Arnold Walsh
In 1905, Arnold Walsh, 14, arrived in Quebec, Canada, with a group of 43 boys (17 from Workhouses) from the Catholic Emigration Association, Coleshill, Birmingham, England, en route to St.George's Home, Hintonburg, Ottawa, Canada.
J.B. Routhier Priest, January 23, (1905?), we the authorised priests, in the cemetary Notre-Dame des Neiges, left (disposed) of the mortal remains (bones) of Arnold Walsh, English Immigrant, deceased the day before, aged 15yrs., witnesses Fred Dowd, & Georges Dubois , authorized witness Priest Couture. ----Priest J. B. Routhier.
In July, 1905, Arnold Walsh came to work for James Kelly, of Masson, Quebec, Canada. Kelly had a farm and considerable property and Arnold was to work as a farm laborer. Despite James Kelly's obvious wealth and comfort, Arnold was forced to live and sleep in the barn.
He froze to death by February and was buried in a box too small for his crumpled up body.
After the discovery of his poor, wasted body, the autopsy showed he had been prodded with a pitchfork, was under-nourished and poorly clad and bruised, had severely frostbitten hands and feet, and a fractured skull. He lay on a bed of manure in his coffin.
The Coroner's inquest into the causes which lead to the death of Arnold Walsh resulted in the jury bringing in this verdict: "That the late Arnold Walsh came to his death as a result of cruel ill-treatment at the hands of James Kelly. We also demand the arrest of the said James Kelly for manslaughter and of the opinion that he should be taken before a court of justice to answer the charge against him. (Buckingham Post, 9 Feb 1906)
"The preliminary trial of James Kelly at Masson for ill-treatment of ... Arnold Walsh is over, and the following verdict has been rendered according to the Ottawa Citizen. ... James Kelly was guilty of neglect and ill-treatment of Arnold Walsh, and do hereby commit him to stand his trial at the next court of King's Bench. ... The deceased was under 16 years of age and Kelly was his legal guardian. ... The coffin in which Kelly buried young Walsh, as well as the clothing, were ordered sent to Hull. ... We have evidence of almost inhuman treatment of Walsh on the part of Kelly." (Buckingham Post, 23 Feb 1906)
At the end of the preliminary hearing, James Kelly was taken to Hull and jailed.
But James Kelly was not going to stay in jail long. "Until such time as the assizes are held at Hull this coming summer or autumn James Kelly is a free man. His advocate Mr. Yvon Lamontagne ... got his release Monday on $4000 bail. Kelly himself gave bonds of $2000, his father-in-law Mr. Kane and his brother-in-law McAndrew going security in $1000 each. (Buckingham Post, 2 March 1906)
On January 19, 1907, James Kelly was found guilty of manslaughter in the death of Arnold Walsh. Kelly was sentenced to 7 years in the penitentiary at St. Vincent de Paul. Judge St. Pierre addressed Kelly as follows:
"...the way you treated that poor boy when he was unable to work and the way in which the body was found, leaves no excuse. We must treat those boys, who are to become future citizens, well. ... I do not see how you could have forgotten yourself, forgotten that the boy was far from home and that you were his protector." On October 18, 1907, James Kelly continued his abhorrent behavior. J. M. McDougall, the attorney who defended him, entered action in the Hull courts for $737, being his fees for conducting the defense. It appears that Mr. Kelly, when sentenced, did not pay his attorney and let the account stand. Not because Kelly was unable to pay, in fact his considerable property was being managed by his wife. The same wife that allowed this child to die such a horrible death and did nothing to stop it. No one in the community, in fact, including the clergy, reported the abuse to any authorities.
As was said in the Buckingham (Quebec) Post when reporting this horror: "...and may Arnold Walsh rest in peace."
He froze to death by February and was buried in a box too small for his crumpled up body.
After the discovery of his poor, wasted body, the autopsy showed he had been prodded with a pitchfork, was under-nourished and poorly clad and bruised, had severely frostbitten hands and feet, and a fractured skull. He lay on a bed of manure in his coffin.
