Walter (George) Ingold didn’t go to prison – Debunking a Family Story
We were told as kids that George Ingold went to prison for taking the fall for his boss in a shady deal that cheated the Canadian Army of meat supplies during WW1. He apparently spent a year in Stoney Mountain Prison, Manitoba
I’m not really sure how the story got twisted, but it’s not entirely true.
I’ve learned from my family history research that you shouldn’t rely on any wild information your family gives you. Get the back up details.
I found the facts about George’s arrest and court case at Newspapers.com
In 1916 George Ingold was 32 and unlike his brothers, didn’t volunteer for wartime duty and somehow avoided conscription. He was employed as a manager at one of John Enright’s two meat shops in Winnipeg.
Below: George’s entry from Henderson’s Winnipeg Directory, 1916
Like many food suppliers of the day, John Enright secured a government contract to supply meat to Canadian troops in Winnipeg. In late March of 1916 and after some investigation, evidence of a conspiracy was found. Enright’s government contract was cancelled and George Ingold was arrested and charged with fraud and bribery.
Below: Winnipeg Tribune, May 16, 1916
At the trial in November of 1916, Sergeant Milgate, George’s co-accused turned King’s evidence and testified for the Crown.
The jury didn’t accept Milgate’s testimony and acquitted George.
Whether or not George’s boss, John Enright had anything to do with this crime, we’ll never know. Enright must have been angry at the loss of a lucrative government contract. It’s also telling that in the 1918 directory George is no longer a “manager”. He’s listed as a “meat cutter”.
Below: George’s entry from Henderson’s Winnipeg Directory, 1918
George died before we were born, but everything we heard about him indicates he was entirely capable of this type of larceny. He was obsessed with money schemes. He likely saw an opportunity to profit from the war and jumped at it. His boss knew it too and demoted George to meat cutter.
George was lucky to be acquitted. At worst, he may have spent a couple of days in jail. He paid his own surety – $100.
Grave Digger 