The mystery, which for the past two weeks has shrouded the movements of the missing man, Arthur W. RAYMOND who about 10 o'clock on the morn. of 5th inst., left his father's residence 72 Queen street, was cleared up yesterday by the finding of the body of the unfortunate man on the Beaver Lake road. The spot where the body was found is situated on Moriarty's farm, about four miles from the city and close to the school house on the road. The discovery of the body was the result of a talk between Walter BEARD and Mr. MORIARTY, both of whom reside on Beaver Lake road. Both of these gentlemen saw Mr. Raymond passing along the road about one o'clock on the afternoon of 5th inst. Mr. Moriarty indicted the spot where he had last seen the unfortunate man. They then proceeded to the side of the road and saw the faint marks of footsteps in the snow which they immediately followed. The tracks led them directly into the woods, then into a thick underbrush and after emerging therefrom they proceeded to a spruce tree about an eighth of a mile from the road, where they found the body of Mr. Raymond hanging to the lower limb. His feet were barely two inches from the ground. Upon examination they found an ordinary new clothes line with a slip knot at the back of the neck, the line being looped around the limb of the tree, leaving a slack of about two feet with a noose fastened on the limb.



Date February 22 1889
County Saint John
Place Saint John
Newspaper The Daily Telegraph

Yesterday Coroner Berryman and jury held an inquest on the body of Arthur W. RAYMOND who suicided by hanging himself to a tree in the woods in the vicinity of Beaver Lake. Witnesses: W.J. MORIARTY and J. Walter BEARD.

Date March 2 1889
County York
Place Fredericton
Newspaper The Fredericton Evening Capital






Date January 8 1881
County Saint John
Place Saint John
Newspaper The Morning Freeman

Peter O'HARE was the name of the young man who was found frozen to death at Beaver Lake on Friday morn. of last week. He used to live near the Loch Lomond Road (St. John)

Date January 1 1881
County Saint John
Place Saint John
Newspaper The Daily Telegraph





Date June 8 1894
County York
Place Fredericton
Newspaper The Gleaner


Date September 15 1888
County Saint John
Place Saint John
Newspaper Saint John Globe



Date December 6 1894
County Saint John
Place Saint John
Newspaper Saint John Globe

A sad accident occurred yesterday afternoon at Beaver Lake. Mrs. CRAWFORD, a widow, who had her residence at Fort Howe (St. John) while following her avoction of picking berries, went to cross a stream in that vicinity for the better prosecuting of her labours. The current after the late rains proved too strong for her powers of resistance. She was carried away by its force and died a victim of her own temerity. The body was shorty afterwards found and last night conveyed to the city; left three or four children.

St. John, Aug. 1 - Robert MOORE, who drove in from West Beach early this morn. tells of the horrible death of John HANNAH, an old man who lives near Beaver Lake, nine miles from this city. At the home of the old man, Moore learned that Hannah had gone last night to look for cattle and had not returned. His wife feared that the old man had some trouble with a ferocious bull that they owned and a search party was about to start out to look for him. Moore drove along, and about a mile further saw lying in a field a hundred yards from the road a body which he recognized as that of Hannah. He was afraid to go near as the bull was lying close beside it. Undoubtedly the old man had been gored to death and had been lying in the same spot all night. For a year or more the animal has been chasing people and as the road is not guarded by fences, his presence has always been most dangerous.

St. John, Dec. 5 - Between six and seven o'clock tonight fire declared itself in the barn owned by Mrs Robert LAWTON, widow, on Beaver Lake Road, about nine miles from the city. Mrs. Lawton's two sons, Oliver LAWTON, 23 years old and a younger brother after supper went to the barn taking with them a lantern which was suspended from a beam and hung directly over a heap of straw. The lantern was upset and in a few minutes the barn was in flames. Adjoining this was a barn in which there were three horses and four or five cows. Two of the horses were rescued. The third one Oliver attempted to get out and in doing so was overcome by the smoke and suffocated. His lifeless body was dragged from the barn before the flames touches it. All the cattle perished in the flames besides a large quantity of hay. There was stored in the barn the winter's supply of vegetables and some farming utensils, all of which were consumed. The loss will be very heavy as the owner had no insurance. A coroner visited the scene of the accident a few hours later but an inquest will probably not be held. Great sympathy is expressed for Mrs. Lawton who is a widow on the loss of her son who was the main support of the family.

