Deposition of Mary Thompson, February 1880

MARY THOMPSON. - I am wife of Wm. Thompson; I live on the Roman line, Biddulph; that is the same line on which the Donnelly’s house was; [...] I am acquainted with James Carroll and Wm. Carroll, Wm. Carroll lives at our place; [...] I saw the fire at Donnelly’s in the morning after daylight when I got up; the boss saw it first a few minutes before; [...] he lit the fire, then went to the stable; he did not go over to Donnelly’s; he called the Carroll’s before he went to the stables; they came down but did not go to the fire; James Carroll came down; I did not hear what he said when he came down stairs; I saw him do nothing but eat his breakfast; [...] Jim Carroll went away after breakfast; he said he had to be at Granton at ten o’clock; [...] I don’t think Carroll could get out without me hearing him, he might have done so; [...] I know where William Donnelly lives; to go from old Donnelly’s to William’s a person would have to pass our house; I did not hear any noises on the road that night. [...]

Cross-examined by MR. MACMAHON. - I remember James Carroll coming to our house on the night of the murder: he used to come there and sleep often : any time that his brother was there he slept with him : [...] I don’t think any person could get down stairs and go out of the house without my knowing it; when any person is walking up stairs you can hear the loft creaking; it creaks pretty good; [...]

Re-examined [...] the sheet and pillow cases that I put on the bed the Saturday or Monday before the Chief came first, were the same as were on the bed when the Chief came first and were still on the bed when he came the last time and took the pillow cases away; [...]

Source: Public Archives of Ontario, Irving Fonds, F1027, 82 80, MS6500, Unknown, Deposition of Mary Thompson, February 31, 1880.

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