William James Deyell

The Port Hope Guide, Port Hope, Durham Co., Ontario, Canada, June 5, 1873

Body of a Woman Found!

SUPPOSED MURDER

We briefly noticed in our last issue the finding of the body of a woman in Mr. Jacobs' lot, near Welcome, but were unable to give particulars of the inquest being held that day (Tuesday) by Coroner Maxwell. From the evidence then taken it appears that the deceased was between 20 and 30 years old, and the body had laid in the position in which it was found for some months, being partially decomposed. The clothing found upon the body was plain, but clean and neat. The articles of dress consist of a large plaid shawl, a cloud with a card attached bearing the marks :1i" and "90," evidently a store ticket; a black velvet hat with feather; a silk hair net (brown); a white and brown cotton dress, faded at exposed parts; wincey skirt; home-made cotton-and-wool skirt; hoop-skirt; two pairs cotton drawers; chemise; two cotton under-garments; red woolen hose; prunella boots and rubbers. A water-proof mantle and white cotton underskirt were also found near the body; also a five-cent piece and two one-cent pieces. A short distance from the body lay a book-mark of perforated cardboard, having worked on it a design representing a harp, and the words "Meet me in Heaven." A black glass button was also found near, none like it being on the clothing upon the body. The hair of the unfortunate woman is light-brown in color, and portions of it were bleached almost white from exposure. Dr. Herriman made a 'post mortem' examination of the body, and his evidence before the coroner's jury is to the following effect: The body, particularly the face, was much altered by decomposition; height, about four feet eight; age, 20 or 30 years; not emaciated; medium size. The body presented no marks of violence, except a round hole just below the right clavicle, about one inch from the sternal end, and another upon the back part of the left shoulder, just above the scapula. The holes were about three-eights of an inch in diameter, and had the appearance of being made by a bullet ― both being of the same size. In front where the wound was, appeared a substance in streaks and patches, which made the under-garment stick to the body. The same appeared on the posterior part of the body about the wound, and extended nearly to the hips. Nothing of the kind was found on the other parts." This was all the importance evidence adduced at the first inquest, which was adjourned until Monday, last, at 2 P. M.

In the interim it was discovered that the body found was that of Mrs. James Deyell, of Millbrook, a daughter of the late Abner Abby, of Hope. The inquest was resumed on Monday, at the Temperance Hall, Welcome. The following compose the Jury: ― H. Pethick, Foreman; G. S. Thompson, J. Peacock, J. B. Pearce, F. Northcott, J. Parker, J. Kearnan, W. Smith, R. Routley, Thos. Carson, senr., Thos. Carson, junr., Thos. Wade, and Thos. Jeffrey.

Polly Deyell being sworn, testified that she was the daughter of James Deyell, Millbrook; her step-mother left home on the 16th of February, Sunday, all the family being at church; thought she had gone to her mother's, but not sure; made no search that night; her father was at Uncle John's in the afternoon; did not know where he was in the evening; he was at home when she returned from church, and under the influence of liquor; looked for mother next day; father worked at Sowden's; he went to Etcher's to look for mother, but did not find her, and looked no more; he was not in the habit of abusing her; she was a good mother, and kind to us all; father drank hard sometimes, but was not cross; don't know when he came home Tuesday night; he was a little tipsy; don't keep a horse; did not see him have a horse and cutter Tuesday; he said he wouldn't look any more for mother, have heard him say he was going to get married since mother left.

To the Foreman ― Father was home on Monday night. Witness then identified the clothes produced as those worn by her step-mother when she left home, also the book-mark.

William Deyell being sworn, testified that deceased was his step-mother; he was away from home when she left; his father told him Monday, 17th Feb., she had gone, and that he couldn't find her; supposed she had gone to her aunt's, Mrs. Irwin's, west of the Guideboard, or to some of her brothers in the States; his father seemed sorry she had left; stopped at home since his step-mother left to keep his brother and sister company; his father was not at home when he left for church on Sunday, but was when he returned; he slept on Sunday night with his father, who was a little the worse of liquor; his father wished him to go to her aunt's and see if she was there; on Wednesday morning his father again requested him to go and look for his step-mother; he got a rig, and he and his sister came to Adams' corners, where they enquired of Mrs. Greer, who said she had seen a woman pass around 11 o'clock on Monday, but was not sure whether it was the one they were looking for, and could not describe her clothing; they drove to her aunt's, Mrs. Irwin's, on the Toronto road; she had not been there; then they returned to Millbrook; Mrs. Etcher, deceased's mother, and a young man named Nugent, had been to Irwin's looking for her before them; Mrs. Etcher said to him that she would have his father arrested when she went home, as he had killed her daughter; he never saw his father beat or ill-use his step-mother; he had never heard him say he was going to get married, or that he was glad she had left. Witness also recognized a portion of the clothing produced as that worn by his step-mother, also the book-mark.

