, along with Donald Oag, 22, of London, Ont., and Thomas McCauley, 35, of Edmonton.

Boomer was serving 37 years for armed robbery. breaking parole and escaping custody. Oag was serving 11 years for manslaughter, assault, escape and robbery. McCauley was serving 25 years for armed robbery and escape.

Smith, the ball team pitcher, who comes from Petrolia, was doing 12 years for armed robbery. Another Smith, Thomas. 34. of London, Unt., serving 24 years for armed robbery, is believed to have played on the ball team just before the escape.

"These men were in maximum security prison and must be considered dangerous," Hillmer said.

The search chief said McCauley had "broken out of every pen he's been in."

"He broke out of one in the west four times," Hillmer said, then added with wry humor "must have claustrophobia."

Tracking dogs were responsible for one of the five captures Tuesday. But yesterday they had a bad day, one encountering a skunk, another a porcupine.

Police have set up road blocks and are searching cars. Barns, culverts and other possible hiding places are being examined.

A Hydro construction worker told police yesterday a man came out of the bush and asked him for a "weed," slang for cigarette. When police arrived with tracking dogs, the man had disappeared.

Captured Tuesday were Edward Woods. 26, of Burlington: Gaston Lambert, 22, of Ottawa: John Taylor, 31. of Hamilton: Robert Clark. 38. of Tillsonburg, and Ronald Filion, 25, of Toronto.

Other still at large with Boomer. McCauley, Oag and the two Smiths are Sreto Dzambas, 25, of Toronto, serving life for non-capital murder: Gerald LaRocque, 32, and William Yardley. 24. both of Toronto, and Rudloph Nuss. 25. of St. Catharines.

Metro police were asked by the National Parole Board yesterday for a report or Dzambas, who applied for parole three months after being convicted April 6 for his part with three others in the slaying of Trevor Poll, a restaurant dishwasher.

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"His haven's now a hideout," Toronto Star. July 13, 1972. Page 14. --- BY DON DUTTON Star staff writer MILLHAVEN - The escape of 14 prisoners at the penitentiary here has spoiled the carefully planned retirement of E. F. Waters.

On June 15, Waters, 62, bought a 48-acre farm-an idyllic place with a cottage and a stream. well back from the highway and practically hidden in the trees. And just at the northeast corner of the penitentiary.

It's been less than a month that the former office manager for a Kingston insurance company retired. On hot days he could relax and enjoy the country life.

But there was no relaxing yesterday. In those trees behind his cottage at least two of the escaped convicts were hiding out.

"They are desperate men. I won't even go down to check my barn," he said as a Canadian Forces helicopter slowly whirred across the stream at tree-top level with two Ontario Provincial Policemen leaning out to get a better look below.

The helicopter worked back and forth for an hour, never much more than a few hundred yards away Then it landed in Waters hayfield.

The policemen came to ask if he had seen any of the convicts and to suggest that he not go too close to his own bushland because they had glimpsed at least two of the wanted men there.

"Now my wife won't even come out here," said Waters as the helicopter took off again, circling and dipping behind the trees and gradually working off to the west

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"Paul, 14, guards his sister as 9 convicts on loose nearby," Toronto Star. July 12, 1972. Page 15. ---- RON LOWMAN Star staff writer KINGSTON - The parents were away, nine escaped convicta were on the loose nearby, and 14-year old Paul Battersby cradled double-barrelied shotgun and stood guard over his sister Andrea, ill, last night in Bath, 15 miles west of here miles west of here.

Such pioneer-days scenes were widely duplicated throughout this area.

Five of 14 men who broke out of Millhaven maximum security prison Monday night - in the largest recorded break from a Canadian federal penitentiary - were recaptured one by one yesterday.

But, as darkness came an did the jitters. Some farmers watched television news accounts of the continuing search with shotguns at the ready.

