SIX NATIONS – Elmer General’s life was not long, only 27-years, but he lived every moment of it, as friends would say about the well-liked and outgoing young man, the son of longtime Councillor, David General.
Only five years earlier, in 1930, he was lauded as a hero in the rescue of a friend, Grant Mount Pleasant, from drowning. A third Six Nations young man, seventeen-year-old Leslie Wright lost his life trying to save the others. The incident occurred in Lewiston, in 1930.
In the years following his commendation, General had become somewhat of a local hero that everybody wanted to be seen around and have a drink with, and he would never say no.
He said he wanted to buy farm implements and stock for his family farm with the award money, which was placed in an account under his name, but it could only be used for that said purpose, which was OK with General.
All seemed well in his world until the night of October 18th, 1936, at around midnight, when too much revelling led to his tragic death.
General was killed by a car shortly after midnight, near 69 Corners, Six Nations. He had been run over by the car after passing out on the road following a drinking party with friends in Brantford.
Driving the car was Mr. Jack Gee, 44, of Hamilton who testified that, after cresting a small hill, he did not see Mr. General on the road until it was too late to miss him. “At first I thought I had hit a dog or something,” he said.
After the collision with, what turned out to be Mr. General, Gee stopped the car and seeing him lying in the road, drove into the village to get Dr. W. Davis. He returned to the scene and drove the broken body of General to Lady Willingdon Hospital himself.
General died at Lady Willingdon two days later of internal hemorrhage in front of the spinal column, a spinal fracture, a crushed pelvis, and a punctured bladder, amongst other injuries. The entire weight of the Ford Coup, plus its eight passengers, rolled over the man’s torso.
Those in the car were identified as Arthur Hyatt, of Hamilton, Mrs. Mabel Barton of Hamilton, Wilfred Brant, also living in Hamilton. Reserve residents Sherwood and Alda Atkins were also squeezed in while, standing on the running boards were Oscar Johnson and Grant General, both reserve residents.
OPP officer Carl Farrow and RCMP Constable Patrick Monahan investigated the incident. In hospital before he died, General told police he did not know what had happened.
The police investigation report found that Mr. General and three other men got off the bus from Brantford at 69 Corners. As they walked, General lagged behind and the others carried on, not knowing what had happened. General was about a quarter mile from his home when he was struck.
Jack Gee, who pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless driving, said that General was “lying on the road, just over the brow of a hill, and did not see him until it was too late.”
The reckless driving charge was the result of eight people being crammed in the car the night of the incident.
“There were four in the front seat, two in the rumble seat and two on the running boards,” said Crown Attorney F. E. D. Walace. Gee was fined $20, a little over $420 in today’s currency, plus court costs.
Leonard Martin was charged with being in possession of liquor while on the reserve. Martin was identified by the RCMP as part of the trio that got off the bus that night with General. The others were Isaac Smoke and Frank Davies. Smoke and Davies testified that they had been drinking with General in Brantford and had left him asleep on the roadside.
Martin admitted “passing out” after drinking out of a jug of wine. Therefore, he was said to be responsible for the intoxication.
Smoke claimed he was also near collapse while Davies maintained he did not touch any of the wine since he got his fill in Brantford. Smoke was fined $10 plus $25 in costs, or three months in jail.
Medal for Bravery
Five years earlier, General was swimming at night in a water-filled quarry along with Leslie Wright and William Mount Pleasant, from the Lewiston reserve. When Wright and Mount Pleasant found themselves in serious trouble because of the depth, General went to their assistance. After General had already pulled Wright to shore and went back to get Mount Pleasant, Wright went back in to help but never made it out again.
Because of his efforts, General and Mount Pleasant survived. General was instrumental in saving Mount Pleasant and he tried to go after Wright but he was too fatigued and went under.
Elmer was cited with a medal for heroism and a cash award of $500, a little over $10,000 in today’s currency. The 3” wide bronze medal beautiful two-sided case and cash award came from the Carnegie Hero Fund, established in 1904.
After studying this case, it underscores the fact that we are more than a bad decision or a wrong turn. From all accounts, Elmer General was a good man with a problem many good men have, and one night in 1936, it took this good man’s life.
Information for this article comes from the archives of the Brantford Expositor and Hamilton Spectator, with thanks.
