CIHM Microfiche Series (Monographs) ICMH Collection de microfiches (monographies) Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microroproductions historiques ^^f iues Technical and Bibliographic Notes / Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming are checked below. Ef Coloured covers / Couverture de couleur □ Covers damaged / Couverture endommag6e □ Covers restored and/or laminated / Couverture restauree et/ou pellicul6e I I Cover title missing / Le titre de couverture manque I I Coloured maps / Cartes g6ographiques en couleur □ Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black) / Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) □ Coloured plates and/or illustrations / Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur □ Bound with other material / Reli6 avec d'aulres documents Only edition available / Seule edition disponible Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin / La reliure serr6e peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distorsion le long de la marge int6rieure. Blank leaves added during restorations may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming / II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout6es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 film6es. Additional comments / Commentaires suppl6mentaires: D D D D L'Institut a microfilm6 le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exem- plaire qui sont peut-§tre uniques du point de vue bibli- ographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la m6tho- de normale de filmage sont indiqu6s ci-dessous. I I Coloured pages / Pages de couleur I I Pages damaged / Pages endommag§es D Pages restored and/or laminated / Pages restaur6es et/ou pellicul6es Q Pages dif^coloured, stained or foxed / Pages d6color6es, tachet6es ou piqu6es I I Pages detached / Pages d6tachees I y/f Showthrough / Transparence I I Quality of print varies / n Quality in6gale de I'impression Includes supplementary material / Comprend du materiel suppl6mentaire Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image / Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6t6 film^es a nouveau de fafon k obtenir la meilleure image possible. Opposing pages with varying colouration or discolourations are filmed twice to ensure the best possible image / Les pages s'opposant ayant des colorations variables ou des decolorations sont film6es deux fois afin d'obtenir la meilleure image possible. f This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below / Ce document est filme au taux de reduction indiqu^ ci-dessous. lOx 14x 18x 22x 26x 30x y 12x 16x 20x ?4if Oflv Q/J^ Th« copy film«d h«r« hat bMn r«produc»d thanks to tha ganarosity of: RibliotMque ginirale. University Laval, Quebec, Qu6bec. Tha imagaa appaaring hara ara tha baat quality poMibIa considaring tha condition and lagibility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract apacif icationa. L'axamplaira filmi fut raproduit grAca i la gin^roaitA da: BibliotMqua gAnirale, Univariit* Laval, Quibec, Quibec. Lat imagas suivantaa ont AtA raproduitas avac l« plus grand soin. compta tanu da la condition at da la nanat* da l'axamplaira filmi. at ^n conformity avac las conditions du contrst da filmaga. Original copias in printad papar covars ara filmad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illustratad impraa- sion, or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original copias ara filmad baginning on tha first paga with a printad or Illustratad impraa- sion. and anding on tha last paga with a printad or iiluatratad imprassion. Tha laat racordad frama on aach microficha shall contain tha symbol — ^> < moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol V (moaning "END"). whichavar applias. Mapa. platas. charts, ate, may ba filmad at diffarant raduction ratios. Thosa too larga to ba antiraly includad in ona axposura ara filmad baginning in tha uppar laft hand cornar, laft to right and top to bottom, as many framas as raquirad. Tha following diagrams illustrata tha mothod: Las axamplairas originaux dont la couvartura an papiar ast ImprimAa sont filmis in commandant par la pramiar plat at 9n tarminant soit par la darniAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'imprassion ou d'illustration. soit par la sacond plat, salon la cas. Tous las autras axamplairas originaux sont filmis en commandant par la pramiAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'imprassion ou d'illustration at mn tarminant par la darhiAra paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Un das symbolas suivants apparaitra sur la darniira imaga do chaqua microficha, salon la cas: la symbols -^> signifia "A SUIVRE", la symbols V signifia "FIN". Las cartas, planchas, tablaaux, ate. pauvant dtra filmAs A das taux da reduction diffirants. Lorsqua la documant ast trop grand pour &tra raproduit an un ssul clich*. il ast f ilmA A partir da I'angia supAriaur gaucha. da gaucha i droits, at da haut an bas. an pranant la nombra d'imagas n*cassaira. Las diagrammas suivants illustrant la mAthoda. 1 2 3 4 5 6 MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) 1.0 I.I 1.25 "" lilM 3.2 bi I ■ 4.0 1.4 2.5 2.2 2.0 i !.8 1.6 ^ A PPLIED IN/HGE Inc =r. 1653 r.asl Main StreBt rjS Rochester, Ne» York 14609 USA •^S (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone ==! (716) ?88 - 5989 - Foi. J in -J I-:?- / / V m RETURN r ,<■ TO tR mmi or tik ugisuiive imm, FOR. DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE INVESTIOATION TiNTft THK OONDI'CT OK a E. BE1.LE, ESQUIRE, iiMi»^ia-».A.3srT AC5^E^^v^T a-t PRINTED BY OBDKE OF THK LEWISLa' DOCUMENTS OFFICIC|& I OCT 18 1971 VE ASSEMBliY. BSIiUOTHEQUl UWlV^Raiit LAVAL .•;iy ^v 1 QUEBEC ^ 1874. J f I il DOi J 10"! Pti I y RETURN TO AN mm or tii[ m\m\ mm, FOR DOCUMENTS BELATING TO THE INVESTIGATION LVTO THE CONDUCT OK C. E. BELIiH JiSQUIRE, i3sa:3sy -n' nscju.ro, m h,s cju.hty of I.nmi.o-n.tion Ag-nt at Montroal. TJmt tho said r. ].:. 15,110. to whom th.-s. rhamos have hoon oonunun.cated, l.y h^ltM- dnt..,! ,ho lourteon.h Tanlt i !< / mand. in th. interest of tho dopa.mont ^mi in l^u; ■;,:;: Umt ,m nn-ostagat.un be made into his conduci as Inuni.^^iJn o„enIe''th.!t th"'-'' ";•' ':"""^'-*>»- reconunends. in conse- te ;e ^ ;»;7*'^at>on prayed ibr by the said V. E. 15elle e«l''^ .""''•''""'''•' ^^■^^'^*^" l'«^^'*''- inherent to that fCortiiiod,] To the Honorable the Proi'itirinI Secretary, «!t(:., \'r., iVe. F. FORTIER, fV^-r/.' Ex. Coiniril. I i ii> Kxoriitiv(> ' Liciitt'iiuiil- uiul ruMir lint. (1 87a). ill' l>y «uii' ■s K. H..I1,.. •Oil]. linvo l)opn instant, dc- to hiiii.s<'lr, mnii^ration m consp- l\ E. IJcll,. '8q.,Shoriir :l onqxiiry. lit to that oncornint!' unit it for mri/. Pfovinrr of Qiiehrr. Tho Ilonomblo 8ir NarciNSc l<\n'lnniit Dt'llonn. Lioutonant- flovornor ol' tho Province of Qiiohoc, ^c, Ike. To all to tolioin, »yt'. — Oukktino Will'] 111-; AS, cortain iicoiiHations havo ln«ou brought by tho \vili»in natricil Hans Mullcr, Parotto and VancaHtfr against Charlt's 1']. Hi'jli', ICsquiro. Inunigralion Agfiil al I ho City of Montreal, in our Province ol' Qui-boo. Aoeonlinyly under the authority of an Aci of the L'gislature oftlie Irovinoc of Quebec, passed during the w-ssion held in tho thirty-second year of I [or Majesty's n>'ign, and intituled : " An Act respecting enquiries con- cerning public matters,' and witli the advice and consent of Her Majesty's Executive Council for tho said Province, I, Sir Narcisse Fortunat Belleau, Litmtonant-Governor of the said Province, havo committed, constituted and api)f)inted, and l)y these presents do commit, constitute an.', appoint, Charles Aiulre Leblanc, Esquire, Queen's Counsel <>f the said City of Montreal. Commissioner, to hold an enquiry into tho said accusa' u.ji.s ; and I authorize by these pre- sents the said Charles Andre Leblanc, in his capacity of Commis- sioner as above, to summon before him all persons or witnesses, and to hear their evidence under oath, eith(>r by word Ci" mouth, or in writini-. (or under solemn alFirmation if any of tho witnes.?es have the right to affirm in civil matters,) and to make them pro- •luce such documents and things as tho said Charles Andre Le- blanc shall judge necessary for tho perfect investigation into the subject matter with which he is charged to enquire ; For the said Charles Andr.'- Leblanc to hold and exercise the said olhce of Commissioner for the purposes aboAe mentioned during- good will and ph'asure ; and T enjoin by these presents the said Charles Andre Leblanc to make report of the said enquiry with all possible diligence. C>iv»'n, &c. Project, Quebec, tho 20th January, 1873. GEDEON QUI MET, Af/ornt\i/-Genrrnf. By JOSEPH A DEFOY, Axaisfufit. No. 21. Copy of a Report of a Committee of the Honorable the Execu- tive Council, dated 28th January, 1873, approved hy the Lieu- tenant-Governor, the 28th January, 1873, Tjpon the appointment of a jt Commissioner of enqu4te. \ The Honorable the Commissioner of Agriculture and Tublic Works, in a report dated twenty-eighth January instant, 1873, set forth, that certain accusations had been made by the named Hans Muller, Tarotte, and Vancaster, against Charles E. Belle, Esquire, in his quality of Agent of Immigration at Montreal. That the said C. E. Belle, to whom these charges have been communicated, by letter dated the fourteenth January instant, demands, in the interest of the Department and in justice to him- self, that an investigation be made into his conduct as Immigra- tion Agent. The Honorable the Commissioner recommends in conse- quence, that the investigation prayed for by the said C. E. Belle, take place without delay, and that Charles A. Lcblanc, Esq., Sheriff of the District of Montreal, be directed to make the said enquiry in the quality of Commissioner with all power inherent to that end, and in virtue of the act relating to er.quiries into public affairs, 32 Vict., Chap. 8. The Committee concur in the above report and submit it for the appro])ation of the Lieutenant-Governor. (Certified,) To the Honorable the Coviniimoner of A. and P. W., ike, cSrc, cSjTc. F. FORTIER, C/erk I'h-Counril. ble the Erecu- I'ed by the Lieu- lire and Public istant, 1873, set by the named larles E. Belle, Montreal. rges have been anuary instant, justice to him- 3t as Immigra- ids in conse- aid V. E. Belle, c, Esq., SherifF e said enquiry iherent to that L's into public I submit it for Department of Ageiculture and ruuLio Works, Trovince OF Quebec. L. E. No. 7344, Ref. to No. 19,473, 10,540. Sir, Quebec, 30/// Jamiary, 1873. I am directed by the Honorable the Commissioner, to Ibrward to you enclosed, the different original documents forming the record of accusations brought against C. E. Belle, Esquire, Immi- gration Agent at Montreal, with the manuscript letter of that gentleman, dated the 14th instant, and Order in Council No. 21, of the 29th January ulfimo, instituting an enquiry into the conduct of Mr. Belle upon the subject of these accusations, and appointing C. A. Leblanc, Esquire, Sheriff of Montreal, Commissioner of en- quiry for ; Instruction in this affair. The Honorable the Commissioner relies upon your oblioiu"-- i ness to transmit these different documents to Mr. Leblanc's address as soon as possible. I have the honor to be, 8ir, Your obedient Servant, P. J. JoLictEUR, Esq., AsshtatU Provincial Secretari/, Quel)ec. E. MOREAU, Secretary. ER, I'h-Counril. Sir, 31*7 Janitari/, 1873. 1 have the honor to transmit to you enclosed, a commission appointing you Commissioner, (o institute an enquiry into the charges brotight against Charles E. Belle, Esquire, Immigration Agent at Montreal. I also enclose lo yon, at the same time, the difleront documents relating to this alliiir. You will please acknoAvledgc receipt of them.- « I have the honor, C. A. Leblanc, Esq., Q. a, Sherillof the District of Montreal. P. J. J., Assl.-Seci/. Siij, Sheriff's Office, Montreal, l.s7 February, 1873. I beg to acknowledge receipt cf tlie commission appoinlin"- me commissioner, to institute an enquiry into the charges l,iou..h° against Mr. Charles E. Belle Immigration Agent, at Montreal,' as well as the dilierent documents relating to this aliair. I have the honor to b?, Sir, Your obedient Servant. P. J. JoLlCtEUii, Esq., Asst.-Scci/. C. A. LEBLANC. Qutba; March 20t/i, 1873. By Telegraph from Montreal, To THE Lt.-GoVI!. of PkoV. OK QuEUEC : The Sheriff has ruled that hi,, in.structioiis restrict his enquiry m the Belle case, to the allegations made in Muller's complaint As representatives of the National Societies, wo request that his instructions may bo made to cover all charges against Mr. Belle's management of the Emigrants Home, we make a formal applica- tion by mail. NATHAN MEliCEli. rout documents 1', J. J., Assl.-Sec//. 'ari/, 1873. on appointing aige.s brought t Montreal, ay r. rant, LEIlLA^x^ 20/A, 1873. ^thisonquivy s complaint, nost that his tMr. ljelk>'« mal applica- BliCEli. i Sheriff's Offh^e, MotUnul, '2\$l April. The Honorable Provincial Secretary of the Province of Quebec. SlE, I have the honor to transmit to you enclosed, the complete record of the Belle enfiuiry, which you will be pleased to place before His Excellency the Jjieutonant-Governor of the Province. tion. Please accept expression. Sir, of my distinguished considera- C. A. LEBLANC, Comnnssioner. ENDORSEMENT. Quebec— No. 111. SECRETARY'S OFFICE, 1873. Executive Council. Quebec, 2Sl/i and 20lk January, 1873. O. C. appointing a Commissioner to institute an enquiry into the affair of Hans MuUer, Parotte, and Vancaster, against Charles E. Belle, Esquire, in his quality of Immigration Agent at Mon- treal. Secretary's Office, Quebec, 2i)(k Januari/, 1873. Referred to the Hon. Attornoy-Crcneral for a ditift of the com- mission. By order. Ph. J. JOLICCEUR, Assistant- Hcerctarij. 2 10 30th January, 1873-I)raft of commission herewith enclosed • commission engrossed. ' 30th January, 1873_Tho Department of Agriculture and 1 ubhc Works transmit original documents relating to this affair. 31st January, 1873-Acknowledgment of the receipt, of com- mission transmitted by letter Mith these documents enclosed to u. A. Leblanc, Esquire. l3t February, 1873-Mr. Leblanc acknowledges receipt. 20th March, 1873-Telegram herewith enclosed. 21st and 22nd April, 1873-C. A. Leblanc, Esq., Commis- sionor, transmits report of the investigation in the B^llo affair. ewith enclosed ; Igriculturo and ng to this affair. receipt, of com- ents enclosed to ?es receipt, ied. Esq., Commis- BjIIo affair. ■ THE IMMIGRANTS' HOME No. 151, St. Antoine Street, MONTREAL, UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF c« 3s: IMMIGRATION AGENT. In preface I wish to say a few words on that class of Immi- grants who leave their homes in the Old Country with the avow- ed intention of settling in the Province of Quebec ; at which resolution they have arrived in most cases by the influence of Agents. It may be said their gate of entrance into this Province is the Port of Quebec— so very few coming by Avay of New York— and their gate of exit therefrom is Montreal ; for if they change their mind from some cause for migrating on farther and leaving Mon- treal, they are lost to this Province. A small portion of this class of immigrants is placed at Que- bec and vicinity, and in the Eastern Townships ; the greater por- tion is forwarded on to Montreal, which is therefore of major 12 importance ns rrovinoial Immiafiation Agoncy, demandiiifv much care and attentive treatment of the immigrant ; for even the im- migrant who comes amongst us with the preconceived idea of remaining with us, has l)i'hind, hxrking in his mind, a secret long- ing for the United States, and is easily disposed to consider it the land of greater promise. The immigrant is well satisfied with his reception in Quebec, and his lodgings and fare at Marquette's House, Point Levi, as the guest of the Province. The praise is in every one's mouth of the gentlemanly and benevolent Mr. Lesage, Deputy-Commissioner; and the kind-hearted Mr. Thorn, Immigration Agent; altogether everything that has produced a good impression on the immigrant of people and country. This class of immigrants has left their homes under promise, that the most cordial welcome would be extended to them by Government and people here, and every reasonable assistance wo\ild be afforded to help them on, and make them in due time more comfortable than they were. So they come with this kind of expectations, and a sort of title to it in their opinion ; wherefore shortcomings in the fulfilment of inducements held out will dis- appoint this class more bitterly. Grenerally speaking, the immigrant is at once the most credu- lous and most suspicious of all mortals ; his confidence is as readily given as retired, and it is of the most essential importance that the Immigration Officer keeps everything above board, and stands without suspicion. If the confidence of the immigrant is shaken in the agent, and he thinks himself victimized to his purposes of vain self and pelf, even unto the breaking of the Fourth Command- ment, towards him, then he becomes unmanageable to advice, he is done and dejected with everything, and will flee again from the country, whenever that is or comes within his means. The ill-success of the administration of the Provincial Immi- gration Agency here by C. 1*] lielle, brings this home in remark- able wise, and demonstrates this clearly yet sadly; whereof a full exposition is due to the public, and Avhich forms the main subject of the present treatis(\ omandinpf much for ovon Ihc im- )iiceived idea ol' lul, a secret long- consider it the ption in Quebec, 'oint Levi, as the e's mouth of the r^-Commissioner ; ;?ont; altogether •u the imuiigrant i under promise, led to them by liable assistance lem in due time ewith this kind uiou ; wherefore old out will dis- the most credu- encc is as readily wrtancc that the lard, and stands grant is shaken his purposes of mrth Command- )Ie to advice, he !e again from the eans. *rovincial Immi- ome in rcmark- ; whereof a lull the main subject 18 Come O Montreal ! Thou miuiiiicent and magnificent Sim- iramis, Queen of the two Canadas, with thy heaven towering tem- ple, thy proud palaces, thy luxurious gardens, and thy hanging brido-es, one of the world's wonders. Condescend, Queen of the Canadas, to come along with me, to No. 151, St. Antoinc street, the house, ironically called the Immigrants' Home, when it is the im- migrants' curse, yea in reality a dirty, lilthy, lousy old hovel ; thou knowest not how thy immigrant visitors are tn^ated here. Lend me thy patient ear, and I will show it and describe it to thee. Thy narrator is a poor humble man, the man wliose misdeeds he is going to lay bare, is rich, high and mighty in ollice, and in lands and in properties ; yet he is fearle.s,s, trusting in his good cause, and Montreal ! in thy great protecting powers— thy well balanced scales and thy sword of justice ! Under circumstances, after arrival here, the immigrant is often sorely tried in waiting till the gates of the precious Homo do open for him ; for Mr. Belle has commanded, that immigrants arriving by special train after midnight, shall l)e kept in the Ijo- naventure Station till after live o'clock in the morning, when they can b(> brought up to the Home, and that Ijefore this time men- tioned, the ilome shall not be opened to them ; by which cruel order the poor immigrants and thi'ir little ones arc compelled to pass the remainder of the long night on the bare boards of the floor and benches in the waiting room of the station, packed toge- ther like spoons in a dozen on a sultry night, after a tedious jour- ney from Quebec, as it happens sometimes, alter having been eigh- teen and twenty hours ci route in the sullbcating heat of the crowded cars on a hot day, and as it often ^vas, their second night without a night's rest. The atmosphere in the waiting room, when I called for the immigrants in the morning was something terrible. Mr. Kirkham, the station-master, always strongly o])jecti'd to this arrangement, but since nobody would open the doors for the poor people, what else could he do. To my contra, Mr. Belle would hauffhtilij reply :— "you don't expect for a moment, that the Home can be kept open all night."' Mention should be made here of a ca.se of exception where, 1,y somo means, the immigrants gained 14 ontrance in the Home after midnioht. I b. , e through some ruse of the night watchman at the station. At any rate, on my calling at the station in the morning for the immigrants, I was informed they wore up in (ho Homo this good while. Arriving there *nd the first immigrant I mot with was an old man, piteously begging for water and place of rest, as his tired out feet would not sup- port him any longer, lioth I had to procure in the growling teeth ot the then guardian, who was anything but ploased with the intrusion of immigrants at the unwonted hour, and would therefore do nothing for them. Next I came upon the body of iminigrants, about thirty in number, huddled together in one small room, furnished with but one table and one bench, the only place allotod to them, and by change of every imaginable contor- tion striving to make out a resting place. On sighting me, they alUned -Uh -. i .Let us have water, and let us outo'f this. I had to ligh nearly over every inch of ground in the Homo^before I succeeded to get water for them and the chance of a washing. After they were bound to leave the Home and its terrors, I had to beg hard on them, to stay, till I could fetch Mr Belle, whereto they only consented at last out of consideration for me. When Mr. Belle came, he did so upon his high horse • he examined into the case with magisterial airs, like if he had been called on the scene as a magistrate ; in fine, he blamed the whole unpleasant occurrence to the disobedience of his orders so expli- citly gn-on, that no immigrants should be admitted to the Home before six m the morning. All of them were Scotch, and a finer lot ol young men in every respect will rarely be seen. Subse- quently they made good use of their time, to scatter to the four winds as quick a. possible. So far so good, their names in the book, and no further trouble to the Immigration Agent. This was about water ; perhaps in proper order, I should have mentioned first an other case of complaint about fire, that happened a good while before. Complaint being made for the want of lire by two Belgian Familios with many little children, very decent people and particularly g.utlo and polite. When I entered the office at nine one severely cold April morning, there was no fire lighted there yet, no where except in the kitchen. The two Belgian molhor.s and (heir ]i(t!o familios .surrouudod me at once ough some ruse B, on my calling I WD 8 informed ving there, mul teously begging eould not sup- 1 the growling it pleased with )ur, and would on the body of :)gether in one ^cnch, the only ginablo contor- hting me, they ' d let us out of ground in the I the chance of Home and its ould fetch Mr. iisideration for igh horse ; he f ho had been led the whole dors, so expli- i to the Home h, and a finer seen. Subse- -^r to the four names in the ent. I should have hat happened the want of II, very decent entered the was no lire sn. The two d me at once, 15 one holding a bal>y of only six weeks in her arniK, and coniplaint'd bitterly of this kind of Ireatmeni, showing mo their little ones blue with cold ; that the wood had l)een locked U]) against them the evening l)efore, immediately after my leaving the oflice, therefore they had l)een without fire ever since, nor any place to go too where to warm themselves, the kitchen had been forbidden to them. I told the men to make direct complaint to Mr. llelle. What good came of it, when it was brought before him, he replied in a few high Hung sentences to the tune : " You must take things here as they are, they cost you nothing at any rate." llight after the men showed me their purses, containing several hundred gold pieces, saying to me : " if treated like paupers, you'll " see, we are not ; there is over a dozen families ready to come " after us, we know now what we have to w^ite to them." They themselves wanted to settle on the Ottawa, but the retardation in opening of navigation, necessitated their prolonged stay at the Home. On admittance to the Home, the first thing required of the immigrant is, to step into the office, give his name, and have it entered in a book. " What's in a name !" Mr. Belle can answer with a knowing smile : " There is a good deal in a name, and in " many names, a great deal more." Afterwards, the immigrant is invited to visit the bath or washing-room, a miserable small place, and what is worse, constantly in a disgusting dirty state ; and it is a piece of gross indecency, that it must serA'e both males and females. The dining-room is an irregular morsel of passage, totally inadequate; and about the kitchen, it's better not to be too inqui- sitive. In the side building is a dormitory for males, one step down from the yard, well known to Mr. Belle as a damp and unhealthy place. The large shed in the yard is another dormitory for males, built to order, and under supervision of Mr. Belle, with much in- genuity. Two large trees, undisturbed in, mother earth, are piercing their living frames through the roof of this shed, and holding their green heads triumphantly above board ; but since trees cannot continue to live without water, so when it rains, they cunningly let some water come down in a way, that it is refresh- If 18 iiig y they (»rteu pliiy on lln' p<»oi-rt'llt)vvs in the Htmngfst divamw, il" they (lou't avvakou to Ktern leulity. lIovvovtT Mr. Belli! can nH'ord to let igno/ant people talk, lor ho knovvK that tlio huiUling- ol' iho shed has been asueceiss after all. IJiit really it is no fun to sleep in these dormitories just men. tioned ; the use of only a wretchey I hey ivams, ir Ihey people (ivlk, Jbr HucwNS urterall. torios just nu'n- lied 8tra\vbi'd, iig, no covering ('v«'ry known 'nco of u chilly iTC in store for iited, just half- L'ts, ji horriblf niptiod during- ig its poisonous ling- them with sed alternately I weather com- logether to the rooms in the small children , from scarcity r as sleeping is maenoss ; every itoos and beef ; for the knife, iaro for nothing it tho words : — t is Mr. Belle's teii them sum The colonel honours tho Home frequently, by taking huuhecm in a little room up stairs ; I dare sey, in ho doing, he ads for the once in practical accord with what he reminds others : — '■ it might be better cooked, but then it costs nothing." With-al the Cohmcl is naturally extremely gallant, and inclined to indulge the cook and her idee little daughter of only eighteen summers, for both are not long out in this country ; and in recognition of their highly cimimemlable (qualities — great atteiitiveness on his gran- deur, he w(mld overlook such trilles, as no table-cloth, and other little shortcomings at his solitary repast. All this may bo very well in the little room up stairs of aris- tocratic seclusion, that has nothing to do with the immigrant. Yet the stranger thinks he might havt> a little something to do with the Homo fare, to look at it any how. The neglectful ^idcanlincss everywhere, the roughly low state aiul hard features of the whole establishment, is of a tout ensemble, that is producing its evil iniluences on the immigrants remarkably soon, almost as quick as the names are taken down. A countenance who, at the arrival a few moments before, was yet hopeful with animated plans :— a rosy avenue leading to a nice little cottage, in care of the future charming little wife of his, and so forth, has become overcast with depression. The sight of tho place and all its appointments, and particularly where he is going to sleep, has undone him completely, overrunning him with a cold chill. The mother of the little children there looks very sad. You will see them forming in groui>s, discussing matters and things, aiul the strange pronunciation of the prominent cities of our neighbours, Chicago foremost, that strike your ear, plainly tell the drift of conversation, and where they want to drift themselves as soon as possible. The immigrant naturally argues, what may bo expected from the covxntry, wh<'n a city like Mon- treal does not provide him at least with a place of common de- cency. And it may bo borne in mind with this, that the lower Province, and notably Montreal, arc by no means favourites, par- ticularly not if th(> linglish speaking immigrant has already come in contact with the Ontario Immigration Agent, or the French speaking with Franco-Canadians migrating over to Lncle Sam's Dominion. 3 il 18 pouvrs t , l>^ ^ ^ P'-nc-on(..«, Ins prolong.,! s,,y ^^j,,. „,^, Home wont Hllvofoii „--+ • . ^'' ''^ *>i ''"- -- ...J u.-Vt I '"^•ioii ill (liMi'ivii/ nil- IlKCS tuki! Ihiiinx t oI'l'midN; hiituay ivii ((I Icaroul ujr„i,, tome ihiit'HiilJ, (III' 3ut wtiitiiiff lor tin. lor fioiiiehody, tho . vvht'ii ill ii'iility ir oiu! of (Jio i^,^( at- than ho can hell) I' a la/y man, or a ^■nilily luH ono all- uiMU'ccssary sUiy iUUo <>r Ills utuios. IJUKI to oo by the pailicularly Ihr lU'i-al, l)ut not of 'd «(ay with (he iohor and roNpt'ct- ly try to hanjr on and ccnfinuully injitiirno'iniiui, i'' hack iVoin the is ol" opinion lie ho understands ' cooked victuals vihle catastrophe 1 to rough it. lie in accord oa s deceived, and u'd liHts ol' (1,0 lediuiisaiuland ourse, that (he n niucheNtima- icc preferred to )nis)iiii..iT7 « 1» <|uickly Mr. Hello h'^aimt! their oliject ol suspicion, who, they said, considorecl ; iit»m 's mere ciphers in calculation, how mueacea] ;md well disposed ; tho women cle m, neat and proper, first-r; ex- IxM-ts in (!very work that recpiir. s tho needle, and equally an ions with the men to find employment of some kind. The maj.. of <»ur French immigrants are skilld artisans of .very imagi, )le fabric, worth inestimably more 1. an their weight in gold to n- nial industry and manulactare, siruggling in its infancy and 1. its v»M-y life. The artisans skilled in the ma.ulacture of every fa])ric useful and fancy, that came at certain ep.^hs from the Countries over the Sea, mainly contributed to the g eatiiess of the Empire, where- on (li(> Sun never sets— tho Ibitaiin. that rules the Waves. Most of the French artisans havr- left us again, carryiiur wilh them their wealth to other Zones. A good deal' of th.' cause for thi.s can br traced to iliai aversion which (he ilome lirst started 20 in thorn. Thoy can bo couutod by the hundrod, that a day or two altor thou- arnval. turnod tlioir backs lo fho Homo, and to Mon- treal and Canada at tlio same tiiuo, Tho enormous immioTatiou this yoar of skilled artisans from iM-anco, Alsaco and Lorraine into tho TTnitod States, uiH soon show Its tolling. eli;.c(s in tho markets of our noiohbours, by ofFor- ino- o-oods at homo manufacture that used to l,e imported. The numberless letters written by immio-rants at tho Homo to iriends over the Ocean, all complainino. ,„ore or less of tho treatment at tho Home, with warnings not to co.ne to Canada make me fear overythin,,- for the good pro.spocts of Immigration to this Provmce. The book of arrivals at the Home is imposition, if ibr purposes of demonstratuig, ho^v many immigrants have been cared Ibr and provided with places. I mean in reality ; tho little book kop; for immigrants to inscribe their nam.s therein as expressive of s.xt,sfoetion with treatment at tho Home, is a kind of Mountebank irickory.il att.Mupted to pass it -ah honn-Jhle. Mr. IJellc knows this, and so do I. This is a very deplorable state of ailairs in the face of tho nicroased doman.l and scarcity of help iu tlu> hous.>hold, and in every branch of labour and manufaetur." ; and the more roorotablo m preseiice of tho iact, that this Proviuee was perhaps nevei- bolbre visited by equally largo numl)ors of tho best immigrants. Facts speak volumes; never heard complaints of thefts having been committed at tho Home by immigrants, thouoh their baggage was always kept in a very loose and invitim.. sort"of way One small theft once complained of could not b.> ehai-ed to them but has been imced to unoxpeeled and unsuspected quarters' I know oi no row amongst iminii-rantsal the Hom(>, not countino- an exceptional skirmish they had with the cook. Where then ! Mr. J3ello, aiv your immigrants ? Where ! ! With change olnam.v this Province may break out in the lament oi the Roman Emperor: "Varus' Varus" o.ive bark " give back to mo, my Legions " 1, that a (lay or two oino, and to Moii- Ilod artisans from States, will soon glibours, l)y ofPcr- importod. ivnls at the Homo 10 or loss of tho 3oine to Canada, ; oi' Irnniigration >n, if Ibr pnrpos(\s boon cared Ibr, littlo book kept as ex[)rossivo of 1 of Monntobank Mr. IJolIe knows the face of the ausohold, and in nioro rouTotablo iip.s lu'vor before igrants. iiiiits of Ihefls its, though (heir ing sort of way. h urged to thoni, oected quarters. e, not countin<«' :* AYhero!! L\ik out in the sM give baek, 21 Mr. Belle is in the hal)it of visiting the Home once every day, and occasionally twice and thrice; his most regular time is at noon, at or a little before dinner time, not so much to judge the soup as to pass judgment on the soup-eaters. Then he sweeps in like a Spanish grandee of Castiliun ])lood and arrogance, with disdainful air and contemptuous look down upon the plebs of immigrants, and without condescending to as much as a nod of greeting, unless the wearer of a distinguished apparel, either male or female, be amongst them. Blowing I'rom the I'xortion he gains the o Rice. He acts in this way lor ell'ect of crealing fear; only after having taken the chair of presidium. I was ordered to pass the now arrivals in muster before him, or present him to the immigrants as the grand agent. In adherence to his aristocratic view he may iirst question his subordinate in charge, if he has completed during his absence some insignificant little arrangements of his, or if he has certain entries made in the pettifogging rod tape formalities as prescribinl by him ; well enough at leisure hours, as there may be some ultimate benolit for him in it after all; but sadly out of fact and place, when this olhcer, who has all the business proper on his shoulders, is surrounded by fifty and more immigrants, who put to him all sorts of questions in babollike confusion of languages. Mr. Belle is always in a more or less tur1)ul(>nt slate of agitation, accordiu"' to rise and fall in numbers of immia-rarits at the Homo. All in one breath he demands the l)Ook of arrivals, if all the names have been entered, if they are all provided with addresses for situations, if Ihey aw. very busied in search of, adding, the temperature here staiuls to high, keep at them, show them up, keep them going, th(» numbers must l)e greatly diminished by to- morrow. And he would continue in this unseemly heartless fuss in spite of my remonstrance, that the poor fellows AA'orc not a hour in the House, had not had time yet to shake the dust off their clothes, as it really was frequently the ease. At this junction a person may step into the ollice wanting to hire an immigrant. This applicant is at once eagerly taken in hand by Mr. Belle; if it should hai)po)i that none of the immigrants nresent can Jinswer to the specialitv of l!)'' ilenuvu. The m.in, good looiiinij and of ,„„,.,.. lookin" ™a' al t vf ' ,"'"' '""■'' '" "'•'■• "'"■■•I' "'^^ *" '""" The Vnadhn f. ,"''f" °' ■™''" ''»"'>- " "" '^•'"""-1 '«"■». '.aunoa.on.::r t;::;!:h z.::^ir:;:;:rf ^' "";■■ lo.'.er i ,n , '1 "■ " "" '""'•■''''''■ ' "=""''• '"■"'■ "I' with it no " litv Ii r this ,r,;, ; , " "" """ '"■■■ " '" ■■»' "«'■'• nnpossil.i. •■ ..PPI t „'" " '" " =""■>•■ ■""' " "™ " «■ have si man V "ci,lren,hvLorre ""'"■' "'' """""'^ '■"™-'"""'« "ili> Ma,..„„s ,1,7, : hi, T°' ' " ^""' "'•'•■'" ""■■"»»' -Ivan- 1 lo, ,h,., , e,y com,„,.ndahle fannle, wl,v no, allow Ii (lifRcwlt cases, or palming^ off a 3s way to persu- mt, in iiiiio cases ^«, disheartened, li the would-l)o I" insufficiency of d abusive, and iter to a sturdy hoth parties re- niiiations. The Is for the rusHc the ju-ice of the sh Amuer, !)(> it irs. ill his mig-lit,as g-ot at the son and iake i-io-hl g' of fatlier and 4er. It was a !' (he stock Ibr md of powci'- > with him in h was the hcst :notted iurnis. atedly, (Init it family, as he 'dwasa sino'],. 1 in lii.s efloris ui> with it no eoolie hade, ter ini])ossihi- iav(» .so many i-hands with most adviiii- hy no( allow 28 •' time to do that niiich ibr the poor people." As soon as (he farmer was gone, Mr. Belle reprimanded me in strong terms, and hold in future my tongue, when he had taken immigrants in his hands. I was glad to see them out of his hands, when I had a chance next day, to engage them at a fair salary with a worthy gentleman from the country, who was in the very want of such a family. Mr. lielle handled innumerable cases in this way, and in augmented degree of heartless inconsideration as the number of heads was greater in the family. The grand occasion for Mr. Belle, is the dinner time. It is enacted by him, that the immigrants shall present themselves at the bar of the ollice lor dinner tickets, and no dinner without the tickets, lie sits upon his chair coiiime gnind sdgneur, as the French call him, challenging every candidate for honours of dinner at his Home ; why he is still here, why he is not in a boarding-house or lodgments, wliy he did not find a situation, must take any thing at all, must Icavt', can't remain, must make room for large numbers to arrive, and so forth, k('ei)ing thereby his voice constantly in the upper notes. To embitter the lectured ones, a few favourites pass entirely unchallenged. Not seldtun on this his grand dinner re- cei)ti<»n,he is treated to some l)anfpiets that are very stormy, with a strong od(mr of truth and none of respect. The donor of the strong wordy ban<|uet is a spotted person, male or female, the screws are put to departure with no further earthly consideration. After these ai)petizing scenes, the immigrants take their seats at the table, ])ut not in peace yet, for Mr. Belle follows tht'm into the dining room, continuing his unseemly harangue, calling on this one and tliat one, generally with some more unpleasant remarks ; he thinks nothing of it to call them away from the table altogether al)out some l)agatelle, ivhen to Judge from his own enormously comlbrtabh> looking personality, one is inclined to think, that he enjoys the peace and pleasure of the table \-ery much. On one of these occasions, Mr. Belle committed an act, that deserves to be recorded, for it is perhaps unique in the annals of an Immigration Agent, dispensing the hospitalities of the Province. On the morning of that day, returned an immigrant to the Home, after having l)een tMnjdovi'd for some weeks in the Eastern Town- 24 ship.s ; ho <-omi>h,in.cl „lth. wacros luinno- heon t., low. and that he was m .search ol'a more reniun.rMlivv place. I made him ac- quau.ted wuh the rule, thai when once helped to a situation, ho had lost tdlc to have meals and lodj,ni.-.s at the Homo ; I said this prineipally m demonstration, that such returns were neither liked nor laeditated ; it n,>ver eame in my mind to render it too strict under any circumstanees, as far as one meal was concerned, sure- ly not, when to larourite« the existea.ce ol' this rule was not even mentioned. The iinmi-nnit alluded to was a fine youno- man of Celtic descent tall and rohust, an al)h. f,nn hand ; and I told him all he had to do was to sit dow.i on one of the benches, and in less than hall an hour, he ^^ou d be taken oil: There was great demand for menhkehun, and almost immediately after, h was engaged at very fair wages. By this time it was not far Irom dinn.M- The omployer arranged with the yo-iug man, where to meet himric^ht alter dmner, when I put in the suggestion, not altogether un- mindlul of a jawing, that he might just as well take his man right along with him. The employer's sharp wit made me blush us he answered me : " Oh ! its not about the dinner, I'll willin^rlJ "pay you for that, I have some business to attc^.d to yet " When the immigrant went to his dinner with a tick(>t from me I in- structed him about Mr. Belle, if he should take notice of him to say. that he was engaged and only staying for one meal at the ilome. He was the only one left amongst a number of French immi- y-rants and attracted at once. Tresently, I heard Mr. Belle roaring out my name, as if murder had l,een committed, and hurriedlv obeying the summons, he accost.Hl me previouslv in the yard crv- i"g to me : " What, now, by Nero and Calliguh,; dare you contra- ' vene my positive orders in this flagrant way.' The youn^r man had eaveins.,ntlj, his plate of soup smciing befbJe him, ::S M. Belle himsell chased him out of the Home, thereby causing galling indignation in the breast of every one present. In fact, Mr. Belle's visits to the Horneamountto neithermore or less than excited and turbulent Hustling and jostling of he hn- migrants to and fro, with intent to push and drive them from the ilome at the fastest speed possible obtainable, when if ,•« ^...