What is now the Ontario Courthouse used to be a number of retail buildings and apartments. In one of them, 60 Dundas Street West, a terrible stabbing took place on June 5th 1885. Benjamin Simmons came home that Friday night in a drunken state and found his partner Mary Ann Stokes. Simmons asked for money for more alcohol but was denied. Later that night Simmons went to his neighbour's, Detective Schram, house and office holding a bloody knife.

"I've killed the old woman by – I have!"

Mary Ann Stokes was found in the shared apartment lying in a pool of her own blood with four stab wounds. Two days later she died. Benjamin Simmons was hanged on November 27th in the morning. He was the seventh hanging at the London Courthouse.

Scroll down to learn more about Benjamin Simmons' crime.

Benjamin Simmons and Mary Ann Stokes' relationship had never been a good one. They moved in together a year before the murder but it was never peaceful. Their landlord had complained a number of times of how they would fight. The cause of the murder was that Simmons was enraged Stokes would not loan him 10 cents to go buy more whiskey.

The crime itself was a bloody one. Benjamin stabbed Mary Ann four times. He used a large jack knife. Once in her left breast, once in her right breast and then twice in her left arm where he severed an artery. A piece of the knife broke off during the stabbing and was lodged into her arm.

A horn handle jack-knife

After the stabbing Benjamin left with the knife and went to Detective Schram's office. He confessed immediately to the crime. He exclaimed, "I've killed the old woman and I intended to do it, and I ought to have done it long ago." Simmons was brought to the courthouse, which was just across the street, without a struggle.

Mary Ann Stokes was found in the apartment lying in a pool of her blood. She was moaning and clearly pained. It was obvious to the doctors on site that she would likely not make it. Stokes was rushed to the hospital and died two days later from blood loss.

Drawing of the murder scene in the apartment. - 1881 Fire Insurance Plan - show apartment at 60 Dundas St W

Benjamin held a calm demeanour the entire time. He did not fight being arrested. He did not fight being detained. His trial took place on September 17th. He did not argue for his innocence or his sentence. All he said was that he wanted was to have the most time possible to come to terms with his fate. His execution was scheduled for November 27th.

London's public was not happy with the sentencing. They pitied Simmons and did not want him to be hanged. A petition was sent to the courts to change his punishment to life in prison. It did not take.

On the morning of the 27th of November the hanging took place. Simmons was calm. He loudly spoke his last prayer so that the entire crowd of 50 to 60 people could here. The crowd began to cry as the noose was placed over Simmons' head. In a quick pull of the lever it was over.

Violence due to alcohol was a concern in the 1800s just as it is today. Mary Ann Stokes was a victim of a drunken rage that could and does occur in the 21st century.

Sources:

Ivey Family London Room, London Public Library, London, Ontario, Canada.

London Free Press (London, ON), 1885.

London Advertiser (London, ON), 1885.