Charles Dow Richards

Who was Charles Dow Richards?

Charles Dow Richards, born in Southampton, York County, New Brunswick, was a judge and New Brunswick politician.

He served as Conservative house leader and then Minister of Lands and Mines under Premier John B. M. Baxter. In 1931 he became premier and tried to deal with the Great Depression without much success. His 2-year administration, in the depths of the Great Depression, instituted public bidding on crown land and fishing rights. In 1933 he left politics when he was appointed to the Supreme Court of New Brunswick, serving as its Chief Justice from 1946 to 1955.

As Justice, Richards sentenced the last man to be executed in Charlotte County. He did not accept the jury's request "that mercy be shown to the accused," 22 year-old Thomas Roland Hutchings, and sentenced him to hang at St. Andrews, New Brunswick on Wednesday, December 16, 1942 for the rape and murder of Bernice Connors.