More than 123 years ago, Richmond's Chief of Police was murdered while investigating a farm tool theft.
Chief Const. Alexander (Sandy) Main, a 35-year-old Scotsman who lived in Canada for 12 years, became a police constable in Steveston in June 1897.
He was the only police officer on the force during a time when the municipality, which consisted of 350 residents, had difficulty retaining police officers, according to city councillor Bill McNulty.
Main was later reappointed as Chief of Police in 1899.
“Quietly authoritative, fishermen – drunk or sober – had deep respect for the firm manner in which Sandy Main occasionally handled the Saturday night brawlers,” reads an article by Cecil Clark from The Islander back in 1980.
On the morning of April 14, 1900, Main said goodbye to his wife and headed off to investigate a case of stolen farm tools with his Newfoundland dog at his heels.
“Apart from a few dollars in his pocket, only other things he carried were the old-fashioned Beans handcuffs in his hip pocket, his badge and a notebook and pencil,” reads the article.
“As municipal funds didn’t run to a uniform, he was dressed in his second-best blue suit.”
Main never came home to his wife, and by Monday, “practically the whole township turned out to hunt.” His friend, Detective Thos. H. Wylie from Vancouver, was among the search party.
Wylie found Main’s body a day later by a cabin near the dyke. Under Main’s body were the remains of his dog.
“Cause of death were wounds that defied description. Even Wylie, experienced and hardened to scenes of brutality, paled at the sight of his friend’s body as it was lifted out of its grave,” reads the article.
Main was murdered by Yip Luck, a man who was staying at the cabin with two other accomplices. Yip pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to die on the gallows on Nov. 16, 1900.
A “huge funeral” was held for Main in Vancouver, with Vancouver city police officers as his pallbearers.
First Richmond police officer to die in line of duty
Last month, on the 123rd anniversary of his death, a plaque commemorating Main was unveiled at the Wall of Honour in Richmond RCMP’s Staff Sergeant Walter P. Tyrrell Atrium Museum.
“No one currently at Richmond RCMP was aware of Chief Constable Main’s story, and it may have been lost to history had one of the members not discovered it on social media recently,” reads a media release from Richmond RCMP.
According to Richmond RCMP, Main's story was uncovered by local resident Scott Stewart while reading a book on capital punishment in Canada.
Stewart later posted Main’s story on social media on April 2022, and was one of the main advocates for Main’s name to be added to the Canadian Police and Peace Officer’s Memorial in Ottawa.
“Chief Constable Main was not a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but he is an important figure in policing in what is now part of the City of Richmond,” said Chief Supt. Chauhan.
“He was the first police officer killed in the line of duty here, and it’s important that we remember him.”
To read more about Main’s story, check out Coun. McNulty’s retelling of the story on Steveston Community Society’s website, or look up Main’s biography at the City of Richmond Archives under “Alexander Main.”
