Newspapers are a great resource
for historical novelists, even when they get things wrong. While researching for “Soldier of the Horse”, I was
fortunate that Manitoba Free Press archives are available via microfiche at Simon
Fraser University. Two stories were relevant to me: the case of Jack Krafchenko
(Bloody Jack Kravenko in “Soldier”) and the much larger, ongoing, pulsating thump
of the Great War.
It was with great interest that I
reviewed the coverage of the Krafchenko story, very much part of my novel: a
bank robbery, a murder, a prominent lawyer defending and visiting the prisoner—and
five hours later the prisoner escaping, apparently by means of a rope and a gun
provided by the lawyer. The Free Press
devoted a lot of ink to the matter, including coverage of a royal commission into
the escape. Watching in particular for any mention of my father, I was both
relieved that he was not listed as a conspirator, but also disappointed because
according to family legend he was questioned intensively by the police. I was
looking for confirmation—and found it. In a small paragraph, the Free Press reported:
“(Buxton,
a crown witness) had gone to his office, and from there had gone downtown, about
midday. He immediately visited Percy Hagel’s office, and found Mackie, the
clerk, Wallace, Griffin and O’Donnell there. Buxton asked the “boys” if
they had seen Hagel...”
With that passing reference the
Free Press not only confirmed my dad’s story that had passed into family
legend, but the misspelling of his name (Mackay, which we have always
pronounced like Mackie), was no doubt a huge relief to the family at the time!
