Archive - 1887
Homicide #1887-xx
Date - 1887.08.16
Victim - Ingo, John Henry (28)
Accused - Newton, Thomas (??)
Charge - Murder
Details of this crime are limited. From a 1994 Government Archives document titled "Persons Sentenced to Death in Canada, 1867-1976", there is an incomplete record as follows:
NEWTON, Thomas
Trial: 1888
Judge: Bain
Recommendation for mercy: yes
Result: O. in C. of 1888/04/14, PC 819
Commutation: life imprisonment
Reference: RG 13, file 225A (missing)
I did a little more digging and found a small blurb in the Manitoba Morning Free Press, March 16, 1906, page 5. There was an article detailing the Manslaughter trial of John S. Clay. The last paragraph of this article states:
"This is the first time that Judge Mathers has taken charge of the assize court. It is worthy of note that Judge Bain took his first assize in the Spring of 1888. The first case that came before him was the trial of one Newton for the murder of Ingo. The prisoner was convicted and sentenced to death, but the sentence was afterwards commuted to life imprisonment, and the prisoner was finally released."
So that one paragraph gives us a victim and a little more information on the trail outcome.
UPDATE (2013.06.13): Thanks to a co-worker who found information on a John Henry Ingo in the provincial death records.
Death
Registration (1887-002085) has a John Henry Ingo (28) with a Date of Death of 1887.08.16. In light of this find, I've updated the incident date, age of victim, and moved this record from the 1888 homicide list to 1887.
*Date of trial, limited details on crime.