George Bennett (murderer)

For other persons named George Bennett, see George Bennett (disambiguation).

George Bennett (died 23 July 1880) - a Cobourg, Ontario native, whose original surname was "Dickson" - was charged with the murder of George Brown, one of the Fathers of Confederation. He was convicted of this crime and hanged in Toronto, Ontario.

Background to armed confrontation with George Brown

Bennett had been an employee of the Toronto Globe where George Brown was founder and editor. He had been dismissed after repeated problems with drinking and general work habits.

An armed confrontation with the editor ensued on 24 March 1880. This resulted in a bullet wound that became infected and led to Brown's death.

Execution of Bennett

After Brown had succumbed to his injuries seven weeks subsequent to Bennett's armed attack, Bennett was tried and hanged on conviction, a few weeks later.

See also

• George Brown (Canadian politician)#Legacy
• The Globe (Toronto newspaper)#History

References

• Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online