HOME      FORUM      HELP      SEARCH      
News : The Surname Interests Table (SIT), the Database for Special Interests Groups (DBSIG) and Ancestral Anniversaries
are now "mobile friendlier" more here ...
The RootsChat Reference Library

RootsChat.Com »  RootsChat Reference Library »   Database for Special Interest Groups (DBSIG) »   British Home Children : Quick Search

Record #10250
Name :
: Arthur GERHOLD (1876 - )


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 1876

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
:
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Kent, Greenwich
Abode (2) : Place of Death / Burial
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 13 Jun 1893
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Lake Superior

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Sailing Alone
NotesA birth record was found for Arthur Gerhold: Year of Registration: 1876; Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec; District: Greenwich; County: Greater London, Kent, London; Volume: 1d; Page: 932. Parents: Christian Lewis Gerhold and Helena Mihr, married March 20, 1866, St Botolph, Aldersgate, London, England.

On September 25, 1876, Arthur Gerhold was baptised at Saint Alfrege's Church, Greenwich, Middlesex, England. His parents were named as Christian Lewis Gerhold, licensed victualler, and Helena Gerhold.

In 1893, Arthur Gerhold, 17, arrived alone in Quebec, Canada.

Winnipeg Free Press
Augus 19, 1896

"HENRY'S MURDER

VICTIM OF RAPID CITY TRAGEDY IS DEAD

Strong Circumstantial Evidence Against a Young Englishman Named Arthur Gerhold--The Suspect Arrested and Taken to Brandon for Trial.

Rapid City, Aug. 18.--Joseph Henry, the victim of yesterday morning's shooting died at 9 o'clock, three hours after being shot. Dr. Crookshank, coroner, held an inquest which rendered the following verdict: 'That deceased, Joseph Henry, came to his death from a gunshot wound by whom inflected the evidence did not show.'

The story of the murder or suicide is as follows: Henry was operating a well boring machine for the provincial government at Mr. David Jackson's farm. The other occupants of the house were Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, their son David, and a young Englishman named Arthur Gerhold. All but Henry were out of bed, the Jacksons doing the milking about three hundred yards from the house and Gerhold feeding the horses about a hundred yards from the house. When Mrs. Jackson returned to the house she started upstairs to call Henry to breakfast and found him lying on top of the stairway. She told her husband and the husband, turning to Gerhold said, 'Arthur, did you do this?' The boy answers, 'What, has Joe shot himself?' Jackson left the house for help and during his absence Henry, who was still struggling, tumbled down the attic stairs to the second floor and expired in a small room between the two stairs. The deed was done with a single-barrel Winchester repeating shot gun, tan bore, belonging to Jackson and according to the evidence of Jackson's son was previous to the shooting, in his father's room on the first floor of the house and contained three cartridges. There was evidence of two shots having been fired and the third loaded shell was found in Henry's valise beside his bed. One empty shell was found in the gun but no trace could be found of the third, which must have been carried out of the house. The first shot seems to have been an accident, while in the hands of the murderer while going up stairs, the charge going through the door between the attic stairway and the landing of the room on the second storey. It is supposed that this shot wakened Henry, who was in the act of rising when he got the second shot just above the left eye. From the position of the hole in the roof, it is evident that the shot was fired from the stairway, about five steps down from the top. The gun was found lying at the side of the bed. The bed clothes were saturated with blood, and there was a great pool of clotted blood just in front of the bed. The victim had crawled to the head of the stairs and tumbled down to the second storey, leaving a heavy track of blood in his course.

There was blood on Gerhold's overalls. Gerhold and Henry could not agree, and just on Saturday they had a bad row in which Henry punished the boy severely. The case may be suicide, but there is a strong chain of circumstantial evidence that it is murder.

Gerhold was arrested this morning and taken to Brandon. The prisoner, who is about nineteen years of age, is not a Barnardo boy, but is the protege of some such benevolent institution. He is as stoical as an Indian. Henry will be buried to-morrow."

