Donnellys and the Law
![[ Novelty Stage Line Sign, This sign was found posted outside a store in Birr, Ontario. Copyright Great Unsolved Canadian Mysteries Project, Jennifer Pettit, ]](../../images/site/52474_2.jpg "[ Novelty Stage Line Sign, This sign was found posted outside a store in Birr, Ontario. Copyright Great Unsolved Canadian Mysteries Project, Jennifer Pettit, ]")
A quick perusal of court records and newspapers from Huron and later Middlesex County in the latter half of the nineteenth-century reveals that almost everyone in the Donnelly family were very familiar to justice officials in the area. Even Mrs. Donnelly, the matriarch of the family, was accused of crimes such as hurling obscenities at the local constable, James Carroll, whose appointment proved especially troublesome for the Donnellys. It would be impossible to list all of the crimes perpetrated by the Donnelly clan, so these documents highlight events which contributed most to the growing tension and violence that culminated with the demise of the Donnellys in February of 1880.
Keep in mind, however, that the Donnellys were not always the perpetrators of crime; sometimes they were the victims. They too had their stages ruined and burned. Sometimes, they were encouraged in the name of love to commit a misdeed. Also, the Donnellys may not have committed all of the crimes for which they were blamed. Many of their accusers were long-standing enemies and members of the infamous “Vigilance Committee”, supposedly created to help prevent crime in Biddulph.
Donnellys as Plaintiffs/Victims
Court Documents
- Unknown, Robert Donnelly vs. Calder et. al. Sale of Goods, November 16, 1874
- Unknown, Donnellys vs. H. Dewart, Sale of Goods, August 3, 1877
Government Documents
Newspaper or Magazine Articles
- Unknown, Donnelly vs. Hullman, London Free Press, December 16, 1873
- Unknown, Lawlessness in Usborne, London Free Press, March 4, 1879
Love Gone Awry
Letters
- Margaret Thompson, Letter to William Donnelly, December 24, 1873
- P. Mc., Letter to William Thompson , January 12, 1874
- William Donnelly, Letter to William Thompson , January 12, 1874
Newspaper or Magazine Articles
- Unknown, Attempted Abduction in Biddulph, London Free Press, February 3, 1874
- Unknown, The Biddulph Ku-Klux, London Free Press, February 10, 1874
- Unknown, Quarter Sessions, London Free Press, June 18, 1874
Stage Troubles/Arson
Court Documents
- Unknown, Lindsay vs. Donnelly, Stagecoach Dispute, September 13, 1875
- Unknown, Queen vs. James Donnelly et. al., Assault and Wounding Joseph Berryhill, September 20, 1875
- Unknown, Queen vs. Thomas Donnelly et. al., Arson, Patrick Flanagan's Stables, March 11, 1876
- Unknown, Queen vs. John Donnelly and Robert Donnelly, Assault & Wounding Rhody Kennedy, March 18, 1876
- Unknown, Queen vs. John and Robert Donnelly, Assault Against Peter McKellar, March 18, 1876
Diaries, Journals or Reminiscences
Journal Articles
Letters
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, January 31, 1875
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, December 29, 1875
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, December 31, 1875
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, February 14, 1876
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, April 20, 1876
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, June 14, 1876
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, January 1, 1877
Miscellaneous
Newspaper or Magazine Articles
- Unknown, Middlesex Fall Assizes, London Free Press, November 24, 1874
- Unknown, Stage Collision, London Advertiser, September 1, 1875
- Unknown, Incendiary Fire, London Free Press, October 5, 1875
- Unknown, Stages Leaving London , London Free Press, October 6, 1875
- Unknown, An Assault Case, London Free Press, November 24, 1875
- Unknown, Murderous Attack, London Free Press, December 4, 1875
- Unknown, The Biddulph Assault Case, London Free Press, December 18, 1875
- Unknown, Lucan Unpleasantness, London Free Press, January 26, 1876
- Unknown, Notice of Arrest of John Donnelly, London Free Press, February 16, 1876
- Unknown, The Donnelly Tribe, London Free Press, February 18, 1876
- Unknown, Lawlessness at Lucan, Donnellys on the Rampage, London Free Press, February 25, 1876
- Unknown, Another Assault Case, London Free Press, February 28, 1876
- Unknown, The Burning of the Stage, London Free Press, April 16, 1877
- Unknown, "Ku-Klux" In Lucan, London Free Press, May 23, 1877
- Unknown, Another Fire in Lucan, Globe, July 10, 1877
- Unknown, The Lucan Murders, Later History, Toronto Globe, February 6, 1880
Tom Ryder’s Wedding
Court Documents
- Unknown, Queen vs. John, James Jr. and William Donnelly, Assault and Wounding Constable Bowden, Reid and Coursey, March 14, 1876
- , Queen vs. James Donnelly Jr., Assault on Constable John Coursey, January 1, 1877
