North-West Mounted Police Service of William Henry Lowe
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North-West Mounted Police Service of William Henry Lowe (transcriptions
by Donald Lowe, taken from his personnel file obtained from the
National Archives of Canada-Record Group 18, Volume 3417, file
3524)
William Henry Lowe engaged with the North-West Mounted Police
in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on March 23, 1900, for
a term of five years. The regimental number assigned to him was
#3524. He signed an agreement on that day, that reads as follows:
"I hereby agree to repay the cost of my railway transportation
to
Regina, N.W. Territories, by stoppages of Five Dollars per
month
from my pay as a member of the North-West Mounted Police"
William Henry Lowe
Witness, (unreadable)
He also signed an engagement agreement:
"North-West Mounted Police.
ENGAGEMENT
I, William Henry Lowe
do hereby contract, engage, promise and agree to and with the
Commissioner of the Police Force, constituted by law in and for
the North-West Territories of Canada, to serve in such Police
Force for 5 years from 23rd March 1900 ______________________________
in the North-West Territories and the Yukon Territory, and do
hereby declare myself subject to all the provisions of the Act
of Parliament of Canada, 57 & 58 Vic., Cap. 27, entitled:
An act to Amend and Consolidate the Acts respecting the North-West
Mounted Police Force," and any Acts amending the same which
may be passed during my term of service; and to all rules, regulations
or orders made by virtue of the said Acts, or any of them, and
that I will, during the said term of service, take care of and
protect all articles of public property which shall from time
to time be entrusted to me, and make good all deficiencies and
damages occurring to such property while in my care or possession,
except through fair wear and tear or unavoidable accident. And
I do hereby declare and admit that by reason of such engagement
no right accrues to me for any transport expenses returning from
the North- West Territories of Canada on being discharged.
SIGNATURE
William Henry Lowe
DATE 23rd
March 1900_____
PLACE Charlottetown, P.E.I.
WITNESS (unreadable)"
************************************
He had a medical examination on his day of engagement, and the
document in his service record is preceded by this list of stipulations
directed at the examining physician:
"MEMORANDUM FOR MEDICAL EXAMINERS.
The attention of medical examiners of applicants for service
in this Force is particularly drawn to the necessity for observing
the utmost care in making the examinations, inasmuch as members
of the Force are committed to the performance of duties often
necessarily associated with danger and fatigue, which tax severely
the physical power, in a region where luxuries, or even the ordinary
comforts of life to which they have in many cases been accustomed,
must be dispensed with. To this end, having abundant opportunity
for judicious choice, only those absolutely free from any physical
or constitutional defect should be received.
In order that reliable means for identification may remain in
possession of the Department, any distinctive marks, as well as
ordinary features peculiar to the individual, should be carefully
noted.
Any one known to be addicted to the inordinate use of alcohol,
opium or other drug, or whose constitution has been impaired by
previous indulgence should be rejected.
The lungs and heart must be devoid of disease or (even so far
as can be judged) tendency to disease.
The digestive organs, beginning with the teeth, healthy; the
hearing and eyesight unimpaired.
The muscular system must be well developed, the eyesight good
and the fingers and toes free from defects and deformities.
As much of their duty will be performed in the saddle special
care should be observed that no disease, congenital or acquired,
exists in connection with the generative organs or rectum.
The minimum height is 5 feet 8 inches; the minimum chest measurement
35 inches, and the maximum weight 175 lbs.
The medical examination fee paid by the Government throughout
Canada, when authorized, is Two Dollars for each man examined."
**********************************
His medical examination form looked like this:
Form No. 65.
MEDICAL EXAMINATION
OF
William Henry Lowe
An Applicant for engagement in the North-West Mounted
Police Force
Place of Examination Charlottetown
Date, March 23, 1900
Age, 22 years 3 months.
Height, 5 feet 8 inches. 5ft.
8 1/2
Chest girth, at forced expiration, 34 inches.
34
do on full inspiration, 37
do 36
Muscular development, good
Previous occupation, Machinist
Intelligence, good
Temperament, nervous
Complexion, Fair
Hair, Brown
Eyes, Blue
Sight, good
Feet, good
Heart, normal
Lungs, normal
Hernia, no
Hemorrhoids and Varix, no
Vaccine marks, Yes
(Medical examination form, continued)
Body marks, tattooing
on left forearm - (actual marks showing anchor or hook,
cross, heart, & W.L.)
