HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1979-06-21, Page 10HURON exi?osITOR JUNE.
, 1979,
Serendipity
by Alice Gibb
When my •brother wa$. a. kid, he chummed with ;a
character nicknamed. "ged"' Ryan - ared-headed kid you
could, ust never be sure whether er not you. should trust.
"Red",coulld wield a mean hockey stick. sing! 'Myr Wild
Irish Boy" so it would bring; tears to s°our ees antt
generally raise the word we cant use in, newspaper
columns. The last time I heard this "Red" had settled
down into domesticity and left the wilder days of, his youth
behind hint. But in Sarnia, the city next door to ,nw
hometown, the people still talk'.about the day another Red
Ryan breezed into town. with no good on his mind. That
day" happened 43 year ago but there .are still people,
around who know bits and pieces of the Story firsthand.
PUBLIC:ENEIM Y
". s. didn't know -
Now the Ked" Ryan s ho idn t no nay brother . was
one of Canada's most notorious men of grime - at one tknlle
holding' down the title of Pttblte,Enemy No. 1. Norm,an,.
which was Red's real name. had areeord dating back to his
eleventh year and he had spent ,most of his life in and .out
of Kingston Penetentiars. Then. suddenly. Red decided to
change his sways. He became a model prisoner. spoke out
on behalf of the authorities during a serious prison riot and:
found religion. A senator and other leading politicians; took
up his cause anti spoke for hint at.parole hearings. When.
he was released he s, ent on a speaking tour :on: the theme
"It pays to go straight" and he was given a good job. But
then something snapped and ":Red" decided his life of
crime paid a little better:
Ryan and his pal, young Chuek McMullen alias Leggett,
decided to launch their return. to crime by rubbtn a liquor
store on Saria's main street, It should have been a routine
petty hold-up. Since the two men waited until, three
minutes to six to go through the doors. expecting to find
only one or two late customers and a clerk. But the men
miscalculated - they forgot it was a Saturdays night before
the long holiday weekend and, they didn't realise: the
number of Sarnians.'who liked to spend their extra pay, at
the LCB0,: •
When, the two: men sauntered into the store, 'bott
dressed in dirty blue overalls. with guns in their pockets
and steel wire to handcuff ::the store customers,
handkerchief masks over their faces, they discow'ered the
store was packed • with: 25 impatient customers trying to
make last minute purchases. Since it was too late to back
out now. Ryan yelled the traditional, "Stick -em: up! This' is
a holdup,"
At first customers assumed it was a joke..but when they
realizedboth men were waving guns that looked pretty
real, they decided to obey orders and back up against the
counter.
Ryan decided is just wasn't worth the time to try and!
handcuff 25 people, so while_; McMullen kept his guns on;
the customers, Ryan vaulted over the counter and shoved a
45 -automatic in, the stomach of clerk Sydney Capps. Just
for good measure he repeated, "This is a hold-up!"
OnMay23 1936. the Canadian public learned that Ryan
had decided to forego the pleasures of the straight and
narrow..•By the • end of that day Ryan, a young accomplice
and a Sarnia policeman were dead in one of the . most
SPeetasular shootollts tit Canadian grime.
Ryon, hoped any late t"ustonersconning into the store
would think the door'$ he. had locked behind him meant it
was, past the stores closing time. But he just didn't .t count
ons Geoffrey Garvey.
Mr, Garvey sass a clock Wateher who knew he' had two
•mors minutes to buy his weekend's supply of liquor and:
whenhe couldn't get in the :regular door" he decided to
give the exit door a try, It ;gave at his touch and he
:mounted the steps only to look into the store and see a
group of people with their hands stretched toward the',
ceiling, He didn't waste any time and: dashed' across to, a.
nearby taxi stand; yelling at the cab driver to phone the
police.
By 6 p.m., the eel. had been answered at the station; and
f ur . )icemen n P
ed Lewis, McGirr, Smith and Sim .kips
o .r po arts
had hopped into a cruiser and sped to the liquor store, only:
two blocks away. In the luck of the draw, Constable John
Lewis reached the exit door first and stepped in.
