John Stolarski’s Old Newspaper Clippings

With the exception of his first two years in the Force, John Stolarski spent his entire career as a Police Dog Services handler (1961 – 1988).

Throughout this career, John clipped newspaper articles about members who he had worked with.

Despite the fact that John has passed away, his family has agreed for us to re-post these articles for the interest of RCMP Veterans and current members of the Force.

$2,000 Reward: Police Are Stymied In Murder Probe

Alexandria Wiwcharuk, a former queen of the Kinette Skating Carnival in Yorton, has been missing from her home in Saskatoon for almost two weeks. A graduate of the Yorktown Hospital School of Nursing, Miss Wiwcharuk ws last seen about 8 p.m. on May 18 when she went out to mail some letters. Saskatoon police say they have exhausted all leads in the disappearance of the petite young woman who was wearing lime green slacks, a black sweater and a heavy green cardigan when she disappeared. She is five feet, two inches tall, weighs 115 pounds, with black hair and a dark complexion. Police say her activities before her disappearance showed no indication of trouble or unhappiness.

May 18, 1962 – Saskatoon police appear to be stymied in their efforts to track down the vicious slayer of Alexandria Wiwcharuk, 23-year-old City Hospital nurse who took her training at Yorktown Union Hospital.

Miss Wiwcharuk’s body, beaten beyond recognition, was discovered in a shallow grave just one-half mile from her home 13 days after she had disappeared while on the way to mail some letters on the night of May 18.  Rewards totalling $2,100 have been offered for information leading to the apprehension of the slayer.

Many leads have  been followed up by the police in their search for clues to the vicious killer.  Most of the detective division as well as morality officers and uniformed officers have been thrown into the day and night investigation.

Funeral service were held Monday afternoon for the slain girl, who is survived by her parents, who live south of Saskatoon, six brothers and three sisters, including Mrs. J. Cherneske of Yorkton

Police say they are receiving full co-operation from the people of Saskatoon, many of whom are constantly telephoning the department with information they believe might be a clue to breaking the case.  All leads are followed up painstakingly but so far to no avail.

This was believed to have been the first sex-slaying in Saskatoon’s history and is the first violent murder in more than two years.  Women in Saskatoon are reported to be nervous about going anywhere unaccompanied.

During her nursing training in Yorktown Miss Wiwcharuk was queen of the skating carnival and the A.C.T. candidate for the west queen crown.

NOTE: Fifty-three years later, this murder remains unsolved.

DOWNTOWN TORN APART:

City Survives Ugly Night Of Drunks, Punks, Blood

Placid police dog proved enough to keep huge crowds from flowing on to street and blocking traffic in courthouse area. Some in the throng, however, jeered at police efforts to maintain order. Several landed in paddy-wages en route to jail when fist fights broke out later. All were halted rapidly as scores of police converged on them.

Mobs of yelling youths went on to damage downtown and created ugly scenes in Grey Cup celebration Friday night.

Their trail of vandalism was strewn with broken glass, blood, and torn decorations.

The youths pulled up ornamental trees, tore out public telephones, smashed windows, hauled banners and flags, blocked traffic, and fought.

Three persons, including a policeman, were bitten by police dogs brought in to try to curb the rowdies.

130 DRUNKS

More than 200 policemen were on duty downtown.

They arrested 130 persons on drunk charged from 6 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. today, and about 18 others on charges ranging from creating a disturbance to vandalism.

Several persons were taken to hospital for treatment of slight injuries received in the scuffling and jostling.

“I hope this is the last time Vancouver has the Grey Cup inflicted on it,” said one angry policeman after a night of tussling with toughs.  Several others voiced the same sentiment.

Police said just about all the trouble came from local rowdies, few of the visitors being involved. Bands of drunks and punks came from all over town to the city centre.

They estimated crowds downtown as high as 20,000.

The worst trouble spots were in the Georgia and Granville area..

The night started quietly enough, with good natured cheering and singing by ribbon-wearing, pennant-waving fans.

Visitors hung form their hotel windows yelling team slogans.  There was music and dancing.

LIFTED CAR

But about 10 p.m. the trouble began.  One of the opening incidents was when a dozen people tried to fit a small car onto the sidewalk.

Police brought in dogs to try to clear the crowds, but took the animals away when punks threatened the animals with sticks and bottles.

Police dogs were called in effort to keep mob under control. Vast majority of crowd was Vancouver youth, like this one being pushed by policeman. Few visiting football fans were involved.

A man crushed in the crowd and suffered a stomach injury.  A woman was snowed down by the jostling crowds and hurt her leg.  Both were taken away in a police cruiser.

Fifty officers linked arms and drove the mobs back off Georgia.

Traffic was slowed to a snail’s pace and police finally cordoned off the area bounded by Seymour, Robson, Burrard and Dunsmuir.

Police arrested a 17-year old youth after a jewelry store window was smashed.  They found a broken beer bottle under the window.

HOTELS BLOCKED

Dog helps police control crowd during Saturday night’s celebrations.

Police and special security men kept punks from crashing hotels.

The security men also stood guard at hotel elevators and allowed only registered guests to use them.

Beer parlours and cocktail bars were jam-packed.

Arthur Crocker, 24, barber, of 1180 Broughton, said he was yelling “Go Lions Go” at Granville and Nelson when a man wearing a Hamilton crest punched him in the mouth, knocked him down and kicked him.

He was taken to St. Paul’s Hospital with suspected fractured ribs.

NO PANTS

Unidentified man is unceremoniously carted off by a group of Vancouver’s finest during the height of post-Grey Cup activity Sunday night. Vancouver police had a busy night following the 21-10 defeat of the B.C. Lions by Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Empire Stadium.

The mobs started to drift away from the streets – strewn with broken beer bottles – about 1 a.m.

One of the last to be arrested was a youth clad only in his underwear.  He said a group of youths ripped off his clothes.

Police made final sweeps of the area and then went home to prepare themselves for tonight.

NOTE: Similar Grey Cup Riots occurred in Vancouver in 1963, 1966 and 2011.  Check out the history of Grey Cup riots in Vancouver here.

Constables And Dogs On Refresher Course – Four RCMP dog-handling constables and their charges are stand above as they started out on field work during a refresher training course held in Red Deer. Left to right: Const. W.E.J. Giroux and “Arno” of the Red Deer area; Const. G.E. Pond and “Scout” from Ethelbert, Manitoba; Const. J.T. St. Pierre and “Caesar” from Westlock Alberta and Const. D. Downorwicz and “Gwyn” of High River.