Winnipeg Free Press
August 21, 1896

"THE HENRY TRAGEDY

Details of the Crime from a Newdale Correspondent

--The Newdale correspondent of the Free Press send the following details in connection with the Henry tragedy, near Rapid City:

The neighborhood was startled during Monday by the news that one Jos. Henry, in the employ of the provincial government, working the well-boring machine, formerly a livery stable keeper in Oak River, had been shot or committed suicide between the hours of six and seven o'clock in the morning. When the tragedy was discovered by the Jackson family a team and man was at once dispatched to Rapid City for Dr. Crookshanks, the coroner, who wired to Dr. Stewart of Newdale, to go at once to the scene of the murder. Steps were at once taken to hold an inquest with Dr. Crookshanks presiding. The following witnesses were sworn: David Jackson, at whose place the crime was committed; Mrs. Jackson, David Jackson, Jr., a young English laborer, in the employ of Mr. Jackson, named Gerhold and John S. Stewart, M. D., of Newdale. The following is a synopsis of the evidence given at the inquest. Mr. Jackson, being sworn stated that he arose at the usual time about a quarter to five, when he called the help and family. They all went to their morning's work, which was milking and separating the cream, while the young Englishman above referred to went to the horse barn, just north of the house to work. mrs. Jackson returned to the house to get breakfast when she heard some noise upstairs, and on going to see what was the matter, she found Mr. Henry lying shot at the foot of the stairs leading to the attic. She at once gave the alarm, and her husband coming in at the time, she said, 'Some one has killed Joe.' The evidence of Mrs. Jackson and their son David was much to the same effect with the facts was returned. The young man Gerhold was arrested and is now in Brandon jail.

I can hardly close this account without referring to a petition that was forwarded to the hon. the attorney-general last evening, that a detective be sent up to investigate a case of perjury and that the commission of two magistrates be cancelled. One clause of that petition stated that the lives of Her Majesty's subjects residing here, and the chastity of our wives and daughters were called into jeopardy in so far as the justices of the peace named were concerned. No later than last month a letter and a number of affidavits were forwarded to the attorney-general showing that crime after crime was being committed, but an acknowledgment of this letter has not been received up to date, the people here have about come to the conclusion that we have no law, and that every one should be his own judge.

VIA BRANDON.

The Brandon Sun states that from what Detective Foster has seen, the particulars as to how the shooting occurred are supposed to be as follows:

The gun was kept in a cupboard off the kitchen; it was taken from there by some one, who had to open four doors and go up two flights of stairs before he came to where Henry was sleeping. The gun was a single-barreled Winchester shot gun and contained two unused shells in the magazine. When he got to the last door going up to the attic, he evidently cocked the gun so as to be ready and when he stepped upon the first step of the last stairway, the muzzle of the gun struck the top jamb of the stairway and went off, the contents going into the wall. He then re-loaded and proceeded up the stairway.

Henry, who had been awakened by the shot, raised himself in bed by his hands and looked out of a window which was right at the head of his bed, to ascertain where the noise was from. While in this position, the murderer, who had advanced far enough up to see him, aimed and shot him int eh left side of the face, completely blowing off the front part of his head and scattering his eyes and brains on the wall. He then advanced up the stairs, and going towards the bed placed the gun partly under it, so as to make it appear a case of suicide, but while he was doing this, Henry, who was not dead, fell out on the floor, spattering blood all around, some ofi it going on the prisoner's overalls and jacket he was wearing.

In the victim's death struggles there was not a foot of the room but was smeared with blood, and when the stuggle ended he had fallen two feet from the landing of the stairs.

While Jackson was away fro the doctor, Henry, who was not yet dead, by some means or other struggled around in such a manner as to fall down the stairs into a small sewing room, where he bled more freely, and expired, apparently living two hours from the time of the shooting.

When Gerhard [sic] was arrested, he exclaimed: 'It has come to this down to me; why does it come to me?' The detective replied that every incident pointed to him as the murderer. He then submitted quietly and went with the detective. Mr. Foster said he was not at liberty to state what evidence he had, but would submit it when the proper time came."


Winnipeg Free Press
August 26, 1896

"THE MURDER IS OUT

YOUNG GERHOLD CONFESSES TO KILLING HENRY

The Rapid City Murder -- Prisoner Told the Whole Story to the Policeman Who Arrested Him and Also Wrote a Letter of Confession to His Parents.

Brandon, Man., Aug. 25--The preliminary trial fo the young man Gerhold for the murder of Henry, near Rapid City on the 17th of August, was held this morning in the police court here before Magistrate Campbell. There was a large attendance of spectators. Deputy Attorney-General McLean was present on behalf of the crown. S. E. Clement for the prisoner.

The principal witnesses called were the members of the Jackson family, who detailed the events occurring on the morning of the tragedy. Prisoner had denied to them that he did the shooting.

Provincial Police Constable Foster, who arrested Gerhold on the charge, deposed that while driving prisoner from Rapid City to Brandon, after he had cautioned him to say nothing, he made a full confession to him minutely describing the manner in which he had taken Henry's life.

Governor Nixon, of the jail, was called and produced the following letter which the prisoner hd writen immediately after being placed in confinement.

'Provincial Jail, Aug. 18th.

Dear mother and father--Just a few lines to let you know of the trouble I am in now. Last Monday morning I had a quarrel with a man that has been at Mr. Jackson's boring for water in which I shot him. We had another last Saturday afternoon in which he was pretty near laying me out and he started again at me yesterday morning in which I settled him.

Do not be down-hearted to hear of this news. I am here waiting a trial, forty miles from Jackson, my late boss. I will let you know the verdict if you don't happen to hear it through the papers. It will be a case of manslaughter in which it depends upon the juries verdict whether I get off easy or not.

It is a bad thing to happen, but I could not help it. I was in a bad temper when it happened. Do not worry. I thought I had better let you know. I will write again if possible, so cheer up. With kind love t all and yourselves, good-bye. From your faraway son, (Arthur.)'

At the conclusion of the evidence the accused was committed for trial before the next court of competent jurisdiction, which will be held here on the 17th of November.

During the giving of the evidence and throughout the whole of the proceedings, prisoner sat with stolid indifference to what was going on and did not seem to realize his awful position. In answer to the usual question by the magistrate, Gerhold replied he had nothing to say."

Winnipeg Free Press
August 29, 1896

"A coat worn by Gerhold on the morning of the Henry murder, has been secured by Detective Foster. There is some blood on the sleeves. He also found a bloody handkerchief belonging to the prisoner."

Winnipeg Free Press
November 19, 1896

ARTHUR GERHOLD

TRIED AT BRANDON FOR THE MURDER OF JOSEPH HENRY

THE CASE IS CLOSED.

The Grand Jury Locked up for the Night--The Prisoner Testifies in His Own Behalf--He was Brutally Maltreated bythe Deceased adn Armed Himself for Self Defence--Good Character of the Accused.

Brandon, Nov. 18.--This morning the trial of Arthur Gerhold, charged with the murder of Joseph Henry, at the farm of Mr. Jackson, near Newdale, began at the assizes. The court room was crowded with spectators, anxious to catch a glimpse of the alleged murderer.

The prisoner maintains a calm and composed manner, and though no doubt greatly suffering from the gravity of his position , he is not visibly affected by it. Mr. Jackson, the proprietor of the farm upon which the murder was committed, was the first witness to go on the stand.

He deposed that he lived in the locality where the crme took place for several years, that the prisoner had worked for him and that Henry, whose murder was accomplished in his house was engaged on his farm boring a well with one of the provincial government boring machines. He could find nothing to complain of in the man Henry. In fact he had found him to be a quiet, inoffensive and gentlemanly fellow. Being cross-examined by Mr. Howell the witness admitted that he was very well satisfied with the work of the prisoner during the term which he had engaged him. The prisoner was at all times an obedient boy, given occasionally to fits of passion. He knew the prisoner for some time previous to engaging him and paid him $135 per year, while he was so engaged he would be willing to pay that sum or a larger one, though it was a good figure, for another year. He had heard of this man Henry before Henry came to his place to bore for water and was not very favorably impressed with his reputation. However, Henry's subsequent residence with him caused him to differently regard him.

