Cumberland Township Historical Society
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Murder in Navan
2. The cast
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serv.focus(); } //--> </script> </head> <body leftmargin="0" topmargin="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0"> <div id="stChild"> <div class="sc" id="sc1"> <h4 class="float-left">1</h4> <span class="cmStoryLine"> Constable Harold Dent in his OPP uniform.<br />1932<br /> Rockland, Ontario<br /> </span> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> </span> <br /> <br /> <a href="#1" onClick="window.open('pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=119096','CM', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=273,height=600')"><span class="topNavWhite"><img src="CommunityMemories2/ADYX/0001/image/storycard/ADYX00010011.jpg" ></span></a> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc2"> <h4 class="float-right">2</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> The victim<br /> <br /> Harold Dent was a popular, well-respected police officer who worked out of the Rockland, Ontario detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), just east of Ottawa. </span> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc3"> <h4 class="float-left">3</h4> <span class="cmStoryLine"> Town of Rockland, Ontario early 1900's<br />1900<br /> Rockland, Ontario<br /> </span> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> </span> <br /> <br /> <a href="#3" onClick="window.open('pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=119097','CM', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=704,height=464')"><span class="topNavWhite"><img src="CommunityMemories2/ADYX/0001/image/storycard/ADYX00010012.jpg" ></span></a> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc4"> <h4 class="float-right">4</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> He was born March 2, 1903, the youngest of four children born to John Albert Dent and Annie May Busby. <br /> <br /> John Dent owned the Machinery Store and Funeral Parlour on Laurier Street in Rockland during the early 1900s. </span> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc5"> <h4 class="float-left">5</h4> <span class="cmStoryLine"> Harold (Hal) Hunter Dent<br />1930<br /> Rockland, Ontario<br /> </span> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> </span> <br /> <br /> <a href="#5" onClick="window.open('pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=119098','CM', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=270,height=563')"><span class="topNavWhite"><img src="CommunityMemories2/ADYX/0001/image/storycard/ADYX00010013.jpg" ></span></a> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc6"> <h4 class="float-right">6</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> Harold was educated in Rockland and lived there with his parents until he joined the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) on November 20, 1930. He served his entire OPP career in his hometown of Rockland. </span> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc7"> <h4 class="float-left">7</h4> <span class="cmStoryLine"> Harold (Hal) Hunter Dent<br />1930<br /> Rockland, Ontario<br /> </span> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> </span> <br /> <br /> <a href="#7" onClick="window.open('pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=119099','CM', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=476,height=600')"><span class="topNavWhite"><img src="CommunityMemories2/ADYX/0001/image/storycard/ADYX00010014.jpg" ></span></a> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc8"> <h4 class="float-right">8</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> Harold married Wilma Margaret Murray (Oct.23, 1905 - Feb.12, 1971) on September 13, 1933. They had one son, John Murray Dent, who was born April 4, 1940. </span> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc9"> <h4 class="float-left">9</h4> <span class="cmStoryLine"> Hal Dent with his pet dog.<br />1920<br /> Rockland, Ontario<br /> </span> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> </span> <br /> <br /> <a href="#9" onClick="window.open('pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=119100','CM', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=430,height=508')"><span class="topNavWhite"><img src="CommunityMemories2/ADYX/0001/image/storycard/ADYX00010015.jpg" ></span></a> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc10"> <h4 class="float-right">10</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> Harold, or "Hal" as he was known to those close to him, was actively involved in the life of this small town and the surrounding community. He was a member of the United Church and served on the Public School Board. <br /> <br /> Hal was an avid sportsman who enjoyed fishing and hunting with his dogs. </span> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc11"> <h4 class="float-left">11</h4> <span class="cmStoryLine"> Constable Dent (left) and Sergeant H. Story (right)<br />1932<br /> Cumberland Township, Ontario<br /> </span> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> </span> <br /> <br /> <a href="#11" onClick="window.open('pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=119101','CM', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=513,height=600')"><span class="topNavWhite"><img src="CommunityMemories2/ADYX/0001/image/storycard/ADYX00010016.jpg" ></span></a> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc12"> <h4 class="float-right">12</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> During his career, Constable Dent received several commendations for dedicated service for his part in solving two break & enters, thefts, a murder-conspiracy and an armed robbery.<br /> <br /> He is shown here with Sgt. H. Story during the Bergeron investigation. </span> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc13"> <h4 class="float-left">13</h4> <span class="cmStoryLine"> Harold Dent (right) and the team investigating the murder of 27 year-old farmhand Leo Bergeron.<br />1932<br /> Cumberland Township, Ontario<br /> </span> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> </span> <br /> <br /> <a href="#13" onClick="window.open('pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=119102','CM', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=646,height=471')"><span class="topNavWhite"><img src="CommunityMemories2/ADYX/0001/image/storycard/ADYX00010017.jpg" ></span></a> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc14"> <h4 class="float-right">14</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> Dent's 1932 investigation into the murder of 27 year-old farmhand Leo Bergeron led to the arrest and murder conviction of Cumberland farmers Emmanuel Lavictoire and William J. Larocque. <br /> <br /> On March 15, 1933 these men were the last to hang at the L'Orignal Jail. Dent's role in this incident is described in the book by Charles W. Bell, K.C. " Who Said Murder?" </span> </div> <table id="scNav"><tr> <td width="172" style="text-align:left;"><a href="pm_v2.php?id=story_line_child&fl=&lg=English&ex=00000479&sl=3663&pos=1&scpos=1" id="scJumpFirst" class="scLink"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/sc_start.gif" width="10" height="9" /></a></td> <td width="170" style="text-align:right;"><a href="javascript:;" onClick="flip(this.id, 0, 1, 54);" id="scPrev" class="scLink"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/sc_prev.gif" width="9" height="9"></a><a href="pm_v2.php?id=story_line_child&fl=&lg=English&ex=00000479&sl=3663&pos=1&scpos=0" id="scJumpPrev" class="scLink"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/sc_prev.gif" width="9" height="9" /></a></td> <td width="174" style="text-align:left;"><a href="javascript:;" onClick="flip(this.id, 0, 1, 54);" id="scNext" class="scLink"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/sc_next.gif" width="9" height="9"></a><a href="pm_v2.php?id=story_line_child&fl=&lg=English&ex=00000479&sl=3663&pos=14&scpos=1" id="scJumpNext" class="scLink"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/sc_next.gif" width="9" height="9" /></a></td> <td width="172" style="text-align:right;"><a href="pm_v2.php?id=story_line_child&fl=&lg=English&ex=00000479&sl=3663&pos=53&scpos=1" id="scJumpLast" class="scLink"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/sc_last.gif" width="10" height="9" /></a></td> </tr> </table> </div> <div class="scSplit" id="scSplit" /> </body> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript"> var scCount = 14; var scShowing = []; flip("scPos", 1, 1, 54); </script>
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