Midnight Madness: Culbert Shoots Kelly in the Head

At midnight ... while the citizens of the peaceful little village of Centralia were enwrapped in quiet slumber, a shooting affray was being enacted on one of the back streets.

Source: Exeter Times, 22 July 1897, p.4.

William Kelly was a prosperous farmer from the 1^st Concession in Biddulph Township near Lucan, Ontario. On the night of 20 July 1897, Kelly stopped at Grafton’s Hotel in Centralia, a small community north of Lucan. 

Kelly then made his way to the home of Billy Taylor and Richard Culbert. Kelly needed help on the farm, and planned to ask Taylor if he could come by the next day to assist.

Billy Taylor and his wife Alice (Porter) Taylor lived with their widowed son-in-law, Richard Culbert of Centralia. Richard Culbert’s wife, Mary Elizabeth “Lizzie” Taylor died just two months previously.

William Kelly knocked at the back door, and told Richard Culbert he was there to see Billy Taylor. Culbert appeared to be out of sorts and refused to awaken his father-in-law. Kelly, who was somewhat under the influence of liquor [1] became persistent, and Culbert ordered him off the property. Kelly returned to the house later, and tapped on the window.

Culbert seized his revolver and fired through the window at Kelly, putting a bullet into his head. The bullet entered at the lower part of Kelly’s left nasal bone near the eye, breaking it, and passed into the back of his head, lodging near the lower part of his left ear.

Kelly staggered half unconscious to a door step to sit down. Culbert came out of the house, caught Kelly by the arm and walked him off the property. When they reached the gate, Culbert must have realized what he’d done. Culbert examined the limp victim and noticing the hole in Kelly’s head, tried to extract the bullet. Culbert became alarmed at Kelly’s considerable blood loss. He sent his father-in-law, Billy Taylor to fetch the local physician. When the doctor learned what had happened, he refused to go near the place without the presence of a constable.

Source: The Huron Expositor, 23 July 1897, p.8.

A number of people showed up at the scene. Kelly was moved into Culbert’s house and stretched out in an attempt to make him comfortable. Meanwhile, County Constable Davis arrested Culbert and placed him in the Crediton lock-up.

More doctors were summoned. They worked for several hours without success to find the bullet. Further probing would be injurious to the patient so Kelly was moved to his own home. Here, Kelly could await developments, and later, if needed, undergo X-rays in an attempt to locate the bullet.

Apparently, Culbert had been quarrelling with several people during the day and was in a bad mood. However, Culbert claimed to be justified in shooting Kelly.

Culbert was moved to the Goderich Gaol (The Huron Historic Gaol) to await trial.

The Huron Historic Gaol. Decades before Richard Culbert was confined in this jail, James Donnelly, Sr. (patriarch of the Donnellys) was locked up here. Donnelly was held in 1858 for the murder of Patrick Farrell before he was moved to Kingston Penitentiary.

In August, William Kelly had the bullet extracted from his head, and had two teeth pulled, behind which the bullet was lodged. It’s reported that Kelly had no ill feeling toward Culbert and wished him to be released from custody.

In September, a trial was held. Richard Culbert and a number of witnesses were examined. A verdict of unlawfully wounding was reached.

 

Source: The Wingham Times 1 Oct 1897 p.6.

Richard Culbert was sentenced to 12 months with hard labour at Central Prison in Toronto.

Source: The Wingham Times 1 Oct 1897 p.6.

Toronto’s Central Prison had a reputation for brutality. Located near the intersection of King Street and Strachan Avenue, the facility was a place where prisoners were severely beaten, even for minor transgressions.

Central Prison in Toronto

Undoubtedly, the treatment he received at the hands of his jailers would have left Culbert a changed man.

Culbert was released from prison in the fall of 1898. He returned to the Centralia area and rented a farm on William Luker’s property. Notice how the reporter tactfully refers to Culbert’s year-long absence...

R. Culbert, who has for the past year been a citizen of Toronto has returned home again, and rented the farm lately owned by Wm. Luker. Source: Exeter Times, 20 Oct 1898, p. 1.

Culbert’s name never appeared as headline news again. In fact, his name appeared only occasionally in the newspapers after that.

Richard Culbert died on 1 November 1928 in Crediton, Ontario. He is buried in St. James Cemetery, Clandeboye, north of Lucan, Ontario.

Place and date of burial from Richard Culbert's death registration.

For details about Richard Culbert's family history, click here to read my previous post.

Footnotes:
[1] "Shot in the Eye" The Huron Expositor, July 23, 1897.