Parrott Murder - The Beginning

Ben Parrott was a familiar figure on the Hamilton Police Court docket appearing on a series of cases whether as defendant or complainant.

The appearance of Ben Parrott, junior, defendant, along with his father Ben Parrott, senior, on July 8, 1898 was notable because it brought the light the nature of life in the Parrott family home:

 “Students of human nature could have spent a profitable hour at Magistrate Jelfs’ court this morning, as some queer specimens of humanity figured in cases heard by His Worship. It would be a difficult matter for an ordinary person to classify Benj. Parrott, jun., a full-grown man, Steven street, who was charged with assault by his aged mother. At first, he talked rationally, but after he heard his ‘best friend’ say that he knocked her down and that he must leave the house, he used very vile language to her, and the police had to call him to order. When he went into the witness box to testify in his own behalf, he again called her vile names and said he would not leave the house. ‘I am a better man than any person in the place,’ he said, ‘and, by ---, they can’t put me out.

“The prisoner was fined $2 or ten days in jail.”¹

¹Hamilton Times.   July 08, 1898.

Ben Parrott, despite not being hard up for money, still chose the jail term, rather than spend any of his money.

A reporter with the Times later approached Ben Parrott, senior:

“After the case was disposed of,  Mr. Ben. Parrott, sen., said he was almost dead with grief. ‘The prisoner,’ he said is a victim of the drink habit, and so is my wife. One or the other must keep out of the house, or there will be a murder there. Both are good and kind when sober, but it is seldom that they are both sober at the same time. My God, it’s terrible.’¹

Sadly, the father’s prediction proved all too prescient :

“Shortly after five o’clock last night, Benjamin F. Parrott, a carter went to his father’s home, 44 Steven street, and made a brutal attack on his aged mother with an axe. Her head was split open and she died from the effects of her wounds in the city hospital this morning. Parrott was caught shortly after he committed the deed and is now lodged in the Barton street jail.

“Parrott was on the Main street carters’ stand yesterday afternoon until 4:30, when he drove home. What happened immediately after he got there will probably never be known, as there was nobody but the unfortunate woman in the house at the time. It is supposed that the mother and son had some words and that Parrott, on going to the back door, found it locked. He picked up an axe, which was handy and commenced to smash in the door. Mrs. Parrott became frightened and ran out of the front door. Her screams attracted the attention of Walter Jackson, who was returning home from his work. He looked just as Mrs. Parrott emerged from the front door, and before he had time to realize what was the matter, the son came out of the side entrance with an axe in his hand. When Mrs. Parrott reached the edge of the sidewalk, she slipped and fell and was in the act of rising when the axe was brought down heavily on her head. The blow was followed by two others and then Parrott calmly looked for an instant at his victim, walked into the back yard, where he left the axe and, going out through a lot to Nightingale street, hurried from the scene of the awful tragedy.

                            

“Walter Jackson, 9 Ashley street, was an eye-witness of the whole affair. He is employed at Riddell’s  tinsmith shop, and was found there this morning by a Spectator representative. He told the story related with a few additional facts. ‘When I saw Parrott strike his mother with the axe,’ he said, ‘I started for the nearest telephone to call the police. I saw three blows struck, all with the blunt end of the axe. As I ran from the scene I called to an old man who was passing in a brick wagon to stop and help the woman, but he replied that he could not stop his horses. I went to Taylor’s grocery store and called the police, and then returned to where I was when the crime was committed. By this time, there were several men around, but we did not venture near the helpless woman, because we were not sure that Parrott was not inside the fence. The victim lay on the side of the road about fifteen or twenty minutes before the police arrived and conveyed her to the hospital in the patrol.

“About ten minutes after the crime was committed, Dr. Cockburn was visiting a patient in the east end and being informed of the sad affair drove to the scene. He got there just before the police, and found the unfortunate woman lying on the side of the road, her head resting in a pool of blood. He examined the wounds and saw at once that it was a hopeless case, and that it was a matter of only a few hours until she would die. The worst wound was on the left side of the head, the skull being split open from front to back. There was also a deep gash on the top of the head, and from both of these brains protruded. The left arm was almost cut in two and there were a couple of smaller cuts.

“About 5:30, the patrol arrived with Constables Libke and Canary. The police officers took charge of the woman, and with the assistance of County Constable Van Mere had her removed to the hospital. Henry McQuillan, a driver for Gillard &   led the way to the house where he thought Parrott was in hiding. He could be found around the premises, and the policeman instigated a search for him, after taking charge of the axe with which the fatal blow was struck.

“Mrs. Parrott was still breathing when she arrived at the hospital and the physicians did all in their power to relieve her sufferings. The woman gradually sank, and at midnight it was thought that she would not live many minutes. She rallied, however, and did not pass away until nine o’clock this morning. The woman never regained consciousness after the first blow was struck.

“Constable Cruickshank was patrolling his beat near the corner of King and Wentworth streets about six o’clock when he met Parrott. He had not heard of the affair, but just as Parrott entered Mrs. Tindall’s hotel on the corner, a woman came across the street and asked the constable:

“ ‘Don’t you want that Man?

“ ‘No,’ replied the officer, ‘not that I’m aware of.’

“ ‘Well, he’s just murdered his mother,’ continued the woman.

