Tshuanahusset's Murder Case

“I got through and saw the deceased Robinson laying on the floor on his back. I could see … blood running from the back and nostrils.” William Robinson was a coloured settler in Salt Spring Island in British Columbia who was brutally murdered in the spring of 1868. There were a few suspects taken into consideration as to being responsible for this innocent man’s death, yet one suspect got all of the attention; Tshuanahusset. Receiving most of the publicity and scrutiny by authorities, Tshuanahusset soon became the main suspect of the case. Yet, there was no hard evidence found as proof that Tshuanahusset was guilty, only circumstantial evidence. The indifferent actions of the judicial system occurred solely because they had the main
This aboriginal man claimed to have been there the night of the murder and testifies that Tshuanahusset was the one that murdered William Robinson. Yet, he did not firsthand see Tshuanahusset kill William Robinson, nor did he immediately report him for the murder either. It was fifteen months before Sue Tas went to the authorities with information on the murder, and this rose no suspicion for neither the authorities nor the judicial system. The fact that Sue Tas waited this long to inform the authorities rises suspicion that perhaps he was lying because there was belief that Sue Tas was Tshuanahusset killed. Although this suspicion was out in the open, the authorities and judicial system still solely relied on Sue Tas as the only witness and did not look further into these circumstances. This could have simply been that Sue Tas saw the opportunity to pin an open case murder on Tshuanahusset which would explain why he reported him much later from when the murder actually occurred. Also, Sue Tas was threatened by his own tribe and chief after he went to the authorities and reported Tshuanahusset. This information was set aside by all authorities because they simply did not want to complicate the investigation and close it as soon as possible. This information could have meant that Sue Tas did something that was unforgivable by his tribe and this would not be revealing information, but perhaps this could be that he lied about the information to falsely convict Tshuanahusset. Furthermore, the complication of Sue Tas as the only witness should have encouraged authorities and the judicial system to look further into the murder case of William Robinson and not solely rely on one witness, yet through they perfunctory behaviour they closed the case quickly and