Robbery, Arson and Murder: Early on Monday last, the city (Saint John) was thrown into a state of excitement by the report brought in that a most daring and atrocious series of crimes such are as rarely heard of in civilized countries had been committed ten miles to the eastward. As the reports became confirmed, it appeared that two houses belonging to Dr. Robert McKenzie late doing business in this city, but for a number of years residing at Mispeck, about ten miles out the Black River Road, had been consumed by fire and that portions of the remains of McKenzie, his wife and children had been discovered among the ruins under circumstances that left little doubt but they had been murdered first, the house then robbed and the whole set fire to hide the crime. McKenzie was a man well-to-do in the world and reported to have always a quantity of money in the house beside him, and on Saturday night last when the tragedy occurred had no one about the place except his wife and four children. The house was also a mile from the nearest neighbours on one side and two miles from the other. From being thus isolated, although the fire took place early Saturday night, it was not discovered until about ten o'clock Saturday forenoon, when one of the neighbours came upon the smouldering ruins and passed the alarm to others along the road. The circumstances that at once excited suspicions of foul play were that none of the family could be got any account of; that a large money safe in what had been one of the corners of the house was found with the door unlocked and the contents gone and that the two houses burned; the one the dwelling house, the other a house usually occupied by a hired man, were so far apart as to preclude any one of them having caught fire from the other. On further examina tion, after the arrival of the nearest Magistrate, it was also found that the remains of a man, supposed to be McKenzie in the one house, that where the hired men usually live and the ashes of what appeared to be the bodies of Mrs. McKenzie and some of the children were in the other or dwelling house, but not where they could have been had they been in bed when the fire caught them. All these circum stances led to the conclusion that there had been violence done, and suspicion immediately fell on a man who had been in the neighbourhood and about McKenzie's some days previous but who had subsequently disappeared. This man who gave his name while at McKenzie's as WILLIAMS, but who was elsewhere known as BREEN or GREEN or McGUIRE had engeged with McKenzie to come and hire with him, his former hired man having just left to go to Canada and had left McKenzie's on the day previous, Friday; saying that he would be back Saturday night with his wife and furniture. He appears, however, to have gone instead to the house of a man named SLAVIN, three or four miles distant on another road, where he had been residing of and on for the previous four or five weeks and where, there is no doubt, from what has since transpired, that the crime was planned. The destruction though discovered on Saturday (sic) was not intimated in town till Monday when Capt. SCOULLAR of the Police and some of his assistants went out and ascertained the identity of Williams who had been at McKenzie's, with the man calling himself Breen, &c. that had been living at Slavin's and thus got a trace that has led to the exposure of the whole of this horrid affair. On Tuesday the Coroner went out and viewed the remains of the bodies found in the ruins and took some evidence, after which he adjourned the inquest to the Court House in this city where it was after wards continued. The evidence in connection with the immediate perpetration of the crime, so far as we can gather leads to the inference that McKenzie had at first been decoyed out of his dwelling down to the lower house which was about 100 yards distant and that he had been there murdered and thrown into the house before it was set fire to, as his remains were found inside partially consumed; and that the miscreants had thence proceeded to the other house, where they committed the rest of the murders and robbery and then set fire to both. The principal evidence before the Coroner on the adjourned inquest was that of a little boy, a son of Slavin's about ten years of age, which, if his statements can be credited, leaves no doubt about the guilt of the parties suspected. It appers that Williams, alias Breen &c was at Slavin's house Saturday and came into town Sunday eve. where he slept all night and went out to Slavin's again on Monday morn., after which he and the two Slavin's, father and son, went into the woods, where they have since remained in hiding. This was collected from the evidence of several parties besides that of the little boy, but the principle light was thrown on the affair by that of the latter in regard to what took place at Slavin's on Saturday night and Sunday after the fire. Late on Saturday night, his father, Patrick Slavin brother of the same name and Breen, alias Williams &c. returned to Slavin's after having been absent from the forenoon; that they had brought a bag with them containing apparently clothes and heavy articles, that they washed their hands and held a good deal of whispering and mysterious talking, and had a long purse, a pocket book, a watch and money in their possession. He also said the next morning the three in question went into the bushes near the house and disposed of the bags and its contents, and that at a later hour of the day he saw them counting and dividing the money. On a re-examination he further stated that he heard them on the Saturday night after their return, speak of seeing the light still burning when they came into the house and about how the murder and robbery was effected, particularizing the part each took in the transaction. In several particulars, such as the description of the purse that Breen had, and the fact of the younger Slavin having a number of sovereigns in his possession on Saturday after noon, the boy was fully corroborated by other evidence, so as to leave no doubt on the minds of the jury about the guilt of the parties. By evidence given yesterday shortly before the closing of the inquest, the police were enabled to secure the whole of the three persons implicated in the murder. They were found in a temporary shelter of boughs and birch bark made up in the woods about a half mile from the house of a man of the name of HAGGERTY situated on what is known as the Four Mile Road, above Patrick BROWN's and about 10 miles from the house of Slavin and 17 from the city. They were discovered to be there by the evidence of Haggerty and his son, who were brought into Town Tuesday eve., and who had been supplying them with food, coverings and information of what was going on, and the police had twice been at Haggerty's house... No resistence was offered by the men when found, nor do they appear to have had any fire-arms or other weapons. They seemed thoroughly beat out and cowed by their situation and exposure to such a continuance of wet and cold The police were led to their place of concealment by the younger Haggert with much reluctance, which was not unnatural, the elder Haggerty being married to a sister of the elder Slavin. The younger Slavin made a slight attempt to run away but was easily frightened to come back and afterwards took the police to where a good deal of the booty was concealed. All three men are committed today for trial on Coroner's warrant. - N.B.C.


