Head Turnkey Arthur Awty 
County Constable Albert C. Springstead
Wentworth County Jail, Hamilton (Barton Street Jail)
Murdered Saturday 29 November 1919 

On Saturday 29 November 1919 convicted murderer Paul Kowalski was cooling his heels in the death cell unit at the Wentworth County Jail, Hamilton, a.k.a. Barton Street Jail for the murder of Nick Trembluk. He was scheduled to be executed on 19 December for that murder.

Kowalski was allowed out of his cell into the corridor to walk, for exercise. At 10:15 am (1015 hrs) Wentworth County Constable Albert C. Springstead was the death watch officer. Kowalski jumped Springstead, tying a handkerchief around his neck and twisting it tight with the use of a spoon. Springstead was then beaten. Kowalski then tore out the window sash and got the ten-pound sash weight, shattering Springstead’s skull.

At the same time three jail Officers, Head Turnkey Arthur Awty, James Lowrey and William Berry were entering the death cell unit to retrieve the prisoners breakfast dishes that had been previously delivered to Kowalski in the same fashion at 7:00 am (0700 hrs). Kowalski jumped these Officers with a sharpened spoon, stabbing Awty 4 or 5 times in the body, stabbing Berry in the scalp, and stabbing Lowrey in the neck, arm, head, and wrist. Lowrey did managed to hurl Kowalski into his cell and lock the door. If this hadn’t happened there most certainly would have been two more deaths.

Jail Governor James Ogilvie was in the front office of the jail on this Saturday and was attracted by the yells. He went into the cell area and found the dead and wounded Officers. The Hamilton police and hospital were contacted. When police arrived, Kowalski was held at gunpoint, manacled both hand and foot, and thrown on his cell bed.

The tally from the rampage was: Springstead dead, Awty died in the death cell unit, Berry and Lowrey were taken to hospital and successfully operated on. 

Albert C. Springstead was born in 1864 in the Township of Saltfleet. He had been a County Constable for 35 years. He was also bailiff of the fifth division court at Stoney Creek where he lived with his wife, three sons, and a daughter. He had been doing the death watch duty at the jail only a few nights, relieving another Officer. Springstead had also done several previous death watches on condemned men before at the jail.

Arthur Awty, the Head Turnkey had been at the jail for some 25 years, and was an efficient Officer. He was respected by other jail staff, and inmates. He had never had problems with previous death sentence inmates. Awty’s wife and son had died some years previous.

James Lowrey had been a Hamilton Police Constable and Sergeant for 30 years, and had been retired at age 60 the previous January. Lowrey was recognized as a careful Officer. He lived on Spadina Avenue, had a wife, and grown children.

William Berry was about 50 years old, had been a turnkey at the jail for many years, with years of experience dealing with prisoners. He was married, and lived at 242 Wellington Street North.

Kowalski had been at the Barton Street Jail since his arrest for the murder of visitor Nick Trembluk at his home on Kensington Avenue North. Trembluk was found dead behind the home, a large amount of money Trembluk had was gone. The money was later found when Kowalski’s wife was searched by a Matron at the Jail. Both Kowalski and his wife were tried for the murder, only Paul Kowalski was convicted, and received the death penalty.

Crown Attorney Washington announced that Kowalski would be executed on 19
December 1919 as scheduled, and there would be no trial for his second and third murders.

Arthur Awty and Albert C. Springstead are buried in the Hamilton Cemetery at 777 York Boulevard