by Kathleen "Katie" O'Donnell
of Punkin' Doodle Boo Folk Art

In many a quiet town's history, there lurks a tale of strangeness or legend that is passed down from one generation to another. Frightening tales of happenings that leave lasting impressions on us as children, these stories prompt us to sleep with the hall light on, or the closet door shut tight. Spooky tales that make us walk briskly past a dilapidated landmark or old cemetery. Later, when we recall those stories as adults, we find we still get goose bumps on our flesh. Recalling those tales as perfectly rational grownups, we still find ourselves questioning our belief in supernatural occurrences, witchcraft, and mythological beings.

February 2008

Last month, we shared two spine tingling tales from our own Halloween Artists; Josie Ditzler and Heather Millot. This month’s tale is told in the spirit of two of my favorite holidays, All Hallow’s Eve and St. Valentine’s Day. This is the true tale of Maggie Vail. A gruesome tale of a forbidden love that went very wrong one Halloween long ago, and justice done on the most romantic day of the year.

Canadian folklore tells us of a tale that begins in the small logging community of Saint John in New Brunswick, Canada. On September 12th, 1869 two children were picking berries in a remote wooded place known as Black River Road. One of the children, a young girl named Carolyn, stumbled upon a pile of stones and some arranged brush. As the child neared the stones, she saw clothing peeking from under the small pile of debris. Out of curiosity, the children began to clear the brush away and dissemble the pile of stones. Suddenly they were witness to a horrible sight; skeletal remains of two people. Little Carolyn and her friend escaped the scene screaming in fright. Two days later, the story was shared with the townspeople and the constable asked for help in identifying the individuals.

Upon further investigation of the site, the coroner discovered a very shallow grave. It was determined that the body was that of a young woman. Her badly decomposed body was still wearing a simple black dress, a hat and cape. Her braided brown hair was still attached to her skull, a single curl was hanging from her forehead. The baby, a child of less than a year, was also discovered. The babe’s tattered white dress and a single boot were found a few yards away.

The coroner stated in his report that the woman and the child had been dead for approximately a year. Their bodies had been partially eaten by local wildlife but the coroner was certain that both had been victims of foul play.

As time passed, clues about the identity of the mysterious woman in the wood began to surface. Mr. Robert Worden, a coachman for hire, appeared before the constable to testify that he had transported a woman and her toddler out to Black River Road the previous fall. Mr. Worden told the authorities that mother and child had traveled with renowned architect, Mr. John A. Munroe.
The constable questioned Mr. Munroe, and Munroe confirmed that he did accompany the young woman on two occasions. He went on to identify his traveling partner as Miss Sarah Margaret Vail and informed the constable that the baby was Miss Vail’s daughter. However, he strongly denied any knowledge of wrong doing with regard to Ms. Vail. He had said that he had journeyed with Ms. Vail solely for the purpose of taking her to meet a friend at Black River. Two days later, he testified to the authorities, he had safely escorted Miss Vail and the baby onto a ship set to sail onto Boston. Munroe said that he was certain that Maggie’s sister had received a letter from Maggie saying she was living happily with her child in Massachusetts.

Then on September 29th, the constable received their first piece of solid evidence. A steamer trunk, filled with Maggie’s belongings and a picture of Mr. Munroe, was returned to Maggie’s family in Saint John. In November of 1868 the trunk had been off loaded in Boston harbor, but no one had come to claim it. The shipping company explained that they were simply returning Miss Vail’s things to her last know address. In addition, another piece of very damning information surfaced. The baby’s name was Ella May Munroe, she was 9 months old, and the known illegitimate child of Mr. Munroe. Mr. Munroe was a man who was already married with two children.

The police arrested Mr. Munroe on October 2nd. The charge was premeditated murder. As the story goes, Mr. Munroe met Maggie at a picnic in the summer of 1865. John deceived the young Maggie by insisting that he was not married. Shortly thereafter, Maggie’s father passed on, leaving property to Maggie. Mrs. Crear, Maggie’s sister, said that Mr. Munroe visited Maggie a good deal at this time and Maggie fell very much in love with him. At Mr. Munroe’s suggestion, Maggie sold her father’s property, netting $600 in the sale. Reportedly, she gave some of the money to Mr. Munroe. To further complicate matters, Maggie found herself pregnant with John Munroe’s child.

Pregnant and unmarried, Maggie was worried about her fate. Legend says that at one point, Mr. Munroe was overheard saying to Maggie; “Maggie, if I get the poison, will you go and poison my wife?”.

Ashamed of her unmarried status, Miss Vail and her child were booked to sail on to Boston on October 29th. The idea put forth by Mr. Munroe was that Maggie wanted to start a new life in the States as Mrs. Clark. However, the stormy weather on the 29th was not conducive to ocean voyage with a small child. Mr. Munroe persuaded Miss Vail to stay in Saint John a few days more. The following day, Mr. Munroe kept his plans to travel with his wife to a town called Fredericton. It was on the next day, October 31st, he returned to Saint John.

