Chapter 3
ALEX STEWART: I have a story I'd like to tell you or am I too tiresome ?
FRED MORRISH, MURRAY GIBSON, BILL WADESON: Oh no - go ahead.
ALEX STEWART: Well do you remember George Bradshaw on the police force? Well for some reason Bradshaw got it in for me but the old chief he was very strong in my favour. But the sergeant, Bradshaw was against me - but I saved his life. That's how I came to be on the police force. George, he went to arrest a fellow in the saloon. The fellow he went to arrest just grabbed him and flopped him - for all Bradshaw was a big man. And they were getting ready to kick his head off, you know, and I looked in the door as I was going by - I looked in and saw the scrap and I rushed in and grabbed the fellow and jerked him back. All of a sudden I realized I was in a tight spot. They all looked angry at me and they were just about ready to pounce on me. But I seen something like that happen at Halifax and it reminded me, so I stuck my hand in my pocket like this, and said " Listen, young fellow, if you're in trouble you go to the police officer, and if you're fined in the morning, I'll pay your fine." Well they all started talking among themselves and they all cooled down quite a bit and they all agreed that was what he should do. I said "You can't get away with it. You may beat up the seargent, but there'll be a dozen after you tomorrow Well, he finally agreed to go and the sergeant handcuffed him and started with him and he had a street to walk along. I walked along with him until we got to the police station and he took my name and address, where I was stopping at. A crowd had followed us - about 25 or 30 of them - right on our heels. When we got down to the police station - in the old city hall, you know. There was those big windows, and four or five police were watching out of them. There was quite a big force then - there were fifteen. Fifteen police officers and they were just coming on shift and going off and walking around inside. When we came to the door I turned and said to the sergeant " I'll beat it off home now and go to bed," and I said to the fellow " I'll keep my word. I'll be down to the police court at ten o'clock, and if you're fined I'll pay it."
So I went home and went to bed and in the morning about six o'clock there was a knock on the door and Lena Watson - you remember Mrs Watson used to run the hotel; she come to the door and she said " You're wanted at the police Station." "Yes," I said, "that's right - but I don't have to be there until ten o'clock." "Well," she says, " it's the chief of police who's talking and he wants to talk to you." So I got ready and went right down. So he says " You're the young fellow who gave the sergeant a hand last night?" And I says "Yes sir." He says " How would you like to be a policeman?" I says "I don't like it. I wouldn't like the job." "You ought to change your mind," he said. " Because I think you would make a police officer. Think this thing over" he said, " I'd like to put you on the force." And I finally agreed to go on for thirty days trial.
Well the first thirty days I did some good stunts but I did more bad ones. The chief called me in his office and said " Alex, you just won't settle down. You'd make a good police officer, but you've got to cut out a lot of this stuff." I said " Chief, I don't want the job in the first place." "Alex," he said, "I'm going to give you thirty days' more trial, and try and settle down because I want to keep you." Well after the second thirty days was up and I didn't do any better than the first thirty, so... The last man on the police force - there were sixteen - I was number 16 - and they were counted from number 1, 2, 3 and everybody had authority over me and the last man on slept in a room beside the jail and I slept in there. So, on this last day, I knew it was all off for me and I wouldn't get no more chance ( and I didn't want any ). Well when I got up - I got up about noon - and when I was going through the office the old chief hollered at me to come in. He said he wanted to talk to me. "Alex," he said, "I'm mighty sorry, I guess the jig is off this time, I can't do any more - some of the citizens is kicking - I'm awful sorry. " I started to go out but he said "Come back here a minute. Now," he says " you and I are the only two policemen in Rossland to-night."
"It's Collins, the preacher." (I wouldn't be sure on the name - It was Collins, I think) He brought a girl from England out and passed her off for his niece, and he was living with her.....
FRED MORRISH: Oh yes
ALEX STEWART: Yeah - he preached a year in the church.
FRED MORRISH: Yeah, I remember that.
