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Suspects drank at tavern before going to Melady's
We coAtassu the Melody
Mamie' !ills! with testhowly
from Mimes e� one
ef the
BY DAVID SCOTT
Expositor Editor
told him to keep quiet; he It was a
said "the harm is done." lie when they (Kehoe and tors he sant and his only hope
also said "he could not help Melody) left me. Kehoe stmt- was for her to get money to
it" In going to David's they . ed in the direction of home. buy evidence. "He further
' e 1 at d When I first hoard the noise I said that he might possibly be
bout 10 o'clock admitted his guilt in the let -
went across Fortunefi
On the road to his brother's took off my boots, because I able to throw suspicion on
they crossed the river on a thought It was the framers McGeoch and wife (who first
log. Where they crossed the coming out of the house, and
river it was about half a mile 1 wished to be ready to run.
Thomas Donovan was one from old Melady's. (This was stated reluctantly).
of three men at the Melady Don't know what time it The reason I got ready to run
house the night Nicholas acid was in the morning when was because I thought the
Ellen Melady were murdered. they were going towards framers might think I was
He gave his account of how David's. It is about three or doing mischief there. I don't
the night unfolded to a four miles to David's by this know whether I dropped the
crowded Goderich courtroom route. "Was wearing dark boots there or took them to
in September 1869. clothes. The hoots produced the door of the house. Had
The following edited pieces in court are those I wore, also woolen socks on. Went, per -
of testimony are taken almost the shirt produced is the one I haps, a few steps into the
verbatim from the 1869 edi- took off after I came back kitchen. 1 think there was a
tions of The Expositor. from Seaforth, and the pants light in the kitchen when 1
Thos. Donovan - He had also are the ones I had on. went to the house. The door
lived with his brother David Had on a dark hat. Nicholas from the hall to the kitchen
sometime before his arrest. had on a shirt (here pointed was not open when I first
His house was some four out on being produced). Both went there.
miles from old Melady's. of us slept at David When 1 saw the prisoner
Was born in the neighbour- with something in his hand
g Donovan's that night." he was standing the hood. Knew old Melady Lost Papers in River case.Don't knowingby what it stair-
threewa-
or four years before the Next morning as we were ast he had in his hand. Only
murder. His brother was a on the road to Kehoe's, theard oned shot nand. Only
son-in-law of the old man. Nicholas said, "1 had some
y.
Remembered the Saturday papers in my pocket last Thought it was either a gun
before the murder went to night, but 1 lost them last or pistol shot, don't know
help Chesney on that day, but night, I guess in the river." which. Was at the door
it was wet in the forenoon so The first noise I heard might before Kehoe came up. I saw
he didn't go to work, but have been two shots fired no one in the house alive but
went up for a while, and then nearly at once, but the second the prisoner. Kehoe might
went to his brother's to get shot was distinct. At the time have been five or six rods
of leaving the house I was from the house at the time
something near 200 yards that I first saw him. When we
from the houses. At the time left the house we walked. In
of Nicholas' leaving the crossing the river I fell in.
house I saw him break a gun Melady was ahead of me.
on the floor. Think Melady crossed at one
It was near morning when place and I at another. 1t was
we got to David's. Went into near daylight when we got to
the house by the back door David's. Don't think we were
and slept there. Got up in the at Melady's quite an hour. It
morning to catch the horses, was moonlight when we
and before I left the room started from Melady's for
Nicholas was in the act of David's. Kehoe might have
getting up. After breakfast we gone into the house. Neither
started for church, brother Kehoe nor I went into the
David, his wife, Alice bedroom.
Melady, Nicholas Melady,
some horses.
Drank in Afternoon
In the afternoon he went to
Egmondville. James Kehoe
came along, and he, witness,
went to Seaforth with him.
Came across his brother
there, and drank together, and
all started towards home.
Turned in at a tavern in
Egmondville. All went to his
brother David's that evening.
Kehoe and David Donovan
sowed grass seed, but witness
stayed in the house.
