HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1980-09-18, Page 12•
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Igicig00 -James Fran* •McCardell was a bit of a
character evertayheir he attended. Seeforth ,Collegiate
Institute n tile '1810 perlod. (accp, MOIR to • a • fernier f
classmate) ' • • •
While the Beechwood Youngster, with a, touch. of Irish
wit, insisted On being 'called by his full title, bisclassmates
would We none of it: They nicknamed him "Burley"
McCardellbetanse- fie --Was.' a tobacco -lover, but
because he slightly misnrimounced one of the common
crops he harvested on his father's farm.
McCardell was also reputed to be a bit of a character in
other ways. There are still those M the St, Columban area
who recall hearing Stories that the farmer's son and some
of his young cronies operated a profitable shoplifting
enterpriseat,the community's genal store, According to
the tale, (which of course can't be verified this many years
later), one of the boys would ask the storekeeper for a few
pennies worth of nails. The nails Were kept in the store
basement- and no sooner would the storekeeper disappear
downstairkfflan the boys would pocket whatever penny
candy and other small articles happened to be displayed
on the counter.
Bat Michael McCardell didn't realliglin his notoriety
-
until the :1930'S, when -the most celebrated kidnapping in
BROWNIE'S
DRIVE-IN THEATRE
Beech St., Clinton
BOX OFFICE OPENS AT 8:00 P.M.
FIRST SHOW AT 8:20 P.M.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY . SEPT. 19.20.21
•
• ere#47:1pity
by Ailice:Gibb
ballade, vitb the elfceptipii 'of the tragic abduction of
British Trade CoMmissionter James Cross; took place in
nearby Lambton county, • °
The John Labbatt farniiii of London had summered for
• threeyearS at 13.right'S Groiie, a resort Cornmunity north of
Sarnia, on the hanks of lice Huron. On the morning of
Aug. 14, 1934, John La)/ att, of the London brewery
family, left his summer iAlideaway to drive hack V the
Labbatt offices in his distinctive large black Reo sedan.
The Labbatt family had selected a cottage in a fairly
secluded spot since they' reportedly feared their children
might be kidnapped- 4: fear spawned by the recent
Lindbergh kidnapping in ithe United States. Ironically, it
was John Labbatt himself who was the target of the
kidnappers. He'd just paSsed through the sleepy farming
community of Camlachip!, when another car overtook him
on the gravel Egremont Road. ,
The car sped past and the brewery executive thought
little of it, Then, tne net thing he knew, giesamesar Was_
pulled acriiSs the road, 'ahead of him. When he slowed
down, three.men dashed toward his vehicle, two of them
brandishing guns. !!
With this John Labbatt hear the words dreaded by any
millionairf,, Canadian or otherwise- t'Stick them up, quick,
this is a kidnapping!',
AlthOugh John Labbatt and the. public didn't know it at
the time, the kidnappers had really hoped to kidnap
another wealthy brewer, Samuel Bronfman of Montreal,
•whose family earned their wealth mined liquor aCtoss the
Saskatchewan border in Prohibition days. But, logistically,
it was more difficult to find the Bronfman brewer
unprotected.
Once the kidnappers had determined that Mr. Labbatt
had only, around $100 in cash on his person, they
persuaded the brewer to write a note to his brother Hugh
in London, as they dictated.
KIDNAP NOTE
The note read, 'Tear Hugh: Do as these men have
instructed you to do, and don't go to the police. They
promise not to harm, me if you negotiate with them. Your
affectionate brother! John."
Two of the men then bustled -their victim into their car,
and the third kidnapper drove away in Labbatt'S Reo. The
brewer's eyes were taped -but the kidnapper who sat with
COMING
ATTRACTION:
"Smoke), & the 13endit 2"
with "the Mate 8anit"
Enjoy yourself at the 126th
Seaforth Branch 156
ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION
INTERNATIONAL
N1GH.T
Saturday, Sept. 20th
DANCE
9:00p.m, col:0024m
Canadian Dutch Club presenting
short programnte
Admission S?f.00 per person
TICKETS:
isck Muir, Jack Eisler, Garry Osborne,
Guy Betties, Don Jefferson.
Lunch Included
•
RIDAY and
SATURDAY
Sept. 19 and 20
(with Gospel Sing on Sun., Sept. 21)
(These are just a few of the many activities
scheduled for your enjoyment.)
FRIDAY NIGHT
Admission - Adults $7 00
• Public School 50a
• Beef microwave cooking demonstration. 7
& 10 p,m.
