One of the most stunning unsolved crimes ever surrounding the local taxi business took back when horse and buggies still roamed the streets and 135 years later we have an idea who might have committed it.
On May 31, 1879 attackers broke into Morey's cab service at de la Gauchetiere just west of Bleury, on the north side. They brutally killed the night watchman and set the place on fire, destroying much equipment and almost killing dozens of equine transporters who managed to get out in time.
Here's a description of the event from the Dominion Annual Register.
Alphonse Quenneville, watchman at Morey's livery stable, Montreal, is brutally murdered by some incendiaries who then cover the 19 carriages in the stables with coal oil and other inflammable matter and set them on fire, destroying property tot he value of $15,000. There were 70 valuable horses in the stable but the alarm was given in time to save them. The outrage was supposed to be caused by an ill-feeling which had existed of his having almost a monopoly of the hotel business. The murders made good their escape, and although a reward of $1,000 is offered by the city for their apprehension they are not discovered. After adjourning over from May until 15th August, and there being no further evidence to adduce, the Coroner's jury return a verdict of willful murder against some person or persons unknown
The Gazette reported the sequence of events: John Cloran, a driver for J.W. Morey returned from Lachine where he had delivered Mr. Light who was staying at the Windsor Hotel. Quenneville the nightwatchman let him in and they smoked and talked until he left at 12 |
| Scene of the crime |
Here's a description of the event from the Dominion Annual Register.
Alphonse Quenneville, watchman at Morey's livery stable, Montreal, is brutally murdered by some incendiaries who then cover the 19 carriages in the stables with coal oil and other inflammable matter and set them on fire, destroying property tot he value of $15,000. There were 70 valuable horses in the stable but the alarm was given in time to save them. The outrage was supposed to be caused by an ill-feeling which had existed of his having almost a monopoly of the hotel business. The murders made good their escape, and although a reward of $1,000 is offered by the city for their apprehension they are not discovered. After adjourning over from May until 15th August, and there being no further evidence to adduce, the Coroner's jury return a verdict of willful murder against some person or persons unknown
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| A Montreal horse cab seen in 1933 |
The injured Qunneville was brought to the Jurors street station, even though he wanted to stay and help. Bspan style="font-family: inherit;"> Blood was oozing from a wound on his neck. His head had apparently been battered by a blunt instrument. blood was flowing out of gaping wounds in torrents. Attempts to wash it turned the police station sink red. Quenneville couldn't identify his killers. He was brought to hospital where he died at 10:20 a.m. Saturday morning. Morey had been in dispute with the carters of Dominion Square and had been threatened by them on many occasions, as Morey got all of the traffic from the Ottawa Hotel and was strategically located to dispatch cabs quickly over the telephone. The damage was calculated at $15,000 and the insurance was $9,000. The building was owned by J. T. Morgan of H Hawell Company. Over 50 years later in a retrospective article recounting the history of horse taxis in Montreal, the writer noted at the end that the McGarr clan had scored Morey's monopoly after the attack. Could the McGarrs have been behind the attack and murder?