ALEX STEWART: He was a wonderful speaker. And he preached a year there and he had this girl in the family way. I think he went back to the old country and the New York police were looking for him and the London police were after him, but when the Rossland police found out, why he was gone back. But he went back and stayed with his wife only two or three weeks and came back again. Well they notified the New York police to meet the boat, you see, and get him and - God - he fooled the New York police and he got by them. So the old chief, Robertson, he wasn't taking any chances. You know that there were several places that the train stopped - at the switchback - and it was like that all the way to Castlegar. So when the train went out in the afternoon he sent all the police force out on it. And when they came to these places where the train stopped they would get out and wait for it to come back. So the train came in and the old sergeant couldn't afford the policemen at this time. So the chief he took me out to dinner and then he took me out to the house where this girl was, and he told me all about this preacher business and he says " you keep your eyes open around here to-night." And the funny thing was - it was 'way out on Washington St. ( and it wasn't finished then ) and there was a big bunch of bushes 'way out in the centre of the street and on the left hand side was a nurse girl, waiting on a sick person and I had to take her out that night and over on the lower side was the girl that the preacher had on the lower side of the street. And the old Miners' Union Hall - the first hall - just a shack built - and a long shack with seven partitions built across it, you see, and the girl was in one end and the old folks who used to live in it were in the far end. And, of course the chief took me up there and showed me the ground, you see, and everything, and took me around and introduced me to the two old people and told them about the preacher who was on the train - and we were going to get him this time for sure. Well they got very nervous and they went into the room where the girl was and they told the girl. The girl didn't say much but after I had been shown around I had that advantage, the chief said to me ( he went home around eleven o'clock) he says to me "Alex, you're the only man left on the force; will you behave yourself ?" I said " Chief, this is one night I 'm going to be on the job. You can depend on me." He said "I believe you." and he went home.
Well finally the train pulled in. Our whole force was on it and the preacher had got away. The sergeant was a great fellow for making out long reports , you know. He could certainly sound off and stretch out the sheets. He wrote one saying that the London police was mistaken and the New York police were mistaken. He blamed everybody but himself. And said Collins had never come in. (I say Collins, and that was his name, I think.) Well the sergeant came in and he met me and he said "You're through and you're through for good." " I know that," I said and wanted to be through and I walked out and I walked up the street to meet the girl, you know.
Well I got up there to this little bunch of bushes and I was a little ahead of time because she was supposed to come to the door and give me the high sign. So I was standing there and golly I thought I heard something move in the bushes. And it was a beautiful moonlit night - the moon was shining right overhead. I listened and I thought it was just a toad or something. Finally I seen a fellow all bent down with whiskers on - bent down and starting going down towards the old hall. He stood up and gave the window a tap and I said to myself: "Golly, that's Collins the preacher. He's got by the whole works and got ahead. Holy G. now what do I do? If I put in a call, old Bradshaw will get all the credit and I will get nothing." Said I : "I'm going to take him alone." He was supposed to be a dangerouse character and an athletic fellow too. I says "I'm going to take him alone - I'll try it anyhow," So I figured it out and went down the ground to the far end of the building and tried the door. Luckily it was open. I went in and over to the room where the two old parents were sleeping. I woke them up and I says Listen now, keep quiet, Collins the preacher is in the room with the girl right now." Oh. the old woman started yelling and the old man says "Keep your damned mouth shut!" And she closed up, so I said: " Have you any shootin' irons?" He got up on the wall and. got down an old rifle, but there was no firing plug in it. I said. " That's no good, but listen what I want you to do. We'll creep out of the house and go round by the window, where he went in through the window. ( The preacher when he went round by the window, knocked on the window and the girl opened it and reached out with her arms and dragged him in through the window.) And they were having a great time in there and I said "You get to this window," and it happened that there was a great big stump about the size of that heater there, about six feet from the window. And I said " You get behind that and use it to rest my service revolver." ( he was supposed to be armed ) I would take a chance without it. I said " You take my revolver and hold it on top of that stump." Well I got him to sit down there and I said " I'll go around and come in the other end."
And I noticed when the chief and I investigated earlier in the day that the wall was all ready to fall down. So I got to the door of her room and I knew I was going to have to go in with one bounce. And I got right through to the door and I stood there a few seconds and they were having a heck of a good time in there giggling and laughing and laughing and tickling. So I braced myself and made my rush and the door went plop with me on top of it. As luck would have it he couldn't get out of bed - he was all tangled up in the sheets, so by the time he was out of bed I was up on my feet and ready for action. Well we mixed it and it was one of the toughest fights I ever had. He was sure in condition and good shape, but I finally got him choked - choked him unconscious and got handcuffs on him.
So we started for the police station and he kept looking at me all the way down, and I figured he was going to try to make his escape. "Well," he said " I never thought I would be arrested by a kid cop." So I says "It's a funny thing but this is my last act. When I arrest you and lock you up I'm fired." "Oh no," he said "when I'm through talking you'll be promoted."
