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Lola, Indian Runner

Beacon
August 14, 1890
Article on footraces at annual picnic. Lola wins three-mile race, but not the others. Mentioned as having run in over 400 races. “Long, swinging stride” characteristic.

Beacon
Sept 24/1896
Was it Murder?
Michael McMonagle Meets Death in St. Croix River
Indians Say he was drowned while trying to rescue one of them—others declare Indians murdered him for his money—Indians Arrested

It was a sad day in St. Andrews on Thursday when news reached town that Michael McMonagle, foundryman, had been drowned the night before from a canoe in the St. Croix. The story of the tragedy, as told to the Beacon by Lola, one of the Indians who was in the ill-fated canoe, is as follows:
            During Wednesday afternoon, the deceased visited the Indian camps and persuaded three of the Indians to start for Eastport with him. The names of the three were Lola, the celebrated Indian runner, John Stevens and Wallace Nicholas, all strapping young men. They set sail about 4 o’clock and ran across to the American shore without any mishap. They then took to the paddles, Stevens paddling in the bow and Nicholas in the stern of the canoe. Off Frost Cove, and about three hundred yards from the shore, Nicholas split his paddle and plunged headlong overboard. As he came up alongside, McMonagle seized him by the breast of his shirt, and against the protests of the others, attempted to drag him in to the craft. The usual result followed—the canoe upset—and all four men were struggling in the water. It was now dusk, so that the accident was not visible from the shore. Stevens, one of the Indians, says that he dove twice after McMonagle and brought him to the surface and urged him to hold on to the canoe until help would come from the shore. When he went down a third time, the Indian made another dive, going down fifteen feet or more. he could see nothing of his companion, and when he returned to the surface he was himself almost exhausted. The Indians had been in the water but a short time when a boat from the shore, manned by two men named Pottle and another named Robson, put off to the rescue. They took them and their canoe ashore, but nothing could be seen of poor McMonagle—who thus lost his life while engaged in the noble task of endeavouring to rescue a fellow-being. The deceased was a young man of about forty years of age, and was unmarried. For about ten years he has been proprietor of the St. Andrews stove foundry. He was a very useful man in his business, just in all his dealings, an had many estimable traits in his character. His aged mother, his two sisters and brother have the entire sympathy of the community in their terrible bereavement. The deceased was a member of the St. Andrews Foresters courts.

Arrested in suspicion of murder.
In consequence of reports while came from the neighborhood of the crowning accident to the effect that the men in the canoe had been seen quarrelling just before the craft was capsized and that one of them had struck another occupant of the canoe with his paddle, Attorney-General Mitchell wired an order to Sheriff Stuart on Friday to have the three Indians arrested on suspicion of murder, pending an investigation. When the telegram came the Indians were being examined by a commission from the Forester body in which order the deceased half a policy of insurance for $1000. the told the Foresters practically the same story as told to the Beacon the day previous.
            Deputy Sheriff Chase made the arrest about six o’clock Friday afternoon. The Indians were a little surprised but showed no evidence of fear. A report that John Stevens had struck Wallace Nicholas on the arm with his paddle and knocked him overboard led to Sheriff Stuart sending for Dr. Wade to make an examination of the Indian’s arm. He found one of the arms a little swollen, but this welling, the Indian declared, was caused by his falling upon the beach. A St. Stephen despatch to the Telegraph on Friday said:--“the report of the drowning of Mr. McMonagle near Gleason’s Point, Maine, proves to be a murder case. Mr. McMonagle had some $80 in his pocket. The Indians who were taking him across from St. Andrews to Pleasant Point knew this and demanded it. The were refused and one of them struck McMonagle over the head several times and threw him overboard, striking him again and sinking him. This was listened to by three Calais men who were drifting nearby in the yacht Ferry Point. These men were /Thomas Mahar,, Freeman Cox and Dennis Harrington, who claim it made their blood run cold to hear the cries for mercy.” There are few in St. Andrews who give an credence to this story. In the first place no person knows how much money Mr. McMonagle had on his person. None of his family knows, and his business associate is alike ignorant on the point. Secondly, the men who have circulated the story do not bear the very best reputation themselves. Harrington will be remembered as a individual who spent six months in St. Andrews Jail for perjury. Mahar bears an unenviable notoriety in connection with Scott Act matters. Cox’s reputation is not of the best either. Any story that such men tell must be accepted with a very large grain of salt. When the Indians were asked if they had seen anything of this Calais sloop they said that they had seen one half a mile away, but it was utterly impossible for its occupants to have heard anything from the canoe.
           
