Parrott Murder - The Inquest

The inquest into the death of Bridget Parrott took place at No. 3 Police Station during the morning of February 10, 1899 before Coroner Griffin:

“The court room was crowded with interested auditors, and among those present were Chief Smith, Inspector McMahon, and Major Prentice, who produced the axe, the instrument of death, to the jurors. Three hours was occupied in taking down the evidence.

“Ben Parrott, the matricide, was not present, and was not represented by counsel either.”¹

¹ Times. February 11, 1899.

Just before the inquest into the death of his wife, the father of the man accused of causing that death was his son:

“Around 9:30 o’clock, Benjamin Parrott, sr., walked into the court room. He was accompanied by his daughter, Mrs. Murray, of Buffalo. On only one point was there contradictory testimony given. An eye-witness of the murderous assault swore that Parrott struck his mother with the back of the axe, and the doctors in the case stated that the injuries must have been inflicted with the sharp side, as the wounds were deep.”

The first witness to testify was a man who saw the attack on Mrs. Parrott:

“Mr. Walter Jackson, No. 9 Ashley street, told about the same story of the case as was told in the Times on Thursday. He saw a woman run out of Parrott’s house. She fell in the road. Before she arose, a man, whom he supposed to be Benjamin Parrott, jr., ran out of the house and struck her on the head with an axe. Just at this moment, a man in a brick wagon passed. The witness said he shouted to him, but he took no notice of him. When the driver reached him, he asked him why he did not interfere. The man replied that he could not stop his horses. Witness said the man in the rig could have struck Parrott with his whip. Mr. Jackson said he knew Parrott, having employed him on two occasions. After striking the woman, Parrott ran into the house, and he went to Taylor’s grocery store and asked Mr. Taylor to call the police.

“Witness said a dozen or more persons gathered around the woman, but no person would go near her. ‘I have no more courage than most people,’ he said, ‘so I stayed away too.’”¹

The next person to testify also was a first-hand witness of the incident:

“John Dornan, Byth street, was the driver referred to by Mr. Jackson. He gave a slightly different version of the affair from the previous witness. He said Mrs. Parrott ran out of the house. Parrott came from the yard and overtook her in the middle of the road and hit her with an axe. When Parrott brought down the axe on his mother’s head, his rig was a few feet ahead of them. He saw just one blow struck, as Mrs. Parrott yelled, and he (witness) also shouted. This frightened his horses and they bolted. Witness said he stopped the horses at the spot where Jackson stood. He turned and saw that Parrott had gone, so he drove on.”¹

Then the next witness was a very young man:

“Arthur Goodale, King William street, a newsboy, swore that he delivered a paper to the Parrott house at about 5:09 o’clock on Wednesday. He usually opens the door and puts the paper inside. As he heard screaming inside, he just threw the paper at the door and ran.

“ ‘What did the screaming sound like?’ asked the Crown Attorney.

“ ‘It sounded like murder’ replied Goodale.

“Witness said he ran on to other customers’ houses and returned to Steven street via an alley. He saw the body on the road about six feet from the boulevard. He walked up to the woman, whose lips were moving rapidly. She did not speak, however, and he went to Tisdale street and told his brother. Then he returned. This time he saw the body in the boulevard. A few little girls were close to the body, but the men present were on the opposite side of the road. The lad gave his testimony in a clear manner and was complimented for so doing.”¹

A neighbor of the Parrotts followed, giving his memory of what he saw:

““Mr. Henry Roscoe said he was visiting at No. 8 Nightingale street. Mrs. Parrott was in the house on Wednesday when Ben drove into his yard. Mrs. Parrott heard him and said she would have to go home, and she left at once. Witness said he had just sat down to tea, when he heard a scream and some blows on wood. In a few seconds, he heard another scream and he ran to the window. He saw a man wearing a Cardigan jacket and carrying an axe or shovel running into the yard. The man was heading to the barn. He saw no ore. In a few minutes, some person came to his door and told him Mrs. Parrott had been killed. He went out and saw the body in the road. There was an old coarse bag on her head and body. He lifted it and saw she was breathing. He called to some spectators to help him carry the body. At this juncture, the patrol wagon arrived and he withdrew.”¹

Another neighbor interacted with Parrott after the murder:

“Mr. Robt. Richardson, colored, Nightingale street, said he had known Ben Parrott for about eight months. On Wednesday afternoon about 5:30 o’clock, Parrott came in his yard and went in his barn. Witness started out to get a pail of water in an adjoining house. Parrott ran up to him and said: ‘Don’t say anything.’

“ ‘What’s the matter?’ asked the witness.

“ ‘I killed my mother,’ replied Parrott.

“Witness said he told Parrott he was foolish, and Parrott replied ; ‘Yes, I have; I’ve chopped the d--- old ----‘s head off.’

