The Robbing of the Honey Pot- Andrew Cochrane Ramsay Yuill

September 1875

At a late hour on Saturday evening last week three young men visited the premises of Mr. A. Cochrane of Ramsay, and carried off three bee-hives full of honey.

They were perceived by a son of Mr. Cochrane, who gave them chase and fired upon them, wounding one it is supposed, and causing them to drop the hives.

One of the lads also dropped his cap, which was recognised as belonging to a young man in the neighbourhood, and who being accused, the next day, of hijacking the honeypots and fessed up as to being one of the thieves. The other three, fearing arrest, have cleared out for unknown parts it is said.

Bennie’s Corners Squirrel Hunt

A Bennie’s Corners story of 1875 may be recalled as telling of a recognized sport in some circles of the Ottawa Valley of those times, known as a squirrel hunt and featuring a reckless slaughter of the birds and animals of the summer woods. An Almonte newspaper report told of the hunt on this occasion:

On Friday the 25^th instant a squirrel hunt took place at Bennie’s Corners. Eighteen competitors were chosen on each side, with Messrs. John Snedden and Robert McKenzie acting as captains. In squirrel hunts, squirrels are not the only animals killed, but every furred and feathered denizen of the forest, each having a certain value attached. The count runs as follows : squirrel 1, chipmunk 2, wood pecker 2, ground hog 3, crow 3, blackbird 1, skunk 5, fox 50, etc. At the conclusion of the contest the game killed by both sides amounted to over 2,500. Mr. James Cochrane bagged 164 squirrels, being the highest individual score, and Mr. Andrew Cochrane came next. The affair wound up with a dance at the residence of Mr. James Snedden.

Born in Lanark Co., Ontario, Canada on 21 SEP 1848 to Andrew Cochrane and Isabella Erskine. Andrew William Cochrane had 6 children. He passed away on 01 AUG 1940 in Ramsay Twp., Lanark Co., Ontario, Canada.