Barry Bradley’s Old Newspaper Clippings

Photograph of the scale of justice statue at the New Westminster Court House (Source of photo - Sheldon Boles).

 

 

 

 

Throughout his career in the Force (1960 – 1995), Veteran Barry Bradley developed a newspaper scrapebook containing notable news stories about the RCMP in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

 

 

Each week, we will post three or four of these old newspaper clippings for the interest of Veterans and their families. This week’s webpage includes some interesting stories reflecting different aspects of activities in the RCMP. These stories would have been forgotten if not saved by Barry and to be shared with others.

INDIAN’S DEATH ‘ACCIDENTAL’: No Blame Attached To RCMP

Photograph of Constables

Photograph of Constables Daryl Bakewell and Peter Eakins.

Williams Lake (January 14, 1971 – Vancouver Sun Newspaper) – A doctor told a coroner’s jury here Thursday night that a kick probably caused the injury which led to the death of 55-year-old Indian Fred Quilt.

And a public health nurse testified that Quilt told her before he died that the RCMP “jumped up and down” on him.

The testimony of the two medical witnesses highlighted the first five hours of testimony on the death of Quilt – a death which the Chicotin Indians allege resulted from police brutality and which has already figured in parliamentary questions.

RCMP have denied Quilt was assaulted in any way.

But the investigation is continuing and New Westminster MP Doug Hogarth, parliamentary secretary to Solicitor-General Jean-Pierre Goyer, is attending the inquest.

Seventeen witnesses are due to testify before Coroner S.S. Leith and a six man jury.

The Indian witnesses are expected to included Quilt’s wife Christine, his sister Agnes, his adopted son, Robin 19, and Isaac Myers, a friend.

Quilt died in Cariboo Memorial Hospital Nov. 20 after being brought from his home on the Stone Indian Reserve the same day.

The Indians have alleged in complaints to Parliament that he was beaten by RCMP Nov. 28 after his truck, containing a number of other Indians, stalled on the road near Alexis Creek.

RCMP have denied there was any violence.

Testimony about the cause of death came Thursday from Dr. Han Choo Lee who performed an autopsy.

He said death resulted from acute peritonitis caused by a torn small bowel.

He agreed with Crown counsel Lee Skip that the bowel injury could have been caused by a fist-like blow or falling not a sharp object.

But when answering Henry Castillou, representing the Quilt estate, he agreed that ‘a considerable amount of force’ would have to be used.

“A kick is more probable than any other way of receiving the injury,” the doctor said.

He said he did not know how many blows might have been struck and there were no appear bruise marks on the flesh.

Public health nurse Leslie Roberts of Alexis Creek said she saw the Quilt truck blocking the road and saw three people, including Quilt’s sister Agnes, in it. All were drunk, she said.

The next day, she said, she was called to the Quilt home on the reserve to see Fred Quilt and examined his rib cage.

She testified: “He told me then the RCMP had beaten him up. He said, “RCMP jumped up and down on me.”

Miss Roberts said Quilt later added that this was what his wife had told him.

The nurse went on: “I had to reason with him. I didn’t think the RCMP would do that but he stuck by his story.”

On another visit afternoon – to tell the family an ambulance was coming – she said Quilt’s wife to her the RCMP had also set fire to the Quilt truck.

She said Mrs. Quilt showed her the remains of a flare and said, “This was what did it.”

The inquest was continuing today with testimony from Indians who were with Quilt and two Alexis Creek RCMP officers, Constable Daryl Bakewell (Reg.#25162) and Peter Eakins (Reg. #23794).

NOTE: Years later, on her death bed, Mrs. Quilt gave statement admitting her accusations were false and that she had accidentally run per her husband with their truck.

MOUNTIE FACES COUNT

August 3, 1972 (Vancouver Sun Newspaper) – An RCMP drug squad constable has been charged with hit-and-run driving.

Constable Dale Featherstone (Reg. #23208) , 29, of 6504 – 109 A Street Delta, entered no plea when he appeared in provincial court today and was remanded to Aug. 11.

Featherstone was charged June 25 following a two-car collision at Nineteenth and Copley.

The driver of one vehicle in the accident, Mrs. Dorothy Bennett, of 2821 Shaughnessy, Port Coquitlam, was taken by a passing motorist to a nearby telephone to call police.

She was later returned to the accident scene and found the driver and the vehicle gone, according to police.

