Eldridgeville Police Report

 

Crime Reaches the Quiet Town of Eldridgeville

Police are investigating a break-in that occurred Friday May 16, at the Eldridgeville General Store.

Just before closing around 9:00 o'clock on Friday evening, the store was entered through the side entrance. Mr. E. Eldridge was bound with yellow nylon cord and his mouth was taped closed with duct tape. He was seated and strapped to a chair at the back of the store. The thief shut out the lights and left the premises.

Nothing looked out of the ordinary until the first customer arrived about 9:20 Saturday morning. Edna Gordon thought it was strange that the front door was unlocked but the lights were turned off. Mrs. Gordon called for Earl but heard nothing except some scraping on the floor and some grunting noises. Once she made her way to the sounds, she found Earl Eldridge bound and gagged and called 911.

Deputy Chief Mark Kress responded and asked Earl to recall the events of the previous evening. Mr. Eldridge was quite vague.

"They/them entered the store just as I was closing up for the day," stated Earl. "They/them went to the drawer under the counter and removed the cash and put it in a reusable cloth bag that I keep for customers who forget their bags."

"When you say they/them do you mean there was more than one thief?"

"No, I am just being politically correct. I do not know how the thief identifies."

"Can you provide a description of they/them?"

"Well," Earl began, "I am nervous to describe the physical appearance. It seems to be considered racist if you describe skin colour or ethnic origin. It doesn't seem to be politically correct these days."

"Do you have a security camera that I could have a look at...a bit of footage?"

"Nope, I haven't got into technology. No cameras, no computers, just good old-fashioned service."

"Could you describe what they/them was wearing?"

"Typical grey hoodie, track pants and running shoes. Shoes were New Balance I think, maybe size 9 or 10."

"Is anything else missing other than the cash?"

"Nothing that I can see although this cord was cut from the roll and they/them opened a brand new roll of duct tape."

"Can you think of anything else...did you hear anything outside; a vehicle engine running, perhaps?"

"No, actually once I was placed in this chair, I fell asleep. I guess I was tired," replied Earl.

Police are asking residents of Eldridgeville to be vigilant and aware of surroundings.  They/them is still running at large and could be carrying an Eldridgeville General Store shopping bag.

ELDRIDGEVILLE GAZETTE: SUMMER 1952

     

 In this week’s “Looking Back” column, we travel to the summer of 1952, when the quiet town of Eldridgeville became a beacon for visitors far and near. This is the story of...

“Small Town, Bright Lights”

The skies over Old Man Ledbetter’s abandoned farm drew the attention of several neighbours on the night of July 8 1952. Blinking lights and a high-pitched “whining sound” caused such concern that Mildred Chesterfield, who was operating the town switchboard, had to shut down the system. She reported that four calls were received within a short period of time just after ten o’clock. Police Chief Newberry and Mayor Dooley were informed of the mysterious event and the next morning, after visiting the site, declared an investigation was underway. But Newberry was confident that the Mischief Maker Chicory twins were likely behind the incident.

“Not so quick,” was the response from Mr. Wilbur Chicory. His boys had been the town’s go-to scapegoats for every little accident or explosion that had occurred since they were toddlers. In most cases he couldn’t deny their guilt, but he assured Chief Newberry that his twenty two year old twins could not be blamed for this one. Both boys were visiting relatives in the city and had been away for several days. With complete confidence, Mr. Chicory declared, “My boys don’t know anything”.

LOOKING BACK

 

We return to 1995 in this week’s reminder of Eldridgeville’s history

They should have read the fine print...

June 15, 1995
Eloise Chicory Butterbun—Guest Columnist and great-granddaughter of Esther Chicory

ELDRIDGEVILLE, Ontario — June 15 1995 will be remembered as a day of celebration in Eldridgeville, as residents gathered to bid farewell to the town’s beloved matriarch, Mrs. Esther Chicory. Lifelong residents have spent recent days sharing memories of the remarkable woman and her extraordinary family. Newcomers to Eldridgeville may not know the most fascinating details of her life story.

Esther Chicory was the only child of Lester and Bertha Shockwell. Records at the First Methodist Church tell us she was born on the first day of July 1895 and married local boy Wilbur Chicory before her eighteenth birthday. Their first son, Arnold, was born the following year, and thereafter babies kept arriving.

By October 1926, Esther and Wilbur were raising eight sons with another baby on the way when Esther read a very intriguing article in the Toronto Daily Star. The last will and testament of a wealthy Toronto lawyer, Charles Vance Millar, bequeathed a million dollars to the mother who gave birth to the greatest number of children in the decade following his death. An optimist by nature and never one to shy away from a challenge, Esther firmly believed this was a contest she was destined to win. After convincing Wilbur, the couple agreed it was best to keep their ambition to themselves, after all the fewer competitors the better.