Hugh Richardson (magistrate)
Hugh Richardson ( born July 21, 1826 in London, † July 15, 1913 in Ottawa ) was a Canadian judge. He was known nationally by the 1885 Northwest Rebellion, when he led the treason trial of Louis Riel and sentenced him to death.
Biography
Richardson emigrated from the age of five with his family to Upper Canada and spent his youth in York (present day Toronto ). He studied law at Osgoode Hall Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1847. Then he led until 1872, a law firm in Woodstock; 1856 to 1862 he also worked as a prosecutor in Oxford County. In addition, Richardson was a member of the local militia; he served under Garnet Wolseley and rose to lieutenant colonel. 1872 appointed him to the federal government administrative head of the Department of Justice.
1876 he was appointed magistrate in the Northwest Territories and Richardson settled in Battleford. In 1883 he moved together with the whole territorial administration to to Regina, where he was in addition to his judgeship legal advisor to the Deputy Governor. In addition, he was a member until 1888 ex officio of the territorial government and was instrumental take care to adapt the legal system of the province of Ontario to the needs of the Northwest Territories.
From 20 to July 31, 1885 Richardson directed the acclaimed high treason trial of Louis Riel, the leader of the Métis during the North West Rebellion. He granted the defendant a relatively large amount of speaking time to defend himself. The six jurors finally spoke Riel guilty on all counts, but recommended a pardon. Richardson, however, did not address this recommendation and sentenced him to death by hanging.
1887 Richardson was appointed to the newly created Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. From 1888 to 1891 he was ex officio on the Legislative Assembly. In the absence of the Lieutenant Governor, he was in 1897 and 1898 respectively, during a short time administrator of the Northwest Territories. In 1903 he retired and he spent his last years with his daughter in Ottawa.