„ n to low, and that I made him ac- to a Kituatioii, ho Homo ; I said thin wore iieith,>r liked viidcr it too strict IN conconied, sure- rulo was not even in<>' man of Celtic I lold him all he S ■'vnd in loss than i great demand for was engaged at )m dinner. The to meet him right ot altogether nn- '11 take his man t mad(> me blush, ler, I'll willingly Itoyet." When t from me, I iu- nolice of him, to one meal at the •of Frenehimmi- Mr. Belle roaring , and hurriedly in the yard, cry- dare you contra- The young man l)ofore him, and thereby causing ^ent. to neither more iiling of the im- ' them from the vhou it is doji" 25 less in one case than in the other, it is from fear, for Mr. Belle pos- sesses all the attributes of the tyrant. His haste is something dreadful to eontemplate in its conse- quences upon the fate of families in particular. They have too many mouths, says Mr. Belle, and accordingly, more mouths, the higher pressure he puts on to shove them out of the Home, no matter whereto. Numerous applications from a distance, mutual beueiit therefrom were dead letters against an immediate offer of employment on the spot. Dislike or unlitness of the immigrant to the proffen 1 situation, or inferior wages, were of no moment. I believe it was in the beginning of the month of June last, that the present house-keeper and her nice little daughter, made their first debut at the Home. With them entered vipon the scene, a new guardian, from precedents and testimonials, a highly res- pectable Scotchman. The first acts of the house-keeper were calculated to make a bad impression, t'he Scotch guardian went unfortunately right away on a spree, wherewith he was helped on by the house-keeper, .she sharing his cups. Ilis discharge followed, and his successor was a young Freiuvh Canadian, a good .learted fellow, modest, polite and willing. Mischeif would have it, that he soon took to drinking too, and likewise in companionship with the house-keeper. The friendship had become so thick between them, she lent him the money to flisten him to the ruinous l)assion. In a certain epoch of sixteen days, during the absence of Mr. Belle at the seaside, she had advanced sixteen dollars to the unfortunate Francois. Seeing him becoming fast incapacitated for his business, and he also getting somewhat cross to her and less obedient to her behests, she turned informer on him, with the smart insinuation, the guardianship might be dispensed with altogether, and its salary, at one dollar per day, divided between her and me. Instead of admonishing the treacherous house-keeper severely, Mr. Belle only evinced the greatest solicitude, for seeing the moiu'y she had advanced returned to her, and in his great care to secure this, he did not mi)id to tell little stories to poor Fran- 9ois. The present houso-keei)er s new hroomship was indeed of very short duration. Under her management things went flist 4 26 IVom bad to worse. Dirt anil lilth ac< uuiulatod aiul bi«carai' more otlbusivc ; tho. vormin oi" all kinds mullipliod lo terrible uumbors. lit to do battle against all comers. The closets had become so incommodious, that it was generally in a state of unapproach- able beastiality, a cabinet of horrors, the gallery and the yard all over had to sutFer for it. And to add to tho variety of flavours, she had become fowl Itmcier, and kept about a half hundred chickens running during the day in the yard,, and amongst the em- migrants and their boxes, and at night, roo.sting next door to them. Having had a liu( kster stall at liome, and ])eing of a some- what commercial and speculative turn of mind, she also opened an Immigrants' Laiindry, where washing is done ibr money only, and at theliighcst rates going. Wood and soap ligvires under immi- gration expenses, and therefore does not figure in her calculations, which makes it a profitable little business. Her enterprising mind is not only confined to this, there are more ways than one to turn a penny out of tlie immigrant and his home, and she cultivates all the chances. But there never was a person who coiild under- take so many things and attend well to all of them, one or the other must be neglected, and the house-keeper of the Homo is no exception to the rule. The business proper of the Home became sadly and shamefully neglected. The bath-room was permitted to turn into a puddle of mud. Sometimes I had a hundred and more immigrants at the Home; they clamoured for soap and towels ; when I went to the house-keeper, demanding these articles of necessity from her, I ^vas told she had neither the one nor the other to give me, had been occupied to much otherwise. At the same time I found her daughter at the wash-tub, herself engaged with ironing, both busy with the private huindry. The soap was of course required for this, and the time, that should have been devoted to keep the linen of the Home in order. I was ol>liged to return to the immigrants, and confess to my own shame and that of the Homo, that I could not procure either soap or towels. Think of the straw-ticks and bolsters only changed twice during the whole season, some only ice. Never did I show tho immigrant to his dirty and wretched lair, without feelhig ashamed. It occurred that immigrants were returned to the Homo ))y employers, for ha>ing been found covered with vermin lul bocamo more L'rrible iiiirabors, iiti had })ocome of nuapproach- and the yard all riety of flavours, a half hundred amongst the cm- ox t door to them. nng of a some- le also ox>ened an money only, and :es under immi- hor calculations, lierprising mind than one to turn lul she cultivates 'ho could under- them, one or the ' the Home is no le Home became 1 was permitted . a hundred and ed for soap and lomanding these 1 neither the one much otherwise wash-tub, herseli te laundry. The time, that should e in order. I was to my own shamo u'c either soap or ly changed twice ?r did I show tho without feeling returned to the red with vermin I 2t One young man, now in a very respectable position here, showc me his l)ed one morning, after a sleepless night, and the sight of insect life was something terrifying. If the house-keeper is throroughly unfit to keep a Home, she is equally unfit as cook, for of cooking she knows no more than a dancing bear about com- posing a piece of music. And amongst all persons that ev(M- attempted cooking, it would ])e a hard thing to match her for un- cleanliness and dirty handling of the victuals ; a vessel just emptied of night-soil, comes very handy to her to use as a receptacle ol' pealed potatoes. Many immigrants have told me, that they dare not think of her dirty ways during meal time, or they must leave the table at the double quick. Of cleanliness and anything that belongs to it, she is totally ignorant and unconcerned, indeed as much sanctn simplicitas as a quadruped, w^ich in his inner bodily organisations resembles most the biped. Nevertheless it was an undeniable fact that the dirty cook, the ignorant cook, who can neither read nor write, had grow^n into mighty power. She dispensed the good things of the Home, a.s if they did come from herself and she i^aid for it ; if anybody in- curred her displeasure, she ordered the person out of the Home forthwith. I will give one of the many incidents of this kind. We had in the Home a little French lady with her husband and one child, she had a little tongue of her own, and she ventured to give a little of her opinion about her cookship. Directly the cook told her that she must leave the Home. But the little lady had also a little mind of her own, and would not pay the least attention to the cook's authority. On the Mon- day morning following, the little lady and her husband entered iipon their first day's work' in Montreal, she in a millinery estab- lishment, and he in a paintshoj). The young couple were known to be very poor, yet very neat and respectably dressed. Monday noon, only the little lady called for the dinner ticket, and giving her name, she was right away impressed by Mr. Belle : — " You have work, you must leave the Home and go in lodgings forthwith." This made it of course quite evident that Mr. Belle was acting upon the cook's spiteful orders. On th<^ succeeding Wednesday, the husband called for the dinner ticket ; no sooner did he mention his 28 name, than Mr. BoUo cried out : " You have employment, that " must be your last dinner here, J have given warning to your " wife beibre, that you ean'i stay longer." The man retorted : " I am just as i)oor to-day as Avhen I came to the Home, all I " possess in God's world is thirteen cents, and we'll not be paid " till next Saturday oxg\ but if it all'ords you any pleasure to jmt " us out ol' doors before, well then please yourself I defy you ." This did not shut up ]\Ir. Belie eU'ectivcly. Nothing daunted, lime and again I directed the atlention of Mr. Belle to tlie laziness, neglect and imbecility of the house-keeper, yet with over and again the same result ; he found excuses for all the house-keeper's and her daughter's doings, and threw out some hints, that it was bet.,er not +o be meddlesome. HoweA-er these and many other strange little things became a deal more comprehensible to me, when, one lovely afternoon, I stumbled in a passag(> upon Mr. Belli> and th(> house-keeper's nice little daughter, ^hc playing in charming innocence about him, ad- miring what is of the l)iggest admiration on Mr. Belle, and remem- l)ering me strikhigly of a scene of yore l)elwecn Peggy and the Bar-keeper, when she soft-soaped him for a glass of whiskey with the flattering Blarney: "You always remember me of my old '• Boss in Ireland, he was just sucli a good looking man as you, " and like him, you have such a hand.some belly sticking out." This brought down the Bar-keeper with a smile, Peggy was suc- cessful, and, as I have every reason to believe, so was the house- keeper's nice little daughter in her way. Sensual cupidity is strong with Mr. Belle, and of passion be- yond his control. Headed by it, he sets to work with entire recklessness, towards obtaining his vile ends. I know him to have exposed himself in brazen courtship to the open ridicule and spicy wits of all the immigrants in the I^ome ; ill-placed levities, when the ravenous wolf is preying on their wiAes and daughters, this time in the most dangerous disguise of shepherd himself and immigrants' protector. Merely a few cases, but they are as many as good looking Avomen and good looking girls came within the ]i.ile of the Home. .^ 2t> oymeiit, that ninjif to your ail retorted : Home, all 1 I not be paid ensure to jmt defy you ." ling daunted, » tlio laziness, 111 over and ouse-kecper's , that it was in£^8 became afternoon, I keeper's nice •out him, ad- , and remem- ;'gy and the •hiskey with e of my old man as you, Sicking out." jgy was suc- is the house - pa«(sion be- with entire now him to ridicule and ced levities, tl daughters, himself and are as many I within the There arrived at the Home from the land of Belgium, a line young married couple with(mt children. Both good looking, the woman smart and active, with the vivacious eye, described by Jleine "like a polished dagger half-drawn from the scabbard." Mr. Belle commenced with his ordinary snare, that h(i was in want of this couple for service in his own house, . and therefore they could not be placed otherwise. Mr. Belle prompted his designs iil)on thi ; woman in blind d-ftifs-ard of decorum. The little god is known to bo a trickstei. Cb< of the children hurried down to communicate to the olli"r iiiuiiigmuts, that Mr. Belle was running after this woman up-stairs, trying to hug and kiss her. It became all the rage of conversation in every corner of th(> Home. The husband was of course not long before^ getting acquainted with matters, and took them seriously enough, with right particular in- dignation against the Immigration Agent. He w^cnt straight to Mr. Belle in the Crown Lands Office, and told him, that he had not come all the way from Belgium to be duped and disgraced in this way. Soon after, man and wife disappeared from the Home without cmploymcMit, and took up rooms for themselves. Mr. Belle had also a longing eye for the lovely and charming daughters of sunny France. The House was graced by the arri- val of a very respectable looking French couple, man and wife, with one child. The French lady, for such she is in the right sense of the word, no matter how modestly dressed, no matter how poor, made herself soon respected all over the Home, by her silent finely measured comportment, her industrious habits, and her tender allections for husband and child. The husband under- stands no trade, and it is always more difficult to find places for this class of immigrants. In the interim, looking out for a situation, Mr. Belle employed him in his Crown Lands Office ; subsequently he cceeded in getting into another temporary em- ployment, that neoossitated his absence from the city for some time. Mr. Belle kindly proposed to the husband in consideration of his I needy circumstances, that he might leave his wife at the Home [till his return, yea, that in case she should meanwhile want a (little money, he would advance it to her. Of all this I was right glad, for the French lady was such an excellent and willing hand to render assistance in the Home. But it was only a few days 80 alter the husband's doparlurc when his wife communicated to mo much to my surprise and chagrin, that she was going to leave the Home that day, and take up her quarters with another French family, whicli I did know to be likewiHe poor. I called her atten- tion to this, and tried in every w^ay to persuade her for remaining, all of no use what I said, her mind was determinedly made up for leaving the Homt^ instantly, knowing she had no means, I thought her proceedings very strange, but could not get at the cause of it at the time. When the husband returned, he solved me the riddle. As soon as he had left, Mr. Belle commenced to make frequent visits to his wife, when she was alone in her bed- room up stairs, and by his actions disclosed his base plans, and this is why she had tied. The full particulars and details of these cases have peculiari- ties partaking still more of the revolting outrages, but I think quite enough has been said on this subject. As before said, the immigration this year in g(>neral has been very large, and to Montreal in particular ; I don't believe the City was ever before visited by so many immigrants with intention to settle about here. My task was a very laborious one; I believe I did all I could lor the iiinnigrants as far as my harassed and limited position permitted ; I was generally occupied with them from fiv^ -"n the morning till ten at night, and since I had latterly undone the former order ))y Mr. Belle, and receive the immigrants at all hours in the night, this resting time I could not count more mine. However this would all have come easy enough to me by way of my liking to attend to immigration affairs, but the mal- version of the immigration field, on the part of Mr. Belle, with a hunting ground for the gratification of mean passions, made everything uphill work, engendered the discouraging conviction that no good did come after all from any amount of labour of mine that for sake of a livelihood, I was but a miserable instrument in the criminally and farcical humbug of Mr. Belle's immigration agency. For some time past, my official respect due Mr. Belle had become very thinly skinned ; 1 had commenced to back out in cer- tain heartless cases of rendering the unquestioning obedience and unscrupulous servilitv demand'Hl liy Mr. Belle of his subordinates and within did anaw the worn- 81 A Hraull iililiir in If, a key, .>j)eut?tl ( hostili .which led to a pilchod battle betwcPii the O] jio 'orces, n oly, th«> liouKO-ki't'per and her nic(i little daughter, uh their g. od lance, th«? chivalrous and lormidable colonel himw'lf, on cue side, and my lonely self on the other. I had at last succeeded to get a lock Jix»>d to a little gate, l)y which the house-keeper did a good deal of her Sunday traffic in the laundry and other business. It is of course needless to say, that the lock was an irksome sight to the cook, and the least she could do was to try to possess herself of the key to it. Therefore when I demanded the kt>y of the locksmith, almost immediately when he was done, he was ignorant of its whereabouts. I went to ask in the kitchen for this key, when iirst a wrong one was handed to me by Mamselle ; forthwith detecting this, I now signified my determination, that the key I shall and must have. Whereupon the cook threw me down the right key with a iS Tonnere " there it is " She is a great swearer and since her elevated position, she made useofhersacre epithets in heightened degree and increased frequence. However I gave her unmis- takeably to understand, that I cared nothing for any amount of her curses, that it was high time she would mend her dirty ways, if accessible to any improvement at all. That decent immigrants complained of her being loathsome, that her laziness and inattention to business proper had become of a very reprehensible character, when as it lately happened on the arrival of four English immi- giants, with a sick lady amongst them, early on a Sunday mor- ning, after a protracted and fatiguing night's journey from Quebec, that, after vainly waiting for over a hour i;nd-a-half to break a long fasting, they were compelled, the sickly lady becoming exhausted, to search up a hotel for breakfast, from where they never returned to the Home ; that such occurrences were shame- ful and it was altogether a disgraceful state of afiairs. Truth is a terrible scourge, and she nearly burst with rage under its lashes. She called after me : " there is one good thing, if I should have to leave, you'll have to leave long before me." On that day Mr. Belle put in his appearance at the Home at an unusual time, much earlier than ho is accustomed ; T snnnose the intolligoiu;^ oi' iiiy l'oi('il»li> n'niiirks wivis ounicd lo him In tin- love winged dove. And not. an il was h\n ivj^ular hid)it i- HihI Rtep into the office, forinimediidely lie rushed past it and rijifhtiuto the kitchen, tVoni wht-rc hn issued shortly again to the grand attack on the over ojlicious olHccr in the Imreau. He marched silently n\> towards nic with ii heavy sinslrr Ihundi'rcloud on his brow, iH'hind his back the cook, with the killingly simkc like glance in her eye, elso an immigrant, to bear witness of what I had said before, as I suggested Taking in my position with a glance, and seeing victory an impossibility, yet defeat no disgrace — I rushed at once to the offensive, by opening iirst witii heavy artillery : " What shall this man here witness ? nonsense. It will allbrd me l)Ut pleasure to repeat to this villanous women, the very words I made use of in the kitchen against her, and I repealed it word l)y word, with stinging additions, and denounc vd her money making and black mailing proclivities in unmeasured terms. Then putting lance against the formidable Colonel himself, I dashed at him: "yon, " you, I must comi)liment, that you preside ovtT the most wretch- " ed, filthy, lousy institution of its kind, most unworthy of its "name, in all Christendom." Ilis attemi)led ell'rontery of shield- ing and defending the bare laid malfeasances of such grave nature, fell blunt against the minuteness of my charges. My heavy artillery roared under the violent volcanic erruptions of Billings- gate lava, on the part of the Cook. ]\Ir. Belle knowing me in- vulnerable on poiut.s of duty, what I had challenged him, now put in his mortal blows of arbitrary power, and delivered the coup de grace to me, l)y giving out a new i)ronunciament as dictator, and proceeding to sentence against me : — • His first sentence against me was, that he forbade me of taking another loaf of bread, or occasionally a piece of raw meat, or any thing else from the provisions furnished to the Home, which I was entitled lo, for the reason, wlien I united with my clerkship the function of guardian, it had been stipulated by Mr. Belle that f should takt; dinner at the Home at each time, as my presence in the office was most indispensably required about dinner time. It was perlectlv *■ 88 o hiiii l)v tlu' hahit |. lirwt t iukI right into n to the gmud lit' marched cr cloud on his igly sii ikc like J of what I had ng victory an I once to I ho Yhat shall this )iit plcasiiro lo lado use of iu l)y word, with ill'-;' and black puttinjT lance t him : " you, 3 most wri'tch- worlhy of its iti'ry of shiold- li grave nature, s. My heavy IS of Billings- )\ving me in- illon^ed him, and delivered lunciament as orbadt! me of of raw meat, to the Home, len 1 luiitcd it had been inner at the ! office was was perfectly I ■^ J understood that dinner furniHhed to me by the Home to be one th« perquisites of my guardiauHhip. Later on, Mr. Belle preHHed ni>on mo that I should take up my (^uarterH altogether at the Home, and bring my family there. When my wife cooked in the Homo I dined of course with her, and in exchange of the stipu- lated dinner from the Home, I took a loaf of bread, and at inter- vals a piece of raw meat from the Home's provisions, of course with perfect opeuess, as I would order the butcher now and then to bring me a separate piece of meat. However I lK)wed submission to this sentence, as it followed so natural upon the steps of a man who had quarelled with the cook, and as it completed my perfect independence in every re- spect. His second sentence was, that I must bridle in my unsugar- coated language to the housekeeper, for she being a lady, he would not permit, in his presence, a second time, the use of my disrespectful terms towards her. To this sentence I demurred, on the ground that there was not the first sign of a lady about the cook, that she was wanting in the— in my eyes— indispensable qualification to a ladyship, that is, she being generally unwashed, and without this adorn- ment there was no lady for me ; T should therefore persist in treating her to her deserts, without gloves and without any cere- mony. Whereupon Mr. Belle warned me, that my repeated oflTence and disregard in this direction would bring on my dismis. sal. This subterfuge of tyrannical disposition had lost ils intend- ed intimidating powers, and I continued in all frankness of ex- pression. The cook had by this time brought into play women's most dangerous weapons — tears — though that her's were without the waiting pearls, did not mar the effect. Mr. Belle now promul- gated his pronunciamento to the effect : Ignoring altogether his former ordinances on the occasion of investing me also with the guardianship by increased salary, wherefore he made it ooligatory on me, to look after crv thins u appertaiuiny to the Homo, and assume responsibility thereoi', in total ii^iiorance of all this he proceeded to declare : That I had become meddlesome, that is meddling with things that were not of my concern, my sphere of action should be strictly confined within the oilice, and be solely confined to its direct operations, anything outside of this was none of my business ; the nuin..i;cment of everything else about the Home, the kitchen and all otiii^r arrangements did exclusively belong to the house- keeper and cook in one person, who stood above all interference on my part, and was perfectly independent of me in all her doings, of course also in her washing Imsiness for immigrants on pay- ment, which was now formally sanctioned, contrary to a former censure. I could not receive any complaints whatsoever of immigrants but shall inform them at once, that one and all corai)laints must be brought directly l)efore Mr. Belle. All of which is humbug with a vengeance ; stone for bread, insult for redress, who know^ it otherwise, that ever stayed at the Home and complained :" Rellecting upon my liuancial position, and looking at the near end of the immigration season, this was already the 22nd October, I listened to prudence, made the best move to a bad game, and capitulated to the time of the dishonorable conditions, with the only remark to Mr, Belle : ' When it is manly to fight, it is said, ' to be not less manly, to acknowledge to a thorough defeat " and I do acknow^ledge to have been most thoroughly licked to " day by the cook, but please, don't confound causes." I thought th(^ ali'ray was now over, I believe so did Mr. Belle Meanwhile some immigrants and other ])ersons had crowded into the office, and it was high time to pay some attention to them. Mr. Belle and myself faced about to attcjid to busijxess proper, and did actually enter upon it. The cook was still lingering on in the office, enjoying her triumph amazingly. The thought just crossed me, that it was in bad (aste, and very ungentlemanly demeanour on the part of Mr. ]5(>lhv lor not ieUinir . VANCASTER, Policeman, Montreal. Montreal, 9th December 187'> S. LESAGE, Esquire, ' ^ ' Depvti/ Commissioner of Agriculture and Public Works. Sir, I suppose you have in your possession my pamphlet accom- paaied by my letter of the 7th instant, and as promised therewith please receive hereby enclosed, two letters addressed to you • one from H. Parotte, (French,) and the other from G. Vancaster (Bel- gian,) m support of some of my important statements against Mr Belle. Mr. Barnard is acquainted with G. Vancaster, it is the same i5TER. ember, 1872. h to inform you sojourn at the the agent, Mr. st proposition to an extent in his ing' the night to of his influenre t without place 89 who passed a few days with Mr. Deschambeault, Varennes. Vancas- ter desires very much to have the honour of an interview with Mr Barnard; ifhe had known where to make him out, he would have presented to him his complaints ere this. What I have written is really not much to what Mr. Barnard will hear on occa- sion of interview of Vancaster. The same manifold additions will be the result of test of all else I have said, as being more a few samples of the long list of its species. With further documents I'll furnish you in my next this week ^ with testimonials to my own stewardship, and I beg the honour to remain, Your obedient Servant, H. MULLER. ?nt did nothing \ not given me Id have become Polivenmn, Montreal. tber, 1872. f: Works. inphlet accom- ised therewith, d to you : one ancaster, (Bel- ts against Mr. it is the same E S. LESAGE, Esquire. ^^""'''"'^ ^"^ ^'"'"^^''^ ^872. DepuUi Commissioner of Agriculture and Public Works. Sir, At la^t, after long delay, 'partly caused by illness of min« I have the honour, of presenting you here enclosed my treatise on : "The Immigrants' Home, 151 St. Antoine Street, under the _ admnustration of C. E. Belle. Immigration Agent." with illustra! tion ol events upon which Mr. Belle inflicted my abrupt dismissal. Its contents arc but the truth, it's hard but true, that all I have said is a mere breaking in of the crust, the bulk of iniquities withm IS yet untold. ""quiues roofl ^"^ "' "^^* ^"" '*'"*'"*' ''''^ ^'" "^""'^^ ^^^^ ^ P^^««d ^o Being greatly concerned that you should hear from me, I Z^^^^'^'::!:^^? '^-^^ ^- P-P^^^*) ^ ^ead of .r. tLrnncatcs m feuppuri oi some oi my more important state- 40 ments, which I will not fail to send yoix after on next Monday evening, with other reiwrts. Evor remaining-. Most respectfully, Your obedient Servant, H. MULLER. Montreal, 16//t December, 1872. S. LESAaE, Esquire, Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture and Public Works, Quebec. Sir, I beg to give you here enclosed .statement of my settlement with Mr. Belle, as I accepted it some weeks ago under the neces- sity of the circumstances, and according to which he paid me the sum of $69.25. I confess when I submitted to this settlement, my hope in your kindness and my trust in your urbanity, had some- thing to do with it ; that you will make right yet, where I have been wronged, upon and also herewith copy of memorandum on contingent expenses, having given matters due consideration. Really I did not deserve to be thrown out so abrupt coldly in the cold arms of winter. This makes my foiirth letter to you, one with my treatise of the 7th, the next with two letters of immigrants, of the flth, and two of this date. I will yet furnish you with a document concerning my beha- viour as •mployee in the immigration office. If required, many more condemning depositions of Mr. Belle's malfeasances, indeed in overwhelming numbers, can bo brought home. IJelieve me, Sir, Most respectfnlly, Your obedient Servant, H. MULLKR. 41 n next Monday V'ant, I. MULLER. cccmber, 1872. Wif Works, •Imy .settlement inder the neces- . he paid me the s settlement, my mity, had some- 5t, where I have lemorandiim on 3 consideration, ipt coldly in the I my treatise of of the nth, and M-ning my beha- ositions of Mr. limbers, can be ervant, I. MULLKR. I HE BELLE. MEMORANDUM OF THE ADVOCATES FOR THE DEFENCE. • Before entering upon the subject, we would call to mind the cruel and unjust position of our client before the investiffation which has just taken place. The rre.s8 worked undorhand, had been prepared in advance : and waited only for a pretext to pounce upon the prey pointed ,. out to It. At the same time the public mind vividly excited by I vague rumours, but artfully coloured and distributed with pro- ji lusion, was predisposed to accept as true the most odious revela- • lions. Already the mine was prepared; it onlv required to be ex- ploded. They naturally relied upon the dark deed they had machinated with so much artifice and so much perseverance And the victim they had proposed to immolate, lived without fear and completely ignorant of danger. I At last our client was apprised, that ho had been accused : and was charged with a ery dark and heinous crimes. How many pro.secutors had he ? What were the nature of the charges l)rou"-ht against him? He made search to discover, but only really knew on the day he was allowed to open the defence before the commis- sion ot enquiry. ^ Three men then revealed themselves, Hans Muller, Henri arotte, and Gustave Joseph Vancaster. The iii-st named singing his praise and throwing down the ?love to his enemy, not on the battle-field as did the heroes of tiomer, but in the seclusion of his chamber he gave birth to a lonstrous treaty in which was concentrated all the maUce, all the ate, all the revenge and filth with which his heart was ovei- iowing. As loquitur ex ahundantia cordis. This filthy treaty was forwarded to the department of Agriculture and Public Works, ..«viieie It, no doubt, produced an effect m lably, AU. .,,ki X>Ul 42 the brave and hom-bt MuIUt not belii'viiig him^'ll strong enough to do battle singly with the gigantic emigration agent, sought lor allies and found them. El hibo y la vulpeza (imbo" Shi de una con- sija. Parotte and Vancaster came to his aid, on sending his wife, and the other his concubine to the rescue. MuUer's treaty and the letters of Parotte and Vancaster, not producing the brilliant result desired, other means were adapted to attain an end which had been proposed. We need not make known these means ; no one is to-day ignorant of them. It was furthermore a worthy corollary to the actions o! the three indivi- duals we have Just named. The interposition of the fourth person who should to day blush for some of his acquaintances, had all the effect which we d -sired. The press commenced to liowl in every tone, the public stunned and amente forming an opinion without any knowledge of the facts, accepted all kinds of insiiuiations for realities, launched into the excitement, and the noise and confusion that followed is indiscri- bable. The Honorable Commissioner at the head of the emigration department had no doubt accepted the acciTsation of MuUer, Parotte and Vancaster, at their real A'alue, seeing that he did not I'vcn communicate them to our client, but the clamor of a misled people forcibly roused hiin from his inaction. Our client dc' manded an investigation, and this investigation was granted to him. The Government with the evident intention to enlighten public opinion, already perverted and prejudiced from the informa- tion of a press, itself misled by app*arances, cunnhigly invented and exploited, made of a subject purely administrative and private, a real public trial. We thank them to-day, because the publicity given to this investigation has rendered the exoneration more certain and more complete. We will now enter upon the subject })eginning at the source of all this dirty busiiu^ss. The author of this famous treaty, of whom we have already spoken, born we kno^v not wher(\ but several cities claim the 4n r 1 strong enough ycnt, sonffhi lor S*(i lie una con- xi sending his Vancaster, not I were adapted need not make them. It was he three indivi- lid to day blush lich we d -sired, piiblic stunned 'dge of the facts, iiched into the wed is indiscri- the emigration ion of MuUer, that he did not nor of a misled Our client de* was granted to )n to enlighten Dm the informa- ingly invented ive and private, se the publicity oneration more ig at the source :e have already uties claim the I 4 Si honor of his birth. As to the rest, all we have an interest in knowing, is; 1st, that Hans Muller made his entry into the Emigra- tion Home during the begir ning of the month of April, 1872, and that he was chased from it on the 22nd October, of the same year. While he remained ill (he Home, ho found every thing correct, only during his last days, he had some difficulty with the cook who he falsely accused of all species of crime, and he was turned out. On leaving he said to Dr. de IJorden, " I leave, but many others will also leave." If Hans Muller had not quarrelled with the cook of the lilmigratiou Home, it is more than probable his famous t.vaty would never have been written, and would have never seen day light, but he did quarrel and from this shock was born this epistle which of its kind shall never be equalled. It goes to prove that after his dejiarture from the Emigration Home, Hans Muller saw every thing in blackened colours. He, who had given him employment, and means to gain a livelihood was no more to him than a vulgar bandit ; and the Home in which he had lived appeared to his deseased imagination in an entirely new condition. Horror! How did he live in a place so dirty, and eat such impiire food at so disgusting a table, how did he resist the myriads of lice spontaneously, quickened into life and multiplying in the infected locality, and in fact how did he Invathe the nau- seous emanations that continiially supplanted the oxoygen and azote ot the free and pure atmosphere. The explanation given by him of his long resignation to his martyrdom is a little ingenious. He was devoted he says to immigration, he had not the mind, and prudence councilled him not to complain. At last he made complaint, and we noi\' know of what he complains 4e omnibus rebus el de quibus dam nliis. Whoever will impartially read Muller's treaty, also the docu- ments produced during the enquiry, can easily become convinced that Muller's motives were far from being as disinterested as he pretends. Hate and vengeance appears in every part of this in- tamous libel. The proof also unveils the menial condition, and the bad in- tentions of Muller. When leaving the Emigration Home, he said to Doctor de Bordeu, " I ].»ave, but mnuv other,? will leave." Be- 44 loniDr. ricaull,lort.otliiiyhiin,solf, h,. rnVdout: "Oh. Mr Bell.- I will have him dismissed, and I will be revenged." Hiighuric^bt'"^ '"*''"''"" '' ^"""- "'''' -»->t ••" "- Lot us SCO how this German, who had sworn tho ven,/effa undertook io kill his adversary. Did he j^rovoke him to sinH,.' oombat? Did he attack him to his lUe. ? No!-I[e hatched''in darkness a dangerous conspiracy, and he tried to ruin him by ca- umly and pev .iry. He was but too w.ll as.sisted in h.s ^'ork but thank God, truUi (riumphed over lulseho..,!, and to-day tho author of this diabolical plot, and all lus Worthy a.ssociates, are well k..own lor what they are. Nearly everybody was deceived. fmt now we have light shewing into its depths, this dark abyss of mlamy. •' Wc spoke of a conspiracy and we did not exaggerate. It is in proof that Muller, Tarotte and Vanc.tster acted in h 7th of December. 1872, and on the Oth of the same month ho tnt to the same person, in one of his own letters, the letters of arol^e and Vancaster. Vancaster's letter is dated '.Lh December, jUJ Parottes does not bear any precise dale, but it is clear thai ;rihe tw;:Zt''"'^' ''''' '' ^""^^ " '- '^ ''''^ ^-"-^^^^<^ Vancaster denies that ho was in communication with Muller when he wrote to Mr. Lesaga Lot us see how he gets out o evJdenr" '""^ ''^''' ^'"'^^^^"^ this portion of hH " It was on tho ninth of December, he saj/s, that I sent my letter complaint to Mr. Lesage. I made this complaint of my oZ .eo will, without having been solicited by anyI,odv. iJweon whiH ;"^J7^'"^= ^1^« J^^^^^^ration Home, and "the day on which I wrote the letter to Mr. Lesage, I did not communicate my ])usiness upon this subject to anybody. When n.v wife made ^itoTT T ""''^ '^ -"-^. we decided of common as.sent1o write to Mr^ Lesage. Before however writing to Mr. Lesage, we my \vife and my.sclf, .consulted together.' i 45 l''uitht'r on h«' sayM : cannot he Hie " It vviiN iiiysi'ir who wrolf the Icltcr conliiiniiijr rny com- plaints, and sent Ity nio to tlif (Jovcinuiont. Tiio letter was ad- dressed to Mr. Jj(?sag.' IJ.'Jbrt! Kcnding this letter, I did not com- municate it to any person I did not conimunieato to any person before sendinH' my letter, that it was my intention to make com- plaint. T hnd \ir. ■iesniyo's address at Qneln-c, I po.sted this letter myseir. I did not uiv.- it to Mr. Muller, lor him, to transmit for me, to the CJoverniiieiit. 1 was not in any way informed of the fact, that Mnllor and Tiirotle were to write at the same time I did to the Governmont. Nor (!iiii I in :my way explaii\ how the three complaints were sent at the same lime lo ilii> (Jovcniment, seeing that I was not in communicaticni with the others, when I wrote to the Government. I swear i)ositively that wlnai I sent my complaint to the Governmint, I was not in communication with any one. Question : — How does it occur, if you were not then in com- munication with Muller and Parotte, and if you, yourself put your letter in the Post without speaking to the two others, that your letter and that of Parotte reached the department in a letter written and sent by Mans Muller to Mr. Losago ? Aimoer .-—It is a fact of which I am ignorant. It may be within my wife's knowledge, but not mine. T.s it possible for one to perjure him.sel f with more eflfronterv. After having given his letter of complaint to Muller, and transmitted by him to Mr. Lesage, "Vuncaster made, conjointly with his wife, an affidavit of griovences against our client. This alfidavit is written throughout by Muller, who extends his polite- ness so far as to go and look for a magistrate to t;,ko the oath of the Vancaster's at their own home. The affidavit which is much more ample and much more precise than Vaucaster's letter to Mr. Lesage, was plactid in the hands of Muller, with full liberty to use it. We may suppose whnt iiKHoe MMlJev iM;,de of thir^ affidavit 4e Ho look j^ood care to send i( to the doinirttneiit. Thon» in no doubt but that it wivs with (his docuiiiont and otherw oi' a like kind, ho excited (ho ^)re8H and public opinion. Felicia C'hataigni.T, wife of Monier, also admits that her hus- band made a complaint in writing-, that he ro held ajraiusl our client. Isidore Terrot was the; chairman at these meetings, and Frederick Boncorps and Ledieu were the secn-taries. Vancaster, his concubine, and Muller, on the very day that Vancaster went with Lafon to the olhce of our client, were all three at Poker's, where they had coffc^e served to thom by Madam.' Pelzer. Why did they all three find themselves that day at Pelzer's? We do not know. In the meantime we knew from whence they came and where they went. We also know what they said upon that occasion. Madame Pelzer tells us, certainly without understandih? the meaninj? or value of h.-r information, that three persons cam*' from Mr. Barnard's and went to our client Mr. Belle. The woman Vancaster said to her husband that he need work no more, because he would receive nine dolln week without doing anything. This same woman, when iu uie office of our client with Vancaster and Lafon, hearing a iw.jsp in the adjoining room, all at once cried out, "they are fighting," thxis revealing an anterior knowledge of what was then trausph-'ing. In fact three individuals, Perrot, Boncorps and Matchgeels, sought Deplechin, one of the witnesses for the -lefence, who had already made a deposition against Vancaster before the Police Committee, and the last named, in the presence of the other two, and before Mr. and Madame Pelzer. offered Desplechin the sum of one hundred dollars, to prevent him from givin- evidenre upon the facts he had already related. 47 lont. TlioD' JH no othern of n like mitN that hor hus- not 8t»iul it to any ith the moans in n\r client, and it in 8 I'onspiracy. W(>ro held aj^ainst t those mo<'tin<^.s, ert'tarios. the very day thaf ir client, wore all thorn by Madamo alves that day at t) we knew from also know what tolls us, cortainly hi»r information, md went to our ' hor husband that ve nine dolln lan, when iu uio earing a ii(»iso in ire light ing," thus en transpiring. and Matchgeels, efenoe, w'ho had )elore the Polico of the other two, lechin the sum ol rt to tho Parliament of this Province that our client conducted his agency with i)erfect order, and a great deal of economy. We will thtTefore here occupy ourselves with that portion of tho evidence relating to the i)ersonal acts with which our client is reproached. Let us examine ni the arst instance the evidence of Hans Muller. Muller IS, at we have already seen, the prime mover of the conspiracy. It is around him that all tho other characters revolve I'll (« 48 like planets round tho 8un. Ho is the gruiul sprint^ that commu- nicates motion and life to i,ll tli machinery. Muller's deposition is but a repetition of his irnind treaty. It is charged with hate and vengeance, and it breathes tho same ful- someness. If Mullor had l)ecn an honest man We might compare him Nvith the Clieva/ier de la Mmchc, tho immortal Don Quixotte, but Muller, witli all the vanity of Don Quixotte, has not tho same character, and the comparison would be unjust to tho hero of the wind-mills. Muller's attacks against the character of Madame Barrette's daughter are odious and uncorroborated by any))ody. Tho re- mainder of his attacks are but insinuations, and do not go as far as to articulate any positive fnct that can ]>e imputed to our client. We leave to Muller the melancholy honor of having attempted to bring to disgrace a person against whom no one wit° ness had a word to say. Two women, says Mulh^r, came together to tho olfieo, where they remained with Mr. Bell.., who, playfully placed his hands on the breast of one of them. He does not indicate them, noi havino- the entry book in which he could have found their names In cross-examination tho entiy book is presont.nl to him. and he gave the names of the two women, who, he says, are twosisters-in-kw He did not perceive that the husbands of these t^vo women did not bear the same name. These women did not make any com plaint, nor were they called l>y Muller to corroborate his evidence Muller gives the name ol anoth.n- woman, who, accordino- to him, ought to have been insulted in the same manner, and ^ho he ought to have sent to Quebec with Madame Ledet Well then ! the name of Leon Camille given to her by him is the name 01 a man. t A This s is sufficient; let us pass to Parotte. The nature of Madame I arotte s complaint is indiscernible. We expected a great deal more Jrom her husliand's letter. iig that commu- 49 Mr. Parotte couiidentially disclosing his alHictiou in a letter sent to Mr. Lesage by MuUer, charges our client with being want- ing in lopnlf// and morality, and further states that his w .fe was beset with insulting propositions. Finally he adds, always con- Jidentially, that it was likely that the same annoyance did not occur only to him. This letter contains a great many words, many malevolent insinuations and many philosophical reflexions. Instead of approaching his subject frankly, and stating purely and simply that which he has to say, Mr. Parotte twists his ideas, and produces a philosophical and sentimental nonsense, that certainly does him little honour. Madame Parotte does not go as far in her evidence as her husband, and it is evident she would have been silent, had she been left alone. Parotte and his wife arrived at Montreal the 8th January, 1872. The husband left the Home to go on survey at the north of Montreal, and returned the oth August. Madame Parotte pretends that she wrote to her husband, informing him that she had left the Emigration Home because of Mr. Belle our client. The husband in his letter of complaint to the department says that it was upon his return he ascertained all this, that is to say the insults oftered to his wife. However, between the 5th August, and the 9th December, Parotte and his wife remained silent (cors) and did not indite the slightest complaint. Besides Parotte did not even try to again see our client. Four months silent what must we think of tliat And at the end of these four months, Parotte complains but only through the intervention of Muller. This explains itself well enough })y the interposition of Muller who wanted to clear his own character and blacken that of our client. After all, the evidence of Madame Parotte does not amount to much. 8he states expressly that Mr. Belle did not at any time make her any indecent proposal, and that he never laid his hand ui)on her. Only she believed thai he wished lo nudce love to her, and for this reason she left the Home. At the beginning she took " 'Mi' 50 these attentions for acts of politeness, Imt later she thought he had designs against her honor. Our client begged of her, she says, to go to his oiKce in St. Jacques Street, but she woixld not go. She, however went to his office on errands and had no reason to repent of it. At last, our client told her one day, she was escaping from him as usual, that ho wished simply to speak to her, and had not the slightest intention of taking her by force. Here we have in substance an exposure of all the wrongs with which Madame Parotte reproaches our client. They are only imaginary wrongs, The evidence of [Madame Parotte is reduced to nothing by that of Madame Gaschet, who relates a conversation she had with Madame Parotte at the house of one Mr. Laurent. The words used by Madame Parotte upon this occasion, completely exonerates our client from all blame. The Vancasters arrived in Montreal the 21st August, and were placed the same day with Mr. Felix Lussior, at Varennes, They returned to the Emigration Home the 2nd September, and lived in it one week. Yancaster preteiids that it was during the last days of his residence in the Emigration Home, that our client insulted him in every manner. As we have already spoken of the letter vvritte v^nncaster to Mr. Lesage, the 0th December, and transmituu to the last jiamed by Muller, as well as the affidavit of the Vancasters, sent to Muller, with full liberty for him to make such use of it as he thought proper, we will not return to it. We will merely ob- serve that a period of four long months intervened between the pretended offeuce .and the making of the complaint. It would appear that our client and Mr. Barnard had intended totake this couple into their service. Mr. Barnard, Emigration Agent, wishes to engage them for his brother, and our client on our side olfered them sixteen dollars a month. In the mean time this couple did not engage either with Mr. Barnard or with our client. Vancaster says his wile informed him tliat she had been ignominiously persecuted by our client, and that upon her relation thought he had her, she says, to d not go. She, oasoh to repent 3 escaping from er, and had not ere we have in which Madame ji-inary wrongs. to nothing by >n she had with t. The words 'tely exonerates st August, and , at Varennes, "September, and vas during the , that our client ■i • v'ancaster ed to the last ancasters, sent ise of it as he ;ill merely ob- ed between the t. •d had intended rd, Emigration d our client on the mean time 1 or with our .she had been ion her relation 61 of this to him, he became very excited. This excitement came quite d propos, although a little late, because this adorable woman had two months to calm herself It is unnecessary to expatiate upon all the details in the evi- dence of Vancaster. "We have already seen that he knew how to perjure him,self It will suffice, for u.s to indicate some salient points in hi,s deposition, without returning to what we have already said. Vancaster thinking that his wife wanted protection, pro- motes a falsehood ingenious enough. He says that being in the office of our client with Lafon, the last named, read to hira, at the request of our client, an affidavit against Madame Tarotte, and that our client subsequently said to him, that if he would not withdraw the complaint he had made against him to Mr. Lesagc. notwithstanding that he had nothing to say against his wife, he would always find means to prove something by somebody. He adds that the individual who had made this deposition against Madame Parotte was present at the time. These facts are ex- pressly denied by Lafon. But Vancaster did not expect to be cross-questioned, as he has been. We can see that the questions relating to his past life did not please him. Vancaster swears positively that he is mar- ried to Louisa Delplace, but his marriage with Louisa Delplace is too delicate a subject, too mysterious to be touched upon by the pro- fane. His betrothing at Wisconsin to Marie Joseph Martin before the Missionary Cronte, also forms a very romantic and very in- tricate episode, in the life of this remarkable man. The letter of Mr. Maurice Del Fosse, Belgium Minister at Washington, ex- plains to u.s many things that Mr. Vancaster, through his extreme delicacy, left in darkness. But let us pass ! let us pass ! Let us thro\v a thin and transparent veil upon the American and Euro- pean transactions of Mr. Uustave Joseph Vancaster. Let us come without delay to this interesting woman who is not alone appre- ciated by Vancaster. Although the paper suffers most, we nevertheless loathe to reproduce thf- iiUh uttered without modesty by Madame Van I I caster, with the Bhamelcssness and indift'orence which distin- guished her Madame Vancaster ought to ha^e fallen under the eye of the frigid but devoted Muller, because thoy are described as follows, in his imperishable treaty. "There arrived at the home from the land of Belgium a fine young married couple, Avithout children, both good-looking, the woman smart and active with the viva- cious eye described l)y Heine, like a polislied dagger half-drawn from the scabbard." With eyes like those Madame Vancaster could not fail to make her way in the world. Madame Vancaster explains her reason lor witholding for so long a time from her husband, the attempt made upon her \ irtue. She tliought she was dying and did not like to sadden the companion of her joy, the chivalrous defender of her honor. This mortal illness did not nevertheless prevent her from dancing the can can at Gagnon's wedding. She repudiates it with indig- nation, and pretends not to know the can can. Unfortunately for her, it is thoroughly proved that she had lifted her foot much too high. The Gagnon'.s and all others who were present at the wedding, with the exception, however, of Master Adam, give evidence of the fact and swear to it. Madame Vancaster is not without some vanity, but this little black fly does not mar her natural graces. It ^\•ould appear that Mr. Belle had engaged a Dame Bodinot, ))ut on .seeing Vancasti-r he fainted away. Comparing the.se two women together, he de- clared he did not longer want the Bodinot, the other woman being much prettier and much cleaner. Let us see what opinion Fadame Vancaster had formed of an honest woman. " A French woman, with a blue cloak, whose name had c'^caped her, having been insulted by Mr. Belle in the pre.sence of the two Vancaster.s, went down the stairs indigiuuitly and into tht; yard, saying tliat he was a big pander (gros maquereau.) The veracious Vancaster I'oi- got to mention this iact in his evidence. Madame Vancaster pretends that Lafon ollered her money (o withdraw her complaint, but Lafon expressly denit ,s this charge and gives a complete description in detail, of his interviews with the Vancasters. .;.4«i Vaucaster is very alluring, at least in her own opinion. If we an^ to believe her, even poor Lafon could not resist the temptation of putting his hand on her bosom. Lafon defends himself warmly and denies the soft im. peachmont. Before concluding with the accusations of the Vancasters, we would direct attention to the affidavit produced by Vaucaster, with his depo.';ition taken before the commissioner of enquiry. The aliidavit and the deposition are far from being alike. It is sulficient to read them to observe the variance But let us ob- serve that in this affidavit, the deponents swear that they communi- cated the facts related by them to Mr. Lesage, which is not the case. For the defence a great number of witnesses have been ex- amined iigainst the Vaucaster.