MRS. JACKSON

was the next witness, and testified to her finding the body, its condition, and the position of the gun. She said that Henry had told her of some little difficulty which had arisen between the prisoner and Henry on the Saturday previous to the murder.

Being cross-examined by Mr. Howell she said that the prisoner was trustworthy as boys ordinarily are. The prisoner would sometimes ill-use the horses in the absence of Mr. Jackson, but, she admitted, to no greater extent than boys were sometimes wont to do.

DAVID WILSON JACKSON,

a son of the two previous witnesses, was now called, and wore that he left the house on the morning of the murder at about a quarter to five o'clock. He was accompanied by the prisoner to the stables, he left the stable at a quarter to six to go to the cow stable, some distance away. After he had been in the cow-stable for some time his mother, who had been engaged in milking the cows, left the cow-stable and went to the house, and it was upon her arrival there that the murder was first discovered. If Gerhold committed the crime he did it between the time of witness leaving the horse stable and his mother's arrival at the house.

To Mr. Howell the witness said, that Henry had frequently teased the prisoner, that about two weeks before the murder Henry and Gerhold had had a row about the management of the horse worked and driven by Gerhold at the boring machine. The prisoner had remarked to witness that 'He wondered why Joe had shot himself.' The witness here went off the stand and the court was adjourned for lunch.

TRUE BILLS.

The grand jury brought in true bills against Arthur Gerhold for murder, and against W. R. Shephard for theft.

AFTERNOON SITTING.

This afternoon Dr. Crookshank, of Rapid City, a practitioner of medicine of that place, was the first witness called, and he testified to having been called to view the body just after the murder. He said that he had examined the wound which caused Henry's death. The brain was left exposed and the frontal bone was broken in, also the left eye was blown out. The deceased was personally known to him and he was of the opinion that deceased would be a true friend, or if antagonized he could be, and would be, a bitter enemy. He was the coroner who sat on the inquest, which inquired into the death of the Indian Henry had been arrested and acquitted on the charge of murdering.

DR. STEWART,

of Nepawa, testified to the nature of the wound, which caused the death of the murdered man. He was not cross-examined.

JOHN R. FOSTER,

the provincial detective -- was next called and deposed that he had arrested the prisoner. He had cautioned him not to say anything, as it would be made use of in evidence against him. He had a knowledge of the history of the crime committed by Henry, Henry had murdered an Indian. After the trial some time Henry admitted to him in the Brunswick hotel, in this city, that he had shot an Indian, and remarked, 'You should have seen the son of a b---- jump.' Henry had a decidedly questionable reputation.

GAOLER NOXON

was the next witness, and being sworn, said that he was gaoler of the western judicial district gaol. He had charge of the prisoner. The prisoner, shortly after his arrival, asked that he be allowed to write a letter. He was given pen and ink, also paper, and wrote a letter to his father in England, which letter he produced in court, having intercepted it.

A LEGAL TILT.

Here counsel for the prisoner objected to the letter going in as evidence, and cited a case to support his contention of its inadmissability. Counsel for the crown maintained that the letter was admissable evidence, and produced authorities to uphold him. His lordship ruled that the letter was admissable, having been written voluntarily, and under no inducement, threat, or fear.

The letter contained an account of what had happened, and stated that on the Saturday previous to the murder Henry had brutally abused him; that on the morning of the murder he assaulted him again, and that he shot the deceased in self defence,

DR. PATTERONS,

of Winnipeg, was called, and deposed that he had made an analytical examination of the blood stains on the overalls worn by Gerhold on the morning of the murder, and he had found them to be human blood stains.

This closed the case for the crown.

THE DEFENCE.