Date December 19 1857
County Carleton
Place Woodstock
Newspaper Carleton Sentinel

From St. John papers, Murder trial - Tesitomony of Hugh BREEN, one of the murderers - that he knew the prisoner, had lived at his father's about three weeks, knows of the burning at McKENZIE's, old Slavin and prisoner at the bar were there. I did not see him do anything. We went together, I was outside, he was inside with his father. I did not go until after the murder, all three were in the old house, were there first. I saw McKenzie, he was in the small house when prisoner was there, McKenzie was alive when prisoner was there. I went to the house and asked McKenzie to come down as my wife had come. Old Slavin said not to make a fire, and after it was made we put it out. McKenzie came down with a candle in his hand and old Slavin took the axe used for chopping wood out of my hand. His son was there. There were two or three in the house. Slavin was in one place and McKenzie in another. When McKenzie came in, Slavin came out and said "she is on hand" (this was referring to my wife's coming) He had the axe in his hand and hit McKenzie on the breast, he said "dead dogs tell no lies." He hit him on the breast with the back of the axe, McKenzie groaned but did not speak. We put him into the cellar and old Slavin afterwards brought him up. He asked me to help and I said I could not, but aferwards did. This was before we fired the lower house and an hour and a half after we killed him. We put him in the room. When we went to the upper house Slavin asked me if I knew the house; he told me to go in and watch the door till he got a view of her. He then went in and Mrs. McKenzie was siting at the fire with a child in her arms. She asked if she was coming (meaning my wife) Slavin then struck her with the axe on her head ad she fell over the edge of the stone; he then struck her three blows on the body. He then struck the children who were standing round their mother crying, he killed the whole of them; the children cried, but Mrs. McKenzie did not. Prisoner and me took no direct part in the murder; we were standing in the porch at the time. After the murder, the dog came in and got some blood on him - this was about half past nine; we looked at the clock - we shut up the doors and went down to the edge of the wood and thought we heard some of the children crying, and went down again - we came back and got some bread and milk. Prisoner took the key of the safe out of the pocket of McKenzie's trowsers before we left the lower house. I staid outside and Slavin and his son went in and I heard the iron chest open; they got what money was there and we went to the woods again; it was now half past eleven. Slavin said better put a coal in the lower house first; we got some matches and a candle and went to the lower house and set fire to the straw of the bed; McKenzie was lying alongside of the straw. We then went to the upper house and set fire to it in the porch, we took some straw with us and put wood round it. We left all together in about five minutes afterward .... Testimony of Patrick Slavin (another of the murderers) - I am father of the prisoner, he is between 15 and 16. I have not been in a place of worship for some time, have not given any of my children any instruction; prisoner is a boy of tender feeling... I first knew Breen on the Railway ... Going to McKenzie's I did not tell my son I was going to commit murder. I don't think he knew. I told Breen to go and tell McKenzie to come down; I was in the house and heard them coming down; my son I think was in the house; I can't tell if he was in the same room wih me, I had an axe; McKenzie and Breen came down; I came out in the bedroom and struck him on the breast - Breen was aside, I could not say if my son was aside at the time; I think he came in just after. I searched McKenzie's pockets and could not get the key - we had thrown his body in the cellar, the key had fallen outand the prisoner got hold of it. We went up to the house, Breen and I, I was first, Breen showed me the way. I did not take the axe. There was one at the door, Breen gave it to me. When I went in I saw MRS. McKenzie sitting by the fire and the four children beside her. I struck her on the head 10 or 15 times. I killed them all. They did not cry much. We searched the house and found over 100 pounds of money. It was myself that ransacked the chest, the money was in gold. It was in a yellow bag, like the one in Court. There was a purse also and portemonaie. The boy was knocking about keeping watch. We had something to eat. We though it best to set fire to the houses. Breen and I both did it. We did not wait long, but only till the fire got agoing; we came round by the road home. They were in bed, my wife let us in. She did not know before we left of what we were going to do; she did not want to know. We counted the money, my wife got it and afterwards took it out and hid it. I saw the prisoner have money on Sunday, I told the boy Johnnie to watch him. He had portemo nnaie and gave it to me and I gave it back to him. I gave the purse to Breen before he came to Town. I have three boys Pat Slavin, 15 to 16, Johnnie Slavin, 10 to 11, and Jamie Slavin, 6 to 7, knows right from wrong; I have sometimes been too severe to him. He did not know when we left what we were going to do; if he had refused to go, I would have made him. He is a tender hearted boy and has not looked the same since. It was I that killed them all. I am aware that the sentence of death will be passed on me. I have told the truth... Sentenced Passed! ... After the usual formality of proclama- tion, His Honor proceeded in a most solemn and impressive address to pass the last sentence of the law upon the unhappy prisoners, which was that they be taken from where they were back to the jail, and from thence to the place of execution on Friday 11th Dec. next till they were dead, and may God have mercy on their souls. Sentence on the younger Slavin was deffered.