^. Desplechin, the Pekers, the Gagnons, &c.. thoroughly expose the character of Madame Van- ecauce this conspiracy [comprised several elements, and a number of conspirators, that we were able to triumph over them. The course of the plot I against our client was too complicated and too tight ; the threads broke. Now, what were the motives of the conspirators? They [were manifold. The majority wished to have revenge, be- lieving they had cause for revenge. Some of them were in- *lluenced through sordid interests. Others acted through envy, mothers llirough complacency, and others purely and simply to ^do evil. I Let it be observed that all the witnesses against our client. |vvere, before this affair, unknown. There is not one amongst them who is either morally or pecuniarily responsible. The Counsel representing the Public Minister, far from protect- ing and assisting us, on the contrary, did all he could against us. He arranged himself on the side of our persecutors, and did not t^t'xtend to us any kindness, but examined chiefly the witnesses |of the prosecution, and cross-examined our witnesses. The advocate acting for the so-called national societies i\vorked against us, and in concert with the advocate representing the public minister, and made us submit to the same treatment. One fact worthy of remark is, that all the witnesses for the )rosecution, apart from Muller, are French and Belgians. Why then, did the English and Scotch National Societies, the only ones !|4 66 repreeeuted by Mr. Monk, espouso Hk' cause of these people ? Had they not their respective consuls ? This investigation, wo hope, will have good results. It will ])rove the innocence of our client, and show the injustice of the attacks of which he is the object. The press and the public will, no ilou})t, profit by the lesson. Voltaire said: "Lie! Lie! something will always remain." Well — there has been so much lying in all this aifair, that riost cartainly something will remain. How many men have pleaged their oath from the beginning, to all the falsehoods pronounced against our client, who did not take, nor would take, the trouble to inform themselves. IIow many nven also, who will believe naught but evil ? It is often sufficient for a person to be accused, when on the instant will start the cry '"Oh, its true, there is no smoke without fire.' The fire of calumny is in the calumniator, but many look for it in calumny, grave error ! fatal error ! the father land of injustice. In the business with which we are now engaged, MuUer, Boncorps and the others tell iis, that they labored in the interests of the emigrants. Shameless falsehood. They did more injury to the cause of emigration than all the Ituilts with which they reproach our client. We miist not drift into illusion. This en- quiry will cause considerable damage to imniiycration, more es- pecially amongst the French and Belgians. Confidence will only be restored on the day, that a judicious selection of emigrants is made in Europe, and that we receive in this country people only who can be recommended. While waiting for things to improve the jwsitiou of emigra- tion agent, at Montreal, will not be tenable. The door is open to all kinds of accusations, and it is quite possi1)le that many evil disposed persons will profit Ijy it. In the present charge our client was the first to be attacked. AVe wish to his successor better luck. We have concluded our labour. Had we more time at our disposal, our work would have been, without doubt, more com- m 67 pK'te, and moro worthy of tho cause we siistain. In any case we have every conlidence in our cause, and we submit it without fear. M. DOHERTY, J. A. A. BELLE. Montreal, 14th April, 1873. In the matter of the Investigation into the conduct of C. E. Belle, Esq., as Immigration Agent and Superintendent of the Im- migrants' Home, Montreal. CASE SUBMITTED BY THE NATIONAL SOCIETIES OF MONTREAL. The undersigned respectfully submits the following as tho charges made against Mr. Belle : That during the period of Mr. Hans Muller's stay at the Homo as guardian and book-keeper, the Home and its appur ten- uncos were kept in a general state of filthiness. That tho straw-ticks and bolsters provided for tho male im- migrants, wore without any covering whatever. That those for females, were covered with a white cotton sheet only, merely hiding the paillasse. That these pMllassos and bolsters were during Mr. Muller's stay at the Homo, generally infested with vermin. That the privies attached to the Home, wore kept in a state ol constant filth, and were during the above period emptied but once. That the immigrants could not, at times, be supplied with soap or towels. That the immigrants were not afforded any comfort at tho Home, and that they, and the male immigra^its in particular, were nogloctod and treated in a harsh and haughty manner. 8 ' / 68 Thai in Mr. Mullors pvoNciico, the iramigrruita frequently complained oi" the treatment they received at the Home. That the house-keeper of the Home, was permitted to make prolits from the Laundry, at the expense of the immigrantH. That Mr. Belle was awaro of the faulty interior arrangements of the Home, and of the above causes of complaint : that they were on several occasions reported to him by Mr. Muller, but that he paid no attention tu such reports, and took no steps to better the condition of things Thai Mr. Belle conducted himself towards the female immi- grants, with a scandalous familiarity and lewdness of manner insulting to their feelings. That in the disposal of the immigrants, no regard was paid to their litness for such situations as they were appointed to by Mr. Belle. That Mr. Belle wasguiltyof scandalous intimacy with Leonie Barrette, the daughter of the house-keeper. That the Home, under Mr. Belle's administration, was not worthy of the name of a Home, btii was, on the contrary during the said period, an Institution so badly kept as naturally to disgust any immigrant resorting thereto, and to cause them to warn the'r friends intending to follow them, not to emigrate to Canada, and specially to avoid Montreal, in case they should be tempted to come to this country. The undersigned is compelled by his duty to the National Societies of Montreal, who appointed him as Counsel, to watch over this inrestigation in the interest of immigrants, to submit that every one of these charges has been fully proved by the evi- dence taken under the present commission. The attempt on the part of the defense to almt this evidence has signally failed, and has for the most part consisted in the bringing of witnesses to throw discredit on the testimony given for the prosecution, which has resulted in corroborating the same, no 69 lis I'requently )nio. ittod to makf ligrants. ■ arningementn iiit : that they r. MuUer, but lok no stepH to ' lemale immi- SS6 of manner ^ard was paid •pointed to by cy with Leonic atidii, was not onlrary during .irally to disgust 1 to warn the'v to Canada and be tempted to > the National unscl, to watch ints, to submit red by the evi- t this ovidento onsisted in tht> imony given for ng the same, no one witness for the prosecution, having been shown unworthy of belief under oath. Seven documents are herewith submitted. JNO. MONK Counsel a/ipointed bi/ the National Socictiea of Montreal. Montreal, l.lth April, 1873. CANADA, ) rnoviNCE OF QuEnno, > District of Montreal. ) Cuari.es Emmanuel Belle, Esquire, of the City of Mon- treal, Notary, having been duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists, doth depos(> and say : That at the time of the enquiry, held at the beginning of last year, by Charles A, Lt^blanc, Esquire, under a commission i'roui \ His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor of the Trovince of Quebec, into his conduct as Immigration Agent for this Province, at Mon- treal, relating to certain charges brought against him by Hans Muller, Henry Parotte, and Gustavo Joseph Vancaster, he then [ oflered to purge himself by his oath, of these accusations, and that the same should be established by the record, but the Commis- [sioner refused to accept his personal declaration. That the deix>nent availing himself of the favor of the Honor- [able the F.xecu'ive Council to be heard, solemnly declares before I them his entire innocence of all the charges and insinuations ot [Mulli'r, Parotte, Vancaster and others. That deponent now desires to repeat his verbal dechu itions, (under oath, before the Honorable the Executive Council, in order that his statement may be coniirmed in a tangil)le manner and without ambiguity or concealment. The deponent, therefore, declares under the oath taken })y lim, that all the charges of indecency brought against him, befor« 60 and at thi^ tirao oi" tho enquiry, are llilso. .Ho never at any time or under any circumstancen committed the sliglitost indecency to- wards any emigrant, woman or girl, nor did he attempt to com- mit any such otiencc. And the deponent wishes it to be understood ])y this denial, all lorm of action without exception, restriction, or concealment. And resiiuding the administration of his agency, including the management oi' the Immigration Home, Die deponent declares that ho conscientiously perfornjed all his duties to the ))est of his ability, and with the means at his ilisposal, pursuant to the inten- tions and instructions of his superiors in ollice, and thnt he always rendered a faithful and exact account of all the operations in his department. The deponent is convinced, as it is elsewhere proved by the enqulUe papers, that he has been the victim of an odious conspira- cy hatched against him by ^luUer, I'arottc, Vancaster nnd oth«'r persons. Fiiuilly, the deponent declares that in resigning his offlce oi Immigration Agent, it is }iot to be understood that he shelters himself from any examination into his conduct. And deponeni alleges in support of his statement tliat he will continue to defend himself even after his rt»signation, that he awaits a decision upon the enquiry, and that he has retained under the Quebec Govern- ment another ofllce, that of Crown Land Agent. %.= )'i And deponent hath signed, after iln' reading of said deposi- tion. Sworn before me at Montreal, this ] third day of January, one thou- 1 sand eight hundred and seventy- f four. J J. A. LABADIE, j.r. C. E. BELLK. H- 01 IT at ftiiy timo t indecency lo- templ to corn- ^hes it to be out exception, iicy, including wnent declares the })est of his it to the iiilen- that he always H'rntioiis in his proved by the lioixs conspira- \8tei and other iig his offlce oi lat he shelters And deponeni itinne to defend decision upon Quebec Govern- ti Honorable U. OUIMET, Premier of tht Province of Queber. Sir, On 5th July I addressed you on the subject of the " B«Ile investigation," askinj^ it any decisio*! had been come to by your Oovornment. On the 10th July you replied that the subject waH under consideration. Ou the 11 th AugUit I a«i i" wrote, asking the result ol your consideration, on the 16th of same month you replied that tlie sul)je<'t referred to would ro< ^ e your best atten- tention, totally ignornig tlie fact, thai three months had elapsed since the enquiry closed, ami a month since you had advised me that the subject was under your consideration. I now for the third time, and more than four months allor the close of the enquiry, ask you if you have yeL c'-me to a decision on the subject, and if so, what that c. cisioi; 's' "Waiting your i. i-ly which I trust will be more satisfactory than those of July IM' and August IGth. I have the honor to remain. Sir, Your obedient Servant, NATHAN MERCER, Chairman of the Joint Committee of the National Societies. of said deposi- :. BELLE. Affidavits in favoh of Madame Monier produced by Mb. Monk, Advocate, Representin(* the Enqlish Speaking National Societies. I. I, the xindersigned Triest, certify that Madan»e Monier, Jeanne C'hataignier, to my knowledge frequently performed her religious duties, since she has resided near to the church of St. Joseph, Richmond street. St. Joseph. 14th April. 1873. J. T. TALLET, Priett. w 62 11. I, William Sylvain DeBonald, of the City of Montreal, Doctor in Medicine, having been duly sworn, doth depose and say : I know Mr. and Madame Monier, since the month of Novem- ber, when they came to my house, and I frequently went to their's. That Madame Monier always appeared to me as an honest woman, and I never heard it said that her conduct was open to criticism. That her conduct and her conversation in my presence was never unseemly. That I found her charitable and devoted to her compatriots, that I have seen her gratuitously pass many ni!,'hts at the bed- side of one who was dangerously ill from a fall. That to my knowledge she is entitled in every respect to be believed under oath, and hath signed. G. S. DeBONALD. Sworn before me, at Montreal, this ) twelfth April, one thousand eight [ hundred and seventy- three. ) E. D. JOBIN, C. s. a III. I, Josephine Puginier, widow of Antoine Damas, now at the city of Montreal, being duly sworn, doth depose and say : That I came from France to Canada, on board the steamer Sarmatian, with Mr. and Madame Monier, That I knew Madame Monier on board of the said steamer as well as at the Emigration Home in St. Antoine street, and that 1 have not ceased since then to have relations with her. That I always found Madame Monier an honest woman occupying herself with her husband and her child, and to mv knowledge, her conduct has always been irreproachable y of Montreal, iepose and say : anth of Novem- went to their's. e as an honest ct was open io presence was 3r compatriots, hts at the bed- (T respect to be BONALD. 63 That she bore an excellent reputation in the ship, and at the Emigration Home, and I never heard her say that she came to Canada to open a house of prostitution. If any one asserts the contrary under oath, they have perjured themselves. That I have seen Madame Monier render numerous servioes on the ship to Madame Lesage, by washing the chik' of tlie last named, when its mother was sick, and the child had been allowed to become unclean. That Madame Monier i.s worthy in every resiHJct to be believed under oath, and I have signed. Widow DAMIS. Sworn before me, at 'Montreal, this ) twelfth April, one thousand eight > hundred and seventy-three. ) E. D. JOBIN, a S. C. )amas, now at and say : d the steamer J said steamer reet, and that her. >nest woman, Id, and to mv ible. IV. I, Joseph Germaux, now of the city of Montreal, mill- wright, being duly sv.rom, doth depose and say : That I came to Canada in the month of September la«t, in the same ship as Mr. and Madame Monier. That I knew Madame Monier on board the ship, and since that pi^riod. That I never heard her use profane language or hold any improper conversation. That her conduct, to my knowledge, has always been irre- proachable. That her reputation has always been excellent, and that noth- ing in her conduct appeared to me to be in contradiction with her repiualion. "■ i m That 1 never heard her say that she came to Canada to open a house of prostitution. That if any one swears under oath to facts contrary to the above, I will hold them for perjury, and hath signed. JOSEPH GERMAUX. Sworn before me, at Montreal, * this 12th April, 1873. ) E. D. JOBIN. C S. C isini V, I, Delina Cloutier, of the City of Montreal, spinster, being duly sworn, doth depose and say : That I have known Madame Monier since the ninth of Octo- ber last. That on the day of her child's death, I went in company with Miss Belzemire Lapointe, with notice to several French families among others Madame Lesage. to assist at the burial. That Madame Lesage, on hearing this news, said to us, " I have known this lady since we left Bordeaux only, she must be sadly afflicted, for she appeared to love her child very much. That Madame Monier under the painful circumstances be- haved herselt like a true mother of a family. That since that period I have very often seen Madame Monier, that her behaviour, her conversation, and her conduct had always been that of an honest woman. That she never in my presence, during the numerous conver- sations we have had togr jcr said anything disrespectful of Priests or of religion, that I se- her practice it like a good catholic. That some time before she was called upon to give evidence at this investigation, she frequently said that she regretted her liUSuaiiu liS-a made S COIjlj''aiHt ii; Wrjtiug, loT SuQ WOUlU UU\ u Canada to open 65 boon better pl«ased, if he had not meddled in this affair, that it was a christian's duty to pardon, and not to bo revenged, that is what she would have done; ii' she was compelled to appear it would not be for herself, but to o])tain better treatment for the coming emigrants. Not being able lo sign in consequence of inlirmity, I have made the mark of a cross. her DELINA X CLOUTIEK. inirk Sworn before me, at Montreal, this twelfth day of April, one thou- sand eight hundred and seventy- three. E, D. JOBIN, C. .S. C. 2umstances Jx' ) giA'e evidence i VI. I, Bel/emire Lapointe, aged nineteen years, living with my mother in the City of Montreal, being d\ily sworn, doth depose and say : That I know Madame Monier since the fourteenth of Octo- ber last, the day upon which her child died. That I took a circular of invitation to several French families to attend the funeral and amongst others Madame Lesage. That Madame Lesage told me in the presence of Miss Delina Cloutier, who accompanied me, many good things of Madame Mo- nier. That under the painful circumstances, Madame Monier con- ducted herself as an excellent mother of a I'araily. That since that period, I have not ceased to visit Madame Mo- nier. that I have seen her frec[uently at her own house and at my mother's, and that her conduct has always been that of an honest woman. , And I have signed. RELZl^MIRE LAI'OINTK. 66 8\vom bolbrc mo, at Montreal, this twelfth day of April, one thous- and »>ight hr -idred and seventj'- throe. A. D. .TOBIN, C. S. C. VII. I, Jean Clontier, of the City of Montreal, joiner, being duly sworn, doth depose and say : That I know Mr. and Madame Monier since the month of October last. That Madame Monier passed many evenings with my family, and that I nevc>r heard her usi> profane language, nor hold im- 1 roper conA'orsation. That her conduct to my knowledge has always been that of an honest woman, and thai I believe her worthy in every respect of being believed on oath, and hath signed. 8worn belbre me, at Montreal, this) twelfth A]iril, one thousand eight [ hundred and seventy-three. ) A, D. .TOBIN, c. s. c. JEAN CLOUTIER, Montreal, December IS/li, 1878. To THE lIONORAliLli THE AtTORNEY-GeNERAL : SiK. In answr to yo\ir letter of the 15th instant, respecting the Belle investigation, informing the National Societies, that the Quebec Government had de.?ided on hearing Mr. Belle in his de- fence. The societies think this course a very unusual and excep- tional ore, especially as the Government had appointed a Com- missioner, to hear the evidence liroughf ])efore him in this matter. And as the Government is in iiosse.ssion of the full partim'ar.'! i». .joiner, being the month ol' ith my family, nor hold im- been that oi" every respect :)UTIER, 67 the case, nothing that can bo adchiced by Mr. Belle, or said by the Societies in answer to his defence, could in any way affect the Tacts of the case. The Societies have already watched the proceedings on behalf oj their KESPECTIVE NATIONALITIES, and they consider the case rests <>ntirely in the hands of the Government, and now leave the final disposal of the matter on the merits of the evidence adduced before your Commissioner. In conclusion, the Societies respectfully suggest that Mr. Monk's letter addressed to the Government, be read before your Council, believing that the prominent points of the ease as therein stated, ha^'e boen fully borne out by the evidence adduced, We have the honour to be, your obedient and humble Servants, G. L. Marter, Q. O. p. S. G. M., /{r/i/ig Chairman. Thomas Simpson, Secrefari/. 18//J, 1878. Produced by Charles E. Belle, on the sixth day of March, out' thousand eight hundred and seventy-three. C. A. L. Produit par Charles E. Belle, en h' sixieme jour de mars mil huit cent soixante-et-treize. C. A. L. ?specting the ies, that the lie in his de- al and excep- nted a Com- u this matter. ' ■■« i> Try xTTHSi. tTrnj--^- -^ Province of Quebec. MONTREAL. Province de Quebec. IMMIGRANTS' HOME. REdULATIONS, 1. Immigrants only who in- IrUu to .settle in thi.s Province shall b« received. MAISON DES IMMIGRfiS. REOLEMENTS. 1 . Les Immigres qui ont I'in- tention de s'ctablir dans ceiie Province s(>ront seuls re9us. it 68 2. They must not expect to remain in the Home more than 48 hours. 3. Before admission they must have their names registered and answer all proper questions. 4. As soon as admitted they shall wash and clean thf^msoh-o'sj thoroughly, as directed, aiid keep themselves so durii;-- th* ii- stay. T). Sfrict order mii f ,)e kept, and the Offic r in change obeyed. 0. No smoking .illowed. The use of }ii ; jxicating Liqnor is also strictly prohibited. Anv person coming to th^- Horn.' intoxicated will be inimt diatvlv dismissi^r'.. 7. Men, Women and Children, while at the Home, shall do such work and render such assistance as may be require d. 8. The time tor rising is (I o'clock, a. m. 0. Meals at 7* a in.; Noon. and G p. m. 10. Doors closed at iti p.m. 11. Improper conduct ol ;iiiy kind shall bo met with instant dismissal. 12. All special cases, not pro- vided for, must be attended to and adjudg(>d by the Oflicer in charge. C. E. BELLE, Crown Lands ami L)niiiir ratio// Age/itfor the Prori/>rei)fQ//cbet\ at Montreal. rnspection days, Monday and fiiuav. 2. lis ne doivent pas s'atten- dre a demourer dans la Maison au-delii de 48 heures. 3. Avant leur admission, ils devront faire enregistrer leurs noms, et repondre aux questions qui leurs seront posees. 4. Aussit6t apres avoir ete ad- mis, ils selaveiont et nettoieront leurs habits, suivant en cela les uirec': ions qui leurs seront don- n6es, i-l durant leur stjour ils se tien.liont parfaitement propres. 5. \ , ordre doit etre strictement ob^erx e. et il faudraobeira I'Of- (icier en charge. (!. II nest pas i)ermis de fu- mer. L'usnge des boissons eni- vr antes est aussi strictement pro- lub(''. Toute per.sonne se pre- sentant a la Maison dans un etal d'ivresse .sera immediate- ment renvoyce. ^ 7. Les Ilommes, Femmes el Enlans, lorsqu'ils seront a la Maiikon, devront faire les ou- vrages e( rendre les services qui leur seront demandes. 8. Lever a (i lieures a. m. 0. Kepas a 7 J heures a m. ; a Midi, et a heur<>s p. m. 10. Les portes seront closes a 0] heures p. m. 11. Toute conduite inconve- nante s«'ra punie par Texpulsion immediale, 12. Les cas imprcvus seront reales par lOfiicier en charge. V. E. BELLE, Agi'iil lies Terres /rh/i/nig ration j/oi/r la Province de. i^/ieher // Montreal. Jours d'inspectioii. Vendredi. Lundi pt To Hii te of Pi Sir Na I'loviu thirtoe s(>vent into ce Parott( tion ap i: Icncy, (.rthe M H'uages t ransla donell, this g( whole all the Tl Emign Belle, ) by llai letters caster, H.C.I li docum to forw Tl he dec and ex as pos! "if"'" LiVN 11. rn. 1). Liin<1i ot 69 To His Excelloncy the Ilonorablo Rene Edouard Caron, Lieu- tenant GoA-ernor of tht; Province of Quebec, in the Dominion of Canada. PnrBuant to the terms of the commisHion of the Honorable Sir Narcis83 Fortunat Bellean, then Lieutenant Governor of the I'rovince of Quol)ec, in the said Dominion of Canada, dated the Ihirtocnth day of January, one thousand eight hundred and s('viMity-thre(\ appointing me " commissioner to make an enquiry into ceriain accusations ))roughtby the within named Hans Muller, Parotte, and Vancaster, against Charh^s E. Belle, Esquire, emigra- tion agent at the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec." I have the honor to state for the information of Your Excel- lency, that I began my labours immediat«'ly upon the reception of the said commission, the 3rd February, 1873. * My firs) care was to select a person familiar with both lan- guages, and accustomed to the taking of enqu^tes, and ^,o the translation of public documents. The choice fell on Peter Mac- douell, Esquire, of this city, Advocate, and I am happy to say that this gentlemen proved of great service to me, throughout the whole enquiry, and per formed the duties confided to him, with ill! the zeal and intelligence I expected from him. The accusations and the comi)laints preferred against the Emigration Home at Montreal, and its superintendent, Mr. C. E. Belle, are coiitained in a very long document written and signed by Hans Muller, the ex-guardian of the institution, and in two letters written and signed by Henri Parotte, and Gustave Van- caster, respectively. This document and the letters are marked H. C. D. I instructed the secretary to prepare a copy of the Muller document, and of the letters of H. Parotte and G. Vancaster, and to forward them to the accused Mr. C. E. Belle. This gentleman did not delay his reply {Letter I) in which he declares himself innocent of the charges brought against him, and expressino- a wi.sh thnt the enquiry should t;',!;*' place as sooa as possibh'. 70 I was desirous to open the enquiry immediately, hut owing to the absence of the Attorney-General at Quebec, I felt it to be my duty to delay the opening until the twenty-second day of February, 1873, at half-past two o'clock in the afternoon, in one oi the Jury Rooms in the Court House of Montreal, of which date and hour I gave notice in writing to Mr. Belle, by apprizing him that the enquiry would be public, and inviting him to be jjresent to watch over his interests. The Secretary i)ropared and drew up in both languages spe- cial summonses for the witnesses to be examined before the Com- mission. The twentieth of February I took oath of office in my quality of Commissioner before C. E. Schiller, Esquire, Joint Clerk of the Crowii at Montreal. I definitively opened the investigation on the 22nd February, 1873, at half-past two o'clock in the afternoon, pursuant to the notice to the accused, Mr. Belle. My first act was to administer the oath of office to my Secre- tary, Mr. Macdonnell. Mr. St. Pierre, Advocate, represented the Attorney-General, who was absent. Mr. C. E. Belle instructed Messrs. Peachy ik Doherty with the defence of his case, and Mr. John Monk, Advocate, acted as the representative, and in the interest of the National Societies speaking the English language only. I would take the libe: y of referring to booic TI of ♦.he record, in which will be found all the i)roceedings of the beginning of the investigation. The charges preferred by Muller cover a field so vast, and so entangled in a language, sometimes pompous, and sometimes of such startling vulgarity, that I felt it to l)e my first duty, with the assistance of my Secretary, to disentangle this skein of intermixed facts. 71 We prepared and dral'ted a very long series of inlerrogalorieK which enabled me to put the examination of Muller into regular order. We can convince oxirselves of this by reading the deposi- tion of this witness. His examination commenced on the 24th February, 1878, and only ended the 6th March following. It occupied eight complete sittings of the Commission. Twenty-lbwr witnesses (24) were examined in support of the charge. The following are their names: Hans Muller, Henry Parotte, Louise Charlotte Desaint, wife of Parotte ; (iustave Joseph Vancaster, Louisa Delplace, wife of "V ancaster ; Joan-Baptiste Monier, Felicia Chataignier, wife of Monier ; Benjamin Clement, Alexandrine Rigolat, wife of Jacquin ; Paul Jacquin, Cyr. Loignon, Louis Ursin Selle, Jean Pierre Arnaud, Jeanne Delbrut, wife of Arnaud, Albert Brxm, Hans Muller, (twice,) Louise Bonicho, wife of Archidet ; Victor Archidet, Mathilde Dotzler, wife of Nisini ; Caesar Nisini, Cirustave Levalle, Annette Culat, wife of Boget, Jean Boget, IsidoreJPerrot, N 72 Twonty.throc \vilnoHHP« won> •^xuminod for the ddcncr. The following are thoir names : Marie MichoJ, wiib of aivsohe, Adele Amiotto, wife of aagnon ; Mario Gagnon, Pierre Gagnon, Pierre Lesage, Marie G61estine Depagiie, Armand Griffel, Henri Deplechin, Hermann Joseph Pelzc^r, Joseph Joly. Clara Marrot, wife of Joly ; Marie Narcisse Provost, wife of Papineuu • Jacques Emile Pai)ineau, Pierre Etienne Picault, M.D., Nathalie Cousset, wife of IVlzer ; B T. Clement de Borden, Jos. Lsaie Riviere, Amable Payette, Frs. Max. Vincent Lalbn. Alexandre do Rezo. Richard Hutton, •T J^ \. Belle, Jean Fleury Durbize. Seven (7) witnesses w.re heard in r. -examination Th« fni lowing are their names: xamiuation The fol- Fredi lio Boncorps, Isidore Perrof, (twice,) Edouard Machgeels, Hans Mullor. (throe tiines.) Etienno Ada.a, Adolphe Brun, Geo. Cornwall Conboy, In le'cross-examiruition. M. P]=>cide Archambault. 73 he dcrencc, ouu )n The fol- It in uot within tho province oi" my duties to oiler an opinion ipou the viiluo of the evidence of the numerous witnesses heard ring the course of this investigation; nevertheless, I detiu it lay duty to direct the attention of Your Excellency and the Gov. emment to the affidavits bearing the numhers 1, 2, 8 uj i,o 20, in' clusively. When the Counsel for the defence wished to produce these akJavits, which are all alike, the only cliange being the name of the deponent, the Advocates representing respectively the Gov- ernment and the National Societi s strongly op^wsed it. We dt«- ferred for one or two days the dwlinit atlmission or rejection of these affidavits. Finally Messrs. St. Pierre and Monk consented to admit them and referred the point to me. T made a rule not to admit any affidavit of this nature, the investigation being pub- lic, which enabled the deponents to appear under Kubpcena as witnoHKes. Nevertheless, to save pr- -ious time, and after having examined the affidavits, I consented to there being filed of recoid, although, I should say, withoxxt having much confidence in their value, the deponents being ail unknown to us. # * # Upon explaining to the Advocates, ut th- first sitting of the enquiry, the position I wished to ♦ake and maintain, I intimated to them that I would not hear any speeches on either side. These gentlemen conformed strictly to my decision. At the last sitting, these gentlemen requested me to liear them oil the merits of the enquite ; I refused peremptorily, re- minding theri of the understanding we had arrived at, at the be- ginning of our labours. 1, ho vever, allowed them to produce, within two or three days, factuins in favor of their respective clients. This explains the appearance in the record 'f the memoran- dums of Messrs 1 rty, T]-.lle and Monk. Nothing more rejisuuis for me to d. but to transmit to your Excellency, the compl* t. record of thib iou^ enquiry. 10 74 Befor- concluding, howcvt-r, I inuHt hear tcNlimony to tho good order maintained by tho numerous puhlic who afiaintt^d at ray sittingrt. Nor must I forj^ot tho feeling of deJertMice and res- pect extended to me by the advocates intercstivl in this enquiry. I would like to hclieve that my conduct will meet with the appro- bation of your Excellency and tin Government. The whole res- pectfully submitted. C. A. LEBLANC, Contmissioner. Montreal, 2l8t April. 1S73. Montreal, 12th February, 1873. C. A. Leblanc, Esquire, Sheriff, Montreal. Sir, I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 11th instant, transiuitting to me certified copies of the charges brought against me by the within named Hans MuUer, Parotte and Yancaster. My answer to these accusations is, that I am not guilty, and I desire that the enquiry of which you have spoken should tnko place as soon as possible. Would you be kind enough to fix it for Monday next. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient Servant, C. E, BELLE, Immigration Agent. St. Andrew's Home, 484 Dorchester Street, Montreal, October 28, 1872. We, tl.o undersigned Immigiants by the steamer " St. Patrick," landed yesterday morning in Quebec. There the Immigration A** 4- Afl 1 TU 76 Belle, Immigration Agent, 161 St. Antoino street, Montreal. On our arrival here, we visited the Immigrants' H'- . and delivered oiir letters to the olficor in charge of it. He «'\l'>to'l our names in a book, and we told him our occnpation, bi/'ir^ been grocers, vvhereuiKjn he informed us that he could do nothing for us, and that he could not keep us, as he expected forty immigrants to- night, we might, however, go to the St. Andrew's Home. Oar depressed mindM wore much relieved when wo arrived there; by the kind reception extended to us at thiw place. THOS. W. MACKINTOSH. ROBERT SPENCER. We hereby certify to the efficiency of Mr. H. Muller, as employee in the Immigration Office, where wo found him at all times atten- tive and polite, and watchful over the interest of the immigrants. Montreal, 12th December, 1872. R, Gardner & Son, Novelty "Works, Montreal ; J Mcintosh &; Son, E. H. Chs Lionais, E. E. Gilbert, ¥" J. P., Canada Engine Works , A. 0. Weaver, Woollen Manufacturer ; W. W. Ryan, Chas. D. Edwards, Sofa Manufacturer, 40, St. Joseph St. Wm, Evans, Seedsman ; H. Chandler, Aug'te Amos, F. Geriken, P., St. Lawrence Hall ; Irus & Allen, Hardware Manufacturers ; W. L. Rimmoud & Co., Merchants and Manufacturers &c., T. Kieffer & Co., Manufacturers ; F. X. Archambault, C. F. Nsrgely, Deputy-Chief of Police ; 7G E. McLennan, Chairman, Committee of Management, St. Andrew's Home ; N. Mercer, Merchant ; A. Beliveau, Canada Hotel ; J. Meryoderre, M.D., Les Stcurs de rH6pitai (jr6neral, (SoBurs Grises) ; J. L. Leprohon, Vice-Consul of Spain ; W. O'Brien, Les Sceurs de I'Asile ile la Providence, Mon- treal ; Pass. Agent, G. T. R. ; Hamsqr Praidingr, S. B. Rukhu, Passenger Agent ; Wm. Rutherfont, Lumber Merchant ; H. Sherey & Co., R. Warminten & Co., Manufacturers ; J- Bell, Chairman, Charitable Committe? St. George's Society. MEMORANDUM. W Crown Land.s &• Lmmigration Office, P. Q. Montreal, Ut August, 1872. Letter produced by Mr. Belle, the 5th March, 1873. C.A.Leblanc. P. L. McDonnell, C. E. Belle, Esq., ' *'^'"*'^""^' Sir,— Every immigrant who applied here for work up to the present, has Wen provided with employment or had the olW'x of it, and in every instance under remun«'rative prices and fair pros- pects. However, some would decline all proHers— from causes of excessive pretensions, shyness of labour, illusions, &c., amongst this class. 1 mav enumerate a lew iiarticular cases. 77 Management, St. ftpitai tjr6neral, •ovidonce, Mon- '? St. George's | , P.Q. iugmf, 1872. 1873. [iANC. lONNELIi, Secretary. work up to thi' uvd the ofii'r ol i and fair pro.s- -from causes ol &c., amongNt Leander W. Walraven, farm director and miller, Belgian, was offered remunerative placen in the Plumbago mills of Copland & McLaren, also by James Donald, in his flour mills at |8.00 per week — he refused both. • Louis Sellier, France, Railway Director, was offered work at Ilall & Co., lumber merchants, at $1.25 per day, and would jiot iuo pt it, was only a few minutes at the Home, when he found fault with ovory thing. hii George de FontgaliauJ. l^^ranco, Office Clerk, was at last per- suaded to go to work in Mavor & Co., as Marl>le Polisher, at $1.30 per day; left off work after a few days, without being able to assign any cause for so doing, except that he did not like to work. Nestor de Guy, France, (trader,) refused to accept of a place, where he could make $1.25 per day ; and so on, othejs bring upon themselves temiwrary hardship and loss of time by holding out for too high wages, which cannot be acceded to them before their abilities are known, &c., &c. However, the undeniable fact remains, there is more work h(>re than we have hands to do it, indeed there never wa« greater demand for men willing to work. Your obedient Servant, H. MULLER. Belgium Leoation, Wnshin^ton, Zrd Februari/, 1873. Sir, I am in receipt, ui>on my return to Washington, of your letter of t! e 31st Jany., in which you inform me that a grave and '' of the Province of Quebec : In April last, the investigation before Sheriff Leblanc into the conduct of Mr C F RoJia » a • , , ^^toianc, into uui.1 ui mr. L.. K,. Jieile, as Superintendent of the Fmi IZV:7Z tf r '"' r*'- ""'''' ' '^^^^ amount of": had tMvn brought lorward to substantiat.^ the charires ma.l.. against him. cf immoral behavio.... fn,.„.K, " „f^^'". ""^^^ '' '"•" ""iignints. aiiu 79 neglect of his duties, as Superintendent of the Home. The evi- dence was immediately sent to you by the CommiBsioner, and it was expected that in a reasonable time, you would make public your decision, as to whether you consider Mr. Belle innocent or guilty of the charges brought against him. You made no decision public, and our chairman therefore ad- dressed you on the 5th July, 11th August, and 80th September, respectively. To the two first letters you replied that the matter was under consideration, but to the last, you have not yet made any reply. The Societies we represent, appreciating the importance of the investigation, employed counsel to watch the evidence, and naturally feci very indignant, that although more than six months have elapsed since the evidence was placed in your hands, you have not made known your opinion of it. They feel that you either cannot be aware of its character, or for some reason or other are desirous of witholding your decision. We beg most respectfully, but urgently to press upon you that for the reputation of the Province, and for the protection of future Emigrants, it is absolutely necessary, you should give a decision in the premises. If you consider Mr. Belle innocent, don't allow him to remain under the serious charges brought Against him, or if you consider that the charges have been proved, let such an example be made of him, as will deter other officials IVom abusing the confidence placed in them. Wo have the honor to remain, Sir, Your obedient Servants, N. MERCER, THOMAS SIMPSON, ALL RN. GIBBON a. L. MARLOR, JOHN BARRY. JOHN C. BECKET, E. M. LENNAN, -. , WM. C. MUNDERLOH Members ol Ihe Joint Committee appointed bv the National Swieiics to watch the Belle investigation. ill Province of Quebec, ) Dislrict of Montreal. ] Dlle. Leoni Dallapale, of the City of Montreal, assistant cook, having been duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists, doth depose and say ; I arrived here from Europe hist June with my mother, and I passed the Summer at the Emigration Homt, acting in the capa- city of assistant cook and servant ; and I am still so employed in the said home. Since I have been employed at the home, I have had many opportunities of seeing Mr. C. E. Belle, as he visited it every day to see what was doing, and to give his orders. During this time I declare that Mr. Belle frequently addressed mo, but on no occa- sion did he express himself in words susceptable of wounding my feelings or shocking my modesty, I would add that this gentleman never took advantage of his position as chief of the home to take any of those liberties with me, which are so often lavished on servant girls. 1 assert thai there never existed between us any relations of so intimate a nature that might lead to an attachment, or any carnal intercourse. Mr, C. E. Belle has always been a goonl, this ) 20th day of February, 1 873. j his JOSEPH XI GACHET. iBarlc. (Signed,) g. P. Moussette, Com. S. C. Province of Quebec, District of Montreal. No. 4. Appeared Bbubllk Alexandre, of Montreal, farmer, who, aftv having been duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists' deposeth as follows .—That he arrived here as an emigrant on or about the 13th of August, 1872 ; that he stayed immediately on his arrival at the Immigration Homo, No. 151, St. Antoine Street, where he wm well provided for, as well in respect to food, which was solid and good, as in other respects ; that he has no cause of complaint, but much to acknowledge for services rendered to him by the administrators of the Hoine. And the said appearer hath signed, alter hearing this affidavit read to him. (Sigm^d,) BRUELLE ALEXANDRE. Sworn before me, at Montreal, this ) 2l8t day of February, 1873. J (Signed,) S. P. Moushette, Com. S. C. n his name, but I raoviNCE OF Quebec, District of Montreal. No. 6. Appeared Augusts Lacroix, of the City of Montreal, gar- dener, after having been duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists, deposeth as follows : — That he arrived here as an emigrant on or about the 15th of October hwt ; that he stayed immediately on his arrival at the Immigration Home, No. 151, St. Antoine Street, where he was well provided for, as well in respect to food, which was solid and good, as in other respects ; that he has no cause of complaint, but much to acknowledge for services rendered to him by the administrators of the Home. And the said appearer declares he cannot sign his name but has made his mark. hit (Signed,] AUGUSTE X LACROIX. nark Sworn before me, at Montreal, this ) 19th day of Febniary, 1873. \ (Signed,) S. r. McJUSSETTE, Com. S. C. Province of Quebec, District of Montreal. No. G. Appeared Henri Cure, of the City of Montreal, painter, who, after having been duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists, deposeth as follows :— That he arrived here as an emigrant on or about the 15th of October last ; that he stayed immediately on his arrival at the Immigration Home, No. 151, St. Antoine Street, where he was well provided for, as w^ell in respect to food, which Wiiu iirili/l an^ OYii"*'! •>" »»i ^-wiK'^y •.iit;. >£*«*« . 4Uf2^i^ 1 — 1 - V 84 r..ad th/J!' "'^ "P^'""" ^'^^^ '^•^"•'^- '^"^ hearing this affidavit ''^^^n^r,^'''*'''"'- "'*^' *t Montreal, thi iJHh day of February, 1873. (Signed.) CURE. HENRI. \ (Signed.) s. p. MoussETTK, Com. S. C. Province of Quebec. \ Distrirf of Montreal, j No. 7. who^ifni'^^-^T'""' ""'^"^ ^^^^^o^.^ French accountant about the ^st of OctoW 1 70'. TJb f" T "* ""^^"""* °" ^•• arrival at the l^^rli^^!^ UoT ^l ^^/r'^Tf ''^T '" o^ptnt'butTnu hT '" f'^r^^^'^-^ ^h^t he has no cau 'e o f road to"hi!n.' "''' '""'"" '"'^ ■^^^"^'' '^''*^''- l^--"«^thisaflidavi, (Signed,) BARON FRANCOIS. Suwn before me. at Montreal, this i -'«th day oi February, 1873. J (Signed.) Nap. V a LOIS, /. P ProvixNce of Quebec, ) Oistritt 0/ Munlrenl. \ No. H. been'^dnlf ' ^'''''''' "^ ^^' ^''^ of Montreal, coachman, havino. been duly sworn upon the Holy Evanirelists. doth depose Ind 'ly • !8 rendered to him 8ft I arrived here on or about the 1 8th of October last. I stayed for Heveral days at the Emigration Homo, and during that time I was well treated. Mr. Belie, who was then agent at the said Home, gave me all necessary information touching my business, and I have to thank him for hin kindness to me. I » '■o« Wing be,,, „.j ov, 1;7Zr ,"°',- 7''* ""• *'"«"■ Sworn Ijefon, me, „ Monire< th« i 28th d.y of March, 1873. j '^**"^ '""o^' - A»ga.t, 1872; th.the.tayea ZZ2,T °' "'"'»' "" ^Olh of lamigratio,. Home, No Ul ?,/.>' °" '"''' '""™' " U>e W.JI pmvided for, »; we 1 ^re^ u" f"", 'T'' "''"^ '" -» irood, « in other respects ■ "h.t wi ' "■^'"'' ^'^ ""M ""I much to ^.knowledge for'aervts r^d^e^T °f ^"'PW"'. bu. «Wtor. of the Home. ""''"'""•"» hy the «iminis- r^Tu^ "'' •"•^""^ """' '*.«<'. .