Wanted for Murder

Sarah Wiemer McRobie

Sarah Weimer McRobie (1830-1918), my daughter-in-law Melissa Murphy Oliver’s 1^st cousin 5 times removed, married Samuel Asbury McRobie (1860-1899) on January 7, 1860, in Garrett County, Maryland. Samuel was one of seven children; Sarah was one of thirteen children. Together they had six children—only three lived to adulthood. Though Sarah was originally from Somerset County, Pennsylvania, she and Samuel, after their marriage, spent the rest of their lives in Maryland.

Fast forward to the Civil War. Samuel enlisted on December 12, 1861, in Oakland, Garrett County, Maryland, as a private in Co. O, 6^th Regiment, West Virginia Infantry. He served for the duration of the war and was discharged at the end of his enlistment, December 19, 1864. According to the U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865, Samuel was 22 years of age, 6’2” tall, and had fair complexion, grey eyes, and brown hair at the time of his enlistment. Though Company O and others were moved from one location to another as circumstances warranted, the 6^th Regiment primarily remained in West Virginia serving as railroad guards and patrolling the railroad lines for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. As is to be expected, various detachments of the 6^th Regiment, including Company O, found themselves in a variety of skirmishes and battles. However, the action was not just limited to West Virginia; they found themselves, as railroad guards, involved in action also in Pennsylvania and Maryland. 1

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Keep in mind that during the Civil War both Maryland and West Virginia were south of the Mason-Dixon Line.  Culturally, this line is a demarcation between the North and the South. However, “true” Southerners, do not identify Maryland as a Southern state. So, how does this affect Samuel’s story?

Company O’s main encampment was in Kingwood, West Virginia, not too far from Oakland, Maryland, where Samuel’s wife and family lived. According to available records, Samuel requested a furlough to visit his wife; his request was granted. During the Civil War, it was not unusual for soldiers to not know whether they had actually killed someone; but Samuel McRobie knew differently. Also, it was not unusual for soldiers from both sides of the Civil War to live in the same town. 

Kingwood, WV on left, the State boundary, Oakland, MD on right

While visiting his family, McRobie was “walking down the street and happened to see a Confederate soldier who approached him and a fight pursued.” During the fight between the two soldiers, Samuel began to fear for his life. Apparently, they were in front of a general store as he “removed an ax handle from a small wooden barrel display” and hit the other solder which resulted in killing his opponent. After the fight, Samuel returned to his unit as he had originally planned. However, the sheriff of Oakland was hot on his heels with an arrest warrant for murder.  According to records, when the sheriff came to arrest him., his commanding officer would not turn him over to the sheriff, stating “That is what a Union Soldier would do, Kill Rebs.” Additionally, the sheriff was told that if by any chance the Confederate States succeeded in winning the war, then Private McRobie would be available to arrested.  Obviously, the warrant was never served, and Samuel remained a free man for the rest of his life. 2

Samuel lived out his remaining years on his farm, which today is located beneath the Deep Creek Lake, a resort area near Oakland, Maryland.

Posted on findagrave.com by grampire

Deep Creek Lake - Google image

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Footnotes: 1.  "Sixth Regiment West Virginia Volunteers United States of America." Harrison County Genealogical Society, http://www.wvhcgs.com.sixthwv.htm
2.  Wilt, R. "A House Divided." Harrison County Genealogical Society, http://www.wvhcgs.com/housedivided.htm

Murdered by a 15-year-old

At the age of 46, Euclid Joseph “Pat” Menard was murdered on August 26, 1966, in Yakima County,Washington. He is my half first cousin two times removed. Euclid was one of 12 children of Napoléon Leon Menard (1881-1947) and RoseAnna Clara Dupuis Menard (1887-1963).

Napoléon (“Nap”) was born in Crookston, Minnesota; and RoseAnna (“Rose”) was born in Ontario, Canada. They met and married in Moxee, Washington, in 1904. According to the U.S. census, Nap moved to Washington state sometime between 1900 and 1904. Rose emigrated to Washington sometime between 1901-1902; and, according to the U.S. census, became a naturalized citizen in 1904.