Diaries, Journals or Reminiscences
Newspaper or Magazine Articles
- Unknown, Lawlessness at Lucan, London Free Press, February 26, 1876
- Unknown, Escaped, London Free Press, March 8, 1876
- Unknown, Middlesex Spring Assizes, London Free Press, March 26, 1876
- Unknown, Middlesex Spring Assizes - Criminal Calendar, Globe, March 27, 1877
Robert Donnelly and Constable Everett
Letters
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, April 6, 1878
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, April 29, 1879
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, May 9, 1879
Newspaper or Magazine Articles
- Unknown, The Lucan Shooting: Arrest of One of the Donnellys on Suspicion, London Advertiser, March 27, 1877
- Unknown, The Lucan Shooting: Trial of Robert Donnelly The Accused, London Advertiser, April 1, 1877
- Unknown, The Lucan Shooting - Trial of Robert Donnelly, the Accused, London Advertiser, April 1, 1877
- Unknown, Another Outrage - Cold-Blooded Attempt At Murder - A Heavy Charge Fired at Constable Everett, of Lucan, London Advertiser, March 20, 1878
- Unknown, Attempted Assassination at Lucan, London Free Press, March 20, 1878
- Unknown, The Lucan Attempted Assassination, London Free Press, April 1, 1878
- Unknown, Trial of Robert Donnelly, The Accused, London Free Press, April 1, 1878
Cow Case and Trespassing
Court Documents
- Unknown, John Donnelly Complaint, Trespass on His Land, September 10, 1879
- Unknown, Donnellys and the Thompson Cow Case, September 27, 1879
- Unknown, Queen vs. John Donnelly, Perjury Charge of Michael Blake, October 30, 1879
Letters
Newspaper or Magazine Articles
- Unknown, A Lucan Row, London Advertiser, September 18, 1879
- Unknown, County Magistrate's Court, London Free Press, September 20, 1879
- Unknown, The Vigilance Committee, London Advertiser, September 29, 1879
- Unknown, The Lucan Murders, Two More Incidents, Toronto Globe, February 6, 1880
Troubles with Carroll
Court Documents
- Unknown, John Donnelly vs James Carroll, Threats to Shoot, October 14, 1878
- Unknown, James Carroll vs. Donnellys, Assault, October 16, 1878
- James Carroll, Information and Complaint of James Carroll re: John Donnelly Aiding Thomas Donnelly to Escape, October 9, 1879
Letters
Miscellaneous
Newspaper or Magazine Articles
- Unknown, County Magistrates Court - Before Squire Peters, London Advertiser, October 16, 1878
- Unknown, Charge of Abusive Language, London Advertiser, October 22, 1878
- Unknown, Threatening to Shoot, London Advertiser, October 24, 1878
Murder of Michael Donnelly
Court Documents
Diaries, Journals or Reminiscences
Newspaper or Magazine Articles
Burning of the Ryder Family’s Barn
Court Documents
Newspaper or Magazine Articles
- Unknown, Horrible!, London Advertiser, February 4, 1880
- Unknown, The Lucan Murders, Burning of the Ryder Barn, Toronto Globe, February 6, 1880
Other Offences
Court Documents
- Unknown, Queen vs. James Donnelly Jr., Complaint of Thomas Gibbs, Theft, April 11, 1875
- Unknown, Queen vs. Thomas Donnelly et al, Assault and Robbery Against James Curry, December 14, 1875
- Unknown, Queen vs. William Donnelly, Perjury, February 12, 1876
- Unknown, Queen vs. Thomas Donnelly and James Donnelly Assault and Robbery Against James Curry, March 17, 1876
- Unknown, Queen vs. Thomas Donnelly, Theft from William Easdale, March 17, 1876
- , Queen vs. Thomas Donnelly, Larceny, June 20, 1876
- Unknown, Queen vs. Thomas Donnelly, Theft Against Edward Ryan, March 5, 1878
- John Peters, Thomas Donnelly, Robbery, October 20, 1879
Letters
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, December 16, 1875
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, February 25, 1876
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, October 21, 1876
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, April 4, 1877
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, October 18, 1879
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, November 6, 1879
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, December 31, 1879
Newspaper or Magazine Articles
- Unknown, Police Intelligence - Larceny, London Free Press, April 23, 1869
- Unknkown, Police Intelligence - Larceny - The Queen vs. William Donnelly, London Free Press, November 1, 1869
- Unknown, A Fine Which Was A Fine, London Free Press, January 28, 1876
- Unknown, William Donnelly Arrested, London Free Press, February 5, 1876
- Unknown, Lucan Magistrates Court , London Advertiser, June 23, 1877
- Unknown, Fight in Lucan, London Advertiser, April 1, 1878
- Unknown, County Magistrates' Court, London Advertiser, October 21, 1878
- Unknown, Before Squire Peters, London Advertiser, October 22, 1878
- Unknown, Arrest of Wililam Donnelly, London Free Press, February 5, 1879
- Unknown, County Criminal Notes, London Free Press, October 20, 1879