The Story of Provincial

Constable John Ussher

It's Sixty-Five Years Ago Since Constable John Ussher of the British Columbia

Police Started Out on Wh

J A LITTLE square of hallowed ground
the outskirts of the City of Kamloops
> the mortal remains of a group of pioneers
ho helped build British Columbia’s inland
mpire. One of these time-eroded head-
ones bears the name John Tannatt Ussher
nd the legend, “Departed this life Dec.
th, 1879.”

To the uninitiated the name is meaning:
ss, but to a few old timers it recalls one
f the most dramatic incidents in the history
f the Provincial Police.

In the late °70’s ranchers in the Kamloops
istrict were suffering severely from stock
ssses. Provincial Const. John Ussher was
1 charge of the detachment and, being an
lert, energetic individual, he relentlessly
ollowed up every theft, and it soon became
pparegt that a gang of half-breed youths
amed McLean were responsible for most
f the stock stealing. There was Allan, 25;
Yharles, 17, and Archie, aged 15. The boys
ived near Kamloops with their mother,
laughter of Chief Louie of the Kamloops
ndian band. Their father, the famous
Yonald McLean of the Hudson’s Bay sery-
ce, had been murdered by an Indian in the
Yhilcotin the year that Archie was born.
30rn in Scotland in 1800, old Donald was
. legendary figure in the Northwest, and
is rough-shod method of dealing with the
ndians undoubtedly contributed to his
leath.

The young McLeans had grown up in
vild style; from childhood they were expert
jorsemen, and with pistol, rifle, axe or rope,
hey were unexcelled. They were the true
oroduct of a wild frontier existence and
hey had never been curbed, that is, not
intil Const. Johnny Ussher had put them
n gaol for two or three minor offences.
The indignity rankled within them.

On December 6th, 1879, a stock raiser
named William Palmer rode 35 miles into
Kamloops to report the theft of a fine black
horse. Not only that, but searching for
the animal three days before near Long
Lake, he had found Charlie McLean astride
it. But, as Charlie was in company with his
srothers and all were armed, Palmer thought
it best to profess a lack of interest in his
property. With the McLean boys at the
time was a 17-year-old half-breed named

Alex Hare.
When he had told his story to Const.

THIRTEENTH EDITION

of Pioneer Police Work.

Ussher, the latter promptly got out a war-
rant and swore in Palmer and a man named
Shumway as special constables. The trio
rode out of Kamloops on Sunday afternoon,
December 7th, 1879. Ussher took Shum-
way along because the latter knew every
trail in the district. On the way they
passed John McLeod’s ranch house, and he
offered his assistance.

TRACKERS DISCOVER HIDE-OUT

Ussher and his specials camped that night
and were on the trail again early next morn-
ing. When Palmer eventually recognized

This headstone marks the grave of Const. John
T. Ussher at Kamloops.

Photo: B. C. Govt. Travel Bureau, Victoria, B. C.

the familiar hoof-prints of his black horse,
Ussher knew he was on the right track.
Deeper and deeper into the bush went the

M

By
THE OLD TIMER

*

at Was to Be His Final Case—The Story Is an Epic

tracks, when suddenly Palmer put a
restraining hand on Ussher’s arm.
“There they are, Johnny,” said the

rancher, as the quartette of horsemen pulled
toa stop.

At the end of a clearing stood four
saddled horses, near the embers of a camp
fire. It seemed to Ussher that he saw a
shadowy figure slip between two trees.
Otherwise there was no sign of life.

“No firearms to be used unless as a last
resource,” said Ussher to his companions as
they walked their horses quietly forward.

“They're pretty hard customers, Con-
stable,” warned McLeod as he unlimbered
a shotgun.

“Oh, I’ve handled these fellows before,”
replied Ussher, “theyre just kids.”

Ussher had taken the lead position on the
trail and, as he approached the outlaws’
camp fire, his quick eye caught sight of
Charlie McLean, half hidden behind a
tree, his rifle barrel showing.

Suddenly a shrill whistle from one of the
brothers was the signal for a volley of shots
from the gang.

One bullet passed through Palmer’s iced
beard and, by an odd quirk, the same slug
passed through McLeod’s face. As the posse
strove to control their frightened. horses,
Allan McLean fired repeatedly with a
revolver from the cover of a tree trunk.
Palmer, with his shotgun, rode in on Allan
forcing the young desperado to dodge from
tree to tree.

Ussher’s horse was plunging and rearing,
but he managed to slip out of the saddle
and, leaving his police revolver in his saddle
holster, he calmly made for Alex Hare.
Cool and collectedly, ignoring the shooting,
few men have done braver things in the
annals of police work.

Hare, dark-skinned and scowling, watched
the intrepid figure, then answered the
challenge. He advanced, knife in one hand,
revolver in the other. The unarmed con-
stable grappled courageously with Hare, and
a terrific struggle took place. Hare struck
repeatedly with the knife, until the police
oficer was down. Then Hare, astride the
prostrate form, continued slashing his victim
until Archie McLean, youngest of the band,
slipped out from a thicket, revolver in hand,
and fired a fatal bullet into the police
officer’s head.

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