To a Juror ― His father never looked away from home for his step-mother, and that he and his step-mother always agreed well.

G. H. G. McVity testified that he is Manager of the Ontario Bank in Port Hope, also of the Savings Bank Department; did not know the deceased, Mrs. Deyell; knew that a person by that name had money deposited, and recognized a copy of her account; did not recollect her being being in the Bank of the 17th of last February; she drew $23.35 on that day, and they had her receipt for the amount she was paid four $5 bills, but could not say what the balance was paid in. James Deyell testified that he was husband of deceased; the week before she left he was working for Mr. Sowden; came home Saturday night, 15th Feb., and he and his wife went to the village, did their marketing at R. Howell's grocery, and returned home; sitting by the store she said, "Jimmy, I want you to be good to Polly"; he answered, "Elizabeth, I am always good to her"; had no words; went to bed, and got up Sunday morning as usual; he went after breakfast to see his brother-in-law, Thos. Armstrong, who was sick, returning home 11 o'clock, his wife was quite friendly, and he had no notion she was going away; young Haddad ............. over by his place and ... by his brother's, John Deyell's, slept until night; on his ... being home he stopped into Nugent's, and from there went straight home; this was about 7 o'clock; his wife was gone; the lamp was lighted on the table; thought she had gone to church with the children, so he sat by the stove for a short while; she did not return, and he went to bed and slept to morning; thought she had gone down to the old woman's, her mother's; on Monday morning he went to Sowden's and worked till noon; then came home, examined the trunk, and, found the pass-book gone, also her clothes; then he went to Mrs. Etcher's, but she had not been there, nor did they know where she was; he did not know how much money she had in the Bank, nor did he ever ask her; never heard any word of her till last Friday, when he heard she had been found dead; he was at the Bank with her once, about three years ago this fall; did not know how much money she drew; it was her own, and he did not bother with it; the money was sent to her by her brother, who was in the American army, and who has since died; and she never told him she was coming to Port Hope to draw the money; he had been in Port Hope but twice in two years, and then was working on the train; when he missed the pass-book, he thought she had gone to her brother in the States. Witness also recognized the clothing as that of his wife, and the book-mark.

To a Juror he answered that he did not intend to marry again; said so in a joke, he and his wife were always on friendly terms; he never interfered with her Bank affairs; he had written to her brother at Barren Centre, N. Y., but received no answer; he was at home Monday night, 17th Feb.; he had no knowledge as to how his wife came to her death; she was of sound mind, and healthy; there was never any jealousy between him and her, never any occasion for it; had been married about nine years.

Drs. Dewar and Powers submitted the following:

HOPE, June 2, 1873. We, the undersigned, were present when Drs. Herriman, senior and junior, exumed a body in the Port Hope cemetery today. The body was that of a female apparently below middle life, but was in such an advanced state of decomposition that we did not arrive at the cause of death. Dr. Herriman has shown me two pieces of skin taken from the body, which had the appearance of being perforated. The wounds were probably inflicted during life.

J. F. DEWAR, M. D., L. R. C. O. E.

L. W. POWERS, M. D.

The inquest was closed yesterday afternoon,, the jury returning a verdict of murder by some party or parties unknown.

The Port Hope Guide, Port Hope, Durham Co., Ontario, Canada, June 12, 1873

DEATH OF MRS. DEYELL!

Further Evidence

THE VERDICT.

The following is the remaining evidence of importance on this case (which we were unable to present to our readers last week), together with the verdict of the Coroner's Jury: ―

James Burton testified to seeing James Deyell on Sunday evening; he was then drunk or the next thing to it; didn't know then that his wife had left; didn't know they lived agreeably together or not, but it was the general talk that he did not give his wife enough to keep her comfortable; she was a quiet woman, and he supposed she had good reason for leaving; did not see him with a horse and cutter on Sunday evening, or at any time, as he had said; this was all he knew.

Susan Armstrong, who lived next to Deyell, had seen him drunk a good many times, but did not know anything of deceased's going away; recognized the water-proof.

