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"Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, March 21, 2000 - 13 Sketches of Scugog by Paul Arculus } Sketches of Scugog is a historical column written by local resident and historian Paul Arculus and published _---- ie in the Port Perry Star each month. AST WEEK'S article in this series gave the outline of a mysterious and untimely death of a young infant. On the evening of March 6, 1881, Dr. J.E.Ware of Prince Albert had been summoned to the home of Mrs. Mina Eddy where her daughter Mary was in the final stages of labour. Dr. Ware assisted in the delivery of a healthy baby boy. The following day, Monday, Dr. Ware again visit- ed the Eddy home and found the mother and child in excellent health, but became somewhat suspi- cious when Mrs Eddy told the doctor not to return again. His suspicions had earlier been alerted when he was not able to obtain the name of the father of the child. The Toronto Globe reported... On the following Saturday - the 12th- it being rumoured that there was something wrong at Mrs Eddy's, Dr Ware called again. He asked how Miss Eddy was and Mrs Eddy replied, "Mary's well but the baby is dead." He then requested to be shown the child. Mrs Eddy brought the body into the kitchen where the doctor was, and throwing it down on a bench in a careless manner, said, "there it is." On proper examination the doctor was of the opin- ion that proper nourishment had not been adminis- tered to the little one. Dr Ware then informed the mother and grand- mother that an inquest would have to be held and that he would call the coroner. He instructed the mother and grandmother to leave the corpse where it was until he returned with the authorities. That evening, Dr. Richard Jones, of Port Perry, the Coroner for Reach Township arrived and a jury was selected in order to carry out the inquest. Since they were denied access to the home, the party was dismissed. The following Monday, March 14, the coroner and jury were admitted into the Eddy home. When Dr. Jones asked to see the corpse, Mrs Eddy stated that she knew nothing about the matter. Mary Eddy also refused to co-operate. The matter was then turned over to County Attorney, J. E. Farewell, who in turn reported the matter to the provincial Attorney -General. The Eddys in the meantime had retained lawyer N.F. Paterson of Port Perry. Paterson was a respected and noted lawyer who later became the town clerk for Port Perry. A provincially appointed detective named Murray was assigned to the case. He arrived in Prince Albert on Thursday, March 17. He interrogat- Mother charged with murder of baby boy...... ed both Mary Eddy and her mother. They refused to give any information. Assisted by local consta- bles Jewett and Balfour, the property was extensive- ly searched for evidence. None was found. Detective Murray arrested both Mary Eddy and her mother Mrs Mina Eddy on a charge of murder. On Friday March 18, the Examination of the case took place before Justices of the Peace, John Nott and Reuben Crandell and continued until ten in the evening. The Examination continued throughout the following day. Dr. Ware was the key witness among many who were called. Paterson brought many character witnesses forward for the Eddys. The case was adjourned In reporting the case thus far, the Toronto Globe noted, The reputed father of the child is a young man named Macdonald, son of a well-to-do farmer, who however left the community several months ago. On the 26th, the case was resumed before Justices of the Peace John Nott and Reuben Crandell, son of Reach Township's first white settler. The examination was quickly brought to a conclu- sion by the |].Ps. The front page of the Toronto Globe gave this succinct summary of the proceed- ings, Mrs and Miss Eddy of Prince Albert, who were arrested on the charge of murdering the younger woman's child have been discharged by the magis- trates. Instructions have however been given to indict them for concealment of the body of the dead infant. - The Eddys were subsequently reprimanded by Justice of the Peace John Nott and then dismissed. They returned to their home on Queen Street in Prince Albert and made an attempt to resume their lives. As a curious post script to the story, the follow- ing letter to the editor appeared in the Observer two weeks later; Sir, Will you have the goodness to allow me space in BORELIA CABINET 'WAREROOMS HE Subscriber is sill working at his old place of buriness, manufuctunng every- thing in the CABINET LINE, such as Sofun Centre, Dining and Breakfast Tables, Re) Bureaus, Bedsieads, Chairs, &c. (Zp House and Sign Painting and Paper Hanging tone on the shortest notice. (5 A choice lot of STEEL ENGRAVINGS for Sale and Framed to order. Special Notice. A number of COFFINS of all sizes, ready- madeextra finish. A [First Class Hearse. ALSO, AGENT FOR TOMB STONES, Good Lumber and Produce taken in exchange for work. Borelia, Oct. 24, 1866. JOHN NOTT. Ad for John Nott, one of the Justices of the Peace in the case. your columns for a few lines to contradict a false report circulated against me by a few gossips of Prince Albert and neighbourhood in connection with the lat- est Prince Albert scan- dal. It is a miserable low piece of business and the wretched tattlers must have had little else to do when they were circulating any such report. | honestly and fearlessly deny the charge. | saw the young lady referred to the morning before I left home and though she knew and all my friends in and around Prince Albert knew for a couple of months before that | was leaving the locality she never mentioned anything else to me and if she had had anything against me she certainly would have let me know. J. A. McDonald. The cemetery in Prince Albert gives the final details of this strange story. Mrs Eddy had been widowed only four years before these events unfolded. Her husband, Rice Eddy had died in 1877 at the age of 62 The other children of Rice and Mina Eddy tell a tale of the tragedy of the times, all dying well before their prime. Their first born, a daughter, Louisa, born in 1847 had married but died in 1879. Leander, their first:sson had-died when only five - years old in 1855. Their next child, Annie, had died at the age of 23 in 1871, Letitia, the second oldest was only 19 years old when she died in 1872. The abrupt conclusion to the case may have been influenced by John Nott. In addition to being Justice of the Peace, he was a cabinet maker and undertaker who had settled in Prince Albert in 1847. He then moved to Borelia to open a cabinet mak- er's shop and at the time of the case had show rooms in Port Perry. He had buried Rice Eddy and at least two of the Eddy children. Mary Eddy, at the centre of this tragic story, never married. She stayed at home to look after her mother. Mrs Mina Eddy died peacefully at the age of 75 in 1895. Mary died 1907 when only 47 years old. The last person directly involved with the case, the Eddy"s lawyer, N.F. Paterson died in Port Dover in 1925. With him the final details of this unusual event passed into obscurity. The fate of the Eddy infant remains a mystery to this day. JOHN NOTT Justice of the Peace Supply iS NOW running low! More than 1000 sold. Less than 200 left. ASHES OUT OF THE YOU WON'T WANT A great gift for almost TO MISS "OUT OF THE ASHES" More than 300 pages of stories, photos and history. Pick up your personal copy at one of the following Port Perry and area outlets today, while supply lasts. any occassion. Available at: * Book's Galore & More » Settlement House Shops ¢ Shoppers Drug Mart » The Port Perry Star. * Seagrave General Store x a Sh RE Rt Ln a STR