“Then Mr. Richardson ordered him out. Parrott then showed him blood on his clothes and called attention to a cut on his finer. Parrott said his mother bit him. Parrott asked him to allow him to hide in the hay, and witness again ordered him out. Parrott then left.

“In answer to a question by a juror, witness said he thought Parrott had been drinking, although he did not stagger.”¹

Several members of the Hamilton Police department were called to testify:

“P.C. Walsh, patrol wagon driver, said at 5:45 he was changing horses at the station when he received a call to Parrott’s house. His information was that there was serious trouble there. When he arrived there with Constables Canary and Libke, the body was on the boulevard. Dr. Cockburn arrived just after him and ordered that the body be carried into the house. While the surgeon dressed the wound, he looked around for Ben Parrott. Near the barn door, he found a bloody axe. Driver Walsh said he reached the house in less than eight minutes from the time he left the barn, which was at %:30.

“P.C. Hawkins, officer at No. 3 Police Station, testified that he received a telephone message from Taylor’s grocery at 5:25. He said he transferred the message at once. Within five minutes the patrol wagon passed the station en route to Parrott’s house.

“P.C. Cruickshanks told of Parrott’s arrest. Witness was standing at Peacock’s corner, and he saw Parrott come out of Tindall’s hotel. Parrott walked westward, passing him. A woman then told that Parrott had murdered his mother. Witness went after him and caught hold of his arm, at the same asking him what happened at the house. Parrott replied: ‘I’ve not been home; I’ve been moving furniture.’ Witness held on to him, although Parrott struggled. He asked Mr. Young to telephone the police headquarters.

“While waiting, a woman walked in and told Parrott he had killed his mother. Parrott replied; ‘I’ve got to die sometime.’ On the way to the Police Station said, ‘I’ll get the rope, I suppose, for this; I’ll be hung.’

“Parrott made the statement in the presence of the conductor of the street car, in which he was taken to headquarters.”¹

Finally, detailed medical information was presented:

“Dr. Cockburn gave evidence regarding the condition of the woman, when he arrived at the Parrott house. She was lying on the boulevard and he had her carried in. He tied up her head. The doctor said the wounds must have been caused by the sharp side of the axe.

“Drs. Edgar and Yeomans, of the City Hospital staff, told of the woman’s wounds were caused by the blade of the axe, and that either of two of the wounds in the skull was sufficient to cause death. They also read the report of the post-mortem examination.”¹

Once the testimonies had all been taken, it did not take very long for the juror to come up with the following verdict:

“The verdict was as follows: ‘That Benj. Parrott, jr., on the 8^th day of Feb. 1899, in Hamilton, did willfully and with malice aforethought kill and murder one Bridget Parrott, against the peace of her lady the Queen, her crown and dignity.’ ”¹

The morning after the inquest, the details of Parrott’s legal representation were addressed in the Spectator :

“The reason the prisoner was not represented at the inquest was owing to some uncertainty as to who was going to defend him. This morning Staunton & O’Heir received a written retainer from the Parrott family to take charge of the case.

“When seen this morning, Mr. Staunton said he had not interviewed his client, but the plea of insanity would be the strong point for the defense. Mr. Staunton said he had no doubt the man was crazy and he intends to use the fact that other members of the family were weak-minded.

“J.H. Long said he knew nothing about the change of counsel. He received his instructions to defend the murderer from Benjamin Parrott, sr., and has not yet been notified that his services would no longer be required. There is, however, no doubt that Mr. Staunton will represent Parrott when the case is called at the police court on Tuesday morning.²

² Hamilton Spectator. February 11, 1899.

There was a witness who had been identified too late for the inquest but who would be called at Parrott’s trial:

“The man who threw the sack over the dead woman’s face before the arrival of the police has been found. He is Robert Wilson and drives for Adam Ballentyne. He however knows very little about the matter. He drove along a couple of minutes after the act had been committed and seeing the woman lying on the side of the road, stopped his horse and covered the body. He then waited until the arrival of the police, and went through the house with the constables. Mr. Staunton will not put in any evidence for the defense on Tuesday but will content himself by listening to the story told by the crown witnesses.”²

Bridget Parrott’s funeral began at the family home on February 11, 1899 :  

“The funeral of Mrs. Parrott took place this afternoon from the family residence, 44 Steven street, and was well-attended. Service was held by Rev. Father Craven at St. Patrick’s church and the remains were interred in the Holy Sepulcher cemetery. The pall-bearers were Henry Blandford, J.G. Rayner, Joseph Crippers, James Maynard, Richard Tobin and Morgan McLaughlin.”²

As for Ben Parrott, jr., he affected an air of indifference about the inquest or about his mother’s funeral:

“Parrott remains indifferent to his fate. He sleeps and eats well and talks freely to his fellow prisoners and keepers. He appears to be quite sane and says that his mother was to blame and got only her just deserts. He speaks of the probability of his being hung as freely as if he were discussing a contemplated pleasure trip. He still refuses to see a clergyman, and continues to hold the belief that there is no future.”²