“No more striking evidence of the intense interest aroused in Hamilton over the horrible and mysterious murder committed in a Herkimer street house on Thursday afternoon last than was afforded by the crowds that flocked the streets yesterday afternoon when the funeral of the victim, Ethel Kinrade, took place.”
Hamilton Times. March 1, 1909.
February 28, 1909 was a very different Sunday in Hamilton. The drama which had gripped the city since the Thursday afternoon shooting death of Ethel Kinrade continued with her funeral. The funeral was as dignified as possible as the service took place within a few feet of where the young lady fell after receiving several shots.
Outside the house 105 Herkimer Street, so many curious citizens had gathered that several policemen had been detached to the area for crowd control:
“Fully an hour before the hearse drove up to the door people began to line Herkimer street, in vicinity of the Kinrade home, and when the pallbearers carried the flower-laden casket into the street, the crowd must have numbered three thousand people. Nearly twice that number must have passed the scene of the tragedy during the afternoon. They came from every quarter and included every class. It was not the ordinarily morbid crowd that gathers on such an occasion, but people, who , amazed that such a sensation crime could be committed in the very heart of one of the most thickly-populated residential districts, and the slayer escape as if the ground had swallowed him up, came to view the scene of the tragedy, to discuss the horrible details, and to theorize on the mystery in which the crime appears to be enveloped. Little children on their way to Sunday school looked on in wonderment at the crowds as the hearse with the murdered girl’s remains went past.”
Hamilton Times. March 1 1909
The reporter sent from the Toronto Globe also recorded the scene in the vicinity of the Kinrade House, including remarks on the behavior of some of the crowd:
“The whole block in which the house is situated was crowded with a pushing multitude which displayed a morbid curiosity that led some of those who were in front to act in a manner that was disgraceful. Men and women crowded upon the verandah, and peered through the windows to get a glimpse at what was taking place inside, while those who could not get close contented themselves with standing on the verandah railings. The streets along which the funeral passed were lined with thousands of people, and at the cemetery there was another large crowd. The police were stationed about the house, and at the cemetery to keep the crowd in order.”
Toronto Globe . March 1 1909
The funeral service was held within the Kinrade home with a solemn dignity despite the chaotic state of affairs outside. Arriving downstairs from her upstairs bedroom, Flossie Kinrade became extremely upset:
“A pathetic scene was enacted in the house shortly before the service was held. Miss Florence Kinrade was brought down with her mother to have a last look at the loved face, and as the coffin was opened, she screamed, ‘Ethel, lock yourself in your bedroom,’ and fell in a faint, from which it took some time to remove her.”
Toronto Globe. March 1, 1909.
The Times reporter had the following observation about the funeral service, as much of it as he was able to see:
““While the curios crowd stood gossiping outside, an impressive and pathetic scene was enacted inside. A minister stood beside the casket conducting the service for the dead. Relatives stood by weeping in anguish. An incident, pathetic and dramatic, occurred just before they hid the features of the dead forever and fastened down the casket lid, Florence, who was in the house when her sister was foully slain, was brought into the room. She has been in a state of hysteria ever since the fatal afternoon. Supported by relatives and weeping hysterically, she called ‘Ethel’ when she reached the bottom of the stairs. Walking up to the casket, the sight of her murdered sister’s features seemed to bring back vividly the recollections of the horrible crime. Florence’s memory for the minute probably rested on the chance her sister had to save her life when Florence rushed up stairs and warned her to lock herself in a room, that there was a man downstairs.
“ ‘Ethel, lock yourself in your room,’ she exclaimed hysterically as she looked at the corpse and fell unconscious into the arms of those who stood around.”
Hamilton Times. March 1, 1909.
After the services were completed, a hush fell over the crowd as the front door was opened and the casket was carried out to a waiting hearse for the trip to the Hamilton Cemetery:
“Outside the house, policemen were stationed to keep the crowds back. Camera fiends were there by the score. When the flower laden casket had been deposited in the hearse and the funeral procession started for the cemetery, the crowd moved off in the same direction. Fully a thousand people walked from the house to the grave, half of them women and young girls and thousands more were lined up around the cemetery gates and the tent. They trampled over graves in their eagerness to reach the spot where the internment was to take place. The mourners passed within the tent and a squad of police kept back the curious crowd.”
Hamilton Times. March 1 1909.
In the early edition of the Hamilton Times of Monday March 1 1909, mention was made of Provincial Detective John Miller coming to Hamilton another time:
“Provincial Detective Miller arrived here at town o’clock this morning, and shortly after, in company with Detectives Bleakley and Coulter, were to the Kinrade home to interview Florence Kinrade and other members of the family. Detective Miller on Saturday was unable to see the girl on account of her hysterical condition. It was hoped that today Miss Kinrade would be more composed and give a better account of exactly what happened. “
Hamilton Times. March 1 1909.
In a later edition of the Times that day, the result of the visit of the detectives to the Kinrade home was reported:
“This morning the detectives investigating the circumstances around Ethel Kinrade’s death went to the home of Mr. T.L. Kinrade to interview members of the family. They had scarcely begun to question Miss Florence Kinrade when she broke down and went into hysterics. It was necessary to abandon the interview for the time being.”
Hamilton Times. March 01, 1909.
(To Be Continued)
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