Well that's what happened to me - I took him down and he told me he was very hungry, so I says " All right I'll get you something." And I went out and got him a roast chicken and brought it in to him and then I went to jail him in the room ahead. In the morning the old sergeant come in ... Oh yes when I brought him in - I'm ahead of my story - when I brought him in there's two of the police there and they said " Why, you're off shift. You're fired. You can't arrest a man. What are you arresting that man for ?" I says " For a drunk." See, I didn't want them to know who I had. "Well" they said, "you'll be in trouble." I said " That's none of your worry." And that preacher he sure was a good fellow. He keeled over against the wall, you know and he made out he was drunk. I searched, went through the pockets - he had all kinds of money and everything. "Why" I says, "you're a bum - you haven't got a bean. Come on out to the jail where you belong." So we went out, you know and I went out and got him his dinner.
So in the morning the old sergeant, when he come on shift he came into my room. "What's the idea " he says "arresting a man after being fired, and arresting a man for being drunk?" The two policemen there say he was perfectly sober," " They don't know everthing," I say " I can prove when the court opens that he was so drunk."
So in about half an hour I heard the chief coming - he was a "big man - he come in Thump, Thump Thump (action by Alex) - the chief come in, he said "Alex, what the deuce happened last night ? You were off shift, but how come you came to arrest the drunk ?" I says "Chief, do you know who I got ?" He says "No, I don't !" I says " I got Collins the preacher." Well he just let one yell out of him and then he made a race for the jail. The first thing I heard was " Hello Collins ". "Hello Chief " - they were great friends - and then they shook hands. So then he came back and I was in bed and my sister had just sent me a silk nightshirt and that chief he just grabbed that shirt and he tore it all to pieces and pulled it off me. So when the case came up in court and he went out in the office and boy, did he bawl those others out. "Your nuts" he says " I sent you all the way out there so you wouldn't miss him, and he sat in the seat and talked to Bradshaw all the way in." He had this whisker on him and they didn't know him.
So in court - sure as heck he kept his word. When he was charged and they asked him for an explanation he gave me the finest screed I'd ever heard - bring tears to your eyes - he boosted me saying " You got a boy there of which no police force need be ashamed . You ought to be proud of all he's done." I was promoted to Number One.
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Note by Wayne Krewski:- The girl in the Collins story was Nellie Lake. Ronald Shearer gives an excellent and very thorough account of the story from Nellie's perspective in his essay on The Sad Story of Nellie Lake on page 129. I've summarized it here. Nellie grew up in a wealthy business family in Truro, England, but in 1890 the business had failed, and Nellie, almost 40 years old, was forced to take a job as domestic help. One day she got a letter from Wilfred Graham, a man she didn't know. He wrote that he was an admirer and wanted to meet. They met in public several times and he proposed marriage, saying he was going to Canada to make his fortune in the gold fields and would then send for her. Now Graham was, in fact, Walter Collins, and her father knew him by sight as a married man, and would never approve the union.
In September 1899 he left England and made his way to Rossland. Collins then wrote to Nellie as "Donald McFail" stating that "Graham" had been shot while on a fishing trip, and then followed up with a cable that he had died, then ceasded correspondence. Nellie placed an ad in the Rossland Miner asking for information about the accident. "Graham" responded, claiming that "McFail" was deceiving her. She continued to correspond by letter with "Graham" until in late 1901 or early 1902 he asked her to come to Rossland. Nellie's father paid her way, but was unable to provide anything more. She arrived in Rossland with very little money and couldn't find "Graham". She found out that "Graham's" good friend Collins had been collecting his mail. With the help of local grocers Morrison and Bryenton, she settled into a cottage they had available (according to Alex Stewart the original Miners Hall), and eventually made telephone contact with Collins who was in Greenwood, upon which she realized that "Graham" was, in fact, Collins. He said he would return to Rossland to meet her.
Collins was well respected in Rossland for his virtue and community involvement. He was a member of the local militia detachment of the Rocky Mountain Rangers and an officer of the Baptist Church. By this time the police were interested, and we have Alex Stewart's account above of the arrest.