After this Kehoe and wit-
ness went to Egmondville,
but his brother went into
Chesney's, and went down as
far as the turning down to old
Melady's place, where Mr.
Bowden and Fulton were
standing. Bowden left them,
and he and Kehoe went on a
little further. This was about
9 o'clock.
Witness was then for turn-
ing back, but Kehoe persuad-
ed him to go home with him,
and shortly after they met the
prisoner a short distance from
his father's house, who pro-
posed to go down to his
father's to see how the fram-
ing was getting along, and
they all went. This was the
first that he had seen of the
prisoner for about a fortnight.
Heard a Shot
After looking at the framing
for some time, Kehoe went
towards home and the prison-
er went towards the house,
and he (witness) sat down.
While sitting there he heard a
noise at the house, and in
about 10 or 15 minutes after,
.he heard a shot. Then got up
and went to the house. The
front door of the kitchen was
open. Ran in and saw the old
man laying in the door, and
the prisoner in the back part
of the room with something
in his hand; felt weak, and
didn't recognize what was in
his hand; didn't see the old
woman, as he didn't go into
the bedroom; turned about
and was coming out when he
saw Kehoe coming along the
road from his place.
Kehoe Enters House
Kehoe had been away from
the time he left the timber till
he saw him_ coming back
towards the house. Kehoe
asked, "what's up," and
1 going to the door he said, "0,
Nicholas! Nicholas!!" Don't
know what Nicholas said.
Others Testify
and myself. At Egmondville Three men who live in
Nicholas and I got out and Egmondville - John Bowden,
walked towards Kehoe's. James Ryan and Thomas
Nicholas had on the same Parker - testified they either
clothes that he had the night saw Donovan and Melady or
before. The clothes produced Donovan and Kehoe at dif-
might have been the ones, ferent times of the day and
they are about the same night of the murder walking
colour, but cannot swear to together near the village.
anything but the shirt. Catherine Melady - She
At Church After Murder was a grandchild of old Mr.
We went to Kehoe's but Melady and was living at
Kehoe was gone to church. Kehoe's when he was killed.
Kehoe's wife, family, and Recollect Nicholas Melady
Catherine Melady were there. and T. Donovan being at
Nicholas went off to change Kehoe's about 10 o'clock on
his clothes after which we Sunday. They lay on the bed
laid down in the bed until till James Kehoe came from
Kehoe returned from church, church and he told them to
when we had dinner. get up and they did so.
News Out About Murders Nicholas came to the house
After dinner Nicholas and I on Saturday; left about 6
started for church. While on o'clock. There is a pistol kept
the way near the Huron Road at Kehoe's house, hung up
a boy named Carter came beside the cupboard;
running saying that old Nicholas had his old clothes
Melady and his wife were when he came, but changed
both killed. We then both during the day; but don't
went to the old man's. I went know what time in the day.
to the door, and from there to To Prisoner's Counsel:
my brother's, on my way 1 Don't know what time Kehoe
think I met Dr. Coleman. I came in on Saturday evening;
came away from my broth- didn't hear him go out again
er's and saw McGeoch and that night; never heard any
others on the road. It was threats against the old man.
about 3 or 4 o'clock in the He was, sometimes, very
afternoon when 1 was at my angry. Heard Kehoe get up to
brother's. After getting a give the children a drink. It
drink I started for old was not uncommon for
Melady's, but instead of Nicholas Melady to be at
going there, went to my Kehoe's. The pistol at
father's, then to Egmondville, Kehoe's had been there a
and then to Kehoe's that long time, perhaps two years;
bight. I went to bed with have never seen it used or
Kehoe, but during the night taken down.
was arrested and taken to old Former Assaults
Melady's. On Sunday morn- A background of former
ing I saw Nicholas put some- conflicts between father and
thing into the stove, but do son was given by Mr. Hays, a
not know what it was. Magistrate.
