Births Marriages Deaths Etc.

Etc. -- Lewis stabs Donly, 1879

Introduction | Source Documents | Other Sources | Photocopies | Back

A transcription of a page 2 article from 12 Dec 1879 Norfolk Reformer.
[Paragraph breaks inserted by the transcriber. Original is a single paragraph.]

Horrible Murder in Waterford

About six o'clock on Tuesday evening, a n[egro] named William Lewis fatally stabbed Michael Donly, a brakeman on the C.S.R.
It appears Donly was engaged in an altercation with a stranger in Slaght's Hotel, when Lewis came in and interfered.

Donly at once wanted to fight, upon which Lewis took refuge behind the bar and upon Donly attempting to take hold of him he stabbed him in the groin.

Donly fell to the floor exclaiming, "Boys I am gone." He died in ten minutes. He leaves a wife and two children, who live in St. Thomas.

Lewis was arrested shortly afterward. An inquest is to be held, but up to going to press we have heard no further particulars.

[Compiler's Comment: In a 12 Dec 2006 email to the webmaster, genealogy researchers William and Judy Harding of Newmarket, Ontario said the deceased's death was recorded twice, once in Middlesex County where deceased was born, and once in Norfolk County where he died. The Hardings also report that on his handwritten death certificate his surname is listed as Donnelly and his age at death is listed as 30. Michael was one of Canada's notorious Black Donnellys of Lucan, Ontario. William Lewis was reportedly a member of the vigilantes that massacred the rest of the family two month's later on 4 Feb 1890.