Meanwhile, Ryan had managed to scoop up about
5394,2t' froth the till and was trying to herd the frightened
customers into the back of the store so he. and McMullen
would have a::few minutes headstart for their getaway.
Instead, just ashe seas a few feet from the top of the stairs
leading to the exit, he caught sight of a blue -coated: police
officer. Ryanknew he couldn't survive another brush with
the law, so he whipped around and fired four shots. The
constable fell forward, made a feeble call for help and
died, -
later, newspaper reporters covering; the story discos-
Bred just hos` tragic Lewis' death actually was, Although
Ryan: had fired four pointblank shpts at the young
pohee ttan, only one actually entered his body. The first.
bullet smashed a tunie button, another went straight into a
booklet he .carried inhis. upper pocket and the third.
richoehetted off something else. But the one bullet found
its mark.
SHOOTOUT
Both Ryan and his companion kept right on firing, but
after the three policemen saw their companion fall, they
opened fire as swell. In the ensuing shootout; McMullen.
was hat: first in the chest and he toppled over backward,
Another bullet hit him before he fitta1l collapsed at the
foot of the Stairs-
Ryan had . emptied his automatic, and started
emptying' his second gun when a bullet Caught him in the
neck, "You've got me boys, 1 '. a had enough," he called'
out.
Ryan was shot in the ankle as well, and later some of the'
2.S customers who witnessed the shootout would claim that
when: he was;'hit the first time, he threw down his gun.
Others claimed he was hit first in the neck, ,and then in the,
ankle and that he didn't throw down his 'Weapon until he
knew his hours acre numbered.
Ryan, 40 }ears at the time of his last eritne" survived for
another hour and a half, dying in a Sarnia hospital. if Ryan,
had, lived, he would'haue been, Sentenced to hang. so: either
way, when he walked into the liquor store late that
Saturday afternoon, he sealed his fate and the fate of two
other men,
The Huron lyxpositor,of the time greeted !Ryan's return;
to crime with; a lengthy editorial, outlining his years in
prison, his past record and the story of how religious.
organizattons'.had made Ryantheir pet whenhe claimed to
be saved -
The: editorial• ended with a strongly worded conderm-'
nation of parolling, criminals and a;. plea that the royal
commission ,investigating prison management and the
treatment of criminals take a hard look at the Ryan cease..
The editor wrote, "Perhaps the Ryan case will give this
commission food for thought. Perhaps the section of the
general public that has been, crying over the hard and cruel)
lot of our prisoners will give a little thought to it too..
Perhaps they will come to the not unwise conclusion that.
_prisons are, or should be, places in which prisoners make
atonement for crime, • and not sumptuous free hotels,
Perhaps, too, they Will come to the conclusion that hanging
is plenty good enough for some class of criminals,"
Although it's difficult to find history books that mention
the Red Ryan case. since as we already, know. , many
Canadian history hooks feel if it isn't dull, it isn't history,
Mr. Ryan has long fascinated other writers- l Novelist
Morley Callaghan based "More Joy in Heaven" on :Ryan;
and the priest who served •as his confessor figure, and;
Toronto poet Ted Plantoshas a long poem called The
Legend of Red Ryan; which ends, "When you're name is
Red Ryan,, the going' gets tough to stay on the straight
road."
Mr. Plahtos-is likely right., When someone has been a
criminal since he.w'as a kid, it's hard to rebuild a life when
everyone you know follows a crooked path. Whatever the
reasons for Red's fall from grace, it will be many years yet
before he's forgotten in my old hometown. Chicago had Al
Capone and Sarnia has the infamous RTd Ryan to.
remember!,
Come see the:fhrills
of Ontario
Chariot, C , BenHur
Chuckwagon
RACES
Sunday, June 24th
at 1 o'clock Brussels Fair Gr ounds.
