Murder
& Love
Young man robbed
and drowned
The body of Joseph Graham, V.S. of
Port Perry, who had been missing since April 16,
1888 was found floating in the Toronto Bay on the
night of May 27th. Mr. Graham disappeared while
travelling from his father's home to Battle Creek,
Michigan to commence a veterinary practice.
About 7 a.m. Wednesday morning the
body of a young man was found floating in the bay
a short distance from the city wharves and opposite
Union Station. He was hauled onto the dock by some
workmen and the police were notified. His body was
taken to the morgue. The face of the body of the
deceased was terribly swollen indicating the remains
were floating in the water for a long time. The
body was fully clothed and in his pocket were a
number of letters and addresses which identified
the deceased as Joseph Graham, a recent student
of Ontario Veterinary College.
Mr. Graham was reported to having
last been seen in the company of a young man named
A.J. Dunning. Both of the young men had been registered
at the Revere House in Toronto, and were said to
be drinking freely together.
On May 8, Mr. Graham's father, James,
came looking for him in Toronto and told police
he had left home with over $400 in his possession.
When his wallet was returned there was only $60
left. At an inquest, no evidence could be given
to exactly how Graham met with his death. Dunning,
the last man seen with him said Graham had given
him his wallet for safekeeping, and he had tried
to return it to the hotel, but he never came back.
Although there was no evidence to
connect him with the murder, the coroner told Dunning
he had come nearer the gallows than he could ever
come again, and escaped. He also warned him in future
to avoid liquor and evil habits. Uxbridge Journal
- May 28, 1888
A domestic dispute
For sometime there had been trouble between Mr.
and Mrs. Arthur Sawyer. It culminated at noon on
Monday, when Mrs. Sawyer went to the stable of the
house she until recently occupied to get a spinning
wheel, by which she earns a living.
As she was trying to get into the barn, her husband
fired a shot from a twenty-two calibre revolver
which lodged in her dress. A second shot had no
effect, but a third hit her left foot above the
big toe, and caused a severe wound. Mr. Sawyer was
taken before Wm. Bateman, J.P., who sent him to
Whitby jail to await his trial.
He says he did the shooting to scare his wife off
his premises, not to kill her. Port Perry Aug.
29, 1895
Lovescape
Saturday's Toronto News gives a column
and a half account of a lovescape in the city, in
which a Port Perry girl named Henders and one Alex
Thompson of Durham County were principals.
Miss Henders has been on exhibition
at the Toronto Musee for some time, in a class of
pretty girls. The patrons of the musee had a chance
to vote on the beauty of the girls and Miss Henders
placed fifth out of 12 girls who were on view.
Thompson is one of the class of fellows
who gets struck on every girl that comes along and
fell before the superior charm of Miss Henders although
he is 40 years old and she 17. Thompson proposed
marriage and she foolishly accepted, so they were
ready to jump the broomstick (elope) one
night last week.
The minister was engaged and all was
making towards a union, when Miss Henders' father,
William J. Henders, heard of the prospective escapade
and went and captured his fresh young daughter.
Port Perry, March 21, 1895.
The courting
of Anna Paxton
Dr. George Jones arrived in Prince Albert in 1860
to open a medical practice. In 1868 GeorgeŐs brother
Richard graduated from medical school and the brothers
established a partnership in Port Perry.
Unfortunately George's marriage to Ann Martin had
broken up in 1866. He hired lawyer Gordon Bigelow
to pursue a petition for divorce. When this failed,
Dr. George moved to Imlay City in Michigan where
he obtained a divorce after one yearŐs residence.
 Meanwhile
he had been courting Anna Paxton of Port Perry.
Early in January 1871, he returned to Port Perry
to take Anna with him back to Michigan.
Anna's uncle, Edward Mundy was the owner of the
Port Perry Standard. In the newspaper Mundy reported
that Anna had been drugged and carried away to the
train by Dr. Jones. Mundy slandered the entire Jones
family in a series of articles in his newspaper
over the next few weeks.
Friends of Dr. Jones used the pages of the rival
newspaper, the Ontario Observer, to deny the allegations.
A series of letters and articles appeared throughout
early 1871.
Finally a letter signed by 200 supporters of Dr.
Jones and a separate letter by Anna, brought the
matter to a close by repudiating all Mundy's allegations.
Dr George Jones and his new wife Anna raised a family
and lived out their years in Imlay City where they
became leading citizens in the community.
More dead than
alive
On Sunday, Jan. 15, 1888, a party now unknown entered
the residence of an old gentleman over 90 years
of age, named Burk, at Caesarea, and after beating
him in the most brutal manner, robbed him of over
$300.
Leaving the old gentleman more dead than alive,
he proceeded to steal a horse and buggy from Mr.
Elliott, a magistrate in the village. The thief
then drove the rig to Hampton where he left it and
made off.
The services of Detective Burroughs, of Toronto
was secured who traced the brute from Caesarea to
Hampton, Port Perry, Prince Albert and Whitby.
Port Perry, Feb. 2, 1888
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Personalities
