Chapter 12: “Camille Branchaud” – Identity Unknown

Abstract

During the 1930’s there were at least two other hangmen who were regularly hired in some provinces, as sheriffs turned away from the troublesome Arthur Ellis/Alexander Armstrong English. We have noted how Sam Edwards/Smith was active, and we turn now to a hangman calling himself Camille Branchaud, who had a much longer career than Sam Edwards/Smith who died in 1939. Branchaud also outlived John Ellis/Moore, who was the hangman for most of English Canada in the 1940’s. While Ellis/Moore was the official hangman in Ontario in the 1940’s and was hired by other provinces, Branchaud did attempt to compete with him. For example, we have archival evidence that he advertised his services to the Sheriff of Edmonton in 1944 attempting to get the hanging jobs that Ellis/Moore had in that province.