At the trial Nellie was the main witness, and she provided the letters Collins had written her. She did admit that Mrs. Collins had contacted her about a letter from her that she had found in Collins' pocket after he had left for Canada, but didn't know who Collins was and couldn't explain it. From evidence at the trial, when the police entered the room, Collins was kneeling by her bed, pleading for forgiveness and asking her to accompany him to Greenwood. At that time, she said, she was "on the point of yielding." By Alec Stewart's account, when he entered the room "they were having a heck of a good time in there giggling and laughing and laughing and tickling". So it seems at that point they were reconciled. Collins was bound over for trial with a bail of $500, half on his own recognizance, and half by others. But everyone had turned against him and no one would put up the $250 so Collins stayed in jail. When it went to court Judge Forin wanted to consult the Attorney General on whether it should be a civil case instead of a criminal case, and in the meantime he altered the bail to the full $500 on Collins own recognizance. Collins disappeared. Nellie tried to make a living in Rossland as a household servant, but had trouble holding a position. Eventually she went to Spokane for medical treatment and was never seen in Rossland again. A rumour started that she, in fact, went to Spokane to meet Collins. It was further alleged that both her and Collins were heavily addicted to laudanum (opium in an alcohol solution), which was legal and readily available in Rossland at the time. It's entirely possible that Collins again persuaded her to forgive him and they ended up together.
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MURRAY GIBSON: You'd 'better have another drink, Alex, Do you want some Scotch this time ?
ALEX STEWART: O.K.
MURRAY GIBSON: All right, I'll get it for you if you want.
FRED MORRISH: Can I use your bathroom. Alec ?
ALEX STEWART: Yeah - just around the corner. Turn to your right. To your left - To your left, my boy,
MURRAY GIBSON: Did you know of a mounted policeman named Read - he opened a detachment in Grand Forks,
ALEX STEWART: No, I can't say I did.
MURRAY GIBSON: He opened this detachment and then he was on the dope detail.
ALEX STEWART: No, I didn't know him
MURRAY GIBSON: This is all there is of this. I'd better put in a little more of this other stuff and we'll leave the rest of this stuff for you.
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Note by Bill Wadeson :- This was the end of the adjournment and Murray tried to resume with the "dope" story which we must get on tape some day. At this point, however, Alec suddenly realized that all this conversation was going on tape and we lost the "dope" story. For the record it should be noted that this was pointed out to Alex at the outset and the machine was in full view but I guess he forgot, in his enthusiasm.
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MURRAY GIBSON: This chap he told. me he was on the dope detail and I thought you might have known him. Anyway he told me this story which you might remember .................
FRED MORRISH: I wonder if I left my coat in here - it's got my cigarettes in the pocket.
MURRAY GIBSON: Oh here, have these. Well this.............
ALEX STEWART: Your coat's laying right here on the bed.
FRED MORRISH: This chap Read told me about a ............ They decided they had the dope on a Chinaman in Rossland that they were sure that was peddling some dope .......
ALEX STEWART: Now I understand. Now I'm not talking any more.
BILL WADESON: That stuff has to be preserved. Alex you are part of the history of the country and this is our only chance to preserve it.
ALEX STEWART: Thank you,
MURRAY GIBSON: Yes, Alex you are one of the few fellows left who lived through these times and there are very few who can talk about it. This is the only way we can preserve it.
FRED MORRISH: When did you come to Rossland the first time?
ALEX STEWART: Ninety Seven.
FRED MORRISH: I came in ninety eight.
ALEX STEWART: Baby
FRED MORRISH: Well, I was still able to go to school when I came.
MURRAY GIBSON: How old were you when you came to Rossland, Alec ?
ALEX STEWART: Well I was born 1874 - that would make me about 23 years old.
BILL WADESON: What was this year you were speaking of when you joined the police force ? Was that right away?
ALEX STEWART: Yes right away - at least before 1900, You know we mentioned Collins and that may not be the right name.
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Note by Wayne Krewski :- In actual fact the nightly police log shows that Alex's first shift was on 10 Feb 1902. There may have been a short training period during the days prior to that which didn't show up on the nightly log. The first record of Alex on the Voters List is in 1903. There is a letter from the City of Rossland to Officer Stewart dated 29 Jan 1903 appointing him Police Constable at the salary of $85.00 per month for January & February and $80.00 per month thereafter. There is a letter from the Board of Police Commissioners to Alexander Stewart, Esquire, Police Constable dated 18 March 1904 asking for his resignation effective immediately. Whatever the cause & result of that was, he remained on the force for many years to come. From April 1908 to November 1914, the logbook shows that Alex was the only Constable on duty at night, except for occasional short periods when Alex was gone, presumeably on leave. His last entry was 30 November 1914. Also on 30 November 1914 there is an entry by Constable Caunt stating that he was sworn in and that both Chief Long and Constable Stewart of the Rossland Police force left the force and went to Nelson to take over there, and Chief Devit of the Nelson force came to Rossland to take over.
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BILL WADESON & FRED MORRISH: That's all right - that's close enough.
ALEX STEWART: But I think it was Collins
FRED MORRISH: There's not very many living now that would, know the difference, Alex.
