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December 28, 1888 The first hanging at Brandon Gaol takes place.  
 
W.P. Webb was the owner of Pacific Laundry at First and Rosser and shot his wife Mary Jane dead while she was doing the laundry and "going on" at him.  
 
The two lived an unhappy life together for a number of years and alcohol was a factor.  
 
It was not Webb’s first time to abuse his wife. In 1884 Webb made the papers for attempted to strangle her but she escaped to a neighbor's house. He was taken to jail to cool off but she did not press charges and he was released.  
 
It was the first time a sentence of murder was passed in Brandon.  
 
To make matters worse, the Webb children saw the event from the yard. Mr. Webb thought they were further away from the house.  
 
To read a trial summary, including Webb's confession and the verdict see this Brandon Sun Weekly story from November 1888:  
http://manitobia.ca/cocoon/launch/en/newspapers/BSN/1888/11/22/1/Ar00101.html/Olive  
 
There was a link to a great site called Manitoba Buried history but the site seems to be gone. That's the downfall of internet-based research. When someone pulls the plug that information is lost.  
 
To see more events form today in Manitoba History: http://thiswaswinnipeg.blogspot.com/2010/12/dec-28-brandons-first-hanging-sawchu.html  
 
Edited by mrchristian, 2010-12-28 04:02:56