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The Mysterious Death of Tom Thomson:
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Theory #2: Manslaughter

Engraving of Thomson being threatened

Daphne Crombie was a guest at Mowat Lodge who would later reveal some pertinent information she claimed Annie Fraser had told her about the relationship between Tom Thomson and Winnifred Trainor. Ron Pittaway was an Algonquin Park historian who interviewed Daphne Crombie in 1977, sixty years after Tom’s death. Shannon and Annie Fraser were the proprietors of Mowat Lodge, where Tom often stayed on Canoe Lake, particularly when the weather was inclement for camping. We can certainly see evidence of a fight (p 183, 185) and possibly Tom’s body being dragged (p 189) and put into a canoe (p 191, 193, 195). Dr James MacCallum was Tom’s patron.

Daphne Crombie to Ron Pittaway, 1977:

‘Tom and George [Rowe?]. . . they’d had a party. They were all pretty good drinkers, Tom as well. Well, they went up and had this party. They were all tight and Tom asked Shannon Fraser for the money that he owed him because he had to go and get a new suit. ... Anyway, they had a fight and Shannon hit Tom, you see, knocked him down by the fire grate, and he had a mark on his forehead ... Annie [Fraser] told me all this and also Dr MacCallum. Tom was completely knocked out by this fight. Of course, Fraser was terrified because he thought he ’d killed Tom. This is my conception, and I don’t know about other people’s. My conception is that Shannon took Tom’s body and put it into a canoe and dropped it in the lake. That ’s how he died.’

Engraving of angry Shannon Fraser

Shannon Fraser was known to have a temper particularly when drinking. And Tom had loaned Shannon some money, which Tom may have needed repaid.

Tom may have indulged in a brief affair with Annie Fraser, which could have been another issue between the two men.

Shannon Fraser was known to have a temper, and Tom had loaned Shannon money to buy canoes for Mowat Lodge. It’s conceivable, as well, that Tom may have been feeling pressure from Winnifred Trainor and may have needed the loan repaid for a wedding (hence the reference to ‘a new suit’), especially if (as some have suggested) Winnifred was in fact pregnant. In 1917 the prospect of the extreme sort of social stigma that would be attached to an unwed mother could likely have driven Winnifred near to desperation, and hence multiplied the pressure on Tom severalfold. And there is some suggestion that Tom may have indulged in a brief affair with Shannon’s wife Annie (p 109?) which in itself would have provided ample motive for a fight with Shannon, not to mention the added complexities of his ongoing relationship with Winnifred.

Mark Robinson was the Park Ranger who had identified Tom’s body at the request of Dr Howland. The detail about the fishing line (see below) is curious; and it’s odd that Mark Robinson found ‘no marks on the body’ if Shannon Fraser had, in fact, killed Tom in a fist fight.

Mark Robinson to biographer Blodwen Davies, 1930:

‘I assisted Roy Dixon, undertaker of Sprucedale, Ontario, to take the body from the water in the presence of Dr Howland. There were no marks on the body except a slight bruise over the left eye. His fishing line was wound several times around his left ankle and broken off. There was no sign of the rod. His provisions and kit bag were in the front end of the Canoe when found. The lake was not rough.’

Tom’s brother George was alleged (by some) to have accompanied the casket by rail to Owen Sound for burial, though he later denied it. The only means of access to Canoe Lake was by train. (p 65, 83, 85, 111)

George Thomson to Blodwen Davies, June 8, 1931:

‘I had heard that there was some ill feeling between Tom and some man in that region [Mowat village]. It was somewhat casually referred to by someone at Canoe Lake, possibly one of the Rangers, but as this was while we were still looking for Tom and I was still hopeful of his safe recover y, I didn’t at the time attach any serious importance to the report.’

The ‘man’ in the region could have been Shannon Fraser, or it could have been Martin Blecher who may have harboured romantic designs of his own on Winnifred Trainor.

Ranger Mark Robinson to Blodwen Davies, 1930:

‘J. Shannon Fraser and wife of Canoe Lake Ont., and daughter Mrs Arthur Briggs all knew Tom extra well, and if Fraser will tell the truth, much could be got from him, but weigh well his remarks. You might [also] interview Martin and Bessie Blecher, but again be careful. They possibly know more about Tom’s sad end than any other person.’

Mark Robinson may have been suspicious that it was the Blechers (Martin and Bessie) who found Tom’s canoe and returned it to Mowat Lodge very promptly, the afternoon of July 8, the same day Tom had gone missing. Mark may have been suspicious, as well, that the inquest was held at the Blechers’ cottage rather than Mowat Lodge. And Mark may have thought it curious that Martin Blecher served beer to the attendees at the inquest.

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This Study Guide is available as a free download in Pdf format to anyone interested in using it as an aid to teaching George A. Walker's The Mysterious Death of Tom Thomson (2012). The Guide may not be copied and offered for sale by any third party. This Study Guide is produced with the support of the Ontario Media Development Corporation and the Ontario Ministry of Education.

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The Porcupine's Quill would like to acknowledge the support of the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts for our publishing program. The financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (CBF) is also gratefully acknowledged.

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