The Coroner's inquest into the causes which lead to the death of Arnold Walsh resulted in the jury bringing in this verdict: "That the late Arnold Walsh came to his death as a result of cruel ill-treatment at the hands of James Kelly. We also demand the arrest of the said James Kelly for manslaughter and of the opinion that he should be taken before a court of justice to answer the charge against him. (Buckingham Post, 9 Feb 1906)
"The preliminary trial of James Kelly at Masson for ill-treatment of ... Arnold Walsh is over, and the following verdict has been rendered according to the Ottawa Citizen. ... James Kelly was guilty of neglect and ill-treatment of Arnold Walsh, and do hereby commit him to stand his trial at the next court of King's Bench. ... The deceased was under 16 years of age and Kelly was his legal guardian. ... The coffin in which Kelly buried young Walsh, as well as the clothing, were ordered sent to Hull. ... We have evidence of almost inhuman treatment of Walsh on the part of Kelly." (Buckingham Post, 23 Feb 1906)
At the end of the preliminary hearing, James Kelly was taken to Hull and jailed.
But James Kelly was not going to stay in jail long. "Until such time as the assizes are held at Hull this coming summer or autumn James Kelly is a free man. His advocate Mr. Yvon Lamontagne ... got his release Monday on $4000 bail. Kelly himself gave bonds of $2000, his father-in-law Mr. Kane and his brother-in-law McAndrew going security in $1000 each. (Buckingham Post, 2 March 1906)
On January 19, 1907, James Kelly was found guilty of manslaughter in the death of Arnold Walsh. Kelly was sentenced to 7 years in the penitentiary at St. Vincent de Paul. Judge St. Pierre addressed Kelly as follows:
"...the way you treated that poor boy when he was unable to work and the way in which the body was found, leaves no excuse. We must treat those boys, who are to become future citizens, well. ... I do not see how you could have forgotten yourself, forgotten that the boy was far from home and that you were his protector." On October 18, 1907, James Kelly continued his abhorrent behavior. J. M. McDougall, the attorney who defended him, entered action in the Hull courts for $737, being his fees for conducting the defense. It appears that Mr. Kelly, when sentenced, did not pay his attorney and let the account stand. Not because Kelly was unable to pay, in fact his considerable property was being managed by his wife. The same wife that allowed this child to die such a horrible death and did nothing to stop it. No one in the community, in fact, including the clergy, reported the abuse to any authorities.
As was said in the Buckingham (Quebec) Post when reporting this horror: "...and may Arnold Walsh rest in peace."
Arnold Walsh came to Masson QC in July 1905. He also lived and slept in the barn. He froze to death by February and was buried in a box too small for his crumpled up body. The autopsy showed he had been prodded with a pitchfork, was under-nourished and poorly clad and bruised, had severely frostbitten hands and feet, and fractured skull. He lay on a bed of manure in his coffin. His "patron" was convicted of "manslaughter by neglect" and was sentenced to seven years in penitentiary. No one in the community—including the clergy—reported the abuse to the authorities.
From:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/
From:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/
Buckingham Post, 9 Feb 1906:
The Coroner's inquest into the causes which lead to the death of Arnold
Walsh, an orphan boy residing with James Kelly, has resulted in the
jury...bringing in the following verdict. That the late Arnold Walsh
came to his death as a result of cruel ill-treatment at the hands of
James Kelly. We also demand the arrest of the said James Kelly for
manslaughter and of the opinion that he should be taken before a court
of justice to answer the charge against him... As we go to press Kelly
is on trial...
Buckingham Post, 23 Feb 1906:
The preliminary trial of James Kelly at Masson for ill-treatment
of...Arnold Walsh is over, and the following verdict has been rendered
according to the Ottawa Citizen...James Kelly was guilty of neglect and
ill-treatment of Arnold Walsh, and do hereby commit him to stand his
trial at the next court of King's Bench... The deceased was under 16
years of age and Kelly was his legal guardian...The coffin in which
Kelly buried young Walsh, as well as the clothing, were ordered sent to
Hull...We have evidence of almost inhuman treatment of Walsh on the part
of Kelly...drove Kelly to Hull Saturday evening...and Kelly was locked up.