John Munroe hired Mr. Worden that morning to drive he and Miss Vail to Black River Road. Mr. Munroe told Mr. Worden to drop them on the road and that he, Maggie, and the baby would walk the rest of the way. He encouraged Mr. Worden to travel up to the Horace Bunker Inn to feed and rest his horses. It was a cold and gloomy Halloween, and Mr. Munroe was very agitated for a number of reasons which remain unclear. In a confession that he wrote and signed just before his execution, he said that they walked a little way and the baby began to cry. Mr. Munroe was angry with Maggie and frustrated with the baby. He strangled his child and, he then shot poor Maggie in the head. He covered his lover and their child with brush and stones. He then made a hasty run to the Inn to fetch Mr. Worden. Both the innkeeper and Mr. Worden testified that Munroe was in a panicked and hurried state. Mr. Munroe ordered a drink, gulped it down, threw lots of money on the bar, and then ordered Worden to take him back to town. Two days later, Mr. Worden and Mr. Munroe placed Maggie’s trunks on the steamer ship to Boston. Throughout the trial Munroe maintained his innocence and swore that Miss Vail was living in the States under the name of Mrs. Clark.

The trial concluded on December 17th, the jury only deliberated for and hour and a half. John A. Munroe was found guilty. He was reported to have been steely throughout the entire trial, but upon receiving the verdict, he crumbled and shook. Great sobs of sadness were heard throughout the courtroom. The family of Mr. Munroe pleaded for his life, and submitted a petition to Queen Victoria, but Victoria upheld Judge Allen’s sentence. Mr. Munroe was sentenced to hang from the gallows for his crimes. The night before his execution, he wrote and signed a confession that was released after his hanging.

"The first time I went out with Miss Vail it was only for a ride. We had no quarrel and our going was at her wish. We got out of the coach, at or near the place described on the trial, she had a satchel, and we walked along the road, I cannot say how far, sat down, and had a bite to eat. We both fired at a mark, she using a pistol I had given her - one of a pair - a breech loader, same as my own. The mate I gave to a friend. I had learned her to use it. There was no intention on my part to harm her at that time. We came back and I left her at Lake's. She was to have gone to Boston on the Thursday after our first going out, but it was too stormy, and I went with my wife to Fredericton on that day, and came down again on Friday night. It was during that trip to Fredericton I first thought that the spot I had visited with Miss Vail on the Monday previous was a suitable spot to commit a bad act.

I went out again with Miss Vail the Saturday following. We went the same road as before and to about the same place. The morning was frosty, the moss crisp and hard. There was no wet on the barren. The road was a little muddy. We went off the road a little way together and sat down. I went into the bushes, the child cried, I came out again, was angry, and strangled the child. I do not know if it was actually dead. As she was rising up, I shot [Miss Vail] in the head - I do not think on the same side as shown in the court. I threw a bush over her face and some over her hands. I found the pistol in her pocket, or just fallen out of it, a common handkerchief and a wallet with only a few dollars in it. I threw the handkerchief and wallet away and left at once and have never been back since.

I had previously had some of her money - cannot say how much - perhaps half or a little more. I cannot say that money was not one of the reasons of the motives for the act committed. I do not say it was in self defense I killed Miss Vail. It was the money, my anger with her at the time and my bad thoughts on and after the trip to Fredericton working together, caused me to do the bad act. The letter written to Mrs. Crear [Maggie's sister] was written by me, and mailed in Boston by a friend of mine living in or near Boston. I never killed any other person or child."

John Munroe was cut down and buried later the same day in Fernhill Cemetery. Only his wife and a priest were present for the service. It is said that for many years a white handkerchief was tied to a tree near the place off of Black Hill Road where Maggie and her daughter were found. Two local legends surfaced a few years after Munroe’s death. One was that the Sad Ballad of Maggie Vail was written by her murderer while he was awaiting his hanging. The other is that when Munroe was in his apprenticeship as an architect he worked as a carpenter. At this time he was commissioned to build the gallows behind the courthouse. As it turned out, he constructed the gallows in which he was later hung for his crimes. How is that for irony?
 

HalloweenArtists.com is a group of talented, artistic individuals who love "Spooky Stories and Frightful Folklore" and all things associated with All Hallows Eve. Each month I will feature a spooky tale that is based on truth and/or regional folklore. I welcome you to send in your own "Spooky Stories and Frightful Folklore" or make suggestions for an upcoming column. Most of all, we encourage you to bookmark our site, so that you may retell these stories to you and yours.

Till next time,
Katie

About the Author:
Kathleen "Katie" O'Donnell is a Colorado artist, educator and mother of two children whose nicknames inspired the title of her business. Her work has been featured in online artisan magazines, and shops and galleries across the country. Visit Katie here on HalloweenArtists.com or on her website at PunkinDoodleBooFolkArt.com.