Canada's first Criminal Code: 1892

If Canada's first criminal code came into force in 1892, under what code was Slumach tried and convicted. Was the death by hanging the penalty for all culpable homicide without distinction? Was there an equivalent to "manslaughter"?

Duhaime.org

When the Provinces of Canada were confederated in 1867, the first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald was adamant that Canada would not suffer the disparate criminal law system inherited from England for long (at that time, each province had its own criminal law). Macdonald believed strongly in the need for a single, uniform regime of criminal law for the entire country. In fact, the Canadian constitution which he helped write, gave the federal government the explicit authority to codify the criminal law. An initial set of nine statutes was passed by the federal House of Commons in 1869 to at least consolidate the law for coinage offences, forgery, offences against the person, larceny, malicious injuries to property, perjury and procedure.

A complete Criminal Code was finally achieved in July, 1892, under the leadership of the Minister of Justice and soon-to-be prime minister Sir John Thompson. This was a major event in Canadian legal history. "Just think of it," wrote one judge to Prime Minister Thompson, "Canada in the van! The first to enact a complete codification. It is far and away the best measure of the kind ever submitted to any legislature."

Congratulations to David Webb for "Slumach's Gold"

PRAXIS, SFU's Centre for Screenwriters shows as one of the "Current Winners" of the 2009 Screenwriting Competition the feature-length screenplay "Slumach's Gold" by David Webb. To read a brief outline of the screenplay and a biography click here.
David writes on his blog: "Hundreds of writers enter this competition, and winners have gone on to see their works produced for film and television. I will be heading to Vancouver from March 3 to 6 to workshop the screenplay with an industry expert and speak to a producer."
Go here for David's Webb site

The Peak

In the latest issue of The Peak, SFU's independent newspaper Vol. 131, Issue 5, of 2 February 2009, is a review by Gordon J. Stewart of Slumach's Gold. Click here for the link. If it seems familiar, the same review appeared in The Peak of 31 March 2008

Liquor rather than gold?

A year ago I found out that Seymour was involved in the illegal trade of liquor with the "Indians" and that he was sentenced for that to six month hard labour in 1882. Click here for that story.
I suspected something similar about Bee, who was known to police in New Westminster. He was indeed in the same business as his friend Seymour. Following from The Daily Colonist of 10 June 1887--

Louis Bee, a half breed, was arrested some days ago for supplying liquor to Indians, and was this morning sentenced by the police magistrate to six months imprisonment with hard labour.

And these two rehabilitated convicts were camping right in the middle of Pitt Meadows with no other purpose than fishing sturgeon. Do you believe that?

Daryl's Playground

Daryl Friesen drew this map five years ago when he was "bored of work." Said Daryl: "The map shows some little-known locations such as the Shaman Cave up near Vickers Creek as well as the lost placer near Clearwater Creek, a treasure on its own, covered by Charles Miller in The Golden Mountains." Click on the picture for an enlargement.

B25 bomber at Spindle Canyon

Daryl Friesen acquired this Historical Record of the RCAF Station Saskatoon" for the period 1 December 1952 to 30 May 1953. He thought that, even if it is not related directly to Pitt Lake gold, it may still be interesting for some of us, and I agree.

The report mentions loss of the loss on 29 January 1953 of the then still missing aircraft. Click on the image for an enlargement.

Mike Boileau's report shows photographs of the wreckage.

Pitt Lake may be the next of the great gold fields

Victoria’s Colonist, made available in digital form by UVIC, provides a digest of news from the mainland. Under the above heading, the Colonist of 8 November 1903 reports that Mr. George Moody of New Westminster, described as “…a very trustworthy man, of Indian extraction, but possessed of no wealth in money or chattels,” came back to from Pitt Lake with a “vegetable can full of gold dust” worth $1,200. Secretive about the location of his find he was trying to organize an expedition to return to the find. It is probable, says the dispatch, “…that the next stampede will be to the Pitt Lake district.”

Nothing of that kind happened but the sequel is the archetype of the "Jackson" story in the Colonist of 19 December 1905 telling that “three years ago” an Indian came into New Westminster no less than three times and exchanged gold from Pitt Lake placers for money. This man died from the exposure to the rough elements, but before he died he drew a map for a relative, who, joined by a white man, couldn’t find the placers, whereupon the secret, “no longer of the same value," was "...told to several but without avail.” Two search parties for the "lost placers" were arranged for 1906.

Is it not interesing to find George Moody, the witness in the Slumach trial, at bottom of this story? Nothing about this found in the New Westminster Columbian.