Charles Dow Richards

For other people of the same name, see Charles Richards (disambiguation).

Charles Dow Richards
Charles Dow Richards as Chief Justice
20th Premier of New Brunswick
In office 1931–1933
Preceded by	John B. M. Baxter
Succeeded by	Leonard P. D. Tilley
Personal details
Born	June 12, 1879(1879-06-12) Southampton, New Brunswick, Canada
Died	September 15, 1956(1956-09-15) (aged 77) Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Political party	Conservative

Charles Dow Richards (June 12, 1879-September 15, 1956), 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.

Personal life

Initially a schoolteacher, Richards was admitted to the bar at age 33. Richards married Grace Bolton. The couple had one daughter, who married a descendant of Philemon Wright.

He is best remembered not so much as a politician but as a dignified, scholarly lawyer and distinguished judge. Charles Richards died in 1956 and was buried in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Fredericton.

References

• Government of New Brunswick biography (pdf)
• The Canadian Encyclopedia

Legal offices
Preceded by John B. M. Baxter	Chief Justice of New Brunswick 1946-1955	Succeeded by John B. McNair

Persondata
Name	Richards, Charles D.
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	June 12, 1879
Place of birth	Southampton, New Brunswick, Canada
Date of death	September 15, 1956
Place of death	Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada