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HIS LIFE AT STAKE.Frank Wilson on Trial For Awful Crime.An▼fee ( nnm Allege That He Deliberately Drowncsl IIU Wife In Order lo Knjoy the Favor* of a My I pit With Whom He Wa* Kmiltrn-A Boat Bide and How It Terminated.At the York Assize Court yesterday, Frank Wilson was placed on trial on a charge of having murdered his wife and child near Keswick.Wilson is a young man of rather prepossessing appearance. He is 27 years of age, but being clean shaved, presentsmuch more youthful personality. He w__neat ly attired in a diagonal suit of clothes and wore a small black tie. His hair was dressed pompadour fashion, his complex clear and healthy.Almost an hour was takeu up in empaneling a jury. The crown asked six to stand aside and the same number were challenged by the defence.Crown Prosecutor Clute rapidly gave short resume of the case. He stated that the prisoner had been married some 8 3 ears, that he formerly ran a hotel, but lately had been living with his father at the old homestead, near the village of Keswick, about 50 miles north of Toronto, where his wife and three litt le children also were. There had been differences existing between the young couple, and at times epithets and threats had been interchanged. Long prior to the accident the prisoner had been utterly regardless of his duties as a husband. His relations with other women were notorious, and latterly he had been paying most particular and marked attention to Miss Kelimar, a rural belle, taking her for drives and walks and makir g no effort to hide the impression she had made upon him. Someone, presumably a friend of the young lady's, sent her an anonymous letter, putting the facts of the case plainly before her and enlarging upon the danger she ran in being so intimate with a married man. Miss Kelimar thought the ease over and decided to gi Wilson up, writing hi The love-sick swain, how the matter in that light,Kelimar, by dint of his i came her scruples of conscience and per suaded her to go driving againto that effect, ever, did not view’ and meeting M mportunities,Wilson, his wife and little deaf and dumb daughter started on Sunday, Aug. 14ih, to spend a portion of the day with relatives of theirs, the Armstrong's, living a short dis tance up the river.On the return trip the trio landed and partook of luncheon, and it was at this juncture of the proceedings, the Crown asserts, that Wilson perpetiated the crime with which he stands charged at the tribunal.At about dusk John Sedore, being at a barn about 45 rods distant from the scene of the tragedy, thought he heard a weird, inarticulate noise come floating up on the still night air from the river. He describes it as resembling a forced laugh, or so thing between a cry and a laugh. It ■tantly attracted his attention, but hearing sounds of splashing proceeding from the same direction he came to the conclusion that a rowing party was coming down th river, and a few minutes afterwards walked to a point from where he could observe a spot in the stream which the party must necessarily pass. Just then he saw Wilson running up from the river-bed moaning and crying to himself, and up'm becoming cog nizant of Sedore s presence ejaculatedMy God ; my wife and child are lost !’ He then ran on and alarmed other residents in the vicinity.The bodies were not found until mid night, both close in shore, the woman in four and a half feet of water and the child in six feet eight inches.Upon examination it was found that upon the body of the former there were bruises, the principal one being on the breast, three inches above the right nipple and to the left. It was oval in shape and about two by three inches in diameter. The blood u d/?r*£ulated ubder the skin, proving that the blow had been delivered with consider-ble force. There were marks on the sides of the throat and neck and another bruise on the elbow.The txidy of the wife was fouod with two feet of a lyg and only six from the shore. She could not have drifted there, __ there is no current iu the river, and besides it is full of weeds.This was the sum and substance of the Crown prosecutors ad.Iress to iho jury, though at times rh»narra*ive of the tragedy was rendered thrilling by the effective man ner m which it was related.William Armstrong testified that on the Sunday in question the prisoner and his wife an»l child had spent the day at his house, Wilson being out on the water most of the time with his sisters in-law. When the three started for home the prisouer was in the stern paddling, his wife in the centre of the skiff with h**r back to him and the, ;........ ‘ w mm aim liohild sifct ng in the bow facing them both. Walter Newman stated that the first --— Lfie nrsithing he noticed when the three were starting off was that Wilson had reversed his wife's seat. On the outward trip she had sat facing whereas her back was towards him now. The deceased commented on this, but was told the boat would balance better no. Witness thought this was the fact of the case, though at first some queer ideas flashed through his brain as he called to mind certain rumors which were afloat.In the cross-examination Mr. Newman that the prisoner was very proud of his child, and made a great pet of her.Sarah Ann Sedore was the first one w whom the prisoner addressed himself after the tragedy. He came rushing to the house and exclaimed, “ My God, my wife and child are drowned ! ” sobbing and moaning at the time.THE TWO BODIES FOUND.James Breckon met the prisoner on the road, when Wilson approached him and patting his arms around his neck sobbed out inarticulately : “ Oh ! jny little girl is drowned in the river and so is my wife ; what shall I do T” “ My poor Frank,” loaded Breckon, “ I don’t know what you I do.” He then asked where they werewuorv Lucy were and received a very indefinite answer. Bar-her, Wilson and ho then went down to theriver. The boat was recovered turned up-eide down, .and after being righted was or the bodies, whichutilised in searching for vU« uuuies, wmcn were recovered entangled in the weeds but a short distance from the shore.The witness averred that under similar circumstances he could have saved his own wife.Charles Sedore ga ve evidence to tbeeffec that the prisoner could swim, also that or the night of the accident he was in a position where he could have heard screams if there had been any and he had heard none.Abraham Sedore thought that anyone gett ing out of the water on the log, where Wilson did, could easily have helped another out. The banks were sloping and slippery.John P. Rose, half brother of the prisoner, who took Mrs, Wilson from the water, related Wilson’s story as told by him the day after the occurrence. It seems the that little girl was reaching out to get a water lily and upset the balance of the boat, throwing the occupants into the water. When Wilson rose to the surface he could sign of his wife and child, and, working his way to the shore through the weeds, went off for help. Cross-examined : “Thebody of the woman was covered with weeds; they were twined around her neck, and I had difficulty in raising her from the water. ”A boat ride had been promised deceasedforlong time; the prisoner did not want to take her this partienlar Sunday, as the threshers were coming next day, but she would go to Armstrong's, and refused to walk, though it was shorter to go by land.The Toronto AhsIzg Court was very much crowded again all day Saturday, when the Wilson murder trial was in progress. The principal evidence offered was that of a number of medical experts and hat of Mi6s Clara Kellman, the young Newmarket lady who, according to her story, carried on - flirtation with the prisoner until she found was injuring her reputation. The prisoner had a somewhat worn appearance, but fol lowed the evidence closely.John Batt related the circumstances of the occurrence as told him by the prisoner, namely, that the little girl in attempting to seize a water lily lost her balance and fell out, and the mother in attempting to rescue her child overturned the boat.Rachel Crittenden, on seeing Wilson ai ?*r°fifhi-her,’ driPPin8 wet/ exclaimed Oh, rrank, wtiai have you done He answered, lt;• My God, my wife and child are drowned in the river,” and then he narrated the details of the case to her, concluding by saying, “ What will I do ; I cannot go home, as what will home be without little Cricket.” He though he felt something clinging to him as lie came out of the river. Y\ hen asked by Mrs. Crittenden if it could possibly have been Liz*, he answered, “ I can’t say, but I thought at the time it was the weeds.”Dr. Stewart, who performed the post mortem examination, explained the nature of the wounds in detail, the one on the breast being the most serious in his opinion.* ovoid in shape, was about threehis affection. In the second letter he referred to her coming out to Lake Simcoe on Sunday, Aug. 7th, saying that his boats were at the service of her and her friends, and offering to provide lunch for the party. He wished also to take her driving on the occasion. She received an anonymous letter on Saturday warning her of the risk she was running in going about with a married man. She gave it to Wil son to read Sunday. He expressed contrition at getting her into trouble and said he would bother her no more. He wished to go driving, but eihe refused. He said : “ I suppose you will not recognize me when we meet after this,” but she said she would, nothing more. This was about 1 o’clock. At 5 o’clock he again wished to take her and Miss Barry, oue of the party, driving. He wanted to show them the old homestead. They consented. On Monday she started for Chicago and was gone four weeks.Cross-examined—All our drives were on the public highway out from Newmarket. They were not clandestine meetings. It was merely a schoolgirl flirtation, which was stopped as soon as she heard her good name was in question. The drives were very pleasant, and she, being tired with her day's work, did not mind talking to