Authors: Dale Brawn

Practically Perfect (37 page)

10: Skeletons Resurface

John Munroe:
Nobody Asked About Mother and Daughter

1839	John Munroe born in Ireland.
1840s	Munroes arrive in Canada, where father operates a lumberyard.
1849	Sarah Margaret Vail born.
1849	Mother of Sarah Margaret Vail dies.
1862	Munroe marries Annie Potts.
1862	Munroe and Annie become parents of their first child, a son.
1865	Munroe meets Vail at a community event near Vail’s home in Caledon.
1866	Munroe and his wife have their second child.
1867	Sarah Margaret Vail’s father dies; leaves her the family home.
1867	Munroe’s affair with Sarah Margaret Vail commonly acknowledged.
February 4, 1868	Sarah Margaret Vail gives birth to a baby girl, Ella May Munroe.
Summer 1868	Munroe visits Vail every Sunday in her home, remaining one hour each time.
Fall 1868	Munroe purchases a .22 calibre revolver.
early October 1868	Vail sells family home for $500; gives some of the money to Munroe.
late October 1868	Sarah travels with Munroe to Boston.
October 23, 1868	Vail checks into Brunswick Hotel as Mrs. Clarke; trunks arrive.
October 26, 1868	Vail goes for drive with Munroe; on return checks into the Union Hotel.
October 29, 1868	Vail and her baby scheduled to depart on a steamer for Boston.
October 30, 1868	Munroe and wife travel to Fredericton; begins planning murder of Vail.
October 31, 1868	Vail goes for drive with Munroe; Munroe murders Vail and their baby.
November 2, 1868	Munroe checks Vail’s trunks onto New England , a Boston-bound steamer.
September 12, 1869	Berry-pickers discover skeletons of Sarah Vail and her baby.
September 21, 1869	Munroe sentenced to hang for the murder of Vail and her baby.
September 29, 1869	Steamer New York returns Vail’s trunks to Saint John; were unclaimed in Boston.
late fall 1869	Munroe arrested and charged with Vail’s murder.
December 7, 1869	Munroe’s murder trial gets underway.
February 14, 1870	Munroe confesses to committing the two murders.
February 15, 1870	Munroe executed.
1870s	Annie Munroe changes her surname and that of her children to Potts.
1878	Annie remarries.
1924	Munroe’s son Frank Potts elected mayor of Saint John; dies in office.

Maurice Ryan:
Bones of a Brother

October 1, 1907	Nora McKeown agrees to manage brothel in North Bay for Francis Ryan.
October 1907	Francis refuses to loan $5 to brother Maurice.
November 17, 1907	Francis charged with keeping bawdy house; decides to leave North Bay.
November 1907	Francis closes one of his bank accounts; receives $550.
November 18, 1907	Maurice Ryan murders his brother Francis.
November 24, 1907	Ryan pays off debts in North Bay; no one knows where money came from.
1908	James Ryan receives letters from brother Francis; but Francis cannot write.
1908	Farmer clearing bush discovers skeleton.
1909	Inquest finds Maurice killed his brother; Ryan committed to stand trial.
March 28, 1909	Maurice Ryan found guilty of murdering brother; to hang June 3, 1909.
May 20, 1909	Federal cabinet turns down Ryan’s request for clemency.
June 2, 1909	Court of Appeal refuses to hear Ryan’s request for new trial.
June 3, 1909	Ryan hanged in Nipissing District jail; denied he murdered his brother.

Marcel Bernier:
The Bodies Came Back

August 8, 1961	Denise Therrien disappears on way to job interview.
August 13, 1961	Therrien’s killer shows up at family home; offers condolences.
August 19, 1961	Therrien family receives ransom note; postmarked previous day.
August 24, 1961	Second ransom note received; man telephones demanding money.
August 26, 1961	Man charged with trying to extort money; third telephone ransom received.
August 27, 1961	Father and uncle of missing girl consult mystic.
August 28, 1961	Uncle of missing girl offers $10,000 for proof she is alive or dead.
September 11, 1961	Father hires team of private detectives hired to help police in their search.
November 2, 1961	Investigation into disappearance reopened; new information received.
January 1962	Bernier tells wife and mother-in-law only he knows where Therrien is.
January 18, 1965	Police begin digging in countryside around Shawinigan.
January 22, 1965	Police stop digging; frozen ground makes progress too difficult.
April 6, 1965	Body of Laurette Beaudoin found; Bernier arrested for attempt murder.
April 13, 1965	Police begin digging for Therrien; tell public have new information.
April 30, 1965	Police find Therrien’s skeleton in shallow grave near river in bush area.
May 4, 1965	Autopsy indicates that Therrien died from multiple skull fractures.
May 11, 1965	Coroner’s inquest holds Bernier criminally responsible for death of Therrien; Bernier arraigned on murder charges; Bernier confesses.
May 12, 1965	Bernier sentenced to three months in jail for assaulting priest.
May 19, 1965	Preliminary hearing in charge of murder held for Bernier.
June 2, 1965	Bernier confesses; tells undercover police officer he murdered Therrien.
February 14, 1966	Bernier brought from Bodeaux Jail for beginning of murder trial.
February 24, 1966	Bernier found guilty of murder; sentenced to hang July 22, 1966.
January 4, 1968	Bernier’s death sentenced commuted to life imprisonment.
April 16, 1969	Lawyer for Bernier announces his client wrote book about the murder.
February 24, 1970	Bernier sentenced to twenty-five years in jail for murder of Beaudoin.
May 1977	Bernier dies of heart attack while imprisoned in British Columbia.
November 8, 1977	Member of Parliament writes book on murders; wants inquest reopened.