Stoddard Online

Wilbert Coffin's Final Journey

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Upon the trial jury rendering their verdict of guilt on the part of the defendant, Wilbert Coffin, Judge LaCroix imposed the standard prescribed punishment. Wilbert Coffin was sentenced to hang by the neck until he was dead. The date was August 10, 1954, exactly one year to the day since he had first been arrested. Wilbert Coffin's family were devastated, and so it began, an eighteen month walk to the gallows.
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At this point, though naturally upset and in much turmoil, Wilbert still managed to exhibit that ever present smile to his wife Marion and his Mom and Dad. Wilbert Coffin was still confident that the same system of justice that had found him guilty would eventually find him innocent and free him from this tangled web. Little did he know, this tangled web would never release it's ugly grip.
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Wilbert Coffin's first date with the executioner was set for November 26, 1954. This would provide time for the standard thirty day limit on an appeal application to be considered. This was also the time period that Raymond Maher would announce that he would no longer be representing Wilbert Coffin. Down deep Maher knew that the Coffin family would no longer wish his services. After such a fall from grace , his old family buddy, Maurice Duplessis also knew that Maher would never be able to practise law again, with his bumbling of this case, his drinking problems, and most importantly, the likelihood that he stole what could have been an evidence exibit from Wilbert Coffin's trial and had it destroyed. True to form, Duplessis to the rescue. What does he do? He appoints Raymond Maher to the Rental Review Board for the province of Quebec.
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Lawyer Francois Gravel would remain as Wilbert Coffin's defense lawyer. As well, he brought on board his boss from Toronto, Mr. Arthur Maloney. This duo would serve as Wilbert's counsel for the remainder of his life. It was this pair of lawyers who would prepare and present an application for appeal for Wilbert's coviction for murder.
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This application would of course fail, and in the final days leading to his execution date, a new application was introduced, which would result in the execution date being moved back to accommodate the new appeal process. The applications were being applied for on the basis of errors being made in the original process, and the introduction of new evidence, as well as evidence that had been suppressed. It is important to note that an appeal can only be granted where it can be demonstrated that an error of law application occured, or that the original trial judge made errors during the trial process, or in his summation to the jury.

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There would be seven separate dates for Wilbert Coffin to be executed. This was a record in the Canadian Judicial system. One can only imagine the mental strain associated with the proposed date with the hangman on seven different occasions spanning a time frame from November 26, 1954 for the first one, to the final date of February 10, 1956. Each appeal of course, would be based on the hope and belief that it will be different this time, only to be discovered in the last days that it had failed, and a new process was being formulated to try it again.

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For the greater part of his wait for the final disposition of his case, Wilbert Coffin would be housed in the Quebec City Jail. Wilbert was no stranger to this place. He had been held here before his trial. This place contained many bad memories, and it contained some good memories for Wilbert, as this was the place where he had experienced brutal physical treatment from the Quebec Provincial Police. On the good side, this was also the place where he was shown the most respect since his days at the Gaspe' jail with Sgt. Henri Doyon. At the Quebec jail Wilbert had gained the friendship and respect of the jailer, Eugene Letourneau, and as well the guard team that secured the jail.

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It was not uncommon at Quebec jail for Wilbert to enjoy a game of cards with the jail staff. He drank coffee with them, they brought him books, writing paper and other comforts. The staff were unanimous in their belief that Wilbert Coffin was a victim of the system in Quebec, and did not look upon him as a true guilty party.

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Marion Petrie, Wilbert's wife was free to visit and was always treated cordially by the staff. This was very important to Wilbert as it gave him the chance to see and talk to the love of his life. More importantly, it provided Wilbert the opportunity to talk and look at pictures with Marion about their son, James. Wilbert would receive small packages in the mail from his family members, and staff always ensured that he received them.

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Sometime during the Fall of 1955, the monotony of jail was taking it's toll on Wilbert Coffin. These thoughts would be consistent with someone travelling on a one way ticket with no return journey in sight. Wilbert hatched a plan that could be instrumental to freedom. He had nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Since handguns were not readily available at the Quebec jail, Wilbert decided to settle for second best. Second best would be manufacturing his own. Though minimal in quantity, nonetheless, certain supplies and a generous sampling of good old ingenuity would be necessary to accomplish this feat.

