CANADA DEATH PENALTY INDEX
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MANITOBA
All executions were by hanging. Up to 1931 most executions took place in Winnipeg; beginning in that year all were carried out at a jail in Headingly just west of Winnipeg. Two executions are controversial. One of a Native was carried out during the time of the Hudson's Bay Co. with an employee as a "judge". There is still debate about the other, whether a shooting carried out by the Provisional Government was an execution under a legitimate authority or murder by rebels.


HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY (1670-1869)
The Hudson's Bay Co. was founded in 1670 and given a monoply of the Hudson Bay watershed, which includes present-day Manitoba. At least one execution occcured in the Red River Settlement.
Name Date Method Location Crime Sex Race Age Occupation Executioner Notes
Capinesseweet 1845 September 06 hanged Red River Settlement murder M Native ? ? ? Shot a fellow Saulteaux Indian.
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PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT (1869-1870)
Negotiations to turn over the property of Hudson's Bay Co. to Canada began in 1868.. The Company officially relinquished control on December 01, 1869. However, Canadian government surveyors entered the territory early and began to divide the land into lots. The Metis who inhabited the area were worried they would lose their homes as they had no clear title to the land. This led to the Red River Rebellion. Due to the rebellion the Canadian government postponed the take-over date. The Metis formed a provisional government which was eventually led by Louis Riel. The Hudson's Bay Co. attempted to maintain control but after December 01 the provisional government was the only authority. This government began negotiations with delegates from the Canadian government to enter into Confederation and protect the rights of the Metis. In the middle of the negotiations a group of anglophone settlers attempted to overthrow Riel's government. This group was arrested and held at Upper Fort Garry. All were released except Thomas Scott. Evidently he was a difficult prisoner and Riel felt an example had to be made of him to maintain the support of the armed Metis. Eventually the provisional government and the Canadian government came to terms and the province of Manitoba was admitted to Confederation on July 15, 1870. Due to an anti-Metis sentiment in Ontario, inflamed by the execution of Scott, the provisional government was branded a rebellion and Riel was exiled from Canada until his return during the Northwest Rebellion.
Name Date Method Location Crime Sex Race Age Occupation Executioner Notes
Scott, Thomas 1870 March 04 shot Upper Ft Garry (Winnipeg) insubordination M white abt 28 ? ? Attempted escape from custody and made death threats.
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MANITOBA (1870-PRESENT)
Manitoba joined confederation on July 15, 1870. Originally the province encompassed a small, square-shaped area around Winnipeg. Eventually more land was added from the Northwest Territories.
Name Date Method Location Crime Sex Race Age Occupation Executioner Notes
Michaud, Joseph 1874 August 26 hanged Winnipeg murder M ? 23 artillery gunner Hodson, Robert Killed James Brown during a fight.
McIvor, Angus 1876 January 07 hanged Winnipeg murder M Metis 24 ? ? Killed George Atkinson at Fort Ellice in the Northwest Territories.
Thomas, Louis 1876 April 28 hanged Winnipeg murder M Native ? ? ? Killed Henry Corniel in Rat River. In January while awaiting trial, Thomas helped build the gallows used for McIvor. It was left up and used for Thomas.
Web, William 1888 December 28 hanged Brandon murder M ? ? ? ? Murdered his wife Mary Jane Web.
Czubej, Simeon 1899 May 27 hanged Winnipeg murder M white ? ? Radclive, John Czubej and Wazyl Guszczak were Manitoba's first mass murderers and were hanged together. Shot and axed Wasyl Bojecko and his children Peter, Domka, Anna, and Jurko on 14 Oct 1898.
Guszczak, Wazyl 1899 May 27 hanged Winnipeg murder M white ? ? Radclive, John Guszczak and S. Czubej murdered W. Bojecko and 4 children.
Blake, Hilda 1899 December 27 hanged Brandon murder F white 21 housekeeper Radclive, John Killed her master's wife.
Gordon, Walter 1902 June 20 hanged Brandon murder M ? 21 farmer, miner, soldier Radclive, John Murdered Charles Daw and Jacob Smith on 31 Jul 1901.
