DID HE STEAL FROM THE DELORO MINES?
/In the perfect little community of Deloro in the early 1900's, crime existed as in any little community, however, Deloro had the added enticement of carloads of silver being shipped out on a daily basis. In 1909 William Kevz from Finland seems to have been running a second career with Deloro silver. (see left). On February 10, 1910, the Marmora Herald wrote, "It is alleged that Deloro Works have been systematically robbed for some time. Three arrests have already been made and a considerable quantity of refined silver and silver ore have been found. The Crown is taking active measures to protect the property of the Company."
A foreigner, who went by the names of Hill and also Lappe, came up before Judge Deroche on Wednesday of last week for stealing a quantity of silver from Deloro Mining & Reduction Company. He was sentenced to the Provincial Reformatory for two years less a day.
February 3, 1916
In Sept 1918, William Hymen and Joseph O'Brien of Montreal, employees at Deloro, spent a night in the cells of the Marmora Town Hall, charged with stealing silver. They pleaded guilty in front of Magistrates B.C. Hubbel and William Bonter, but claimed they only wanted a little bit as "souvenirs". As their fine and costs amounted to more than the combined resources of the two, it was agreed they might go and find a new job somewhere else. They were 16 and 17 years old.
Silver was not the only motive for theft, however. In March of 1911, Frank Gunyar, an employee in Deloro (formerly working for the Pearce Lumber Co.) stole $50.00 from a foreign workman there and enjoyed 30 days in the County jail. In February of 1917, an employee of the company stood before Magistrates H.R. Pearce and B.C. Hubbell on a charge of stealing a quantity of Stelllite. Found guilty, he was fined $5.00 & costs, plus the value of the stolen material, worth less than $10.00.
But our favourite act of deceit was performed by H.H. Duquette, who, having borrowed a suit from Harold Bartlett, a Deloro employee, liked it so much, he didn't give it back. He was arrested in Springbrook, and brought back to Marmora, where he was committed to Belleville jail to await a trial! We never found out what became of Monsieur Duquette, but we now know they are tough in Deloro when it comes to stealing their clothes!
