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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        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
19520 POWELL, Alfred Arthur Edward1910ENG,     Jul 1926 : Celtic CAN Canadian Government Scheme  
4923 POWELL, Alfred George1913ENG, LDN, London Mar 1925 : Aurania CAN Liverpool Sheltering Home  
26681 POWELL, Annie1899 Oct 1910 : Sicilian CAN Barnardos  
6137 POWELL, Beatrice1883ENG,     Jun 1894 : Mongolian CAN Maria Rye  
26983 POWELL, Bertie1919ENG, LND Jan 1928 : Barrabool AUS Fairbridge Homes  
24648 POWELL, Charles1895 Jun 1906 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
15190 POWELL, David1872ENG,     Oct 1884 : Sardinian CAN Colonization Fund, London  
18066 POWELL, Earnest1894ENG,     Jun 1904 : Carthaginian CAN Middlemore  
11275 POWELL, Edward1889ENG,     Apr 1900 : Cambroman CAN Barnardos  
14645 POWELL, Edward J1895ENG,     May 1907 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
7745 POWELL, Eliza1861ENG,     Jul 1870 : Prussian CAN Maria Rye  
23454 POWELL, Fanny1897ENG,     Jul 1907 : Kensington CAN Barnardos  
7024 POWELL, Georgiana1860ENG,     Aug 1871 : Prussian CAN Maria Rye  
24990 POWELL, Henry Francis1900 Mar 1910 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
21944 POWELL, James1889ENG,     Oct 1903 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
15318 POWELL, John1885ENG,     Aug 1893 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
15564 POWELL, John1878ENG,     Aug 1886 : Parisian CAN Catholic Protection Society  
18874 POWELL, John1888ENG,     Sep 1899 : Arawa CAN Barnardos  
23455 POWELL, John Henry1894ENG, LDN, London Jul 1902 : New England CAN Barnardos  
23453 POWELL, Joseph1887ENG, YKS, Sheffield Oct 1903 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
6317 POWELL, Louisa1896ENG,     May 1910 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
16352 POWELL, Louisa 1874ENG, MDX, Shoreditch Jun 1890 : Parisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
15633 POWELL, Roland1916ENG,     Jul 1928 : Duchess of Atholl CAN Barnardos  
23452 POWELL, Thomas Edwin1892ENG, LDN, London Apr 1904 : Southwark CAN Barnardos  
23700 POWELL, Violet M1896ENG,     Jun 1906 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
9489 POWELL, William 1913ENG,     Sep 1924 : Melita CAN Barnardos  
15189 POWELL, William1870ENG,     Oct 1884 : Sardinian CAN Colonization Fund, London  
22331 POWELL, William1877ENG,     Apr 1890 : Sarnia CAN Unknown  
8687 POWELL, William George1917ENG, WAR, Birmingham May 1923 : Scythia CAN Middlemore  
21466 POWELL, William L1895 Apr 1905 : Kensington CAN Barnardos  
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
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