Tid Bits from the Archives - April 25, 2025

Seymour Sings 

On the last day of the interviews in court, Friday, July 3, Biggar interviewed Ernest Seymour. Seymour had been interviewed several times before - the first time was Thursday, June 18.

On this final day of interviews Seymour spills the beans like he hasn’t before. Seymour had been a detective with the police force and head of the morality squad during Lancey’s tenure. Seymour is asked to resign by Commissioner Booth on June 24th, about two weeks into the investigation. [1] [2]

Seymour offers evidence on McNamara and Lancey

When Biggar interviews him on the 3rd, he says that Seymour has specifically asked to provide information about the timeline regarding McNamara taking office and Lancey getting the position as Chief of Police. [3]

A quick refresher - so far McNamara and Booth have claimed that this change in police management was only in response to Silas Carpenter not doing a good job as Chief of Police. [4] [5]

Seymour says he’s known McNamara for many years (McNamara says they went to school together 20 years ago but they haven’t really kept in touch [6]). When he was nominated to run for mayor, Seymour told him both he and Lancey would help him with his campaign. [7]

McNamara wanted to reorg the police force

He says that McNamara wanted Carpenter out and said if he won, he was going to replace him with Lancey. [8] McNamara also asked Seymour if he wanted back on the force - Seymour says yes, if Lancey is back. As well, McNamara said he’d bring back other officers who’d been fired - Sam Wright, Caroll, and Edwards. Seymour says that all three men will help him with his campaign. [9]

In November 1913 Edwards and Wright took the city to court and said they were not dismissed with proper notice or reason. Chief Carpenter says that he dismissed Edwards because he was a troublemaker and Wright because he was insubordinate and also a troublemaker. The City does end up paying the two men six weeks of wages.[10] At the moment I don't know why Caroll was dismissed. 

The flattering of Booth

In addition to bringing back these dismissed men, Seymour says McNamara told him he wanted to have “a nice Commissioner to work under, it will be Mr. Booth”. [11] At the time Booth was working as the manager of the Hudson’s Bay Company; McNamara asked Seymour if he knew him. 

“I said no…I said the only manager I know is the short pale faced fat fellow. He said, that is him.” [12]

A delightfully colourful description of Booth, if I do say so.

Definitely happened before the election

Biggar does confirm that all of this discussion happened before the election.[13] Seymour says yes and that he didn’t speak with McNamara after the election until he was asked to resign in June. At that point, he went over to McNamara’s house and they reminisced about how things had not gone the way they wanted. [14]

That pesky Carpenter

There is a key point still to be touched on - why did McNamara want to replace the police management? What did he stand to gain from it, besides help with his campaign?

According to Seymour, McNamara “got in some trouble with the police” and had been arrested for “passing a standing street car and traveling without lights.” and he continues to say that McNamara told him he wanted to get even with Carpenter. [15]

I love the idea that McNamara decided to replace the Chief of Police because he had gotten a couple traffic tickets. It is a level of petty that feels very in keeping with the investigation.

References

1. “City of Edmonton Civic Investigation” (Rg 8.18,Vol 1, part III, Edmonton, AB 1914) pg. 609

2. “City of Edmonton Civic Investigation” (Rg 8.18,Vol 3, part II, Edmonton, AB 1914) pg. 1622

3. “City of Edmonton Civic Investigation” (Rg 8.18,Vol 3, part II, Edmonton, AB 1914) pg. 1619

4. “City of Edmonton Civic Investigation” (Rg 8.18,Vol 1, part I, Edmonton, AB 1914) pg. 92

5. “City of Edmonton Civic Investigation” (Rg 8.18,Vol 1, part II, Edmonton, AB 1914) pg. 409

6. “City of Edmonton Civic Investigation” (Rg 8.18,Vol 1, part I, Edmonton, AB 1914) pg. 135

7. “City of Edmonton Civic Investigation” (Rg 8.18,Vol 3, part II, Edmonton, AB 1914) pg. 1619

8. “City of Edmonton Civic Investigation” (Rg 8.18,Vol 3, part II, Edmonton, AB 1914) pg. 1621

9. Ibid.

10. “Recent City Police Charges Come up in District Court”, The Edmonton Bulletin,(Edmonton, AB) November 15, 1913

11. “City of Edmonton Civic Investigation” (Rg 8.18,Vol 3, part II, Edmonton, AB 1914) pg. 1621

12. Ibid.

13. Ibid.

14. “City of Edmonton Civic Investigation” (Rg 8.18,Vol 3, part II, Edmonton, AB 1914) pg. 1622

15. “City of Edmonton Civic Investigation” (Rg 8.18,Vol 3, part II, Edmonton, AB 1914) pg. 1620