Bence, Kilroy & Hart

[camgarsky4]

Starting a thread just for these 3 gents.

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I think this is new info....while these three may not have been close acquaintances or even friends on August 3rd, 1892, it appears that by the time the trial was over a year later, they had bonded to the point they seemed to have all been on the same competitive baseball team, aptly named,
"The Drug Clerks". Can't make this stuff up!!

They are in the line up of the box score below. Kilroy was the shortstop, Bence second baseman and Hart was the first baseman.

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Double click to enlarge for easier reading.

Additional funny story, the catcher for the "Drug Clerks", Dillon, was allowed to be on the team because a week earlier he made himself a ice cream soda at the drug store. Apparently they had minimalist qualifications to join the team! Lizzie could have joined as a drug store shopper!

[CagneyBT]

What a great find! Love it!

[Kat]

I don’t know how you do that!
That is fun stuff!
And it’s the World Series right now…hey, camgarsky did yr grandfather follow baseball?

[Kat]

In Parallel Lives there is a photo of a baseball team, 1874, pg 134 titled:
"First Nine of the Troy Baseball Club, 1874”; Andrew Jackson Jennings, Esq., pitcher and team captain, seated center.

[camgarsky4]

Kat -- not sure if I'm grandfather was a baseball fan, but my dad certainly was. He grew up in rural Arkansas and followed the St. Louis Browns. He retired from the military and planted his new roots in the suburbs of Kansas City. So I grew up a rabid KC Royals fan (and Chiefs of course).

Family lore is that my dad actually tried out for the St. Louis Browns. He didn't stick because, while he was a fielding whiz (second base like our Eli Bence), he couldn't hit off the professionals.

As I'm following some of these fall River newspaper stories, it is clear that baseball (and cricket by extension) was huge in New England and Fall River in the late 1800's. That said, I've searched and the box score above is the only game I could find played by "The Drug Clerks". So maybe their loss in that game broke their spirit.

Side note on baseball....Inspector William Medley was a very active participant in both baseball and cricket in Fall River. Lots of news articles with him and baseball/cricket. I find it enormously enjoyable and intriguing how all these various characters in the Borden case weave in and out of each others lives over the years.

[camgarsky4]

Francis (Frank) Kilroy. (aka The Harvard Medical Student)

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I am trying to verify Kilroy's enrollment at Harvard medical school. Above is an article regarding his graduation from Holy Cross in the summer 1891 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. The only information I've been able to find are Borden murder newspaper articles, which 'lightly' state he is a Harvard medical student and his inquest testimony where he told Knowlton his occupation was as a medical student.

I've searched for articles with Kilroy and Harvard in the story.....nada to this point. Based on the city directories, the U.S. census and his obituary, it certainly seems clear that he never became a medical professional. Seems he got into the family business of furniture sales.

Has anyone else read something that verifies that Kilroy was truly enrolled at Harvard or any other medical school in 1892 or any time?

Frank Kilroy death certificate 1912. Occupation - Furniture store

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[CagneyBT]

The first pic a page of a Holy Cross Alumni publication. Francis H. Kilroy's occupation is given as "Lawyer." Also, the footnote next to his name refers to Harvard. I have no idea what that means. DId he transfer to Harvard after graduating from Holy Cross. Did he switch majors from medicine to law? It's a puzzler.

kilroyholycrossalumni.PNG

Here's a group photo of "The Actives" baseball team of Fall River. Frank Kilroy is to the right of the mascot (little guy).

kilroyphotobaseballteam.PNG

[camgarsky4]

Great find! I think we've dug up some quality gold on our Mr. Kilroy!!

The cynic side of me wonders if he talked a bigger game than reality. There is no sign of his involvement in the legal or medical fields. Let's keep sniffing around, but perhaps he liked attention.

Can you find his co-1891 Fall River graduate, John L. Sullivan listed?

[CagneyBT]

John L. Sullivan became a priest and died in 1918:

sullivanholycross.PNG

jlsullivanobit.PNG

[camgarsky4]

What is his *footnote? Harvard also?

[CagneyBT]

His footnote says "Baltimore." Most likely he attended a seminary there.