ALEX STEWART: This is a story I'd like to give, but I wasn't so smart on this. Do you know Mr.E.H Winn ?
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Note by Alfie Albo:- E.S.H.Winn was the late head of the Workmen's Compensation Board
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MURRAY GIBSON: Yes - well I just met him
ALEX STEWART: And Mr.J.A.McDonald - He was the prosecuting attorney and Winn was the assistant. Well Winn and the prosecuting attorney knew that Bradshaw had it in for me, do you see, and they thought I was all right, I guess. And there was this fellow, a big engineer, I believe his name was McPherson, he was a mining engineer - a very wealthy man. He had quite a lot , I think, to do with mining in the early days. He come in and he was in the Collins House and he called everybody up for a drink and while they were having a drink he pulled out a bill, a thousand dollar bill, and he asked the boys if they ever saw a thousand dollar bill before, and he passed it around so that everybody could have a look at it. Then they passed it back to him and just as they passed it back to him a girl that was in that little office - you know that stood at the end of the bar - a girl stepped out of that office quick as lightening and grabbed the $1,000 bill and back in the office and up the back stairs and out the back way and got completely away. Well we're all after her and trying to catch her but nobody from the bunch was trying to catch her - they were all so astounded that they stood there. And maybe they wouldn't want to catch her anyhow, Well the police got onto it strong but soon the citizens began to kick to think that a girl could come into town and grab a thousand dollar bill from this man, and. he was one of the finest fellows in the country - highly respected by everybody you know, an awful fine man. ( I think it was McPherson I'm not sure ). They were complaining the police was doing nothing.
So one night I got a call from Mr. Winn. He said "You know your old sergeant's kinda got it in for you. I'm going to give you a chance to make a reputation for yourself." I said " How is that Mr Winn ?" "Well," he says, "you know the girl that stole the $1,000 ?" I said "Yes, we're all workirg on it," "Well," he said " you haven't got much, have you ?" He says " she's sitting here in the office with me right now. I've got the $1,000 but now I've got the chance to give you a great name. I want to take this girl into court. She could have skipped out and got clear away, but I wouldn't let her do it without going into court first and clear herself so she wouldn't be bothered by the police." He said "She's a fine girl, and I'll give you a chance to make a record for yourself." I said "How's that, Mr. Winn ?" "Well," he says "you go down on the corner of Washington St. and Columbia Ave and at seven o'clock......." At that time the streets is crowded, you know - all the gamblers and others are getting around to going on shift. The street is really crowded and he says "You be on the corner and you'll get the beat on everyone and no-one will ever know it but the girl and myself and the attorney general or the prosecuting attorney." I laughed and I said "Gosh, Mr.Winn, that's not much of a hero's job. You pick her up and phone me to tell me where she is and never mind that." He says. " Don't worry about that - you'll get a full - page spread." I says "OK" and I was there at seven and I was all swelled up with the thought that I was going to get a reputation, arresting the girl in this crowd.
So I stood there ten minutes past seven - no girl. Twenty minutes past seven - no girl. I says " By God that Mr Winn's made a fool of me. He got me down here to give the girl a chance to get out of town." All of a sudden I felt a tap on the shoulder. "Aren't you going to arrest me?" she says. Well I was quite excited. " " What's that ? Eh. Oh. Why sure you're under arrest." She laughed and we started down the street and I was walking 'way out on the outside of the sidewalk and she was on the inside. "You'd better get closer to me " she said, "or people won't think I'm under arrest." Well we walked in and I called up Mr.Winn and I said " That girl of yours is here but I didn't make a very good job of it." " What's that,?" "Well she had to tap me on the shoulder to draw my attention." Well I thought he would die laughing.
The case came up the next day in the courtroom - the people heard about it - the girl being arrested and everything. And the old gentlemen Sutherland had to lay information and the old city hall was jammed, and just when the case was about to start and the old judge started to do his talking, Mr. Sutherland stood up - he was a great big man - about 6 foot 3 or 4 and about 65 or 70 years old - He stood up and he says: "Your Honour, if it pleases this court, I'd like to withdraw that charge and give that $1,000 bill to the girl. That girl's mother was my greatest friend and she made me what I am today and her last words when this girl was 8 years old - she put her in my care and I took perfect care of her until she disappeared. I hired detectives trying to find her but never could locate her. But she stands here in front of you and she gave her right name - that's her right name - and I want this case withdrawn." And the judge dismissed the case right away and when the two of them left the courtroom she had him by the arm.
MURRAY GIBSON: Well that's quite a story.