Parrott Murder - The Day After

When the afternoon edition of the Hamilton Times appeared, it carried almost exactly the same coverage of the attack by Ben Parrott on his mother that had appeared in the morning edition of the Spectator.

However, given the extra time to put together the edition that would appear after the noon hour. The major additions which differed from the Spectator were drawings by the Times artist J. Thompson and an interview conducted with the murderer’s father.

A Times reporter was allowed to enter the Parrott home when he knocked and asked if he could speak to Ben Parrott, sr.:

“He was invited in by the fifteen-year-old son, who showed the way into a bedroom where Mr. Parrott was at work making entries in a small book.

“ ‘It’s just I’ve been expecting for months,’ said Mr. Parrott. ‘You remember when I had that boy in the Police Court, two months ago. I told Mr. Jelfs to separate them or there would be a murder. I knew it would happen. They were both drunk most of the time and quarreled nearly all the time. Occasionally when Ben wanted some clothes mended, he would come to her, with a sneaking tone, and she would fix them and throw them out to him. Ben slept in the barn nearly all the time, as he was soaked with whisky. When he was sober, he seemed all right, but I think he was a little off in his head. I have had no peace with either of them for years. The missus got all my daily earning, although I knew when I was giving them to her that they would be spent for liquor. Night after night I have locked myself in this room to try to get a little rest, but I was disturbed by them two in the back. This boy here (pointing to his young son who had tears in his eyes) is the only one of the family that is anything to me.’

“Mr. Parrott, who is an industrious, sober man, stated what was true in connection with the Police Court case. He did tell the Magistrate that his son would kill himself or his wife, but he declined to lay a charge of insanity against him. He simply had him ordered to keep out of the house.”¹

¹ “Killed Parrott Murder : Prisoner Arraigned and Pleads Not Guilty : Case Will Be Tried Tomorrow.”

Hamilton Times.   April 09, 1899.

The following day, April 10, 1899 editions of both the Spectator and Times carried extensive about how Ben Parrott spent his first full day in the Barton street jail.

The Times reporter proceeded to the jail and learned the following :

“Parrott has just as many privileges in the city jail as other prisoners awaiting trial. Yesterday afternoon he had the freedom of the corridor with Wm. Gassett, who is charged with assault, and B.F., charged with fraud. He talked freely to them.

“ ‘I don’t care a d---,’ he said, ‘I’d just as soon have a rope around my neck as a cigar in my mouth.’

“He slept well last night, but before retiring, he said he was unwell and wanted the doctor to call on him. When Dr. Balfe, the jail surgeon, visited the place this morning, he was shown into Parrott’s cell. Parrott told him he was alright, and the doctor withdrew.

“The turnkeys at the jail think Parrott is sane. He seems to fully realize what he has done, they say, but is indifferent. He told them there is no heaven or hell, and did not want any preachers admitted to see him.

“His sisters took delicacies to him last evening and again this morning.”²

² Hamilton Times.   February 10, 1899.

The Spectator reporter went to members of the Hamilton police to get the latest news from them:

“P.C. Cruickshank, who summoned the jury, will be relieved of the work of getting testimony, the case having been taken up by the detective department. Inspector McMahon has been working on the case himself, and says a strong prima facie case of murder will be made out against the prisoner. ‘I don’t take any stock in the insanity pleas,’ he said, ‘the evidence will show that Parrott showed the cunning of a sane criminal.’

“The detectives learned that Parrott made efforts to find a hiding place after he committed the awful deed. Being unsuccessful, he thought he would take a ‘bluff’ is the supposition, for he was heading for home after having a drink at Tindall’s hotel. At first he denied having been at the home, but afterwards admitted that he committed the deed.

Parrott, there is no doubt, was intoxicated when he killed his mother.

“When he arrived home with his horse and cart, his mother was at the residence of Mrs. Roscoe, on Nightingale street, and she saw him drive into the yard. She remarked :’I must go home now, or that fellow will go all through the house.’ She left at once.

