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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-10-11, Page 1HENSALL HOME OF MURDER VICTIM — The above picture shows the Hensall home where Mrs. Jane Bur- ton McMurtrie was found Friday afternoon. An autopsy showed Mrs. McMurtrie was strangled by an un- known person. T-A photo YOUTH DIES IN CRASH — Daniel Smith of Hensall was killed Sunday night when the car he was driving went out of control on Highway 84 west of Hensall. The wreckage of the Smith vehicle is shown above, T-A photo One Hundred and First Year FOOD FOR THOUGHT — Two top men in Canadian agriculture were caught in an earnest conversation Thursday night at the annual ban- quet of the Huron Federation of Agriculture. Shown above are Ontario Federation president Gordon Hill and Canada's Minister of Agriculture Eugene Whelan. T-A photo Gunman wounds two Hensall men Tests reveal victim sexually assaulted YOUNG DISTRICT MOTHER IS KILLED A 4 MRS. JANE McMURTRIE Five turkeys were costly Four area men who may have had designs on a cheap Thanksgiving dinner, found things to the contrary this week. They were charged with possession of stolen turkeys and ended up paying $100 each when they appeared in Goderich, Thursday. Charged were Kenneth Smale, Hensall; Doug McKay, RR 2 Kippen; David Phillips, Exeter; and Terry Lee Pfaff, RR 2 Crediton., They were apprehended by OPP Constable Bill Glassford last Tuesday evening on County Road 2 south of Dashwood. He saw objects being thrown from a car and upon investigation found the objects to be turkeys. They had been stolen from the Harry Hayter Turkey farm and the five birds recovered were valued at $57.50. Two Centralia area brothers appeared at separate court sessions in Exeter this week to face, charges of car theft. Edward George Gloor ap- peared before Judge Glenn Hays at Friday's special session in the town hall and was fined $100 or 10 days in jail. A similar fine was levied against Jesse Winston Kirk, Lucan, and both were given one month to pay the fine. Tuesday, Thomas Jerry Gloor, was sentenced to 15 days in prison after pleading guilty to three charges, two for car theft RNA GRADUATE — Patricia Anne Connon, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Connon, Exeter graduated recently as a Registered Nursing Assistant from the London Regional Nursing School. She is presently employed at the Dearness Home, Lon- don. photo by Doerr Usborne ups hall donation Usborrie council learned at the October meeting that the total cost of construction of the new Kirkton-Woodham Community Centre has been established, The total cost for grant pur- poses is $112,314,32. Council directed that the contractor be paid his balance owing less a holdback of $2,000, Application is to be made to the Ministry of Community and Social Services for a grant under provisions of the Community Centres Act. A grant of $4,600 was authorized by the township making the total contribution of the municipality at $5,000. Confirmation was received from the Ontario Treasury department that the Usborne property tax stabilization grant will be $19,423. The contract with Jim Siddall Trucking for snowplowing this winter was renewed, Siddall will receive $12 for each hour of snowplowing and $10 per day standing time. Provincial police investigating the murder of Mrs. Jane Burton McMurtrie, 93-year-old Hensall Exeter's RAP committee this week approved in "principle" a new ball diamond for the com- munity park which is expected to cost around $50,000. The ball diamond, lights, clubhouse and other facilities is the brain child of two local baseball enthusiasts, Jim Pfaff and Brad Gregus. The two appeared before RAP to show detailed plans of the layout and explain that they hoped to secure a LIP (Local Initiatives Program) grant from the federal government to cover the cost. In fact, the two indicated they would be applying for $75,000 and if that figure could be received, Levies stiff fines in noise charge Drivers who insist on making unnecessary noise with their vehicles will find it a costly practice judging from fines levied by Judge Glenn Hays in Exeter this week. He fined Dennis I, Brock, RR 1 Woodham, $78 for such an offence in Exeter and then levied a penalty of $63 against Jonathan M. Gaiser, Exeter. The fines were almost double to that which Judge Hays had been handing out for this type of of- fence, and one charge of mischief arising from an incident where he drove into a corn field, He was sentenced to 15 days on each charge, with the terms to run concurrently. Judge Hays ordered that Gloor be placed on probation following completion of the sentence. Two other area men appeared Tire blows, corn flows A portion of Exeter's Main street was covered with about 150 bushels of shelled corn when a wagon upset. The wagon, the third of three being pulled by a