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 #3939
Name :
: Samuel PRIOR (1880 - )


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 1880 (approx.)

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
:
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland
Abode (2) : Place of Death / Burial
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 30 Aug 1891
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Numidian

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Barnardos
NotesIn 1891, Samuel Prior, 11, arrived at Quebec, Canada, along with a group of 120 boys en route to the Barnardo Home in Toronto accompanied by Mr. Owen.

Samuel Prior was accused and convicted of the crime of murder. The Winnipeg Free Press reported on August 7, 1907:

PRIOR SUSPECTED OF MURDERING GIRL

Man Arrested Near Wolseley to Receive Preliminary Hearing To-Day

STORY OF THE CRIME

Rosie Mohr Attacked While Herding Cattle--Verdict of Jurymen.

Wolseley, Sask., Aug. 6--Half past eight Friday morning, as usual, Rosie Mohr and Natalie Hess, aged 11 years went out to herd between 9 and 10. The older girl went away about a half a mile to drive some horses out of the grain. Before leaving she noticed a man and dog about twenty rods away, but thought nothing about it. When she returned in the course of half an hour, little Rosie was missing, nor could she be found anywhere in the locality. On the girls disappearance becoming known, a search party set out, but it was not until the following morning about nine that Mrs. Mohr and her mother came upon a freshly made mound at the edge of a slough, where the bushes grew very dense. This proved to be the girl's grave.

Word was brought to town and Constable Tomlinson and Mounted Police Officer Sanbrook, left for the scene of the murder, about four Saturday afternoon. The grave only being six inches deep, the earth had to be heaped in order to cover the body. Dr. Hunt, of Indian Head, who acted as coroner in the absence of Dr. Elliott, went out Monday accompanied by Sergt. Dubuc and the jurymen. After hearing the evidence a verdict was returned that death resulted by having the throat cut.

The child had not been used roughly before death, but after death a terrible gash was made in the abdomen.

Suspect Arrested.

The cause of the murder is not known. S. Prior, the only one arrested in connection with the crime, was the man seen by Natalie Hess, Friday morning, he was also seen by several others in the same neighborhood, and one man gave evidence of having seen him at the bluff and slough where the girl was buried about 6 o'clock of the same day. It is thought that after the child was killed, the body was thrown into the bushes and in the afternoon buried. The prisoner was arrested on his homestead six miles away. He was identified by the dog he had with him; and was the only one having been seen in the vicinity of the crime. The evidence was very strong against him there being seven witnesses. Prior was taken to Indian Head by Sergt. Dubuque to-day and will have his preliminary hearing before the magistrate to-morrow after which he will be sent to Regina until further evidence has been gathered.

Winnipeg Free Press
January 24, 1908

DECLARES HE KILLED LITTLE ROSA MOHR

Alleged Confession of Prior Produced at Wolseley Murder Trial.

MANY WITNESSES HEARD

Minister Tells of Finding the Body Buried in a Bluff--Neighbors Give Evidence.

Wolseley, Sask., Jan. 23.--The Prior murder trial was continued here today. The court began to fill at 9:30, and the first witness called was Venda Hess, sister of the last witness. On Wednesday she also went out to look for Rosa Mohr, but could not find her. She went to all the neighbors and hunted for the missing girl all day. Quite late in the afternoon she saw a man down by the side of a wheat field. She was sure defendant in the box was the man she saw that day. After had stood looking at them he went back to the bluff where Rosa's body was found. Mr. Haultain severely cross-examined this witness. He put in the witness' depositions at the inquest, in which she said that she did not see the man and witness then said she did see him.

Mr. Haultain: "Now be careful. Which was it? Did you see him or did you not see him?"

Witness: "Yes, I did see him. I am sure of it."

Mat Slainder, a farmer living south of Moose Mountain Creek, was called. He said he saw defendant that day and he was carrying a stick and had a dog with him. He had known defendant six or seven years.

Mrs. Benedict was next called. She stated that she had seen a man on the [road?] not far from her house on the morning of the murder, but she was not sure who it was. Mrs. Catherine Mayher, another neighbor, was then called, and a Polish interpreter had to be requisitioned. Mrs. Mayher said about 4 o'clock in the afternoon of the day that Rosa Mohr disappeared she saw a man and he had on a grey shirt, jacket and a waistcoat. She followed him a little while as she thought he was a Pole, and wondered that he should pass so close to her without speaking. He had a yellow dog with him and was carrying a spade.

On resuming the sitting after the adjournment for lunch, Mrs. Anna Hess was called. She was examined by Mr. Haultain. He asked where she had dinner that day, and she replied at home with with Mrs. Mohr. Edward Hess gave details as to his mother and Mrs. Mohr coming to his house on the morning of the day of the murder. He was quite sure that his mother and the girls did not go out to search for Rosa in the morning.

Found The Body.

George C. Harris, a Methodist missionary stationed at the Grenville circuit not very far from the scene of the murder said that he knew a little of the prisoner before the time of the murder and thought he was lacking in some important respects mentally, he first heard that the child was lost, about 7 o'clock. He drove out to look for her, and after meeting with some neighbors, he went into a bluff and there found a grave. He lifted some sods which had been placed on the mound and found the body of the girl. It was face down with the legs doubled up under it. He lifted it out and laid it on the ground beside the grave, and then they decided to leave it there until the proper authorities had been informed. He had some conversation with Prior on the Sunday after the murder and he said "goodbye." Witness asked him what he was saying "goodbye" for and defendant replied that he was in trouble, the greatest trouble he had ever been in.

