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Swift Runner in Fort Saskatchewan in 1879

Date Name City Province Licensed Victims Deaths Injuries Suicide Firearms OIC Impact
1879 Swift Runner Fort Saskatchewan AB 9 9 0 No No No

Used

Axe? Hanging? Cannibalism?

Warnings

Alcoholism, violent.

AI Synthesis

Generated summary

Classification: reported
Incident Summary:
In 1879, Swift Runner, a Cree Indian guide for the North West Mounted Police, murdered his wife and six children and ate their flesh. He claimed to have been possessed by the Windigo psychosis, a condition characterized by grand delusions and cannibalistic impulses. Swift Runner was arrested, tried, and executed by hanging at Fort Saskatchewan on December 20, 1879.

Well-Supported Details:

  • Swift Runner was a Cree Indian guide for the North West Mounted Police.
  • He murdered his wife and six children.
  • He claimed to have been possessed by the Windigo psychosis.
  • Swift Runner was arrested, tried, and executed by hanging at Fort Saskatchewan.
  • The execution was notable for being the first formal hanging in western Canada.

Unverified or Conflicting Claims:

  • The exact circumstances of the crime and the events leading up to the execution are disputed among sources.
  • The exact method of murder and cannibalism is unclear (axe? hanging?).
  • The authorities did not believe Swift Runner's supernatural defense, but the exact nature of their skepticism is unclear.

Source Quality Notes:

  • Both sources are online encyclopedias (Murderpedia and KnowledgeNuts) with a focus on true crime and Native American history.
  • Both sources provide similar information, but with some discrepancies in detail.
  • The sources do not provide primary evidence or direct quotes from Swift Runner or other individuals involved in the incident.
  • The sources rely on secondary sources and may contain errors or biases.
Status: Unverified. Credible: 0, Social: 0, Other: 2.

News Stories

Other
http://www.murderpedia.org/male.R/r/runner-swift.htm

Here is a summary of the source in 3-5 factual sentences:

Swift Runner was a Cree Indian who lived in what is now central Alberta in the late 19th century. He was a guide for the North West Mounted Police and had a family of six children, but during the winter of 1878-79, he became possessed by the Windigo psychosis, a condition characterized by grand delusions and cannibalistic impulses. Swift Runner murdered his wife and children and ate their flesh, and was subsequently arrested, tried, and executed by hanging at Fort Saskatchewan on December 20, 1879. The execution was notable for being the first formal hanging in western Canada, and was witnessed by several people, including some Native American chiefs who were invited to attend.

Other
https://knowledgenuts.com/swift-runner-and-wendigo/

Here is a summary of the source in 3-5 factual sentences:

Swift Runner, a Cree Native American, was hanged on December 20, 1879, in Alberta, Canada, for the murder and cannibalism of his entire family. He claimed to have been possessed by an evil spirit called a wendigo, a creature from Native American mythology that is said to have a taste for human flesh. However, the authorities did not believe his supernatural defense and sentenced him to death after a 20-minute deliberation. Swift Runner was the first man to be legally hanged in Alberta, Canada. The exact circumstances of the crime and the events leading up to the execution are disputed among sources.