Episode 625: Albert Johnson: The Mad Trapper of Rat River

The Great Depression was an era of severe economic and social hardship, and its effects were particularly acute in the remote and sparsely populated regions of northern Canada, such as the village of Fort McPherson in the Northwest Territories, which served as a critical juncture for travelers of the rugged north.

Hardships in Canada's Remote Regions

Economic and Social Struggles

Canada was profoundly affected by the Great Depression, and the economic shock and the resulting hardships were especially hard on the residents of the country's rural and remote regions. These areas lacked the social welfare infrastructure that those in urban centers could rely on. As the Depression devastated the agricultural industry and left up to 30% of the national workforce without jobs, many self-sufficient residents of the rural and remote northern regions of Canada were forced to seek out alternative means of employment. This often meant turning to small towns, villages, and military outposts in the north and west in search of new opportunities.

Fort McPherson's Role during the Depression

A Checkpoint for the Northern Bound

During the height of the Depression in the summer of 1931, Albert Johnson arrived in the remote village of Fort McPherson in the Northwest Territories. Located about 650 miles from the nearest cities of Whitehorse and Dawson City, the village was commonly a point of transition for strangers traveling to and from the more isolated northern territories. It was not unusual ...

When Albert Johnson arrived in Fort McPherson in the summer of 1931, he immediately attracted the attention of Constable Edgar Millen due to his suspicious behavior.

Upon arriving in Fort McPherson in the summer of 1931, a man calling himself Albert Johnson immediately drew the suspicion of Constable Edgar Millen.

Constable Edgar Millen's encounter with Albert Johnson at a general store was emblematic of the latter's desire for isolation. Millen took note of Johnson’s short, curt answers and lack of eye contact. William Nerisu, from the local Lu Xo tribe, and other indigenous trappers reported to Millen their suspicions that Johnson had been tampering with their traps. Millen was already acquainted with Johnson’s refusal to obtain a legal trapping license and had warned Johnson of the necessity for proper licensing.

Despite Millen's warning that Johnson needed to obtain a trapping license, Johnson continued to operate in the area, purchasing supplies and establishing a remote cabin on the Rat River.

Though Constable Millen warned h ...

The manhunt for Albert Johnson, infamous for armed confrontation with the RCMP, is a tale of intense evasion, survival, and relentless pursuit by the authorities across Canada's treacherous wilderness.

When the RCMP officers approached Johnson's cabin, he responded with a shotgun blast that critically wounded one of the constables, leading to a tense 18-hour siege.

RCMP officers, Constables King and Bernard initially attempted to interact with Johnson, who was visibly seen through his cabin window but failed to respond. Upon return with a warrant, Johnson's violent reaction was immediate—a shotgun blast through the door that hit King in the chest, launching an intense firefight and subsequent siege. The RCMP's first attempt to apprehend Johnson led to an 18-hour standoff, during which Johnson consistently fired at them from his cabin, which had been defensively prepared with drilled holes. The cold was severe, with temperatures dropping to 45 below zero, placing the officers at risk of frostbite as they struggled with limited provisions.

Despite repeated attempts to force Johnson out, including twice blowing up his cabin, the man remained a formidable adversary. Police were eventually forced to retreat from the immediate area to formulate a new plan.

After the initial confrontation, Johnson managed to elude the RCMP for several weeks, leading to an extensive manhunt across the remote and treacherous northern wilderness.

The prolonged manhunt that ensued after Johnson resisted arrest and fled was exhaustive and extensive. RCMP officers and local tribesmen scoured the hars ...

The "mad trapper of Rat River," known only under the alias "Albert Johnson," remains an enigma, despite the extensive investigation into his true identity and the notoriety of his actions.

Despite the notoriety of the "mad trapper of Rat River" and the extensive investigation, Johnson's true identity and background remained a mystery, with only the alias "Albert Johnson" known.

Albert Johnson's encounter with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and subsequent death led to an investigation that only deepened the mystery of his true identity. Johnson’s body did not match the photos that had appeared in the press, and no conclusive evidence could be found. Meanwhile, some individuals in Aklavik had spoken to Johnson when he was passing through, but his background remained unknown beyond the name he provided. The RCMP had considered a theory that Johnson might actually be Johnny Johnson, a criminal from North Dakota, but even fingerprint comparisons yielded inconclusive results. DNA analysis indicated that the body of Albert Johnson was that of a man between 30 and 40 years old of Swedish ancestry who had spent time in the American Midwest and had scoliosis, but this information did not confirm his true identity.

Various theories and investigations, including DNA analysis of Johnson's remains, have suggested he may have been a criminal named Johnny Johnson from North Dakota, but his true identity has never been conclusively determined.

A journalist and the podcast discuss a theory suggesting that Albert Johnson might be a man named Johnny Johnson, born in Norway, who immigrated to the U.S. and eventually settled in North Dakota. This Johnny Johnson then supposedly disappeared after a bank robbery and jail time. However, even after DNA tests were conducted on the exhumed body, forensic teams could not conclusively identify him as Johnny Johnson.

Others hypothesized that Albert Johnson might have been Arthur Nelson, who had been living in Deas Lake, British Columbia, in the mid-1920s, traveled north to Yukon, and was last se ...

The tale of the "mad trapper of Rat River" has captivated the Canadian public and become a significant part of the nation's cultural legacy, reflecting the country's fascination with survival tales from the harsh and remote North.

The story of the "mad trapper of Rat River" has become a legendary and iconic part of Canadian culture, captivating the public's imagination for over 90 years.

The dramatic nature of the siege at Johnson's cabin, the ensuing manhunt, and the shootout became national news, inspiring awe and excitement akin to watching a film. This gripping narrative was embraced by journalists who dubbed him the "mad trapper of Rat River," a moniker that contributed to the myth-making and has persisted in the cultural storytelling ever since. The story circulated and grew, often becoming embellished, which only fed into the legend, making it an integral part of Canadian cultural narrative.

The dramatic nature of the manhunt, the exceptional survival skills and evasiveness of Johnson, and the unresolved mystery surrounding his identity have all contributed to the enduring popularity and cultural significance of the story.

The story's journey from a solitary cabin to Aklavik highlighted the stark and unforgiving conditions of the Canadian North, reinforcing the lore of northern survival stories. The treacherous terrain, severe cold that could freeze nasal fluids and eyelid ice films, illustrated the extreme survival skills that were necessary and have solidified the "mad trapper" as an iconic tale of cunning and resilience within the Canadian cultural tapestry.

The "mad trapper of Rat River" story has had a lasting impact on Canadian culture, inspiring various artistic works that seek to explore and interpret the events and the enigmatic figure at the center of the tale.

Over the decades, Johnson's elusive identity and the wild nature of the manhunt have inspired artistic expressions, including songs, poems, nov ...