From the News

Tar and Feathers

The Toronto World

It appears that the husband of Mrs. Christina Holmes was Pte. Herbert Holmes, 166794, who was killed 09 April 1916, and not in 1917 as suggested in this Toronto World newspaper report. A Toronto Star article published 05 February 1917 regarding the death of Pte. Holmes indicated that his widow resided at 4 Jersey avenue in Toronto, and that he had immigrated to Canada from England thirteen years earlier. I posted this article which included a photograph of Holmes to his entry on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

Dated:

TAR AND FEATHERS, GIFT OF VETERANS

Frederick Spade is Made to Kiss the Union Jack.

Widow's Complaint

Her Husband Was Killed a Year Ago at Vimy Ridge.

Following alleged pro-German remarks and after being blamed for threatening a soldier's widow with an iron bar, Frederick Spade, said to be of German parents, living at 2 Jersey avenue, was dragged from his home by forty or fifty returned soldiers at 9:15 last night and made to kiss the flag and sing as much as he knew of God Save the King, after which he was liberally coated with tar and sprinkled with feathers. It is said he knew only two lines of the national anthem, and he was kicked for the rest.

A written statement in the hands of the soldiers signed and sealed before witnesses, states that Spade had on several occasions made decidedly pro-German reference to the war, and that he deliberately threatened Mrs. Christina Holmes, his next door neighbour, whose husband was killed at Vimy Ridge. Mrs. Holmes had started to move from the neighbourhood on account of Spade's antagonism. Spade claimed that Mrs. Holmes' two children bothered him.

According to one of the soldiers spoken to last night this is just the first of many aliens who are about to receive similar attention at the hands of the returned men. It was stated by the same authority that the Bulgarian students at the university would be next in line for similar treatment.

Transcribed by: M. I. Pirie