Carleton Sentinel Newspaper, Friday, July 22, 1904
Another Terrible Tradegy !
William Doherty Foully Murdered
At his home in Chapmanville, By Thos. Cammack
____________
The Assassin Attempts Suicide,
A Woman in the case.

A shocking and most cold-blooded murder took place at Chapmanville, back of Bath, and a few miles from Glassville, in the early hours of Monday morning.
Thomas Cammack, a man probably more than sixty years of age was the perpetrator of the terrible deed. The story of the crime reads more like a fiendish butchery in some uncivilized region, rather than what would be expected in this peaceful county.

It appears that Cammack, up to within a year or so, had been living with one Mrs. Boyd, the wife of a convict at Dorchester. In fact about eight years ago they went through a form of marriage ceremony before a well known clergy-man at Bath. The woman of course, giving an assumed name. Things passed along smoothly until their seperation, when Mrs. Boyd or Cammack, went to live with the Doherty family, of which she was a member previous to her marriage to Boyd.

Cammack, it appears, thought her affections had been transferred to a certain widower in that neighbor, and made numerous efforts to get her to return to his domicile, but in vain.
To make matters worse, Thomas Doherty, the murdered man, was engaged to a daughter of his slayer, by a former wife. The old man bitterly opposed the match, even going to so far as to threaten Doherty's life on several ocassions. Matters reached a crisis on that fatal Sunday and the crime of murder and arson which followed has never been outdone in the annals of the province.

About noon on Sunday, Cammack met one of the Doherty boys, a brother of his wife, in company with Mrs. Cammack, returning from Church. He asked to speak with his wife and she refused. Cammack went away in a rage, but again returned to the Doherty house where his wife, who left him in May last, has been living with her brothers.

About the middle of the afternoon of Sunday, Cammack came and loitered around the Doherty premises the rest of the day. He left near night, but returned again about 12 0'clock that same night in company with his son Walter, driving. Walter held the horse while his father made his way into the house through an outside cellar door, into the cellar and up into the house through a trap door in the floor.

Then he made his way into a room, raising his rifle, lighted a match and fired at one of the Doherty boys, hitting him in the jaw. Then he fired at another Doherty boy, hitting him in the shoulder. Then Wm. Doherty, an older brother, came to their assistance and he was shot dead.

Cammack then hit his wife, who was next aroused by the noise, on the head with a stick of wood and beat and tore her clothing all off; she then took refuge as fast as she could at a neighbors's house. When she arived there the neighbors say she had no night clothing on, it being all torn from her and her face was cut and bleeding from several large wounds.

The Doherty house was set on fire and burnt to the ground and the remains of William Doherty with it. The other inmates managed to escape by the aid of neighbors who rushed to the scene.

Sheriff Hayward and Deputy Sheriff Foster were notified early in the morning and the officials at once started for the scene of the tragedy. A posse having Deputy Sheriff Foster at its head scoured the woods for Cammack, and before long came upon him. Calling on him to surrender, he signified his willingness to give in, but just as the men reached his side, he pulled a 22 caliber revolver and fired at his own head, the bullet entering behind the ear. He was carried to his own house, and word was quickly sent to Doctor Commins of Bath. The medical man probed for the bullet, but was unable to locate it.

The prisoner regaining conscious, and realizing his postion, begged to be allowed to die, but expressed sorrow when he was told that his wife had not been killed.

As there was grave suspicion that Walter Walter Cammack was concerned in the affair, the Deputy Sheriff had him arrested and brought to Woodstock jail where he must await trail on the charge of being and rendered a verdict that William Doherty met death at the hands of Thomas Cammack.

At the present writing, old man Cammack lies in a serious condition. The medical men have very slight hopes of his recovery. It is said that all plans for the murder were well laid. The doors of the Doherty house were fastened with ropes, and the murderer entered by way of the cellar, crept upstairs, and started his bloody work. It is thought he must have intended to murder all the inmates, and cremate their remains.

The young man, Walter Cammack, takes his arrest very philosophically, and seems certain that he can clear himself of the terrible charge of aiding in the brutal affair.

Walter Cammacks's Story

A reporter talked with Walter Cammack on the journey to Woodstock.
He said that he did not know his father had a revolver.
He had heard his father say " If John Ward (the widower), did not stop harboring his (Cammack's) wife, he would take the matter to law."

The father had been home Sunday evening but left the house where he resided with son and family, (composed of his son's wife and two children ) about midnight or earlier. About 3:30 o'clock Monday morning his father came home, had very little to say, and would not be questioned by his son. He took some food in his pocket and told him(Walter) if he wished to see him it might be that evening at an old shanty near the edge of the farm. It was near this spot that the murderer was captured. The son says he knew nothing of the affair until informed Monday morning by Sheriff Foster.

