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.

Richard Culbert of Centralia (1860s-1928)

Richard Culbert lived in Centralia, Ontario, Canada but throughout his lifetime he lived in other nearby areas too. So why am I calling him Richard Culbert of Centralia?

You’ve already met two other Richard Culberts so I had to find a name that sets him apart from the others. And although he moved around, he was living in Centralia at the time of the incident. But more about that in the next post.

A roll call of Richards:

1. Richard Culbert (1853-1932) the son of our ancestors, John Culbert and Mary Ward. He was married to Jane Eleanor Fairhall and they lived in Biddulph Township on the Culbert homestead near Lucan, Ontario. For more about this Richard Culbert, click here.

2. Richard Culbert (c1813-1894) the brother of our ancestor, John Culbert. This Richard Culbert was married to Ann Jane Harlton. He purchased the property next to John on the Culbert homestead in 1840, following the family’s arrival from Ireland. Later, they moved to Lambton Township. For more about this Richard Culbert, click here.

3. Richard Culbert of Centralia (1860s-1928).

Centralia is a small community in Huron County, north of Lucan. In fact, Centralia is actually much closer to the Culbert homestead (Poplar Farm) than it is to Lucan. I wonder if the locals ever confused Richard Culbert of Centralia with Richard Culbert of Biddulph (son of John & Mary). Surely, the two Richards would have known each other. Whether or not they knew the exact nature of their relationship is unknown. 

I don’t yet know how Richard Culbert of Centralia is related to us but DNA testing proves there’s a connection. So why am I introducing him to you?

1. Because I’m studying our DNA connections to Richard’s family.

2. Because there’s a story about Richard that you won’t want to miss, coming up in the next post.

But for now, let's find out a little about his family.

RICHARD CULBERT OF CENTRALIA’S PARENTS:

Richard Culbert of Centralia was born in the 1860s in Usborne Township, Huron County. Richard’s parents were James Culbert (c1820-1898) and Rebecca Hodgins (1827-1912). This James and Rebecca are not to be confused with James Culbert and Rebecca Portis.

Richard's mother, Rebecca Hodgins was from Tipperary but I don't know if his father, James Culbert was from the same part of Ireland. I don’t know the names of James’ parents. 

And now here’s where it gets interesting and/or confusing, depending on your point of view...

Rebecca Hodgins’ parents were Henry Hodgins and Sarah Colbert (1807-1893). Sarah Colbert’s family emigrated from Ireland and settled in London Township in 1830. Sarah Colbert was one of the London Township Colberts with whom we share DNA. Therefore, Richard Culbert of Centralia is related to us through his father’s line (a Culbert) and through his mother’s line (a Colbert). This makes studying our DNA connections with this family challenging. But whoever said genealogy was easy?

RICHARD CULBERT OF CENTRALIA’S WIVES AND CHILDREN:

Richard Culbert married Mary Elizabeth “Lizzie” Taylor on 19 December 1891. Lizzie was the daughter of William “Billy” Taylor and Alice Porter of Usborne Township.

Richard and Lizzie had two children: Rebecca Culbert (born 6 Feb 1893 in McGillivray Township) and Wesley William Culbert (born 15 Apr 1895 in Usborne Township). Rebecca married Edwin James Walker, and William married Fanny Winson.

Based on his children’s birth locations, Census forms and newspaper articles throughout the years, it’s clear that Richard moved a lot. Although Richard was listed as a farmer on his daughter’s birth registration, he was listed as a labourer on his son’s birth registration, and appears to have remained a labourer for the rest of his life.

Richard’s wife, Lizzie (Taylor) Culbert died of peritonitis 7 May 1897, age 22. Lizzie's death registration shows she’d been living in Centralia, Stephen Township, Huron County.

Just two months after Lizzie’s death, something happened that would have a profound effect on Richard. We’ll get to that in the next post.

In the years between Lizzie’s death and his second marriage, it seems that Richard lived with Lizzie’s family.

Fast forward to 16 April 1913. Richard married for a second time to Minnie Kenny (alternate spelling, Minnie Kenney.) Minnie was born c1886 in Stephen Township to John Kenny (alternate spelling John Kenney) and Mary Hunsicker.

Richard Culbert and Minnie Kenny had four children: Hilda May Culbert (born 1913) who married Thomas Henry Anderson; Mary Edna Culbert (born 1914) who married Andrew Miller; Vera Culbert (born c1920); and Norman W. Culbert (born 1921) who married Marion Jane Clarke.

The 1921 Census shows the Richard Culbert family back in Usborne Township again at S Lot 4, Concession 1. Richard’s brother, Robert Culbert is living with them, too.

1921 Census of Canada. Note the spelling Colbert rather than Culbert. Documents regarding Richard’s surname vary in spelling.

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

Come back soon to learn how Richard Culbert shocked the peaceful little village of Centralia. Click here to read.

Richard Culbert of Centralia’s Family Tree:

Ancestors:

James Culbert & Rebecca Hodgins (parents)

Descendants (children with Mary Elizabeth “Lizzie” Taylor)

Rebecca (Culbert) Walker

Wesley William Culbert

Descendants (children with Minnie Kenny/Kenney)

Hilda May (Culbert) Anderson

Mary Edna (Culbert) Miller

Vera Culbert

Norman W. Culbert