Mary Etcher, mother of deceased, being sworn, said: ― The deceased never acted towards me as a child since she joined in the Deyell family; she was too much kept down; if I should call at her place, and her husband in, she dare not show me any kindness; she was one that kept her trials to herself, and always covered his faults; if she had told them it might have been better for her; when she left she looked like a skeleton, and I don't know how she was able to walk to Port Hope; I had not seen the deceased from the Thursday previous to her leaving, the 13th; I thought then she had a strange look, as if broken down with trouble; she had her hair down and kind of tucked up; I said, "Why, best you get a net and keep your hair tidy"; she did not say much, appeared to put it off easy, and said if she got anything new there was such a fuss about it; she left on Sunday night, the 16th Feb., and have not seen or heard from her since, although I made all necessary enquiries; I never knew of him beating her, nor did she ever say that he was cross to her; he appeared to have her so under his control that she was quite submissive to his commands and influences, and kept her from making free with her friends; I was at church on Sunday, and did not see Deyell; it was at the evening service I was I saw him on Monday; at 11 o'clock he came to our home looking for her; I saw him again at 12 o'clock, and I saw him again a little after night; I saw him again on Tuesday in company with Mr. Sowden, did not see him any more this day; I saw him on Wednesday morning about 8 o'clock; I went up to the house to see if deceased had come home; I then told Deyell I was going to look for her; he said he would go, too; I then left with my brother's son and came out to Port Hope; found she had drawn the money from the Bank on the day previous, the 17th; this is after I had come from Mrs. Irwin's, who lives at or near the Roseberry Hill, in Hope; I was also at Mr. Oliver Abby's; when I found she had got her money and was not at her friends' in Hope, I made up my mind she had gone to her brothers in the States; I wrote to them, and got answer to my first letter, saying she was not there, but none to subsequent ones I then thought they did not want me to know she was there; the letter I had the answer to was that one I had directed to Wellington Abby, my son; he lives in Wisconsin, Fondulac County, Byron P. O.; don't think he he ever resided in the State of New York; I don't know whether he (Deyell) followed her to Port Hope or not to prevent her from drawing the money from the Bank, or whether he had come out to obtain it from her after her having become possessed of it; when at Mrs. Irwin's, at Roseberry Hill, Deyell's son and daughter came there with a horse and cutter, and said they had come there looking for Mrs. Deyell; I told the boy (Willy), "Your father has killed her",; I have been shown the clothing, it is her's, the petticoat I made myself; the cloud I don't know; I never saw the book-mark, I think she must have got it sent her from the States by some of the children; she did appear to me when I saw her last, three days before her departure, a little disturbed in her mind, or, what I supposed, demented, she had that appearance; looked as if she was completely heart-broken from some cause; it was on Wednesday, the 19th Feb., that William Deyell and his sister came with the horse and cutter to Mrs. Irwin's looking for deceased, as they said.

John Owens testified to having seen a woman come part way up to his house, which is about 20 rods from the gravel road, Monday, 17th February; but he did not recognize her, nor could he describe her clothing.

Wm. Boskelly had been out hunting about the latter part of February and saw a woman sitting on a log in Mr. Brand's woods. When she saw him she rose and went on to the road near the cheese factory. He could not describe the clothing worn by the woman he saw.

William Marshall, about the 17th of February last, on his way home from Mr. John Brand's, saw a woman lying by the roadside in the snow. He passed by, and when about seventy yards from her he looked back a man get out of a sleigh, speak to her and go away. She then got up and went into the fields. She had on a white and red cloud, and he thought by her actions that she was not quite right in her head. This was about 2 or 3 o'clock. She carried a water-proof on her arm, and had a bundle under one arm. She went into Mr. Edmund Hawkins' fields, going toward Welcome. He would not know the man who spoke to her. He got out of Mr. Williams' (butcher) sleigh, the Williams boys driving. The woman was not very tall.

Albert Skitch saw the woman described by last witness walking along the Gravel Road towards Welcome, and saw William Marshall and Timothy Haskill just behind her. Did not think they spoke to her. He did say, She walked very slowly.

Charles Hutchinson, on the day of the Millbrook races, coming to Port Hope with a load of wood, found the pass-book produced on the Gravel Road a little south of Welcome, north of the hollow, on the west side of the road. About a rod south of the book he found eleven dollars in bills. He told several persons of it. He noticed a cutter track close to the fence out of the usual travelled road, near where he found the money. He gave the book and money to Coroner Maxwell, taking a receipt.

Mrs. Agnes Hutchinson, mother of the last witness, corroborated his testimony. When she found out whose book it was she enquired twice of Mrs. Deyell in Port Hope but she did not know of any person who had lost it.

Robert Little, on Monday afternoon, 17th February, (he thought) going to Port Hope on a load of wood, after passing the Guide Board, met a woman, who often stopped on the road and looked around her. He met Wm. Little and told him of the woman, saying that something appeared to be wrong with her. Next morning, Little told him he had twice asked her to ride but she did not answer. She was slim and not very tall.

Charles Hutchinson, on the day before he found the money, saw a woman a little south of the spot where he found it, going northward. He asked her to ride, but she made no reply.

William Little met his cousin, Robert Little, when returning from Port Hope on Monday, February 17th, who told him concerning the woman he met ...rv.ing, asking him to see what the matter was and ask her to ride. When he came up with her she was standing, apparently troubled, looking across the fields. He asked her twice to ride, but she gave him no answer, so he drove on. A man in a cutter came up behind him and enquired if he knew her. The man said he also asked her to ride, and she said she had no place to go. He could not describe her clothing.