He says his step-mother was married to his father about eight years ago and he, the son, was not aware that the woman had another husband alive and in Dorchester penitentiary.
She lived with his father up till last spring, then went to the Doherty home, then her sister Mrs. John Ward died, and she had been spending a great deal of time at Ward's home. These actions were not liked by his father and he spoke about it.

During Monday the dying murderer said that " the Doherty's were a bad pack, " and he intended to kill them all, and the only thing he was sorry for was that he had not killed her (his Wife ).

Cammack's wife does not talk much of the case.

July 22, 1904
The Cammack Case

Thomas Cammack was brought down on Thursday night's express and taken before Magistrate Dibblee, by whom he was remanded and sent to jail until Monday morning, when he will have his preliminary examination.

Dr. Rankin probed the wound in his head in search of the bullet but did not locate it.

While the execution of Gee was going on, Cammack was in his cell not twenty feet distant, and alongside was his son Walter, held on charge of being an accessory.

To the credit of the young man it must be said he seems able to prove an alibi.
Everyone will be glad if he can clear himself.
J Chipman Hartley has been retained in his behalf.

Woodstock, N.B., October 26, 1904.

Thomas Cammack had been found guilty of murder and sentenced to be hung on January 12th.
In the case of his son Walter Cammack the jury disagreed.

Oct. 26, 1904

On January 12th for the Murder of Willie Doherty
Thomas Cammack Receives his Sentence Calmly.

Thomas Cammack has been found guilty of murder and sentenced to be hanged on January 12th.
In the case of his son Walter Cammack the jury disagreed.

The evidence all being in, the addresses of counsel and the charge of His Hon.- Judge Gregory having been made, the jury retired at noon on Thursday. The jury returned to the room at 3 o'clock, the judge having been imformed that they could not agree as to Walter Cammack.

When the prisoners were brought in ,Thomas Cammack looked very pale. Walter was anxious but apparently not greatly disturbed.

By their foreman, Mered Brewer, the jury announced that they could not agree.
The judge said that in his charge he had intended to say something which he had forgotten then, although he had referred to it during the address of the counsel.
It was with regard to a statement made by Thomas Cammack to Mr. Foster and Mr. Martin. This statement must not be taken by the jury as any proof whatever of the facts stated by Thos. Cammack. They must not take that as a proof , of the facts at all. It is evidence of what he said, not the truth of what he said, and so far was evidence against, not in favor of Walter Cammack. Attorney General Pugaley asked that the court withdraw that part of the charge in which the judge said that, where prisoners were tried jointly one had the right to call the other.

The judge-" At the request of the crown I will withdraw that part of the charge I gave you, where I said either prisoner could call the other to give evidence in the witness box in his behalf. "

The foreman then said: "It might be well to let us go out again for a few minutes."

The jury again retired shortly after three. They returned into the room at ten minutes to four. The foreman said to the judge that they had agreed as to Thomas Cammack, but they could not agree me to Walter. The judge, the attorney general agreeing, said that he would take their verdict as to Thomas Cammack and discharge them as to Walter Cammack, The foreman then announced that they found Thos. Cammack guilty and that there was no possibility of them agreeing to Walter Cammack.

Mr. Hartley moved that an order be granted by the judge allowing the prisoner Walter Cammack, out on bail until the next circuit court, in the same sureties as had been given before the trial. The attorney general raised no objection to this.

It was learned that ten jurymen were for acquittal. and two for conviction. The prisoner, Thomas Cammack, keep his eyes on the ground as the verdict was rendered. The attorney general moved that the prisoner Walter Cammack, be remanded. The attorney general moved that the sentence of the court be now pronounced on Thomas Cammack .

The court adjourned till 4.20, when Judge Gregory pronounced sentence.

The judge said, " Thomas Cammack, stand:
You have been tried by a jury of your countrymen on the indicment charging you with the murder of William Doherty in the Parish of Kent, on the 17th of July last. You have been convicted and found guilty of that offence.. Your trial has been conducted with fairness. The jury have given marked attention to the evidence as it has been adduced. There was no room for doubt in the mind of the jury, or any one of the jurymen, on which they could find otherwise than that you were guilty of this crime. And a most atrocious crime it was which you committed, apparently without any adequate or great cause, provocation, or reason for anger, or for evil doing upon the part of your victim. You appear to have gone in the dead of night, with the intention of not only taking the life of this person, but apparently of taking life indiscriminately, because it appears in evidence that the first discharge of the revolver was against Charle Doherty, wounding him, secondly, against William Doherty, causing his death, and. then against George Doherty. I cannot find any extenuating circumstances whatever in the case appearing by the evidence.Your counsel has been unable to point out any, that would move the compassion of any court, or any citizen in your favor. It is not for me to conjecture how you came to commit this fearful crime. You have committed it and are now obliged to submit to the consequences imposed by the law upon you for this offence. You have been defended by counsel, who with the poor material he had, has, I am sure, manifested a desire and zeal on your behave, as great as could be shown by anybody. Nothing could be found by him upon which he could hold out any reason whatever to the jury to acquit you or to take a mitigating view of your offence. All that remains for me to do is to pass sentence of the law upon you. You will understand that I have no option, it is not in my power to mitigate the sentence. The one power given to me, the only discretion I am to exercise is in fixing the time when sentence shall be executed on you. I am about to fix a time which will give you sufficient opportunity for meditation and reflection, both as to your past course of life and your future condition. I hope you will use that time to advantage. I hope you will use it in making your peace with your Maker. I hope you will use the time which will elapse between now and the day of your execution in serious reflection, reflection, in making that peace with Almighty God, whom you have offended so grievously that may insure you what this world cannot give to you, a peaceful hereafter. I implore you to think and take cognizance of that time, advise consultation with those who are able to direct your mind and assist you in arriving at a state of penitence, such as will be acceptable to your Maker, so that though you leave this world in disgrace, it may end in your merciful deliverance hereafter. The sentence of the court is that you be taken hence to the place from whence you came, and there detained in custody till the 12th day of January next, on which day that you be hanged by the neck till you are dead, and may God Almighty have mercy upon your soul."

