Episode 357: On a sunny Wednesday afternoon, 21 June 1950, the tranquil tobacco farming community of Langton, of Langton, Ontario, was shattered by a violent crime that would leave an indelible mark on Canadian history. Joseph Herbert McAuliffe, a World War II veteran turned counterfeiter, walked into the Imperial Bank of Canada with robbery on his mind. In less than half an hour, two innocent men lay dead at the robber’s hands, Arthur Lierman and William Goddyn, their bodies riddled with bullets, and a community was gripped by fear.
For three harrowing days, Norfolk County held its breath as McAuliffe, armed and desperate, evaded capture in the surrounding woods. The manhunt that ensued would reveal a tale of tragic childhood, wartime heroism, and a descent into criminality that culminated in a botched robbery and senseless killings. As the story unfolded, it exposed the raw nerves of a nation grappling with questions of justice, redemption, and the ultimate price of crime.
Sources:
Langton, Ontario
John Langton 1808-1894
The History of Norfolk County
The Archives of Ontario Celebrates Our Agricultural Past: Settling the Land
Phone History: All About Party Lines
Murder Remembered - Norfolk County 1950 — YouTube
Murder Remembered - Norfolk County 1950 — NFB
De Boer’s treasures: Herbert McAuliffe hanging
SSGT Joseph Herbert McAuliffe (1918-1950) - Find...
Wrong Side of the Law: True Stories of Crime by Ed Butts
Book revisits bloody Langton bank robbery
Herbert McAuliffe | Saint John Coin Club
https://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/canada.html
Jun 22, 1950, page 7 - The Hamilton Spectator at Newspapers.com
Jun 22, 1950, page 8 - The Hamilton Spectator at Newspapers.com
Jun 22, 1950, page 1 - The Sun Times at Newspapers.com
Jun 22, 1950, page 1 - The Expositor at Newspapers.com
Jun 22, 1950, page 2 - The Expositor at Newspapers.com
Jun 22, 1950, page 3 - The Expositor at Newspapers.com
Jun 22, 1950, page 1 - The Ottawa Journal at Newspapers.com
Jul 08, 1950, page 5 - The Expositor at Newspapers.com
Jul 17, 1950, page 1 - The Sault Star at Newspapers.com
Jul 18, 1950, page 8 - The Hamilton Spectator at Newspapers.com
Jul 18, 1950, page 17 - The Montreal Star at Newspapers.com
Sept 06, 1950, page 1 - Niagara Falls Review at Newspapers.com
Sept 06, 1950, page 1 - Daily Standard-Freeholder at Newspapers.com
Sept 07, 1950, page 9 - The Gazette at Newspapers.com
Sept 07, 1950, page 31 - The Windsor Star at Newspapers.com
Sept 08, 1950, page 6 - The Sun Times at Newspapers.com
Sept 12, 1950, page 7 - Niagara Falls Review at Newspapers.com
Sept 14, 1950, page 1 - North Bay Nugget at Newspapers.com
Sept 14, 1950, page 1 - The Expositor at Newspapers.com
Nov 21, 1950, page 2 - The Windsor Star at Newspapers.com
Nov 28, 1950, page 24 - The Hamilton Spectator at Newspapers.com
Dec 18, 1950, page 2 - The Sault Star at Newspapers.com
Dec 19, 1950, page 4 - The Gazette at Newspapers.com
Dec 19, 1950, page 7 - The Hamilton Spectator at Newspapers.com
Dec 19, 1950, page 8 - The Hamilton Spectator at Newspapers.com
Dec 20, 1950, page 13 - Telegraph-Journal at Newspapers.com
Aug 05, 1952, page 3 - The Windsor Star at Newspapers.com
The Ballad of HERB McAULIFFE (2023)
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Murder and Mayhem in Norfolk County | Dark Poutine - True Crime and Dark History podcast - Listen or read transcript on Metacast