At dusk, girls and boys cycled along Highway 33. where the search for the remaining nine fugitives was concentrated. And more than 30 teenagers sat like birds on a fence in front of the Bath's Long Branch Cafe about 11 o'clock.

Up the highway Ray and Bill Newbury, bachelor farmers who captured escaper Gaston Lambert, drove their 71-year-old mother to a neighbor's last night. They stayed to milk 40 Holsteins and guard the farmhouse.

In the Long Branch, Ed Rogers, 49, a British immigrant who runs the cafe with his wife, Hilda, said Millhaven's prisoners get "an awful lot of privileges for convicts."

"They've a beautiful baseball diamond up there," said Hilda, "but down here, we're still trying to raise money to improve ours and light it."

"We didn't feel so bad when one got away last winter," said Cyril Under wood, whose home is west of the prison. "The police can handle one escape, but when you get a gang like this you don't know what will happen."

He said he thought there is a good chance that some one will be taken hostage before all the escapers are captured. Some of them are desperate, he said.

Some farmers simply carried on as usual, saying: "When you live near a penitentiary, you have to expect these things."

When David Shelley of Adolphustown, about 35 miles southwest of Kingston, woke up yesterday morning, his cat was gone. And another car he didn't recognize was parked near by.

Police believe the cars were used by some of the 11 escapers.

"There was a lawn-mower in the car and $500 worth of tools," Shelley said.

Mrs. Harold Babcock, of Bath, said she was "not the least bit nervous," though one convict was captured near her house.

Said George Clarke, also of Bath: "I think it's near time they got tougher with those fellows. It's no use handling them with kid-gloves. They should round them up with a machine-gun."

And Horace Bignell of Napanee added: "There's something radically wrong with the authorities and those running that place (the penitentiary). They must have been sleeping while the ball game was going on."

Another resident complained about prisoners having color television - "which I can't afford.'

Caption: ON LOOKOUT FOR ESCAPERS - Paul Battersby, 14, a shotgun at the ready on his lap, and his dog, Pat, stand guard over the family home near Millhaven in case one of the escape prisoners attempts to take his 10-year-old sister Andrea as a hostage. Paul's parents are away. Neighbors are keeping eye on them.

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"Escapers made wire snips: Warden," Toronto Star. July 12, 1972. Page 15. --- Special to The Star KINGSTON - The director of Millhaven maximum security prison thinks the 14 convicts who cut their way to freedom after a Monday night baseball game may have made their own wire cutters inside the prison.

"Their abilities are considerable," Donald Clark told reporters yesterday as a massive manhunt continued for nine of the 14 still at large.

Clark said cutters were used to slice through the high chain link fencing in an area where inadequate lighting created spot for guards.

He said the compound from which the prisoners fled is patrolled by several dogs after it is ordered off limits for the night.

"So they had to make their move before the com pound was closed." said Clark. They picked the most vulnerable spot in the fence."

Of the five captures made yesterday, four were made by police and one by two farmers with a stick.

The first convict captured was Edward Woods, 26, of Burlington, who was serving life for non-capital murder. He was grabbed when he tried to run a roadblock at Odessa in a stolen truck. Another convict with him escaped.

Ironically, the truck was headed back toward the prison at the time.

"We're pretty sure the one won got away was Donald Oag," said an OPP officer at a roadblock, "because his prints showed he has big feet and he ran like a deer"

Oag, 22, of London, Ont, was serving 11 years for assault and robbery, escaping custody and manslaughter.

The second captured was Robert Clark, 38, of Tillsonburg, who was serving life plus four years for breaking out of prison by force, breaking and entering, and possession of dangerous weapons. He was one of six men spotted in bush and swamp three miles west of the prison, which lies between the tiny communities of Millhaven and Bath.

Police surrounded the swamp, called in the aircraft and then took in tracking dogs. One warning shot was fired and Clark surrendered.