tractor diiven by Mike Horner, RR 3, Parkhill tipped over when a rear tire blew out. The accident occurred on Main Street near Riverview Park. The tractor and wagons are owned by Allan Hay ter also of RR 3, Parkhill. The tractor operator and Exeter's works crew cleaned up the corn. Constable John Goarley of the Exeter police department investigated. Liquor vote in Bosanquet Voters in Bosanquet township will go to the polls on Wednesday, October 17 to decide on one liquor question. About 2,300 township residents will be eligible to vote on a dining lounge licence. The question will read as follows, "Are you in favour of the sale of liquor under a dining lounge licence for consumption on licenced premises with food available?" Bosanquet clerk James Dalton said the vote was called when a petition was received containing 25 percent of eligible voters in the municipality. The polls will be open on October 17 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. widow, have received some results from the exhibits sent to the Centre of Forensic Sciences. some would be used to fix up the present diamond at the park. The diamond proposed by Pfaff and Gregus would be located north of the rodeo ring and would run from east to west. Gregus pointed out that another diamond was badly needed in view of the mounting interest in the sport. He pointed out there were five teams using the diamond this past summer and that just wasn't feasible. Pfaff said the two had ap- proached Huron MP Robert McKinley on the idea to apply for a LIP grant "and he feels we have a pretty good chance at it". The two explained there was some urgency in getting RAP's blessing, because the application for the project has, to be sub- mitted by October 15, RAP member Bob Pooley suggested the idea should also be discussed with rodeo and fair board officials and chairman Gord Baynham agreed to arrange such a meeting this week. RAP members were wholeheartedly in agreement with the project but it was pointed out quite clearly that the project would probably not get off the ground if in fact it ended up costing local ratepayers any money at all. "You must be commended for your work, and we hope you can get it through," Pooley stated, on charges of impaired driving. Willis Stewardson, RR 3 Parkhill, was fined $200 and prohibited from driving for six months. However, he was given a restricted suspension, allowing him to drive for purposes of his work. He was also fined $35 for having liquor in a place other than his residence. Frederick Bischoff, RR 1 Centralia, was fined $150 or 15 days and had his licence suspended for three months. He too was given permission to drive to and from work. Two Exeter youths paid stiff fines on charges of mischief to private property. Stephen W. Mathers and Terry R. Phillips were charged with damaging property belonging to Lennis Gingerich. The court learned the pair had made restitution, Mathers was fined $75 or five days in jail and Phillips received a penalty of $150 or 15 days to the fact he was on probation at the time of the incident, In other cases, the following fines were levied: Donald R. Dietrich, RR 3 Dash- wood, $23 for having liquor in a place other than his residence. Larry E. Foster, Exeter, $28 for having liquor in a place other than his residence. Garry George Fentre, Springfield, $23 for failing to stop for a red light in Exeter. Ronald Gerald O'Brien, RR 2 Crediton, $23 for failing to stop at a stop sign. Gilbert Guy Morin, Hensall, $23 for turning when it was not safe to do so. Ronald R. Broderick, Exeter, $23 for passing another vehicle on the right. Alexander S. McBeth, Huron Park, $23 for failing to register a change on a motor vehicle per- mit. Joseph T. Foley, RR 2 Kippen, $33 for having liquor in a place other than his residence and $23 for operating a vehicle without a proper licence. Richard Moffat, RR 1, Gran- ton, $38 for failing to stop off roadway. Ted Joseph Legris, Auburn, $100 or 10 days for theft of a car. These preliminary results verify that the elderly woman, found dead in her house, Friday, was sexually assaulted, Police feel that when results are obtained from additional exhibits forwarded to the Centre, they will be in a better position to question suspects, Mrs. McMurtrie,. whose only companions were two cats, was found naked in her upstairs bedroom early Friday afternoon. Police had been unable to determine any motive for the killing. The house had not been ransacked and there was no sign of a struggle. Mrs. McMurtrie was last seen by neighbors raking leaves on her front lawn on King St. Thursday When a neighbor found the rear door unlocked the next day, she became suspicious and at- tempted to phone the victim, but found the telephone was not Two Hensall men have been released from Mercy Hospital in Port Huron, Michigan following a shooting incident Saturday