Hugh Richardson

This article is about the Canadian Judge Hugh Richardson; for the British diplomat and Tibetologist, see Hugh Edward Richardson .

John Richardson

Hugh Richardson (born July 21, 1826 in London , † July 15, 1913 in Ottawa ) was a Canadian judge . He became known nationwide after the Northwest Rebellion in 1885 when he led the treason trial against Louis Riel and sentenced him to death.

biography

Richardson emigrated to Upper Canada with his family when he was five and spent his youth in York (now Toronto ). He studied law at Osgoode Hall Law School and was awarded in 1847 for admission as a lawyer . He then ran a law firm in Woodstock until 1872 ; from 1856 to 1862 he also served as a prosecutor in Oxford County . Richardson was also a member of the local militia ; he served under Garnet Wolseley and rose to lieutenant colonel . In 1872 the federal government appointed him administrative director of the Ministry of Justice.

In 1876 he was appointed magistrate in the Northwest Territories and Richardson settled in Battleford . In 1883 he moved together with the entire territorial administration to Regina , where he was, in addition to his judicial office, legal advisor to the lieutenant governor . In addition, he was an ex officio member of the territorial government until 1888 and was instrumental in adapting the legal system of the Province of Ontario to the needs of the Northwest Territories.

From July 20 to 31, 1885, Richardson led the highly regarded treason trial against Louis Riel , leader of the Métis during the Northwest Rebellion . He gave the defendant a relatively long speaking time to defend himself. The six jurors eventually found Riel guilty on all counts, but recommended a pardon. However, Richardson disregarded this recommendation and sentenced him to death by hanging.

In 1887, Richardson was appointed to the newly created Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. From 1888 to 1891 he was an ex officio member of the Legislative Assembly. In the absence of the Lieutenant Governor, he was administrator of the Northwest Territories for a short time in 1897 and 1898. He retired in 1903 and spent the final years of his life with his daughter in Ottawa .

Web links

• Hugh Richardson . In: Dictionary of Canadian Biography . 24 volumes, 1966–2018. University of Toronto Press, Toronto ( English , French ).