Everyone loves a mystery. Some are easily solved. Others never are. Will we ever really know who shot JFK? Or who shot JR? The list is endless. My father told us kids about a dirty, hungry, broke man who used to show up in the fall at their home. Amma would feed, clothe and comfort him. Who was he? A defrocked minister? A long lost relative? My father said he was well spoken and full of wondrous stories. Then, one day he was gone. My grand-parents would not reveal his identity. It went to the grave with them.

OK. How about a modern mystery? Well a friend said, “Did you ever hear about the time two men robbed Jefferson’s Lath Mill on Black Island?” Say what? Well 40 or so years ago, an old fisherman told my friend this story. Black Island, which is situated across the channel from Hecla Island on Lake Winnipeg has a magnificent forest. A gentleman by the name of Jefferson set up a lath and stud mill there. This was the days before Gyproc. Homeowners would have the inside wooden studs nailed over with laths. These then were plastered. The rooms were then decorated with wall paper or paint. The business flourished, from near as I can ascertain, from the mid 20s to the mid 30s. The mill created a huge sawdust pile.

Now the mystery. The S.S. Keenora would put in at Black Island to load the lath and lumber. The captain also brought the mill’s payroll. For some reason the workers were paid in silver coin. Why? No banks? Or some other reason? Now lost. But the plot thickens. As the story goes, two criminally-minded individuals decided they would rob the payroll when the Keenora landed, bury the silver coin in the massive sawdust pile and make their escape by boat to Hecla. Later, when things cooled down a bit, they would return at night to claim their booty. A great story - except no one has ever heard of it. I have researched and called everyone I know. From John Selkirk at Pine Dock, to Dave Tomasson and everyone in between. No one has been able to shed any light on the story.

Is the story true? I don't know. Please call or e-mail me with what you know.

Ken Kristjanson
204 489-2249
kards@mymts.net