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The main body of this handgun would be carved from a bar of soap. This could easily be borrowed from the sanitation supplies at the jail. He needed a knife. This was readily available from meal utensils. The soap would not present a color consistent with the black finish on a handgun. Wilbert requested that Marion bring him in some black model and exhibit paint that was easily available at a hardware or toy store. One of the guards was kind enough to bring him in a particular tool to drill the muzzle on his new "weapon of mass destruction." These requests were made of course without knowing what Wilbert had in mind, thus it would appear, there was no reaction to his requests. At least that is how it looked on the surface. The weapon was now complete, and was ready to do it's job.

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As I write this part of the story, I ask you to take the time as I have to answer a couple of basic questions about this escape coming up. If you are thinking that it would have been impossible to over power five burly jail guards, and lock them in a cell with or without their permission, then you share my thoughts. Truly, those people were convinced that Wilbert Coffin was an innocent man.

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Five days before a scheduled execution date Wilbert produced his gun to two of the guards, with the instructions to round up all the guard staff and lock them in his cell. This part of the task now being complete, Wilbert exited the main door of the jail. There just happened to be a taxi cab waiting at the main door, a rather strange place for a cab to be waiting. Wilbert entered the cab, immediately told the driver who he was, and the driver explained that he was pleased to meet him, and that he would take him anywhere in his cab that he wished to go.

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Prior to his escape, Wilbert had requested from family members to obtain for him certain maps of the area of southern Quebec going eastward toward the Gaspe' peninsula. It is prudent to assume here that it was Wilbert's plan to stick to the forest on foot. Knowing the forest and his ability to navigate the terrain, Wilbert Coffin would very much have a definite edge on any who may come looking for him.

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At this point Wilbert's trust of the system directed him to contact his legal cousel. Not being able to contact Francois Gravel by telephone, Wilbert elected to call none other than Raymond Maher who was at his home in Quebec City. You will recall, it was lawyer Maher who had either failed him miserably at the trial, or had completely sold him out. Either way, Wilbert Coffin looked to him for guidance once again.

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Raymond Maher's advice to Wilbert was that he must turn himself in, and let the system work for him. It was five days before a scheduled execution date and he informed Wilbert that things would turn around. He persuaded Wilbert to come and pick him up and he would go back with him to turn himself in. Maher would be thinking, this would be a way for he himself to look good, as he would be the one who would be recognized as the one who brought Wilbert Coffin in.

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By now the news was out to the rest of the country. News services across Canada carried the same headline. "Sadistic Murderer From Gaspe' Escapes" Be on the lookout. As family members heard the news they were silently praying that he would take to the forest. They knew that he would never be found there. Wilbert Coffin knew however, he would be a marked man with the Quebec Provincial Police. He knew that he would be shot on sight. Maher convinced him of that.

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The plan was formulated. After picking up Maher they would return to the Quebec jail with Wilbert Coffin lying on the floor in the rear area of the car. Wilbert Coffins taste of freedom lasted less than two hours.

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It is important here to ponder and ask a question. The question would be of course, would it make sense if Wilbert Coffin had truly been guilty to immediately return himself to those holding him captive, namely the government of Quebec? I think not. I think a guilty man would have high-tailed himself far away from Quebec City.

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It was immediately decided upon Wilbert Coffin's return to the Quebec jail that he would be transferred to Montreal's Bordeaux Jail. It was felt within the system that Wilbert Coffin had become too close to those employed at Quebec jail. The only way to erase that problem was to transfer him.

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Lew Stoddard

February 06, 2007

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The next posting will be the final in the series detailing Wilbert Coffin's last days. It was split into two parts from today's posting, mainly because of the volume of information that Lani and I have received. At the conclusion of that posting, I shall immediately be presenting to you the real story as to why Wilbert Coffin was hanged. As I have told you, this will be ugly, this will be sad, and you will find it most upsetting. I should also add that it is not based on my editorial opinion. It is based on documents that are factual. Nothing will be spared , names will be named, and many of these players are still with us today. These are the people who caused the death of Wilbert Coffin. I ask for your comments today and the next two postings. It is important to know where Canadians stand on this terrible travesty of justice.