• Enter the guessing contest for the weight
of o live steer.
• Amateur show and Beauty Contest
• Shelburne fiddling champion
• Much, much more
SATURDAY
Admission • Adults $2.00, High School
$1,00 - Public School Free
• Parade at 12:30
• Miss Dominion of Canada
• School for exhibits
• Cow Milking contest
• Tractor rodeo
• Feedei- Club Auction
• ilorse.& Livestock Show
• Exhibits & 4-H competitions
• The Sunfield Equestrinnettes precision drill
team (American saddlebred horses)
• Fair Dance ,Sat. night featuring the
Bluewater Playboys. Adm., $5.00 per cou-
ple.
SUNDAY
Gospel Sing at. 2:30
with the
Chrystalaires (the
No, 1 gospel quartet)
Daybreak arrd
others. Adm.. Adults
$2.00, 12 and under
free if accompanied
by an adult.
• Pork Barbecue at
4:30. Adm. adults
$5.00, children $2.50
* Miss Dominion of
Canada wilt be on
hand Sunday
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT WHITING'S,
JERRY MacLEAN'S, A8e14 AND OTHER
• STORES OR CALL PAULINE SIMMONS AT
235-0526.
) him **red- veii- companionable, and chatted abilin
.yarity.pfsubjevts. He called Labbatt by his first name fld
'40 the brewer if he knew, qf any other7, gaoillcibberY'
• oppOrtnnities in the London area, As Labbatt latbr
• Apstiffed,:the kidnapper also pronounced Grosvelter Street
• correctly,. a clue that would later identify him as someone
• fornillar With the city.
Toward nightfall, the kidnappers pulled up to another
cottage- after a long ride when they'd stopped at different
times fqr gas and other 'supplies. No once did Labbatt
attempt to escape. Once the men reache44he,cottage.-03eyr• -
foa their prisoner well, and enteitained him for the /Mkt.
vnieerflights w s
ndcomtwfoortdays, often inquiring pixiously
When Labbatt's family realized he'd been kidnapped.
they ignored the kidnapper's order of absolute secrecy.
Immediately the province's police departments went into
action - the 'London police force interviewed family
metobers for clues to the kidnappers' • identity, • the
provincial police set up roadblocks aroun the country and
even the R.C.M,P. were called in to work with American
authorities in drawing up a list of potential suspects.
• The ransem note, sent tp Hugh Labbatt at Victoria
Hospital. demanded S1'0 000 iaxasivana-Ineaititany-tota-
-the victim's brother to register in the Royal Y-61Thotei in
Toronto-, where he would be contacted later. The note was
signed "Three -Fingered Abe."
RED4KHEELED HUDSON •
In the meantime, a farmer's wife in the Camlachie area,
Mrs. Martin Burnley: informed police she's witnessed the
tabbatt sedan being pursued by two -other cars. The
description' of the one kidnapping vehicle which was
pieced together from her testimony and that ot Others was
a red -wheeled 1932 Hudson sedan.
Once the Labbatt kidnapping story broke, reporters
descended on Toronto in droves. Even the New York
Times sent staff to the wilds of Canada to cover the story
• firsthand. The London Free Press. in a banner headline
story, reported, "There are more newspaper reporters in
the city today than perhaps at any time before in its
history." -
Since this was Canada's first important kidnapping, the
only event they could compare it to was the mysterious
disappearance of opera house owner Ambrose Small in
1919. Fortunately for the Labbatt family, this kidnapping
was to have quite a different outcome than that of Small's -
the theatre owner was never seen again!
The police, with a little help from, reporters eager for
headline -grabbing stories; were soon speculating that
John Labbat was kidnapped by American liquor hijackers
who knevi the brewer had been to Detroit to negotiate the
American distribution of Labbatt's products, and was on
his way back to London to report his findings.
BONNIE AND CLYDE
The front page stories in the London Free Press, which
had a heyday with the kidnapping, speculated that the
brewer had been kidnapped by "notorious midwestern
outlaw Fred Karpis." Fred, for those not familiar with the
underworld of the 1930's, was supposedly a member of
both the infamous Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow gang
and John Dillinger's mob.
Ironically, while the police forces were scouring the
countryside looking for the red -wheeled Hudson. and
reporters were following tightly on the heels bf the
lawmen, the London Free Press also carried a sedate story
about a Seaforth Sunday School hording a picnic in
Bayfield.
Little did anyone realize then that the Seaforth arca had
a much more important connection with John [Abbott's
disappearance.