«- hearing thi..ffid.., (Signed,) OSCAR MOSEIl. otr) food, which has no cause ot rendered to hii, r. Henri Parotte >. No. 85, Bon- 1 against Mr. C. > on this inves- to make, either •> this afternoon he said dejx)si- !"e8 the same to ILLARD. after haA'in^ w follows :— the 20th of rival at the here he was as solid and mplaint, but he adminis- his affidavit OSEU. 87 Sworn before wrn, at Montreal, this ) 27th day of February, 1878. i (SiRii, Nap. Yalois, J. P. Province ok Quebec, District of Montreal. No. II. Apiwart' I Amatpt'r Lefeuvbe, of the City of Montreal, me- (>hanic, litter, who, alter having been duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists, deposeth as follows : — That he arrived here as an emigrant on or ahou^ the 1st of October last ; that he stayed immed ^♦nly on his arrival at the Immigration Home, No. 161, St. Antoi! fit, where he was well provided for, as well in respect to foo< iich was solid and good, as in other respects ; that he has n( xv.i« w^ii -i ^o ' ^*- d here as an emigrant on or about the 13th of .huie last ; that he stayed immediately on his arrival at the Immigration Home, No. 151, St. Antoiue Street, where he was well provided for, as w^ell in respect to food, which was solid and good, as in other respects ; that he has no cause of complaint, but much to acknowledge for services rendered to him by the administrators of the Ilciue. And the said appearer hath signed, after hearing the affidavit read to him. (Signed,) ARMAND MOTiEAU Sworn before me, at Montreal, this \ 20th day of February, 1 873. | (Signed,) S. P. Moussette, Com. S. C. I'RoviNOE OF Quebec, \ District of Montreal. \ No. 19. Appeared Louis Bertiielon, of the City of Montreal, cook, who. aft<'r having been duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists, III 92 (leposeth as follows :— That ho arrivod here as an emigrant on or about the lG*h September, 1872 ; that he stayed immediately on his arrival it the Immiorution Home, No. 151, St. Antoino Street, where he wus well provided for, as well in respect to food, ^^'hieh was solid and good, as in other respects ; that he has no cause ol complaint, but much to acknowledije for services rendered to him by the administrators of the Home. And the said appearer hath signed, after hearing this affidavit read to him. (Signed,) L. RKRTHELON. Sworn before me, at Montreal, this ) 21st day of Feln-uary, 1878. J (Signed,) S. V. Mous.sette, Com. S. C. Province of Quehec, ] Dislrirl of Moulretil. \ No. 20. Appeared Thomas Labourdette, of the City of Montreal, cook, who, after having been duly sworn upon the iloly Evan- gelists, deposeth as follows :— That he arrived here as an emigrant on or about tlie 2nd or 3rd of August last, 1872 ; that h.' stayed immediately on his arrival at the Immigration Home, No. If)!, St. Antoine Street, where he was well provided for, as well in respect to food, which was solid an good, as in other respects ; that he has no cause of complaint, but much to acknowledge for services rendered to him by the administrators of the Home. And the said appeanM- hath signed, after hearing this affidavit read to him. (Signed,) THOMAS LABOURDETTE. Sworn before rcn\ at Montreal, this / 21st day of February, 1873. \ (Signed,) S. P. Moussette, Com. S. C. 98 CAlfi of Montreal :- 1873. Ollicial report and return ortheprooet'dings hud before, and durinj^ the, enqiuUe made rehitin,<«' to certain accixsations, tSrc, &c., brought against Charles I']. Belle, Esqixire, emigration agent at Montreal. .•!(»lh .Taiiy . 11^73. — Commission oi" the Honorable Sir Narcisse For- tnnat lielleau, Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Quebec, a'»' 'nting Charles Andrr Leblanc, Esq., Queen's Counsel, Com- Hee. Pa/>er A. missioner to institute an (>nquiry into certain charges brought by the within named Hans MuUer, Parotte, and Vaneaster, against Charles E. Belle, Esquire, emigra- tion agent at the City of Montreal, in the Province of Quel)ec. Keceived the 3rd of February, 1873, with the following docu- ments : Ili'ci'ivcd 3rd February, 1873. — l.s7. A long document bearing the lilnglish title : " The Immigranh'' Home, No. l;")!, »S7. Anioine Street, Montreal, under the Sre I'ti/ier B. ndminiatratioti of C. E. Belle, Immigration Agent," and received from the CoAmissioner through the medium of the Assistant-Secre- tarv of the Province of Quebec. ^Vf Paj'pr C. Sef Paper D. See Paper E. 2ntl. A letter signed by IT. Parotte, Market Hotel, Mountain Street, 90, Montreal. [Dec, 1S72.] 3/v/. A letter from Gusta\ e Vaneaster, police- man, Montreal. [9th Dec, 1872.] 4/A. A letter from H Midler to S. Lesage, Esquire, Deputy-Commissioner of Agricul- ture and Public Works. [7th Dec, 1872.] 94 See Paper F. See Paper Ll. See Paper H. 5lh. A letter from H. Muller to S. L' age, Esquire, Bcputy-Commissionor of Agriculi tare and Tublic Works. [IGth Dec.,°1872.] •5///. A loiter from 11. Miillcr to S. Lesage, I'^sqiiire, Deputy-Commi.ssioiior of Agricul- ture and Public Works. [9th Dec, 1872.J 7/// A letter Irom V. E. Belle to the Honorable the ComuiissioiKM- of AgricuHureand Tublic Works, Quebec, asking Ibr copies of Muller 's l)apers, and the letters of Tarotte and Van- ••aster, and praying ibr an investigation into his conduct. Montreal, 14th January, 1873. nth February, 1873.-The following lotter was addressed the nth February, 1873, to C. E. Belle : Sheriff's Office, Montreal, 11th February, 1873. To Charles E. Belle, Esquire, ImmiiiTation Agent, a( the City of Montreal. • Sir, Having been directed by commission of the Lieutenant-aovernor of the Province of Quebec, dated the thirtieth day of January, one thousand eight hundred and seventy- three, to institute an enquiry into "certain " accusations brought by the within named "Hans Muller, Parotte and Vancast.T, . " against Charles E. Belle, Esquire, Immi- " gration Agent, at the City of Montreal, in "the Province of Quebec." I have the honor to transmit to you with this note, eertilied copies of the said accusations, (o wit, those of Muller, Parotte and Vancastor. lor to S. Lesaffe, 96 Would you please inform me, Sir, when ,you will be ready to answer these charges, in order that I may fix the time and place where the enquiry, (which is to be public,) will be held. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your very obedient Servant, C. A. LEBLANC. I January, 1 878. February, 1873. Sec Po/icr I. Ill answer to this hitter, Mr. C. E. Belle wrote the Ibllowino- lotter, dated 12th Feb- ruary, it only reached its address, however, on the 14th. Montreal, 12th February, 1873. C. A. Leblanc, Esquire, Sheriff", Montreal. Sir, I have the honor to acknowledge receipt olyour letter of the 11th instant, transmit- thig to me certified copies of the charges brought against me by the within named Hans Muller, Parotte and Vancaster. My answer to these accusations is, that I am not guilty, and I desire that the enquiry of which you have spoken should take place as soon as possible. Won" you be kind enough to fix it for Monday ii «xt. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your ole lient Servant, C. E. BELLE, Immigration Agent, i 06 18lh I'Vhruiiiy, 1873.~Tho IHth ol' Fchrnary ('oumii8si(.ii,.r I,,.. hliinc wroto the foljowiiig letter to Mr IJcIle: SHKUIFt'H OfKICK, Montreal, 18lh Kcbrmiry, 1873. CiiAUhiis E. IJeij.k, Esquire, Kmifirnlion Ageiil, Montreal. I would hiivo wished (o have iixed the enquiry relalijig to ct'rtain charges, itc., tVc., etc., brought against you. at the date mentioned in your letter. Unlbrtunalely, owing to Ihe a]),sence ol'the lion. Attorney- (reneral at Queb.'e, I have been prevented from .so doing. To-day, and lor two or three days iollowing, I will i)c obliged to keep my room through serious indisposition. In any ease I have delinitely iixed the ilrst day ol this e«7i/t?/e for Sotun/at/ nexf, the twenty- second of February instant, at fuiff-/,nsl two o'clock in the afternoon, in the Court House, in this city. In consequence, I give yon notice to be then and there present, Ironi day to day following, to give answer to I lie accusations brought against you in your cjuality oi' Emigration Agent at the City of Montreal. I ha»-e the iionor to be, Sir, Your very humble Servant, ('. A. LEBLANC. Conifnissiofiir. I't'lunuiv. 1H73. 07 •20th February, 1H73. — On the moruiiii^- of tho 20th Ft'hruary, 1878, a 8ubp(rna, addressed to Hans Mul- ler, was placed in the hands of high con- stable Bissonette, with instrnctions to serve it upon the said Hans Muller, and to make his return to Coramissioucr Leblanc. 20th February 1873.— Sheriff Leblanc took the oath of offico in his quality of Conaniissioner, &c., before C. E.Schiller, Esquire, Clerk of the Crown. (he Court House. Grand Jury Room, i Court House, 5 City of Montreal. ) 22nd February, 1872, 2.30 P.M. Conformably to the notice signilied to Charles E. Belle, Esq., Emigration Agent, at the City of Montreal, Charles A. Leblanc, Esquire, Queen's Counsel, Sheriff of the district of Montreal, and Commissioner appointed, to institute an enquiry /aire une enov^'z into certain accusations brought by Hans Miiller, Parotte and Vancaster, against Charles E. Belle, Emigration Agent, publicly opened the said enquiry at the time and place specified in the said notice, to wit : in the grand jury room, in the Court House, in the City of Montreal, at 2.30, P.M. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q. C. Commissioner. Peter L. M.i-, ^onell, Esquire, Advocate, Secretary, ap- pointed to the saiu '.,'omraission of enquiry, took oath of office before the said Commissioner. The Secretary next read in an audible voice, the Commission of the Honorable Sir Narcissc Fortunat Bellcau, dated 30th January last, appointing the said Charles A. Leblanc, Commis- 18 08 sioner, to make an enquiry into certain accueations brought by Hans Miiller, Parotte and Vancaj.;er, against Charles E. Belle, Esquire, Eraiiptition Agent at Montn-al. Mr. St. Tiorre, advocate, appeared to represent the Govern- ment in the absence of the Attorney-General. Messrs. Doherty and Piche, Q. C, appear for Mr. Belle, and plead not guilty to the charges. Mr. Monk, advocate, appears to represent the Luglish speak- ing National Spcieties of Moutroul, to watch the proceedings of the enquiry in the interest of justice. The correspondence exchanged between the Commissioner and Mr. C. E. Belle, is read by the Secretary. Mr. St. Pierre moves that the accusations be openly read in an audible voice. The advocates representing Mr. Belle object to this reading. The Commissioner decides that the reading should take place, inasmuch as this enquiry is of a public nature, and in order that the facts forming the subject of enquiry may become known. In consequence, the Secretary read in a loud voice, the written accusations submitted to the Commissioner. It being half-past ^our o'clock in the afternoon when the reading was finished; the Commissioner declares the sitting closed, and adjourns the continuation until Monday next, the twenty-fourth day of February instant, at two in the afternoon. The Commissioner announces, after consultation with the Attorneys representing the parties, that the sitting will be held every juridical day, from two to live o'clock, P.M. And the sitting adjourned. [Attested,] Peter L, Macdonell, Secreiary, C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner, 00 Commissioner id voice, the EIiTQ,TJIK,-2" INTO THE EMian A.TI01Sr HOME, No. 161, ST. ANTOINE STREET, MONTREAL. -:o:- Monday, 24th February, 187C, 2 o'clock, P.M. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q. C, Commissioner. Hans Muller, being duly sworn upon the Holy EvaKo^^lists, doth depose and say : I am forty-eight years of age, and a Commission Agent. I have been residing, in Montreal from ten to twelve years, I know Mr. Charles E. Belle, the Immigration Agent. I am the person who lodged a complaint against that gentleman before the Govern- ment. (Here the commissioner order* '1 that the witnesses present in the room retire, and that they do not re-appear until they are regularly summoned by him to give their evidence.) Hans Muller having given the names of these witnesses to the High Constable Bissonettc, the latter wrote them down, and the witnesses retired.) And the witness resumed his deposition. The house is kept in a very decidedly dirty state, I mean particularly so since the house came undei the management of the present housekeeper. 100 I went for the first time in the Home during the course of April, 1872. I was called to Mr. Belle's office, and he told me that he might employ mt; temporarily ; this was at the commencement of April last. It was to assist principally in office work of the Immigration Home. This Home is situated at 151, St. Antoine street. Al)out the middle of April or thereabouts, I entered the Home. I remained there until the 22nd of October last. My wages were in the beginning, one dollar and 50 cents a day, Sundays included if required. When the then so called guardian departed, I received two dollars a day. Wheii I arrived there in April, there were a few immigrants at the time in the Iloustv The state of the House, I considered at the beginning to be in an inefficient state to receive immigrants. When I say that the House was not in an .-fflcient state, I do not mean to say it was on account of Mr. de Millei;euve and his wife and his niece, because whatever they did, they did so under the oiders of Mr. Belle. The house is an old hou.-e ; the sleeping apartments were only provided with straw paillasses; there were four large dormitories ; one next the office which was a good sized room, all around these rooms were bunks in a slanting position upon which were merely straw paillasses ; there was no covering whatsoever for the immigrants in three of these rooms, except whnt they supplied themselves. The first dormitory mentioned was for females, to this one there was a white cotton covering merely to hide the sight of the paillasse. During the timo that house was under the management of Mr. and Madame de Milleneuve, it was tolerably clean, not as clean, however, as a house of that description should be kept. Mr. and Madame de Milleneuve, left the house about the com- mencement of June. I wish to remark about the dormitory in the side biiilding, wherein the paillasses were not covered with any sheeting, that it was acknowledged by Mr. Belle himself to be damp and unhealthy. These last apartments were on the first iiat. On the second fiat there is one very large room divided with two folding doors, I speak of the time when I was there first. These were used alternately for males or females accordiisjy U-. v.- I considered 101 quirements, the other apartments were set apart for the use of the family of Mr. and Mrs, de Millenenve, After the departure of the latter, this apartment was occiipied by the present house- keeper Madame Barette and her daughter, Belgians. The house is a two story one beside the attic, in which latter were three rooms for immigrants and two other as .store-rooms for linen, &c,, &c. Two rooms in the attic were furnished with bods ; and one in the same style as tliose bt'low. The beds in the attic were a little better. The attic rooms were reserved for families of more favor- ed immigrants. On the lower Hat there were a dining-room, a small sitting-room, a kitchen and a wash-rooin. When Mrs. Barette was placed in charge of the house, she found it in tolerably good condition. Under her management the house became more and more dirty and filthy, and lousy, to that extent that immigrants engaged at the Home were sent back by their employers, because they would not be kept in service on account of the vermin on their bodies. Amongst these, I may mention the name of Mr. James Croyle, employer ; I do not re- member any other uamee t-^ this present moment. I mean that immigrants became lousy on account of the dir- tiness of the house. iccordi)!!? t^> )■! The closets were not within the house ; they were at the end of the yard, from nine to twelve feet from the house. They were almost constantly in a very neglected state, and evidently quite too small for an Institution of this description. They were di- vided into two compartments, one very small for the females, and a miserable, narrow place for the males. I have not been in the house since I left about the end of October, at the time I was dis- charged. During the time I was employed, I remained in the house every day. At the beginning of my engagement I came in at nine o'clock in the morning and left at six o'clock in the after- noon. I had to a.ssist at the reception of immigrants, sometimes at eight, or nine, or ten o'clock in the evening, as it was required by circumstances. My hours of work increased so that I was obliged to work from live in the morning till half-past ten at 'light. I rosidt-d in the house with my family iVom thocomraence- 102 ment of September until my final departure, or about two months so far as I can remember. • uwui-us, The bath and wash-room is much too small, constantly dirty frequently without towels and soap. I remember well 'that I heard complaints every day, which I communicated to Mr Belle These complaints were against the sleeping accommodations,' which were very bad, also against the wash-room, privies &c and the general state of the house, and that the victiil wer^ ver^ dirty. The house was old and in pretty good condition, and th rooms could have been kept clean. If the house contained one n^hf 7.«^'ff^^"ts, it was uncomfortably crowded. The largest number of immigrants I saw at one time was from one hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and fifty. car ofalV^' "T '^'* "' "'"'' '' ^^ ""''' telegraphed that a or to th. 17. """^ ■^'""*' ""'' ^°^"^» i»' t° SO to the station arLateT el "r '^'"^ "^^^' "' *^^ ^^^^^-^^ ^^onU r 1 f!u ''"'' "' *^' '''"""^^' ^^« ^ere not going to receive ^^: hi/ T *^ '^ 't "^ *'^ ^*^"^" -'^ *^' f«"-in morning this order was much complained of both by the immi- grants and the authorities at the station. , My orders from Mr. Belle were to receive immigrants at the arrival of the train at the station or the arrival of sfelm rs ai^ then to bring thorn up to the Home. My order was Xt L ' at night, not to meddle any more with them for the night, and jro at half-pa.t five. Immigrants complained of these orders It at Xh Thl r "^' ^^-who arrived aftereloven o'clock at night. These orders were kept for about five months. I offer- ed my services to be at hand any time during the ni^ht M Bdle had no objection to this. It was agreed between m' D^ : Zu T'^" '* '"^ ^"^' ^^^'' *^^^^'«" "'«J«^k, and that he did. This I undertook, of course, affor T .... f„i..., ^ , )out two months, 108 icmployee of the house. The immigrants complained each time of Ibeing left in this way during nights at the station, after their long Ijourney in the cars, that is to say, after fifteen or twenty hours' I travelling. Im ^grants, on arrival, were conducted to the Home. JThey were rj ' ed by me in as friendly a manner as I possibly I could show, i Jrst entered their names in a book ; afterwards I I told them to go into the bath and wash-room to wash themselves. JThat bath was useless for the purpose intended. As a rule, Mr. Belle was never there when the immigrants [arrived. Generally Mr. Belle called in at twelve o'clock ; he re- Imaiued generally from twelve to two o'clock. If he found out I that during this interval an immigrant train was expected, he Iwoixld prolong his stay. Mr. Belle also came back frequently to jthe Home, whenever informed by me that a train was expected in I the evening. Breakftist generally took place between seven and eight in Ithe morning -dinner from twelve to one— supper from six to Iseven in the afternoon. The dining-room could hold no more jthau twenty-five immigrants— they were accommodated at meals las they came in. Food was provided by the house. In the morn- ling very bad coffee was supplied— and bread and butter— the sread was very good— the butter some times fair and some times Ivory bad, numerous complaints were made to me and communi- Icatedbymeto Mr. Bello. Dinner was composed of soup— con- listing of bouillon, cabbage, potatoes with beef boiled altogether liu one kettle— this was the invariable fare for dinner every day -thebeef was good but to much cooked so that it crumbled into pieces; this was due to the cook who did not understand her busi- jness. There was enough of that soup to satisfy the people's appetites, jeach immigrant was supplied with a plate. Supper consisted of coffee, bread and butter, and some times, for a change, of a kind of fiicassee or remains of the dinner cooked up again. The tea and coffee wore very bad, and of meanest quality. The plates, knives and forks were not kept clean ; the soup itself was cooked in un- c ean vessels— for instance, slop-pails used in the chambeis were also used for receiving peeled potatoes, and I complained parti, cularly of this last to Mr. Belle. Mr. Belle said: «'0h! this may •happen sometimes." m 104 The housekeeper and her dauohter wore the only two servants m the house, but the wives of immigrants iised to assist them occa- sionally although not always very willingly. I never had any difficulty with Mr. Belle in actual business • although I may have had a few words with him on other points, The cause of trouble with Mr. Belle and me, [this was from one to two months before my final departure,] was when in my assuming the guardianship of the house ; he told me that I would have an increase of half a dollar per day from the first of that month to the end of the same month. At the end of the month I only received my usual pay of one dollar and a-half a day ■ when mentioning to Mr. Belle why he did not pay me according' to pro- mise, he told me some story about having first to report to the Government at Quebec. When I reminded him that he should not play those things with mo, being such a hard-worked man he said I would receive my extra pay at the pay day of next month • when he gave me but ton dollars for the extra pay of the month' on the statement that ho would pay me a dollar a day from thJ twentieth to the thirtieth which would be ten dollars, by which little transaction I lost five dollars and fifty cents ; but which Mr Belle paid me afterwards. During this misunderstanding I used sharp words to the point, and Mr. Belle said that he would re- member this ; I remained in the house for six weeks longer. I constantly complained to Mr. Belle of the way in which the house was kept. Mr. Bello answered " thoso things could not bo helped, that there was a groat deal of w^ork in the house." I have positive knowledge the immigrants were really very badly treated lu the house many times. They were ill-treated because thov were so miserably lodged, and I saw them suffering severely on a chilly night, for t:.ey had not the slightest covering over them- blankets were served only in October, I believe the stove was placed m the hall behind, and in October, that stove was sufficient But those immigrants who were obliged to sleep in the dormitory in the shed had no stove and nothing to cover themselves with They complained of this, and said they were treated like dogs. This shed is the meanest building as a construction, only fit for 106 summer use ; in the beginning it was .so miserably built that the rain poured down through the rooi", and the inmates had to leave. This I saw with my own eyes and so did Mr. Belle. This roof was then repaired by order of Mr. Belle. This shed was a simple frame erection good enough for summer, but in too close vicinity to the privies. And the deponent hath signed. HANS. MULLER. The inquest is continued to to-morrow, Tuesday, the twenty- fifth day of February instant, at two o'clock in the afternoon. [Attested,] Peter L. Macdonell, Secretnr//. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. Tuesday, twenty-fifth February, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, at two o'clock in the afternoon. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q. C. Commissioner. The examination of Hans Muller, is resumed, and is continued as follows : One morning, between four and five o'clock, either in May or June, 1872, 1 found an old man in the Home wanting to get water and go to bod, I got the water for him. Everything was refused to immigrants by reason of having been admitted before the hour fixed by Mr. Belle. The old man said I can't get water nor a bed, and therefore I procured it for him. I did so from simple feelings of humanity; this was the guardian's business and not mine, but I took upon myself to do it. What I know of this i.s from what the old man told me. I remonstrated with the guardian Mr. de Milleneuve about this, who then furnished him with both water and bed. 14 n--' ' al lOH In May or June last, I found in one room some thirty persons huddled together, wanting to get better accommodation and washing. There were but one table and one bench in this room. This room was usod as a kind of sitting room. There was sitting accommodation for about ten persons only, the rest sat upon the table it every position. Those people bitterly complained of this, anu wanted to leave the Home forthwith. When afterwards I went foi Mr. Belle to make them stay at the Home ; Mr. Belle arrived there between six and seven in the morning. He asked them if they had letters from Mr. Thorn, the immigration agent at Quebec. They had them and exhibited them. Then, when he enquired how they came to be in the house at that time'; these people arrived during the night, and I found them at the Home and was told that they had come in during the night ; Mr. Belle told them that if they had come in at the regular hours, they would have found better accommodation ; it could not be ex- pected that the house should l)e kept open all night. After that the immigrants loft the Home in different directions, highly displeased with their first acquaintance with the Home ; and most of them never returned. My opinion is that these immi- grants did not return because they were displeased with the whole arrangement of the Home. I only know of water having boon refused on this last occa- sion. These immigrants who had been admitted after the regular hour of admittance had been admitted through a mistake ; and this happened only once. I ascribe solely to Mr. Belle the hardships to which the immigrants were submitted. The immigrants above mentioned were all Scotch. In April there were two Belgian families at the Home ; they complained to me one morning that they were nearly chilled with cold, showing me their sufFering little families ; I then answered : why do you not warm yourselves ; they told me they could get no wood because the wood shed w.a.s closed, and jM'?' u this last occa- to which the 107 that they could not go into the kitchen as it was forbidden by Mr. Belle ; this latter fact I know personally, Mr. Belle has told many times that immigrants should not be permitted into the kitchen. I ordered the two Belgian mothers to get wood by my orders. The wood was locked up that night. The wood was locked up by the guardian ; after my orders, the guardian delivered over the wood to the Belgian families. This took place between eight and nine o'clock in the morning. I only know that the wood was locked up that once. I told the husbands to make their complaints direct to Mr. Belle. They did make them in my presence. Mr. Belle told them that " they had no business to grumble constantly, as it was not his fault that they were detained so long at the Home ; the husbands added to Mr. Belle that they had not been so roughly spoken to in their own country. They were really roughly spoken to. " You grumble constantly and you have grumbled before," were the words addressed to them by Mr. Belle in a rough manner. These two Belgian families here mentioned were provided with m-^ans, but considered themselves obliged to stop at the Home by the order of the agent at home, otherwise they might have gone somewhere else. In saying " there is a good deal in names," (in mv informa- tion to Grovernment) I mean to say that Mr. Belle was so ex- tremely and particularly anxious to have the names of the newly arrived immigrants entered in the book, with special order to me that whenever an immigrant, no matter wh^refrom, should present himself at the bar of the office, to have his name entered, even if the immigrant did not want or intend to stop at the Home ; this done, he was just as anxious i o have him out of the Home iigain. If 108 The state of the kitchen wm under the management of Ma- dame Barette, constantly dirty and disorderly. Latterly I had some control ovor the kitchen ; I expostulated on that account, but without the least success, and the kitchen consequently re- mained in the same condition. When I say that Mr. Belle knew that, after all, the frame building erected in the yard had been a success. I mean that he did build it as cheap as possible. I understand that this shed was built on account of the Government. I do not know the contrac- tor's name. People sleeping in this shed complained of vermin. I know personally that there was vormiu in that building. I complained of this to Mr. Belle. lie then ordered that a certain powder be spread over the paillasses. The privies were placed at al)Out equal distance from the two dormitories, that is to say, from nine to twelve feet. Thwy were very offensive, and never emptied during the time I was at the Home. Sometimes disinfectants were used to remove this nui- sance. The attic rooms set apart for females and their children, were, under the management of Madame Barette, in a very dirty stated both floor and linen. If not too many married couples assembled together, there was sufficient accommodation provided ; but no matter how few the married couples, it was set down as a rule that men and wives should be separated so far as sleeping was concerned. I know instances when the contrary was done without permission. I never did myself give any permission of that kind, and could not. Very bitter complaints were made on that account. Mr. Belle had a private room in the Home ; he used to take his luncheon there. There were complaints made by several immigrants in my presence to Mr. Belle about the food ; he told them that if they did not like it they might seek oth^r quarterf^. he used to tuko 109 When I say that the Colonel indulged the cook and her nice • ittle daughter of only eighteen summers, for overlooking table- I cloths, &c., &c. I mean that one afternoon, I should say in the [ month of August last, I came suddenly in a passage upon Mr. Belle and the house-keeper's daughter, Miss Leoni Barette. Mr. Belle at the time leaning against the wall ; Miss L6oni in the ilosost proximity to him, playing most intimately and confidently ;il)ont his pc^rson. And that is exactly what I saw. By playing coulidently about his person, I mean that Miss L§oni pressed both her hands on each side of Mr. Belle's body. I passed quickly in, and Mr. Bi'Ue seemed somewhat discon- certed when he saw me. I left them in the passage. I never spoke to Mr. Belle about this ; it was none of my bu- siness to do so. When I say that the impression made upon the immigrants by the interior arrangement and management of the Home as like- ly to induce them to turn their backs to that Institution. I mean that everything looked dilapidated, as I have already said, and the scanty sleeping accommodation. Grenerally, at their arrival, immigrants are hopeful and well disposed ; but they were not so gay when they left the Home, on account of the bad reception they received at Mr. Belle's hands, who addressed them in an overbearing manner, haughty and in- solent, giving great offence to them, by tutoying them. Mr. Belle's general demeanour with the immigrants was haiighty and insolent ; towards the females his manners partook of the recklessness of a libertine. HANS MULLER. As it is five o'clock in the afternoon, the deposition of the witness is continued to Thursday, the 27th instant, at two o'clock in the afternoon, seeing that to-morrow, Wednesday, {Lei Ceudres) is a non-juridical day. [Attested,] Peter L. Macdonell, Serretarfj. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. mi no Thursday, the twonty-senmth dav of tt^k. Present : CHAKLES A. LEBLANC, Q. a, Commissioner. The depo,iH„„ of Ila,,, Mullcr i, co„ti„„..d ,« f„l,„„eth • younger one with pleaaa^ fir ^ yZl"::^'T "T" ^ "- fine hiKik French merino with ^u 1 '^°™' ''^''S'l i» becoming to her Z^:;^^ ^^ t')^ !Z'"V'^ him into the adjoini. J rl? S^rwitrr-^ ""^ Mr. Belle next morniiiir oiitpro,? +k„ « Belle wa, on hi, ,, J"e thr„™t:! T '"."u"®™ ' '*'■ room, and coming ^p to tie Z.tJ ""t ""' '"'J°™°S ho put his hand fn Lr sh ullr S tddT' '1 t """' ''"'"■ »ee her at eleven o'clock in hi offlcf Mr m'i , " ^"*'' '" deponent, would give her fte d^L Dning th "?;::'k^ "" thus speakinn- i<. r.i j i.- , """^ ^'^^ "me he was breaat^andtLwenro, L^i;" 'JL'::' w""" '""'^ "" .he ^rof the office where I .J^ui^Z^^^: "":' but^ci^heloi'T r^ri:::t:Trf'"r-"™' conduct of Mr Belle townrr '"'™'°'''"*'' ^«°k. I «ay that th.' highest deg/ee. ''' ''''"^'" ^^ '^^ ^"^««^^"t in the This must have taken place towards th^ ^n,i «p t i ".encement of Augu,^ heLu.. it'r;*^"':^"^:^;;:;: Ill woman I speak of would not proceed to Mr. UoUe's office uuleas she recoivod *ive cents to pay the cars. The two women were married, and both tncy and their hu8])and8, left the Home without havi g secured a place. Somewhi.t later, perhaps some four weeks, I saw the same thing practiced with an unmarried French woman, Mr. Belle placing his hand upon her shoulder, and playing down in an easy way downwards to her breast. She immediately remon- strated to me afterwards, but not in the presence of Mr. Belle. I do not remember now the name of that woman ; she returned the next day to Quel)ec with Madame Ledet. The young woman likewise objecting to Mr. Belle's service. I know this personally. Miss Leoni Barette walked about the Home in a state of pregnancy ; the remark about this was made to me by a great many immigrants. I am quite positive that Miss Lfeoni Barette was pregnant. This was towards the latter part when I was in the Home, at the end of October, when my attention was drawn to it. I have not seen Miss Leoni Barette since the latter end of October. Madame Barette and daughter are Belgians. I cannot say if she had her husband. She came herself as an immigrant. Concerning the question put to me by the Commissioner why I have used the expression of " recklessness of a libertine." I have nothing more to add to what I have already stated on the subject. I was present when letters from immigrants were written to their friends at home, complaining of their dissatisfaction with the Immigrants' Home in Montreal ; I have seen some of them write such letters every Sunday. I would not prevent them writing them. Letters were thus written every Sunday durlug all my stay at the Home. I have read a letter in tho hands of Mr. James Thom, Immi- gration Agent in Quebec, that is at Toint Levis, addressed to Mr. Thom, by the Secretary of Colonization in Sherbrooke, in which that gentleman states to Mr. Thom, that all immigrants coming by way of Montreal, complained of the Immigrants' Home there ; and he accompanied his letter to Mv. Taoiu with severai iettei'S of im- 112 miffrantn complaiuinpf ajfiiinst tho IIoiiK^ in Montronl ; ono immi- grant in particular Stat iiiif that it wan no Homo at all for any per- son ; and the Secrotary of Colonization in Shorhrooko wanted Mr, Thom to deviHO means to keep immij^rants from coming by way of Montreal. Tho general conduct of the immigrants at tho Homo mm very i?ood. When I my that Mr. Belle visits th- Home not so much to judge the soup, as the soup-eaterH, and treat, them with contempt, I mean U) s&y ; that he just stops into tho offic e at noon, wanting to know how many immigrantn wore in tho houso. In cawo ho found a large nu her. ho put groat i)res8uro upon mo uiul the immigrants m order to make them leave tho Home as quick as possible. When employers came to the Homo to hire ImmigrantB, Mi Bell's intent was only to put thom in any i)laco at all, no mattiT how unsuitable to the particular business re(j[uired. lu thi- way he hired out a Parisian writei to Patrick King, ^. furmer, resid- ing at the head of Parthenais street. Another time Mr. Belle sent two young Frenchmen to a cer- tain place in the country ; when they arrived there they wore not wanted, and returned to the Home, and demanded their ex- penses of about six dollars and fifty cents, to be paid by the Immi- gration Agent. We had in the Home a Flemish family, consisting of i.in.. heads ; and Mr. Belle remarked to me that they had nine mouths, and they must leave the House as quick as po,ssiblo. He wanted to have them taken by a Canatlian farmer from St. Lauronf, wrong- or right. I was present at tho time, when I interferrod, and told Mr. Belle to give a little time to find a better place for that family, who had boon but two days in tho Home, the farmer refused to take them. I found another place for thom. It was ordered by Mr. Bollo that dinner tickets should be issued to the immigrants, by which order every immigrant w^ obliged to present himself at tiu- bfa- of the office to receive his tickets. To which transaction Ih l;.-,:: nade it \u^ ousiness to be present, when he harangueu tliem in all sorts of manners, that 118 tlu'y should loavo tht? Homo, and contimiod hiw huianj?ufl« wen during' tho timo thoy w»'rt> eating their dinner. I never saw Mr. Bollo oxamininff what they were eating, A man having ao place, was told, c* this be yotir last din- n-r, you must bo out of this House. This wm said in my prPNence. A great nuuihor of immif'^rants complained about th' iuiseem- ly harangues of Mi. Belle. I say in my informal )n that some of tho immigrants got their tickets unchallenged on account of having special recom- mendations, preference or favor. This preference was shewn to persons coming with letters of recommendation ; aud to some by particular favor from Mr. Belle. Mr. Belle u.sed to call immigrants away from the table for the slightest purpose ; for instance a man would come to hire an immigrant, and Mr. Belle would call one or two of the immigrants from the table, or to tell them they would hav to do something in his private house. Mr. Belle's order was that when an immigrant had been once engaged outside, he should not be allowed to return to the Home, nor to receive any meals there, and that he sho dd henceforth look out for himself HANS MULLER. And it b-^ing near Hve o'clock in the afternoon, the deposition of the witness is adjourned till to-morrow, the twenry-eighth of February instant, 1873, at two o'clock in the afternooi . [Signed,] Attested,] Peter L. Macdonell, Secretary. C. A. LEBL/iNO, Conn issiomr. 15 V 114 [i Friday, the twonty-eighth of Februaiy, one thousand eight hun- dred and sevcnty-tlxree. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q. C, Commissioner. Mr. Piche, Q. C, annonnccs that personal business compels him to absent himself from town, and also that Mr. J. A. A. Belle, Esq., advocate, replaces him to attend to the interests of Mr Chas E. Belle. The Commissioner accepts the proposed substitution, and Mr. J. A. A. Belle takes his seat. The deposition of the witness, Hans Muller, continues as follows : There returned from the Eastern Townships a young Scotch immigrant, after liaving been employed on a farm in the Eastern Townships. I told him that, according to rules, he could not be received any more at the home ; but if he would sit down on a bench in the office, he would soon find another engagement. Shortly afterwards, a farmer came in, and hired him at fair wages. The man who hired him told him to meet him at a certain hotel near the station, at one o'clock. 1 remarked to the man to take the immigrant right along with him as there was great demand for such men, and he might take another engagement. In reality, because I wanted to evade the jawing of Mr. Belle, if he should see this man. I gave the young man his dinner ticket, telling him if Mr. Belle should notice or observe him, to make him at once acquainted with the fact that he was engaged, and only staymg at the Home for one meal. Mr. Belle noticed this man when his plate of soup was just served to him. Learning from the young immigrant that he just returned from the Eastern Townships, Mr. Belle ordered him at once from the table, and Mr. Belle himself chased him out of the Home, raising general indignation amongst all the immigrants on account of this cruel act. There was a general exclamation : " la brute, le sale eoehon," 115 sand eight hun- hition, and Mr. ', continues as 3 sale cocuoii," This act was also witnessed by perhaps forty or fifty immigrants. This took place in mid-summer. The fact was also witnessed by a reverend gentleman, the director of the Model Farm of L'Assomp- tion, who immediately after left. The result of Mr. Belle's visits to the Home consisted of harangues to the immigrants, and to make them accept of any places offered, suitable or unsuitable, to gain his sole object to have them out of the house. When I say that Mr. Belle possessed all the attributes of a tyrant, I mean to say that he is also a coward, for this reason, that if an immigrant had pluck enough to remonstrate with Mr. Belle on his conduct, he would draw in. It is to my personal knowledge that Mr. Belle would not pay any attention to applications for immigrants, if there was a chance for hiring the immigrants on the spot ; even if the application from the country would have been more advantageous to the immi- grant. Mr. Belle did not pay any attention to the fitness or unfitness of the immigrants, to his liking or disliking of the place ; he should accept work to get out of the Home. I understand the business required im the keeping of a Home, because. I sometimes assisted at hotel business. I have not seen the work of an Immigrants' Home before I came to Montreal. Mrs. Barette and her daughter appeared at the Home about the end of June or the commencement of July. A Scotchman, of the name of Eoss, was appointed guardian of the Home by Mr. Belle. This guardian remained at the H«me only a few weeks from his appointment, about the end of June or commencement of July. The house-keeper and this guardian ap- peared to agree very well together. He was discharged because he took to drink. After the discharge of this guardian, another one was appointy ed in his stead; his name was Franyois Cesaat^?!.^, a yf>«''-S 116 fook to ^'"f ^'"; '7'"^ ^'°^ ^"""^ "^^» : b^t h« unfortunately ke.nJ^K^''T T"^ Tf ^""'^^""^ "^''^^ ^« dri"k with the house- the best of my knowledge, about the beginning of August tels. Mr. Belle was apprised of this circumstance on his return from he seaside by the house-keeper herself Mr R. 1. [ himself about this money lent bvfhn h ^ *" ^^""^^ ca«.. she >.nde;:::J:;r,hi ;"':; ;,t: ,rL:r "\' "°'^"' "-■ 117 give them a towel or soap, because Madame Barette was busy washing for the immigrants for money. By saying that Madame Burotte became a fowl fancier, I mean that she kept about fifty fowls to increase the dirt about the yard. These fowls were permitted to run about until I strongly objected to it to Mr. Belle. And he then ordered that abont a (lo?!en be sent to his home, and that the rest be confined. These fowls were Madame Barette's private property. This keeping of fowls was decidedly injurious to the cleanliness of the premises. They were afterwards kept in a place in close proximity to the donnitory in the yard, and I'requently caiised a bad smell in the dormitory. When I speak of the Immigrants' Laundry kept by Madame Barette, I mean that Madame Barette made it a perfect business of hers to do the washing for the immigrants in the same way as any other washer-woman. For instance, she took the washing from the immigrants and charged them so much a piece. This must have been against the rules of the Home, that is my opinion, but I am not perfectly satisfied about this point. The wood and soap used by Madame Barette for the wash- ing of the immigrants, were those belonging to the Immigrants' Home. I had no access to the accounts rendered to the Govern- ment, I therefore cannot say whether these were charged or not to Government. Mr. Belle was perfectly aware of all those trans- actions on the part of the house-keeper, as I daily objected to them to Mr. Belle himself. Madame Barette was in the constant habit of thus washing for the immigrants. To my objections Mr. Belle answered that this washing should not be ; at the same time he did not put a stop to it. This state of things continued during all the time I remained at the Home. Mr. Belle never gave, in my presence, any orders to Madame Barette to cease this business. This private undertaking of Madame Barette caused her to ne- glect the business proper of the Home. « _ , It IS to my knowledge that immigrants were asking for soap and towels, and that they could not be procured for them. I could not procure those articles myself because there were none in the premises. 118 From the time Madame Barette entered the Home until the time, that is, during the space of four months, the straw of the paillasses and bolsters were only changed once, and then not in a thorou^ manner. Sometime in September last, a young man came to me in the office at about seven in the morning, and said to me, " come with me, I'll show you my bed," which I found to be full of insect life. "When I speak of the house-keeper as a bad cook, I mean to say that she understands nothing whatever about cooking. The meat and vegetables supplied to the house-keeper would have been of fair quality if she had been watchful that they would always have been so supplied. HANS MULLER. The Commissioner adjourns the inquest to Monday, the third March instant, at two o'clock in the afternoon. [Attested,] Peter L. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner Macdonell, Secretarij. Monday, the third March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, at two o'clock in the afternoon. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q. C, Commissioner. The witness, Hans Muller, continues his deposition, as follows : The immigrants made frequent complaints of the meals an ■applied to them by the house-keeper, the preparations of the same 119 t hundred and tion, as follows : By the powers assumed by the house-keeper, I mean that t>he undertook to order immigrants out of the house, if she had the slightest dispute with them. This is to my personal know* ledge ; I know personally of two such cases only ; others were reported to me ; and Mr. Belle would lend his support towards sending away these people on the complair.t of the house-keeper. There was one case of an immigrant of the name of Nicini, and his wife. This took place, I believe in July : after Madame Barette ordered them out, Mr. Belle would afterwards make every effort to have these persons out of the house. I positively swear that I directed, time and again, Mr. Belle's attention to the laziness, neglect and imperious manner of Madame Barette. Mr. Belle's answer on the subject was that there was a great deal of business in the house— and he tried to excuse her. I heard that there was some commotion outside the office, loud laughing, and chatting, and I stepped into the kitchen to enquire what was the matter, when I saw a little girl pointed out to me as being one of the children who had come down and told in her childish way that Mr. Belle had been running upstairs after Mrs. Vancaster. A couple of days after, the husband remonstrated about the matter to me, but not in Mr. Belle's presence ; Mr. Vancaster could not complain before, because he was not in the house himself at the time. It was two or three days after this occurrence that Mrs. Vancaster complain«d to me that Mr. Belle had made improper propositions to her ; and she added that neither herself nor her husband would enter Mr. Belle's service. Mrs. Vancaster had been about a week in the House at the time; and she got very sick during her stay there. Mr. Henry Parotte, a French immigrant, succeeded in getting work with a surveying party, and left his wife during his absence at the Immigrant's Home, invited by Mr. Belle to do so. I also promised him at his departure that I would take care of his wife and little child. The woman was between twenty-two and twenty-five years of age. About four or five days after 120 husband'8 departure with Mr. do Bolleibuille'H surveying party in the latter end of June or commencomont of July, Madame Tarotto stepped into the office and came to me, and communicated that 8he would leave the Home to-day ; against which I remonstrated with all my powers of persuasion. However, she insisted iu leavmg that day, and she did leave, without means. Mr Belle came m during the day, and Mrs. Tarotte herself informed him that she was leaving the place. She would not stay any longer said she, and she wanted her baggage brought to the place where she was g'oing to, and that she had not the money to pay for the half dollar. She would not tell me at the time what was th. cause of her leaving the Home. She did not make any complaint at the time to Mr. Belle in my presence. m.n^^"^ ^ """" the words that •' I was but a miserable instru- ment m the criminally farcical humbug of Mr. Belle's immigra- tion agency. I mean to say that I should be instrumental in dnvmg the poor immigrants from the Home without allowino- time to place them suitably, and to show them in the evenin- for their n^hts rest to the miserable lair which was called tlieir fmrnirrant's ''"' ''^ *' ''^ overbearing insults to the poor greatly frequented on Sundays by out-door immigrants calling for their washing done by Madame Barette. I wanted to oblige these immigrants to pass through the passage of the house and not by that gate or door, so as to show up the annoyance of Madame Barette s washing and other business on Sundays, I wanted to ge* m my possession the key that opened that little gate, I insisted to" get that key. Mrs. Barette refused to part with at first, but sub- sequently gave it up to me. Mr. Belle was perfectly aware that Madame Barette was washing for immigrants for money. One Sunday morning, in the month of October last, there arrived about six o'clock, four English immigrants, one sickly lady amongst them, after having been all niirht in the cars comin^ 121 Irora Qiielx'C, the lady begged of me to let Iht have a cup of iva as Koon as possible ; although I retiuested ^ladame Barette and also her daughter to i)rovide these people with breakl'ast, I could not get it for them ; and after waiting in vain oiie hour and a-half at the Home for their breakfast, they left the Home ; the sickly lady was entirely exhausted and could not wait any longer. When I reported this to Mr. Belle, he asked me h"W long did they wait, I told him at least one hour and a-half, and he rej^lied : "Oh' thev might have waited a little longer." e Barette was Madame Barette remarked to me that if she would have ever to leave the house, I woxild have to leave it long before her. My dispute with Madann' Barette, was solely on accoimt of my remonstrating with her in reference to the bad management of the internal affairs of the Home. On the day of my altercation with the house-k<'eper, Mr Belle came in at an unusual hour, that is to say about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, some time after the said altercatio'-i had taken place, Mr. Belle stepped into the olHce along with Madame Barette and an immigrant. I then at once said that the immi- grant would not be required as a witness as I was to repeat every word I had told Madame Barette a little while ago in the kitchen, 1 did repeat the same words, and denounced her bad practices still more strongly, and at the same time I told Mr. Belle that I had to compliment him that he presided over the most dirty and filthy institution in all Christendom. Madame Barette was present at the time. Mr. Belle afterwards took me upstairs to show why I did say so, that is to say, to pass with him through the house, to make my assertions good. Arrived in the attic, [then the female department,] I calh'd Mr. Belle's attention to some children's dirt on the floor only wiped over which made the dirt look larger. Stamping my foot on this, I confronted Mr. Belle, and asked him, what do you call this ? He then admitted, turning to Madame Barette, that this should not be. Then Mr. Belle wanted me to .> informed me that from the moment I should be merely re- iir 122 stricted to the operations ol" the office ; out of the office itself I should have nothing more to do in the house; that it was only lor Madame Barette to look after the management of the houKo. and hat I had nothing to do in the kitchen, and that Madam,> Barette s washing did not concern me. Madame Barette had pre- viously said that I was going too often in her kitchen. Before I commenced to live in the House, indeed a few months alter my entry into the Immigration Home, Mr. Belle told me that my presence in the office was most required in the office between twelve and one at noon, and that, therefore. I should take my dinner at the Home, that is the Home dinner. Up to that time I resided out,side the House; afterwards Mr. Belle informed me that my residing on the premise, had become a necessity, and that T should remove to the Home without the least delay, which 1 did accordingly. ' ' Mr. Belle warned me several times that if I did not bridle in my language towards the house-keep.r, he would discharge me. My language towards Madame . arette was indeed very severe, denouncing her unfitness and general malpractises in the Home. I swear positively that Madame Barette's speculation i„ Ty Mr' Belir immigrants' washing was entirely overlooked f^^' the altercation already mentioned, Mr. Belle ordered that from this moment, I could not receive any more the coin- plaints of immigrants, of whatsoever nature they n.ight be, but that they were to be made directly to him. • ^ J^';^^«7«;^'^«P«^ or cook remained for a little while longer in the office [after the abovementioiied altercation was over], ami then requested Mr. Belle [placing her hand upon that of Mr. Belles] to forbid me also to come into the kitchen under no pre- tence whatsoever, as I was in the habit of looking, as she said, frequently at the clori And the cook also added that she would have no objection to n. , wife going into the kitchen, a. she w as 123 quiet enough. These words brought me to my feet, and I said that my wife would not l)e depending upon her huckstering graccp, and that she was but a miserable wretch«of an immigrants' sucker." At these words Mr. Belle also sprang to his feet, and ordered me to leave the office ; which I did ; but hardly arrived in my private apartment, Mr. Belle sent for me to come back to the olfice, and demanded of me that I should stay till replaced, at least that I should do so for three days, all which I refused to comply with. But I occupied yet my ]> -jvate apartments in the Home for a few days longer. Whilst thiLs unconnected with the olFice, Mr. Belle informed me that I should have to remove from the Home forthwith, because, if I was not out of the hcaseby the next morning, he would close the Immigration Home, as Madame Barette had told him that she would not stay another day in the house, if I remained a day longer. I still remained in the Home one day longer. HANS MULLER. And it being four o'clock in the afternoon, the Commissioner adjourns the inquest -to to-morrow, Tuesday, the fourth March, at two o'clock in the afternoon. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. [Attested,] Peter L. Macdonell, Serrefari/. Tuesday, the Iburth March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, at two o'clock in the afternoon. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC Q. C, Commissioner. The deposition of the witness, Hans Muller, continues as fol- lows : To Mr. St. Pierre. — QueUion : — Assuming the manaorement of the Home to have been what it should be, do you consider th(> accommodation in Montr(>al Ibr immigrants to be sufficient *. 1S4 ^«.«/w .—ir taken care ol with gmit attoiition and doaiili. ne8s, I coiiKider them Nuliicioiit. The Pul)lic Minifstry dechiiv, by the mouth (.I'Mr. St. Pioric, that they have no other qucNtion to put to th.' witness. To Mr. Monh.—Q,(rsthn.—l)mmv!; your entire stay as «-uiir- dian and hook-k.vper in the Home, do you swear that"the Horn., proper and all its appurtenances wcr.. kej.t in a oeueral state ol' nlthmess ? Answer. -\ do swear that duriii- the time the House wiis under the niuuagenu.nt of Mr. and Madame de Milleneuve the Immigrants' Home was kegt in a tolerably good state, hue when the said Home cume under the mana Answer. — Yes. (Mslion. —Do you swear that thestriw-ti.ks for females were rovered merely with a white cotton ,she,.t, and this only for the purpose of hiding the paillas.se :* Answer. — Yes. Question.-ls it a fact (hat these i>aillasses and bolsters Avere generally infested with vc^rmin or not ^ ^w,s//.f,-._They Were as I already stated. Q,feslioti.—Uo\s many times were these paillasses chanood to your knowledge :* Auswer.-l am positiv,' to say that from the time Madame Barette entered the Home, they were only changed once, that is trom the commencement of July to the end of Octo])er. Qf^estion.—llow weie the privies k<'pt and how often emptied during your time ^ >n and doaiili- and holsters )olstors -wort' 's chanaod to 126 Answer. — They wen^ kt'pt dirty during Ma*. UaretteV mftiuiifement of the Home ; and they wort' nev«'r enn.ued during my entire wtay in the place, that in to Hay, from the month ol" April until the «'nd of Octoher, when 1 left. Question. — When you si)eak of tlu' immigrants being denied soap and towelH, do you spwak of this as a fael within your own know I ' a"^^"J his Immigration OtHce, in Mav 1870, that was at No. 50, St. James street. My duties were 1.)' receive immigrants at the station, to ,.ondue( them to their res- pective national Homes. I was engaged in this business for the whole season of that year, that is up to November. 1870. Durin.- this time immigrants were taken care of by th. Homes of national societies in Montreal. In the month of April, 1872, I returned to Mr. Bene s Immigrant OHice, at No. lol, St. Antoine street. There 7Z r;i tt"' ''''^' ^""^ ""migrants in the month of April- entered the Home as clerk to Mr. B.lle. I cannot tell wh t is the frontage or depth of the said old buildii,,. called the Home Jt as a good middle-sized house. I do not ki^w how old 7 s' but I consider it an old building ; it appeared to me to have been a fashionable building The kitchen in the house is small. I d to wash themselves lu is small for an institution of Lt kind do not know whether Mr. Belle had any thin, to do within planning of this house. Every part of the s.n Tu- L' Oovt'riiment, 1S7 pood ordiT i« V^ytt. I hocame guardian of the prHraiseM inyBolf during my May thcro. So lonpr an Madam.- do Millonenvo re- mained thtTf, the house •«•' tolerably well kopt. I was on good torniH with both Madame de Millcneuvc and Madame Baretto when they had attiMided to the husinoNH of tho hotiise. I wa« not always on good torniN with Madanu' do Millcneuv*'. I was also on go(»d tcrmH with Madam.' Harettc Madame d.> Millenouvo )(«ft tho Home on a certain complaint made by mo to Mr. Belle agaiuNt Mr. do Millcneuvo, which caused a quarrel botwoon the latter and mym«lf. Mr. do MilL-nouvo was discharged on account of a quarrel he had with Mr. Belle. But I distinctly state that Mr. de Millenouvo was not discharged on account of the quarrel he had with me. The immigrants train g.-nerally arrived Irom seven o'clock in the evening to seven o'chnk in tho morning, once or twice a week. Those arriving before eleven o'clock were taken to the Home ; this hai»i;oned during tho iirst three or four months of the summer season. Thost> arrived after midnight were kept at the station until half-past live in tho morning. I have soon other travellers, and have myself been detained at the station, but not to l»e compared to the way immigrants wore kept. I do not know that any immigrants remained at the station by choice Tho station I sp.'ak of is the second class waiting-room in the Bona- venture station. It was at the IJome that the old man mentioned in i.y examination, wanted water. I say that tho vermin of which I spoke was not imported, but tho natural production of the Immigrants' Home ; hut some of them might have been brought by the immigrants. When I first went to the Home I heard of no complaints about vermin. It is not necessary that immigrants should be infested with vermin when coming in largo bodies, if they keep themselves clean. The immigrants coming to the Home were not oquallv clean, 128 When Mr. James troyle ol" whom I have spoken in my examination in chief, came back with the immii,nant, he stated that I j ou^ht to be published ior keepini? such a lousy Home ; the man was a 5^001! man, but he could not keep him on that account. HANS MULLEU. It being live o'clock in the afternoon, the Commissioner adjourned the inquest until lo-morrow, Wednesday, the fifth March instant, at two o'clock in the afternoon. I (Attested,) Peter L. M.^-CDoxell, Secretnr//. C. A. LEBLANC, Coniviissioner. Wednesday, the lifth March, one thousiuid eight hundred and seventy-three, at two o'clock in the afternoon. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q C. Commissioner. The cross-questions to the witness, Hans Muller, are continu- ed by — Mr. DoHERTY.— I can give no idea of the size of the kitchen but I know it is small. I had occasion to go then* often to see if the meals would be ready and for difierent kinds of business of the house, and also to look at the time by the clock. I did not then carry a watch myself. Madame Barelte never complained of my going there except at the last. From May to October, to the best of my knowledge, there had arrived and passed at the Immigrants' Home the number of over two thousand. The names of two thousand at least were entered in the book kept for that purpose. 129 I hmidrcd and T. iiro foniiiiu- The dinner would have been good enoujrh had it been pro- perly cooked. Personally, Mr. Belle and inysell" had no trouble together while I remained at the Home. My first little difRculty with Mr. Belle, was that he would not give me the live dollars increase ol' pay until he had communicated with the Government on the sub- ject. On that occasion I used some sharp words to Mr. Belle. My impression is that the blankets were supplit>d to the Home in the second part of the month of Se]>tember. We had not one case of death during the whole season at the Home. When he procured water for the old man, he ordered some person to give a, drink to the old man, but the water was never locked out. The rules of the Homo placed on the wall, stated that immi- grants should not be kept more than forty-eight hours. I cannot tell you the reason why about thirty persons were placed in one room, but I found them there. They were kept there from twelve to five in the morning, after a journey of from lit'teen to eighteen hours in the cars on their way from Quebec to Montreal. It was not Mr. Belle's fault that they were so long on their way from Quebec to Montreal. At every arrival of immigrants, they made complaints, on ac- count of the remarkablt^ difference between their reception in Que- bec and their reception in Montreal, did not conceive the immi- grants unreasonable in their demands on their arrival ; but after- wards there was now and then one amongst their number whose demands were unreasonable. There were none of the immigrants lazy or unwilling to go to work Some, from incorrect information, demanded higher wages than wer'} allowed here. I conceived this very excusable on their part. Here Mr. Doherty submits a letter marked W, addressed by the witness Hans MuUer, to C. E. Belle, Esq. The witness reads this letter in a loud tone. 17 130 I consider this letter to tally perfectly well with my previous evidence. Now, under my solemn oath, I state that this letter was written at the request of Mr. Belle, and he even further- more dictated the letter. The first man mentioned Leander \V. Walraven was ordered out of the Home by Mr. Belle, before he made up his mind to go to work here or not. Louis Sellier came with particular recommendations from Mr. Bossange in Paris to Mr. Belle, and finding things at the Home at such great A'^ariance with what he expected, therefore grumbled, and the man had never worked before as a daily laborer. George de Fontgallant, a young nobleman from France, and depending on his mother's aid and support. Ne.stor de Guy, a commercial man, tried first to gi-t work at his l)usiness. This letter was intended to counteract some of Mr. Bossange's complaints against the Immigration Agency in Montreal. This letter was never sent but it was kept as a memorandum for Mr. Belle. t I swear that I saw a letter written by the secretary of coloni- tion at Sherbrooke to Mr. James Thorn, Immigration Agent at Point Levis, complaining against the Montreal Immigration Agency, based upon the complaints of Immigrants. Question. — Have you .since your leaving the Home, and being discharged therefrom, stated to any person in Montreal or else- where, that you would be revenged on Mr. Belle ? Answer.— I did not, nor did I use language to th. effect of wanting revenge. The young man of whom I spoke of having gone to the Townships was gone three or four weeks before he returned to the Home. I brought my wife to reside witli me in the Home in the month of September last. I was obligt^d to bring my wife there under the circumstances, in order that I might be on the premises during the night. Immediately on my discharge I went to Quebec, but I had remained previously six or seven days at the Home with my wife. Before my wife came I lunched at the Houfse. as never sent thv effect of 181 I have already s d that I remained in the Home until, Mr. Belle told me the story that he would close the Home if I did not leave. Mr. Belle could not close the Home even if he wanted, and that is the reason why I considered he told a story, and that ke was but the servant of the Government in Quebec. I believe it was Mr. Belle's duty to enter the names of every immigrant arriving at the Home. I cannot see the necessity of separating man and wife in such a place as the Home. Question. — Do you consider it would have been proper for Mr. Belle to have placed, say live or six married couples in the same bed-room or sleeping apartment ? Anxwer. — Yes, if the room was large enough. The largest sleeping room in the Home, before the folding doors were put in, was longer than the room in which we now sit. I cannot srive any idea of this room as to its precise measurement. I think it would comport with common decency to place three married couples to sleep in a room of this size, rather than to see the immigration agent under the approbrium of insinuations. Married couples were perhaps separated sometimes from three to four weeks. During my stay at the Home, the place was visited by Mr. Secretary Lowe, of Ottawa, and Mr. Deputy Commissioner Lesage, and also by Mr. de Boucherville. On Mr. Lowe's visit to the Home, I told the gentleman a story when I brought him up to the attic, where the apartments were found dirty, not made up, and in a state of confusion, at three o'clock in the afternoon. This was I believe in the month of July. By the word story, I mean that I told Mr. Lowe an untruth, in excuse for the dirty state of the above mentioned rooms ; the untruth consisted in that I stated " that the reason why he found the rooms in such confusion, was that alterations were to be made to the rooms, which was not the case" ; this was ;is an excuse for the Home. HANS MULLER. 182 The Comniissionor adjourned th»^ inquest until to- Thursday, the sixth instant, at two o'clock in the alten morrow, loon. (Attested,) Peter L. Maodonell. Secrelary. ('. A. LEBLANC, Cominissio/ier. i*^ Thursday, the sixth March, one thousand eicht hundred and seventy-three, at two o'clock in the afternoon. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q. C. ('omnnssioner The cros.s-questions to the witness xMulIer are continued bv- M. Doherty, Q. C. ^ I have already stated that I told Mr. Lowe an untruth, and »>y that I mean a variation from the real state of affairs. Questwn-m,^t is the diflerence in your notions of ethics and morality, between m untruth and a lie. Answer-l have nothinnr n.ore to add to mv explanations already given. When I said that Mr. Belle would not attend to applications from the country when there was a chance of placing immigrants m the city. I mean to say it was to save the passage money! In saying that Ross and D<>sauteLs, the two guardians went into the habit of drinking, I no not mean to say that that was Mr. Belle 8 lault. In saying that I did not wish to be an informer I mean to say that. I did not want to be an informer against my .■oleagues ; but immediately after my discharge, I made the .ntormation. I would have made that information, discharged or not dLscharged, about that time. oviiiiia.sto/ier. hundred and ions ofethirs 133 I said there was about ono-half hundred fowls at one time in the Home. I do not know whether they laid eggs or not. 1 never got an egg from Madame Barette's fowls. These fowls were not fouler than other people's fowls. I kept fowls myself in my life • and they were just like these. "When I complained to Mr. Belle of children's dirt and that Madiime Barette refused me soap, his reply was that those things should not )n\ On one occasion a youn.r man complained of vermin in his bed ; I communicated this la.t to Mr. Bt'lle as soon as he came ; and after he convinced himself of the fact, ho ordered the bed to be thrown in the yard. Upon another occasion when Mr. Belle asked me to shew him the v.M-min, I told him to look out for them himself The breakfast hour was between seven and eight in the morning. Mr. Belle warned me several times that if I continued to use such language as I had already us.'d to the cook he would discharge me. To Mr. A. A Belle, being shewn i printed placard marked P. P., I recognize it as the rules and regulations jested up on the walls of the Ilorae. I remember that Mr. Belle was absent last summer from the city of Montreal. He was replaced in his functions by Archille Belle, Esquire, his nephew now present. I saw Mr. A. Belle paying every day one or two visits to the house. The Commissioner here adtlressing himself to Mr. A. Belle, advocate, asked him if he would be called as a witness in this '•nquiry. Mr. A. Belle, in reply, said he Ihought he would he called as a witness in this enquiry. The Commissioner then remarked that in that case he could Hut }»o the advocate and the w itness ai th.- same time. 134 Mr. Dohorty, Q. C, maintained that neither he nor Mr Bello were present in their qualify of advocate, but only as the friends of the immigration agent. This enquiry was not being conducted before a regular Court of Justice. ♦v. f ^'n' ^'"'"^ ''f'^;^' '" '^' """^^ "f '^' I'^blic Minist..r that the Commission had all the qualities of a Court of Justice he as8imilate''"' "^'^'"t'^i'^'^ that the present enquiry bein. Rdmintstra ive. he is m no way prohibited from being heard as^ witness, although acting at the same time as the advocate. The Commi.ssioner repeats what he has already said • that his enquiry cannot be assimilated to a Criminal Court. He said , . K '' u^'' ^' ^'"'^ '' ^^'^ ^''^«^' ^-"tinue to act as advocate, but when he was examined as a witness, he the sd Commissioner would hear his evidence with every reservat and tha; he would communicate the particular circumstailTf his incident to the (iovernment, who would dispose of it as tin though proper. The Commissioner added that if Messrs Doht and Belle were not present in theirquality as advocates, he would no^permit them to exercise their functions as advocates beZ The cro.s8.examination was then proceeded with as follows : I believe Mr. Belle told me that during his absence he would be replaced by Mr. Archills Belle. This was 1 believe about h I think the whole time of Mr. Belle's absences was in Ai^ult Lrette' dfu.^^^^^^ .f '"''*'' *'^ house-keeper, and Madamo i Barette 8 daughter, the common servant. These four nersons I completed the personel of the establishment. VorJZJTZ very much occupied the whole ^ ^ ^ day, my occupation k t^eping int! i; f ith as follows 135 constantly in the office. I cannot say as much for the others for that reason. During Mr. C. E. Belles absence, Mr. A. Belle and myself agreed very well together. Mr. A. Belle, when coming into the office generally asked mo if everything was going all right. I believe I stated to Mr. A. Belle that things were going right or wrong, according to circumstances. I think that if I told Mr. j^. Belle that anything was going wrong, he would assist me to mend it. I remember that a very large number ot immigrants came in durir^- Mr. C. E. Belle's absence. Every immigrant that came during the month of August could be placed if ho Htted himself to the applications. It is possible that Immigrants came here during the said month who had trades or professions, which were not called for at the moment. Two immigrants, of the name of Bran and Ledieux, during the same month, who were at the time, in France, commercial men, and had told Mr. Bossange, the Immigration Agent in Paris, that they were emigrating to Canada where they would be farmers. It was more difficult to place these than others. The Immigrants' Home was now and then visited by immigrant* of the same description. During the said month I do not think that many immigrants came with whom it was difficult to deal, but there always will be people who are not as easy pleased as others. Question.— Is it not a fact that during Mr. C. E. Belle's ab- sence there were several immigrants with whom it was extremely difficult to deal ? ^ Answer.— Thtn-ii were several Immigrants with whom it was difficult to deal for certain reasons. Qwes/tow.— Was it not difficult to deal with certain immigrant« because they were unwilling to go to work '{ Answer— Thej were all willing to work, to my knowledge. *1 i^i Ji fl' .:■ ff .-,'„ ^, j 1 Question.-.l)id you not report to Mr. A. Ijdle throo immi- TdCi r "' '' '" '^^ ""'• '' ^'^ ""'"^^ ^^' ^''^i'"- ^'^"^ ^««..,-.-Th.8<. three m.,. were u illing. to vn ork ut work o| their hking. I am not sure that these men were gardeiiers • thev were laborers. ° uiiitrb.mev All I reeolleet of those men is that th.'y were sent to Mes«r^ Cameron and Kdwards, at Thurso, Ontario. Of those three men mentioned, J recollect no more than 1 have already stated. ^>oni the tirrie I entered, up to the time I took my wife there that 18 m beptemher, J attended principally the ofHce. I do not remember having- told Air A R.11.. »h^iU .i house was badly managed orifot. I do notth^nk l" mld^ at Tmn Tlu '^^"^ '^" ''''"''''' "*■ '^'' "^"■^^'' ^"J the way the^ fulfilled their respective duties. During the time I acted as clerk at the Home I remained in the Home, frequently as late as ten o clock at nigh , but n<,t during the night. Strangers visited (he office principally, and but few wcuit through the Home I siw the Anglican Bishop with an attendant in the olfiee who h'ul come^to visit the house, but I do not know if they did' or not, ilr Mr. Belle himself attended to him himself. This was at the coia- mencement of the Summer. Immigrants were expected to con- tribute to the service in the Home. Although it was not the rule that immigrants should com. back to the Home after having left it. yet a good number of them came back and were received at the Home and placed again I tasted some of Madame Barette's cooking; when I lunched there, the lunch was provided by the Home. The man and his xxife Avho weiv ordered awav by Madame Barette were named Nisini, and are the same I spoke of in iny eiaminatiou-in-chief. They r.^mained about ten days before th,.y left. The husband was provided with a situation when he left. ■ -- 'v '"v '* ^i^'i"i iuauaiuu harette. ' wilt to Mfssrs. > more than J 187 I stated ill my examiuatiou-in-chii't'that I could point out the. names, if shown the book of entry, of the two women who made \e relhark about Mr. Belle's <>allautry to French women. Being- ,hown the said book of entry, I now say that their names were Marie Gauthrie, wife of Theodore Gauthrie, and Marie Passont. wife of Monsier Passoi'. These women were sisters-in-law, and both without children. These women are the identical women I gwore in my examinatiou-in-chief I could point the names of iu the book, if it was shown me. Being shown the pas.s-book, I now give the naniesof Madame Ledet, Mademoiselle Leon Camille, as l)eing the persons to whom I gave a pass to return to Quebec, and the latter is the one of whom I speak ill my examination-in-ehief as being the party upon whose shoulders Mr. Belle had played with his hand, and whom Mr, Belle wished to hire; as a servant. I afterwards gave a pass to this Miss Leon Camille's sweetheart to return to Quebec at the same time. This sweetheart was also an immigrant. I do not remember of French immigrants (lomplaining of in«als beeau.se Ihey had no allowance of wine ; I remember that Mr. A, Belle reproved certain immigrants for having introduced hocr in the IIousi', and he gave me strict orders that the thing should not happen any more. HANS MULLER. Messrs. Doherty and Belle h>re declare that they havi- no other cross-questions to put to the witness Hans Muller ; and the Commis.sioner declares the hearing of this wituv.ss terminated, and he adjourns the enqu^le to to-morrow, Friday, the 7th of March instant, at two o'clock in the afternoon. [Attested,] Peter L. Macdonell, Secrefart/. i\ A. LEBLANC, Commissiuner. 18 'm m Pif^ fi 188 FmnAV the «.vonlh day of March, ouo Ihousuud o.jfht hnndml and .ovonty-three, at two oVlock in th.. aftonmon. Present : ('1IAKLE8 A. LKULANC, (^ a, Commissioner, Th.. hijjh coi.stahlo submits his (vrtiJioato of return to tho effect that ho sorved «ul,pa,nas on M.ssrs. Parott/ ^ M nL ^oak,n,toth..mmp.Mson.andto Mos ... Tarotto and Mon ' l»y k-anng m th. han.ls of reasonahJe members of their famnles' IlENii, Pakotte, conductor of works, aged thirtv-eiirh. years^ now oi the City of Montreal, after oath aclminist d 1 th.. Holy Evangelists, doth d.'pose and say : ^ I was born in Paris, France. I arrived in Montreal with my Wile and cluld on the .Mghth of June last. I was with a numb" oi othc. emigrants. On our arrival w. went ,lown immediate ^ No^ 1, St. Antonxe street, to the Emigration Home, of wh Mr. Belle was then the agent. I had never before seen M I Belle, but I had a particular letter lor Mr. Belle. I lived at th.. Emigration Home from the eighth of June to the second of Julv exclusively. My wife and child lived at the Home for five or six days after I had left it. During the time we were at the Horn' we occupied H room in common. I am the same person who wrote to the (.oyernine:. of Quebec upon the subject of immi- gration. 1 he letter shewn to me marked C. was written bv me and bears my signature. The Secretary here read the said letter. To Mr. Monk:— I left the Home the 2iul July 187'^ [ hav. not lived in it since, but I have had occasion to go there once or wice on business. During ray absence I had news by h-tto. twice from my wile, but I returned only at the end of mv en gagement. I found my wile livhig ..t Mr. Judah's, Canuin- street a large proprietor. My wife had left the Home, and m h t second letter she told me she wnshving in Canning street. Whm 130 fsho vvroto to mo the socoiid tini.-, sho nnid slio hud loll th(> Homo ol' hor own I'roo will. Ah to tho food iriv oil lit the Horn.', tastos so much dilU'r, that it migh: be louiid good })y some and hud by othors ; as to my- Keif per- onally, I found it had. I cannot say too r.uich upon tho subject of the cleanliness or the uncleanliness of the Home. Too many people go to it ; l)ut as lor the litters Ufliere,) and the beds, tlicy containeil lie... It is impossib • i board a vessel, with ui'T Manathousam' .■migrants, that uncleanline.ss should not ^1 exisf ut those who wished to take euro of their p.Mson eould nu.s.s • .rough without vermin, and I had no v(>rmiii on my per- •m, vhen 1 entered the ll^me. I have nothing to repeat upon iKe manner in which the Home is conducted r> Mr. St. Picfie.—\\\x\\ii I was at the Home I absent«>d my- s.'ll" (luring the day time ; though I took my meals and slept vt tlie Home. My only knowledge of the Home is from the food tli.'V gave U3, and th.' beds providt'-l for imiiiigrants. I wrote to my NYife from St(>. Theres.' ; before my wife received that letter she liad written a letter which reached me at St. Scholastique. Sh.' informed me that she had lelt the Home because they had cased to respect her. I was then a sistaut engineer on the Northern Colonization Uuilroad. I left uiy wife at the Home, because 1 had not the moans to send her to a boarding house. She had to wait i;ntil I could send her some money. When I left the oflice of Crown bauds, I explained to Mr. Uelle that I was much troubled about ii lodging for my wife ; and that I had only an hour or two to look for one. Mr. Belle told me to leave her at the home as it would not incommode them. I agreed to allow her to remain untd I was in a position to i)lace her elsewhere. From the 22nd ol June to the 2nd of July, I was employed in the office of the Uown Lands Department, of which Mr. Belle is the agent, Mr. «t'lle never asked me to engage my wife in his service. I am asked if I had spoken to Mr. Belle, tince my return upon tlio cause of which my wife left the Emiirvatiou Home. T .ansy/er •hat 1 have not seen Mr. Belle since I left Montreal, nordid I look lor hiui. fi 140 Tho reception givn to .•migranlH at th«^ Kmigrution Horn.' at Qu«'h«'c*, JH excellent. QuesUtm.—U {\u} I':mit,'m(i<)ii llotiii' at Montreal was ns well koj)t UN that at Quelx-c, do you think it wouKl allord a n-lug.^ lor t'lnigraiitN that wouhl satisfy thoni. AuKiner.—YvH, ilit correKponUed to it in ever partiinilar. Cross-exam ititu/. To Mr Dohpr/y.—} Ti'tmtnH] on iho aih August, from my suivpying expedition. And further witness saith not. and hath siirned. Acknowledged beloreme. at Moiilreai. ) this t;th March. 1H78. j Coimiihfsonrr. Louise Charlotte Desaikt, wife oC Henry Paiotte.c.lfhe city or Montreal, being duly sworn, doth depose and say : I am the wile of Mr. llenrv Parotte, who has just been ex- amined. I arrived in Montreal about the 9th ol' June, with my hus- band and my little girl. WcAvtMe with other emigrants. I'lx.n our arrival we went direct to the Immigration Home, St. Anloinc street, of which Mr. Belle was the agent. I remained three weeks at the Home. I remained fiv days at the Home after my hus- band had left it. To Mr. Monk.— I left the Home at eleven o'clock in the mor- ning. I left l)ecauKe 1 was teased and besei J)y Mr. Belle, who wished me to go and see him at his olfice St. James Street, which I refused to do. Mr. Belle gave me several tickets for the city street cars. On tlie day I left the Home. Mr. Belle asked me my reason for Ipni'iiirr I f/-»L1 Y,in-k *>.«♦ u.. „_,.ii ,. _j i • , .. - • '•"•• ''■"' -"• 'f>i::a ]uH tn' ignomnt ot mv rea.son. rutiou Homo at junI boon ex- 141 Tu the Commisxiorier —During tho time I wns at the Eniigra* tioii lloiiii' I did soirif of tho houst^-work. Mr. Milleaeuvo and his wife wore tln-n the m;uia!j:"rH oi" tho Homo. While I was at the Home Mr. BeUo followed mo every whore, ho followed m« into tho rooms, und even into my own. I occupied at the time a room iilono with my hu.sljund. I told Mr. Ik'Ue I did not care to •sp.-ak to him. I have returned sovi-ral timoN since to the Kiiii- •rriilioii Homo, and Mr. Dolli! a^kod mo, why I wouldn't go to hia ollicc. Mr. Hollo never askod mo to live with him in any capa- city. Mr. Hollo novcr made me any propoHul that I did not lUiNwor on the niomcnf of Iuh aKkin hud .somolhinn' to say to miv I did not wish to o'o in. Tho room referred to by me, as having boon occupied by my husband and niy.soll", f oocnpiod alone after he had left on his •■xpodition. Mr Bollc dille came during- the live days, he teased 1110 to M() lid see him at hi.s oili' in St. Jacques Street. I went iwicc (111 trrands to his olhco, but at the time my husband was at the Home and oinployed in the oliieo in St. Jaccjues Street. I went there one day about noon to conduct a young girl who did 11 it know whoro Mr. B die lived. Mr. Hello never asked me to h' hismi.stre,ss, but all ho did wa-; with fh it objoct. Mr. Bf^lle told mo ho did not wish to take mo '.y force. He said this at the i'^migration Home in a little passage i i th" rear of the house and iiciir th(> yard. There were several persons in tho vicinity, but iio person in tho iiassage. This occurred ai)out half-past four i 11 142 o'clock in the afternoon. It was the first time he used theso wordstome HesaidI would know from him his reason for having used those words when he called me. Already before my husband had left, I had anticipated Mr. Belle's atte/tion to me' I took these cmhties at the beginning for more politeness ; aftn- my husband's departure these attentions becanxo more pre;si„ J th JT "\f »f q"«»«« «f these constant attentions from Mr. Belf. hat I left the Home. I accepted three city passonc^er raihva v t.cke s given to me by Mr. Belle to go to his'oLe i^S Jac u . tot to hisTr' T'. '''^''' ''''^'' ^^ ''^-^^' me consZl ^ ,1^. ''®- ^ ''^'^'^y' ausworod liim " Yes," but I never w.nt. When I took the tickets I had no intention of ^ng had then with me a little child of fourteen months. On loa^in- S^eet. The gardeners are French people who arrived sho^Iv after us. I knew them at the Emigration Home ; it was ^nl house I sought shelter. When I arrived in Canni ig Stree I ha not a S.V, and Mr. Belle who I made aware of my destitution ..av me half.a-ddlar forportoragemoney. , told ^liT^l':^^^ ""^n » told Mr. Belle my reason for leaving the Hom^ h, M.d I would regret it. He did not try very liard to keenT had decide! to go and my trunks werj: alre'ad 1 'eTdr^aii. Mr. Mlc d,d not promise me anything, at a„y^i„,e,TI temt m out" The H """ ":."""■ "" •"" ""^ "■»'- -y throau pi me out. The Home wa.s far from beinc cleanlv W n j when J was living in Canning Street I vveM ,„ ihe H I ™ne work for Mr. Muller^^Mr. Beile I^ g' m ^^rhel^: ot^t'hi^ ■"" " ""'"''■ ' "'™-™'' '"■■'"->■'»« -H„»t; i:| One day my child being ill, (I then resided in Canning- street,) I went to Mr. Belle with a letter whioh T . , ^^^ from my husband, informing me hat T w.l i f''^""^ •• I do noU™d7oney I^r^t y °" ''T'"™' ""■ ^■'"" -" "^'' ^ 8^'^^ 'I- Jtou ouffht not in >ia.r.. uu *u . - -- -..»,, ivtt tut- 143 he used theso his reason ibr eady before niy tttention to me. )oliteness ; after more pressing, from Mr. Belle ?enger railway ' in St. Jacqncs me constantly s," but I never 1 of going. I s. On leavinu' er, in Canning irrived shortly it was at their ? Street, I had 'stitution gave Jlle my reason ir who asked the Home, he ) keep me. I the side-walk, i, if I Went to threat to put pt. One day e Home with bare-headed ig Ihat I had in Canning liad received sd of money 2y from him, ich my hus- T. Belle said have left the Emigration Home." He did not give me any money, nor did he offer me any. I often did the cooking during my stay at the Emigration Home, Mr. Belle said he would pay me for this work, but he did not do so I returned to the Home three or four times, after having left it, to carry some linen I had bleached for Mr. Muller. Cross-examined. To Mr. A. Belle. — The people to whose house I went on leav- ing the Home, are gardeners, and are called Barthelemy. And further witness saith not, and hath signed her present deposition. LOUISE DESAINT, F. Parotte. The Commissioner adjourns the enquiry until Monday next, the tenth day of March instant, at two o'clock in the afternoon. (Attested.) Peter L. Maodonell, Secrelarif. C. A. LEBLANC, Commisfioner . Monday, the tenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, at two o'clock in the afternoon. PllESKNT : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q. C, Commissioner. GusTAVE Joseph Vancastek, of the City of Montreal, hav- ing been duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists, doth depose and say ; 144 enf of the City of Montreal, and I am thirty-one year of J I was employed in the Police Force, and I am now without t" Ployment. I am of Belgian origin, and in my own count y I wa farmerlarnved at Quebec on the 17th of August last. I was 'e„ by Mr. Richard Berns, of Anver.s, I was the bearer of aleZ o recommendation to Mr. Lesage, at Quebec. I arrived at Mont e" ^o c. three days later, when I went without delay to the Em gration Home. I knew Mr. Belle, he was then Emigration A^Z My wife was with me and we had no children I Ipff fk " day for Yarenne. with my wife, and we we^to liv w th7 1" F hx Lussier. My wife lived there four or five days, whe.t she i-rv;.- :• ,t,.'.;;.r r si'T.;? : ray amval I went to the Emigration H„,.„. with ray w f ' , we had .ntendea to remain ),ut one day, because Mr Ba'rna was bonnd to get us a place with his brother, Mr. ]!. Bar r Th^«as™,the 2nd September. We entered the liraigrl Home on Monday, and left it the following Saturday, togorS lege street, No. 31, whore we had hired a room. I ^as the wtiout «nploym,.nt, and remained so l„r fonr or I Jdav next worked „„ the wharves for three or four days, at he e, <1 „ which Itme I was employed in the police fore/ I jdned ^hceon the 14th of ^.ptembev, and I was discha g d n 22nd January, 1873, and since that time I have b..en w hou omp oyme.t. Myraeans of sup,.rt arc extremely sm.l . 1' h month of December last I made a complaint in writin- to the Gov emment against C. E. Belle, Emigration Agent A letter is shewn to me, dated Wh December, 1872, mark..! D. I recognize U as ray letter, and it bears my signatur;. beeau?e MrT.1 '"V^'"^ ' complained to the Government were Because Mr Belle allowed n,y wife to be grossly insulted One eventng ,„ the month of November, I was at home co'Ls^^ 4- >. 145 with my wife upon the subject of the Emigration Home. I asked her why she so stubbornly refused to go into Mr. Belle's service. It was then she explained to me that she had a serious irrievance against Mr. Belle. I had been vaguely informed of these things during the time I was at the Emigration Home, without knowing their importance, and believing it to be a frivo- lous enquiry. One day I remarked to Mr. Belle, (it was in the month of September,) why he always sought the company of my wife. He said he w^ould not receive any observations either from me, or any body else. From the second to the eighth, Mr. Belle had intended to engage us, my wife and myself in his service, I as coachman and my wife as cook. We were engaged at $16 a month for both. The Saturday on which we were to enter Mr. Belle's service, my wife wished at all cost to leave the Emigration Home. The Friday preceding, Mr. Beile, who was on the point of leaving for Quebec, said to us, if were not at his home on the Monday morning, he would turn us into the streets. We did not enter into Mr. Belle's employ because his wife positively refused to allow us. She said she would explain to me later. We then went to College street. To Mr. Monk.— hi the month of November, my wife told me Mr. Belle had ignominiously persecuted her as well upon the stairs as in her own room. Objected to by Mr. Doherty, Q. C, ol Counsel for Mr. Belle, on the ground that this evidence is mere hei-esay and illegal. Objection reserved. My wife was very excited while she related this to me. One day during my stay at the Home. I saw Mr. Belle on the stairs leading to the upper story, pinch my wife's figure. It was upon this the second time, that I was compelled to make the observations, ahove mentioned, to Mr. Belle. One day while I was sleeping with my wife during the day time, Mr. Belle came into our room and called my wife, saying that he wished to speak with her alone. Madame Vancaster went to see him outside of the room, but I could see nothing. She was only absent about five minutes, an'_ on mx return she was escesaivoly excited but said nothing to 19 146 me. That same day I wont down, and Mr. Belle was waiting for the street cars. It was then I asked him why he sought for my wife's society more than mine, and he made me the answer already given. During my sojourn at the Emigration Home it was in a state of great uncleanliness. When we arrived at Varennos our lin possible that there weiv amongst them, some, v>-ho wore too exacting, but the greater part of them were only desirous of getting a position. 