True and Fascinating Canadian History
The Mystery of A Mountie:
Buried in Full Yet Half Forgotten
by J. J. Healy
But on the serious side, there is a long list of duties and responsibilities for the police officer to worry about: the security of police weapons and the custody of crime exhibits to name but two. After engagement into the Force, the service pistol becomes the personal property and the sole responsibility of the police officer. The care, cleaning and proper use of the service pistol is critical to the police officer's overall safety especially in tense situations. And, it may seem obvious, but a pistol can suffer internal broken parts which could go unnoticed if they are not inspected regularly. As a Police Supervisor for many years, I made a habit of checking each constable's service pistol and ammunition twice or three times annually. Tips on police officer safety which I had learned while working on the street were also emphasized with each constable.
Although revolvers were often inspected back in the days of the North West Mounted Police, inevitably infractions were sometimes found. In 1893, Reg.#2237, Constable William Asprey was fined $1.00 at 'Depot' for a dirty firearm and in 1906 Reg.#4394, Constable Harold Forge was fined $1.00 at Fort McLeod also for a dirty revolver. Reg.#5141, Constable T. C. Stevens was fined $5.00 for failing to report the loss of his revolver and fined another $5.00 to replace the gun. A few years later, Reg.#5176, Constable Everett Cochrane was summarily dismissed from the Force for unlawfully firing his weapon on a downtown street and for disturbing the peace. Common sense and safety must be practiced by every police officer to prevent weapons from loss or causing accidents, death or injury to an innocent person.
Seized property and exhibits from a crime scene are also given top priority by the police officer. Found property must be returned once its rightful owner has been identified. At the crime scene, only one police officer is designated as the Exhibit Officer and that person must prove that each exhibit can be identified and tracked from the crime scene to the court room.
In 1965, I took possession of an axe which was the weapon at a celebrated murder case in Burnaby, BC. As the Exhibit Officer, I had to maintain strict possession of the axe for the length of the trial to prove continuity of the exhibit before the court. In short, every police officer must safeguard other person's property -- a bicycle and a bank note are both considered exhibits in the custody of the police officer and both are of equal importance. Over the years, several police officers have faced hefty fines for ignoring the rules which pertain to found property and forensic exhibits.
In 1890, Reg.#2409, Constable Robert Lloyd was fined $10.00 in Maple Creek, SK for failing to report the loss of a key. In 1896, it was said that Constable Howe allowed $600.00 to be stolen from the Detachment safe. Howe was found directly responsible for the loss and he was ordered to repay the total sum of money. In 1919, Constable Ross failed to secure his horse and wagon thus allowing some paint in the wagon to be stolen. In Service Court, he was fined $1.00 plus an additional $4.50 for the cost of the lost paint.
But today, it seems that criminal investigations are far more complex than in the 'ole days. Due to the nature of modern crime, it has become more frequent for very expensive items to be seized by the police especially in cases of laundered money and proceeds of crime. In recent years in Canada, some seized exhibits have included: ski resorts, houses, condos, large boats and animals including race horses and cattle. However, it was none of these exhitibs which came to my attention in a strange way very recently. The mystery all came about this way.
Elmwood Cemetery is located a short distance off Highway #7 in Perth, ON. The Cemetery falls under the management of its President, Mr. Eric Halpin. Very recently, Mr. Halpin called me to say that while cleaning his office he happened to move the safe and hidden behind it was a solid brass memorial foot marker with the deceased constable's name inscribed on it. Mr. Halpin said, "The brass marker must have been behind the safe for years and years, and I have no idea who it belongs to or what to do with it. Can you help me, Mr. Healy?"
It was quite clear that the brass marker was supposed to be laid at the grave of Reg.# S/71, Special Constable Robert Earl Lewis who is buried in the Elmwood Cemetery. It is known that Special Constable Lewis was born in 1926 and that he joined the Force in Ottawa, ON on July 28, 1958. He served at 'HQ' Divison until his retirement in 1983. He died in Perth on January 2nd, 1995.
Special Constable Lewis was buried in Elmwood shortly after his death, and his grave does have a black marble stone with his name clearly inscribed on it.
In an attempt to find whomever purchased the brass foot marker, Mr. Halpin said that he called all the Lewis' in the Perth area, but to no avail. He also said that he searched Elmwood Cemetery records to uncover the next of kin of Special Constable Lewis but the records did not offer any new clues. While he stroked his chin, Mr. Halpin said he was mystified by the whole affair.