Next seek: Labbatt released mysteriously. false accu-
sations, and McCardell's confession • and some Irish wit.
al
01$1111VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICI41141..:41.1 t *
527 -0180 -
Before ,
After,
During
the Fair
We are ready to serve you
Hours Open .
Sun. thru Thurs.— 11 a.m. to Midnight
Fri. & Sat. — 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
t•PI•lett i
People
Rev: J. Ure Ste4art and Mrs. Stwart have retiorild
from an interesting trip which included a delightful water
trip from Tobermory to Manitoulin Island on the fine new
boat; the M.S. Chi•Cheemann. They also visited Mr. and
Mrs. Eimer Hutchison at Markdale. Mr. and Mrs. George
McKay and other friends in Orillia. Mr. and Mrs. Don
Vincent, Brighton and Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Fullerton,
Trenton.
They also visited Rice Lake, near which Joseph Scriven,
author of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" is buried. To
mark the spot the historical Society of Ontario has erected
a plaque. Also a monument in the cemetery was erected by
his friends.
On Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Stewart attended the 125th
anniveriary service of Wallace United Church near
Listowel and visited the former's daughter and her
husband. Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Hammond, Moorfield.
1.00.0000•00.0.0.11004
More peOple on
page 20
EXECUTIVE
MEETING
Sunday, Sept. 21
Seaforth Arena
2 p.m.
4?
4s<
• New executive to be
elected
• General discussion on
upcoming year 1980-1981
5
Registration Fee 1980-81 Season $110.00',
25 games, banquet & dance
REGISTER AT SEAFORTH REM—CHEF
527-0443
Everyone Welcome
PLEASE ATTEND
.0 -•• -040
TI,T HURON EXPOSITOR4 SEPT:040R 18,1980
•10telighlier
Ali across Onarla the •
wesKor Sept, 14 to Sept, 70
S.), been declared. Legion
Week 44.0 ofAtnY 'broncho
will be holding special events-
-
. Ontin•anch is no exception
and although there may 'nit
be as much activity: at some
w0old like, there are two or
three special get•to-gethers,
• which. should be of interest to
Id' members.
First, on Thursday 'Sept
1. at our regular meeting;
Comrade Wm. Reihl. our
Zone Commander, , will be
there to initiate all the new
members who have joined in
- the last year. Comrade Nich-
olson informs this source that
there will be a good number
-out, Let's get behind- these
new members' by attending
This special meeting and sho
--thi-s—q-sedierlifeetifig"-alit ---
show them we care.
International Night, which
has been mentioned many
times, is of course coming up
Saturday Sept. 20 with danc-
ing starting at 9 p.m. There
are a few tickets left, so make
sure you get one early.
) Sunday Sept. 21, Legion
Members will parade to the
Cenotaph to take part in the
unveiling of a plaque donat-
ed by the people of a Dutch
ancestry and dedicated to the
men and women who took
part in the Liberation of the
Netherlands.
(4,e1
stio*.Our atipre047
• 404 by having a!gOOILIgrgeillt'
*at this historig eyent, Particle'
Omo Is 7 pm. .front. the.
iLegiOh• •
The President and.s nt.M14
ber of Coinra4es OSP011C4 44
first World, War Veterans to,
Exeter, to tti4 .Part in the
annual getotO•gether of
the old Sweats from }Enron.
understan8 a goodtittle was
had by all -
,On Sunday ':past, the • fall
---Zone'iMeeting was held in
Clinton and a number of
Comrades attended from our
branch. It is expected they
will have a report at the
r• *Otos on .Thigsdasr night,
We WW1 COMrade Gen;
Kruse who Is a Patient hi
,SenfeTill 1104041, A 11.0.00.
recovery.
• Poet forget: Thursday Sept.18 - General "Meeting and
Initiation P4n. _
Saturday Sept, 20 Interna-
tional Night (social)
Sunday Sept. 21 Parade to
Cenotaph at 2 p.m. Legion
Dress
Every week more and
• mare people discover what
mighty jobs are accom-
plished by low cost Hitroll
Expositor Want Ads. Dial
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a
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Adults - $5.00
Children - 62.50
laamadasaw
FRIDAY -SATURDAY -SUNDAY
SEPT. 19th -20th -21st
Itelhall7g7
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what It
evrryth
STARTS FRI., SEPT. 19
SHOWTUAES: ERI. - SAT. TWO SHOWS7 & • P.M.
SUN. - THURS. ONE SHOWING • .M.
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Sensitive and gripping.
It's `Rocky,' 'Breaking
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It's brilliant!"
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PARK
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your feet up!
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