#louis gallow

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""…show justice, release Gallo': More inmates send petition," Kingston Whig-Standard. May 1, 1976. Page 3. ---- By LINDA FLORENCE Staff Reporter --- Another petition urging the release of 74-year-old Joyceville Institution inmate Luigi Gallo has been sent to Solicitor General Warren Allmand according to Gallo's lawyer Marlys Edwards.

The petition signed by about 260 Collins Bay Institution inmates says, "How can a man in Mr. Gallo's physical condition be a risk to society? Justice without mercy is not justice. Therefore we are appealing to you to show justice and a mixture of compassion and mercy and release Luigi Gallo."

The petition follows one sent to Mr. Allmand by Joyceville Institution in-mates just over a month ago, as well as a letter to Commissioner of Penitentiaries Andre Therrien sent on Gallo's behalf by Pittsburgh Institution inmates when Gallo was an inmate there last year.

Declared a habitual criminal in 1953 when he was convicted of theft of a car and a safe, Gallo has been involved in crime since 1914 and has spent much of his life behind prison bars. He has been paroled twice (1965 and 1973), and in 1975 was transferred to Pittsburgh minimum security institution.

In each case, according to prison officials, he showed himself unable to live within the law and had to be returned to Joyceville. He is not eligible for parole consideration again until January unless Solicitor General Allmand intervenes.

While on parole in 1973, Gallo received a severe beating from which he still suffers the crippling after effects. Last week he was admitted to day surgery at Hotel Dieu Hospital for minor surgery on a lip scar left by the beating. He recovered well, said hospital sources, and was back on his food the next morning at Joyceville.

However, because of his advancing years, Gallo's physical complaints are intensified. Clem McQuaide, director of socialization at Joyceville said, "He's an old man, infirm and feeble. Just how sick he is medically, I don't know. A doctor would have to tell you that."

Sara Gowan, 77, a friend who visits Gallo twice weekly said in a telephone conversation, "He gets dizzy when he walks, and he has to hold on to the wall to come from his cell to the visiting room."

Mrs. Gowan has been working strenuously towards Gallo's release. "I'm not going to give up the fight," she insisted. "I'm going to sit in Mr. Chitty's office (director of Joyceville) until he sees me, if it takes forever." She also revealed her intention to continue pressing Gallo's suit with Arthur Trono, regional director of penitentiaries.

Mr. Trono said, "I haven't seen Mrs. Gowan in three years. There's no percentage in her coming to talk to me. I can't release Louie Gallo."

Mrs. Gowan said, "When Louie is released, we won't be staying here. We'll go to a small place where we'll be away from all this." She explained that she felt prison people were afraid of the contact that Mr. Gallo would continue to have with ex-inmates if he stayed in Kingston. He forfeited parole in 1973 because of his continued association with known criminals.

Mrs. Gowan said she "had a place in mind. I'm not telling anyone where we'll be, so no one will find us," she added. "We just want to live a quiet life."

The Whig-Standard asked a member of the Joyceville inmate committee whether Mr. Allmand had made a response to the petition sent from the institution. "No," he replied. "Nothing will happen. Nothing ever happens."

Marlys Edwards, Gallo's lawyer said a petition from yet another institution (Collins Bay) showed "an unprecedented concern" by the inmates which was highly unusual. Mr. Trono disagreed.

"There have been all kinds of occasions where inmates from one institution supported those from another - maybe not in the form of petitions, but in other ways," he said.

David Tobin of the solicitor general's office was unable to confirm whether another petition on Gallo's case had been received. The Whig-Standard asked him what procedure was followed when petitions of this nature are received.

"It's generally referred to the agency involved (in this case the National Parole Board) to get an explanation from them before this office would act," he said. He add-ed that the speed of the reaction would depend more upon the details received from the parole board than on the number of petitions received

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"Detectives Give Evidence: Louis Gallow Is Convicted On Habitual Criminal Charge," St. Catharines Standard. May 14, 1953. Page 1. --- Louis Gallow was this after being an habitual criminal. He will be sentenced Tuesday.

The trial of Louis Gallow of Hamilton on a charge of being an habitual criminal opened in Lincoln County Court before Judge T. J. Darby this morning when, Crown Attorney T. F. Forestell of Welland presented evidence showing Gallow's long list of criminal activities ranging as far back as 1926 when Gallow was 18 years old.

The charge of being a habitual criminal was preferred late yesterday afternoon, after Judge Darby Round Louis Gallow, Harold Conway, and Charles Eliotson, charged with breaking and entering and car theft, guilty on both counts.

The three were remanded for sentence on the charges till next Tuesday.

A file from Attorney General Dana Porter, consenting to the prosecution of Louis Gallow as an habitual criminal was presented as evidence by Mr. Forestell.

Further, a file delivered to Louis Gallow in Hamilton on October from former Crown Attorney E. H. Lancaster said that if Gallow was Sound guilty of either one or both charges of breaking and entering and car theft, he would be charged habitual criminal.

The court listed the criminal activities of Gallow since 1920 when was arrested and sentenced in Toronto, at the age of 16, for abducting a girl under 16 years old.

He was sentenced to five years in 1934 for theft of money. In 1941 he was sentenced for shopbreaking and theft in Peterborough and Brantford, and in 1948 for receiving stolen goods.

In addition, the file said that Gallow has been associated with criminals and drug addicts, did not work other than carrying out criminal activities, and continued to carry on criminal activities after each time he was released from prison.

Detective Sergeant Albert Shennan was the first witness. On the morning of June 1, 1902, when low was arrested for car theft and breaking and entering, he had told Detective Shennan that he was 40 years of age, that his name was Luigi Gallo and that he was employed as a tailor.

A number of detectives from Hamilton, Toronto, Brantford and Peterborough were present to give evidence of Gallow's criminal career.

Friends in Prison Inspector John Nimmo of Toronto said he knew Gallow for 25 years. Asked if he knew who Gallow's friends were, Inspector Nimmo commented that 90 percent of his friends are presently in prison and that the police were looking for the other 10 percent. "I have never known him to work," said Inspector Nimmo.

Detective C. Dean of Hamilton, on the witness stand, said that Gal-low has associated with known criminals, dope addicts and prostitutes since 1947.

Detective P. Jackson of Hamilton told the court that he knew Gallow to associate with drug addicts and other criminals and never knew the accused to work.

"He's just a gambler," said Detective Jackson. "I have seen him gambling on many occasions." He added that Gallow lived with a young woman in Hamilton, who was his common-law wife.

Gallow's defence counsel is Hector Pothier, and is defending him on a free legal aid basis.

If convicted, the maximum sentence for being an habitual criminal could be life Imprisonment. This is the first such charge laid in Lincoln County since legislation in 1947 made it possible.