Wednesday 1 February 2012

Pair charged with murder of Peter J. Trainor


Peter J. Trainor, 79-year-old Charlottetown storekeeper, met with an untimely death Jan. 30, 1941. On Feb. 1, Earl Lund and Frederick Phillips, both of Charlottetown and approximately 28 years old, were formally charged with murder.  



CAPTION: He was well and favorably known in the city and his passing will be mourned by many. The deceased has operated his store on the corner of Pownal and King Streets for many years and was highly regarded by all who knew him.


The body was found by a pair of police constables, "patrolling that section of the town in plain clothes and around midnight their vigilance was rewarded." The officers saw a man go past the store, which aroused their suspicion. Then they noticed a light in an upstairs window of Trainor's residence and then another come on in the store, which they knew to be shut at 10 p.m. They looked through a window and saw a man and heard a voice say, "The old son of a ___." 


"Almost immediately the policemen heard the bell of a cash register ring and the sound of silver rattling... Just then a man happened along and he was told to go to Joey MacDonald's house and telephone the Police Station for more officers."
Soon the officers surrounded the grocer's and a couple went inside, where they found Lund and Phillips upstairs in the building, each with a bottle of gingerale.
"It appears that Earl Lund made for a bed room window and dove right through it carrying sash and glass with him. He landed in the snow bank 14 feet below where he was welcomed by Constable Poole."
"Earl Lund, when the handcuffs were put on him, said: 'You got me.'" 

CAPTION: A view of the corner grocery store in which the tragedy took place. For many years the deceased, Peter J. Trainor, cheerfully served his many customers from the stock therein. Police saw a light shining from the large window and started their investigation. The lower right of glass next to the door was broken affording an entrance for the police who found the door locked.
Meanwhile, Phillips was still upstairs in the house and smashed his bottle of gingerale over the head of a policeman coming up the stairs after him, dazing the officer. His colleagues came to his assistance.

"...the man upstairs shouted, "Come and get me." Shouting back, "We're coming," the police started up after their man."
Phillips then flung a chair and an iron bar at the next two officers, striking one on the arm.


"However, they rushed the man at the top and after a struggle placed the handcuffs on him."

Phillips and Lund were formally charged two days later, convicted in June and hanged in August.

Theirs was last state execution on P.E.I.