Curtis Murder Brought to the Attention of the Legislature

British Colonist
January 11, 1869

THE SALT SPRING MURDER

Hon Davie desired to call the attention of the Legislature to the fact that a respectable man of the name of Curtis had been found dead near his own house with his throat cut from ear to ear, and a charge of shot in his back. The jury summoned to examine the body brought in a verdict of willful murder against some party or parties unknown. As other instances of a similar character had occurred in that vicinity, it was time that some action should be taken by the Government, and indeed the inhabitants of the Island were surprised that so long a time had elapsed since the verdict without any attempt being made to discover the perpetrators.

Hon Young said that hon Members would see that it was obviously inconvenient for Government to state what steps had been taken in the matter, as they might tend to defeat the ends of justice, but he might say that the Government had lost no time after [several words illegible] cruising in the vicinity, as they would note in the newspaper, and perhaps that might have something to do with it. [...]