night. Robert Lavery and Alvin Campbell were taken to the hospital after being shot during a holdup. The two along with Earl Bell of London and John Taylor of Hensall were robbed of about $295 by a lone gunman near a Port Huron Tavern. The men were taken to a vacant lot where they were Two men met violent deaths in crashes in the Hensall area to add to the "black weekend" ex- perienced in the district and particularly in Hensall. Dead are Daniel Wayne Smith, 17, a resident of Hensall, and 23- year-old Brian Samuel Mabon, New Westminster, B.C. Smith son of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Smith, was killed when his car went out of control on Highway 84 about three miles west of Hensall around 11:00 p.m., Sunday. The vehicle was described by police as being "totally disin- tegrated". Pieces were strewn over a wide area and the motor and the frame were some 45 feet apart. The victim was tossed out as the car started its path through the ditch. Smith was proceeding east on working. It had been cut. Police arrived to commence their investigation around 2:00 p.m., Friday, and news of the murder slowly circulated throughout the community. Coupled with two Hensall area fatalities and the shooting of two Hensall men in Port Huron, it was one of the blackest weekends on record in the bean capital. Unable to find any clues to the death of Mrs. McMurtrie, police started a door-to-door canvass of the community Sunday to determine if anyone had seen anything that could be of assistance. Heading the investigation is Inspector Tom Lennon of the OPP criminal investigation branch in Toronto. Constables Bob Whiteford and Frank Giffin of the Exeter detachment are assisting, along with officers from Goderich and Sebringville. robbed. The shooting occurred when one of the Canadians suggested the robber was only fooling. He shot Mr. Bell in the foot to prove he wasn't. When the others started to run he shot Mr. Lavery in the right shoulder and Mr. Campbell in the buttocks. Taylor was not injured. Port Huron police have a warrant out for the arrest of an unidentified suspect. The gun- man was reported to be black and about 23 years of age. Highway 84 and his car first went onto the south shoulder and then careened across the highway into the north ditch where it flipped over several times. OPP Constable Bill Lewis, on patrol in the area, was the first person on the scene and was joined in the investigation by OPP Col. Ray Brooks and of- ficers from Goderich and Seaforth. At first it was feared there may have been passengers in the car, but this was determined to be unfounded. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene by Coroner Dr. R,W, Flowers, Clinton. At 6:10 a.m. Tuesday, Hensall was again shocked to learn of another fatality, this time on Highway 4 at the northern limits of the village, A car driven north by Mabon collided almost head-on with a southbound vehicle driven by Mrs. Helen Brown, 61 of Clinton. She and a passenger, Mrs. Doreen Overboe, also of Clinton, were on their way to work at Hall Lamp at Huron Park. Police say the accident ap- parently occurred in the south- bound lane. Mabon, whose parents reside in Nile, was driving a 1973 Toyota, which was demolished in the accident. The steering wheel was smashed into his chest and cause of death was listed as a ruptured heart. Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Overboe were taken to Clinton hospital, with the former being tran- sferred to St. Joseph's in London for treatment of a fractured neck, Mrs. Overboe was treated for A 20 year-old Huron Park woman died in University Hospital London early Saturday morning as the result of a highway accident a few hours earlier. Mrs. Deborah Haugh of 135 Empress Avenue, Huron Park was struck while walking in a westerly direction along the south side of highway 83, at the west end of Exeter. She was struck by a motor vehicle driven by Harry Webster, Goshen Street in Zurich. The Webster vehicle proceeding west was attempting to pass another vehicle which was going in the same direction when the woman was hit. Mrs. Haugh was struck by the DEBBIE HAUGH minor cuts, bruises and shock and was released the following day. OPP Constable Ed, Wilcox headed the investigation, assisted by Cpl, Ray Brooks. Total damage in the accident was listed at $3,600. An inquest is not expected, although Dr. R.W. Flowers had made no ruling at press time. There were two other accidents in the Hensall area, both resulting in considerable property damage, but fortunately only one injury. At 1:30 a.m., Sunday a car operated by Terrance Mattson, Hensall, went out of control on Highway 84 about two miles west of the village and was completely wrecked. His car was westbound and skidded out of control into the north ditch and flipped over, A passenger, Jocelyne Wasson, Exeter, sustained