Made a Confession.

Sergt. Debuque was then called. He said that after the inquest he arrested the prisoner upon the coroner's warrant, charing him with the murder of Rosa Mohr. He gave him the customary warning, and defendant said: "I am up against it," or words to that effect. Witness said that defendant said he had known people to hang for similar things. Witness asked him what similar things, and he said "Killing little girls." Witness declared that on August 6 he visited the prisoner in his cell. After being refused a knife by the witness, the prisoner made the following statement, which was taken down by Sergeant Debuque: "I was digging a well on Friday, but I started for home as I did not feel very well. I came up to a little Russian girl with some cattle. I knew her. She teased me and called me a crazy Englishman. She had a dog with her which tried to bite my dog. Mine was a little yellow dog. I gave her a smack. I did not take long to fix her. Yes, I killed her. You think I am crazy; I am not so crazy as you think. I know what I am saying. I killed her and put her in the bluff, and then I got a shovel and went back and buried her."

The case was adjourned till the morning.

FIRST DAY'S PROCEEDINGS

Sam Prior on Trial for the Murder of Rosa Mohr.

Wolseley, Sask., Jan. 23.--The trial of Sam Prior on the charge of murdering Rose Mohr, 7 years of age, on August 2 last, began here yesterday before Judge Newlands. Levi Thomson appeared for the crown and F. W. G. Haultain for the accused. After the circumstances attending the death of the child as far as known had been reviewed by Mr. Thompson, Dr. G. A. Charlton of the bacteriological laboratory, Regina, was called to the witness stand. He gave it as his opinion that certain articles produced a part of trousers, a pocket knife, a shirt, a pair of boots and a towel, which he identified as the same articles examined by him, had upon them blood stains which he considered were made by human blood.

Stab Caused Death.

Dr. C. W. Hunt of Indian Head, who acted as coroner, at the inquest on the body of the child, when it was found in August, gave some details as to the inquest. He described the wounds found upon the child, that causing death being a deep stab in the neck which had severed the windpipe, gullet and the vertebrae of the neck. There was another in the abdomen about six or sen inches long through which the bowels were protruding. He considered that this was inflicted after death. There was no evidence to show that the child had been violated or that it had been attempted.

Mother's Evidence Varies.

Catharine Mohr, mother of the deceased Rosa Mohr, said that Rosa went out to herd cattle on Friday, August 2, the day that she met her death. She saw the deceased and a man about middle size standing more or less together. That was quite early in the morning, and she did not see anything more of her daughter alive. She was told at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon that her daughter was missing, and she went out to search for her, searching all the evening and the next day as well.

Mr. Haultain cross-examined the witness with the utmost severity as to her doings on the morning of the murder, and showed that her statement before the court differed materially from the statement made by her at the inquest held in August. She stated that a girl, Natalie Hess, a neighbor's child, who had been out herding cattle with the murdered girl, did not call at her house on the morning of Friday, August 2. Asked if she was certain if that was correct, she said "yes," whereupon Mr. Haultain showed her her evidence taken at the inquest in which she stated that Natalie called at her house at 11 o'clock that morning, and asked where Rosa was. Witness denied that she said it, and declared there must be some mistake in the writing.

Companion Testifies.

Natalie Hess was then called, and her evidence had to be taken through an interpreter, as she spoke only German. She also stated that she went out with the dead gir, Rosa, on the morning on which she was murdered, to herd cattle with her. She and her sister went away to chase some horses off some wheat, and when they got back the witness could not find her companion.

The Lethbridge Herald reported on March 5, 1908:

Ottawa, March 5.--The sentence of death on Samuel Prior to the murder of a little girl at Wolseley, Sask., was commuted to life imprisonment on the ground that he was not fully responsible for his conduct.

The Lethbridge Herald reported on March 25, 1908:

Edmonton, Alta., March 17--The fourth prisoner sentenced to life imprisonment in the Alberta penitentiary was brought to the city on Saturday and is not installed in the penitentiary. The prisoner, Samuel Prior, of Wolsley, Sask., was convicted by a jury recently, or murder in the first degree. He was sentenced to be hanged on March 13th but his sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. The prisoner is about twenty-seven years of age, who was formerly an inmate of the Barnardo Home. 
ContributorsCreated : 2008-07-28 16:22:24 / From original database

Last Updated : 2008-07-28 20:53:33 /

Family History ResearchersRootsChatters with family connections to Samuel PRIOR:



 
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  4 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
4845 PRIOR, Arthur1913ENG, LDN, London Apr 1925 : Montclare CAN Barnardos  
3939 PRIOR, Samuel1880ENG,     Aug 1891 : Numidian CAN Barnardos  
20708 PRIOR, Violet1900ENG,     Oct 1913 : Corinthian CAN Barnardos  
14017 PRIOR, William H1887ENG,     Apr 1901 : Vancouver CAN National Childrens Home