Macri, Salvatore 1907 January 15 hanged Winnipeg murder M white ? ? Radclive, John Stabbed John Roelli on 29 Apr 1906 in Winnipeg.
Gowland, Lawrence 1907 December 13 hanged Morden murder M white 23 farm hand ? Cut Georgina Brown's throat and his own when she refused his advances. Occurred on 22 May 1907 at Turtle Mountain. Gowland was from England.
Pidhorney, Mike 1909 August 27 hanged Winnipeg murder M ? ? ? Radclive, John Murdered Demetro Hlewka.
Baran, John 1913 May 20 hanged Portage la Prairie murder M white 44 farmer English, Arthur Shot police officer Charles Rooke.
Krafchenko, John 1914 July 09 hanged Winnipeg murder M white 33 wrestler, temperance lecturer English, Arthur Shot bank manager Henry Arnold.
Green, Harry 1915 February 25 hanged Brandon murder M ? ? ? ? Shot Thomas Hill on 17 May 1914 in Hartney.
Kuzin, Jacob 1915 June 09 hanged Winnipeg murder M white ? labourer ? Hit Mike Kuchnik with a stone and then strangled him during a robbery on 13 Oct 1914 in St Clements. Crime committed with P. Malkoff.
Malankoff, Prokofy 1915 June 09 hanged Winnipeg murder M white ? labourer ? Hit Mike Kuchnik with a stone and then strangled him during a robbery on 13 Oct 1914 in St Clements. Crime committed with J. Kuzin.
Nackonyshyn, Tymko 1916 March 02 hanged Portage La Prairie murder M ? 20 ? ? Murdered Paul Jura.
Semoneur, Bill 1916 June 02 hanged Winnipeg murder M ? 35 ? ? Murdered John Wyshnowski.
Fletcher, Thomas Hubert 1918 February 26 hanged Portage La Prairie murder M white ? ? ? Shot Gordon Rasmussen age 10 on 14 Apr 1917 near Carburry.
Johnston, Phillip 1918 October 02 hanged Winnipeg murder M ? ? ? English, Arthur Johnston and Frank Sullivan shot Constable Bernard Snowden on 5 Apr 1918.
Sullivan, Frank 1918 October 02 hanged Winnipeg murder M ? ? ? English, Arthur Sullivan and Phillip Johnston shot Constable Bernard Snowden on 5 Apr 1918.
Nazar, Steve 1926 February 09 hanged Winnipeg murder M ? 20 ? ? Murdered Louis Landy during a robbery.
Stanton, John Baker 1926 February 09 hanged Winnipeg murder M ? 30 ? English, Arthur Murdered John Penny during a robbery.
Kooting, John 1926 February 19 hanged Portage La Prairie murder M white 47 farmer ? Murdered Dymetro Czayka during a robbery on 5 Nov 1921 in Shoal Lake.
Prockiw, Daniel 1926 August 25 hanged Winnipeg murder M ? ? real estate owner English, Arthur Beat to death his common-law wife, Anne Cardno. Prockiw was decapitated in the hanging.
Bonnin, Wilfred 1927 January 25 hanged Winnipeg murder M ? 24 ? ? Murdered Maurice Garvie during a bank robbery on 28 May 1926.
Nelson, Earle Leonard 1928 January 13 hanged Winnipeg murder M white 29 ? English, Arthur Murdered Lola Cowan and Emily Patterson.
Strieb, John 1931 September 03 hanged Headingly murder M ? 45 ? ? Murdered George, Irene and Doris Walters.
McGrath, James 1932 February 01 hanged Headingly murder M white 24 labourer ? Killed his wife, 19 year old Freda McGrath, with a butcher knife. Crime occurred at Souris on 2 Jun 1931.
Veroski, Joseph 1932 February 02 hanged Headingly murder M ? 34 ? ? Murdered Peter Demchesyk while robbing him on a road near Dauphin.