Buckingham Post, 2 March 1906:
Until such time as the assizes are held at Hull this coming summer or
autumn James Kelly is a free man. His advocate Mr. Yvon
Lamontagne...got his release Monday on $4000 bail. Kelly himself gave
bonds of $2000, his father-in-law Mr. Kane and his brother-in-law
McAndrew going security in $1000 each.
Buckingham Post, 19 Jan 1907:
In winding up the Hull assizes until the March term the following
sentences were imposed...James Kelly of Masson found guilty of
manslaughter in the case of the boy Arnold Walsh, a ward of the Catholic
Immigration Society, was sentenced to 7 years in the penitentiary at St.
Vincent de Paul...Judge St. Pierre addressed Kelly as follows-...the way
you treated that poor boy when he was unable to work and the way in
which the body was found, leave no excuse. We must treat those boys,
who are to become future citizens, well...I do not see how you could
have forgotten yourself, forgotten that the boy was far from home and
that you were his protector. ..
Buckingham Post, 18 Oct 1907:
Mr. J.M. McDougall, the attorney who defended James Kelly of
Masson...has entered action in the Hull courts for $737, being his fees
for conducting the defence. The accused when sentenced did not pay his
attorney and let the account stand...Though Kelly is in jail, he has a
farm and considerable property, which is being managed by his wife.
The Coroner's inquest into the causes which lead to the death of Arnold
Walsh, an orphan boy residing with James Kelly, has resulted in the
jury...bringing in the following verdict. That the late Arnold Walsh
came to his death as a result of cruel ill-treatment at the hands of
James Kelly. We also demand the arrest of the said James Kelly for
manslaughter and of the opinion that he should be taken before a court
of justice to answer the charge against him... As we go to press Kelly
is on trial...
Buckingham Post, 23 Feb 1906:
The preliminary trial of James Kelly at Masson for ill-treatment
of...Arnold Walsh is over, and the following verdict has been rendered
according to the Ottawa Citizen...James Kelly was guilty of neglect and
ill-treatment of Arnold Walsh, and do hereby commit him to stand his
trial at the next court of King's Bench... The deceased was under 16
years of age and Kelly was his legal guardian...The coffin in which
Kelly buried young Walsh, as well as the clothing, were ordered sent to
Hull...We have evidence of almost inhuman treatment of Walsh on the part
of Kelly...drove Kelly to Hull Saturday evening...and Kelly was locked up.
Buckingham Post, 2 March 1906:
Until such time as the assizes are held at Hull this coming summer or
autumn James Kelly is a free man. His advocate Mr. Yvon
Lamontagne...got his release Monday on $4000 bail. Kelly himself gave
bonds of $2000, his father-in-law Mr. Kane and his brother-in-law
McAndrew going security in $1000 each.
Buckingham Post, 19 Jan 1907:
In winding up the Hull assizes until the March term the following
sentences were imposed...James Kelly of Masson found guilty of
manslaughter in the case of the boy Arnold Walsh, a ward of the Catholic
Immigration Society, was sentenced to 7 years in the penitentiary at St.
Vincent de Paul...Judge St. Pierre addressed Kelly as follows-...the way
you treated that poor boy when he was unable to work and the way in
which the body was found, leave no excuse. We must treat those boys,
who are to become future citizens, well...I do not see how you could
have forgotten yourself, forgotten that the boy was far from home and
that you were his protector. ..
Buckingham Post, 18 Oct 1907:
Mr. J.M. McDougall, the attorney who defended James Kelly of
Masson...has entered action in the Hull courts for $737, being his fees
for conducting the defence. The accused when sentenced did not pay his
attorney and let the account stand...Though Kelly is in jail, he has a
farm and considerable property, which is being managed by his wife.
Court documents found in the Archives of Canada on the murder of arnold walsh *contents are graphic
In November of 2012, Carol Goddard & Lori Oschefski visited the grave site of Arnold, leaving a few memento's behind. Arnold will be remembered.
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