Indians taken to Calais
On Monday morning, Sheriff Foster, accompanied by Attorney McKusick, came drown from Calais to take over the three Indians. they had not taken the precaution to arm themselves with a warrant or some other authority so that the Jailer did not feel justified in letting the prisoners out of his keeping until a telegraphic permit had been received from the Attorney-General.  In conversation with the Beacon, Sheriff Foster stated that the chief testimony against the Indians came from Mahar, Cox and Harrington, and as the reputation is shady not very much credence is placed in it. the Sheriff says that a great many reports are in circulation, and it will be difficult to arrive at the true facts until an investigation is held. Another Indian named Sebattis Tomah, who is supposed to have been in ? with the St. Andrews Indians, was arrested on Friday at Peter Dana’s point, but Sheriff Foster thinks from the statements he had received since his arrest that the Indian will be able to disprove any connection with the case. the three Indians from St. Andrews went up river in the Standish on Monday afternoon. So eager were they to go that, fearing they would miss the boat, they ran away from the constable who was accompanying them, reaching the steamer nearly one hundred yards ahead of them. The Indians have been committed for trial, though the evidence against them is of a very flimsy character. Every effort has been made to find the body of deceased but in vain.

Beacon
October 1/1896
Body Not yet Found.
Lola and His Companions Awaiting Trial in Machias Jail
Though every effort has been made to bring to the surface the body of poor Michael McMonagle, the river waters have so far refused to give up their dead. The Indians Lola, Nicholas, and Stevens, who are held on suspicion of having foully dealt with the unfortunate man, are now locked up in Machias Jail, awaiting their trial, which will come off this month. The evidence of the witnesses at the preliminary investigation was very conflicting. The chief witnesses against the Indians were Freeman Cox and Dennis Harrington, two Calais toughs. The swore they saw the canoe containing the Indians and McMonagle off Lewis’s Cove, and heard them arguing. Fog coming up they did not see the canoe again until about seven o’clock, when they saw that McMonagle and an Indian were disputing. McMonagle told the Indians to land him at St. Andrews or it would be worse for him. The Indian threatened to kill McMonagle, and after hot words on both sides repeatedly struck him with a paddle, in spite of his appeals for mercy. McMonagle in an unconscious condition, was thrown overboard but, revived by the water, loudly shouted for assistance. He was again struck by the Indian and soon afterwards sank. This yearn was not swallowed very readily by the court, more particularly as it was shown that there was no fog that night and also that Cox and Harrington had been drinking quite heavily during that day. the story told by the witnessed from Perry was exactly the reverse. they saw the canoe containing the Indians and McMonagle upset by the breaking of the paddle. they put off in a boat and when the reached the spot were informed that McMonagle had sunk, the Indians expressing deep regret at his death. After consuming the entire day, Judge Rounds and R. J. McGarrigle, counsel for the Indians, waived further examination, and they were sent up for trial. The Indians are in excellent spirits and their friends are confident that t the trial their innocence will be clearly brought out. The Department of Indian Affairs has offered to place counsel at their disposal.