To the Prisoner's Counsel: - "They did not live on good
Didn't meet Melady in terms. I bound one of them
Egmondville, but somewhere once to keep the Peace. 1 roc -
towards his father's place. ollect fining the old man after
Nicholas said he was going Had been drinking during the this for an assault upon
to David's, and Kehoe then day, but was not drunk. Had Nicholas. The old man was
went home. After a time two glasses at Weishe's, in very violent. I know the
Nicholas came out, after Seaforth, and two or throe at father and son to have law-
Kehoe had been gone about Mrs. Robertson's, hi suits before me. He was
ten minutes. The prisoner Egmondville. Also took a lit- reported to be rich. I saw him
was about half an hour in the tle from a bottle; Kehoe also have. a lot of money the
house; might have been an drank from the bottle. Was Friday before the murder."
hour. When he, prisoner, going to Kehoe's when Hays testified to the
came out he went towards Melady met me. Prisoner's Counsel that this
David's and he, witness, fol- Knew Melody Had Money money win taken out in
lowed him. Knew old Melady was Carmiehael's Hotel. "i fined
Fled Across Field reported to be well off; that him for an assault and battery
One time when he, witness, he lent money, and kept a upon his son. When he alta
went to the door saw good deal in his house. Was throned to shoot, I took die
Nicholas putting some papers in the habit of showing his old mat's deposition against
in his pocket. When the pile- money when drunk. Win not the son. But did not consider
oner came out of he house swear I saw any lights when the old man in datZete
he said something to the wit- passing through Egmondville boot Coulee
ness to the effect that he was on the evening of the murder. Janet Cooke (a.k.a. Mts.
to say nothing about what It was “right dark« when we Jennie Bond), wife of coon -
had happened Didn't say tot to the place vilely we sat stable. who was hired to rind
discovered the bodies), and
said that his lawyer could get
a man for an amount to swear
an alibi."
Melady also told Cooke
that David Donovan was a
sworn friend and was to
"throw him a revolver over
the gaol wall, and if he could
not get away any other way
he would use it."
Coast. Hugh Grant Speaks
Constable Hugh Grant told
the court he went to David
Donovan's with Dr. Coleman
and Robert Brett to search the
home and found a couple pair
of boots and a pair of pants.
The boots matched the tracks
in the field. A book was
found in the river on the
Wednesday following.
Dr. Coleman said when
Grant turned up the boots
found at the house, a reddish
fluid ran out of them. The
socks were found in the stove
burnt.
"The kitchen floor in
Melady's house apparently
had been slightly washed,
still the footprints were visi-
ble in the blood. Put the pris-
oner's feet in the tracks and
they corresponded precisely.
The prisoner looked a little
anything about it till they got dawn, though I could see Out information from Alice
to David Donovan's when he quite a distance. Melady. said Nicholas Jr.
July 16 Expositor
Exposed!
The Ex -Files:
Spotted Mistakes:
1) Page 13 - "be
to..." - Doesn't make
Dolly McQuaid
2) Page_/€. - "by_
course" - should
course" or "courses"
Henderson
a hard
sense.
taking
be "a
Marg
ached, hence 1
wagauapic.ii s of him. Went
to Kehoe's on the afternoon
of Monday, and found this
other pair of pants, now pro-
duced, which were acknowl-
edged bythe prisoner.
ames
Tile front pig headlines in
the September 24, 1869
Expositor summed up the
court proceedings up until
that Friday the paper was
published:
COUNSELLING -
• Marriage
• Family
• Personal Growth
• Learning Disabilities
BRIAN O'REILLY, D.S.W.
ct UNTOHurN s�482-9249
BROKERS:
Bill Siemon
Vicki Siemon
Anette McTaggart
Dan Proctor
Ken Hutchison
68 Ontario Rd. 348-9150
Mitchell 1-800.581-0183
NICHOLAS MILADY
FOUND "GUILTY,"
SENTENCED ID BE
HANGED
Kehoe Acquitted of the
Murder of Nicholas Melody
Kehoe and Donovan Re -
Committed for the Murder
Ellen Melody
4CONT1NUED '
.1
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