“The police man lost no time, but hurried into Young’s grocery store and telephoned to headquarters for particulars and instructions. He was informed of the murderous assault and instructed to hold Parrott until the arrival of the patrol. He went across the street and met Parrott just as he was coming of the hotel and after a struggle placed the bracelets on his wrists. When searched at the jail a large pruning knife was found on the prisoner. It was open, and Parrott remarked as it was taken out of his pocket. ‘If I could have got my hands on that I would have ripped the constable open.’

“The prisoner does not seem to realize the awfulness of his crime and takes everything lightly.

“On the way to the jail in the patrol wagon, Parrott talked quite freely to Driver Fenton.

“ ‘Why did you do it?’ asked the officer.

‘I didn’t,’ replied the prisoner.

“ ‘Why, yes you did. You hit her with an ax,’ said Fenton.

“ ‘Well, what if I did, it served her d--- right,’ said Parrott. ‘I told you this would happen someday.’

The prisoner talked in this strain for some time. He told the officer that his mother had not been living properly for some time, and that if she had had her own way, she would have sold everything in the house to buy liquor.

“Parrott slept well last night, and was in good spirits when he awoke this morning. He, however, had very little to say about the matter. On the way from the jail to the police court this morning, he remarked to Constable Knox, ‘I suppose I’ll get the rope I’ll get the rope for this.’

“ ‘Don’t you think you deserve it?’ asked the constable.

“ ‘No,’ replied the prisoner. “I had no peace around the house at all. She used to throw dirty water and soap suds on me. She’s dead, isn’t she?’ continued the murderer, and on being informed that his mother was still living, he had nothing further to say.”¹

¹ “Killed His Poor Aged Mother : Terrible Crime of  Ben Parrott Jr., Who Attacked His Helpless Victim With an Axe : The Unfortunate Woman’s Head Was Crushed In, But She Lived For Sixteen Hours : At First the Prisoner Denied the Crime, But He Afterwards Said It Served Her Right : The Murderer Arraigned at the Police Court and Remanded Until After the Inquest : Young Parrott Has Been a Desperate Character, and Appeared to Be Crazy at Times.”

Hamilton Spectator.   February 09, 1899.

While being escorted into the Police court, Ben noticed that the court room was animated with the presence of people who had heard about the crime :

“The back benches were filled when Parrott was walked into the court room. He had a smile on his face and not seem to feel his position very keenly. When his name was called, he stood up, but had nothing to say. J.H. Long appeared for him, and Crown Attorney Crerar appeared for the prosecution, but as neither party was ready to proceed, an adjournment until next Tuesday was granted. As no formal charge has been laid, a question arose over how the remand should be made out, and the magistrate instructed the clerk to fill it out, ‘That he did unlawfully kill and slay.’ This may mean that the charge will be either murder or manslaughter.”¹

The Spectator’s coverage of the Parrott case contained the following descriptions of the main characters :

“Benjamin F. Parrott, the murderer is 32 years of age. He was always of an eccentric turn. His dislike to his mother made him take up quarters in the barn at the back of the house, with his horse. There he fixed up a sort of room and lived in a contented way. He cooked his own meals and lived high. He was not content with ordinary fare and would be satisfied with nothing less than turkey, duck, chicken and such food. It is said he did not know the taste of bread and was not known to drink tea or coffee; while water, as a drink, was almost unknown to him.

“The carters on the Main street stand tell a story about him that on one occasion  he refused to take 50 cents for a job offered him, saying he wanted 75 cents. ‘I don’t live on beef and liver like these other fellows,’ said he, ‘I live on Turkey, ducks and chicken.’

“The worst feature about Parrott, apart from his violent temper, was his drinking habit. It was seldom that he was really sober. He generally drank strong spirits, but was averse to lager beer, and he had many a barrel of it in his room in the barn. Parrott’s special preference was brandy, and had several drinks during the day. He left for home between four and five o’clock.

“The carters say that Parrott did not say much about his mother; but it was well-known he disliked her very much. He was not backward in telling other people, however, what he thought of her, and at no time did he speak kindly of the poor woman.

“On July 8 last he was before the magistrate, charged with assaulting his mother. He was found guilty by the magistrate and fined $2 or ten days in jail. Although he had plenty of money at the time, he preferred to serve ten days rather than part with $2

“Parrott has had frequent rows with the members of his family, and was not particular whether he used a knife, revolver or axe on them; in fact, Parrott, sr., fully expected that some person who get killed in the brawls. Young Parrott was a most eccentric character, and at times acted like a crazy man. He was a dangerous man to be at large.

“The unfortunate mother, Bridget Parrott, the murdered woman, was about 60 years of age. Her life has been a very unhappy one for many years. She was the mother of a large family, but her children turned against her and the neighbors say she did not live the life of a dog. She was like her son, a hard drinker, and on January 12, 1897, was before Magistrate Jelfs, charged by her husband with being drunk and disorderly. Her husband is a hard-working man, and has for some time been employed by the Sanford Manufacturing company. The sympathy of the neighbors is all with him in his trouble.

“Other members of the Parrott family are weak-minded. One of the sons – William – has been in the asylum for some time, and other members of the family show signs of mental weakness. Another son went with the American army to Cuba, and two daughters reside in Buffalo. The youngest boy lives at home, but was not present at the time of the tragedy.”¹