Beacon
Oct 8/1896
The Dead Rises. Body of Michael McMonagle washes ashore on Maine Beach. details.
Autopsy Discloses No Evidence of Foul Play—Money Found Intact in his Pocket.  Body Badly decomposed. Brought to St. Andrews for Burial.
On Monday, nineteen days had elapsed since the fateful day when Michael McMonagle, foundryman, of SA, lost his life in the St. Croix river. His friends had despaired of ever recovering his body, but on Monday night their despair gave place to other feelings when a telegram signed by Gove and Sons, of Perry, Maine, arrived, containing the information that a body answering the description of the deceased had been washed ashore on the Maine shore of the St. Croix a short distance from where their accident is supposed to have occurred. Bright and early on Tuesday morning a number of friends of the lat Mr. McMonagle set sail in a large sloop for Perry, expecting to be able to identify and bring back the body the same day. Amongst those who went over were Henry Quinn, George Langmaid, Wheeler Mallock, Thomas Rooney, Thomas Howe, Her. Ross, Charles Judge and William Shaw. A Beacon representative accompanied them.
            On visiting Frost, Cove, it was learned that the body had been discovered about 4 o’clock Monday afternoon by a son of Jason A. Robson, who was down on the beach hauling rockweed, The promptly circulated the news of the discovery and willing hands soon lifted the body up to a safe place on the beach. Acting under advice of the authorities, the body just as it was found was placed upon a wagon and conveyed to Perry, Maine, where it was placed in the hearse house, under the care of Mr. J. F Gove, one of the select-men of the parish.
            The St. Andrews men turned their boat’s head toward Perry, reaching it about 11 o’clock. They found the body still immured in the hearse house, awaiting the result of an autopsy that Dr. Horace Johan, of Eastport, and Dr. Holland, of Calais, had been ordered to make. It was nearly noon when physicians entered up their task. Before beginning, the St. Andrews friends of the deceased were permitted to view the body. Though every vestige of flesh had been stripped off the head, they had not the slightest difficulty in identifying the body by the clothing that was upon it.
            After the body had thus been viewed the doors were closed and the autopsy was begun, the Beacon representative being the only person permitted to be present with the physicians. the body was clothed in dark blue serge pants and vest, a pair of no. 7 brown canvas shoes, a light cotton shirt with a small figured spot in it, and the usual under clothing. A careful examination was made of the clothing. the best was almost completely deprived of its button, having evidently been worn away by the action of the gravel on the beach. the pocket of the vest were empty.  It was stated by some of his friend that the usually carried a wallet in an inside pocket of his vest, but there was non inside pocket in the best he had on. In the right hand pants pocket a $10 Bank of Nova Scotia Bill and a $10 US silver certificate were found, also a 5 cent Canadian piece, and some fragments of paper, which upon being pieced together, turned out to be receipt given b y T. R. Wren to Michael McMonagle for $2.72 Forester dues for June and July. In the left hand pocket there was s copper cent and in the hip pocket a large white handkerchief, and a fragment of a second handkerchief, with a broad red striped border upon it. A pearl collar button was found in his shirt and a pearl cuff button similar in design in the cuff of one of his shirt sleeves. An examination of the body itself showed that the exposed parts were in pretty had shape, while that part of the trunk that was covered with clothing was fairly well preserved. A most critical examination was made of the skull externally and internal and not the slightest evidence was discoverable of any violence prior to death. On this point both physician were very positive. An external and internal examination of the body made also made and there was no evidence found of any would or puncture or violence upon it or of any condition that would lead to the belief that the man had come to his death by any other means than by drowning. At the close of the autopsy, the medical examiner swathed the body in cotton and the door of the death chamber was closed, pending the arrival of Sheriff Foster, who wired to Perry that he was on his way thither from Machias, where court for the trial of the alleged Indian murderers was being held. It was nearly five o’clock Tuesday afternoon when the Sheriff reached the scene. He decided to hand over the body to eh deceased friends, and Henry Quinn accompanied him back to Machias to give evidence respecting it. About 9:30 Tuesday night, the boat containing the body, reached St. Andrews. The remains were taken in charge by a committee of the Forester county and conveyed to undertaker Rigby’s establishment, where they were coffined, after which they were taken to his late home. the funeral on Wednesday morning at ten o’clock, was held under the auspices of the Forester body. There was a large attendance of Foresters in regalia and a large concourse of friends. the Forester burial service was repeated at the grave.

