A new book seeks to unearth the facts surrounding an erstwhile murky and long unsolved murder that took place near Wrangell more than 173 years ago.
Published by Goose Lane Editions, Debra Komar's “The Bastard of Fort Stikine” is a biohistorical investigation of the 1842 shooting of John McLoughlin Jr., chief trader for the Hudson Bay Company at Fort Stikine.
“The killing of chief trader John McLoughlin Jr. remains one of Canada's most enduring mysteries,” Komar writes in the book's preface. “The case never saw the inside of a courtroom, and the legal system records no verdict.”
McLoughlin was reportedly shot by his own men on April 21, 1842. Adding to the mystery, under his command was a rogues gallery of suspects, an unsavory blend of criminals, outcasts and adventure seekers.
Being a man of impugned reputation himself, McLoughlin's death was considered a justifiable homicide by the governor, and further investigation was not pursued. Incensed at the lack of official interest, McLoughlin's father, a doctor and chief trader with the company, then took it upon himself to uncover the truth and seek justice for his murdered son.
Without giving away any of the mystery, Komar takes a unique approach to reviewing the crime, using archival research and forensic evidence to determine what actually happened.
In setting the backdrop, the book also highlights life in the Northwest during a fitful period of transition. Westward European expansion during the early- to mid-19th century was driven by an insatiable appetite for resources, and entities such as the Hudson Bay Company reaped the greatest profits by subjugating the local peoples and pillaging the territories to whatever extent was possible.
Using firsthand accounts such as letters and diaries, Komar reproduces a colorful account of the land, the people who eked a living from it, and the corrupt, racist and often violent system underpinning the period's fur trade. Modern Wrangell has its roots in Fort Stikine, and though its present residents may not recognize it as “that hell upon earth” lamented upon by one settler, the lessons to be drawn from this engaging tale make Komar's book recommendable reading.
Komar has worked as a forensic
anthropologist in the United Kingdom, United States and Canada for over twenty years. A Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and investigator of human rights violations for The Hague, she is also the author of “The Ballad of Jacob Peck” and “The Lynching of Peter Wheeler.” This latest work is available for purchase online, or, soon, from your local library.
Reader Comments(0)