Dispatch Newspaper January 18, 1905
Cammack Executed

Thomas Cammack was hanged at the jail at 5 o'clock on Thursday morning for the murder of Willie Doherty.

At one o'clock the members of his family who had been with the condemned man took their departure. At three o'clock the Rev. Father McMurray who had been a daily visitor arrived and stayed with him till the drop fell.

A few minutes before 5 o'clock Sheriff Hayward speaking to the physicians, press representatives, the corner and physicians assembled in the reception room announced that the time for the execution had arrived. He at once proceeded to Cammack's cell strapped the prisoners arms to his sides and the march to the gallows, a distance of about 40 feet, began.

Between Sheriff Hayward on one side and Father McMurray on the other and followed by Sheriff Foster and Constable Woolverton, Cammach marched to the scafford.

As the doomed man repeated the Lord's Prayer in unison with the priest the sheriff quickly and unerringly bound the doomed man's feet adjusted the black cap and the noose and as the word Amen was uttered Sheriff Hayward pulled the lever and the trap fell.

From the time Cammack left his cell till the sentence of death was executed was not more than two minutes.

Dr. Rankin, of Woodstock, Dr. Curtis, of Hartland, and Dr. Comins, of Bath, who were present stated that death was absolutely painless and that pulsation and respiration ceased in ten minutes from the fall. In another ten minutes the body was taken down, laid on a cot in the corridor of the jail and viewed by the coroner's jury who returned the verdict usual under the circumstances.

The day before the execution Cammack spoke of the great kindness extended to him by the Rev. Father McMurray and by Sheriff Hayward and his wife and he assured the sheriff that he would render his unpleasant duty as easy as possible and would not flinch at the last moment. He did not, and was as calm, outwardly at least, as any one who witnessed the execution. The unpleasant proceeding was carried through without a hitch.

Cammack ate but little in the last few days of his confinement and his sleep was intermittent, yet he bore up well for a nervous man. On Wednesday evening he asked that a bath be prepared for him that the duties of the undertaker might be lessened.

W. W. Hall officiated as coroner, with the following jury:-John E. Kearney, Bruce Vanwart, Ambrose Giberson, Wm. Arm strong, Terrence Monahan, Frank Belya ,George Hayward, Alex Bell, John M. Hay, John B. Smith, Leo Kearney, Fred Smith.

The murder for which Cammack paid the extreme penalty of the law was committed on the night of July .17, 1904.
On that night Cammack went to the home of Willie Doherty and his brothers, near Glassville , Carleton County, about 12 o'clock. He found entrance through the cellar and stole upstairs to the sleeping apartments, where the unconscious family lived.
William Doherty heard the intruder and hastened to ascertain who it was, but Cammack drew a revolver and fired twice at the unfortunate man, killing him almost instantly. He afterwards shot Charles Doherty through the chin, and George Doherty through the left shoulder. Not content with that he attacked his wife, who had left him and returned to the home of her brothers----the Dohertys, beating her.

The two Dohertys, also Cammack's wife and two children escaped and hid in the bushes. Cammack then fired the house and the murdered man was consumed in the flames.

The criminal fled to the woods and Deputy Sheriff Foster, with a posse of men, soon took up the trail with orders to take Cammack dead or alive. About noon some of them saw Cammack in the woods and called on him to halt. The sound of a shot was heard, and on the men rushing up they found their prisoner unconscious, , with a bullet wound over his right eye.
For days the life of the murderer was despaired of, but he was nursed back to health in Woodstock jail to die by the hangman's noose.

At the trial it came out in evidence that Cammack had tied the several doors of the Doherty house before entering the cellar.

The reason for the crime was jealousy of his wife.

Note: For further information,
Dispatch Newspaper, Oct 19, 1904
Thomas Cammack and his son Walter on Trial for the Murder of Willie Doherty.

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