Practically Perfect (37 page)

1839  

John Munroe born in Ireland.  

1840s  

Munroes arrive in Canada, where father operates a lumberyard.  

1849  

Sarah Margaret Vail born.  

1849  

Mother of Sarah Margaret Vail dies.  

1862  

Munroe marries Annie Potts.  

1862  

Munroe and Annie become parents of their first child, a son.  

1865  

Munroe meets Vail at a community event near Vail’s home in Caledon.  

1866  

Munroe and his wife have their second child.  

1867  

Sarah Margaret Vail’s father dies; leaves her the family home.  

1867  

Munroe’s affair with Sarah Margaret Vail commonly acknowledged.  

February 4, 1868  

Sarah Margaret Vail gives birth to a baby girl, Ella May Munroe.  

Summer 1868  

Munroe visits Vail every Sunday in her home, remaining one hour each time.  

Fall 1868  

Munroe purchases a .22 calibre revolver.  

early October 1868  

Vail sells family home for $500; gives some of the money to Munroe.  

late October 1868  

Sarah travels with Munroe to Boston.  

October 23, 1868  

Vail checks into Brunswick Hotel as Mrs. Clarke; trunks arrive.  

October 26, 1868  

Vail goes for drive with Munroe; on return checks into the Union Hotel.  

October 29, 1868  

Vail and her baby scheduled to depart on a steamer for Boston.  

October 30, 1868  

Munroe and wife travel to Fredericton; begins planning murder of Vail.  

October 31, 1868  

Vail goes for drive with Munroe; Munroe murders Vail and their baby.  

November 2, 1868  

Munroe checks Vail’s trunks onto   
New England
, a Boston-bound steamer.

September 12, 1869  

Berry-pickers discover skeletons of Sarah Vail and her baby.  

September 21, 1869  

Munroe sentenced to hang for the murder of Vail and her baby.  

September 29, 1869  

Steamer   
New York
returns Vail’s trunks to Saint John; were unclaimed in Boston.

late fall 1869  

Munroe arrested and charged with Vail’s murder.  

December 7, 1869  

Munroe’s murder trial gets underway.  

February 14, 1870  

Munroe confesses to committing the two murders.  

February 15, 1870  

Munroe executed.  

1870s  

Annie Munroe changes her surname and that of her children to Potts.  

1878  

Annie remarries.  

1924  

Munroe’s son Frank Potts elected mayor of Saint John; dies in office.  

October 1, 1907  

Nora McKeown agrees to manage brothel in North Bay for Francis Ryan.  

October 1907  

Francis refuses to loan $5 to brother Maurice.  

November 17, 1907  

Francis charged with keeping bawdy house; decides to leave North Bay.  

November 1907  

Francis closes one of his bank accounts; receives $550.  

November 18, 1907  

Maurice Ryan murders his brother Francis.  

November 24, 1907  

Ryan pays off debts in North Bay; no one knows where money came from.  

1908  

James Ryan receives letters from brother Francis; but Francis cannot write.  

1908  

Farmer clearing bush discovers skeleton.  

1909  

Inquest finds Maurice killed his brother; Ryan committed to stand trial.  

March 28, 1909  

Maurice Ryan found guilty of murdering brother; to hang June 3, 1909.  

May 20, 1909  

Federal cabinet turns down Ryan’s request for clemency.  

June 2, 1909  

Court of Appeal refuses to hear Ryan’s request for new trial.  

June 3, 1909  

Ryan hanged in Nipissing District jail; denied he murdered his brother.  

August 8, 1961  

Denise Therrien disappears on way to job interview.  

August 13, 1961  

Therrien’s killer shows up at family home; offers condolences.  

August 19, 1961  

Therrien family receives ransom note; postmarked previous day.  

August 24, 1961  

Second ransom note received; man telephones demanding money.  

August 26, 1961  

Man charged with trying to extort money; third telephone ransom received.  

August 27, 1961  

Father and uncle of missing girl consult mystic.  

August 28, 1961  

Uncle of missing girl offers $10,000 for proof she is alive or dead.  

September 11, 1961  

Father hires team of private detectives hired to help police in their search.  

November 2, 1961  

Investigation into disappearance reopened; new information received.  

January 1962  

Bernier tells wife and mother-in-law only he knows where Therrien is.  

January 18, 1965  

Police begin digging in countryside around Shawinigan.  

January 22, 1965  

Police stop digging; frozen ground makes progress too difficult.  

April 6, 1965  

Body of Laurette Beaudoin found; Bernier arrested for attempt murder.  

April 13, 1965  

Police begin digging for Therrien; tell public have new information.  

April 30, 1965  

Police find Therrien’s skeleton in shallow grave near river in bush area.  

May 4, 1965  

Autopsy indicates that Therrien died from multiple skull fractures.  

May 11, 1965  

Coroner’s inquest holds Bernier criminally responsible for death of Therrien; Bernier arraigned on murder charges; Bernier confesses.  

May 12, 1965  

Bernier sentenced to three months in jail for assaulting priest.  

May 19, 1965  

Preliminary hearing in charge of murder held for Bernier.  

June 2, 1965  

Bernier confesses; tells undercover police officer he murdered Therrien.  

February 14, 1966  

Bernier brought from Bodeaux Jail for beginning of murder trial.  

February 24, 1966  

Bernier found guilty of murder; sentenced to hang July 22, 1966.  

January 4, 1968  

Bernier’s death sentenced commuted to life imprisonment.  

April 16, 1969  

Lawyer for Bernier announces his client wrote book about the murder.  

February 24, 1970  

Bernier sentenced to twenty-five years in jail for murder of Beaudoin.  

May 1977  

Bernier dies of heart attack while imprisoned in British Columbia.  

November 8, 1977  

Member of Parliament writes book on murders; wants inquest reopened.