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WHELAN’S ESCAPE. MICHAEL WHELAN, a fisher man of Horse Cove, was charged with the wilful murder of Levi King, of Broad Cove, on the 6th of October, 1883. He pleaded’ “not guilty’ to the charge when ar raigned before Chief Justice Carter, the Hons, Mr. Justice Pinsent and Mr. Justice Little. The trial took place on Wednesday, November 28th, 1883. The Hon. Attorney General prosecuted for the Crown, Messers. Kent, since deceased, and Hon. D. J. Greene, for the prisoner. At ten minutes past four in the afternoon the Jury retired after the Chief Justice had finished his charge, which lasted for nearly an hour, and at a quarter to five they return ed into court with a verdict of “manslaughter without mercy.”’ Whelan Was Sentenced to Imprison ment for Life in H. M. Prison. He made his escape four years afterwards and was never caught. On the morn ing of Friday, Nov. 25th, 1887, be tween seven and eight o'clock seven men left to work on a drain which they were constructing from the Hospital to Quidi Vidi Lake in charge of two prison officials. Amongst the prisoners was Michael Whelan. He had conducted him self so well that he was allowed to go to work with the other prisoners outside the prison. While at work in the drain, he asked to retire for a natural purpose. He was permit ed to do so. In the meantime the wardens attention was called to the other prisoners, and when Whelan saw this he made the dash for liberty ; he was a powerful man, a stalwart typical Newfoundland fish erman, and was also a fast runner ; he followed the margin of the lake toward the eastern end. The officer gave chase, and Might Have Fired at Whelan, but fearing other results he kept up the pursuit. Whelan out-distanced the prison official and disappeared over the White Hills Inspector- General McCowen, who was then Governor of the Penitentiary, im mediately despatched the prison officers in search of Whelan, and the Superintendent of the Constabulary had two mounted ‘police officers sent in quest of the fugitive in less than half an hour after his escape. The following day a notice ‘appeared’ in the local papers, and was also post ed about town. It read as follows : NOTICE! Whereas, Michael Whelan,a prison er in the Penitentiary, under sentence for manslaughter, escaped recently from prison, and is now at large . Novick 18 WEREBY GIVEN, that a re ward of TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS will be paid to any person or persons, who shall give the police authrities such information as shall lead to his arrest . And, all persons are cautioned not in any way to harbour or aid the said Michael Whelan in his escape. M. FENELON, Colonial Secretary, Secretary's Office, Nov. 26, 1887. Despite the large reward offered for Whelan’s capture, he was never caught. It was said that he was seen on the King’s Bridge Road, near Hon. John Harvey's residence, and that he was coming towards town, on the day of his escape. There were lots of rumors about him going the rounds of the city for years afterwards. Some said that he made his escype to Placentia and from thence he got away to America in a banker, so His Wife Left Newfoundland Some Years Afterwards for the United States, where both him and her are said to be still liv ing. A motive of St. John’s, New foundland, was arrested in Boston some time afterwards by detectives, who took him to be Whelan. The clue they worked on was the missing finger on the man’s hand. Whelan had a finger missing also. He was let clear after it was conclusively proven that they had caught the wrong man. In to-morrow’s TELEGRAM we will publish the escape of Joseph Rich ards, ‘This man escaped twice, but was caught each time,
Newspaper Details
St Johns Evening Telegram
St Johns, Newfoundland, CA
Tue, Nov 27, 1906
Page 5
Full Page
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Anonymous
CA 15 Feb 2026
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