7b .1/r .s;/. Picrre.-Uv. Lesage kept the letter of recom- mendation I brought with me from Europe. I am convinced that I was discharged from the Police Fore, through the interi>osition of Mr. Belle, because, on the 20th January while I was at my post as a policeman in St. Lawrenc. street, Mr. Lalon, a detective, took me to Mr. Belle's office, No 50 St. Jacques street, C. A. D.., to the Crown Land office. Mr Belle W.VS then in his olhce with another person, who said he was an' emigrant, and pretended to have crossed in the same ship with Parotte and his wife. At Mr. Belle's request, Mr. Lafon read an alhdavit to me, made bv this pretendpri mv,io..»,,* ,..x. iter of recom- 147 was not mentioned, and whom I had never bei'oro seen, and whom I have not since seen. Question.— Yon have just stated that the affidavit in question is not in your possession, you also say that it is impossible, as far us you know, for you to obtain it, you also add that Mr. Belle kept possession of this alFidavit. Will you please state what was the tt'uor of that document ? Objected to on behalf of Mr. Belle by Mr. Doherty, inasmuch as parole proof of the contents of any writino- cannot bo made or recovered legally unless the witness has sworn, or it has been otherwise legally established, that diligent search lias beoji mad.' lor the said writing, and that it canuol bo found. Objection reserved. The tenor of this affidavit was, that Madame Parotte was a woman of light conduct, and that he the deponent could have had criminal relations with this woman. That is the substance or nearly so, of the affidavit in question. Mr, Belle said to me, that if 1 would not withdraw the com- plaint I had sent against Mr. Belle, to Mr. Lesage, of Quebec, that although he had nothing to say against my wife he would always find means to prov(^ something in the meantime. The individual who had made the affidavit being in the office said it was better to be on the side of tlu3 strong, and the conversation lo induce me to withdraw my complaint continued between Mr. Belle and Mr. Lafon, and myself. T then went away with Mr. Lafon. ^u the morrow, the 2Lsi, a policeman came to me ou my beat in St. Lawrence street, and said that I had to appear before the Chief of Police, who had sent for me for that purpose. 1 went immediately before the Chief of Police, Mr. Penton, at the Jacques Cartier Station. I found the Chief of Police in a great rage against me. He said if I would not withdraw the complaiiit made by me against Mr. Belle, I would be dismissed fiom my office. "You must know well comradi, he said, that it is not with the uniform you now wear yon will continue your com- plaint." 'Wt ': (' iM 148 My answer was, " Well— Mr. Chief, I will take it off; " and Mr. Ponton replied, " Take it off then." I then proceodod to lake oft" my unifonn when Mr. Jjafbn intervened to pacify us. The evidence of this witness is continued until'the morrow, and he hath siirned, havincr Hrst read the same. VANCASTER, GUSTAVE. The Commissioner adjourns the enquiry until Tuesday, jhf •eleventh day of March instant, at two o'clock in (he alternoon. (Attested,) Pkter L. Macdonei.l, Serrelnrij. C. A. LEBLANC, ('ovimiasionfr. ^ TuKSDAY, the eleventh day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, at two o'clock in the afternoon. The examination of the witness G. Vancasteris continued: To Mr. St. Pierrc.— l cannot state if the affidavit of which I have already spoken was sworn to, or not. It was read over to me— that's all. When they read over to me the afhdavit in'ques- lion, I thoui-' it was done to make me abandon iny complaint. Evidently f, i the arguments urged by them I understood it was to make me withdra^v my r jmplaint. * I was discharged from the Police Force bv the order of Chiet Penton. Thr 22nd January last, I vvas at my post in St. Law- rence street, when a policeman came to me and said I should r.- turn to the station. Then Police Hergeant] Augers, said to m." •• Vancaster you are]dischargcd." 1 a.sked the reasons for my di.s- charge, but they refu!^?d (o give me any. I also asked ibr the order in writinir and they again refused to give me any satis- faction. til'the morrow, '. eight hundrtHl r Ik continued; 140 Since my discharge, no person has solicited me to withdraw my complaint. The first complaint I sent to the Government was in the form of a letter as it appears by the record. Ten or twelve days later, I drew up the same complaint under oath, in the form of an affidavit. It was during the month of Decemhfr that I mnde the affidavit, and it was on the 20th or 2l8t of .laiiuiiry as I have a})ove stat(?d, that I wont to Mr. Belle's office. It is to my knowledge that the same stei)s were taken to induce my wife to withdraw her compkint, my wife and myself made oath to the affidavit now product'd. I have in my possession an affida* vit sworn to and signed by myself and my wife. It is the affida- vit made to my knowledge by my wife or myself upon this sub- ject. Question. — Please produce this affidavit. Ansiver. — 7 here produce it, and mark it with the letter L. The Counsel, on f)ehalf of Mr. Belle, objects to the produc- tion of this an exparte affidavit, made privately over two mouths ago, inasmuch as the deponent who then made it is now here present under examination, and his knowledge of the sieged facts should be taken from him ]iersonally. Objection reserved. 1 know that since the 22nd January a petition in favor of Mr. Ht'lle, as Emigration Agent, has been in circulation. They wished to make all the emigrants sign it who were willing to do so. I tlo not know this fact personally. Cross- Examined. To Mr. A. Belle.— \i was in the month of November my wife told me she had been insulted by Mr. Belle. I sent my letter of complaint to Mr Lesage, on the 9th of December. I made that complaint of my own free will, and withoixt having been solicited by any person. Between the time I left the ImmJgration Home and the writing of my letter to Mr. Lesage, I did not communi- eate my business upon this subject to any person. When my wife made me acquainted with the affair, we decided of one accord to m M m 150 write to Mr. Lesage. Before writing, however to Mr. Lesage we (my ^ife and myself) consulted together. It was after havin-i wntten to ^r. Lesage. that my wife and I made the affidavU which I have produced. No person asked us to make this afhda- vit. I did not write the affidavit. I had it written by others It was written from my dictation by Mr. Hans Muller. a witness al- ready examined in this cause. After Mr. Muller had written the affidavit from my dicta- tion. I requested the said Hans Mull.r to send a magistrate to my house to take my wife's oath and my own. I sent for the magis- l!r .^n'"''''' ""^ ''''^' "^"^ ^ ^^"^^ "^' too i» to go out of doors Mr. Muller went for the magistrate and came witli the magistral. to my house. I do not know if Mr. Mullor went for the magi.v trate in a vehicle nor do I know if he returned with the ma^^is- trate ma vehicle. . did not give Mr. Muller any money to get a vehicle for the magistrate. I did not pay Mr. Muller any thing for drafting the affidavit in question. I paid Mr. Muller a visit in the month of December la^t (after I had sent the letter to Mr. Lesage,) and I invited Mr. Muller to visit me. It was upon that visit I requested Mr. Muller to send me a Magistrate The affidavit in question was written at my house. When I visited Mr. Muller I did not know that he had lelt the Emigration Home. Before visiting Mr. Muller I did not go to the Emigration Home, but I applied to a Mr. Boudinot who gave me Mt. Mullers address. When I left the Emigration Home I believe that Mr Mnll.T was still there with his wife. (?«M/ion.— What have been your means of livelihood s you left the Police Force ? since Ansu,€r.~Aa I have already stated my means have been extremely small. I had a gold watch which I sold to m.^-t contingencies. By economy I have been able to supply n.y wants up to the present. It Mr. Mull."]' elihood since 161 My wife's namf in Louise Delplace. Question.— Where did you inarry with Louise Delplace? The question is objected to by Mr. St. Pierre, Advocate, re- presenting the Public Minister on the ground that it tends to incriminate the witness. The oljection is not maintained by the Commissioner, and the witness is called upon to answer. Answer.— I refuse to answer this question, and to answer any question submitted to me, relating to circumstance anterior to my arrival at Quebec. I came to America firfst in 1865. I returned to Belgium in 1870. During my sojourn in the United States I lived in different States, I lived for a certain time at Green Bay in Wisconsin. Question.— Wen' you not married when you lived at Green Bay in Wisconsin ? il«swer.— No. Nor in any other part of the State. I did not get married in the United States. Question. — Did you never get married. Answer. — I am married. Question.— Did you ever marry a person of the name of Marie Joseph Martin or Martine i Answer. — No. Q«es/ion.— Did you never marry with Marie Joseph Martin hofore a Missionary named Croute, in Wisconsin, in the United States of North America V Answer.— I was deceived by the said Marie Joseph Martin and by the said Croute but not married. Question. -Bid you not when in Belgium, and^wishing to get married in Belgium, maintain that the first marriage in Wis- m 1.52 consin by which you wore united to one iiuiufd Martin (Man.- Joiieph) was null, having In'on celi'lirat.'d by a nnsnionary named Croute, without other formality f Anmer.—l refuNo to answer that 4UOHtion, betauBe it is oiu- relating to what transpired in Eurojic. The witness signs to-day's deposition, and he is .ulled upon to appear at the same hour to-morrow altemoon, at two o'cloik Vancasfer, G h stave -Thi- commissioiirr adjourns this enquiry to to-morrow, the twelfth day of March instant, at two o'clock in the afternoon. C A. LEBLANC, (Attested.) Co,nmmio„er. Pktkr L. Macdonkll, Secretarf/. Wednesday, the twelfth day of March, one thousand eight hun- dred and seventy-three. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q. C, Comniissioner. At the request of the parties' attorneys representiju,' Mr Belle, this enquiry is adjourned until Monday, the seventeenth day of March instant, at two o'clock in the afternoon. (Attested,) Pkter L. Macdonell, Secrelari/. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissiontr. loii beoatue it is oin. sand eight huii- Monday, the scvt'iiti-eiiUi day of March, oue thousand eight hun- dred and seveuty-three. Present : CHAULES A. LEBLANO, Q. C, Commissioner. Joseph Fkureol Dubueuil is sworn as Secretary pw tern- JIOIX'. The examination ol" the witness Vancnster is continued : It was myseir who wrote the letter containing my complaint Mild sent by me to the Government. That letter was addressed Id Mr. Lesage. I did not <>ive any jierson communication of the let t(>r before sending it. I did not communicati' to any person, Itcfore sending the letter, that it was my intention to complain. I Imd the address of Mr. Lesage at Quebec myself. I, myseli; posted this letter. I did not giv*- give it to Mr. MuUer to forward to the (iovernment for me. f was by no means informed of the imi that Muller and Parotte had written to the Goveriunent at the same time as I did. I cannot m any way explain how the three complaints were sent at the same time to the CTOvernment, seeing that I was not at all in correspondence with them when I wrote to the Government. I swear positively that when I sent my complaint to the Government I was not in coiTespondence with any body. Question. — How does it happen, if you were not then in cor- respondence with Muller and Parotte, and that you yourself put your letter in the post-oflice without speaking to the other two, that your letter and that of Parotte reached Mr. Lesagi''s hands in the department, and a letter written and sent by Mr. Hans Mul- ler to Mr. Lesage. Answer. — It is a fact of which I am ignorant. It may be to my wife's knowledge, but not to aiine After having sworn to the afhdavit above mentioned, the Magistrate and Muller left the house together. Mulkr fctumed i--> my house on another occasion 20 i/'f ill ill 1A4 to return my visit made to him. I did not nend tho affidavit in question to the Govrnmcut. I Wi it hero bh a proof in cawo I should K'avd tho Province. I do not know il' this affidavit is (h.- Name as that acknowledged by Louisa Delplacc belbre the rolice Committee because I was not i>resent when she made her depo- sition. Question.— Did this affidavit always remain in your possession ? ilwsirer.— No. I gave it to Mr. Muller shortly after I made it in case I left the country. I did not make another affidavit than the one in question. Question.— mi you not place this allidavit in Mr. Muller's hands for the purpose of allowing him to shew it to his friends, to the editors of newspayers nnd to other persons ? Amwer.-l did not give it to M ■ Muller with that object. Question.— 1h it not to your knowledge that this affidavit was circulated in the city before either the government or the accus.d had communication of it ? Answer.— 1 do not know it. I can add that 1 did not in any way communicate to Mr. Muller the secret of this affidavit. Queslion.—Did you not leave Mr. Muller free to communicuie this affidavit to whoever he pleased ? Answer.— I said nothing to Mr. Muller on this subject, neither for or against, nor in one sense nor in the other. Question.— Do you not know that Mr. Muller circulated this affidavit to induce certain persons to subscribe to a fund to sup- port you and to push this charge ? Answer.— 1 do not know anything of this. Question.— Do you know the other witnesses who are to ap- pear in this enquiry ? Answer. — Tery little. 156 'our possession ! QM«f«/io».—Namo those of tho witnesses whom you know ? An$wer.—l know tertuiu names by the meetings that were held, and the protestations and nianif.'stations against Mr, Belle. I \vont once to one of these meetingw in St. Autoino street. It wiw the second meeting held. Qmc. of .several persons who pretended to have complaints against Mr. Belle V Answer. — Many persons came to my house. Wo spoke of this subject as of any other, but not with tin; object of holding meet- ings lor that purpose. Question.— ^9 ~ it vA '3-een Bay, in Wisconsin, United States of America, that y u h'carn' aflianced, but not married to Marie Joseph Martin be/^n vht^ M; isionarj' Croute i The question is . jected to by Mr. St. Pierre. Objection dismissed. Answer.— It was not at Green Bay, but at Dexville. County of Karvaunce, state of Wisconsin, that I was aftianced. :o communicatu tin? Question. — Did you co-habit with the said Marie .Joseph Mar- subject, neither A'ho are to ap- Answer. — Having been told by the Commissioner that I am not obliged to answer that question, I refuse to answer it. Question. — Have you not had a child with the said Martin ? Answer. — The Commissioner informs me that I am not obliged to answer that question. I therefore refuse to answer it. I am not aware that a subscription has been opened for me in Montreal. Question. — If a subscription has been made for you in Mon- treal, have vou received the amount? I 156 Anstcer.~U I have received aiiylhiiig I would not deny its existence ? I reiiuncd twice to the Emigration Home to make enquiry ahout some letters, and that was during the ahsence of Mr. Belle. I have not returned to the Emigration Home sin(. I lelt It, to ask for Ibod. Once, of the twice above mentioned the cook, Madame Barrette, wanted me to take a cup of cofli o with her in the kitchen. I accepted, hut did not eat anything. Qvesiion.— Bare you not stated in the presence of several persons that Louisa Delplace only acted in this affair through the solicitations of Muller and a public officer ? Anstrer.-'^o. Never. 1 myself did not act under these soli- citations. Question.- Ire the lacts mentioned in theaffidavit in questi(m personally known to you ? Ansuer.—l have a personal knowledge of some of these facts others aie to my wife's knowledge, who made an allidavit at th,". same time as myself Ee-eanniiiicd by Mr. Monk. Qneslwn.-hi refusing to answer the (question asking you ' where you had married Louisa Delplace, was it because you'aro not married to that woman ?" Answer -1^0, but because I considered all questions relatin.^ to Lurope as illegal. I am married to Louisa Delplace, and if U 18 necessary I can obtain some time, from home, an extract ol my marriage, and produce it to the Government. Thewitnc.s.s declares the contents ol' this depo.sition to Ik- true, uid hath signed, this seventeenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three. VANCASTEK, GUSTAVi:. C A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. (Attested,) J F. Dtjbreutl Sen "fur I/, f,ro U ■nipore. if 167 Monday, the seventeenth day of March, at two o'clock in the afternoon. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC. Q. C, Commiasioner. l.otiiSA Delplace, of the City of Montreal, beinj? duly sworn 111)011 the Holy ICvaiigi^lists, doth depose and say : I am the wile of .Tosepli Gustavo Vancaster, heretofore em- ployed in the Police Force of the City of Montreal. I am thirty- one years of age. I arrived in Montreal with iny husband, the thirtieth of August last. We were with a number of Emigrants. We came from Charleroi, in Belgium. Upon our arrival at Mon- treal, we went to the Emigration Home, Mr. Belle was then Emi- aration Agent. I did not even see him on that day. Wo arriv- ed at the Emigration Home at seven I'clock in the morning, and we left it about noon to go to Mr. Lussier, at Varennes. We re- mained about eight days at Varennes. Having fallen ill, I was taken to the hospital of the Grey Nuns of Varennes. I entered it on a Tuesday, and I left it the following Monday. We then left Varennes and returned to the Emigration Home. We lived in it six days. Examined br/ Mr. Monk:— We were well received at the Emigration Home on our return from Varennes. Mr. Belle was then present. Ho told the cook, Madame Barrette, to give me a room to myself, that we had the appearance of proper, clean peo- pie, and he would see we were well cared for. They then gave me a room to myself, but it was dirty. Mr. Belle said I would bo obliged to remain alone, because he did not allow the husbands here to sleep with their wives; this was said in presence of my husl>and; I had a room to myself Mr. Belle returned about noon thi' following day. He had engaged one Boudinot, but he said he did not want him, that he preferred me, that I was prettier and cleaner. He thi-n engaged me at sixteen dollars a month, myself as cook, and my husband as coachman. He then told me I would l»i' obliged to make haste in order to be ready for the following 158 ..a. Thursday. The next day, Mr. Belle came to me, and said I must wait until Saturday or Sunday, that he would be absent, having to go to Quebec. The following Saturday, about ten o'clock at night, I wished to leave the Emigration Home to go and live in College street. My husband was with me. I left that Saturday night. I think it was on the Friday, that Mr. Belle left for Qm.. bee. He was not at the Home when I left it. This occurred in the beginning of September. The very day I returned to the Emi- gration Home from Varenn^s, Mr. Belle, in the presence of Ma- dame Barrette, approached me, and said, putting his hand on my breast, that I could do his business, I thrust him back. This ocQurred in the kitchen. The following day, Mr. Belle returned about noon. I was in bed with my husband, the door was closed. Mr. Belle pushed it open and said "come Madame, I have two words to say to you," I then went into an adjoining room. He asked me, why I was in bed with my husband, that he was in- clined to make me his mistress, and he did not wish me to sleep with my husband. Upon this he unbuttoned himself and he asked me if my husband could give me as much as he had. When he said this to me, he exposed his person. I then said to Mr. Belle that he was a big pig, and that I would not receive his in- sults. I remained about five minutes in the room with Mr. Belle. He placed his hand upon my person in an indecent manner, while he was speaking to me. Mr. Belle returned the next day. I was seated, and being ill, passed up blood. He raised my head and kissed me, and piU his hand under my petticoat. Upon this he told me I should go to the Doctor with him, that I was not ill enough not go to his house. He then took me to a Doctor in St. Antoine street. The Doctor told me I had an incurable desease. He gave me two small iwwders which I took. He also gaA me a prescription, saying to me, that I could go to iirst druggist who would give me the same prescription on asking for it. On my return to the Emigration Home, 1 went up stairs, ami hearing Mr. Belle also coming up, I hiil myself in a hole under the stairs. Mr. Belle said, " Where then is the big woman, {In ~ ,• — ..Jivi nei. iTiauamt: Durreito then »aiU i wiii a prescription, 159 find her. She came to me and said I had no occasion to hide, that Mr. Belle was a good man, and that I could have anything I liked from him, that I need not run away from him. A few moments afterwards Mr. Belle came to my room and said he would give me two dollars if I would allow him to put his hand — while waiting to go to his house to be better fed He said the Emigration Home at Montreal was a house of charity, and that they could not give l)etter than what we had. I complained to him of the uncleanliuess of the beds in which there were ver- min. The day that Mr. Belle left for Quebec I told him I would not live in his house to uijure my furniture, and that I would not be his mistress. Then Mr. Belle answered that my husband could not see clear, that he would send him to walk with his wife in Viger Gardens and elsewhere, and that during that time he would make love to me. Quesliun by the Commissioner. — How is it Madame that during all this time you continued to live at the Emigration Home ? Answer. — I could not take a house without money, and we could not then IwHre, because we had no means to take lodgings. Question by Mr. Monk. — Do I understand that during your husband's absence Mr. Belle proposed to you to become his mis- tress ? Answer. — Yes. Each time he came he took these liberties with me. Even uj^on one occasion, when I was going down the stairs, and Mr. Belle was coming up, and my husband behind him, Mr. Belle clasped me in his arms and pressed me to him. My husband asked him why he did that. Mr. Belle said he should hold his tongue at once, that he was in his own home and that he had no orders to receive. I saw my husband coming up behind Mr. Belle, but I do not know if Mr. Belle was aware that my husband was behind him. Question. — Independant of the liberties Mr. Belle took witli you, is it to your personal knowiedgo that he tooksiraiiar iibortieis with other persons ? m^ I :fri|^„ fHi> il was ill, he asked me why I constantly refused to go into Mr. Belle's service. I did not wish "to speak to my husband about thifs during the time we were in the Emigration Home, because I believe Mr. Belle would have experienced a l)ad quarter of ar. hour. My husband is a very passionat « siuui. My husbant^ i I'x- ed the i>oUce two days after having left the Emigration Horn 1 21 162 did not thinic it propor to speak to liim about Mr. Bolle'8 conduct toward? me, and it was only later, as I have above stated, that I gave him the full particulars of the affair. I drew up my complaint jointly wi!h my husband in the form of a letter signed by him, and which was senf; fo Quebec. The \c\icT to which I here make a]UvAoi: if the f.amc produced in this record, and marked D, and dati I uiuth DecembfM last. Lat.r, I made an affidavit joiDily with my h\u;b and, before William F. Lighlhall, Commissionei jfthe Superior Court, the Ivventy-eiglith Deceml)ir lust, whi..h affidavit is filed in the record, and markpfl with the !. ;;or L. Mr. Bello never can 'to luy houw; to asknieti> withdraw my coil! plaint, but other persons cam > who nvJd luey vr* re authoriz- ed by him. I went to Mr. Belle's office at the request of these per- son.';, about the dme, that is the day my liusband was discharged ;fwm Vap lolice Force, My husband accompanied me. We went JO the oltice in 8t. .Tacciues strei't, al)out three or half-past three o'clock in tlie afternoon. Mr. ]{-lle and three other persons, ol' whom one was, I believe, a Mr. I.-tourneau, Mr. Lafon, the de- fective, and Mr. Notary Morisseth'. were present. On entering, Mr. Belle gave me a chair, saying 1 rught not to be vex(>d for th(' little nonsense he had with me, tha! I should pardon him. He said : did I ever do you any harm? I answered him saying, il' you never did me harm, you never did me any good, I hare some- thing to say to you. The exaniinatioji of the witness is continued until to-morrow, Tuesday, the eightet-uth of March, at ten o'clock in the forenoon ; and the witness hath signed. L0UI8A DELPLACE. And the Commissioner adjourns the enquiry until Tuesday the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and' seventy-three, ul ten o'clock in th« forenoon. (Attested,) .r. F, ])nnREUlL, Serretari/, pro tempore C. A. LEBLANC, Covimissioner 163 Tuesday, the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight liun- dred and soventy-threo, at ton o'clock in the forenoon. Tresent : CnAT?LE8 A. LEBLANC, Q. C, Commissioner. The examination of Madame Vancaster is continued : To Mr. St. Pierre. — They read the afTidavit over to mo which they had prepared, with the object of making mo contradict the one to which I had already taken oath at my house. When I went to Mr. Belle's in (he afternoon, I saw a paper in his hands wliich I believe I recognized as this afiidavit. Detective Lafon and the Notary Morissette are the persons who came to my house. They appeared to act in concert and under the orders of Mr. Belle, hecause they used Mr. Belle's name at my house, and in the after- noon I found them at Mr. Belle's office. When, in the morning thesi' two persons (Lafon and Morissette) came to my house, and after having read the affida^'^t of which I have just spoken, pur- porting to say that the first affidavit, my complaint under oath, was false, and tliat it had been made at the request of Mr. MuUer, one of them, Lafon, told me, that if I was willing to withdraw my complaint, Mr. Belle would not look at one hundred dollars or two hundred dollars to reward me. I told him that I would not takt^ a false oath for two hundred dollars. I went l)ut oiiee to Mr. Belle's office, St. Jacques Street. I could not have had a long conversation with Mr. Belle, because a few moments after 1 had entered, a disturbance took place in the room adjoining the one we occupied. While at Mr. Belle's, and at the moment of the Imblmb, Lafon told me to go into another room. Mr. Barnard, •'migration agent for Belgium, a Doctor, and Lafon, were there. Mr. Lafon asked me before thesi' persons if the money had been offered to me yesterday. I said " it was not yesterday but to-day tluvt you ofl'ered it." In the meantime I went away. ' Cross- Examined. n,. •■3 Ti/t^ XJCt :"?. — I am from Jcmmape.'^, near Mous, iu Belgium . 1 It'ft Charleroi to come to America. I had left Jemmapes four *»♦ months previously. I left Jemmapos with my husband Vancas- tor. Vancaslor is my lirst husband. Quesliov.—hid you not say to some one in Montreal that you had a dirty piece of business with Mr. Belle, with the object of •'xtracting money from him f Answer. — No. Question.— Bid you not tell Dr. Ticault, of Montreal, in his shop, or in his dispensary, in his presence, and in the" presence ol' his clerks and to his knowledj^e, that you had money to make with Mr. Belle, and that you would make him sinir'' Answer.~No. Lafon told mo that Mr. Picault was on the side of Mr. Belle and to be careful. I went to Mr. Ticault for advice, I asked him, when h.- was alone in his ofTice, if an oath here was not as good as an oath taken at hom(>. He said yes, but that it was a little folly, that I would do bettor to allow the matter to rest, that Mr. Belle was a man with power, and that I was only nn emigTant, that Mr. Belle would attain an end which we could not arrive at, that Mr. Belle had money. Then one of the Doctors clerks who .said he was a Belgian, told me he was a pig, that he had put him, (the clerk,) in prison, and that without Dr. Picanit he would have found himself on the streets. I ampo.sitive in.'stating that I did not say at Dr. Picault's, and in the presence of Dr. Picault, that I had money to make out of Mr. Belle, and that I would make him sing. I did not use words bearing the same sense. After having left the Emigration Home, I returned once, with my husband, to f e if there were letters to our addrc^x I met Mr. Muller three or four times since I left the Emigration Home. Since the opening of this investigation I have not had any conversation with Mr. Muller touching what I had to say ))efore this Commission. Mr. Muller did not, in thc vicinity of the Court Houso, yesterday, give me any advice upon what I had to say hero as a witness, and I did not Avant his advice. Question —How is it, that after having kept secret from your husband all the pretended outrages committed upon you by Mr, Belle until tho purl nf Xrrt^r,^»v>K/^- -- ly.^ \.^-.:^..i o-rx . - ... ,,..,, Ill,, ^r, or tnc rx-j-imiiug oi ijecember. yo\x decided all at once to reveal it. ushaiid Vancas. 165 Answer. — It was because I was ill and thought I was dying, that I did not like to di.sclo.so such things to my husband. (Question. — When you found out that you were not to die so soon, with what object did you make these revelations to your husband ? Answsr. — Because my husband asked me why we did not go iii(o Mr. Belle's service. I then made the disclosures in question. My husband was carried away with passion, and he said he would laakc it luiovvn to Mr. Lesage. Question. — You then sa % that from the time you left the Emigration Home, up to the end of November or the beginning of December, when you made these disclosures lo your husband, you were so ill that you thought yoursflf dying. Answer. — Yes. Que.-tlion. — "Was it in College street you made these disclosures to vour husband. Answer. — No, it was in Montcalm street, where we now re- side. Question. — During your residence in College street, did you not lind yourself in good enough health to dan^^e the can-can at the w<>dding of one Gragnon ? Anstoer. — Yes. I went to the wedding of one Cfagnon. Eight Fivncli people went to it, four mon and four women. Mr. Gagnon and his wife, who are Canadians, begged of us to dance of our country. Madame Arnaud told us to take on.- places. I told her I could not dance but th t I would take a place and walk through. It was not the cancan we danced, l)ut a quadrille, and as we dance it in our country. I could not finish the dance be- cause I was too indisposed. Qiifistion. — In short, upon the occasion referred to, if yoa HI not dance the cancan, did you not dance a dance as immoral i Answer. — I do not know what the cancan is I danced a quadrille, and it is not an immoral dance. '^'- lOG I Ml III Que»tioH.—J)ld you not, your^'lf, upon the occomou roll'ired to, dance in an imm 'ral mann»^r. Answer. — No. Wis hod for dinner, at the Emigration Homo, potatoes,, meat aii.i =onr» It was all mixed together. I ate a !iUle of the soup and Ob ior the rest of my dinner, I left it there. I had a room apart frnm thai of my husband, but I made him come with me. My husband slept two nights in a hangard which served as a dormitorv I made him come afterwards to mc to share my roou. Question— Hdvo you b^^en, boforo this enquiry, in comrauiii- cation with the witnesses who have been already heard or wlio are to be heard later ? • Answer— 1 know those who have been already examinwl, Mr. Muller and my hu.sband. I do not know those who are to ))o examin' d. Bj/ Mr. Doherty.—l am thirty-one years of ix^a. Lafon is the only one who spoke to me. Mr. Mo; " ssette, who accu' ripanicd him, did not speak to mo. lie only said "it is your bu iMcss," uiwn the remark I made to him whou I asked him if it woi, not be a false oath to j. *or my alFiduvjt. I gave iai i something '^ drink, as we usually do in our country. I did not drink anyf ' myself. I do not drink, becau !<• of my illness. I know one Deplesci.iu. I never drank with her. I mute her acqnaintanc ut Gagnon's house. I never drank in the ji '- uceoi Deples.uin. Wh.n Mr. Lafon and "rori.s.sette visitod us, there was a boarder named Dimanche, living in my house. Ho was writing on ^ table, my husband followed Lafon. Th.>s.' wet-e the only pei b )ns who were present when Lafon re-ascend- ed, Kr. Morissette having remained at tiie foot of the stairs, ho came near to me u^d placing his hand on my breast, he said: "Well mad- ^ do his for Madame Bi.mo and aer children." I pushed hina .ck .ying that mj honor was n orth as much as that of Mad^ ..,j Bi.u.^ and her child r n Yw thon excused hiinsHi JccaMon rclorreJ 107 Miyiiig, " K't life go, yoxi wm ue at Mr. Bellc't* at three o'clock." He then left. The doponeiit declares that the prcKCiit deposition (ontoins (he truth, persisting therein, and hath signed this eighteenth March, one thousand eight . nndrod and seventy-three. LOUISA DELPLAOE. . The enquiry is continued to Wednesday, the ninneenth March, one thousand cii^'lit luiiidred and scvenly-throe, at ten o'clock in the Ibrcnoon. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. (Attested) J. F. DUBREUIL, Hccretani. pro lemjiurc. GusTAVK VANCAdTER, heretofore of lieauvechien, Bclgiam, ruiigrunt, arrived in Montreal during the closing season of navi- giition, and now of Montreal, policeman, and Dame Louien Del- place, his wife, being duly sworn, doth depose and say : Tliat while the deponents resided in the Emigi-ation Home, St. Autoino street, Montreal, at the beginning of the month of September last, (1872,) Charles E. Belle, of Montreal, Emigrant Agent made overtures to the said dei nents, with the view ol igugiug I! >m as servants, the said deponent Vancaster ua coach- mail, ad the said deponent Delplace as general servant. That during the time the said deponents thus r*>^ided at the Emijrration Home, the said Belle followed the said iemale depo- nent to the uppt'. tory of the house, placir his hands on her and the said Belle making to the said female de\ at the disho- nest proposal to b' me his mistre.'^s ; saying ii iUe said female (leponent wo.ild euior his service, that while th<> deponent Van- caster was driving the wife oi' the said Belle in tl>»> carriage, he the said Belle and the said female dej. »nent would avr- criminal conn- f'tion ; and that while the said female deponent and he said ''S-S'l M 108 Bello were on (ho said upper story of the Emigrution Homo, Ih, said Bello tried to have criminul coimoction with fho said female deponent. That the suid deponent h-lt th, said Kraigration Homo aftor the dishonest proposition made by Mr. Bdle, to the f-male de- lionent, and that the said deponents thus ibund thomsel s with- out a home, not knowing where to go. That tho said deponents have communicated these facts to Mr T. Lesage, Assistant Commissioner „!' Public Works and Colonization, and thr said doi>oncnt8 have signed aftor the read- ing of the said affidavit.' VANCASTER, GTTSTAVE. ^„.,^ , , u .. . DELl'LACE, LOUISA owom and signed boloro me, at Montreal, this twenty- eighth day of December, one thousand eight hun- and seventy-two. Wm. F. Liohthall, Com. »s. r. Endorsed L. llth March, 1s73, produced by the witness Van- caster. r. McU., Serrelari/ Tuesday, the eighteenth day ol March, one thousand eight him dred and seventy-three, at two o'clock in tju- afternoon. Present : CHARLES A. LElJLANC, Q. C, Commissioner. Jean Baptihte Monier, copiost at the office of Messrs. Judal. & Wurtele, of Montreal, advocates, boing duly sworn, doth dc- I! \vifiu\s« Vun- lul einfht hull- 169 I arrived k\ Moiitroal on the lirst of October, 1872. I am (tiio of the Emit^rantN who cmno to this country. I am a Frtnich- man, and t\\ >mty-nvc' yours of age. I have my wilo with mo. On my arrival at Montreal, I met Mr. Muller at tho depot, and as oae of the i)erson8 employed at tho Immigration Homo, ho brought us to tho Homo with him. I remained at (ho Emigration Home with my wilo and child, almost eight days. On the day oi' iny arrival at tho Homo I saw Mr. Hollo, who is liraigration agent. Ill tho course of conversation with Mr, Hello, I loosed a room in the Emigrati(>n Home. On leaving tho Homo I wan employed in the Crown Lands Ollice. Tho second day after my arrival at tho Home I received from Mr. Belle, through Mr. Muller, notice that ho would give me employment at his ofhco as an Agent of Crown Lands. I was so employed from the .'^rd to the 11th of October, inclusively. To Mr. Monk.~{h\ tho day of our arrival at the establish- ment my wife was discouraged and cried, becaiiso they wished to lodge her in a room with other women, more or less clean. Madame Barrotte said to her that she could not have other lodg- ings, and if she would not u.se them she could, with her child, go to tho hotel. Mr. Belle happening to pass at the time spoke to my wife encouragingly, saying, " I will see you to-morrow." % During the time we stopped at tho Emigration Home, my wife made no complaint to me against Mr. Belle. Three weeks after my discharge by Mr. Belle from his omploymeut, my wife made a complaint against Mr. Belle. A long time elapsed before my wife complained to me, because our child died on the same (lay I was discharged by Mr. Belle, and we were in mourning, and had no time to think of anything else. Our child was five years and six months old. It was our only child. It was about tho beguining of November, at No. 205, liich- mond street, whore we then lived, that my wife made these com- munications to me about Mr. Belle. Question.— Did lur w ife make these complaints to you as against the cstabliiiuiueut or against Mr. Boile { 59 ^f- 170 What aiv these complaints ? , Answer.— My wife made the complaints against Mr. Belle. She told me that she had been insulted by him. Q«bi/ing the register in which th<' names of emigrants were re- corded, and in which oppo,site to each name was written the i.laco st Mr. Bollc. , Belle's offici'? 171 whither they had gone, on leaving the Emigration Home, I notic- ed that no entry was made of applications, because rarely an emi- grant was sent to persons applying for them. By Mr. St. Pierre.— I had the documents, of which I have spoken above, in my hands, for the purpose of preparing statistics for the Gov ornraent. My wife renkained at the Emigration Home (luring a portion of the time I was emploj'ed by Mr. Belle. My wife h'ft it as soon as she found suitable lodgings. Cross-examined bij Mr. Belle. In Europe I was an office man. I studied Geometry, and I was employed in railway offices. I have no knowledge of a cor- respondence relating to emigration other than what I saw in hooks. I saw two or thee letters in the leaves of books which I had in my possession. And the witness here concludes his deposition, persisting in the same, and hath signed, this eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three. (Signed.) % (Attested,) J. F. DUBREUIL, Secretary, pro tempore. J. MONIER. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. Tuesday, the eighteenth of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three. Present: CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q. C, Commissioner, FELICIA CnATAiONiER, of Montreal, wife of Jean Baptiste Monior, !>eing duly sworn, doth depor;e and say : ,e. 172 I am twenty-two years of age. I am a French woman. I have been in Canada since the first of October hist with my hus- band and my child, aged abo\it six years. Upon our arrival at Montreal, we were conducted to the Emigration Home by Mr. MuUer, of the Emigration Department, Mr. Belle was then Emi- gration Agent. I remained at the Emigration Home about seven days. Bi/ Mr. St. Pierre. —When we arri\ed in Canada, we camo from Bordeaux, France, we found the Emigration Home at Mon- treal very unclean ; we were very badly treated, and very poorly fed. Madame Barrette was the cook, and had charge of the Home. Two or three days after our arrival, my husband obtained a situa- tion with Mr. Belle. Question.— Had you particular reason to complain of the con- duct of Mr. Belle, towards yourself, during the time you lived in the Emigration Home i Answer.— Ycf. The Friday following the day of our arrival at the Home, I wa.s engaged washing the back room, I had my child with me. Mr. Belle came into the room, and asked me how long I had been married. I told him I had been married seven years. He theii asked me if I had only that child. I answered " Yes." Mr. Belle then said to me that I was more lucky than others, I could have the enjoyment, without having the children. "^ I passed before Mr. Belle, and in passing he put his hand on my liosom. I said to hini. Oh ! iSir, my child. I left witjiout say- ing further. I have nothing else to reproach Mr. Belle with than what I have stated. This occurred on a Friday, and I left the following Monday. I first and foremost left the Home in conse- quence of this insult, and also becaxiso they were constantly telling us, w(> should make room for oth(>r emigrants. I \va.s obliged to lodge wherever I could. At noon we had to procure a ticket to get a very bad dinner, which was also insufficient in quantity. Emigrants were treated more like escaped convicts and refugees than Hke "Emigrants." One day I asked Madame Barrette for .some bread for my child who was indisposed ; who refused to give me any, saying that if I was obliged to pay lor the l)read I would not give the child any, Another day I raid 178 to Madame Barrotte " why do you always give soup and broth (bouilli) instead ol" a stew [ragout) which was something better." She answered : " Do you suppose for fifteen pence, which I receive from Mr. Belle for each person, that I can aftbrd to give you better. I remarked upon the uncleanliness all over, particularly in flie food. We washed the potatoes in the same buckets used to empty the night soil. I did so myself, upon Madame Barrette's order, uiul on making the observations as above, she said : It is good enough for such people as you. Cross-examined by Mr. Belle. I returned to the Emigration Home, the sfcond day following the burial of my child, to say " good bye " to Mr. Miiller. I did not like to acquaint my husband immediately, of the insult offered to me by Mr. Belle, inasmuch as he was then employed in Mr. Belle's office, and it might lead to a dispute Quest ion. —Vfhini did you speak of this to your husband? Answer. — The second day following the burial of my child. I then said to my husband " you will go to Mr. Belle, and say (o him that you will return to your work during the week. , He said to me that Mr. Belle had dismissed him, that he had no more work for him. My husband made a complaint in writing, but did not send it to anyone. He gave it to Mr. Miiller. Since leaving the Immigration Home, I have some times met Mr. Miilhr. And the witness here concludes her deposition in which she persists, declaring the same to be true ; at Ivlontreal, this eighteenth of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three. (Signed,) F. MONIER. And the etu/iiete is continued to Wednesday, the uii)'>t('-'iith Mareh, eighteen hundred and seventy-three, at ten o'clock in the forenoon. v. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. (Attested,) J. F DUBIIEUIL, Serretar//, pro tempore. «L as Superintendent, 's to prove Mr. 175 under Mr. Belle, and I continued to act as such, ujilil Juno of the same year. I was there about two months. Question.— }la.a you ample opportunities, during the time above mentioned, to see how the Home was conducted bv Mr Belle? Objected to on behalf of Mr, Belle, inasmuch as the time en- quired of by this question, appears by what the witness has just sworn, to ha over twelve months anterior to the making or exist- i-nce of any of the charges now the subject of this enquiry. Mr. St. Pierre says the present charge is a general charge ap:ainst Mr. Belle's whole administration, and is of the most gene- ral nature— and that right must be allowed to the prosecution, to adduce proof of such administration. There being nf> time speci- licd in Mr. Muller's affidavit. Mr. Belle .-says a date is affixed to Muller's letter of transmis- siou. The Commissioner has to inquire of the facts alleged in Mr. Muller's complaint, and of no other. The Commissioner said he; had already decided the question a( the beginning of the investigation. He cannot go outside of the record. The objection of the defence is maintained. He cannot go beyond his commission. Ho maintains the objection. To Mr. St. Pierre. —Witness says ho never has bCen to the Home since he has left the office he occupied as superintendent thereof And he hath signed. BENJ. CLEMENT. The investigation is continued to two o'clock in the after- noon of this day, Wednesday, the 19th March, 1873, the com- plainants declaring they will not have any %vitnesses to examine belore two o'clock in the afternoon of this day. (Attested'!,, J F r»I BREUIL, ■StCfiiary, pro tempore. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner 176 Wednesday, the nineteenth day of Marcli, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, at two o'clock in the arternoon. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q. C. Commissioner. Alexandrine Rigolat, wife of Paul .Tacquin, of the City of of Mojitreal, beinjj: duly sworn, doth depose and say :— I have r.- resided in the City of Montreal since the naonlh of August last. I am a French woman. I came to Montreal with u number ol' other emigrants. I am twenty-three years of age. When I arrived at Montreal I went with my husl)aud to the Emigration Home, where i remained lifteeu days. During that tiuu; my husband did not obtain any employment. Mr. Belle was then Emigratio:i Agent, and Mr. Muller was employed in the office. To Mr. Monk.