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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