Noah Gordner

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-121530P
• Residence: 1891, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1904, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer

Noah married Albertina Falk 24 May 1904, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Albertina (daughter of Werner Falk and Elizabeth Helwig) was born 17 Oct 1882, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 1949; was buried , Fairmount Cemetery, Baden, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Marjorie Morrison
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-171652
• Residence: 1983, St. Catharines, Welland, Ontario, Canada

Marjorie — Roy Morrison. Roy died Bef 2009. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Interesting: murdered, life story
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-49281
• Crime: 1930, Montreal, Ile De Montreal, Quebec; murdered by George Redfern
• Misfortune: 1930; murdered by George Redfern - poisoned

Notes:

On May 10th Noah Gardner's daughter, Rita the eldest left Baden with George H. Redfern of Kitchener, married salesman, to Montreal presumably on a business trip. Not against the wishes of her parents and expecting to return on Sunday evening in order to be at the place of employment in a Kitchener office. But she never returned alive.

Mr. Redfern poisoned her in a room in the Hotel Viger, making a clear getaway from Montreal. She had feared to go with him somehow, but he was so insistent. Rita was engaged to Mr. Harry Capling to be married this summer. Mr. Redfern pretended to be very wealthy and so kept the friendship of the family. The motive for the crime seems to hinge on a grudge against young Capling and so avenged himself by killing this highly respectable young 23 year-old girl of Baden.

May 22nd at London Ontario Mr. George Redfern was arrested this morning and jailed. But after being in for two hours he died - apparently administered Strychnine to his own body causing death.

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Poison Victim Buried at Baden

Died From Strychnine Poisoning in Montreal Hotel - Murder Suspected

This community was stirred into excitement last week when it became known that a girl found dead in an hotel in Montreal, happened to be Miss Reta Gordner, the 22 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Noah Gordner, of Baden. She was an office clerk in the Kaufman Rubber factory at Kitchener for some time and there made the acquaintance of one G. H. Redfern, who was for some time past a frequent visitor at their Baden home. On Saturday, May 10th Redfern is alleged that he had to go on a business trip to Montreal and asked the girl to go with him and she reluctantly accompanied him with the apparent intention of returning to her work on the following Monday morning. When she did not return to her home on Monday night, as usual, some alarm was felt and it was on the following day that the sad disclosure was made that it was her dead body which was found in the Montreal hotel.

Redfern and the girt left from Galt on Saturday evening for Montreal and were registered for two separate rooms at the hotel under assumed names On Monday Redfern is said to have told the chambermaid that his sister was ill and was not to be disturbed. On the following day her dead body was found lying on the bed in Redfern's' room. A postmortem examination revealed the fact that the girl had died from strychnine poisoning but otherwise all her organs were in normal condition.

Redfern purchased strychnine at a Kitchener drug store about one month ago. He wanted it to kill rats at the Dowler store where he was employed as a clerk. He is wanted by the police for questioning in regards to the death but so far he has eluded the police and no trace of him has been found. He is wanted for non-support of a wife and further investigations revealed the feet that he had drawn a loan on two insurance policies and it is alleged had forged his wife's name to the cheques therefor.

The case seems to be baffling to the police as no motive for the crime, if such has been committed, has so far come to light.

Mr. Gordner went to Montreal and identified the body of his daughter. Her remains were brought to Baden and interment took place last Friday with a private service at the house and interment in the Baden cemetery. Rey. Mr. A. E. Pletch, of the New Hamburg Evangelical church conducted the obsequies.

The tragic death of Miss Gordner is keenly felt by a large circle of friend. and much sympathy is felt for the parents and her two sisters in their sad bereavement The deceased as in her 23rd year and was a cheerful and popular girl among her friends in the village.

Probe Suicide Report

Niagara Falls, Ont. authorities received word that George H. Redfern is believed by his relatives to have committed suicide in that city.

The Falls police are conducting an investigation and thorough search for Redfern, believing, they say. he furnished Kitchener authorities with a fake suicide clue in order to cover op his disappearance.

It was learned that a man answering Redfern's description registered at a Niagara Falls hotel on May 12 without any baggage, and left the hotel at 9 o'clock on Tuesday night giving no forwarding address. In his room were found a soft felt hat, from which the label with the manufacturers name had been removed. A soiled collar and bow tie.

Detective Chief George H. Callinan received a telegram from Kitchener authorities stating that Redfern's family received a letter on Tuesday from Redfern, postmarked Niagara Falls, NY., in which Redfern expressed his intention of committing suicide by going over the cataract.

New Hamburg Independent, May 23, 1930

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-77709
• Residence: 1983, 139 Adelaide St., Kitchener, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

GORDNER, Howard J. - Died Tuesday, March 29, 1983, at St. Mary's Hospital, Kitchener, Howard Gordner, of 139 Adelaide St., Kitchener, in his 76th year. Beloved husband of the former Catherine Roth, whom he married October 6, 1951; dear brother of Marjorie (Mrs. Roy Morrison) of St. Catharines and Carol (Mrs. Glenn Biesel) of Kitchener. Also surviving are a number of nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, the late Noah Gordner and the former Albertine Falk. The funeral service was held at the Mark Jutzi Funeral Chapel, New Hamburg, Fri., April 2 with Rev. Aaron Yost officiating. Interment in Wilmot Reformed Mennonite cemetery.

New Hamburg Independent Apr 6 1983 pg 17

Howard married Catherine Sarah Roth 6 Oct 1951. Catherine (daughter of Eli Roth and Veronica "Fanny" Dotzert) was born 28 Apr 1908, , Ontario, Canada; died 23 Jan 1998; was buried , New Hamburg Reformed Menn. Cem., New Hamburg, Waterloo, ON. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Carol Biesel
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-171638
• Residence: 1983, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

BIESEL, Carol (nee Gordner) - In failing health, passed away peacefully, at The Westmount in Kitchener, on Friday, September 4, 2009, in her 88th year. Predeceased by her beloved husband, Glenn Biesel. Survived by her brother-in-law, Lorne Biesel and his wife Nancy; sisters-in-law, Marjorie Luckhart and her husband Howard, Dorene Kocher and Myrta Biesel. Fondly remembered by her many nieces and nephews. Carol was the last surviving member of her immediate family. Predeceased by her parents, Noah and Albertina Gordner; sister, Reta; brother, Howard and his wife Katherine; sister, Marjorie Morrison and her husband Roy; sister-in-law, Ruth Naumann and her husband Delton; and brothers-in-law, Clarence Biesel, Earl Biesel and his wife Idula and Melvin Kocher. Carol was a member of Historic St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Kitchener. A private service has taken place. Memorial donations may be made to Historic St. Paul's Lutheran Church; cards are available by calling the Henry Walser Funeral Home , 519-749-8467 519-749-8467 or by visiting www.henrywalser.com for Carol's memorial.

Waterloo Region Record 4 Sep 2009

Carol — Glenn J. Biesel. Glenn (son of John Henry Christian Biesel and Pearl Elizabeth Sophia Kaufman) was born 1926; died 2002; was buried , Fairmount Cemetery, Baden, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]