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Chas. E. Sullivan

Florist

SEATTLE

Page Sixty-Six

shooting among the members, and was one
of the first to instigate this training. He
holds a police markmanship badge for pro-
ficiency with small-arms. He is also a lover
of animals, and until recently was the owner
of the mare Hurrah, which won many
events at various horse shows.

His duties have brought him in contact
with many notable personages, among them
being the former Prince of Wales, the Duke
of Kent, Lord and Lady Byng, Lord and
Lady Tweedsmuir, Lord and Lady Willing-
don and the King of Siam, all of whom he
has escorted on different occasions. Last
summer, to quote a local newspaper, “the
captor was captivated” by Shirley Temple,
that diminutive Hollywood actress who vis-
ited Vancouver Island.

No article concerning Inspector Owens
would be complete without some mention of
one peculiar aspect of his life. That is the
persistent recurrence of the number thir-
teen. The Inspector says with a smile, “I’m
not afraid of 13, but I don’t ask for it.”
Here are some of the long line of thirteens
that have popped up from time to time, and
they should be something for “Believe It or
Not Ripley.”

THE PERSISTENT “THIRTEEN”

Took part in duties at Nanaimo on
August 13, 1913. Sailed Friday the 13th,
in 1916, for overseas, and arrived at Witley
Camp, England, to be billeted in hut No. 13.
Was warned for the draft on the 13th and
sailed from England for France on the 13th.
The troop ship Cameronia, on which he had
travelled was sunk in 1917 on the 13th. He
was transferred from the artillery on Aug-
ust 13th, 1918. While not wounded during
the war he found it necessary to undergo
an operation and was transported in an am-
bulance driven by Bud Fisher, a chap from
Victoria, numbered—you guessed it!—13.
He was promoted to Sergeant in the thir-
teenth year of his service, and his original
police identification card was No. 13. Went
to Chicago after a prisoner and found four-
teen lights in the railway coach, thirteen of
them burning. On arrival at his destination
his grip check number was 75-8813, and
while attending a performance of The Show
Boat, in Chicago, sat in row D—seat 13.
Visited the Black Hawk Cabaret and re-
ceived hat check 13. Noticed thirteen lights
burning on the court-house at Chicago and
thirteen lights over the judge’s desk in that
building. Has walked up the thirteen steps
to the gallows in San Quentin Penitentiary
—(he hastily inserts—‘“as a visitor only”).
Received club house pass to races in 1933
stamped 113. October 13th, 1933, while
attending a murder trial in the case of Rex
vs. Poulain, the thirteenth juryman was
called, and Inspector Owens himself was the
thirteenth witness. In spite of that com-
bination of thirteens the prisoner was
acquitted! His box seat to the horse races
at Willows Park, Victoria, in 1934, was 13.
The identification slip used by his tailor for
his dinner jacket is marked 4013. Life in-
surance policy is due on the 13th. Took out
marriage licence on the 13th, but married

on the 14th. On September 13th, 1935, he
entered his jumper Hurrah in the horse
show. She was entry No. 113. On Friday
the 13th she took two firsts and three sec-
onds and championship. Fourteen horses
were entered for one event, with Hurrah
as number fourteen. One horse was in-
jured and Hurrah became number thirteen,
and won that entry.

The key to his desk was formerly No. 13.
Car licence adds to 13 (4252). His driver’s
licence number is 13. Thirteen men nor-
mally work in the building in which he has
his office. The sergeant in charge of Vic-
toria District, part of “A” Division, has his
car licence terminating in 13. The Inspector
said, “Our new police boat really should be
No. 13, but has been numbered 14.” A
collection of photographs on his office wall
reveals an aeroplane bearing No. 13; the
record of a race horse that turned in a time
of 2.13; an English lorry with licence No.
FE-813; and an assembly of military units
with thirteen men showing in the front
row. Several times innocent photographs in
which the Inspector is shown reveal a total
of thirteen men. Pages of other thirteens
could be mentioned. Is it a coincidence?

The Inspector is able to relate many in-
teresting tales of police work before the days
of uniform and modern transportation, and
any enquiry for “Bob” Owens in Victoria
would lead you to his office, where a visitor
is always welcomed. That is, if you are
fortunate enough to find him there. The
great island that is his division calls him
away a great deal of the time in connection
with his work, and there is just as much
chance of finding him at Duncan, Nanaimo,
Port Alberni, Courtenay, Ucluelet, Port
Alice, or some out-of-the-way point as at
Victoria.

Ted Sterling Morris Radinsky

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