In the fall of 1869, a number of African Canadian residents of Simonds parish, east of Saint John, made a grisly discovery when picking berries in the Loch Lomond area. Amongst some bushes on the "blueberry plains" near Black River Road they came across what appeared to be human remains.
In the year that followed, investigations let to the trial of John A. Munroe. He was found guilty of the murders and was executed by hanging. On the eve of his death, he confessed to what happened on that Halloween Day.
"...I went out again with Miss Vail the Saturday following. We went the same road as before and to about the same place. The morning was frosty, the moss crisp and hard. There was no wet on the barren. The road was a little muddy. We went off the road a little way together and sat down. I went into the bushes, the child cried, I came out again, was angry, and strangled the child. I do not know if it was actually dead.
As she was rising up, I shot [Miss Vail] in the head - I do not think on the same side as shown in the court. I threw a bush over her face and some over her hands. I found the pistol in her pocket, or just fallen out of it, a common handkerchief and a wallet with only a few dollars in it. I threw the handkerchief and wallet away and left at once and have never been back since. I had previously had some of her money - cannot say how much - perhaps half or a little more. I cannot say that money was not one of the reasons of the motives for the act committed. I do not say it was in self defense I killed Miss Vail. It was the money, my anger with her at the time and my bad thoughts on and after the trip to Fredericton working together, caused me to do the bad act..."
Taken From:
http://www.unb.ca/saintjohn/arts/projects/crimepunishment/cases/blackriver.html
The cache is not at the posted coordinates.
Off the Lochlomond Road, onto the Garnett Settlement Road, the starting coordinates mark the start of the trail, on the same side as the government garage. You can park at the entrance of the government garage and walk on the side of the road, being careful for traffic. You will have to walk down the road for about 500 m (the trail is between the 8th and 9th power pole after the government garage driveway but much closer to the 9th). You could also park on the road shoulder at the starting coordinates, although there is not much space to park, especially in the dark. The starting coordinates mark the side of the road directly across a ditch and then where the trail starts on the other side of the ditch. Be careful, the ditch by the side of the road may have a small pool of water and the trail can be damp. There is the hint of planks placed in the ditch to make a makeshift bridge. At the forest/path start are a birch and spruce tree intertwined to the right of the path and from here you can find the first firetacks. The firetacks are in pairs on the trees until you just pass on the left the rock where Maggie Vail and her baby, Ella May, were murdered. Then you come to 3 tacks in a tree and turn right and then follow the tacks straight. Many tacks on one tree and some in the shape of a triangle marks the spot).