In February 1915, an English maid named Carrie Davies shot and killed Charles "Bert" Massey as Massey was returning to his house in Toronto, Canada. Davies, who was 18 at the time, told the police that Massey had tried to rape her the day before. Davies was from a working-class British family; her father had died when she was a teenager, and she went to work in Canada to support her mother, who was partially blind, and her three younger sisters. Massey, on the other hand, was from a well-to-do family who owned a company that manufactured farm equipment.
The criminal trial that ensued gained a great deal of public attention. Davies's lawyer defended her as a virtuous young woman whose employer had repeatedly made advances towards her and who, like other young domestics, had no way to protect herself. The jury found her not guilty after only a half-hour deliberation. Davies later married a Canadian farmer, with whom she lived in modest circumstances and had two children before her death in 1961.
The Massey murder took place on February 18, 1915. Charles Massey was shot to death by his maid, Carrie Davies. There was never any question as to who did it, but Davies claimed it was in self-defense because she believed Charles Massey was going to sexually assault her. She was 18 at the time.
The Masseys were an extremely wealthy family in Toronto, Canada at the time. They employed many people from the town and they belonged to all of the elite social circles. According to CBC, the Masseys felt because of their wealth and status, they would have no trouble convicting Carrie Davies of the murder. That was not the case, however, as the jury believed Davies' testimony and found her not guilty of all charges.
According to CBC (Canada Broadcasting Company), the families still dispute over the facts of the case. Descendants of Charles Massey believe that Davies got away with murder, whereas Davies' relatives believe she did indeed act in self-defense.
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