— The establishment, during the time I was in it, was very uncleanly kept. The bi'ds were vory dirty and cover- ed with vermin. There was neither quilts or .sheets on the beds that I saw. There was a bath-room which was used l)y both sexes. During the fifteen days, we had Imt one towel for every body. We had no soap. Mr. Belle treated the emigrants very iusoK'Utly. I was ailing during the time I was at the Home. One cJaturday linding myself very ill, I being SL'ven months cncein/e, Mr. Belle asked me what was the matter, I said I was ill but did not know the illness. He then otK-red me a ticked to admit me to the hospital, I refused it, .saying to him that I did not come U> Canada to go to an hospital. Mr. Belle then said to me if I would not go to hosi)ital I must leave the Honu'. using the words '• yoii must clear out" [vous fouterez le vamp.] 1 left on the instant, ami went in search of my husband who was working in College street. We went to live in Richmond street, where we now reside It i> not to my knowledge that emigrants, to get their washing done, paid money to Madame Barrette. The kitchen was in a very ersisting in the same, and hath (signed. [Siirned,] FEM. JACQUIN. Attested,] J. F. DlTBRKUIL. Secretary, pro tempore. C. A. LKBLANC. Commisaioner. This nineteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, at three o'clock iu the afternoon. Presen» : CHARLES A. LEBLANC. Q. C, Commissioner. Paul jAcquiN, of the City of Montreal, painter, being duly worn, doth depose and say :-I am a Frenchman. I have been „!!"?,""?: *^^ *'''^^^*'' ^^" -^"Sust last, when I went with ^j Whv to the Emigmtion Home. 2a i 178 To Mr. Monk.— I found the Emigration Homo, at Montreal, in a very bad condition ; thoro was enoug:h in the establishment to work it well, but it was badly directed. I lived in it alwut fifteen days. There are in the establishment two sleeping apart- ments for men, one of which is damp and on the ground floor in the front of the building, the other is at the back and in the same condition. There were panes Af glass wanting in the windows. The beds were very bad. They consipted simply of a mattrass, CDvered with vermin. As for the kitchen, it was always the samo thing. "We always had broth. It was sufficiently boiled, but having the same food always, it became tiresome. They might have given a roast, one or two days, and the rest would have passed. There was but one wash-room, and one very dirty towel. I never saw soap in this room. I saw Mr. Belle but twice at the Emigration Home. The house is not suitable for an Emigrants' Homo. To Mr. St. Pierre.— ^h: Belle inspired all the servants with terror, but not the emigrants. He spoke in a hauty manner. Cross-ccamined hi/ Mr. Jielle. French soldiers have better sleeping accommodation than we had, at the emigration home. Qmcs/io/i.— Apart from the buttons on the coat you now wear, do you not carry the uniform of the Commune ? Answer. — No. I never wore it. The witness here closes his deposition, declaring it true. |)ersisting therein, and hath signed. [Signed.] PAUL JACQUIN. (Attested.] J. F. DUBEEUIL, Secretary/, jito tempore. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. ation than we 179 This nineteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, at three o'clock in the afternoon. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q. C, Commisnoner. Cyr. LoiQNON, of the City of Montreal, barber, behig duly sworn, doth depose and say, I arrived at the Emigration Home, Montreal, St. Antoine street, with my wife and two children, on the 7th of September last. I am a Frenchman. I remained at the Emigration Home from the Saturday, the day of my arrivdl, until the following Tuesday. To Mr. Monk. — Ui)on our arrival at the Emigration Home, they gave us some hot water which was a little reddish and not sweetened, [they told us it was tea,] and slices of bread with a little butter. I asked that some eggs should be cooked for my children, but the cook refused, stating it was Mr. Belle's wish that nobody should go into the kitchen. I bought the eggs myself. The next day I asked them to cook a beefsteak that I had bought for my children, they even refused to allow me to cook it in the kitchen. It was the cook who refused mc. I left the Home because the beds were dirty, and the food bad. My wife was obliged to sleep with her children upon a mattrass without sheets or quilts. Myself and others were obliged to sleep in a shed [han>^anl], that is, a building behind the Home, where beds were arranged as if for soldiers. The beds were very dirty. Mr. Belle was insulting and used the words " thee " or "*hou" to every body. I asked Mr. Belle several times to get me my baggage which was at the Grand Trunk, and for which they asked me $26.91. Mr. Belle said it did not concern him. Respecting the kitchen, we were well enough fed at noon, but not in the mornings or evenings. I lived three days at the Emigration Home, and I did not see a bath-room, that is to say, I did not go to it during those three days. I went every day to /'ouiul the ostublishinont badly kopt. I- 180 I Mr. UeJle's Attorneys decluro they have no croM-qwestious to inxt to thiH witneHM. And the deponr it hero clostv his deposition, persisting' therein, doclnrinj,'' the same to he tria', 6ad hath signed. LOIGNON. (Attested,) J. F. DUBREUIL, Serretaiw, Pf" Ifmpme. C. A. LEBLANC, Commitfiimn. And the oomplainauts declaring that they have no other witness to examine this day, the enqu^texH adjoi rned to Thursday, the twentieth of March instant, at ten o'clock in the forenoon. (Attested,] J. F. DUBRKUIL, Serrelari/, /"" tempore. C. A. LKliLANC, ConimissioMPr. Thur.mday, the twentieth of March, one thousand eipht hundred and seventy-three, at ten o'clock in the forenoon. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC. Q C. Commissioner. Louis Ursin Selle, known under the name of R6mi Selle, of the City of Montreal, printer on cloth, })eing duly sworn, doth depose and say :— I am fifty years of age. I am a Frenchman. Before coming to Canada, I lived near Taris. I arrived at Mon- treal on the lifth ol" Aug-ust last. On my arrival at Montreal I went to the Emigration Home, where I lived for about fifteen days, until I o))tained work. I wen.t there with mv wife and three children. 181 To Mr. Monk. — To sum up, we v ^o very badly received, very badly 1V<1. very Imdly lodged | " ,ery uncleanly in vermin, and very badly looked ai'U'i. lat is my appreciation, ace ding to my conKfU'nco. Instt-adoi uding sympathy, I rather tound repugnance. T only spoko once to Mr. Bell«% and in fact ^ saw lym but once during the time I woa at the Home. I spoke tu him to see if I could not a^et a uioro lucrative place, saying to him that I only eaniod six dollars a week. II aid to me that it WOH very good for me to aave such wages, that I ought not to coiiipluin, a.s many otluM* jx-rsons w "re not earning so much. I believe that we were all treated alike. I do not believe any one had a preference. They al).^ >lti .ked upon us as mendicants, and my heart was full whouuver down to a m.'al, becon»ie I was not accustomed to receive t. insults. If wo arrived at our meals a quarter of an hour after the time fixed, they told us it must not occur again, that we should lind ouj;8elvos there at the exact hour. The establiNhiaent is not approi)riate for the recep- iou of emigrants. That is my conviction. There wa« a bathing tub in the bath-room in which we could conveniently wash ourselves. There was but one room for the men and the womeii. To Mr. St. Pierre. — I do )iot believe any cloth-printing is (lone at Montreal, there is no factory of that kind. Quettion. — If the administration of the Home was good, would it afford sufficient accommodation for emigrants? Answer. — In my view, I do not iind the hcu.se well adapted, and it would be neces.sary to change all the furniture, at least beds ought to be placed in it, upon which we could sleep. Cioss-cmmiiied. The attorneys of Mr Belle declare they have no questioiui to ask the witness. Th< witness here closes hits deposition, declar- ing the same t-j contain the truth, and hath signed. SELLE. C. A. LEBLANC, [Attested,] Comniissiuner. J F. DUBREL'IL. Serrf/ini/, />in /cm/iorc. V •. MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI ond ISO TEST CHART No, 2) 1.0 I.! 1.25 *r 13.6 1.4 2.5 III 2.2 1 2.0 1.8 1.6 A -APPLIED IN A^GE Inc ^^ 1653 Last Main Streel TJS Rochester. Nev> Tork M609 USA ^= (716) *82 - 0300 - Phone 18i The same day, the twentieth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the forenoon. Jean Pierre Arnaud, of the City of Montreal, boarding- house-keeper, being duly sworn, doth depose and say :— I am a Frenchmen. I am from the "V ar and Garonne Districts, chef-lieu, Montauban. I arrived in Montreal, with my wife and a number of emigrants on the twenty-first July last. I went to the Emi- gration Home for which Mr. Belle is the agent. To Mr. Monk.— I remained in the establishment for 4 or 5 days. I arrived there the 21st July, and I le ,t it on the morning of the 26th. My wife complained of having ueen badly treatod. On the twenty-fourth or twenty-fifth of July, Mr. Belle called me into his office in presence of Mr. Muller, and he then said to me that my wife was going out, and that she was associated with Frenchmen in the city, [qu'elle allaitfaire Imne,] which was wholly false. He then asked me to leave and find other lodgings. I lui- derstood by the words "/««re la vie" that he wished to say my wife was leading the life of an improper woman in the City. On the morrow, or the day after, I found other lodgings and left the place. It was upon the order of Mr. Belle, that I so left. I was married on the sixth of June last, at Paris, in the Mairi: of the sixth armi- dissement. My wife always conducted herself as an honest woman should conduct herself. The establishment wi^ very dirty, and we were very badly fed. There Mas vermin ; the food was insuf- ficient. It was impossible to wasli ourselves, because there was neither soap or tow^els. To Mr. St. Pierre.— Uy wife was not present when Mr. Belle addressed me as above related. The following w^ere the words used by Mr. Belle " Voire femme va en vUlefaire la putain avec des Frangais." " Your wife goes to the City to whore with Frenchmen." He added, " that he understood emigrant ladies should remain in the Home without going out." Question.— Yoxx said in your exam'ination-in-chief, that your wife complained to you of Mr. Belle's treatment towards her, and you added that she had said to you amongst other things, that "lie invited her to go to his oiTice ; please say if these soiici- iTii. iieiic invitou jifgr , 183 tatious were ever made in your presence, aud if not, in what manned did they come to your knowledge ? Ansioer. — These solicitations were not made in my presence. It was my wife who told me, on my arrival at home at noonday from my work. Question. — When Mr. Bello said to you that your wife went to the City to amuse herself with Frenchmen, or that she went there for bawdy purposes, to use his own expression, did he give you the names of the persons with Avhom he pretented your wife amused herself? Answer. — No, I never at any time knew my wife to be a woman of loose character. The first informations I received of this looseness was from the mouth of Mr. Belle. I beUeve thai this pretended mia« conduct of my wife was used by Mr. Belle as a motive to dismisa us from the Home. This information given to me by Mr. Belle annoyed mo so much, that if I had had the means, I would have immediately sued him in damages, to let him see if my wife was a bawd. Cross-examined. By Mr. Belle. — I did not assist at any meeting against Mr, Bello, either in St. An toino street or elsewhere On leaving the Emigration Home, I w^ent to live at No. 31, College Street. I received a subpoena to come and give evidence. I offered to give evidence myself. I went with that object to Mr. Barnard. The witness closes his deposition, declaring the same to be true, and hath signed. if these soiici- [Signed,] [Attested,] J. F. DUBREUIL, Secretary, pro tempore. J. r. ARNAUD. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. 1. 184 Thursday, the twontioth day of March, one thousand ci-ht hundred and seventy-three,— before noon. * * Jeanne Delbrut, wife oi Jean rierre Arnaud, the witness who has just been heard, being duly sworn, doth depose and say • —I am twenty-seven years of age. I arrived in Montreal with with my husband the 21st July liii;t. To Mr. St. Pierre.— \Y^ reached the Emigration Home on Sunday, and we left it on the following Thursday. Answer.-yfG arrived at the Emigration Home on .i Sandav and we left it the following Thursday. Question.— Yiiii you never say to Mr. Belle, Emigration Agent at Montreal, that you did not like to go to his ofttce'^ without your hnsband, and have you had any conversation with Mr. Belle upon that subject ? Answer.— I never had any private conversation with Mr Belle. I spoke to him o' ce in the kitchen the same day he order- ed me, very indolently, to leave the home. I did not say to Mr Belle personally, that I did not wish to go to his office. I said so to a young girl who said she had been sent by him. As I have already stated, I never had a private conversation with Mr. Belle. Question.— na-A^o relate what was said in the kitchen ? The Attorneys for the defence objected to this question. Question res ]. Answer. --^U. E.lle said to me very impolitely that we must leave the h^use immediately. This conversation took place near the kitchen. In my opinion Mr. Belle is unworthy of bein- a husband and a father. I asked Mr. Belle if he would be go'od enough to allow some one to go with me into the city to assist me m fin.dmg lodgings. Mr. Belle said he had nobody, and that ho could not give me any person to assist me, because he could not tind for every person people to conduct them. w\\\ lousaiid cisrht 185 Tho young woman who preteud«Hl having })ceu sent hy Mr. Bello to me, as I have aheady above stated, was the daughter of Madame Barrette, the cook. I understood that the olfice to which I was to go was that of Mr. Iklle in the lower part of the same building. Qwes/io//.— riea.se explain why you answered this message by saying, that you did not wish to go to Mr. IJello's office with- out being accompanied by your husband ? Answer.— It was in con-sequence of the manner in which Mr. Bella received us o-i our arrival at the home. I noticed on our arrival that he used the words " thee " and " thou" to every body {tuloi/nit) and he produced upon me so singular an impression, that I was ashamed to look him in the face. , I twice received from the young girl above mentioned, invitations to go to Mr. Belle's office. Tt ^yas upon the lirst invitation I answered as above ..tated. On receiving the second invitation, I wont down stairs, and there I had the co.n-ersation as already reported above. Upon this occ-assion Mr. Belle placed a servant at my disposal who ac- companied me for an hour and a half, in search of lodgings. It was after my refusal to Mr. Belle's first inritation to go to his office, that h - spoke of me to my husband. I was not present at the conversation between Mr. Belle and my husband, but at mid- day I had a terrible scene with my husband, in consequence of what Mr. Belle had told him of me. I was on the point of tele- graphing to my parents to send me money to return. When my husband arrived, he was pale and very excited. He charged mo with having gone out. I had all the trouble in the world to con- vince him to tho contrary. I was then in complete undress («ev/jg-e.) My husband reproached me with having gone into the City with some Frenchmen, he said he had been so informed. This accusation was false, because I did not go out. Quesiion.— Did you never leave the Emigration Home, and have you never at any time gone into th« City, here at Montreal, tc amuse yourself, and have a good time with Frenchmen or other persons ? An. swcr. — Ko. 2i '4' % 186 I found everything in the Emigration Home very dirty, the rooms and the beds. The food was more than insufficient and very bad. After my last interview with Mr. Belle, I was so anxious to take no matter what situation, even to engage myself as a servant, and I even took stops for that purpose with a Mr. Beau. The last interview I had took place two days after the difficulty with my husband. The attorneys for the defence declare they have no cross- questions to put to Ihe witness, who declares the present deposi- tion to contain the truth, and hath signed. [Signed,] [Attested,] J. F. DUBREUIL, Secretary, pro tempore. Mdme. ARNAUD. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. Thursday, the twentieth of March, one thousand eight hundred and seA'enty-three, at threo-quartors past three o'clock in the afternoon. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q. C, Commissioner. Albert Brun, employed in a commercial house at Montreal, being duly sworn, doth depose and say :— I am a Frenchman. I am from Perpignan, in France. I am thirty-four years of age. I arrived, with a number of other emigrants, in Montreal, on the 13th of August last. I came here with my family, my wife and one child. I went to the Emigration Home. Mr. Belle was then Emigration Agent, and when I arrived at the Home, it was Mr. Archille Belle, his nephew, who replaced him during his absence. We lived in the Emigration Home about fifteen days. To Mr. Monk.— I must say in all truth that I have no com- plaint to make againt Mr. Belle porsoually, and on my arrival I 187 was received with much civility by his nephew, Mr. Archille Belle, advocate, who therein replaced him. The food and sleeping accommodation was bad. Having l)een accustomed to more com- lort ni France. I found it very painful for my wifo and myself. In my opinion all the blame should bo attached to the manager of the establishment, atid much to the cook. Madame Barrette and her daughter through excess of zeal went beyond the orders she ought to have received. Having perceived c iy arrival at Montreal, that I left for the winter a parcel voluminous enough, of eftects which composed my little fortune, one of the emi)loyees at the Montreal office, [Mr. Muller] at my request, wrote to the Agency at Quebec. I went to Madame Barrette to reclaim my parcel, and she answered me ni an in.solent manner, that she had nothing for me, while it was to my knowledge that my effects had been brought to the estab- hshment and deposited by Mr. Muller in the cellar of the build- nig ; upon two occasions for the parcel, I asked Mr. Muller and Madame Barrette's successors :— I received for answer, that they knew nothing about any parcel coming to my address. It is about two months and a-half since I applied for it, for the last time. Mr. Muller informed me in person that my effects were at the establishment. I did not speak to Mr. Belle on this subject. I troubled myself very little about the kitchen. I came here lo look for work and not to occupy myself with kitchen matters. I did not pay much attention to it. When I spoke to Madame Barrette about my pe , she answered me very impudently, saying that she had nothing to my address, that she had received nothing for mo, and to leave her alone. To Mr. St. Pierre.— Hhe. food was of good quality but badlv prepared. Cross-examined by Mr. Belle. I do not know personally if the parcel in question had been received. I said it upon the statement of.Mr. Muller, who told rae he had in his hands. It is three months I believe since he so told me, and after he had left the Emigration Home. I did not nsk at the offite, before Mr. Miiller had left, if the parcel in ques- tion had been found. *+; 188 f|l t£ .-. During the time I wns at the lilmigration ITomo, I did not complain to Mr. lk*llo, that the rook did not behave to ns in a becomini;: manner If I did not ('omi>]ain it \V!»s throxigh pride, and not l)eea\iso I had no reason to make comidaint. Thegrealcy part of the trou])le, and indeed all the le, came from Madame Ikrrette. ' I was surprised, that I should he disturbed at my work to make a deposition so insigniiicant as the one I have made. As lor the food and the sleeping accommodation, the thing was so palpable that no one could deny it. Question.— Do you not believe that it is much more in the interest of emigration, and the emigrants themselves, to soek for work on their arrival in this country, as you yourself did, instead of inspecting the kitchen of the Emigration Home ? The complainants' Attorneys object to this question. They wish to elicit from the witness his appreciation upon facts, given as proof and established whereas in truth, they are not ; and alxo because they wish to obtain from the witness his appreciation of facts foreign to the question. Objection reserved. Answer.— AW the Emigrants did not come in the same condi- tion that I did. I had no trade, and the diificulty in obtaining a place was greater. It was necessary iliat I should set about immediately to search for a place, wh(>reas other emigrants haviiin' trades could ])e placed with much more facility, and not knowing the City, we had to report ourselves to the emigration agents, who through their acquaintances in the City could immediately establish us according to our capacities. It is to my personal knowledge, that the employees of the Emigration Home did all in their power to i)lace the emigrants who came in the same ship as myself Mr. Muller did himself a great deal of harm in that way, and the presence of Mr. Bdle's uei)hew who came twice a day to stimulate the servants with zeal. 189 The witness hero closes his deposition, deeluring the same lo contain the truth, and hathsio-ned, this twentieth day of'March, one thousand eii-hl hundred and seventy-three, at Montreal albre- Buid. [Signed,] ALBERT BRUN. C". A. LEBLANC, ,..,,- CoMimissiuuer. (AtteKti'tl.J J. V. DlTlHlKUITi, Strrcfiiri/, /'in frt)i/iorp. And this Thursday, the twentieth day of March, one thousand eioht hundred and seventy-threo, the witness Hans Muller already examined, upon the same oath already taken, doth depose and say : It is to my personal knowledge that a parcel, addressed to Mr. Albert Brun, reached the Emigration Home with other luggage, about two or three weeks after Mr. Brun'& arrival. When the ])areel so arrived, Mr. Bniu was not at the Emigration Home. I had the parcel in my hands. The parcel was deposited in the lirst story behind the kitchen, and near the gallery. The parcel was sent to Montreal upon my application for it by Mr. Thorn, Emigration Agent at Quebec. I have seen the parcel since, it rtunained in the same place for several weeks. When it was rain- ing, 1 asked Madame Barrette to take care of this parcel, and it was then put in the cellar. I afterwards saw the parcel for a long time in the celler. No person came to claim the parcel while I was in the Emigration Homo. Since then, I L.,ld Mr. Brun, the first time I met him, that the parcel in question had been depo- sited at the Emigration OiTic- I could not inform him earlier, because I did not know his a.i ess. And the witnoss here closes his deposition, declaring the same to l)e true. [Signed,] HANS MULLER. [Attested,] •': F. DiTBRF.TTTL, Scrrrtftri/. pro fi'in/iirrf. V. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. I*: i' If* 190 Present: CHARLES A. LKHLANC, Q. C, Commissioner. Louise Honicho, wiR- of Victor Arrhitl..t, of St. Hyacintho being duly sworn, doth doposo and «ay :~I ani from Paris, Franc My husband is a cabiu.t-makor with Mr. Burko. I am ninotoeii years of age. I arrived in Canada witli my hu8l)and in the monih of July last ; wc came with a number of other emigrants • we went to the Emigration Home, Mr. Belle was then Emitrratiou igont I lived eight days at the Emigration Home. To Mr. Monk.—^oxac time after my arrival at the Emigration Home, I met Mr. Belle in the hou.se. The first day he spoke to me very politely, and he promised me that he would give his atten- tion to myself and my husband. He afterwards 5.sked me if I would accept an invitation to sup with him in Montreal. I did not like to accept. I inferred from this proposition that Mr. Belle's intention towards me were not good. The invitation was given to mo only. In answer to Mr. Belle, I said that 1 did not come to Canada to m,s-coiuluet myself, he repeated his request several times, but I did not accept. Thai same evening, I communicated the circumstance to my husband. My husband said we should leave the house right-away. My husband found employment two days after our arrival at Montreal. Our beds were not too clean, Mr. Belle would not even allow them to give us sheets, we complained, and the woman who keeps the house, gave us some. l{ the establishment ;vas properly con- ducted it would be suitable enough. To Mr. St. Pierre.-mien Mr. Bfclle invited mo to supper with him he told me it would be in one of the City hotels. I Cora- plained to Mr. Belle that we were not very well served at table He then said to me, if you wish 1 will take you to a hotel for sup- per. I refused, saying to him, that I did not want his offers, that I was rich enough to get a supper for myself [if I wanted it] at the hotel These invitations of Mr. Belh. were repeated several times, at 101 least throo tinios upon ilu« same occasion. 1 ohKorvcd that Mr. Belle said " thco and thou" [tutoijait] to nearly overybody, oven the womon. Cross-examined by Mr. Belle. Question.-\yk\ not Mr. Bcllo request you to take several meals at the hotel by yourscli; (seeing that you complained of tho food,) without speaking of accompanying you ? Answer.— iHr. Belle did not propose that I should go alone to tho hotel for my food, but lie always proposed to accompany me It was two days after my arrival that ho thas invited me to sup- per. My husband camo every inening after his work to the Emigra- lion Home. I remained at th.. home six days after Mr. Belle's invi- lation. Apart from my husband, I did not speak to any one upon tho subject matter of this deposition, neither here, or at St Hyucmtho. My husband only slept two nights at the Emigration Home. ° The witness hero closes her deposition, declaring the same to be true and faithful, and hath signed. L0U1«E ARCHIDET. C. A. LEBLANC, (Attested,) J. F. DUBREUIL, Secretary, pro tenij'ore. Commissioner. The same day, the twenty-first of March, one thousand eiffht hundred and seventy-threo. Victor Archidet, of St. Ilyaciuthe, commercial clerk ' _omg duly sworn, doth depose and say :_I am thirtyone years of age. I arrived m Canada with my wife during the first days July. I was with a number of other emigrants who came to Montreal ; we wont to the Emigration Home, Mr. Belle was then ^migration Agent. I saw him several times at the Emigration Home, I remained there two or three days. I afterwards went to Mr. Duvergiens. 102 7'o Mr. Monk. — The Hccoiid pt, but we had something to eat. The bed-rooms were deplorable. I complaim>(! to Mr. Muller, who was then in the Emigration Home, Crosx-examined b// Mr. licllc.. I remained a month in Montreal before going to St, llya- ciiithe. I did not seek to enter into any explanations with Mr. Belle, because 1 wished to avoid all di.scussion, fearing I mighi lose my temi)cr, get annoyed. Tho witness here closes his deposition, declaring the same to be true. VICTOR AllCHIDET. I Attested,] J. F. DUBREUII,, Secretary, pro tempore. ('. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. .at' I f I nrr the saiuo to .nCHIUET. oinmtssioner. 103 TI.0 «am.Mlay. ivvonty.fir.t March, .mc- lhou««n«loight hiindroU and w^venty-threo. Mathii.uk Dotzi.eu. wifo of ('{.flarNisiui, of tho City ofMou- treal, lirazior, being duly sworn, doth d.'iM)H,. an to do the work in the place of Madame Barrctte. Madame Barrette's manner was insolent. She would send us about our business whenever we asked her for anything. The kitchen was dirty every where. The house was con- stantly in disorder. To Mr. St. Pierre— I had as much food as I wanted, but it was not well prepared. The Attorneys for the Defence declining to cross-examine the witness who here closes her deposition, declaring the same to contain the truth, and hath signed. Fomme NISINI. [Attested,] J. F. DUBRKUII., Secretary, pro tempore. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. Before noon, on the day, month and year above mentioned, the present investigation is adjourned until three o'clock in the afternoon of this day, Friday, the twenty-lirst of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three. C. A. LEBLANC, , , ,. , , , Commissioner. [Attested,] J. F. DUJBREUIL, Secretary, pro tempore. ifj ouse was con- wanted, but it 195 At three o'clock in the afternoon of the said day, Friday, the twenty-first of March, one thousand eight hundred ' and seventy-three. Present r CHARLES A. LEBLANG, Q. C, Co?)imiss''oner. Cksar Nisini, of the City of Montreal, brazier, being duly sworn, doth depose and say :— I am thirty-seven years of age I am a native of Rome. I am an Italian. I arrived in Canada the 8th of October last. On reaching Montreal, I went with my wife and child to the Emigration Home. .We got there after midnight. We numbered almost a dozen of emigrants I believe. Mr. Miiller re- ceived us at the Emigration Home. To Mr. Monk.—Seeing that we had nothing to eat at Quebec as there was no place for us, they told us we would get refresh- ment < our arrival at Montreal. Seeing that the train was about io leave for Montreal we embarked immediately. We got a piece of bread at Point Levis, which we ate on the way. On our arrival at Montreal, the only food we received was a cup of hot water with a little coffee in it. I spoke to Mr. Muller, who told me he could not do more, because he had no orders, and that it was against the rules of the Home to do more. The Saturday evening following our arrival, Madame Barretto informed me she had received an order from Mr. Belle, that I should procure lodgings. I complained of this to Mr. Muller. T^i''^'^ "'"^ ^^"""^ "^ '''■'^''^'' to receive from Madame BarrMte! Uxo Tuesday following, on returning from my work, I found my wife galled because she had been refused her food at noon On the Wednesday morning I spoke to Mr. Belle, in the presence of Mr. Muller. saying to him : Mr. Belle, they had refused to give my wife any food to eat. He answered, saving, that he had in- structions to follow, and that he could not keep a family longer 111 the Emigration Home. I told him 1 was without moans, and that he ought not to put a family in the middle of the street. I was then employed at the Maison Dor^e, replacing another, for 'itr' I' 1 1 i f 196 three days. The following Tuesday I tried at Mr. Garth's. I have been at Mr. Garth's since then. I left the Emigration Home the Saturday after my arrival. I remained in it about nine days. I understood the rules of the home to be that we shoiiV leave it 24 hours after finding employment. "When we left the Emigration Homo we were without any means whatever. Emigrants are not very well treated at the Emigration Home. We sleep on mattrasses stretched on boards. The quilte might be large enough for two, but they have to serve five. It was im- possible to undress to go to bed. The women were in a room separate from that occupied by the men. I knew .of no exception to this. There was but one sheet dirty and disgusting. The room and the mattrasses were in the same state. In the conver- sation above mentioned with Mr. Belle I said to him: "If yon have your instructions to carry out I have my engagement, and that I would address myself to the proper authorities, d qui de droit. He then said to me that I did not know what my engage- ment was, and I should try to get anything at all to do. I then proved to Mr. Belle, by Mr. MuUer, who was present, that I had applied for a place as farm servant. He said "on that condition I will keep you at the Home." This occurred the Wednesday after my arrival. It was the morning of that day, (Wednesday,) that I made a trial at Mr. Garth's. I now earn at Mr. Garth's ten dollars a week, and I am satisfied. In a few days he will increase my pay. The same disorder of which I spoke as being in the rooms, existed all over the establishment. I should also say that Mr. Belle is not very polite to the emi- grants, because he says "thee" and "thou" to everybody, with a hautinoss of tone which we feel. Cross-examined. The attorneys for the defence declare thev have no cross- 197 hat we shou'u lij'ration Home. in the rooms, questions to put to the witness, who persists in the present depo- sition, declaring the same to contain the truth. [Signed,] NISINI, CESAR. [Attested,] T. F. DUBREUIL, Secretary, pro tem/jore. C. A. LEBLANO, Commissioner. have no cross- The same day, l^riday, tw.'nty-liist March, one thon.sand eight hundred and seventy-tliri'o. GUSTAVE Levalle, of the City of Montreal, arm-chair maker, being duly sworn, doth depose and say :— I am a Frenchman, and forty-three years of age. I arrived in Montreal the fifth of Sep- ti^mber last. Oji my arrival I went to the Emigration Home. I am a married man. I left my wife at Paris with a little girl nine years of age. I came with a number of other emigrants. Mr- Belle was then Emigration Agent. I lived five days at the Home, until the moment I found work. Thirty-live of us arrived at Que- Ik'c. At Montreal we numbered about twenty-live or thirty. I l>elieve we were' all French. On our arrival Mr. Muller received us at the railway terminus. We reached Montreal about one o'clock in the afternoon. We were seventeen hours in the railway ears without eating. To Mr. Monk: — On our arrival here we were very hungry. The table was laid when we arrived, thai i.s, with tea, without sugar, because Mr. Belle expressly lorbid the giving of sugar to emigrants arriving. It was the cook who told me so in answer to the remark made by me to her. I complained to Mr. Muller, who sent out of the Home for some. The sugar only arrived after we had left the t. potatoes, and water T did not like the I* 'I ^1 198^ kitchen, nor did I like the food, because it was badly prepared. It was disgusting to me to look at it. „ As for the sleeping accommodation, we slept on mattrassos infected, and filled with vermin. The straw seemed to be in them for a long time. We could not shako it up, it was like manure. They did not give us any covering for these mattrasses. The room in which we slept was in a hangard in the yard. The rain come through it. "We were obliged to move our beds about to escape getting wet. I never went into the bath-room to wash myself, I only went to it to draw water. The bath-room was very dirty. With the exception of these apartments, I did not go into any other rooms in the house The water closets could not be used because of their filthy condition, there were two compartments, one for tho men and another for the women. But we could easily see from the women's compartment what was passing in the men's com- partment. I had only two sous on my arrival ai Montreal, to pay for the carriage of my luggage, I was obliged to borrow two francs. It was Mr. Bossange, emigration agent for Canada, at Paris, who directed us to go to Montnal. I found employment about eight days or thereabout, after my arrival, at Mr. Thompson's, cabinet maker, Montreal. For the pa,st three months I have been paid at the rate of ten dollars and a-half per week. On my arrival at the Home, I saw a parcel undone with a child's wheel-barrow on top of it. This package was inside at tho foot of the stairs. My attention was directed towards it because it had been there for several days. About filt.'eu days afterwards I again saw the same parcel in the yard exposed to the weather. My attention was more particularly directed to this parcel, be- cause one of my friends claimed a boy he had lost which has since been lost, judging from the description given to me last evening by Mr. Brun, I am inclined to believe the parcel in question is that lost by Mr. Brun. 199 Cross-examined by Mr. Belle. I did not notify Mr. Muller that there was a parcel knocking about the yard. When I saw ihe parcel for the last time in the yard, Mr. Muiier was then in the Emigration Home. The com- plainants declare that they will not have any other witr-ssestoex- amine before Monday next. The present enqu4te is adjourned until Monday, the twenty-fourth of March instant, at 3 o'clock r. M., and the witness declares his present deposition true, and hath signed. fAttested,] LEVALLfi. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. J. V. DuhRElTIL, Secretmy, pro tempore. \\ question la Monday, the twonty-fourth day of March, one thousand eight hun- dred and seventy-three, at three o'clock in the afternoon, PEEgENT : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q. C, Commissioner. Annette Culat. wife of Jean Boget, of the City of Hon. treal, stone-cutter, being duly sworn, doth depose and say :-I am a French woman from Savoie. We arrived in Montreal, myself, my husband, and my litte child oji the eighth of October last ' On our arrival, we went down to the Emigration Home ; we arrived about eleven o'clock at night ; we remained fifteen days at the Emigration Home My husband found work eighteen days after our arrival at Montreal. To Mr. St. Pierre.— yfQ passed the first night of our arriral at the Emigration Home. We took our breakfast there. They served us with coffee and bread and butter. The coffee was not gooc, one would have said it wiuj water. We did not find the 'ft 200 Emigration Homo very clean. I was not satisfied witli the treat- ment I received. There was no stint of food, but it was badly prepared. I myself peeled potatoes in the same biicket as that used to wash the linen. I foxind vermin in my child's head tho morning following that of my arrival. My child never^ had any before. I did i.ot see any in the beds, nor did I capture any. "While I was there I saw^ Miss Leonie Barrette. She is the daughter of the cook who conducts the Emigration Home, She appears to be almost twenty-years of age. She is not married. I did not observe if this young woman was enceinte or not. 1 quarrelled with both her and her mother. The cause of our quarrel was, the young girl carried away a box containing thread, needles, and other things which I had brought from France. Tho box was left by myself in a windo'v, in the room in which wc eat our food It was a little convenience which women travelling are accustomed to carry with them. It was still there in the evening, but not there on the following morning. I demanded it from Madame liarrette and her daughter. They said on answer that they were not in the habit of touching anything belonging to emigrants. I made enquiry about it from all the emigrants, and a young man, an emigrant, told me where it was. Ho told me he saw it in the hands of Madame Barrette's little boy, who was play- ing with it. This little boy is about seven years of age. I asked him were he found the box, and he told me in his sister's room, Leonie Barrette. The following day, at noon, upon my husband's arrival, I asked him to institute a search for the l)ox. Madame Barrette asked him into the room whore the box was hidden to look for it, and to prove to my husband that it waa not there. But Madame Barrette was careful enough to go into the room alone before us. A fevr minmtes afterwards, I found the box at my room door, but it was empty. I told Miulame Barrette, that I would complain both of her and her daughter's conduct, to Mr. Belle. She told me, she could put me out in Mr. Belle's name, and that I would gain nothing by speaking to Mr. Belle. Think- ing she told me the truth, I did not make any complaints to Mr. Belle. The box in question was small and could be easily hidden under one's dress, if they so desired it. Madams Barrette was polite to the men, but not to the women. Personally I do not complain of Mr. Belle, and I did not notice his conduct towards 201 other women. 1 obsfivccl that Mr. Belle was in the habit of say- ing " thee " and " thou " to nearly everybody. I remarked that Madame Barrelle'.s !itUo boy, spoken of above, was a cross child, an plentiful enough, but it was badly prepared. The beds were not clean. Two days after our arrival at \\\c Home, my wife found vermin in my child's head, I told her to remove the sheets and to use our own, which we had in a trunk. We slept on our own sheets during the remainder of the time we were at the Home. Madame Barretto and her daughter conducted the establish- ment. They w'ere much more strict than Mr. Belle. I believe all emigrants arriving in this country during the pood season can get employment. I am now employed, and when I can get work, I can earn from two dollars and three (|narters to three dollars a day. Cross-exam ine(/. The attorneys lor the defence declare they have no question to put to the witness, who persists in his present deposition, de- claring the same to be true, and hath signed. [Signed,] BOGET, JEAN. [Attested,] J. F. DUBREUITi, Serretart/, pro tem/mre. C. A LEBLANC, Commissioner. . it I had thon the establish- The same day, Monday the twenty-fourth March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three. Isidore Peurot, of the City of Montreal, chemist, being duly sworn, doth depose and say :— I am thirty-five years of age. I am a Frenchman from the department of Yonne. I arrived at Mon- treal the 2nd or 3rd of July last. I came here alone. I left my wife in France. I hav(> sent ibr her .since then. On arriving at Montreal I went down to the Emigration Home, where I lived'for nearly fifteen days. It was fifteen or eighteen days heibre I found a place where 1 could practice my profession. To Mr. Monk.~Thc food in the establishment was exceed- uigly bad. In the morning we had a slice oi bread upon which they pretended to put butter, coflee or tea without sugar. At noon, a little meat with vegetables very badly prepared. The lirst arrivals had the good luck to be better served than the last comers, who very olten only got dry bread, when they were a little late. The meat was very good but badly prepared ; we had sufiicient bread. J observed frequently that the place was H - 1 i r •.. i^ ska 204 exceedingly dirty, as well at tho table as in the kitchen. Thf sleeping rooms were fiomething diHgracelul, wf had camp hods with a mattrass exceedingly dirty and lull ofven in. AVhilo I was at the Emigration Home, 1 complained to Mr. MuUer, to tlu' cook and to Mr. Bollo himself, ol" the condition in which we lopiul the Home. Thii bath-room was nsed to wash in by everybody Three-fourths of the time there was no soap, and the same towel was in use for eight days. It was used by all, and was exceed- ingly dirty. The day after my arrival from Quel)ec, the second tini«>. (because I had returned to look after n»y luggage), on enteriim through the corridor leading to the yard, I saw Mr, IJelie holdiiifi Miss Leoni Barrette's hand in his, and his other liand was upon the shoulder of Miss Leoni Barrette. I noticed that Mr. BtHc was more polite to the ladies than to the men. lie used the ex- pressions " thee " and " thou " to nearly everybody, and spoke to us very impolitely. One day there were four emigrants at dinner, Mr. Balle asked them if they had found work. They said " no," and if they did not find any, they would go to the Unit(>d States. Mr. Bella then said, they had no right to ea(, and thiit they should leave the table immediately. Those four emigrants Huished their meal and left for the United States the same evening. One day we mentioned to Mr. Belle that we had been well treated at Quebec, and badly here. Mr. Belle made answer that at Quebec the emigrants were too well fed, and if they tod them as well here, there vvoiild l)e no end to giving to th(>ni. Every day it was the same thing, for the one as for the other, the same scenes were renewed. One day Madame Barrette told nie that Mr. Belle had forbidden her to give me anything to out. I replied that Mr. Belle was old enough to do his own errands The next day Mr. Belle called me to him, saying that I had hocii long enough in the establishment, and that I should leave. I said I had a letter from Mr. Bossange, in which he promised me lodgings and food, until I obtained employment or at least until I could work. In my opinion, I am convinced that in con.sequonce of the uneieaii eonditiun in whioii the Emigraiiun IToiiio is kepi, ihii 905 out of 500 omitfrauts who have Hlfty«'d thoro— 850 havf goiio to lirt» in the United HtalcH. Kinijfraiits Ihul on entering, a placard notifying them that if wilhin 48 hours they hav»' not I'ound work they must leave the Home. This placard, with th(^ treatment we receive in the eNtah- lishment, eontrihuteN not a little to diHcouratye emigrants and to laalce 111 sn u » away. It should be a place more intended for eini- •jrantH than lor nn-ndicanlN. To Mr. St. Piei're.~My wile iirrived in Canada on the fourth (.rSei.temher. She did not go In the Kniigralion Home. She had a young lady with her, and I did not wish to let them go to the Home, unless with the approbation of her I'alher. who was there. E.mmine(l bi/ Mr. Iklle. QuesUon.—ll&ya you got with you Mr. Bossange's letter of 1 pcommendation of which you spoke ? Anawer. — Certainly— 1 am the bearer of it. Question. — Will you produce it before this Commission ? Answer. — I am willing to give a copy of the letter, but I will not part with it, as it might houseful tome. I have already shewn the letter to Mr. Belle, who read it and then returned it to me. The letter is here produciul, and communication of it given to Mr. Belle's attorneys. Question. — Have meetings been held in your workshop iigainst Mr. Belle i Ausioer. — No. Re-era mined. le is kepi, lliai /?// Mr. St. Pierre. — Please state, yes or uo, if certain meetings have been held relating to emigraiion ; and yes, or uo, if at these meetings the name of Mr. Belle was brought up. Answer. — Two meetings of emigrants were held I believe in the month of February last, in my workshop. The object of these 20(S meetings was to proparo a conipluint wo had to make to the Uovernment, toiicliing the tn'iitinoat wo had received at the Kmigratiou Homo. It wa« to collect the comphiintH each hiul to make agaiiutt omigrution at Montreal. To Mr. Helle.