03 Person or Persons Unknown

Blood on the Prairie

Episode Summary

Episode 3 delves into some surprising connections between the crime scenes and victims. We'll hear from local historians to better understand the context of settler life in this remote part of Canada. Plus we'll hear Daniel Lough's account of just what he was doing at Joseph Snyder's Place on the evening before the Snyder murders.

Timestamps

• Intro: 00:00:11
• Percy Belcher: 00:01:00
• The Limitations of the Inquest Files: 00:04:51
• The Community Reaction & Suspects: 00:08:53
• The Immigrants: 00:10:43
• The Clairmont Independent: 00:12:00
• Policing Challenges: 00:13:37
• Connections Between the Two Scenes: 00:15:35
• Lough Visits Snyder’s: 00:17:56
• A Tangled Web: 00:19:58
• Ignace Patan’s Moccasins: 00:21:25
• Keeler & Salisbury: 00:23:20
• Next Episode: 00:25:26
• Credits: 00:26:03

Special Guests

Alyssa Currie

Alyssa Currie became familiar with this case during her four-year tenure as Executive Director at the South Peace Regional Archives. With familial ties going back several generations, Ms. Currie shared many fascinating insights as to what life was like in Northern Alberta at the beginning of the 20th century, along with her own thoughts about Alberta’s largest unsolved mass murder. Ms. Currie is now the Executive Director of the Tse'k'wa Heritage Society in Fort St. John, British Columbia.

Links to Sources / Historical Material

• Snyder Inquest File, Alberta Provincial Archives
• Patan Inquest File, Alberta Provincial Archives
• Alberta History – Murder on the Prairie: Who Killed Six Immigrant Settlers? by Dr. David Leonard [1]
• The Grande Prairie of the Great Northland – The Evolution of a County 1805 – 1951 by Dr. David Leonard [1]
• South Peace Regional Archives - Fonds 594 Stanley William Bird fonds [1]
• Clairmont Independent - June 27, 1918 [1]
• Foulest of Murders: The Story of Grande Prairie’s 1918 Unsolved Murder of 6 by Wallace Lloyd Tansem [1]

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Acknowledgements

Blood on the Prairie is produced by Cris Seppola and Chris Beauchamp.

We'd like to thank the South Peace Regional Archives, the Provincial Archives of Alberta, Alyssa Curry, Karen Simonson, Dr. David Leonard, Brenda Lacroix, the family of Wallace Tansem, Jason Halwa, Al Peterson, Kasper Townes, Gordie Haakstad, Richard Podsada, and Laura Beauchamp.

Music used in this episode by: Unrealsfx, Roie Shpigler, The David Roy Collective, Matt Stewart Evans, James Paul Mitchell, Oakfield, Muted, Yehezkel Raz, Ohad Ben Ari, Michael Vignola.

Our voice actors in this episode included: Clint Webb, Scott Maitland, Kasper Townes, Grant Buchanan, Lyle West and Richard Podsada.

Blood on the Prairie is available on all major podcast platforms. For show notes and access to archival sources and other documents relating to the case — as well as photographs from both the 1918 era, and the crime scenes in 2021, find us at bloodonthepriaire.com.

About Cris & Chris

Cris Seppola

Cris Seppola is a content creator based in Grande Prairie, Alberta. While her professional life includes marketing and communications, she also has experience with filmmaking, photography, animation and audio engineering.

Over the past year in particular, Cris has worked with her two co-hosts, Sue and Amanda, in creating and producing Fancy Plants Podcast.

Chris Beauchamp

Chris Beauchamp is a photographer, writer, and filmmaker based in Grande Prairie, Alberta. His background includes journalism, communications, and marketing.

His photography work has included corporate, public, and industrial clients, as well as leading Canadian editorial publications.

As a filmmaker, he has written, directed, and produced several short films, documentaries, and commercial projects.

Sponsorship

Blood on the Prairie was developed thanks to funding provided by TELUS STORYHIVE. Special Thanks to Tara Jean Stevens, Jessica Gibson, and the National Screen Institute.

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