1890s Hamilton

“It was after 3 o’clock when the commissioners filed into the mayor’s office this afternoon to finally decide the punishment of Chief of Police McKinnon. Sometime before that hour, the chief had arrived and sat nervously awaiting the forthcoming result, whatever it might be.” Hamilton Spectator.    January 18, 1895 Worn out, broken down and exhausted by the recent events in his life, including the intensity of his meeting with the police commissioners the previous day, Hugh McKinnon arrived at Hamilton City Hall about 2:55 p.m, January 18, 1895. His hostile cross-examination by the police commissioners had left him frustrated that his explanation of his absence from duty and his relationship with Mrs. Gould and her sister was not accepted. While the chief sat uneasily, the beginning of the meeting was slightly delayed as the three police commissioners remained in the mayor’s office in discussion : “It was only a few minutes after 3 when the members o...

“Chief of Police McKinnon appeared before the board of police commissioners yesterday afternoon to make explanations as to his late absence from duty and the charges so freely made against him It was a most painful interview.” Hamilton Spectator.    January 18, 1895. The oft-delayed meeting between the Hamilton police commissioners and Chief McKinnon was finally held on Thursday January 18, 1895. At the long table in the meeting room, the chief sat at one end with his lawyer: “Mr. McKinnon was without uniform, had a pale and worried appearance, and when he began to speak, his voice was weak and tremulous.” 1 1          “The Story of the Trip : The Chief Before the Police Commissioners”   Hamilton Herald.    January 18, 1895.           After the three commissioners entered the room, Hamilton Mayor A. D. Stewart   began the proceedings, ca...

“Chief McKinnon will probably appear before the commissioners this afternoon. He is improved in health.” Hamilton Spectator.    January 17, 1895. He could not avoid it any longer. As Thursday January 17, 1895 arrived, Hamilton Police Chief knew that he would be facing the police commissioners that afternoon. There was rampant speculation as to how the chief would try to explain himself: “What his course of action will be, it is hard to say. It is said he will resign, and again it is stated he will make a brave fight to free himself of the charge of immorality.” 1 1 “The Chief Is Better : He Will Probably Appear Before the Board This Afternoon.” Hamilton Spectator.   January 17, 1895. Tommy Gould, husband of one of the sisters with whom the chief had spent some time in Toronto, had prepared stringently in case the chief tried to get out of the predicament he found himself in : “Thomas Gould yesterday afternoon telegraphed Detective...

Finally ! A word from Police Chief McKinnon in reference to how he came to be in the predicament he found himself in. His explanation did not come personally at a meeting of the Police Commissioners, but in the form of a letter that he sent to them. The Board of Police Commissioners met on Tuesday, January 15, 1895 in full anticipation that McKinnon would make an appearance but, yet again, the chief did not present himself. The chief’s lawyer was present and he presented certificates from Drs. Rennie and Griffin stating that while the chief’s health had improved somewhat, he was still too ill to attend any meetings. Lawyer Nesbitt also presented the following letter, signed by Chief McKinnon : “I take the liberty of asking your kind indulgence, when, instead of appearing personally before you at a public meeting of the board, I ask you to hear me by this written communication. “It is not a light matter to appear before a public body, surrounded by a ...

The McKinnon scandal had been played out in the Hamilton Herald for several days. With the arrival of the weekend, and with the chief himself bedridden and out of sight, a pause in all things McKinnon might hyave been expected. Such was not the case. On Saturday, January 12, 1895,the Herald weighed in, editorially, on the matter once again: “If the Police Commissioners continue to trifle with the grave and important matter of the alleged misconduct of Chief McKinnon, our people will begin to think that they are bent on – well, making themselves ridiculous.” 1 1 “The McKinnon Matter.” Hamilton Herald.    January 12, 1895. The editorial writer that while McKinnon might be too sick to attend a Police Commissioners meeting, the Commissioners were not too sick to got to him to get a statement as to whether the stories about his conduct were true or not : “It should not be a difficult matter to answer that question. “Indeed, if he means to s...