Mr. Howell began the defence by calling the prisoner Gerhold. He took the stand and swore that he was from England and was the third youngest child in a family of seven. He came to the country three years ago and had been earning his own living since he was 13 years old. He worked for Mr. Jackson and assisted Henry in the well boring operation he was carrying on on Mr. Jackson's farm. Henry had treated him violently, had assaulted him brutally and he was afraid of Henry. He said that on the morning the murder was committed he had gone to the horse stable, accompanied by David Jackson, to attent [sic] to the horses. He worked some time and went to the house to get some paper which he intended to use in writing out an order he wished to given a neighbor to purchase some shirts for him that morning in Rapid City. When he went to his trunk in the garret Henry came from his bed and struck him on the back of the neck. Gerhold went down stairs and returned for the paper with a gun in his hand. The gun wen toff very easily and when half way up th stairs it accidentally went off. He adjusted another cartridge and proceeded to-wards the trunk. Henry made a rush for him and gun again discharged itself. When asked if he shot the gun off, he replied, 'I guess so.'

After the evidence was taken Mr. Howell addressed the jury for about half an hour. He was followed by Mr. McLean and afterwards the judge delivered his charge, which lasted for about an hour and a half. The jury went out at about 7 o'clock and will remain out all night."

Winnipeg Free Press
November 20, 1896

JURY CAN'T AGREE

ON A VERDICT REGARDING PRISONER GERHOLD

TRIAL BEFORE NEW JURY.

After a Long Night of Suspense to the Prisoner and Grave Deliberation ont eh Part of the Jury, the Latter Fail to Reach a Decision and are Dismissed by Judge Bain

The Trial

Brandon, Man., Nov. 19.--In the case of Queen vs. Gerhold, charged with the murder of Joseph Henry, the jury could not agree, after remaining out all night. The case will be tried over again before a new jury. The old one has been dismissed by his lordship, Judge Bain.

The Gerhold case is again proceeding before a new jury. The evidence is the same as reported in the Free Press yesterday.

Winnipeg Free Press
November 21, 1896

"A VERDICT GIVEN

THE SLAYER OF JOSEPH HENRY GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER

TWENTY LONG YEARS

He Will Serve in the Stony Mountain Penitentiary in the Expiration of His Awful Crime--The Jury Considering Their Virdict [sic] all Night and the Greater Portion of the Day

Brandon, Nov. 20.--The jury in the Gerhold case came into court at half past two o'clock this afternoon and returned a verdict of manslaughter against the prisoner.

...

Arthur Gerhold was called up for sentence. His lordship, Mr. Justice Bain, after dwelling on the enormity of the prisoner's crime, sentenced him to twenty years imprisonment in the provincial penitentiary."

Arthur was released about 1911 and married a girl by the name of Martha Marie. They had at least three child: Edwin Gelhord, born about 1909 in Massachusetts; Arthur Gelhord, born July 29, 1913, in Massachusetts; and Isabel Gelhord, born about 1913 in Massachusetts.

On September 12, 1918, Arthur Gerhold registered for the the US Draft. He declared that he residing at 18 Crescent Street, Elgin, Kane Co., Illinois; that he was 42 and his date of birth was August 28, 1876; that he was a laborer for B. S. Pearsall, situated at N. State Street, Elgin, Kane Co., Illinois; that his nearest relative was his wife, Martha Marie Gerhold, 18 Crescent Street, Elgin, Kane, Illinois. He was described as medium height; medium build; blue eyes; brown hair.

Arthur and Martha Marie Gerhold divorced before 1930 in Elgin, Kane, Illinois. 
ContributorsCreated : 2009-11-14 13:07:47 / From original database

Last Updated : 2009-11-14 19:48:55 /

Family History ResearchersRootsChatters with family connections to Arthur GERHOLD:



 
Readers Comments

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  1 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
10250 GERHOLD, Arthur1876ENG, KEN, Greenwich Jun 1893 : Lake Superior CAN Sailing Alone