John McMahon, on the 17th February, saw a woman near the culvert south of Welcome, standing on the west side of the road. As he came near she started toward him. He passed her, and she turned partly around, her back to him. She went across the culvert and went on perhaps two rods. He then met Chas. Hutchinson and another boy with a team. As they passed by she stepped to the east side of the road and got over the fence. The buildings he was passing hid her from his view, and he saw no more of her. He kept looking back, for she seemed to act strangely. He saw her hat and was sure it had something red about it, a flower or feather. He thought she had a shawl on, a light dress with dark stripes, and red cloud around her neck. He would not be positive as to the color of the cloud, but was quite sure about the color of the feather. She climbed the fence easily; he then being about 20 rods from her. The fields were nearly bare, and it was a grain field.

Luke McCormick had heard screams from a woman, one night (did not remember date) when about going to bed. The scream proceeded from a woman in a cutter just opposite his door. The cutter drove off at full speed. His wife also heard it. The scream appeared to be from a person who was frightened.

Robert Lethbridge, toll-keeper, had been told one morning by Luke McCormick that there had been murder or foul play the night before, and had made an entry of the time, "March 18,". He now knew that this was a mistake, and he should have said "February." He saw a woman pass the gate on the Monday spoken of, in the afternoon. She appeared to be in great distress, and was weeping. She wore a light striped dress, and was a little below medium height.

Charles Haskill, who lives on the Old Fox Road, one soft, dull evening, very dark, heard the report of a pistol in the direction of the gravel Road, about 10 o'clock p. m.,. Did not hear any cries, nor see anyone passing that night.

John Peacock went on Saturday afternoon to search about the place where deceased was found, thinking possibly he might find a bullet. He found a small pearl shirt-button, partially imbedded in the ground. He gave the button to Mr. McGuire, the detective, who was with him at the time.

William Hall, baker, some time in February last (did not remember the date), early in the week, saw a horse and cutter come to a stand-still before his door, the driver seemingly not knowing which way to go. He heard a woman asking "Which way are you taking me?" The man spoke so low he could not tell what he said. They turned to the Gravel Road, and the man drove the horse as tight as he could go. The woman was crying at the height of her voice, and he could hear her nearly up to Luke McCormick's. The horse had no bells on, and the snow was nearly gone around there at the time.

Mary Grimson, about the middle of April, saw on the opposite side of the creek, and near where the money was found, and near the gateway t..... into Mr. Jacob's field, tracks as if a buggy had been turned round three or four times.

This closed the evidence, and on the evening of Tuesday, 3rd inst., the Jury returned the following verdict: ― "That the said Elizabeth Deyell came to her death on Monday, the seventeenth day of February last past, or about that time, at the said Township of Hope, in the said County of Durham, having inflicted on the right breast of the said Elizabeth Deyell one mortal wound, which she died, evidently made by a leaden bullet fired from a pistol or gun by the said party or parties unknown. The above wound presents on view a round hole, just below the right clavicle, one inch from the external end, and it made its exit, which is apparent, through the back part of the left shoulder, just above the scapula. This wound corresponds and is in appearance similar to that on the right breast, both being of the same size ― about three-eighths of an inch in diameter. From these facts (circumstances connected with this case), evidence produced to the Jurors, presents and unanimously say, that the said person or persons unknown did feloniously, willfully and of the malice of forethought, kill and murdered the said Elizabeth Deyell egalist the peace of our Lady, the Queen, her Crown and Dignity."

John Deyell, residing on Lot 23, 3rd Concession, in his 95th year in 1878, was one of the first actual settlers. He came from the County Monaghan, Ireland, and settled on his land in 1816. He had four sons and four daughters by his wife, Margaret Lancashire, whom he married in Ireland. His descendents in 1878 are 74 grandchildren, and 56 great grandchildren living. Mr. Deyell assisted Mr. Wilmot in making the survey of Cavan, and also of part of South Monaghan. Mr. Deyell's experience was that of most of the early settlers - a life of toil and hardship. He says the first person born in the township was Florence McCarthy, and the first buried was Mr. Hyland. The first person married was Mr. McGuire to Miss McNeil. Mr. Thompson performed the marriage ceremony, and received the fee of one shilling. The first mill for grinding corn was a hand mill owned by Mr. Thorne. The first grist and saw-mill were erected by John Deyell at what is now called Millbrook. Mr. Deyell procured a boulder from the field, and got a stone-cutter to dress it down as a mill-stone. The first church was erected on Lot 12, 5th Concession, where Rev. Mr. Thompson, who had been sent out as a missionary, first preached. The first hotel was also built by John Deyell, on his farm, and his well-remembered sign, which hung out for 19 years, bore the motto - "Live and let Live." The first school-house was also built on Mr. Deyell's farm - to which he gave a grant of an acre of land.