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Revision as of 16:28, 25 April 2022
| Thomas Young | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1931 Ear Falls, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | June 30, 1959 (aged 27) Kenora District Jail, Kenora, Ontario, Canada |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Motive | Jealousy |
| Conviction(s) | Murder |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
| Details | |
| Date | December 25, 1958 |
| Country | Canada |
| Location(s) | Ear Falls, Ontario |
| Killed | 5 |
| Weapons | Rifle Revolver |
Thomas Young (1931 – June 30, 1959) was a Canadian mass murderer who killed five people, including his father and a police officer, on Christmas Day 1958 on a Native American reservation in Ear Falls, Ontario. Young was convicted of killing the police officer, Calvin Fulford, who he shot with his own service revolver, and sentenced to death. He was executed on June 30, 1959.
Early life
Thomas Young had two brothers, one of whom was named John.
Murders, trial, and execution
On December 25, 1958, a drunken Thomas was at the cabin of his father, 47-year-old Albert Young, when a young couple, Walter "Jimmy" Gordon and Clara Gordon, arrived with John Young to play phonograph records. Thomas started acting belligerent before suddenly opening fire on them with a rifle, killing his father and the Gordons. He raped Clara before killing her. Thomas also tried to kill John and a teen who was present, 16-year-old David Williams, but both of them managed to escape.
The two went to the house of David's father, 47-year-old George Williams, and told him what had happened. John and George then went to the house of constable Calvin Russell Fulford, 28, for help. Fulford, who had been preparing for Christmas with his wife and three small children, got his service revolver and approached the Young cabin with John and another man, 47-year-old George Williams. When the three were about 60 feet away from the cabin, Thomas opened fire on them with the rifle. Williams tried to charge at the cabin but was fatally shot. Fulford was shot in the shoulder and tried to crawl back to his car. He managed to crawl about 20 yards before losing consciousness. Thomas then approached Fulford, took his revolver, jammed it into his mouth, and shot him. John was once more able to escape.
John ran to Fulford's house and told the officer's wife that he saw him being shot at. Fulford's wife then called the police. Two officers arrived and found Fulford's body. They radioed for help and additional officers arrived. They entered the cabin, where they found the bodies. Thomas started firing at the officers from his grandparents' nearby shack. The officers crawled near it and flushed him out by firing two tear gas bombs inside. Thomas subsequently surrendered, and was found with a rifle and Fulford's revolver. He did not give a reason for the murders.
Thomas was only charged with Fulford's murder. During the investigation, police still could not find a motive, but announced that there was strong evidence that Clara Gordon had been raped. She had fled the house, but was then dragged. Her body was found on a couch. Neighbors said Thomas had been upset when Clara, who he had known for years, married Jimmy. They described him as moody and unpredictable. It was later found that Clara had been pregnant. The ages of the Gordon's are disputed. Newspaper reports say Jimmy was in his early 20s and Clara was 17, but their graves say both of them were teenagers, with Jimmy being 18 and Clara being 16. The couple had only been married for about two weeks.
During his murder trial in March 1959, Thomas was the only witness to take the stand in his defense. He said he was drinking heavily that night and could not remember what had happened. Thomas claimed his last memory was leaving a party at a neighbor's home and heading home, and that he "came to" while walking on a nearby highway, and realized he was carrying a rifle and a revolver. He then said he came across the bodies, got scared, and ran to his grandparents' home.
The trial lasted for four days. On March 21, after deliberating for three hours, the jury found Thomas guilty of murder. He received a mandatory death sentence without a recommendation for mercy, and had an execution date set for June 30, 1959. Thomas did not react as the verdict and sentence were read.
After Thomas's appeals failed, and the federal cabinet denied his bid for reprieve, he was executed as scheduled at the Kenora District Jail. A sheriff said Thomas was "exceptionally calm" as he walked to the gallows and had no last words. He was pronounced dead at 2:20 AM.
References
- ^ "Young to hang". The Expositor. 1959-03-23. p. 14. Retrieved 2022-04-25.
- "Fulford". The Kingston Whig-Standard. 1958-12-27. p. 1. Retrieved 2022-04-25.
- "Young no reaction death". The Windsor Star. 1959-03-23. p. 16. Retrieved 2022-04-25.
- ^ "Young". The Calgary Albertan. 1958-12-27. p. 13. Retrieved 2022-04-25.
- "Clara". The Ottawa Citizen. 1958-12-27. p. 5. Retrieved 2022-04-25.
- "Walter Munro "Jimmy" Gordon (1940-1958) - Find a..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2022-04-25.
- "Clara May Williams Gordon (1942-1958) - Find a..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2022-04-25.
- "Thomas Young hanged". North Bay Nugget. 1959-06-30. p. 1. Retrieved 2022-04-25.