“The detectives have learned that for a few weeks, since the cold weather set it in, the mother allowed her son to sleep in the house on a lounge at nights, as he contradicted a cold while sleeping in his room in the stable. That mother and son had a quarrel, just before the axe was used, is also clear. Major Prentice says when he arrived at the place, the blankets which Parrott used on the lounge were lying in the yard, just outside the back door. His theory is that in the quarrel, Mrs. Parrott threw them out and bolted the door. This angered the son, who broke the door with an axe.”³

³ Hamilton Spectator.   February 10, 1899.

The matter of Parrott’s sanity or insanity dominated the discussions about the crime:

“The Parrott murder is being discussed on the streets, in the homes and around the hotels. As usual, everybody had his or her own version of the affair, and no two stories are alike. Many people are of the opinion that the murderer was not responsible for his actions, while those who are best acquainted with him say that he was rational enough when sober and that he was sober when he left the carters’ stand about half an hour before the awful deed was committed.”

The Spectator also spoke to the Crown Attorney about the insanity plea:

“Crown Attorney Crerar, when spoken to this morning, said he thought the prisoner knew what he was doing when he struck the fatal blows, but he doubted if Parrott would ever have to pay the penalty of death, as the general opinion seems to be that he was insane. Mr. Crerar says the crown has a strong case against Parrott, and will put in evidence to show that he knew what he was doing when he committed the deed.”³

Next, the Spectator approached lawyer who claimed to be in charge of Parrott’s defense :

“J.H. Long, the prisoner’s counsel, paid a visit to him yesterday afternoon and had a long conversation with his client. He says there is no doubt that Parrott was temporarily insane when he committed the rash act. When asked what plea he intended putting in, Mr. Long replied : ‘Insanity and self-defense.’ Pressed for further information regarding the conversation with Parrott, he replied that until after the inquest, he would rather have nothing to say. He, however, intimated that when Parrott went home, he was attacked by his mother, and to save himself picked up the ax, and ‘in a moment of weakness killed the poor woman.

“J.H. Long, the prisoner’s counsel, paid a visit to him yesterday afternoon and had a long conversation with his client. He says there is no doubt that Parrott was temporarily insane when he committed the rash act. When asked what plea he intended putting in, Mr. Long replied : ‘Insanity and self-defense.’ Pressed for further information regarding the conversation with Parrott, he replied that until after the inquest, he would rather have nothing to say. He, however, intimated that when Parrott went home, he was attacked by his mother, and to save himself picked up the ax, and ‘in a moment of weakness killed the poor woman.’³

Reporters did extensive research and interviews about Parrott’s background:

“It is reported that some months ago Parrott nearly caused the death of his mother in a rather peculiar way. Parrott used to keep his room in the barn stocked with liquor; he got his beer by the barrel and his ale by the dozen bottles. He suspected his mother used to drink his liquor in his absence, so he filled several ale bottles with a mixture he had for giving horses suffering from the colic. Mrs. Parrott drank the stuff and was very sick for several days, and nearly died.

“Mrs. Murray and Miss Parrott, of Buffalo, daughters of the deceased, called at the Times office today to say that their mother was not a drunkard; they said she drank a glass of beer occasionally.

“They also said their father instructed them to say that he did not employ Mr. J. H. Long to defend his son. The daughters said that they ‘threw’ a lawyer out of the house last night for prying into their family affairs. Another lawyer, they said, tried to get the prisoner to sign over his horse and wagon to defend him. The prisoner, they say, refused to do this.”²

² Hamilton Times.   February 10, 1899.

The Times also found out about some of Bridget Parrott’s past and what funeral arrangements were being made:

“Many years ago, Mrs. Parrott was considered the belle of some balls run here. These were not society balls, of course. She was a handsome women, it is said twenty-five years ago. Her brother, the late Patrick Hanley, butcher, fell out of his wagon a few years ago and was killed. His body was found on the road a few miles from the city.

 “The funeral will take place tomorrow afternoon from her husband’s residence, Steven street, and the internment will be in Holy Sepulchure Cemetery. It is likely a priest from St. Patrick’s Church will officiate.” 
The Times Artist J. Thompson's drawings :