Of the four known members of the MacLauchlan Gang – Dr Robert Henry
MacLauchlan, Margaret Ann MacLauchlan, Joe Sperling and Thelma Mosier – it
could be said that only Thelma went “straight”. The MacLauchlans, of course,
never had the chance to show what their future lives might have been, since they
were murdered on March 21, 1966 in a Mafia-style hit a few days before their
scheduled trial. Veteran criminal Joe Sperling served his time, got out and a few
years later served 12 more for a further trafficking charge. Thelma Mosier, it
appears, saw not only the errors of her ways but also understood that the best
way to avoid meeting the same fate as the MacLauchlans or Joe Sperling was to
keep her nose clean, her head down and her mouth shut.
“During her trial,” said her
niece, Cheryl Freeman (daughter of Thelma’s step-sister Laverne Roberts), during
a recent conversation we had, “My aunt never talked.” According to Cheryl, Thelma,
in a way, was rewarded for her discretion.
A
somewhat welcoming arrival in Kingston Pen
One of the rewards appeared to be
waiting for her when she arrived at Kingston Penitentiary to begin serving her
seven years. According to Cheryl, Thelma had been “terrified” of what she might
experience in Kingston. However, she found instead, rather mysteriously, an indication
that her incarceration might be a little more genteel than average. Her cell –
unlike the usual ones waiting for “new arrivals” – had been equipped with a nice
carpet and had some pictures on the wall. It wasn’t the Ritz but it was better
than a cement floor with a bucket in the corner. It was not clear to Cheryl
Freeman how or why this had been arranged beforehand but it was.
Thelma for the most part appears
to have been treated with “kid gloves” by the other inmates. For example, there
was an incident when another prisoner approached her threateningly, knife in
hand. All Thelma had to do was quietly raise her hand and say, “Put it down”
and the inmate backed off. It appears that someone or some organization was
looking out for her.
It’s the
thought that counts!
And there was more of this rather
exceptional treatment. Because, according to Cheryl, Thelma had not “talked” (about
the doctor or anyone else in the gang) during her Burnaby trial, a substantial amount
of money had been promised to her. The source of these funds was not known for
sure by Cheryl or her mother Laverne Roberts but the money was said to be held
in trust by a certain lawyer. However, in that particular instance, the exceptional
treatment proved more theoretical than actual. This was because, according to
Cheryl’s recollection, the lawyer who was supposed to be holding the money in
trust for Thelma went instead to the US and disappeared. But it’s the thought
that counts, you know!
Another curious detail: Upon Thelma’s
release – after serving only three
years of her seven year term – when she moved out to Chilliwack to stay with
her step-sister Laverne, both Thelma and the Roberts family were placed under
surveillance by the police. It seems to have been the case that, upon her
release from Kingston, Thelma was not forgotten by the police. Nor was she
forgotten by old associates still thankful for her silence. For, after staying
with the Roberts family in Chilliwack for awhile upon her release from
Kingston, Thelma moved to Vancouver. Cheryl’s brother told Cheryl that, when
“moving day” arrived, a black “gangster-type” limousine came to the house and
gave her a lift. 
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