Wilson, especially as he had a good horse and buggy.The court then adjourned until Monday, the jurors being locked up o^er Sunday. One juror wished to know if they couldn’t go to church, but the judge said he could not allow that or even permit them to go out for an airing.Weary, very weary looked Wilson, as he was led into the dock yesterday morning at the Toronto Assize Court. He still, however, manifests as much interest as ever in the evidence, as adduced from the witnesses.The prosecution has submitted all its evidence, and the first of the witnesses for the defence, Mrs. Susanna Wilson, mother of the prisoner, was called. She spoke as to the pleasant relations existing between the prisoner and his wife, and of the great pride which Wilson took in his little girl Cricket. The old lady broke down while in the witness box and sobbed audibly. The prisoner tried in vain to restrain his composure, and also wept when the various little home scenes in which Cricket had participated were alluded to.David G. Wilson, the husband of the last witness, spoke as to the compatibility of the tempers of the young couple, stating that he never knew of any disagreement between them. Little Cricket was a mostnot fit a medical man to be an expert on post-mortem examinations like Dr. Caven. He then spoke of the little affair with Mist Kilman, and said that the Crown bad told i hem seriously that the breaking off of thii little episode was the cause of the murder. JLt was nothing more than a school-girl flirtation, which Wilson was willing to break off as soon as he thought that it wai not to the yonng girl's advantage to con tinue it. He even suggested that tbej continue to speak to each other, as if it wai broken off suddenly it might give rise tc unkind comment. No one knew anything of any disagreement between husband and wife except those who had wished to prevent their marriage. John Sidore said he heard a laugh, a joyous sound, followed bj a splash. There was no scream or outcry oi any kind such as one would expect if a murder was being committed in thii secluded nook. Mr. Bigelow concluded bj telling the jury of the great responsibility with which they were intrusted in the case.MR. CLUTE’s REPLY.Crown Prosecutor Clute then came forward to make his address. He opened by asking what could induce a man to perpetrate a crime like this ? Hatred ? A grudge ? “ No, neither would be sufficient, Dut we know that there is nothing which controh the passions like the force of the relation of the sexes.” “ I have never heard it denied that this relation I speak of was not motive sufficient for any crime. I am referring to the relation existing between him and Miss Kilman. The relation, in this case, was not a criminal one, as yet in act. I want to show you that the motive was all the stronger on that account. He had told her he loved her and had ascertained that the feeling was reciprocated. The passion up to this point had met with no obstacle, all well so far. Then the recoil came, it was this which accentuated the motive. How was it that the boat, hat and paddle were all found in different positions in the river? How was it that if they all fell out on the left hand side of the boat that it was not driven in the opposite direction instead of being found on the north shore? Has it not been proven that he was a first-class swimmer and here he leaves his wife to drown in four and a half feet of water and within six feet of land ? Do you not draw from this the damning inference that he brought her to this s'eluded bend in the iver intending that there she should remain ? It she recovered too soon she might revive, but if he left her there long enough she could tell nooeiween mem. Lottie Uricket was a most R'rc there long enough she could tell fascinating child and the father's partiality / tales, so he took no part in the search.” for her was plainly noticeable when theL Then Mr. Clute took up the portion other two children were present. tJ----- * * .....inches to the left and a^ttle aboveThe right nipple. Upon removing the outer skin, he found that the bruise extended even further than at first supposed, the blood having also coagulated around It, proving beyond a doubt that the blow had been administered while her heart’s action was good. There were four or five little clots of blood collected in the right side of the neck, such as may have been caused by the pressure of tmgers on the neck from behind. The blow on the breast could be caused by a stroke with the butt end of the paddle. There was absence of marked signs of drowning. In the cross-examination he thought that the bruiBe could also be the result of violent contact with the boat.Mr. John 8. King had perused the report of the post-mortem examination performed by Dr. Stewart. He judged that the wounds on the breast and neck were received before death ; that the manner of death was by asphyxia. Death, in his opinion, was not the result of drowning alone. There was no foreign substance in the lungs such as would have been