care that the country's lawful business was
carried on and provided against destruction of human life and property.
This was the position for instance at the Beaver in the mountains while
the Canadian Pacific was under construction. For the time being it was a
terminus, and all manner of lawless, desperate and disorderly characters
were there to prey upon the navvies, many of whom were foreigners and a
good many of whom were just as reckless and offensive as could be
imagined. To keep these rough men in order, and there were several
hundreds of them mostly armed, there were only eight Mounted Police, but
they were under the leadership of the redoubtable Superintendent, Sam B.
Steele, who had as his non-commissioned assistant Sergeant Fury, a
short, heavy set, bull-dog type of a man, whom I remember well, quiet,
determined and undemonstrative, but who could, while keeping cool, at
the same time be everything his name suggested if occasion required.
When the strike was starting, Steele did not interfere, but warned the
strikers that they must keep the peace and not commit any acts of
violence or he would punish them to the full extent of the law. When the
strike did start, Steele was in bed with mountain fever and Sergeant
Fury had only six men. One of them, Constable Kerr, who had gone for a
bottle of medicine for the Inspector, found on his way back a riotous
crowd with a desperate character, well known to the Police, inciting the
mob to violence and especially to an attack on the barracks. Kerr, who
was not a man to stand nonsense, promptly arrested the man, but a score
of men overpowered him and released the prisoner. Sergeant Fury at once
reported to Steele, who said, "It will never do to let the gang think
they can play with us." Then Fury and another man tried to make the
arrest without resorting to using weapons, but in a little while
returned, with their uniforms torn, to report that once again the
rioters had taken the prisoner from them by force. Steele said, "This is
too bad. Go back armed and shoot any man who interferes with the
arrest." He started off again with Constables Fane, Craig and Walters,
while the other four constables with their Winchesters stood ready to
guard the barracks, which were slated for attack by the mob. Johnston, a
magistrate, was there to read the Riot Act if necessary. In a few
minutes there was a shot. Steele got up and went to the window. Craig
and Walters were dragging the prisone