DUNGANNON SCHOOL TEACHER HELD UP and ROBBED
Miss Alice Mitchell, teacher at S.S. No. 1 Dungannon township, about eight miles south of here, on her way to school Monday morning, at a lonely spot in the old Hastings Road, was held up and robbed by an unknown armed man, who sprang from a clump of bushes, grabbed her purse, and after threatening her with the rifle, took $12.00 from the purse, and disappeared in the nearby woods.
Police were notified and are making a search for the man, who is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing about 160 pounds.
CAR
Making themselves at home in the warmth of the Gilmour School last Tuesday night, thieves left a greeting on the blackboard which read: “Dear teacher, thanks very much for the use of the chairs and room and stove. – (Sgd.) H.R. and R.C.”
The school is directly across the road from the farm home of Reeve James Sprackett of Tudor & Cashel Township whose car was stolen during the night. The car was recovered at Unionville, wrecked and abandoned. The heater of the vehicle and other accessories were stolen. Provincial Constable Palmateer located a 1940 Pontiac Sedan which was abandoned near the Ormsby turn on No. 62 highway 16 miles from Bancroft. Police are of the opinion that the car thieves were forced to steal Mr. Sprackett’s car after abandoning the Pontiac.
752 December 1940
NIGHT MARAUDERS WRECK SCHOOL
About a month ago the teacher of SS No. 1 Dungannon Township was held up by a thug or thugs on a section of road between her boarding house and the school and relieved of a sum of money, the thief making off in the nearby woods.
One night recently the schoolhouse was broken into and the contents of the pupils’ and teachers’ desks were strewn over the room, canned goods which were kept in the school for the convenience of the children in serving hot lunches were stolen, and rice and flour were scattered over the room. It is believed the same party responsible for the hold up is still operating in the district under cover of darkness and had a hand in the theft and destruction of the school.
Other sections of the district are feeling the brunt of these night marauders. Recently the home of John Anderson was broken into and two dozen quart sealers of fruit stolen. Mrs. Gardener, residing near the school, reports quite a number of her chickens missing and Wm. Garrett reports that his poultry house was visited and turkeys stolen. Police have been investigating and have found a hideout in an old barn, in the corner of which was found a quantity of feathers indicating that the fowl had been plucked and dressed for consumption. So far the guilty party or parties have managed to elude the police by taking cover in the woods and pilfering at night.
$500 Fine and Six Months’s Sentence
Matthew T. Stone, Faraday, was fined $500 and in addition sentenced to six months in the County Jail, after being convicted of a second offence of being found in possession of a still, suitable for the manufacture of illicit liquor.
John W. Baumhauer, Faraday, an alleged accomplice of Stone’s, was committed to the County jail for three months after being convicted of a similar charge and in default of the payment of a $100.00 fine. The charges were preferred by the R.C.M.P.
Stone solicited a ride with provincial Constable Palmateer along the Monk Road one week ago and it was while riding with the officer that his suspicions were aroused by the rattling of bottles in a bag which Stone was carrying. Investigation proved the bottles to contain moonshine and charges followed.
Photos – S.S.9 Musclow school, 1908 donated by teacher Earl VanBlaricom; 1940 Pontiac.