Bodz, Andrew 1932 February 03 hanged Headingly murder M white 56 farmer ? Beat his wife, Mary Bodz, on 26 Jul 1931 near Pine River.
Stawycznyj, Fred 1933 July 12 hanged Headingly murder M ? 45 ? ? Murdered his illegitimate infant child.
Piniak, Peter 1933 September 01 hanged Headingly murder M ? 26 ? ? Murdered Martha and Eddie Squarok.
Komarnicki, Julian 1934 May 21 hanged Headingly murder M white 35 lumberjack ? Hit Gilbert McQuade with an ax on 5 Jan 1934 in Barrow's Junction.
Orichowski, Andrew 1934 May 22 hanged Headingly murder M white 58 farmer ? Hit his wife, Sophie Orichowski, with an ax on 23 Oct 1933 in Meleb.
Jayhan, George 1935 February 12 hanged Headingly murder M white 34 salesman, thief English, Arthur Shot policeman Sergeant John Verne while escaping arrest on 24 Jul 1934 in Winnipeg.
Pawluk, John 1936 August 21 hanged Headingly murder M ? 49 ? ? Murdered his wife, Julia Pawluk.
Bryson, Ian Murray 1936 November 20 hanged Headingly murder M white 22 mechanic ? Shot Constable Charles Gillis.
Kidala, Peter 1938 January 27 hanged Headingly murder M white 36 farm labourer ? Hit Mike Rurak with an ax on 12 Mar 1937 in Boulton.
Kanuka, William 1939 February 16 hanged Headingly murder M white 40 labourer ? Triple hanged with P. Korzenowski and D. Prytuula. The three men entered the home of Anna and Elko Cottick and beat them to steal a non-existent $1000. The 81 year old woman died of her injuries. Occurred 13 May 1938 at Fishing River.
Korzenowski, Peter 1939 February 16 hanged Headingly murder M white 28 farmer ? Triple hanged with D. Prytuula and W. Kanuka. The three men entered the home of Anna and Elko Cottick and beat them to steal a non-existent $1000. The 81 year old woman died of her injuries. Occurred 13 May 1938 at Fishing River.
Prytuula, Dan 1939 February 16 hanged Headingly murder M ? 31 ? ? Triple hanged with W. Kanuka and P. Korzenowski. The three men entered the home of Anna and Elko Cottick and beat them to steal a non-existent $1000. The 81 year old woman died of her injuries. Occurred 13 May 1938 at Fishing River.
Zhiha, Nick 1941 May 08 hanged Headingly murder M white 19 labourer ? Hit and robbed Tony Topolnicki, then threw him off a train between Brandon and Winnipeg on 27 Sep 1940.
Westgate, Albert Victor 1944 July 24 hanged Headingly murder M white 43 WWI veteran, mechanic ? Strangled Edith Cook.
Jonasson, Baldwin 1946 February 08 hanged Headingly murder M white 47 farm labourer ? Cut the throat of Pearl Dell, age 16, then attempted suicide. Occurred on 10 Sep 1945 in Portage La Prairie.
Deacon, Lawrence 1948 April 16 hanged Headingly murder M white 35 auction house employee ? Beat Johann Johnson.
Richardson, Clarence George 1948 November 05 hanged Headingly murder M ? 33 ? ? Murdered his lover, Ann Varty.
Vescio, Michael Angelo 1948 November 19 hanged Headingly murder M white 22 army transport driver ? Assaulted and shot two boys.
Allarie, Camille 1950 May 09 hanged Headingly murder M ? 32 farmhand ? Shot his employers, William and Edith Delbridge on 24 Sep 1949 in Woodlands.
Lusanko, William 1950 May 09 hanged Headingly murder M white 20 labourer ? Suffocated Dora Sadova during a robbery on 12 Sep 1949 in Winnipeg.
Stoney, Walter 1951 January 17 hanged Headingly murder M ? 39 ? ? Murdered his wife, Marthe Perrault.
Malanik, Henry 1952 June 17 hanged Headingly murder M white 48 plumber ? Shot Detective Sergeant Sims during a domestic dispute. Last execution in Manitoba.
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