Circumstances

On Dec. 9th, Constable John Smythe and Canada Customs Officer Charles Muir were on their way to Port Colborne from Fort Erie, to conduct a liquor seizure, using Officer Muir’s touring car driven by Constable Smythe. The car lost control on loose gravel and barrel rolled twice.

Officer Muir was not injured in the accident but Constable Smythe was found deceased underneath the overturned vehicle.

Postscript

After a post-mortem examination the Coroner’s Jury declared his cause of death was from shock.

Constable Smythe was well known on both sides of the international border by law breakers, for his diligence in enforcement of the Temperance Act. Numerous threatening letters had been received from both New York State and Ontario residents. Due to this, a Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) Inspector was dispatched from OPP General Headquarters to investigate the circumstances of the accident.

John Smythe was 28 years of age and single at the time of his death. He had been with the Ontario Provincial Police for two years.

Born in Belfast Ireland, he served in the Irish Guards in WWI where he had been wounded four times. Following the war he immigrated to Canada.