beacon
Oct 15/1896
The McMonagle Case. The three Indians dismissed for lack of evidence.
The three Indians, Lola, Stevens and Nicholas, who were with Michael McMonagle when he met his fate in the St. Croix river several week ago, and who were arrested by the Maine authorities on a charge of murder in that connection, were put upon trial at Machias, Maine, last week, but the evidence against them was not sufficiently strong to support the charge and on Thursday they were dismissed by Judge Strout. Lola is at present at Pleasant Point very ill.

Beacon
Oct 14/1897
Lola Again a Prisoner
This time He is Charged with Assaulting a Yong Indian Woman
Lola, the Indian who was in the canoe with the late Michael McMonagle, of St. Andrews, when the latter met his fate about a year ago, and who was supposed by many to have been instrumental in his death, has evidently forgotten the temperance lesson which that regrettable incident taught him.
            After getting clear of the courts in the McMonagle matter, Lola never returned to St. Andrews, but took up his home at Pleasant Point, Maine, where he has since remained.
            Little has been heard here of his doings since then, but, it would seem from the accompany despatch that he has not been living the life that a good Indian should:--
            Eastport, Oct 6—Numerous Indians from Pleasant Point village, Perry, were here all day Tuesday. Lola, T. Lola, their recently appointed deputy sheriff, had been arrested early in the day b Indian Policeman Joe D. Socabasion, for assaulting the young wife of Governor Joe L. Dana at her home Friday evening, during the temporary absence of her husband.
            Mrs. Dana was much frightened at the sheriff, who entered her house, intoxicated, and not until the next day did she tell of the intrusion. The officer at the Point was notified and a warrant was secured for the arrest of Lola. He fled to this city and was not located by Socabasion, until Tuesday, when he was locked up. He was arraigned late at police headquarters before Trial Justice J. H. McFaul. Lola pleaded guilt to the assault and was fined $10 and costs, which he paid.
            Lola is known as the swiftest Long distance runner in eastern Maine and is a fairly well educated young man, with wife and children living at the village.

Beacon
May 4, 1913
Drowned at Princeton
Mrs. Hannah Lola the victim on Way to St. Andrews
A tragedy occurred on Sunday night, near Princeton, Maine, by which Mrs. Hannah Lola, window of Lola, the once celebrated Indian runner, lost her life. She was being taken in a canoe from the Indian reservation to Princeton, in order to catch Monday’s train for S. Andrews, when the canoe was upset in some rough water not far from the shore. Sabbatis, the Indian who was paddling the canoe, swam ashore, while Mrs. Lola Sank and was drowned. The body was recovered on Monday morning. The drowned woman was the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Nicholas, of Indian Point. She is survived by two sons and two daughters. Much sympathy is felt for the family. Mr. Nicholas left for the scene of the tragedy on Monday night.

Beacon
May 8/1913
Was She Murdered?
Father of Mrs. Henry Lola Thinks She Was
Newell Sabbatis, the Indian who was managing the canoe from which Mrs. Hannah Lola, (formerly of St. Andrews) was drowned, was arrested and held to await an investigation into the woman’s death.
            At the coroner’s enquiry, the fact was disclosed that the woman had come to her death from hearth failure as a result of the shock from the cold water when the canoe sank. John Nicholas, father of the dead woman, visited Princeton after the tragedy. He told the Beacon that he believes his daughter was foully dealt with, as her face was bruised and her neck showed marks as if she had been throttled. She had had some money on her person, and this had disappeared.