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As previously mentioned, Euclid was one of 12 children: five sons and seven daughters. And, in the order of things, he was child number eight. He was raised in a French-Canadian, Catholic family. He completed his education through the 10th grade. Physically, according to the WWII draft and Army enlistment records, Euclid was 5’9”, weighed 140 pounds, had dark hair and complexion, and grey eyes. At the time of his enlistment in the U.S. Army in 1942, he was an employee for Carnation Milk Company in Mount Vernon, Washington. At the time of his death in 1966, he was a cottage cheese maker for the Darigold Creamery in Yakima, Washington.

According to newspaper articles, Euclid left his home, without explanation on the evening of August 26. The state police tried to stop his vehicle for a brake light that was not functioning. This stop turned into a high-speed pursuit with the car eventually crashing in a ditch and the “driver escaped into nearby brush.” Inside the crashed car was a man’s body, shot five times. Though Menard’s wallet and identification was found on the car floor, he was not identified until after his employer reported Menard as not turning up for work. 

A 15-year old was eventually arrested for the death, a coroner’s jury ruled the death as self-defense in that the young man said he shot Menard as he, Menard, had made a “homosexual attack” on him. We will never know if that statement is true or not, as Menard was no longer able to defend himself against the accusations. Below are copies of the newspaper articles covering the death.

Personally, I would like to know who owned the gun; who was actually driving; and why was Menard’s identity initially a mystery.  

Clues Sought in Gun Death at Wiley City

        YAKIMA (AP) – Authorities here were still seeking a motive Monday in the shooting death of an Ahtanum Ridge, Wash., dairy worker.

            The body of Euclid J. (Pat) Menard, 45, was discovered by three Yakima-area youths Friday night near the Wiley City dump about seven miles southwest of here. He had been shot five times.

            The victim’s identity remained a mystery until Saturday when an employee of the Diarygold Creamery reported to the sheriff’s office that Menard had failed to report to work.

            Deputies later learned that Menard’s car had been impounded on the night of the shooting about 30 minutes after Menard was found dead.

            The deputies said a state trooper attempted to stop the vehicle because it had not brake lights. During the chase, the car plunged into a ditch and the driver escaped into nearby brush, the trooper said.

            Menard’s wallet, found on the floor of the car, contained identification but no money. Fingerprints of several persons were found in the car and were being checked, deputies said.

            Menard left home in the car shortly before 7:30 p.m. the night he died without telling his family his destination. His wife left a short time later for Portland. She returned Saturday night after being told of her husband’s death.

            Source: The Semi-Weekly Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington) 30 Aug 1966

Yakima Boy Questioned in Gun Death

        YAKIMA (AP) – A 15-year-old boy was picked up and questioned Wednesday night in the slaying last Friday of E. J. (Pat) Menard, a cottage cheese maker.

            Menard, 45, was shot five times. Three boys hunting rabbits discovered his body Friday night on Ahtanum Ridge, seven miles southwest of Yakima.

            The boy, whose name was withheld, was arrested by sheriff’s Deputies John Thompson and Paul Parks at his Yakima home. He is being held in the Yakima County Juvenile Detention Center.

            An attorney retained by the boy’s father stopped further questioning of the youth, but investigation of the slaying is continuing.

            Pros. Lincoln Shropshire said the boy would be brought before Juvenile Court, but no time has been set for the hearing.

            Source: The Semi-Weekly Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington) 1 Sep 1966

Slaying Held Self-Defense

        YAKIMA (AP) – A coroner’s jury decided Tuesday that the Aug. 26 fatal shooting of Euclid J. (Pat) Menard, 47, Yakima, was justifiable self-defense.

            Menard’s body was found on the Ahtanum Bridge, about five miles south of Yakima. He had been shot five times.

            A 15-year-old Yakima boy was arrested Sept. 1 and charged in Juvenile Court with the slaying

            Source: The Semi-Weekly Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington) 21 Sep 1966

Shooting Is Cited as Self-Defense

        YAKIMA (AP) – The shooting of Euclid J. Menard, 47, Yakima, Aug. 26 by a 15-year-old Yakima area youth, was ruled justifiable self-defense.

Menard, who was shot five times, was found dead on the Ahtanum Bridge, about five miles south of Yakima.

            The youth was arrested Sept. 1 and was charged in juvenile court with the slaying. He testified that Menard made a homosexual attack on him.

            Source:  Spokane Chronicle (Spokane, Washington) 22 Sep 1966

Posted on findagrave.com by Jerry Conklin