The third man recaptured was Ronald Filion, 25, of Toronto, serving 12 years for attempting robbery and escaping custody. He was spotted by an unarmed prison guard walking west along the highway into Millhaven, only a half a mile from the prison gates.

The guard went to the next roadblock, alerted three policemen, and they all drove a quarter of a mile to Filion, who surrendered without a struggle.

Number four was a citizens arrest by two burly farmers, Ray Newbury, 48, and his brother Bill, 47. Bill saw Gaston Lambert, 22, crossing a field and they found Lambert hiding in a ditch

Bill Newbury said Lambert was "pretty timid" when they cornered him.

"Raymond grabbed a big stick and told him to stand up," he said. "He stood up Raymond grabbed him and pinned him against a tree."

Bill Newbury thinks Lambert hid in his barn for part of his time at large.

"Twenty-five cops were down there today and they never looked in the barn," he said.

Lambert is serving 15 years for armed robbery, theft and escaping custody.

The last caught yesterday was John Taylor, 31, of Hamilton. He was spotted hiding in long grass at a Hydro construction site west of Bath. He offered no resistance to four policemen and two guards.

Taylor is serving seven years for possession of burglar's tools and breaking and entering.

Two of the five men were held overnight at Kingston penitentiary and three were returned directly to Millhaven.

Besides Oag, one of those still at large is Sreto Dzambas, 25, of Toronto, serving a life sentence for the murder of Toronto dish washer Trevor Pool beaten to death with a crowbar and robbed of a small amount of money in June 1970.

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"“THE FUTILITY OF CRIME"," Toronto Star Weekly. May 28, 1938. Page 50. ---- W HEN THOMAS "SHORTY" BRYANS is hanged June 30 for the murder of Norman Ford, Canadian police will write "finis" they hope to the most amazing saga of crime in the history of the Dominion's desperadoes… the story of the "Red Ryan gang."

Only one member of that reckless band of bank-robbers which Norman Ryan led "over the wall" of Kingston penitentiary in one of the most daring jail-breaks on record is still at large, and he, police, say, is going straight.

Edward "Wyoming" McMullen was shot at Blaine when he was "wanted" by Ontario police for the murder of Edward Stonehouse of Markham. Andrew Sullivan was shot and killed in Minneapolis. Red Ryan was shot and killed with Harry Checkley in Sarnia. Bryans was released from Kingston penitentiary May, 1937. Nine months later he was convicted of the murder for which he is under sentence of death.

When Ryan died in a liquor store he had tried to hold up in Sarnia, he had just unwittingly written the epitaphs of all of his gang in a book he titled: "The Futility of Crime."

NORMAN RYAN Killed at Sarnia

ANDREW SULLIVAN Killed at Minneapolis

HARRY CHECKLEY Killed at Sarnia

EDWARD MCMULLEN Killed in Blaine

THOMAS BRYANS Sentenced to hang

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"THE PENITENTIARY AT PORTSMOUTH," Toronto Star. April 30, 1912. Page 1. ---- HOW FIVE DESPERATE CONVICTS ALMOST MADE THEIR ESCAPE FROM THE KINGSTON PEN --- Boldest Attempt in the History of Canadian Prisons - A Miracle That No One Was Killed, for Men Were Determined to Regain Freedom at Any Cost. ---- The prison at Portsmouth, known familiarly as Kingston Penitentiary, was the scene yesterday of the most daring bolt for liberty in the records of Canadian penal institutions. The fight started in the isolation ward about 10 am, when Guard Davis was felled by an iron bar by Vincent McNeil, a five-year term man. The latter then let Frank Kelly, Henry Jones. Arthur Brown, and Williame, four Western desperadoes, out of their cells. Encountering Dr. Phelan, they took his clothes and locked him in a cell. They also overpowered Keeper Madrien, took his clothes, and locked Davis up with Dr. Phelan, whose picture is inset above, so that he could attend the guard who was badly injured. Keeper Madden was forced into another cell, Proceeding to the main gate in uniform and civilian clothes, they deceived Guard Rutherford at the gate, and hit him a vicious blow on the head, One of the five started down the road, and the others up the steps of the warden's residence and away. After an exciting chase of two hours they were recaptured. Four of the gang on March 12 last. when being transferred from Stony Mountain Penitentiary to Kingston, made a desperate attempt to escape from constables on a moving train at the Union Station, Toronto.

