Toronto Star, 18 January 1950

Terms, Straps Given Burford Bank Robbers

Brantford, January 18th -- Long terms and strokes with a flat strap were ordered today by Magistrate R.J. Gillen for four Brantford men who pleaded guilty a week ago to a triple armed robbery, including robbery of the Bank of Toronto branch at Burford.

Kenneth Hill, 21, was sentenced to seven years in Kingston Penitentiary; Phillip Curtis, 19, was given six years; Angus McQuarrie, 20, five years; John Paul Lacroix, 16, two years less a day determinate in the Ontario Reformatory, and two years less a day indeterminate. Each will receive 10 strokes of the strap.

After imposing sentence on the Burford bank charge Magistrate Gillen imposed the same prison terms on each of the other charges but made them concurrent. The other charges were armed robbery of Balson's hardware store in Burford and the armed robbery of John Gardiner, Brantford taxi driver, before they robbed the bank on Dec. 19. The four were captured a week later in the maritimes.

The magistrate gave Hill the longest term because one of his previous convictions had been for armed robbery. All four had records.

Before passing sentence on LaCroix, Magistrate Gillen said "You are only 16, are you?" LaCroix replied, "Yes sir."

The magistrate told him "Step out of the prisoner's box so I can have a look at you. You look older." Apparently satisfied LaCroix was only 16, the magistrate ordered him back into the box and told him: "It is only your age that saves you from a heavier sentence."