Date December 19 1857
County Carleton
Place Woodstock
Newspaper Carleton Sentinel





Date November 21 1857
County Saint John
Place Saint John
Newspaper New Brunswick Courier






Date December 5 1857
County Saint John
Place Saint John
Newspaper New Brunswick Courier



( Located Bayside Drive, Saint John)

A visit to the St. John Penitentiary. The life prisoners are Patrick Slavin who seem now well advanced in years and who has spent 12 years in the Penitentiary, Johnston BAIN and James KAYE... A prisoner named Robert REYNOLDS who served 14 years was discharged some time ago. Timothy O'NEILL who has been 13 years in Penitentiary has only one more year to serve. The "Albert Gallatin" men now in Penitentiary are as follows: Patrick CLARK of London, who had previously sailed with the Capt. He is unmarried but has a sister dependent on his support; John CLARK, also unmarried; James SWEENY and Alexander McMULLEN. The three last named are from North of Ireland. They never shipped in the "Albert Gallatin before". McMULLEN belongs to Belfast and has a wife in Boston.

Between 8 and 9 o'clock, Monday night, Patrick Slavin, a life prisoner in St. John Penitentiary escaped from confinement by placing a board against the inside of the fence which surrounds the buildings, and getting over by its aid. The dreadful murder in which this man, and his father and another named BREEN participated some 13 years since, and which brought the father to the gallows, Breen to the suicide's end and Patrick Slavin to the Penitentiary for life, is still fresh in the minds of most citizens.

Patrick Slavin who 14 years ago, at age 16., was convicted with his father and a man named BREEN of the wilful murder of the McKENZIE family at Black River (St. John) managed to effect his escape from the Penitentiary, where he has since been confined, on Monday eve.

Above Murder Story well written on this site

http://www.unbsj.ca/arts/hist/gregmarquis/cph/pdf/c2.pdf

In the 1840s, large numbers of peasant farmers fled Famine Ireland for British North America. Many joined the sizeable Protestant and Catholic Irish communities in the area of Saint John, New Brunswick. One member of that community was Patrick Slavin, a man in his 50s or 60s who had worked constructing the European and North American railway and who in 1857 worked as a labourer. His associate was a younger man, Hugh Breen, born in Oromocto, another labourer. Slavin lived in a cabin several miles from Saint John, in Simonds parish, with his wife and children, one of whom was teenaged Patrick Jr. In the weeks prior to the crime, Breen had boarded with the Slavins.

Persons of Irish birth and ethnicity were an important presence in Saint John and the surrounding county. Although they drew more attention, Potato Famine migrants of the 1840s, according to the 1851 census, were outnumbered by earlier immigrants. In 1871 more than half of the population of the city of 23, 315 were ethnically Irish. The neighbouring communities of Portland and Simonds also included many immigrant and second-generation Irish, many of them Protestant. Simonds parish was a largely rural community that lay between Saint John and the coastal community of St. Martin’s.

Another resident of the area was Robert McKenzie, a Scottish immigrant and businessman who was reputed to have a sizeable personal fortune. In 1857 he lived with his young family at his farm near Beaver Lake, in the Mispec area, and operated a chair factory. On a Sunday morning in October, a local man discovered nothing left of McKenzie’s farm on the Black River Road but smoldering ruins; a search of the burned buildings revealed the bodies of husband, wife and one child. ( Mispec area as the crow flies )