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Record #15318
Name :
: John POWELL (1885 - 1898)


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 1885 (approx.)

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 22 Jun 1898   Notes : Suicide by Gunshot
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialCanada, Austin
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 19 Aug 1893
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Labrador

Placement Family
: Wheeler
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Barnardos
NotesIn 1893, J. Powell, 8, arrived at Quebec, Canada, in a group of 166 Barnardo boys en route to Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Morning Telegram
June 23, 1898

"A Barnardo Boy Shoots Employer's Son

AFTERWARDS TAKES HIS OWN LIFE

A Deliberately Planned Scheme
Revenge for a Trivial Matter
Wanted to go to a Picnic
but was Forbidden.

Austin, Man., June 22.--Johnnie Powell, a Barnardo boy, thirteen years old, and working for Mr. W. C. Wheeler, shot and killed Mr. Wheeler's four-year-old boy Charlie, and then committed suicide last night at Mr. Wheeler's farm about two miles east of Austin.

Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler drove into Austin in the evening, leaving the two boys at home alone. Mrs. Wheeler returned first, and missing the boys, went to a neighbor's to enquire after them, but before she got back Mrs. Wheeler had arrived home, accompanied by Mr. Walker, a neighbor. Mr. Wheeler went to the house fora lantern, and in the meantime, Mr. Walker lit a match in the stable and saw the two boys lying there dead. The younger boy was shot in the left temple and the Barnardo boy through the heart. The revolver was lying at his feet.

When Mr. Wheelr [sic] left home he left Powell milking the cows. As soon as he was gone Powell must have gone into the house and thrown the milk pail on the floor, then upset nearly everything in teh house and broke the windows. He then went upstairs and go Mr. Wheeler's revolver and also some cartridges from a bureau drawer and loaded the revolver. After shooting the little boy he took out the empty cartridge, then opened the breast of his shirt and deliberately shot himself through the heart.

The only motive known for the crime is that Mr. Wheeler refused to allow him to go to a picnic, which is being held at Moose lake, near Sidney to-day."

Morning Telegram
June 23, 1898

"Further Particulars of the Murder and Suicide

THE CORONER'S INVESTIGATION

Shaw, of Carberry, Visits the Scene
The Youthful Murderer Upset
Everything in the House
Before the Crime.

Austin, Man., June 22.--The coroner (Dr. Shaw, of Carberry), visited the scene of the murder this morning, but deemed an inquest unnecessary, as all the circumstances point very conclusively that the boy Powell shot Charlie Wheeler, and then committed suicide. The cow that Powell was milking when Mr. Wheeler went away was not finished, so he must have commenced his depredations shortly after Mr. Wheeler left the farm. the milk house was in a badly mixed up state, all of the pans being upset on the floor which was an inch thick with milk and cream. He also upset things in the house, emptied the coal oil can, broke dishes and smashed a window. He then must have proceeded to do his deadly work, first procuring the revolver and cartridges, then led Charlie to the barn and shot him into the left temple. He then took out the empty cartridges and turned the cylinder back, then opened his own shirt, put the revolver to his breast and fired. The cartridge with which Charlies was shot has not yet been found, there being in the revolver only one space and one empty cartridge and two loaded cartridges. The stable in which the murder was committed is a log building about 30 by 40, with a row of stalls along the south side and a door on the east side, right behind the stalls. Charlies Wheeler's body was lying cross-wise of the door about four feet back. Powell's body was partly in the first stall. when Mrs. Wheeler came home she put her horse in this first stall and must have passed within two feet of both bodies.

Dr. Shaw states that both shots could not have been better placed by an expert for their deadly effect, death being instantaneous in both cases, the younger child dying with a smile on his lips, the parents of the murdered child are nearly heartbroken. Powell was always very much thought of by both Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler. He seemed gentle with the children and was very obedient and well behaved, never showing the least sign of violent temper. He always professed great love for the children but has been known to say to another Barnardo boy living near, that he hated Charlie. No other motive for the crime has been discovered excepting Mr. Wheeler's refusel [sic] to allow him to attend the picnic.

Mr. White, of the Barnardo home in Winnipeg is expected on tonight's express. the double funeral is tomorrow at 1 o'clock." 
ContributorsCreated : 2011-11-13 19:41:14 / From original database

Last Updated : 2011-11-13 20:25:54 /

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Surnames starting with:   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  30 Entries        
Page: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 724 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
3020 ABBOT, Alice1877ENG, MDX, Islington Oct 1893 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
23669 ABBOTT, Alice1877ENG,     Oct 1893 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
3045 ABBOTT, Leslie1883ENG,     Mar 1893 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
3071 ABEL, John1886ENG,     Jun 1897 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
23728 ADAMS, Ethel M1887ENG,     Jul 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
4491 ADAMS, Henry F.1880ENG, ESS, Brighton Mar 1893 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
21088 ADAMS, Percy Robert1884ENG, SSX, Hastings Apr 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
8762 ADAMTHWAITE, Ethel Maud1887ENG, LND, Holborn Jul 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
9959 ADAMTHWAITE, Mary Kate Jane1886ENG, LND Jul 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
20177 AGGETT, Sidney Francis George1883ENG, DEV, East Stonehouse Jun 1897 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
19952 ALEXANDER, James1883ENG,     Apr 1897 : Labrador CAN Fegan Homes for Boys  
22083 ALFORD, W. G.1886ENG,     Apr 1897 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
21078 ALLEN, Joseph1882ENG,     Apr 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
23771 ANDERSON, Ethel1887ENG,     Jul 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
22780 ANDERSON, G1875ENG,     Mar 1893 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
9711 ANDERSON, Julia1879ENG, DUR, Sunderland Oct 1893 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
21062 ANDREWS, J H1888ENG,     Apr 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
23784 ANDREWS, Stanley1884ENG,     Jul 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
22179 ANSCOMBE, William Andrew1883ENG,     Apr 1897 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
19911 APLIN, Albert1887ENG,     Apr 1897 : Labrador CAN Fegan Homes for Boys  
19622 ARCEMA, B1881ENG,     Jun 1897 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
23796 ARCHER, Edith C1887ENG,     Jul 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
8851 ARCHER, Maud S1888ENG,     Jul 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
6453 ASCOT, Arthur1884ENG,    , Tiverton Oct 1897 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
21097 ASH, Richard1885ENG,     Apr 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
6547 ASHBY, Arthur 1886ENG,     Jul 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
21080 ASHLAN, Joseph1885ENG,     Apr 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
22078 ASHLEY, A.1886ENG,     Apr 1897 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
8452 ASKEW, Alfred George1883ENG, ESX, West Ham Aug 1893 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
9779 ASPINALL, Christmas1878ENG, LAN, Liverpool Mar 1893 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
Page: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 724 Entries        
Surnames starting with:   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  30 Entries