drawn m with the water if death had been the result of drowning. Pressure on the wind pipe could prevent the drawing in of any foreign substance.Dr. Johnston stated that judging from the deposition which had been laid before him he had no hesitancy in staling positively that death was only partially the result of drowning, as the heart’s action had been considerably impaiied before immer sion la the water occurred. The action of the heart was perfect when the blow in the chest was received. The signs of drowning, though visible, were not sufficiently marked to incline him to believe that drowning alone was accountable for the woman’s death.. -rimma Armstrong, a sister of the wife’s, alluded to a quarrel which occurred between the two over a letter addressed to the hu* band, which had fallen into the wife’, hands. The epistle was from a Miss Couples and the contents displeased the wife very much.Thomas J. Woodcock, who has greatly interested himself in making measure men ts and in collecting any other evidence which might be of benefit to the prisoner, spoke of the heaviness of the larger boat belonging to Wilson, stating that it would be impossible for one man to get it out of the boathouse.The Crown has endeavored to make a strong point throughout the case owing to the prisoner having used the smaller boat when he knew it was unsafe.Dr. John Caven stated that he bad conducted between 300 and 400 post-mortem examinations. He has made specialty of the study of pathology. By the evidence which he bad heard submitted in the caee he would say that death was not the result of drowning alone, but more from syncope or heart failure, which might have been brought about by seeing her child in the water and plunging in after it. If she had been strangled the ventricle and auricle of the heart would not be empty, as they were in this case. /The cross-examination of this witness as long and searching, the doctors, whose videnee he disagreed with, propounding numberless questions, through the Crown, in an endeavor to break down his testimony. The Judge proved himself no novfcie in the interpretation of the medical terms used.Mrs. Wilson, being recalled, said that on the Friday preceding her death her daughter-in-law fell from the stoop and Dart her breast.THE ADDRESS OF COUNSEL.THE OTHER WOMAN IN THE CASE.Clara Kellman, of Newmarket, is i slender little black eyed brunette, with i pair of charming dimples playing hide-and seek about her bright, rosy cheeks. She ib possessed of a pleasantly modulated voice and was neatly attired in black silk dress, Urge black Gainsborough hat and tan gloves. She is the young lady with whom, it is claimed by the crown, Wilson was sosmitten that he endeavored to become a widower ir order to espouse her.Miss Kellman said she lived in Newmarket and had met the prisoner at Lake Simcoe some two years ago. She heard he was married shortly afterwards. Wilson went to Marquette, Michigan, and first wrote her from there. Upon his return he called upon her in the store in New market. Once or twice during the following winter and spring he wrote. About fifteen letters were written by him altogether. The letters were all destroyed. She wrote him that she was going to Chicago ; in the answer he asked her how she would like company, but she had company, intending to take a little girl with ier. She told him so. On July 20th he came into Newmarket and they went driving. Started at 9 o’clock. were gone two or three hours. He told he was going to Midland to camp and wished her tothere for her holidays, buo she bad mai__up her mind to go to Chicago. In a letter received shortly afterward he lied her to believe he did not get on well at home and asked her advice as to what he should do.On the 26th they again went driving. She asked him how his wife ” ‘ “ *—_— ..vW ***** nuc woo. He said hedid not know or care ; she was away visit-mg. Miss Kill man reprimanded him for peaking so. They went driving again on the following Friday evening. She received two letters afterwards ; in on® j1© expressed his love for her and ** ** was mutual. She reciprocatedA hnah of expectancy fell over the crowded court room as Mr. Bigelow rose to make his address to the jury for the defence. In his deep base, convictiom-carr^ ing tones the noted advocate proceeded to explain away the point raised by the crown as to what seemed the culpable act of the prisoner changing the seat in the boat, so that the deceased sat with her back to him on the return trip. This was easily accounted for, he said, as even the wit-n^8S*8*lOIl Profiec«tion testified to the effect that the boat was more easily balanced so. Up to this point everything had gone smoothly and pleasant] v ; all preceding circumstances occurring that day disproved the thought of the horrible crime suggested by the crown. When the deceased was found she is said to have borne certain marks upon her person, but the woman who washed the body with loving hands asserts positively that none such exist. Then if they did exist