Adults 2.00:10 and under l .00
Preschooler Free
Sponsored by
Brussels Agricultural Society
VANA.STRA
CENTRE SUMMER PROGRAM
Starts Monday; July 2,. 1979 to Saturday, September8
Swim 'Lessons, p"eSchool,Youth,.Adult,•
Aqua fit.
Health Spal
Ladles
Tuesdays 7:30.
Tennis'' Instruction June 25, 6:30 p.m:
6 lessons.
Registration June 25-29; 1-9 p.m.
If you need a :brochure,or further information call
482.3544
Marine
museum fo.rHuron County?.
The .cabin and. the ,wheel-
house from the Shelter Bay, •
now used byits owner the
Goderich Elevator and Tran-
sit Co, as a storage barge ;in
Goderich harbor, . could be
moving to Huron County
Pioneer :Museum .if Ray
$cotchmer, the museum:cur,
ator, can find enough "money..
The property committee.
chairman,' Reeve D.R.
McGregor, told county
council in Goderich Thursday.
Day Camp Registration
Brodhagen Chamber of Commerce
children ages 5 - 12
on June 30 from 9 a.m. - 12 noon
Camp to start July 9 for 6 weeks.
Fees --$15:00 per child or $30.00 per family.
Chamber of Commerce will sponsor bus
to Mitchell Lions pool
to commence July 4 for. 8 : Weeks,
United Trails ' Bus
to Clinton Race Way
Starting Sunday, June `24th
Round trip fares from
Seaforth $2:OQ', leaves 12:45.
Mitchell $4.00 leaves 12:20.
Stratford $6:00 leaves 12:00.
Return leaving Clinton 5:15.
Includes programmeadmission totrack and
transportation.
.":.$101100*11.4..•
- •
Huron:
Hotel
This week and
Sart Matinee
B.W. PAW LEY
a PLUM LOCO
Mot' week 8 Sat. Matineejr.:
Thebest in
4 show group entertainment
Dining Room
Open Daily from 12 Noon
Good Old -Fashioned:
Home -Cooked Meals
' Continuous Entertainment fre rn 8 pi.rit. 01 s.m.
$GHWAY 88 ' MUBEIiN 345.2820
1,441111**+ex
You are invited to join with us
to celebrate the first annual
Heart
A.M'BO REE
Seaforth Manor Nursing, Home.
100 James Street, Seaforth. Ontario
Saturday June 23
Events:
9 A.M. sports activities ,with residentsand
students participating.
'1'00 AA; Bed race Seaforth 'Manor Staft'
offers challenge to any interested team.
1 P.M, talent show, open 'to local talent also
music by Old Timers Band .penny sale, booth
With lunch available.
Ail proceeds go .to the Ontario Heart Foundation.
'the Sheiter: •Bay components
are a gift but the moving will
be expensive:
Lackie Bros. Limited . of
Kitchener say that. for 58,170
they will remove the 50 ton
cabin and: wheelhouse from
the harbor to the `;museum
grounds. But that's just the
beginning:
Scotchnerestimates it will
take another, 54;000 or $5,000
to :facilitate the moire by
hiring crews to'.move wires
and .other obstacles in the
way; and to build a proper
display for the exhibit':
The curator told county
council he has had many
queries •concerning, the
'reason'the Goderich-located
museum doesn't have a
marine section, Since Goder-
ich is a port, it would seem
only fitting, Scotchrner said.
Now that the cabin' and
wheelhouse from the Shelter
Bay are available, a marine
` museum seems a, more likely
possibility, ..but the neces-
sary money iust!isn't' in the
budget at the moment.
• "The best place for a boat
is in the water," said Reeve
'Grant Stirling; and I'd
leave it there."
No action Wastaken on the
matter until. further, details
can 'be obtained.'
In other business, the
property committee • granted
the contract for caretakers'
uniforms to Campbell's
Men's, Wear in Clinton for
5516,81; granted thetender
for replacement, of the Reg-
istry Office roof to Exeter
Roofing and Sheet Metal Co.
