Cannibalism in B.C. history
Happy birthday, British Columbia. Today, British Columbia marks its sesquicentennial as Canada’s sixth province. On July 20, 1871 – exactly 150 years ago – the Crown Colony of British Columbia became part of Canada, fulfilling the “national dream” of a Canadian dominion spanning the continent, from Atlantic to Pacific oceans.
Today’s article is in recognition of this anniversary. This three-part series has a connection with mining (which brought thousands of gold miners to the colony of British Columbia in the late 1850s and 1860s) and the Canadian Pacific Railway, an enticement (bribe?) offered to British Columbia’s colonial government to join the Dominion of Canada.
The background for this series is our vast and untamed wilderness, which defines us and the roles that we play.
The third article in this series has a local connection, linking it to the Central Okanagan.
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Things started coming together on Aug. 20, 2020, when I received an email message from Kyla Smith, one of Kelowna Museums’ education and programming assistants.
Kyla sent me the link to an article which she thought might interest me, following our recent conversation in Kelowna Pioneer Cemetery. This link led to an article on page three of the Aug. 30, 1884 edition of New Westminster’s “The British Columbian” newspaper:
BRITISH COLUMBIA CANNIBAL
“Two Americans arrived Tuesday the 19th inst., at the Yale Creek House from the eastern end of the C.P.R. (Canadian Pacific Railway — near Kicking Horse Pass, on the 18th of last, having travelled on foot the entire distance.
“They appeared in excellent health, and spoke of their journey of one of not extreme hardships; they travelled without blankets; met no wild animals of any kind, and but a few wild geese.
“At the foot of the Rocky Mountains they fell in with a (Canadian Pacific Railway) survey party who had just rescued a lost traveller, and who gave a heart-rending account of his sufferings.
“He said that himself and mate having been unable to get over a swollen and swift stream, had journeyed along its banks some considerable distance, in the hope of finding a crossing. Failing in this they ascended a mountain to look about.
“Becoming tired out, and scantily provided with food, they dug a hole in the snow and lay down for the night.
“At dawn of the (next) day, he woke his mate, who endeavored to rise, and in helping him to do so, his companion fell back on the snow and died.
“At this moment his sense almost forsook him, the sight of his dead comrade, the consideration of his perilous condition, and without food, death stared him in the face.
“Nerving himself to the task, he cut off portions of the flesh of the dead man and wandered back to the stream and travelled along its course.
“For ten long days, he pursued its devious windings; meanwhile subsisting upon the flesh of his dead mate, when on
the afternoon of the tenth day, and when hope was expiring, he fancied he heard the sound of a human voice.
“The joyful sound filled him with unspeakable delight and gratitude, he shouted with all the strength he could muster and the answer echoed through the rarified air. With redoubled energy, he pushed his way through brakes (an overgrown area, tangled with dense brush) and ferns and reached a (CPR) survey camp, nearly exhausted, and from the glad sounds proceeded. Here he was treated with kindness, but it was some days before he regained strength to recount his sufferings, and in speaking of the death of his fellow traveller, and his subsequent action of cannibalism, the recollection almost choked his utterance .... ”
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Kyla had definitely found something remarkable, necessitating further research.
An almost identical article, “Two Men Get Lost at the Base of the Rocky Mountains, One Dies and the Other Subsists for Ten Days Upon the Flesh of His Dead Companion until Rescued by a Survey Party” is on page three of the Aug. 20, 1884 edition of Victoria’s “Daily Colonist.”
Like the article in “The British Columbian,” it concludes with some confusing details:
“The two Americans (who learned of the act of cannibalism from the CPR survey team) report that Mr. Tait and Mr. Edward Connor overtook them at Kamloops; that Mr. Tait remained at Kamloops, and that Mr. Connor is on his way to join his family at New Westminster.
“Mr. Tait and Mr. Edward Connor remain unidentified, their roles in the 1884 story unknown. What is known is that two other men were lost in British Columbia’s wilderness in the summer of 1884, unable to cross a swollen and swift stream. Cold weather, exhaustion, and hunger took their toll, culminating in the death of one of them.”
This story of desperation caught the attention of other newspapers, including the Aug. 12, 1884 edition (page one) of
Quebec City’s “Daily Evening Mercury:”
A HORRIBLE STORY
Terrible Sufferings of Prospectors in the Northwest – Lost in the Wilderness – Starvation, Insanity and Cannibalism
“Winnipeg, Man. Aug. 8 — W.C. McBride, of Chicago, who has arrived from a trip to the Rockies, brings word that a man named Wm. Owens, a California miner, was found by some of the railway navvies near Kicking Horse river a few days ago in a famished and partially demented condition.
Owens says that he started on June 18, with Joseph Williamson, from Kamloops on a prospecting trip, expecting to strike the Columbia River, but their supply of provisions gave out before reaching there.
“They travelled six and a half days without food, when Williamson laid down and died. Owens then cut flesh from his companion’s legs which he ate and proceeded on his tramp.
“He had been living for six days on human flesh when found, and still had a quantity of dried flesh in an old handkerchief.
“He was very weak and emaciated, and told his story with difficulty. He repeated the horrible details on several occasions, and all who heard him are convinced the story is true. He had a large roll of bills with him. The police have taken the matter in hand (and) will investigate it.”
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The Sept. 4, 1884 (page 1) edition of Kamloops’ “Inland Sentinel” newspaper reported the story of Owens and Williamson, including information found in other newspapers. The Kamloops Museum and Archives were unfortunately unable to provide any additional information, when contacted by the author in early June 2021.
William Owens and Joseph Williamson’s tale continues in next week’s column.
This article is part of a series, submitted by the Kelowna Branch, Okanagan Historical Society. Additional information is always welcome at P.O Box 22105 Capri P.O., Kelowna, BC, V1Y 9N9.