The Fighting Parson

The Spracklin murder trials envoke a sense of infamy throughout the history of Windsor. It gives a window into the past, following the story of Leslie Spracklin, a man of the cloth, appointed licensed inspector to fight against the illegal alcohol trade. Our exhibit examines the murder trials themselves, exploring every avenue and source, giving detailed descriptions of each. We follow Spracklin throughout his life leading up the murder, the public infamy it resulted in, and the time after the grim events. The trails stretched far into the United States and Canada, reaching as far as Boston and New York. The Spracklin murder trials leave a dark impression on the history of rum-running in Canada, forever a reminder of the corruption and violence of the prohibition.