The Applicant says that he has not had:--
Rheumatism, no
Syphilis, no
Epilepsy , no
Haemoptysis, no
teeth - Good
Remarks:--
Fit for
Service
Examined at Regina April 6 . 1900
(signed)
H.D. Johnson_
_________________________ Examining
Surgeon
(Signature of Attend. Surgeon)
********************************
He signed an oath of allegiance that looked like this:
Form No. 71.
North-West Mounted Police Force of Canada
______________________________
OATH
OF ALLEGIANCE
__________________
I, William
Henry Lowe
do sincerely promise and swear, that I will be faithful, and bear
true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Victoria, as lawful Sovereign
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of this
Dominion of Canada, dependent on and belonging to the said Kingdom,
and that I will defend Her to the utmost of my power, against
all traitorous conspiracies or attempts whatever, which shall
be made against Her Person, Crown and Dignity, and that I will
do my utmost endeavour to disclose, and make known to Her Majesty,
Her Heirs and Successors, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies
and attempts which I shall know to be against Her or any of them;
and all this I do swear, without any equivocation, mental evasion,
or secret reservation. So help me God.
William Henry Lowe
Sworn before me at
Charlottetown
this 23rd day of
March 1900
John F. Mear
Notary Public for
Prince Edward Island
__________________________
OATH OF OFFICE
I, William
Henry Lowe
solemnly swear that I will faithfully, diligently and impartially
execute and perform the duties required of me as a member of the
North-West Mounted Police Force, and will well and truly obey
and perform all lawful orders and instructions which I shall receive
as such without fear, favor or affection of or towards any person
or party whomsoever.
So help me God.
(dated and witnessed as above) William
Henry Lowe
Another signed oath followed, dated March, 1901, in Battleford,
swearing allegiance to His Majesty King Edward VII.
The next page in his file was a typed letter as follows:
G, Divn R.N.W.M.P. Fort Saskatchewan
4th.Jan.1905.
To the
Commissioner
R.N.W.M.Police.
Regina.
Sir,
I have the honour to forward herewith Board in duplicate
held here on the 22nd Dec. 04. on Reg. No.3524 Const.Lowe W.H.
who met with an accident to his shoulder on the 16th.November
1904.
I have the honour to be
Sir,
Your obedient servant.
D.A.E.
Strickland
Inspr.
Commanding G, Division.
A handwritten report of the board meeting followed:
Proceedings of a Board of
Officers assembled at Fort Saskatchewan on the 22nd December 1904
by order after Officer Commanding G. Division for the purpose
of reporting an accident which occurred to Reg. No 3524 Const
Lowe W.H. at Edmonton on the 16th November 1904.
President
Insp.
D. A. E. Strickland
Member
Insp
G.S. Woosley
The Board having assembled
proceeds to take evidence.
Another handritten page came next:
Dr. P. Ayleu states-: I am
acting Assistant Surgeon G. Division R.N.W.M.P.
Reg. No. 3524 Const Lowe.W.H.
was admitted to Hospital on the afternoon of the 5th December
suffering from a dislocation of the acromical end of the clavicle,
or more properly dislocation of the Scapula. This accident occurred
on the 16th November 1904 in Edmonton and he was confined in the
Edmonton Public Hospital under Dr. Hislop's care from the 16th
to the 26th Nov. During the remainder of the time he was at the
Detachment in Edmonton. The bone is still out of place, but I
have reduced it to as near its proper position as possible and
have strapped it in that position. As Dr. Hislop was the first
surgeon to attend this case I would suggest that he be asked for
a report. I think Const Lowe will be laid up in Hospital for
about 3 weeks before he will have any use for his arm.
P.
Ayleu
A.A.Surgeon
Dr. Hislop's report followed:
John Hislop. M.D. states-:
Reg. No. 3524 Const Lowe. W.H. was under my care from Nov. 15th
until transferred to the Barracks. While under my care he was
suffering from a dislocation of the Scapula from the clavicle,
also from a severe sprain of the ankle. He was transferred as
soon as he was able to move about his foot. I found it impossible
to reduce the dislocation completely so as to have it stay in
position.
Sd.
J. Hislop
***********************************
There next came a report (again handwritten) of William Henry's
account of the accident:
Reg. No. 3524. Const. Lowe.
W.H. states-: On the night of the 16th November 1904 I was wrestling
with Const. Jozee and I got tripped up and fell on my shoulder
and sprained my ankle and dislocated my shoulder. I was admitted
to the Public Hospital Edmonton and remained there under Dr. Hislop's
care for 10 days. I then was taken to the Barracks at Edmonton
where I stayed for about a week and was then brought to Fort Saskatchewan.
