The Fosterville Murders| The Fosterville Murder |
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| Written by Bill Boone |
| Friday, 25 September 2009 10:52 |
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Late in the afternoon of November 26, 1924, in the quiet, close-knit community of Fosterville, two young girls met their death at the hands of their mother's half-brother. It was a crime that outraged the citizens and shocked the province. The victim's uncle, Claude Peck, one of the party who arrested the accused, Harry Williams, said that had he found him during the night there would never have been a trial. Peck merely stated flatly what everyone thought: an eye for an eye. However, common sense prevailed and the justice system of the day took over. The subsequent trial occupied a large of amount of space in the provincial papers, notably the Daily Gleaner of Fredericton, and the two Saint John papers. Several reporters covered the event, often repeating or summarizing the preceding day's coverage thereby making it difficult to let the stories flow in their natural progression. Most reporters had trouble initially with the correct spelling of "Neccia." The newspaper reports are included here not only for a fuller explanation of a crime that shook the Parish of North Lake, but because it also includes the names of residents, provides some insight into their every days lives and thoughts, describes the community, and gives form to raw statistics gathered nearly a century later. It is interesting -- and frustrating -- now, in 1995, to note that not a single official document except newspaper accounts can be found regarding the crime or trial. No court records, no Coroner files, booking sheets, nothing. The Provincial Archives have nothing. The Court of Queen's Bench has no transcript of the trial. Judge LeBlanc's diary may be in private hands, but its whereabouts is unknown. Fredericton lawyer, John Warner, a son in law of Peter Hughes, who prosecuted the case, has Mr. Hughes files, but they contain nothing relating to Williams. Walter Limerick, the police magistrate who held the preliminary hearing in his court in City Hall, is deceased and his office now owned by Lawyer Eugene Mockler. Whether any files from this era exist is unknown. Retired Supreme Court Justice Charles Hughes articled with his uncle, Peter Hughes, but recalls nothing of the case. What became of Fred Peters' files is unknown and few of the present-day lawyers I spoke with remember him. The only thing remaining is Williams' army medals. They were given to Thomas Dorherty Jr., son of Virginia Foster, sister of the two victims, who donated them to the Canadian Legion in Fredericton where they are on display. Tom has a deep interest in the events hereafter described. When a young boy and walking with his mother on the lake shore where Harry Williams' camp was located, he asked her about it. Her reply was somewhat vague. But it piqued his curiosity and he later haunted the Archives in search of information. Tom had no better luck than I. Only a handful of people remain who were present at the time: Hilda Foster, sister of the victims and my father, Basil Boone. At 85 years of age, dad's memory of the event is still fairly accurate as to the community's reaction; Hilda, still living in the family house at Fosterville, still feels the emotional impact at age 86. Her younger brother, Beecher Foster, remembers the event although he was only about four or five years old at the time. All principles in the case have passed on. Note:- Since this was written in 1995, Basil has passed away leaving only Hilda with a clear recollection of the event. It is also worth noting that the National Archives in Ottawa, Ontario, has a transcript of the trial but no further documents have come to light. Read on Fosterville Murder - Part 1 Fosterville Murder - Part 2 Fosterville Murder - Part 3 Fosterville Murder - Part 4 Fosterville Murder - Part 5 |
| Last Updated on Friday, 25 September 2009 21:25 |
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