1884-08-28and29 Two Hamilton Police Items

 

The Hamilton Spectator in 1884, daily carried an newsy column with a number of local items which were of interest but not having enough information for a full story.

In the “The Diurnal Epitome : What Goeth On In and About the City” of August 28^th, reference was made to the capture of a criminal long sought after:

-      James Muirhead has been wanted by the police for some months. Last spring a brutal assault was committed on constable Ferris by two or three young men, and Muirhead was suspected of being one of the parties. Since that time he has been lying low, but yesterday afternoon he was found in a house of dreadful reputation and arrested. He will be brought before the police magistrate this morning.

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The following day, reference was made in The Daily Epitome as to how Muirhead was captured:

-      Police constable Ferris is an old man, but he’s all there still. To capture Muirhead, he rigged himself up in an old pair of overalls, a blue blouse and slouchy felt hat. And had a whitewash brush over his shoulder and a pail of whitewash in his hand. Hid snugly in his blouse, he carried the baton he has had for over 30 years. Nobody knew him, the disguise was so complete. He found Muirhead in a vacant house at the corner of Wilson and Nightingale streets, sleeping off the effects of his last debauch. Muirhead didn’t want to go one bit, but the policeman made him come along. It is said Ferris will write a dime novel and has made application to go on the detective force.

 

Finally, the Hamilton Police force was also featured in another entry in the August 29, 1884 Daily Epitome:

-      The police patrol wagon is almost completed, and will be put into use early next week. It is lightly but stoutly built of ash and basswood, handsomely finished, painted black with dark red ornaments and lettering, and varnished. Two seats run the whole length of the vehicle, one on each side, which will accommodate ten or a dozen men. In the sides are compartments for holding a stretcher, which when required, will be hung on hooks. In the bottom of the wagon is a set of straps for fastening down violent prisoners, who may object to being conveyed to the station. The whole apparatus will, when completed, weigh a little over 1,000 pounds.