Ltd: for 54,445; and
approved the tender of kJ.
Lawrie of Blyth for 55,680 for
painting the court • house
windows. Lawrie'swas the
only bid.
Two quotations for steel to
replace the first section of
the steps at Dunlop's Tomb
were each over 51,3004 The
property committee' • has
agreed . to look into steps
made from railroad ties Or
treated posts.
Heart. Jambore'e- set
for this Saturday,
l
Seaforth Manor Nursing
Home and Kilbarchan Nurs-
ing Home are sponsoring the
Seaforth Heart Jamboree as.
part of Senior Citizens and
Nursing Home' Week.
The Publieis Invited to
attend the
Annual.
1.O.O.F.
DECORATION
SERVICE
Sunday,
June 24
at 2' p.m.
BAIRDS' CEMETERY
STAG
for
GEORGE
KREUTZWISER
Friday,
June 22
The day will begin at. 9
a.m. June 23 with`. sports
events for the senior citizens;
who will be sponsored in the
competitionsby community
members.
Following will be a bed
race, open to the public;, and
a lunch booth. M.P.P. Jack
Riddell will kick off the talent
show at 1 p.m. which is also
open to the community,.
From 4 p.m. to 5 p.m, the
Old -Timer's Band will be
playing.
All are invited to share in
the day. Proceeds will go to
support further research with
the Ontario Heart Found.
atiion'
Frank Phillips LEGION MEMENTOS — examines medals on display,. in
.
the collection lection, of mementos Which have been collected, for the 50th
anniversarY celebrations of the Seaforth. Legion, The display will be in the
basem_en t 0: Le Ion from June 24 to June 30 and: the public is invited:
. ...f the g .
to drop'by
Quiet week
Seaforth police reported a
quiet week with only ,One
accident..
On Friday, three cars were.
proceeding north on Main
Street, When the first car
turned into McLaughlin;
Motors, a Ball Macaulay
delivery truck driven by Paul
Hildebrandslowed to allow
the car ahead to make the
turn, Keith; Hussey of Wal-
ton, driving the third vehicle, •`
collided ttt1th the rear end of
the Ball Macaulay truck.
There was approximately
$400 in damages to the
Hussey car.
Anyone intending to send their
,purchase of the
leedge toward the Walton' •
land: surrounding the
Community Hall please do so by June
.30th.
!Walton Area: Sports Cab
Sponsored by- M�
Seaforth
Lions .Club,O
NEXT
SATURDAY
IGHTI
9.1 a.m..- iunch provided
Tickets $6.00 each
Ticket's are (milted and are available at
Bob and Betty's, Vincent Farm Equip-
ment, The Huron Expoiltor, and from
Seaforth Lions or order by phone. Call
527-0120, 527-0373. Any remaining
tickets will be available at door
Saturday night.
Good old fashioned
Home -cooked meals
Main St. Seaforth, Ont. 527.1964
Seaforth Recreation Committee Presents
IG PLA.NS,; FOR LITTLE PEOPLE
TIMES.
A mini playground for children 3 - 7 years will include such
activities as arts & crafts, group games, circles, singing, drama,
quiet and active games and special events, An excellent summer
experience for your 'child, The program will be broken into two
distinct groups, with a senior and junior division.
• COST
The program will operate
through Friday, August 17
Morning sessions
Aft<tboon sessions
tchildrenwill be allowed to
pt.riodie special days only).
from Tuesday, July 3
(7 weeks).
9 a.m, -11:45 a.m,
1 p.m. • 3:45 p,m.
bring their lunches on
52.00/week for either mornings or afternoon
$4,00/week for both nmrnings and afternoons
$20.00 for the entire suimnier (7 weeks).
Forms available at the Schools.
LOCATION
Seaforth public Sellout.
REGISTER
Prior to June 24 at the Recreation Office
(Community Centre) or by mail to: Seaforth
Recreation Office. P.O. 13ox 885, Seaforth, Ontario
NOK lW0
For further information call 527-08
2