Mrs. Bennett supplied police with the licence number of the vehicle she was in collision with, police said.

NOTE: Dale Featherstone left the Force shortly after this incident and became a real estate agent.  He died in New Westminster, BC on December 27, 2006.

EX-MOUNTIE PLEADS GUILTY

January 1972 – Mississauga Ont. – A former RCMP corporal, intrigued by the stock market pleaded guilty Monday to failing to account for $18,902 entrusted to him in a 1970 fraud trial.

Eldon Delaney Davie (Reg. #21381), 30, who had served almost 10 years with the RCMP, was remanded in custody to Feb. 4 for sentence when he appeared in county court.

THree other charges – theft by conversion, theft by failure to account and theft over $50 – were dismissed at the Crown’s request.

The corporal dismissed from the force had since made total restitution, his lawyer said.

MOUNTIE DISCIPLINED

Photograph of aircraft control console (Source of photo - Sheldon Boles).

Photograph of aircraft control console (Source of photo – Sheldon Boles).

(November 15, 1972 – Vancouver Sun Newspaper) – An RCMP corporal was convicted Sept. 21 on a charge of mischief in a bomb scare on a Pacific Western Airlines flight has been disciplined and transferred from Kelowna to southern Alberta.

Assistant RCMP Commissioner Gordon Cunningham said in Victoria Tuesday that Cpl. James D. Clavelle (Reg. #20030), 33, will retain his rank.

Clavelle, a 15 -year member of the force, was fined $100 in Richmond provincial court after pleading not guilty to causing the bomb scare aboard PWA plane awaiting take-off from Vancouver last June 9 on a flight to Kelowna.

He testified that he was joking when he told stewardesses that he or other passengers had a bomb on board the aircraft.

He testified he would not have done it if he had not been drinking before the flight.

The incident delayed the flight from Vancouver International Airport for about 40 minutes.

NOTE: Jim Clavelle retired from the Force on June 13, 1977 at the rank of Sergeant.

MOUNTIE ORDERED TO COURT

Photograph of the scale of justice statue at the New Westminster Court House (Source of photo - Sheldon Boles).

Photograph of the scale of justice statue at the New Westminster Court House (Source of photo – Sheldon Boles).

August 3, 1972 – (Vancouver Sun Newspaper) – District provincial Judge Larry Eckardt today ordered a senior RCMP officer in Victoria to appear before him in Vancouver Monday to show cause why he should not be charged with contempt.

Assistant Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) officer in Victoria, Inspector G.L. Dalton (Reg. #14814 – O.625) was ordered to appear as it is alleged he failed to uphold a provincial court order issued by Judge Eckardt July 24.

The action was promoted by private investigator Donald (Al) Trottier who successfully appealed an RCMP decision not to give him permission to carry a gun in the course of his duty.

Trottier said he is still being refused permission in violation of the court order.

Judge Eckardt ruled that Trottier was a responsible man who had shown to the court that he was familiar with the correct handling of weapons.

Trottier, a private eye for Pacific Investigators Services, had appealed earlier an RCMP decision rejecting his application.

Following the Eckardt decision July 24, Trottier again applied to Inspector Dalton for a permit to carry the gun but he said all he has got is the ‘run around in Victoria.’

Trottier’s lawyer, Robert Gardner, said during the exparte hearing today, it ws ‘the function of the RCMP to uphold the law and the orders of the courts but they appeared to fail to live up to that code in respect to themselves.

‘CONTEMPT’ AVOIDED BY HALF-HOUR MARGIN

A senior RCMP officer avoided contempt of court proceedings by the slim margin of 30 minutes, provincial court was told today.

Inspector G.L. Dalton, assistant criminal investigations branch (CIB) officer in Victoria, had been ordered to show cause why he should not be charged with contempt.

The action was promoted by Dalton’s alleged failure to comply with a July 24 decision by district provincial Judge Larry Eckardt that ordered him to issue a gun permit to private investigator Donald Trottier.

Special prosecutor Sam Toy, who appeared for the attorney-general’s department, told the court the gun permit was issued at 11 a.m. August. 3, 30 minutes before Judge Eckardt ordered Dalton to answer the contempt accusation.

Toy said that the delay in complying wiht the original order was due to administrative procedures.

In ruling that the contempt proceeding should not continue, Judge Eckardt said: “If one was to adhere to the rules of law one might make a gib to-do of this but the court must be mindful of equity.”

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