you heard Dr. Caven, the specialist in post mortem examinations, give bis opinion on the points raised. There were no clothes torn in evidence of a struggle, and we are obliged to look at this point through our knowledge of human nature. Do you suppose for a moment that a woman would tamely submit to be murdered without an outcry or struggle for her life ? There are not any marks upon her arms where he would have seized her, and I submit that there were no other marks of violence upon her person which can be irrefutably proven to have been administered before death »nd attributable to him. Then Dr. Caven says, r according to his opinion, she was not strangled, nor did any marks upon her throat indicate it Her lun|s and the ventricle and auricle of her heart were not gorged with blood, as they would have been in case of strangulation. No force had been exercised on her wind-pipe, and I do not think a person could be readily choked by compression of the back of the neck. Dr. Caven also says, after hawng heard the testimony of the other ived thelytuut up me pur Lit’U othe evidence referring to the braises found and descanted on that subject at consider able length.THE JUDGE’S SUMMING UP.Judge MacMalion began his charge 1. reminding the jury that they were t? highest arbitration and befoxe them was t be brought a prisoner charged with tk highest crime. He instructed them as t their duties and responsibility. He lai particular stress on Dr. Stewart’s testimon and statements as to the ante-mortem ev dences noticeable in the nature of th bruises on the person of the deceased. ] there were the signs of a struggle apparent or if the bruises in question were thougk by the jury to have been delivered befoi death, this would be ample grour.d for verdict of guilty.The whole cnarge from beginning to en was greatly against the prisoner and th case appeared to look the reverse of brigh for him. For an instant his life may be sailt; to have hung sipended upon a very frai thread indeed, but before that instant halt; expired Mr. Bigelow was on his feet and i] his most suave manner was asking the judg to add just a word more to the charge namely, to tell the jury that if the laugl which was heard by Sidore was considers to be an expression of joy oneness, then a by the evidence adduced by the prosecutioi the splash followed immediately afterwarc this finding would negative the theory o murder.Every man in the jury box raised his eye brows and looked expectantly at the Judge who in a few words acceded to Mr. Bigelow’ request.“ NOT GUILTY.”The jury retired and comment was rii in the court room. All conceded that Mi Bigelow’s point was well taken and wool weigh more than a ton of-evidence with th jury, and it did, for after being locked u from 5.30 until 8 20 they re-entered the be and rendered a verdict of 44 not guilty.” Wilson was released on $2,000 bail, $1,0C from himself and $500 each from Charh Walters, 37 Brunswick avenue, andThoma J. Woodcock, of Newmarket.Wilson will be arraigned on the charge lt;murdering his daughter this morning, hr in the face of the verdict rendered lai night it is hardly probable the case will I pressed.TOOK BKtt OWN LIFE.A School Teacher Become* Discourage ai Takes Morphine.A Chatham despatch says: Overcoiwith shame and anger at her inability punish one of the refractory boys in h school yesterday afternoon, Miss Ali Granger, a school teacher, last night tolt; her own life by means of morphine. Mi Granger has had charge of the school f three years and has always been successf with her pupils until the present term,whlt; a half dozen incorrigible boys came und her control. For six weeks they have malt; life a burden to her Iby refusing to obi rules and instigating rebellion amoi younger pnpils. The teacher appeah several times to the School Board for a sistance, but as tw o of its members are tl fathers of the troublesome students, nev received any. She finally determined i take forcible action in the matter, and aft a particularly bad outbreak trid to use rattan on Harry Bortling. He rebelled and in the scrimmage other boys came 1 his aid and blackened the teacher’s eye She at once closed the school and retnrnc home. Last night she was found stretche across her bed dead. An empty phial a morphine lay beside her and in her han was found this note : “lam tired of tryin to teach bad boys.”doctors, that they have miseon®»* died of heart failure, caused by the shock of entering the water. .1specialist in .maUpof fe^llmWhere are von going to, my pret maid r “ I’m going a-milking, sirf” a said. “ May I go with yon, my pret maid r “ Why, certainly j so far a « ' I don’t see no use o’ f ’
Newspaper Details
The Witness And South Simcoe News
Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario, CA
Thu, Oct 20, 1892
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Ralph S.
USA 16 Mar 2025
Other Publications Near Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario
The Witness
The Herald
South Simcoe Times
South Simcoe News
Bradford Chronicle
