The Heritage Corner, Springhill Record
February 15th, 2012
Stolen Car & Robbery
Springhill Record – Aug. 29, 1930 – Big Blaze at Springhill Junction
With tongue of flames licking their ravenous way high into the air, the coal shed at Springhill Junction was completely demolished by fire Tuesday night. The pumper was called from Springhill and a large number of men worked unavailingly to check the blaze. The fire was a spectacular one and drew hundreds of people from the district for miles around. When it was seen there was no chance of saving the building chains were attached to it and coupled to a locomotive and the entire building was torn to the ground where the flames could be reached more effectively. It was estimated that nearly one hundred seventy – five tons of coal were in the shed at the time. The fire is believed to have started from a short circuit in the wiring system.
Sept. 5, 1930 – Steals Car
A Chevrolet car, the property of Lloyd Mills, was stolen from his yard Thursday night and the theft was without a doubt one of the most daring ones pulled off in the town. Mills had just driven into the yard behind his store on Main Street to pick up a few parcels to take to the farm over the Monument Hill where he resides, when his mother heard the engine of the car being started and he ran out the door just in time to see the car disappear around the corner of the barn towards Drummond Street. He chased it on foot and finally caught up with it at the corner. Throwing himself on the mudguard he tried to wrench one of the doors open while all the time the four men in the car were doing their best to push him off. Finally the driver put on speed and quickly threw on the brakes and the sudden jar threw Mills to the ground and the car disappeared up Church Street. The police have been informed of the theft.
Sept. 5, 1930 – Thieves Enter Jewkes’ Store
The store of Lloyd Jewkes, Herrett Road, was broken into at an early hour Thursday morning and a large amount of cigarettes, tobacco and confectionery were stolen. The loss, it is estimated will run over $100.00. The entrance was affected through the front door after the thieves had forced the lock. Strangely enough, Mr. Jewkes says he saw what he believed to be the robbers, a group of three men, passing his home in a Ford car about 4:30 Thursday morning, noting them because he believed to be the same one that tried to break into the Jewkes Bros. farther up the Herrett Road, on the same evening, only to be met by a rough reception by Art Jewkes, who had evidently hidden himself in the store for the evening. The men had just begun to tamper with the lock when Jewkes blazed away at them with his gun and they took to their heels.
Sept. 12, 1930 – Will Stand Trial
As a climax to one of the most brazen cases of car theft in the history of the district, John Mitchell, Cecil Budd and Robie Noiles were sent up for trial at the regular session of court at Amherst, following a preliminary hearing held before Deputy Stipendiary Magistrate C.J. Allbon in the Town Hall Thursday. The fourth member of the quartette, Jack Moore, alias Jacob Herlong will appear before the Magistrate this morning. The charges read to the three prisoners were that of breaking and entering the stores of Lloyd Jewkes on Herrett Road and Charles Abraham at Collingwood and stealing the car of Lloyd Mills, bearing the license plate 64-884.
The Mills car was stolen last Thursday evening from the rear of the store and Mills was thrown off the running board when he attempted to stop the theft. Since that time the car was seen at Chatham, N.B. and from there dodged back and forth around the County of Cumberland. It was reported at Jack Smith’s Athol Corner Thursday night where they filled up with gas and oil and drove away without paying. Since that time the Provincial Police and Traffic Officers were on the lookout very closely but it was Chief of Police Mont who finally ran them down. He was driving along the Southampton Road Wednesday night when he came up behind a car bearing the license plate of 64-884. He blew for the road and after getting by, the driver of the car, Jim Rushton turned the car across the road, cutting off any possible chance of getting by. The young fellows must have anticipated such a move for Cecil Budd sprang from the car and got away from the officer. He later gave himself up to the police. The other three remained in the car and offered no resistance.
