Deputy Warden Richard H. Stedman
Correctional Service of Canada
Federal
End of Watch: Thursday, April 15, 1909

Biographical Info
Age: 61
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Assault
Date of Incident: Thursday, April 15, 1909
Incident Location: Alberta
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Hatchet
Suspect Info: Not available

Deputy Warden Stedman was employed at Alberta Penitentiary, Alberta at the time of his death.

Deputy Warden Richard H. Stedman entered the service in 1881. He began at the Hospital for the Criminal Insane at Penetanguishene and transferred to the Alberta Penitentiary in 1906.

In July 1908 an inmate began a life sentence at that prison. The inmate was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1852. He married, had 8 children, then abandoned his family. He married a widow from Utah and migrated with her and her children to Egg Lake, Alberta. He was known as a gloomy, depressed man who often talked about death. In a fit of rage he shot his wife's son, who died a week later. He was found guilty of murder and sentenced to hang. A month later the sentence was commuted to life in prison. He was a model prisoner at first.

In January 1909 Stedman refused a request from the inmate to see the prison physician. The inmate became depressed again. He believed that Stedman was treating him unfairly. Both the inmate and Stedman were Masons. the inmate told others that Stedman was threatening him with Masonic signs. The inmate developed a heart condition and was removed from heavy labor. He became a runner for the carpenter shop.

On the morning of April 15, 1909 Stedman went to the carpenter shop to talk to the shop instructor. Instructor Pope showed the Deputy Warden a piece of chain he had just repaired. Stedman bent over to examine it and spoke his last words, "That's good".

The inmate picked up a hatchet, walked up behind Stedman and struck him at the base of the spine, nearly decapitating him. The inmate calmly wiped the bloodied hatchet with his apron and surrendered to the guards. Deputy Warden Stedman was taken to the prison hospital and died before his wife, who also worked in that prison, could see him.

At the trial, guards reluctantly admitted Stedman refused to allow the inmate to see the doctor despite the heart condition. However, other doctors testified that while Barrett was physically weak he was not insane. The inmate was found guilty of murder (for a second time) and hanged at Edmonton on the morning of July 14, 1909.