Intruders ~~~ Cops & Robbers

It was the end of July, 1964 in Torontošst side, about a week after returning from our honeymoon trip. (By truck.) It was a Thursday night about 10:30 pm, and I was getting ready for a 3rd run to Montreal this week. I had the loaded truck sitting in the grocery store parking lot across the street, ready to go.

I think it would be better to give one a description of the location so as to understand this incident a little better.

It was near the corner of Dawes Rd. & Danforth Ave. in Torontošst side. We had a small 4 room apartment over top of a clothing store. Our front door was recessed in beside the store entrance, with show cased windows on both sides. There was no door window or peephole. You entered, and went directly upstairs into the kitchen, then faced a rear window overlooking the flat store roof. We had a couple clotheslines strung up out there also. Over the edge was about a 10 Რfoot drop down to the back ally. There were no lights of any sort at the rear of the building, nor in the ally. It was pitch dark.

Off to the left was the second floor of the hardware store, with no windows. Then to the right, in the next building was a finance company, and next to that was Dawes Road. Directly across the street were 2 well used taverns.

It was just before 11:00 pm and I said my goodbyes to my wife Muriel, and my mother, who was staying with us for a time, until her things were shipped into Toronto, and set up in her new apt.
They locked up and went to bed shortly after I left. Just after midnight, mom was awakened by some noises coming through the back window, which at the time was open to dispense the summer heat. She heard what sounded like someone using a crowbar, pulling nails.
She immediately went in to get Muriel up. She awoke to find mom standing beside the bed in the dark, holding my 18 inch butcher knife in one hand, and my 2 lb ball peen hammer in the other hand. She whispered to Muriel to get up, and told her that some one is on the roof and trying to get in next door.

Muriel held the weapons while mom called the police. They remembered the kitchen window being open, (no screen, for climbing in and out with the laundry). They then stood one on each side of the window with weapons in hand waiting for something to happen. Just then a banging came to the front door; mom went to the top of the stairs and yelled, �IS IT?鴒s the police, let us in. Mom answered, go to hell, if you are the cops, get your asses around the back and get those guys off our roof. You are not coming in the front door if I cannot see who you are.
She came back to Muriel and with one on each side of the window, stood there ready to take on any intruder.

A chase ensued across the top of the roof and there was screaming and yelling going on like crazy. The 2 guys trying to cut their way into the finance company were finally nailed and cuffed.
Muriel whispered to mom that there were 2 shadows coming towards our window, knife and hammer ready for anything, one called out, ⥠you ladies still there?䨥y did not answer, ﵠphoned the cops, we are coming inԨinking it was still the burglars, as the first cop put his head through the window, mom stuck the BIG BUTCHER KNIFE in front of his face, and Muriel held the steel hammer over his head. He was in plain cloths, and yelling NO-NO, we are the police. The uniformed cop threw in his police hat for a quick ID, while the plainclothes cop dug frantically for his identification.

OK, hold it right there, the window is as close as you are going to get, you� not coming in. The cop asked, 衴 would you have done if they came in?祠 would have used the knife and hammer on them. (Cop) you堮ot supposed to do that. Mom answered with, 衴 are we supposed to do? Invite them in for a cup of tea?ﰾ

(Cop) Well we will just come in and use the stairs to the street. Mom answered with a definite NO WAY, you got a ladder out there from the ground, you just go back the way you came, and take the ladder and those idiots with youå® So they did.

The bad guys were hauled off and charged, not realizing that was their life saver. My mother and father, during the depression (the dirty 30頷ere butcher & chef on the great lakes ships, and mom was well schooled in the use of the BIG BUTCHER KNIVES. Muriel had a hot temper, from earlier rougher days of her life, and would not hesitate to use the hammer on an intruderਥad. No one has ever made it through our home without an invitation. (Including me.)

穬liam ( Diesel Gypsy ) Weatherstone.