cuts • and bruises. Although it wasn't directly involved, a car driven by Douglas Mock, also of Hensall, was damaged to the extent of $150 when gravel tossed up by the Mattson vehicle hit the wind- shield and headlights. Mock had been travelling in the opposite direction at the time. OPP Constable Don Mason Set total property damage at $1,000. The other Hensall accident occurred on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. when vehicles driven by Aldon Vanstone and William Hoy, both of Hensall, collided at the junction of Highway 84 and Nelson St. Damage was set at $1,200 by front left side of the Webster vehicle and suffered extensive back and head injuries, She was taken to the London hospital by Hoffman's Ambulance of Dash- wood. She was pronounced dead at about 1:30 a.m., Saturday. The accident occurred shortly before 10 p.m. Friday night. Constable Jim McMeekin of the Exeter police department is in charge of the investigation. Charges are pending, She is survived by her husband Exeter ratepayer Pete Connon is of the opinion that the campers who visit Riverview park each year should be charged much more than the present fees. In fact, he told RAP this week the fee could possibly be hiked from last year's $200 to something around $2,000 to $3,000. He said that would be the cost for 300 camping units to set up in a provincial park for three days. Reeve Derry Boyle told Connon he was crazy. That spurred a shouting match between the two that finally was brought to order by chairman Gord Baynham. Connon was also critical of the Constable Bill Lewis. The latter also investigated an accident at 6:20 p.m., Friday, when a car driven by David Rader, Dashwood, hit a fence owned by Earl Stebbins on concession 13 of Stephen, one mile south of Dashwood, Total damage was estimated at $815, The only other crash of the week resulted in damages of $2,500. Two trucks collided on Highway 4, two miles north of Exeter. Drivers were Andrew Read, Bayfield, and William Inch, Huron Park. Constable Bill Glassford investigated. During the week, the local detachment officers charged 22 people under the Highway Traffic Act and issued warnings to another 36. There were four charges under the Criminal Code and two under the Liquor Control Act. DANIEL SMITH Terry and a son, Christopher. Parents are Jack and Bonnie Coughlin. Also surviving are grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Smith, Exeter; sisters Wendy Coughlin of London and Jacqueline Ragier of Grand Bend and a brother Michael Coughlin of Exeter. The funeral was held Tuesday from the Hopper-Hockey Funeral Home with Rev. Glenn Wright of the Exeter United Church of- ficiating. Interment was in Exeter cemetery. campers. He said last year they walked on his grass and kicked things over in his garden. "They don't know how to behave," he suggested. Baynham disagreed with that contention, pointing out he had never heard of any complaints against the campers since they started coming to Exeter four years ago, He said they bring business to town, provide good publicity for the town, leave the grounds in very good shape and provide an income of $200 for RAP's work. Under the new fee schedule, the campers would pay $300 if they returned this year, That was approved at the last meeting in September. "It's all found money," Bob Pooley told Connon. "Yes, but I suggest you're not finding enough," the Andrew St. resident replied. He went on to say he had talked to one of the organizers of the camping weekend and was ad- vised they would be willing to pay more for the fairground facilities, "They feel they're getting a steal," Connon argued. When Connon realized he wasn't getting much support for his argument, he departed the meeting. "He's got a point," Pooley stated in reference to Connon's argument, but the discussion ended there. Killed dog, fined $100 A Huron Park man was fined $100 on a charge of killing a dog when he appeared before Judge Glenn Hays, Friday. The conviction was made against Wilson Eugean Curtis, despite arguments of defense lawyer K.I. McLean that there was no evidence that a dog was killed, nor that the pellet came from the dog said to be killed nor that a statement had ever been taken from the accused. Curtis was charged with killing the dog of Allan Legoff, also of Huron Park, The incident took place on February 13 and Curtis told Legoff later that he had not in- tended to shoot the animal, but rather only scare it away. An inspector for the Ontario Humane Society reported taking a .177 pellet gun from Curtis and also revealed that a ,1'77 'calibre pellet had been removed from the dog. • • 0 ft '4 Seek approval for $50,000 diamond Area brothers in court Sentenced on car thefts Two men di in crashes on He sail district roads EXETER, ONTARIO, OCTOBER 11, 1973 Price Per Copy 20 Cents Suggests campers be charged more 1'