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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1973-10-11, Page 1NO. 41 [rikgh FIRST WITH THE LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1973 SCENE OF THE CRIME - This is the home in which a 93 -year old Hensall widow, Mrs. Jane Malurtrie, was found strangled to death on Friday. Area OPP, along with fingerprint experts from Mt. Forest and inspectors frons the Criminal Investigation Branch in Toronto, are conducting a thorough investigation into the murder but are being hampered by the. lack of clues found at the scene. The house is located on the main street, in the west end of the village. FATAL CRASH - A 17 -year old Hensall youth, Daniel Wayne Smith was instantly killed late Sunday night when the car he was driving left highway 84,, west of the village. The body of the car is seen here as it carne to rest in the north ditch, minus the motor, wheels and transmission. Port Huron police are still looking for an unidentified suspect who shot and injured two.Hensall men and a third Deborah Haugh, 20, of Huron Park, clied in University Hospit- al, London, early Saturday after being struck by a car as she walked along Thames Road in Exeter on Friday night. Exeter police said Mrs. Haugh was walking on the south side of the street, which is Highway 83, when struck by a car driven by Harry Webster, of Zurich, Pol- ice said the westbound Webster vehicle was attempting to pass another vehicle at the time. The accident happened at 10:05 p.m. Mrs. Haugh was pronounced dead, after being taken to the London Hospital. from London during a hold-up in that city on Saturday night. Earl Bell, of London, Robert Lavery and Alvin Campbell, both of Hensall, were shot and robbed of $295 in a vacant lot not far from a bar in Port Huron. A fourth companion, John Tay- lor, also of Hensall, was not injured in the occurrence. The three men were treated at Mercy Hospital, Port Huron. Accordingrto reports the shoot- ing ocurred when one of the group suggested the robber was only fooling. To prove he wasn't he shot Mr. Bell in the foot with a small pistol, and when the others started running he shot Mr. Lavery in the right shoulder and Mr. Campbell in the buttocks. The gunman was reported to be black, and about 23 years of age. Mr. Campbell was released from Mercy Hospital, Port Huror. on Monday, while the other two are reported in satisfactory condition following the mishap. C iY; o killed near He slirII A British. Columbia resident, Brian Mabon, 23, was killed early Tuesday morning when the small Toyota car he was driving was involved in a head- on collision with another veh- icle on highway 4, just north of the Hensall village limits. The accident occurred at 6:10 a. m. Mabon was north -bound on the highway while the other vehicle, driven by Mrs. Helen Brown, of Clinton was south - hound. Both Mrs. Brown and her passenger, Mrs. Doreen Overboe also of Clinton, were taken to Clinton Hospital, and Mrs. Brown was later removed to St. Joseph's Hospital, London, with a fractured neck. Mrs. Overboe suffered minor injuries. The two Clinton ladies were enroute to their place of employment at Huron Park. Mr. Mabon is a native of the Goderich area, and his parents reside [fear Auburn. Hensall widow strangled li for W ossi le c 15¢ per copy Police are still looking for some type of evidence which niiglrt give then a lead in the strangling death of a 93 -year old llensall widow, found in her home last Friday afternoon. Mrs. Jane Mclviurtrie was found naked in her upstairs bed- room by neighbours. She had been last seen by neighbours raking leaves on her front lawn Thursday afternoon. Her home is on the main street of llensall, near the westerly limits of the village. Mrs. Fred Vivian who made Mrs. McMurtrie one main meal a day, bought her groceries and Helped with some housework, said he went to the house at 1:20 p.m. Friday and found the rear door unlocked. She said she was suspicious, went next door and attempted to telephone Mrs. McMurtrie but found the telephone was not working. Police said the telephone line at the victim's house had been cut, but added that workmen had been repairing the line earlier in the week. Insp. Tam Lennon; of ":he OPP criminal investigation branch in Toronto, said the cause of Mrs. McMurtrie's death was not immediately apparent. There were no exter- nal signs of violence. An autopsy Saturday at Strat- ford General Hospital revealed the strangulation. Police said forsenic science laboratory experts are attempt- ing to determine if she was sex- ually assaulted. Insp. Lennon said there were signs of attempted entry in two locations at the large tree - shaded frame house where Mrs. McMurtrie had lived for more than 35 years. Police called in from Sebring- ville and Goderich to assist the Exeter OPP detachment made a house-to-house canvass Sunday and Monday to determine if anyone had seen anything that could be of assistance, Police and the victim's niece, Mrs. Stewart Bell of Zurich Road, described Mrs. Mc- Murtrie as "in good health for (continued on page 2) 0 RC $e;,; chars tarn down salary offer Teachers have turned down a 1973-74 salary offer by the lluron-Perth separate school board because it does not meet the rising cots of living. Gary Birmingham, commun- ications officer for the Huron - Perth branch of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Ass- ociation which has been negot- iating with the board, presented a brief to board members Tues- day night. The brief also cited the 8.41 per cent increase in educational ceilings by the ministry of ed- ucation as a reason for rejecting the board's offer of a 3.4 per cent salary increase. Teachers are seeking 9.8 per cent. Mr. Birmingham said 135 of 154 teachers rejected the offer at an October 2 meeting. The 1972-73 contract provided an 8.72 per cent increase. 11 fic A 17 -year old Hensall youth, Daniel Wayne Smith, died suddenly Sunday night when the car he was driving left highway 84, about two miles west of Hensall. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Smith. Police said the car driven by the victim was heading east when it went into the south ditch, and swerved across to the north ditch. The driver was thrown out as the car motor flew out of the vehicle and the frame tore loose from the car body. First person to arrive at the scene of the mishap was OPP Constable Bill Lewis, of the Exeter detachment, who came across the wreckage during a routine patrol of the highway. The youth was pronounced dead at the scene by coroner Dr. R.W Flowers, of Clinton. Police estimate the time of the crash about 11;10 p.m. The youth was a student at South Huron District High School, and was an active member of minor sports teams in Hensall. Surviving besides his parents are one brother, Douglas, at home; a sister, Mrs. Frank (Deborah) Ducharme, of Hen- sall; and grandparents, Mrs, Pearl Petzke, of I-4Pnsall, and Mr. and Mrs. Everett Smith, of Egrnondville. The body rested at the Bon- thron Funeral Chapel, Hensall, where the service took place on Wednesday d"fternoon at 2 p.m. with Rev. Donald Beck officiating. Interment was in the Hensall Union Cemetery.