My ankle is much better but my shoulder is not right yet. I
was not on duty at the time of the accident and have no intention
of claiming any damages from Government.
William
Henry Lowe
Reg. No. 3524
________________________________________________
A final report from the board stated:
The board having heard the
evidence is of opinion that Reg. No. 3524 Const. Lowe. W.H. accidently
had his ankle sprained and his shoulder disclocated scuffling
with Const Jozee that this accident happened when he was not on
duty and that he can have no future claim from Government on its
account.
D.A.E. Strickland
President
G.S.
Woosley Insp. Member
Approved
(ureadable signature)
(unreadable notation-possibly "Commissioner")
**********************************
A document was next in the file, which detailed the proceedings
related to his discharge (we are fairly certain that they were
not a result of his "accident"):
Form No. 54.
NORTH WEST MOUNTED
POLICE
________________
Proceedings of a Board of Officers assembled at Fort Saskatchewan
Alberta , this 22nd , day of March
1905, for the purpose of verifying and recording
the service of Reg. No.3524___Constable William, Henry, Lowe_____
of _______"G"____ Division, who was engaged at
__P.E. Island____________ on the ______23rd___ day
of ____March_____, 1900__, and whose articles of
engagement were for terms of service as follows:--
For___5__ years from 23rd, March 1900} { For ___________
years from___________
" _______ " _______________} { "
___________ " ___________
" _______ " _______________} { "
___________ " ___________
" _______ " _______________} { "
___________ " ___________
and who is now discharged in consequence of_______Time expired_________________
___________________________________on the ___22nd__ day
of____March__ 1905.
The Board having duly examined the service register and
accounts of Reg. No.3524
Constable William, Henry, Lowe______________________ of
_____"G"______ Division
find that he has served______5_______ years and _________
days as shown on page 2, and that he has been settled with
to the__22nd__ day of__March__ 1905__, and
has no further claim for (pay), clothing or compensation in connection
with his service in the
N. W. M. Police, and that his next intended place of residence
is__Edmonton, Alta______
________________________________________________________________________
To all of which the said_________William Henry Lowe__________
agrees.
(Signature)William Henry
Lowe
GS
Woosley Insp President
A.E. Shaw Insp__
_________________________ Members
NOTE.--Should there be a claim for pay, clothing
or compensation, the word pay, clothing or compensation
as the case may be, will be cancelled in the above certificate,
and the claim set out in full on page 3.
I concur in the above proceedings and grant the discharge of
Reg. No.__3524____
__Constable William Henry Lowe____________________________
of____"G"_______
Division from the__22nd____ day of________March_________,
1905, in consequence of
Expiration of term of service.________________________________________________
his conduct during service having been__________good___________________________
Place__Regina__________
Date__14th April 1905
____(unreadable signature)___
Commissioner
In regard to the description of his "conduct
during service", this qualifying sheet was included in the
file:
NOTE.--The following instructions will be strictly
adhered to.
1. This form will be used for every man whose name
is removed from the strength of the Force, whether by discharge
on expiration of term of service, by special authority, by being
invalided, by death, or by desertion.
2. When discharges are granted by special authority
the authority must be quoted on page 3, under the heading "Remarks
of Board and Commissioner."
3. When men are invalided the medical certificate
must accompany this form.
4. In the event of desertion a report of the case
together with Form No. 62 must accompany this form, and the "Balance
Sheet" must contain full information as to the disposal of
his pay and effects.
5. In cases of death the medical report and certificate
of death, and the address of the next of kin of the deceased must
accompany this form, and the "Balance Sheet" must contain
the fullest particulars as to the disposition of the pay due the
deceased, his cash or other valuable assets, and the amount realized
from the sale of his effects.
6. This form will, in the N. W. Territories, be
made out in duplicate, the original being retained in the Commissioner's
office and the duplicate sent to the Comptroller's office; in
the Yukon Territory three copies will be made, the triplicate
being retained in the office of the Assistant Commissioner and
the other copies forwarded to the Comptroller.
7. In cases of discharge by purchase the Board must
state (on page 3) the amount of purchase money and the disposal
thereof.
8. When transport is granted to a man invalided
it must be stated in the remarks, together with the amount of
subsistence money granted.
9. The following "characters" only may
be given on discharge:--
1. Exemplary.
2. Very Good.
3. Good.
4. Fair.
5. Indifferent.
6. Bad.
7. Very Bad.
When a "character" lower than "indifferent"
is given on Form 54 the character portion of Form 84
will be cut off.