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"JONES AND KELLY WILL SERVE 36 YEARS IN PRISON," Winnipeg Tribune. June 14, 1912. Page 8. ---- Nineteen Years Extra for Four Men Who Broke Out of Ports- mouth Penitentiary ---- Kingston, Ont., June 14. - Nineteen years were added by Judge Madden to each of the sentences of Frank Jones, Harry Kelly and George Brown, the western desperadoes, who on April 20 escaped from the provincial penitentiary at Portsmouth after assaulting and wounding guards and keepers. The convicts came upyesterday at the court of general session along with Arthur Bonner, the Australian, who came under their influence at Stoney Mountain penitentiary and, became further associated with them at the time of their escape. Bonnar conducted his case with the skill of a lawyer. Jones. when he saw how the Jury acted in the charges against his comrades, put in a plea of guilty and saved the court an hour trying him.

The additional nineteen years means that Jones and Kelly have thirty-six years of prison lite before them, while Brown, the abductor of Gladys Price, will serve twenty-seven years before he will be a free man.

Bonnar made a splendid plea to the judge when he stood up for sentence. He asked for chance to become a useful member of society. Judge Madden was so impressed that, while he gave him the same sentence as the other three men, he informed Bonnar that if he behaved himself well in the prison during the remaining years of his western sentence he would be given an opportunity at the expiration of the seven years to apply for a pardon.

Past Records Frank Jones and Arthur Kelly are the names under which the Macum brothers are known in Winnipeg and they are looked upon by the local police as two of the most daring criminals with which they have had to deal. After committing a series of robberies here they were rounded up in Elmwood by Constable Mackenzio and chased across the river. Cornered in the red light area, they shot W. P Traynor, and later were arrested by several constables headed by Hugh Brown. Traynor laid at the point of death for some days, but ultimately recovered and is now desk sergeant at police headquarters. During the chase after Jones and Kelly between thirty and forty shots were fired at the constables who were unarmed. Shortly after this the police commission decided that all constables must be armed to prevent a similar trouble in the future.

Brown is the man who abducted. Miss Price from the school house near Snowflake. For eight days the Pembine valley was scoured by the settlers who left their work and armed themselves with any weapon on which they could lay their hands. However, despite the vilizance Brown succeeded in stealing food from the Western hotel at Snowflake and disturbed in one of his raids he shot William Adams, the proprietor. Eight days after abducting Miss Price Brown was captured two miles south of the boundary in a house where he had gone for food and shelter.

Bonnar is a horse thief sentenced here on several charges. He made a sensational leap from a train while being brought in for trial and also made several attempts to escape. With such men as Brown, Jones and Kelly he was considered too dangerous to keep in the penitentiary at Stony Mountain so the quartette, heavily shackled, were sent to Kingston, it was while nearing the eastern penitentiary that they made the break for liberty for which they were sentenced today.

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"BARS OF CONVICT'S CELL FOUND SAWN THROUGH," Toronto Star. September 4, 1913. Page 5. --- Guards At The Penitentiary Make Alarming Discovery. ---- Canadian Press Despatch. Kingston, Ont., Sept. 3. - That a bold attempt was made by Frank Jones, one of the Stoney Mountain desperadoes in the penitentiary to gain his freedom became known to-day. Guards making their usual inspection this morning found that Jones had succeeded in sawing through the bars of his cell. Just how the prisoner was able to do this, the penitentiary officials refuse to say, but it is understood that an investigation is being made.