Over the Christmas holidays several Ottawa people have heard of the mysterious and unexpected appearance of the brass memorial marker. Some offered up various theories. One said, "Brass is expensive, it must have cost someone well over $1500.00." Another person wondered aloud, "Joe, it must have been hidden behind the office safe for nearly 20 years. Whoever purchased it is probably dead by now." An RCMP Vet in Perth whom I spoke to said, "It does seem strange that such a unique and special memorial plaque could be forgotten by someone for such a long period of time. It's a mystery that's for sure."
In the meantime, the brass marker for Special Constable Lewis has been registered at Fort Healy as a found exhibit. And, RCMP Vets from Perth have already agreed to a solemn Memorial Service at Special Constable Lewis' grave site in the Spring of 2016. Elmwood President, Mr. Halpin said the brass marker will be well embedded in cement to prevent its theft or disappearance.
There may be a little lesson for all police officers in 'The Mystery of the Mountie: Buried In Full Yet Half Forgotten.' First of all, items of all descriptions often come into the possession of police officers. They might be valuable or of no significant value. Nevertheless, any item should be treated as an exhibit by the police officer and put in a place of safe keeping.
There is no doubt that Special Constable Lewis has left behind a mystery. No one seems to know of the person who purchased his brass marker or the reason for it to be left abandoned in the Elmwood Cemetery Office. For the time being, the brass foot marker for Special Constable Lewis is safe and secure. It will be returned to his grave in the Spring of 2016.
And finally, police officers should ensure that their service pistol is kept safe at all times. Think of it as a personal exhibit attached to one's skin. A Secret Service Agent in Washington, DC recently had his service pistol, handcuffs and badge stolen from his parked car. Due to their loss, one can speculate that the Agent is unable to enjoy the full spirit of Christmas in a relaxed way this year.
Reporting from the Fort,
J. J. Healy
December 27, 2015
After this Mystery was published in December 2015 on www.rcmpgraves.com, a short article about the Mystery appeared in the newspaper: The Perth, ON Courier written by journalist Desmond Devoy.
The Devoy article is provided hereunder:
Perth Courier
By Desmond Devoy
"Just who was Special Cons. Robert Earl Lewis, and why was his RCMP plaque never affixed to his headstone?
The mysteries keep piling up at the Elmwood Cemetery with this newest one being about mysterious circumstances about Cons. Lewis (born May 4, 1926, died Jan. 2, 1995. His wife Reta H. White according to the main headstone, was born on Valentine’s Day 1926, and she died April 24, 1991, and is buried with him.)
Eric Halpin, president of the non-profit Perth Cemetery Company, recently found an RCMP plaque that was never installed on the deceased officer’s grave. In an email to this newspaper on Monday, Dec. 21, Halpin wrote that “while looking for old documents, I located the plaque hidden in our office safe. I tried to contact every Lewis in the phone book, looking for a relative, to no avail.”
He then contacted RCMP headquarters in Ottawa, who put him in touch with one Joseph Healy, who handles RCMP graves across the country. Healy came out to see the graveyard on Saturday, Dec. 19, and “I loaned him the plaque so he could undertake an investigation with the Lewis family (if any exist) as to why the marker was not installed.”
It is the intent of both men to place the plaque in front of the Lewis grave next spring, which could involve a small, formal “dress reds” contingent of RCMP officers who will be on hand for the installation.
Do you remember Special Con. Lewis? Do you know why his special police plaque was not added to his gravesite? As Robert Stack used to say on Unsolved Mysteries (1987-2002): “Perhaps you might able to help solve a mystery.”
A day or two after the article appeared in The Perth Courier, I received a call from retired Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Veteran Bob Lewis, Jr.
Bob explained that his family had seen the article after it was published in The Perth Courier. Bob said that he was the son of Special Constable Robert Lewis and that he and his wife lived in the Ottawa area. Bob, his wife and I agreed to meet at which time I would turn his father's plaque over to them.
A wee mystery still exists with the Special Constable Robert Lewis footmarker. OPP Veteran Bob Lewis Jr. said that no one in the Lewis family ever ordered the brass marker. And, the brass company in southern Ontario which manufactured the grave marker has long since gone out of business so their records cannot be examined.
The question of whomever purchased the marker is not known and it likely will never be solved. The origins of the marker is simply another eerie dimension of The Mystery of the Mountie: Buried in Full Yet Half Forgotten.
Bob Lewis Jr. and I agreed that the marker will be returned to Special Constable Lewis' grave sometime in the spring of 2016. At that time, a Memorial Service will be held in the memory of Special Constable Lewis and mention will be made of his contribution to a long, long career in the RCMP.