***********************************************
Four accounting forms followed:
_____DETAILS OF RANK HELD DURING SERVICE_____
|
Particulars |___Allowed._
_________________________________________________ |
Years. | Days.
Constable from 23rd
March 1900 to 22nd March 1905 | 5 |
----
*********************************************
_____________________________________________________
BALANCE SHEET
______________________________________________
CR. | $ cts. | | Dr. | $
| cts.__
March 1905 | |
|| | |
22 days pay @ .70 | 15 |
40 || Library | | 25
| |
|| | |
______________ Balance Cash_____|
15 | 15 Paid Const.Lowe
Total | 15 |
40 || Total | 15 | 40
******************************************
CLAIMS FOR PAY, CLOTHING OR COMPENSATION
|___Value._____
Particulars. | |
______________________________________________________|__$__|___cts.__
| |________
36 days working pay at Lesser Slave
Lake Detachment | 18 | 00____
@ .50 p. day |
|________
Signature William Henry
Lowe
REMARKS OF BOARD AND COMMISSIONER
Discharged time expired
G.S.
Woosley Insp President
A.E.
Shaw Insp
Member
*******************************************
No. 54 a.
DESCRIPTION OF KIT
of Reg. No. 3524 Const William
Henry Lowe.___________
NOTE.--This form to accompany Form No. 54.
The cause
Discharged as (a) time expired._
of discharge to be inserted. The Board,
on discharge, to inspect
_______________________
the kit and decide upon the articles to be returned into
store as
at Fort Saskatchewan______
fit for reissue, or to be condemned or sold.
Date March 22nd____1905
*************************************************
N. W. M. POLICE Form 54a.
Description of Kit of Reg. No.3524
, Const William Henry Lowe
,
discharged on account
of time expired , at Fort Sask , on March
22nd, 1905
_______________________________________________________________________
|
RETURNED INTO
| | |
SOLD___
ARTICLES. | Casualty
| Division | Q. M. | Condemned | No. |
AMOUNT
| Store | Store | Store |
| | REALIZED
_________________ | | | | |
| $ cts.__
Blankets.............................prs.
Blanket straps....................prs.
Burnishers..............................
Brushes (4).......................sets.
Braces...............................prs.
Badges, cap and hat...............
Caps, fur................................
1 ER.
Cups......................................
Dunnage Bags.......................
Gauntlets, brown...............prs.
Goggles.............................prs.
Hold-alls and contents............
Haversacks.............................
Kit Bags................................
Mufflers................................
Plates....................................
Paillasses..............................
Pillow cases..........................
Rugs.....................................
(Kit, continued)
Sheets, waterproof................
do canvas........................
do cotton........................
Spurs...........................prs..
Saucers...............................
Slickers..............................
1 ER.
Sou'westers....................... 1
ER.
Towels..............................
Tuques..............................
Boots felt....................prs.
Breeches......................prs.
Trousers......................prs.
Drawers......................prs.
Field Jackets....................
do Trousers..............prs.
Gloves, brown.............prs.
Mitts, wool..................prs.
do elk.....................prs.
Sheets, over......................
do under......................
Socks..........................prs.
Stockings....................prs.
Tunics, serge...................
1
Boots, long.................prs.
do short.................prs.
Caps, service................... 1 WC
Hats, felt.........................
Hat Bands.......................
Pea Jackets.....................
Field Jackets, lined.........
do Trousers do..........
____________________________________________________________________________________________
D. A.
E. Strickland Insp
Commanding G____
Division.
*************************************
The last forms in the file No 84a.
were: N.W.M.P.
DISCHARGE
Name
William Henry Lowe
Age
27 years_____
Height
5ft 8ins______
Chest measure
34/36 ins_
Colour of Hair
Brown__
" Eyes
Blue___
Intended place of
Residence
Edmonton - Alta.
Enlistment 23 - 3 - 1900
Discharge 22 - 3 - 1905__
**********************************************************
ROYAL North West Mounted
Police,
Office
of the Commissioner, April 30th.1905
Ref. No._________ Regina,
Sir,
I enclose herewith the certificate of your discharge
from the R.N.W.M.Police.
Be good enough to sign formal receipt below and return
it here as soon as possible.
(signature unreadable)
Inspector
A/Adjutant.
Mr.W.H.Lowe,
Edmonton,
N.W.T.
Received the above discharge.
Signature Wm H Lowe____
Place Edmonton_________
Date April 25th 05______
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Last Updated: 6/11/98 9:57:32 AM
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