— l cannot Hay who jiroposod those mcetingn There where Bovora! of us present, and all of the same opinion At the first meeting, a chairniun was appointed. I was uamccl chairman orth(> meeting. Thera was no chairman at the sooond meeting. There wore two socretarios, Mr. BoncorpH and Mr. Lidieu, who wrote down the complaintH made by the nmigrnnts Kach emigrant signt'd his complaint. The dof«'nce declares thoy have no other questions to put to the witness, who here doses '; s deposition, declaring the same to be true, and hath signed. [Signed,) PERROT, FiLa. C. A. LEBLANC, Commismmff. And the present investigation i.s adjourned to Wednesday, the twenty-fourth of March iiisluni, at three o'clock in the al'tei- nuon. I'. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner lAttested.) J. F. DUBRKUlIi, Secretary, pro tein/to^r. WednKiJDAY, the twenty-sixth of March, one thousand eight hun- dred and Beventy-three. Present : ' lARLE; a. LEBLANC, Q. C, Commixsioner. Mr. Mouk cioses his examination without waver of, but n- serving his right to examine Bt>njamin Clement, the formi if ihcru is any ocoaHion, and if ho deems it necessary. The Attorneys for Mr. Belle object to this roservftlion, wltK- out waiver of the examination of Clement, in counter proof, if it \H required. Tlu^ Attorneys for the (l.fenn> having declared thrt« they will hp ready to commence their cnqu^lt: to-m<»rrow, Thui *Hay, tho present enquiry In adjourned to Thursday, (he vv»>nl\| eventh of March, one thouHand eight hundred and iwventy- ee, at three o'clock in the afternoon. C. A. LEBLaNC, CoMmimoner. (Attested,! .1. K. DUBRKIIII., Secretary, pro lemjtnre. the iormer super- Thursday, the twenty-sevenihday of March, one thousar eight hundred and scventy-lhi !e. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q C, Comv •ssioner. Marie MiciiEii, wife of Jo eph Givsche, of the City of Mon- treal, shoemaker, being duly sw "ii, doth depose and say : I am thirty-seven years of f?c. I have been in Montreal since the 13th of June last. I ar; ved here with my husband and a number of emigrants. On our arrival we went down to the Emigration Home. Mr. Belle was then the chief agent, and Mr Muiler sub-agent. I lived three days at the uomo. "'nw Hi' '-■i i 208 To Mr. Belle— I know Madaiiu; Fiuoltc. 1 made hov a* - quaintance at the Homo of Emigration. Five weeks after I had left the Emigration Home, I saw Madame Tarotte in the house ol a Frenchman in Craig street. Slie was making a cliemise at one Mr. Laurent's. The lady of the hovise had given her two days' work, as her husband had left her without means. I then had an opportunity of speaking to Madame Parotte about tho Emigration Home and of Mr. Belle. Our conversation turned on Mr. Belle. Madame Parotte said to me that she had no complaint to make against him, that fal»o rumours had gone abroad about her and Mr. Belle, but they were all untrue, that Mr. Belle had always acted seriously towards her, as he did with everybody ; that if these rumours had been true, Mr. Belle would not have left her in her present misery ; that her husband had been a month ab- sent, working on the railways, and that a gentleman had been good enough and charitable enough to lodge her for charity. She also said it was an unfortunate affair, that her husband, as it was, despised her, without having hi>r reputation attacked about Mr, Belle, that Mr. Belle was innocent of everything that had been said against him. I have not seen her since. I understood that Mr. Belle had always been perfectly reserved towards this lady, and that she had no complaint of any kind to make against him, that he had behaved properly towards her as he did towards everybody. This conversation, to the best ot my belief, took place about the month of August. During the time I remained at tho Emigration Home, I had no reason to complain of the establishment. I had no complaint uiwn the cleanliness of tho Home or against the food. Mr. Jean de Meulenerre was then the keeper of the Home. His wife did the cooking. The Home was always clean. Since leaving the Home, I have returned to it very often. I have had many occasions to see the upper and lower parts of tho house, since Madame Barrette is in charge. 1 did not find the house badly kept. It is impossi})le to keep it cleaner, seeing thai it is occupied by so many people. The lloors are very clean, and 200 made hov a( ■ :s after 1 had I the house ol jomise at one ler two days' I then had an 10 Emigration on Mr. Belle, iaint to make bout her and e had always body ; thai if have Icl't her 1 a mouth ab- nan had been charity. She and, as it was, Iced about Mr. that had been iderstood that irds this lady. 8 agaiust him, e did towards k place about L Homo, I had I no complaint od. Mr. Jean Ilis wife did very oitcu. I a'r parts of the d uot find the ler, seeing that :ery clean, and are serul)bed twice or three limes a week. I saw the food cooked, and it was very cleanly prepared, as well as in any ordinary family kitchen. During Madame Barrette's time I frequently went to the Home, and often took my meals there, which were as good as if I had prepared them myself. From what I saw at the Home, as well during my residence in it, as from my visits paid, since I left it, I consider that emi- grants are Avell treated in every particular; no preference is shewn to any ojie. Our family at the Home consisted of four persons, my husband, my father-in-law, ray daughter and myself. I had occasion to notice how emigrants are treated by Mr. Belle. He came to the Home in the morning, at noon, and in the even- iiip. He was always polite to the emigrants. During the whole time we lived at the Home we had no complaint to make against Mr. Belle. My husband found employment the day following thai of our arrival. I found the beds very clean, and I never saw any vermin. I (lid not hear any person complain. Seventeen of us arrived at the same time. There were al. ready other emigrants at the Home. Altogether we numbered about twenty or twenty-two. I see very little of tho emigrants I live in Dominique street. arriving in Montreal 1 am from Lorraine, my husband comes from Poitiers. We left Lorraine to come to Canada. Wc received letters of recom- mendation from Mr. Bossangc to Mr. Lesage. My husbaiid earns adollar and ahalf a day here. At home, in Lorraine, he earned from three francs to three francs fifty centimes per day. Cross-examined. By Mr. Monk. — I found Madame Parolto lady-like. I have nothing to say against her. I do not believe she would make a state- ment that was not true. I believe that, what she would say under oath would be true, I believe her to be a woman of good con- duct, and I have no complaint to make against her. I went he- lure a magistrate about a month ago to make oath to certain facts. • I 210 I was (^ndttctod iluTcby a doctor who lives with Mr. lielk'. 1 bo- licve I went to St. Vincent street. 1 was alone with him (the doctor.)- We wore talking one day about Madame Tarotte. It was said that she spoke badly, that is, she spoke badly of Mr. Belle. I then said it was not true, that she had not so spoken to me. I then spoke to my hus])and who appeared to know about the affair, my husband spoke to the doctor and he also asked me if I could make oath to these facts. I said " yes" I believe it was before Mr. ^^orissette that I made my affidavit. I do not know if my husband is employed by Mr. Belle to look after witnesses. I do not know the name of Mr. Reuters coachman, nor am I aware that my husband knows him either. I know Mr. Guillard, he is a Frenchman We crossed in the same ship. I know that he was employed in Montreal as a coachman, and that he leaves to- day for Boston. Madame Parotte told mc that the rumours cur- rent about herself and Mr. Belle, and of which 1 have spoken in my exarainalion iu chief, wore all false. It was said that Madam.- Tarotte was intimate with Mr. Belle, and that they were having' improper intercourse together. r would not le.ive her in her present miscra. ble condition, thai the rumours circulating against her were caus- ed through jealousy. We commenced conversation together, I was the lirst to speak. I kiieVv' nothing of ihose rumours before the conversation I had with Madaiiie Parotte. 8he and I were the only persons present at this cotttersation. I swear that during the time we were at the Emigration Homo, we had no complaint to make either against the Home or against Mr. Belle, nor could my husband complain. I did not hoar any person complain ol the Home during the three days that I lived in it. * ' . ■ ' Nor have we any complaint to make against Mr, MuUor, who received ne ui>on our anival at the Home. T^Iy reason for return- ing to the Emigration Home, after I had left it, wa«, because Madam« Barrette, the present cook at the Home, and I, crossed lu the same ship, and we are like two sisters. We are two great 211 friends. I know Miss Leoni Barrette as I know the mother. I know she is the daughter of Madame Barrette's first marriage. I saw this young lady for the last time eight days after new year's day. I do not know where she is at present. Her mother told me she had gone to her home in Belgium. My hushand never worked as a shoemaker for Mr. Belle/. He always worked for the shops. The doctor in question, who asked me to make my deposi- tion, told me he had spoken to Mr. Belle, who told him to ask me to make my deposition. The doctor took me in a sleigh and brought me as far as the garden before the Church of Notre Dame. It was Mr. Morissette, notary, who wrote down my deposition. The Emigration Home is not infected with ver- min to my knowledge, any vermin which might have been on my child were caught in the ship. Nearly all the emigrants, as far as T knew, wero the bearers of letters of recommendatioii. The witness here closes her deposition, declaring the same to be true, and further saith that she cannot sign. (Attested,) J F. DUBREUIL, Secrefar//, pro tempore. a A. LEBLANC, Commiisioner, The .Slime day, Thursday, the tweniy-.seventh March, one thou- sand eight hundred and seventy-three. Adki.r Amiottk, wife of Felix Gagnon, of Montreal, labourer, being duly sworn, doth dopo.se and say : I am thirty-one years of age, 1 am a native of Canada, I was not with the number of emigrants. r To Mr. Belle. — T have resided for nearly two years at No. 31, College street. I know a man named Gustavo Joseph Gustave Vancasier; I also know his wii'e. I have known thmu for iieaily i' 212 ... • seven months. They lived with me for two months less ten days. I •ub-let a room to them. I had occasion to know, during the time they remained with us, the woman Vancaster. From what I know I would not believe her on oath. The reasons for which 1 would not believe her on oath are the following :— Because Ma- dame Vancaster came to my house (it was on a Saturday.) I ^vas reproached for having leased a room to her. On the Sunday, 1 went to see her. It was in the upper part of the house. She commenced by saying to me that she thought there were not as many pigs in Montreal as heretofore. She told me, she had found employment as a servant at Mr. iielle's, but that she would not hire herself either with Mr. Belle or Mr. Bernard, because tluy were two women hunters (lajmmeux defemmes.) I understood hci to say that these gentlemen loved the women too much. About fifteen days after the conversation above alluded to, she came and danced at Pierre Gagnon's wedding. Madunic Vancaster danced a very indecent dance. Madame Arnaiul, Madame Henri and others, also danced an indecent dance, one I never seen danced in this country. By the words "indecent dance," I mean that we should not in dancing lift the dress hjoh enough to see the chemise. Of those who danced this dance Madame Vancaster lifted her foot the highest, and she iold us that if she liked she could lift her foot as high as a man's nose. The people of the house begged of them to dance another dance, hut Madame Arnaud said :;he would not dance again with Madame Vancaster, that she did not find that dance proper. Mr. Vancas- ter was not present. She looked out of the window to see if lior husband was coming. I asked her why she was going a\vay She told me it would not do for her husband to find her danf inir because she had told him, she was ill. The husband came hoiii.> the followhig morning. She came down stairs to my apartments begging of me to go to her husband about the dancing ol' the previous evening. She said that some one had found out her husband on his beat as a policeman and informed him ihat liis wife had danced a dance of the bad women of Taris. I went up stairs. She requested mo to say to her husband that she ha/ ship while crossing. Since then Mr. and Madame Arnaud have shewn me their marriage certificate. I believe Madame Vancaster to be an habitual liar and a dangerous woman. From what I know of her, and from what I have seen and heard, I can say nothing good of her conduct. I have never seen Madame Vancaster drunk, but I have seen hor take strong liquor— ry.'. She wa.s ready to accuse everybody. She said the whole world were scoundrels. I have seen her walking arm and arm with another man, who was not her hus. !>and -a Mr. Henri. The ia,Nt named did not come when Mr if m 214 Vanca»ter was at homo, ho selocted his time to come when he was absent. Her language was very improper, everybody was sur- prised. I woald not for five hundred dollars that Madame Van- caster had come to live in my liouso. Our house was beginning to have u bad reputation when these strangers came to live in it. It is to my knowledge that Madame Vancastor's husband, while he was living in my house, wi.shed to leave his wife, in con- sequence of her bad conduct. I know a Frenchman named Isidore Perrot. He makes papL-r. I see him here present, lie livod in my house during the same time as Mr. and Madame Vancaslor. This Perrot came one day to my house sinco this investigation is going on. He told me that Mr. Belle received three shillings a day for each emigrant, that he treated them like dogs, and that he put the balance in his pocket ; that Mr. IJtdle would soon lose his place. Perrot told ns he was working to make Mr, IJelle lose his place. My husband and one of my cousins were present at this conversation. Perrot has not returned to my house since St. Michael's day. It being six o'clock in the evening of the said twenty-seventh March, 1873, the examination of this witness is continued to to- morrow, Friday, the twenty-eighth March, 1873, at three o'clod: in the afternoon. And she declares she cannot sign. (Attested,) J. F. DUBREUIL, Serretari/, pro tempore. V. A. LEBLANC, Commiisionei .—, - i ) ! 1 n ] UA i i m This twenty-eight day of March, ono thousand eight hunJredand seventy-three, at three o'clock in tho al'tornoyii. Present : CHARLES A LE1U>AN(\ Q. C, CommisHioner. The deposition of Madame Gagnon is continued, as follown: lumdivd and ned, ag foUoWH: 215 To 31r. Ikltc. — I do not l)elicvo Madam*' Vancaster on oath, as I hav»i above staled, because, she is a woman of bad reputation, of bad characier, and because I have heard her myself accnw other persons of falsehood. Crosa-e.cninincd. Bi/ Mr. Monk. — I said in my examination in chief that I was wronj? in allowing these strangers (Madame Vancaster) into my house. I have nothing to say against her husband, ^^adame Henri, also a stranger, tohl me I did wrong in allowing Madame Vancaster into nxy house, because we had only to look at her to see, that she had not the ai)i)e!iran(;u of a respectable woman. Ma- dame Henri has been absent from Montreal since last St. Michael's day. I have nothing to say against Mr. Vancaster. He is a very cstima})le person. He appeared to me to })c a well conducted man, sober. I did not observe that Mr. Vancaster told falsehoods, and from what I know I would believ^ him on oath. I have not had a quarrel with Madame Vancaster. I vras not jealous of her, nor had I any reason to be. . ,,j ^ ,. 1 danced at the wedding in question, but I do not believe Madame Vancasfcer was present when I danced. My husband has not made anything for six months, not since he has been dis- abled. I have already given my evidence before an advocate. I did not take an oath. 1 do not know where the oflice of this advocate is, noi do I know his name. What I had to say was taken down in writing. My husband did not go with rae. I went to the office of this advocate with Madame Barrette and Madame Pelzer, and xipon their invitation. It was Madame Telzer who spoke jirst upon this occasion, and who said ; " You know what Ma- dame Vancaster says about a man she cured." Nothing else was spoken of. I have not received any money, nor has any money been promised to mo. Madame Pelzer has been living in my house for about seven months. Madame Barrette is accustomed to visit my house. I work for her. She got some sewing for me. Madame Barrette did not make me any present. The baeketsshe Ijrought were work-baskets. Mr. Belle came once to my house 210 nboiit thivu wcoks al'tor New Yoar'8 day. Jlo asked iiic if it was I who had let a room lo Mr. and Madamo Vancastor. I answered " Yes." It was a lonjj; timo alter this visit (hat I went to the ad- vocate to make my declaration. I wont in a vohich; to make my declaration with Madame Barretle and my nephew, Zacharie Gaguon. It was Madame Barrette who came for me. I do not know who paid for the vehicle. It was not me. Madame Van- caster never told m(! she had been badly treated by Mr. Belle. One d&y Madame Vanea.ster spoke to mo about the jwople of her country. She said that in this country we wore too scrupulous, much more so than the people in her coujitry. She added that nevertheless she did not expect to find in this country such hoj^s as Mr. Belle and Mr. Bernard, and that she would rather stay at hor«e than go into their service. I understood from the words she used th t Mr. Belle put his hands npon the women's shoulders. When I stated that Madame Vancaster had danced an indecent dance, I mean to say that she raised her feet too high. I do not know a Belgian dance. My only reason for sayinsr to Mr. Van- caster that his wife danced like all the others was, because I did not wish to be lae cause of a divorce between her and her hus- band. Ai)art from the dance of which I have just spoken, I observed that Madame Vancaster did not dress 'in a decent manner. She wore her clothes untied. I know that she has been often sick. I know that in my house, she hiis been sick for eight day.s. At homo, I am good friends with every body, with Madame Vancaster as with the others. Nearly each time I had a conversation with Madame Van- caster it was upon light subjects. One day I upbraided her for always speaking in this manner, and asked her how she could go to her confession. She answered, saying that confeission did not trouble her. , . I saw Matlame Vancaster take lieks ago. During the first days of Madame Vancas- ter's resideui. ; in the house, I went to her room as often as twice a day, until I observed that she was not a woman to visit. I had cea.sod my visits about two or three weeks before they left. To do a good turn, render a ser^^,ce, Madame Vancaster is always ready, but fot other things I have no confidence in her. I do not believe, she has a good moral character. She has not got the habit 28 * 1 I. Vi :21b of telling llu' Irullj. Slit' rontnulictH h'TscH'. .She i^ Vfiy JVei' in her language, more cHpiM-ially holorv young men. I havosocn Ikm lake strong liquor Ivvico, hut I have nevor saw her drunk. I saw Mr. Miillcr with Madame Vuncaster at Mr. Pi'Izjt'h, one of tlu' lotlgcis in the house, sine*' Iho oomnicncnmcnt of thin enquiry They were speaking of thi' investigation. I followed them imme- diately ijito Mr. rclzevK room. They took a glass together. I do not know what Mr. Muller and Madame Vancaster came there to do, hut they had a dilficulty together. y* Ht'ij^t-om Ttiy acquaintance with Madame Vancaster, and from v^hitt rkiiow of her, I would not l)('liev(> her on oath. I know Mr. Arnaud. 1 lived about three weeks at his hoiiNe ^'his winter. He is a Frenchman. These persons were emigrant lodgers in the same house. I did not sleep there. I wenldurint- the day to, assist Madame Ariuuul with her cooking. «U«'* > Cross-rxain ined. Hfi Mr. tit. rienr. — I hiid been good friends with Mlidanic Vancaster. I have not had any dilHcidty with her. I said to somebody that. I would go and give evid(>ncc for her if I was called upon. I was not called upon to do so. I have heard it said that Madaint? Viuicaster was not willing to call me. Mr. Belle asked me to give evidence for him, audi came. If Mm- dai i' Vancaster had asked me to give evidenc(! for her, I would have dflxio so, and J would liave told the truth. I was in good frieaifls witJi Jaer whou I said this. It is since she has left the housj}. ,. .J ■,,.. nt .HUi T! itniut f,wbuld not believe a public woman, a prostitute on oath. Wy jk&^m for not believing Madame Vancaster on oath isbecaune sh6 Is ft very Ijght woman— /ew/we hien legdre. ■■ It was to Madame Vancaster's husband I made the promise of wthich I have juat spoken, about a month and a-half ago. . , Question.~yi onld you believe on oath, a woman who was the aVjOwed friend of a.piiblic woman, ov of a prostitute, knowing |»erto,bQ such? r ^^jV • hi !i'. 21^ Answer. — If sh* listed to ntinne woman, I would not believoher; b t lault nhe a})andoned her, I would beliove r havi) H<»€n hfv I cannot say how long I was friendly with Modamo Vanca*- tor. I was her fru'nd for about a month. I npent the evening? with her somctimeH in her room, but I did not sleep with her. I have not gone to see her since she has left my house. I wont to see her towards the end of hor residence in the same house with myself, but only to do some errands, ajid not to pay her a visit. When I first made her acquaintance, she spoke loose- ly, but I took no notice of it. At length, as she came to know me better, she Ivcamc more free. For this reason I wouM not believe her on oath. '■ - I only spoke to Mr. Belle twice. To Mr. Monk. — I never admitted, m the prefw^nee of Mr. Muller, that I had slept with Madame Vaneaster. Re-examined. Bi/ Mr. Belle. — I gave up Madame Vaneaster when T observ- ed that she was not a projx'r woman {fenime rnnvenable), and that she did not conduct herself as a woman ought lo conduct herself. The witness here closes her deposition, in which she persists, declaring the .same lo l)e true, and hath signed. MATIIE UAGNON. (Attested,) J. F. DUUREUIL, ^ Scirelari/, ]>ro U'lniione. C. A. LRBLANC, Commissioner i Pierre Ga(1N(in, employed in the manufactories, beinsr duly sworn, doth depose and say :- -1 am twt'nty-l'our years of age. 220 ra: To Mr. Belle. — I know Mculuino Viusoiihter, havinpf seen hor at times. I never had occiision to «p«'iik to her. 1 liv«'d in the Name houtio with her, and I «o rcMdwl all tho time tshf used in it with her husband. I still live in it. I got married on the 9lh ol last SepUanber. We give u party. Madame Vancasier was i)n'- sent. She daiiced with other Frenchmen. I noticed that Madame Vancaster danc«?d an indec(»nt and immoral dance. I wns of opinion with several others, that it wns an innnor; 1 dance. Croas'exnmined. By Mr. HI. Piene. — 1 was not in licjuor that day. I did \\u\ lind the dance in question respectable. I caimot say how many persoDB took part in the dance. If the same dance had Imm'u danced by men it would not have been indecent. There were men and women in this dance. Question. — Is it not true that the trreatcr indecencieK com- mitted upon that occasiou, were by you, and (hat Kov«'ral jwrKons had to leave the room in consequence of these indecencies? Answer. — No. The witness here close.s his deposition, in which he persist.'*, declaring the same to be true, and hath signed. riEIiUl!: (JAGNON. C. A. LEIJLANC, (Jo7)nnissioner. (Attested,) J. F. DUBRKUII., Secretary, pro tevt/tore. At half'past live o'clock in the aiternoon of the said twenty- eighth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy- three, the enquile'iH continued until the follow ing day, twenly- ninth March, one thousand eight hundred aiul seA-enty-thrce. ('. A LEBLANC, Ci)t)inii'iisii)»er wsstoner. 221 Hatubday, tvvonty-ninth Mnrch, ond Ihousftiul o'mhi ImtKlnHl and HfVcMty-lhn'o, III fwo o'clock iu th»' ufttMiiooii, PnKSKNT : (IIAKLKS A. r.KHT.ANC, Q.C, Cumnimioner, ^ PiKUUi: IjKsa(»e, of tho City ol" Montreal, hiikor, afjfod twenty- six ywars, beiiij? duly sworn, doth dcposo and wiy : — I am a Frenchman. I arrived in Canada on the lir.st oi' October last, and ;iL Montroal during the iirst days of the same month. A number (.r US arrived toi^ether. On my arrival at Monireul, I looked for :i room for my wife, mysi.'U'and oik? child. 1 aitervvards went to the Enii^'ratiou Home to be received. I went there al'tervvards to u'et my meals. 1 contiiuiod taking my meals only at the Home lor three or four days. Mr. Belle was their i^rincipal Emigration Agent, and Mr. Muller nuperiutendent. By Mr. Belle. — I found every thing very good at the Emigra- tion Home, and I was well treated. Tho food was comfortable Liiul good. Apart from this 1 was well treated. I was well re- ceived l)y Mr. Belle and ^Ir. Muller and by all the personnel of the establishment. I observed that Mr. Belle interested himself in the welfare of the emigrants, and he said to those who had no 1 lades that he regretted not being able to get them places. In I lie meantime he gave them encouragement. I remarked that Mr. Belle treated the emigrants \-ith aii'ability and fpoko to them very kindly. I came on the same ship wiih Madame Monier, her husband itnd her child. "\V"e made each others acquaintance -a few hours niter we had left Bordeaux. AVe did not come direct from Bor- deaux to Queliec, we Iirst went from Bordeaux to Liverpool, when we embarked on board one of the steamers of the Allan line. We lived ten days at Liverpool. We took our I'ood at the same table. I observed that Madame Monier's conduct while crossing was (Extravagant. 8he made a great deal of noise, and held improper conversation with the men. She used bad words, and I haA'e heard her swear bv the name of God. t' 1 1 I! 000 ill This woman was an incuml)ranct! to us, and at Liverpool she was the cause of the hotel-kooper looking upon us unfavorably, because she exacted things we could not have any wish for. 1 saw Madame Monier the day following our arrival in Mon- treal, at the Emigration Home. She arrived in Montreal on the Tuesday, and we saw her the following Sunday. We did not arrive in Montreal at the .same lime as Madame Monier, haviiiir been detained at Quebec. On that Sunday she spoke very favor- ably of Mr. Belle, saying to us, that he was good enough to give her husband employment in his office, so that he might make a little money, as he had none. Later,— after Madame Monier's husband had left Mr. Belle, Madame Monier paid us a visit. In the course of conversation she told xis that Mr. Belle was an un- grateful person, that he had done them'an injury by dismissing her husband from his service, that Mr. Belle was a scoundrel, thai he would repent it, and that she would be revenged 6f him as long as she lived, that she was sure to get her revenge out of him, whenever she owed ill-will to anyjjody she always found means to revenge herself She did not make any comphunt against Mr. Belle other than the one I have just stated, I noticed thai she was a vindictive and spiteful woman. Question. — Do you think this \voman, imbued with this hale against a person, worthy of bell* I, il' she aoeused, on oath, the per- son whom she believed had olfended her in any manner? Anstoer- -Under such circumstances I would not l)eli('ve her on oath. Question. — From what you know of that woman would you believe her on oath under any circumstances ? Answer. — I would not believe her on oath if she bore ill-will to any one, but on the other hand if she wished well to a person. then I might believe her on oath. From w'hat 1 know of this woman, I would not believe hiM on oath, if the oath was against any person to whcmi .she owed ill-will. The condui'l of this woiiuui dot's not inspire confidence. As lor myself she did nothing to nie personally. She is a violent woman, 1 have often heard her say, she didn't care a damn for her husband, that if he did not take her oixt, she would go out alone. Cross-exumineU. By Mr. Monk.—\ never had any quarrij with Madame iMonier. I did not notice that she was religious and devout. On the contrary she spoke ])adly enough about priests. Her husband was a very quiet man. I relate this story for the first time. I did not go any-wher(> to make an affidavit. I have not received any money for coming here nor has any money been jiromised to me. I was solicited lo come here and give my evidence by a per- 80)1 whc asked mc if I knew anything against her. This occurred live or six days ago. When I say that this woman's conduct was extravagant, it is because her conduct in the ship was not such as it ought to have been. She shook hands with the sailors, laughed, and amused herself with them and swore by the irame of God! I cannot state if these things happened in the presence of her husband. One day, while we were at tahle, a man from the same place as herself insulted her very grossly, and her husband, who was near her, did not say a word in her defence. I did not sleep at the Emigration Home, because I had hired a room for myself and my wife, and I preferred sleeping there. I (lid not go into every room in the Home. I was in the men's dor- mitory, on that day all the mattrasses were piled in a corner. I also saw the quilts in a pile. The quilts and the mattratses ap. peared to be clean. I did not go to the bath-room. * ■'' I read over the placard which is in the house. During the time" I stayed at the Emigration Home, I saw Mr. iJolle once every day, at noon. I have no complaint to make against Mr. Muller. To my taste the food was good and well prepared. The annoyance which Madame Monier caused us at the hotel at LivcTpoo], wjss about the food. She wanted f^ud spe«i6i- ' I ' 22 1 ly prepared for herseU'. I lu.'vor lieard it «ai(l that Madamo M(j- nier has made a false oath, and I never accused her of hav ins- made one. I believe that Mr. Mouier is a quiet man to a j]^roat degree (« TccftV). I never saw any harm in him. I i>(>rsist in sayinj^ that I would not believe Madame Monicv on her oath, and I persi.st in the deposition I have just made. I also persist in saying that I saw the mattrasses and quilts, which were clean, and piled, as I have already stated. The mattrasses were g:ood. I believe they were mattrasses, or at least I took them for mattrasses. I thought the quilts belonged to the estab- lishment . Mr. St. Pierre. — Mr. 8t. Pi ^rre states he has no question to put. And further deponent saith not, and ho declares his present ^epositiou to contain the truth, povsisting therein, and hath signod. ' PIERRE LESAGE, .'.) :< C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. The same day, twenty-ninth March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three. Marie Celestine Dep.ujne, wile of Pierre Lesage, of Mon- trp(il, baker, being duly sworn, doth depose and say: — I am twenty-four years of age.' I was of the number of emigrants who arrive^ hyrQ, at Montreal, on the lifth October last. I took food three times, on three ditierent days, at the Emigration Home. We did not sleep there, because we had taken a room upon uiir arrival at a hotel. ^^ Bp Mr. Belie. — 1 found the food given to us at the Emigra- tion Home good and plentiful. Some of it always remained on the. table. I even saw emigrants taking it for their collation, and nothing was said to them. Mr. Belle, at one of the meals, asked in mv presence if the emiirrants were satisfied with the food, an.! i no question to E LE8AGE. d eight hundriHl 225 tlioy all answered allirmatively. 1 know Madame Monier. I made her acquaintance at Bordeaux, alter we had embarked to come to Canada. We went I'rom Bordeaux to Liverpool, where we remained ton days, before taking the steamer to come to Can- ada. While crossing, Madame Monier's conduct was light. I saw her leaning carelessly on a gentleman from Bordeaux. I also saw her go to make her toilet in the same gentleman's room. I cannot say if the gentleman was then in his room. On my arrival at the Emigration Home, 1 saw Madame Mo- nier, who had preceded me a few days. She told me Mr. Belle was a good man, that he had given her husband employment, that he had engaged a coachman, and that in a word he was a father to the emigrants. Some time afterwards I had another conversation with Madame Monier, after her husband had loft Mr. Belle's employ. She said she bore ill-will to Mr. Belle and any person to whom she bore ill-will, it was ibr life. That her husband had more ability than Mr. Belle. She also said she was in indigent cir- cumstances, having only four dollars left. I do not recollect if she said anything else of Mr. B(>lle, nor if she made further com- plaint against Mr, Belle. From what I can judge of her character, I believe Madame Monier to be a spiteful and vindictive woman. She told me she bore groat ill-will against Mr. Belle for having discharged her husband. Since this last conversation I have not seen Madame Monier. Cross-examined. By Mr. .S7. i*ter/-6'.— Madame Monier came with her husband. The eulogy of Mr. Belle made by Madame Monier as above related was in consequence of the situation given to her husband l)y Mr. Belle. She appeared to be satisfied with the Emigration Home because she wanted me to go there and eat with her. I only dined at the Emigration Home. 29 226 And further witnoss saith not, and slie declares and iwrsiKlK in h(vc'ral bottles of beer together. We afterwards drank some })otlle8 of wine, after having drank the last bottle of wine she introduced me to a house in Montreal before known to nie, but where she was well known. I went with her and Pelzer and his wife. We went to this house where we drank the la.st bottle of wine and then left. In leaving this house, with Madame Vancaster on my arm, we met Mr. Vancaster who was f'^miuff to look for us. We were all thoroughly jolly. Mr. Van- caster commenced to repreniand his wife. She answered, saying. if that did not jik-ase him we would return to where we came from. I drank more thnn once u])on other occasions with Madame Vancaster. I have had an opportunity of knowing Madame VancastA-'s moral conduct. Her moral conduct is not good. From what J know of Madame Vancaster's charactei', reputation and moral conduct, I would have no hiilh in her oath. One reason is, because this woman has the common habit of tellinir lies. When this woman told me she was not married, it induced me to go and see her. I have already given evid(Micc against Madame Vancaster before the Police Committee. The house of which I have spoken above, and to which Madame Vancaster conducted me, was a hotel. She told me it was a house of rendez-vous. It was the iirst time I drank with her, and the lirst time I had gone out with her. I had relations with Madame Vancaster, other than those already mentioned, at which she lied and drank. Madame Van- caster has not her equal. She is a free woman, too free indeed towards men. She behaved in a tVv'o manner towards me. She made advances to me. She invited me to go and see her duiing the absence of her husband. I did not go there the following (lay, because in leaving Madame Vancaster I fell and wounded myself. 1 did not -".sork for four days. The day after that upon which 1 received the fall, she came to see me in my roj^m 280 "While she was there Madame Pe]:^er came in and her presence preTented some thing niucli worse, which might have occurrtd. About live or six weeks ago, three persons came in search of me, one of whom was Mr. Perrot, now prf se t before this enquiry, another Belgian who keepn u tobacco stor* I believe, and a Mr. Boncorps, here present before me. The Belgian spoke iirist. They asked me down to take a glass of wine, I thanked them. They next asked mo. to take a glass of cognac, I again thanked them. They than all three walked into the room I occupied at Mr. Pelzer's. Mr. Pelzer and his wife were present. The Belgian speaking to me said I was a mean spirited fellow for having,' given evidence against a fellow country woman He said, if I would contradict it, T would get a hundred dollars. (I had been then before the Police Committee.) I answered saying that I did not come to this country to take a false oath, not 1 ;r a hundred dollars nor for all Montreal. They then went away. I understood that the oiler they made me w as to contradict my statement before the Police Committee, and to induce me not to give any further evidence against Madame Vancaster. Cross-e.ra m ined. By Mr. Monlc. — I am a widower. I haA'e four children. 1 lost my wife in Belgium, before coming here. I lelt my children in Belgium. I am not a man wlio drinks much. I take my i)lea- sure from time to time. I am not in the habit of I'recjuenting liiul houses, I did not boast before Mr. Perrot or Mr. Boncorps, that I knew all the brothels in Mon tribal. The first time I went on a frolic with Madame Vanc»ster, I was gay ; I was not drunk. There were four of us, Madame Vancaster, Mr. and Madame Pel- zer and myself, "We commenced by drinking beer, five or six bottles. Afterwards M'e dranlc wine, four or five or six bottles, 1 cannot remember. "When we comnn-nced drinking we were six persons. Between us four wo drank half-a-dozen bottles of hwx and as many of wine. I was not drunk when 1 fell at the foot of the staircase in Madame Vaneaster's house, as I staled above. I mis^^ed one of the steps. L'.31 I arrived at the Emijj;niiioii Hoiin' on i> Sunday morning. I tdok my meals there that day. Wo had good colfee and bread and butter for breakfaist. Mr. Muller was then at the Emigration Ihtme. The inattrasses were very clean ; the sheets, quilts and pillow-casi's weri! all c'.ean. There was enough and more than enough for all the emigrants. We numbered from ten to fifteeu rmigrants. Each one slept alone and had his mattrass arranged lo his liking. I waMit into the bath-room. There was a basin with elean water in it to wash in, and a roller with a towel on it to dry ourself with. T did not see any vermin in the house. IMadamo Vanciistor was not joking when she told mo that slie was not married, and afl(>r wards that she was. I do not re- member where the house is, of which I have spoken above. Wo had nothijig to eat on the evening in question. When I say that Madame Yancaster's moral conduct was not good, I so inferred I'rom her deeds and gestures. Quesliun. — AVheii Madame Vancaster told you she was not married, did you visit her with the view of marrying h Mmigration Home, 1 was satisfied with the treatment we had rocoived. The food was ixood and plentiful. I have no complaint against the bedding. 1 had a mattrass like th*^ others. I have in no way any complaint lo make against the Emigration Home. On leaving tho Emigration Home 1 went to live at No. 31, College street, where I still reside. Madame Vancaster and her Inxsband came to live in the same house with us. about eight days alter we had gon(> into it. I had occasion to know Madame Van- castor's character and reputation during that time. I had an op- portunity to judge of her veracity. She is not in the ha})it of telling tjio truth, but to tell falsehoods. One day she would say she was married and the next she was a spinster. I know that .> lann-uage. vVbout live or six weeks a<>o I noticed a llelLrian goin<,' into my hous«'. lie keeps a tobacco store, ))ut 1 do not know his name. Depleschin, my wiie, mid myself were present. The I5el«rian asked for l)eer. [ went i'or some, (ioinj,^ out of the door I saw one IVrrot, wli'. 1 know by sight, and another ix-rsoii named l{t»ncorps walkinL;- up and down before the door. I saw Hon<'drps the previous eveniuL;- lookinph I'tdzfr rontinuos his deposition, as follows : When lU'plfschin wms solicited to accept the suniol^lOO, as- above stated, he said that he would not withdraw his word lor any pric(>. This oiler vvas n-peated several times. Mr. I'errol, who was present, then said that it was nolhiny to take an oath. My wile then said to hini " 'lo you not liejiove there is a God." P' : -)t answered, Hayiii'? thai there Ava.s no (}od, that he did not 1) ve in a God. . i have at liui otiier than tho.;i' a))ove mentioned drank with Madame Vanrnster. Cross-exanuned. lit/ Mr. Monk. — 1 remained as I have said, 17 or 18 days at the Emigration Home, livery thing was el(>an. liach bed had a qnilt. The women had sheets. There was but one room to Witsh in. There was as much soai) as we wanted. Hometimos the omigrauta i»ut it into their pockets. The towels wore clean. I had iio quarrel with Madame Vanea4er, but 1 had her put out ofmy room by my wile. I made her ai'(juaintance at the Kmiirra- ' ^ImW i£SSbw 23G Seeing Madame Vancaster's light behaviour, and that she was in the habit of telling falsehoods, I said, that I Avould not believe her on oath. I never received any money from Mr. Bello. T received three dollars from the person Avho brought me to the notary to make an affidavit. I received them after having ma(l(> the affidavit. It was the third time they had taken me there, and I wished to be paid for my time. The person who brought me to the notary was a person in Mr. Belle's office. I do not know his name, nor do I know the name of the notary before whom I took the oath : the affidavit was already prepared. I received the three dollars in thestrei't returning from the Notary's. That money was not promised to me before going to the notary. I asked the person who conducted me, who was going to pay me for my time. They did not promise me any jiarticixlar sum. I did not know how much they Avould give )ni'. It was on a Sunday that we went out together, Deplcschin, Madame Vancaster, my wife and myself I think it was in the month of September last. Wo were then good friends. I do not know, even now, in which direction we were conducted on that occasion. We left our home about two o'clock in the .ifternoon. and returned about eight o'clock in the evening. As 1 have already said, we drank in the iirst house, seven bottles of b»'(M- and seven of wine. Afterwards, at the second house, we drank one bottle of wine. At the beginning we had two Belgians with U.S, they drank very little. We drank six bottles of l)eer, and six of wine, l>etween iour of us. Bod- does not intoxicate me. My wife only took three or lour glasses of beer. I was not drunk. Having been brought up in a cnfc. 1 know how to drink without becoming unsettled. Depleschin. aiul Aladame Vancaster took as many glasses as we did. Madame Vancaster even sang. Shi" is not a wicked woman, but she has a bad majiner. I have never heard it said that Madame Vancaster took a false oath. The Belgian of whom I have spoken above, Mr. Porrot and Mr. Boncorps came to my house, but i cannot say on what day. About seven weeks ago to-day. The Belgian spoke sometimes in the Flemish language and sometimes in the French. The Belgian made the oiler of a hundred dollars beii ore me. (lul '1^ 287 not see aiiy money. He did not say, by whom he was sent. This investigation had not then commenced, but we knew by the papers that it was going to take place. Depleschin is not a great drinker, but sometimes he is carried away by circum^'tancef. By Mr. St. Pierre. — I remained for so long a time at the Emigration Home, after having obtained work, because I could not immediately get into the room I had hired, not until it was empty. I visited the Emigration Home frequently after having left it, to see if any of my countrymen had arrived. Mr. Vancaster is a gentleman and a brave fellow. I have nothing to say rgainst his character. I was on good terms with Madame Vancaster, until the moment she commenced to give Mr. Belle trouble, that is to say, about eight days before. One day she came into my room, and having approached me, conducted herself improperly, and my wife got vexed, I told my wife to put her out. The next day she returned alone, and I told her to go out. This happened about a month ago. Since that time I have not spoken to her nor have I seen her. I do not know personally that Madame Vancaster wished to do Mr. Belle any harm. At all the frolics {f^les) hi question (with the exception of one) my wife was present. At the time of the hundred dollar aflfair, it was the Belgian who paid for the beer ; it was he who offered the money. By Mr. Belle. — I swear that I never received any money to give evidence. The witness here closes his deposition, persisting therein, a.ul declaring the same to contain the truth, and hath signed. ( Attested,) J. F. Fjubueuil, Secrefari/, /no tem/iine. II. J. TELZER. V. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. 1 IXtiim L.. 288 The same day, first April, one Ihouh^aud eight hxuulred and sovonty- three Joseph Joly, of Montreal, cvirrier, being duly sworn doili depose and say :— I arrived in Montreal with my wile during tho lirst week of Octol)er last. On arriving at Montreal I went down to the lilmigraiiou Home, where I lived three or four days. I am from the D4partement de Lot et Garonne, France. I found that avc were well treated at the Home and well fed. I have no reason to complain either against the Home or its administration. I took my meals only there. I did not sleep there. I came Iiere from Bor- deaux in the same ,'m'.— Madame Monier told us, in showini-' tho eup she had taken I'rom the hotel-keeper at Liverpool, (hat slio took it to revenge herself on the hotel keeper whose bill wrs too high. lie-examined. I have no particular fact to allege as a motive for saying that I would not believe Madame Monier on oath, apart from Jier light, licentious and equivocal manner, and her conversations ot tht- same tenor. 239 Tlie witiu'ss hero closes his doposilion, persisting therein, (IcolariiiiT the same to be true, and hath signed. (Attested,) J. F. IJUBUKUIL, Secretary, pro tempore. .TOLY. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. lit coiiver^alioiis The same day, first April, oii(> thousand eight hundred and seventy- three. Clara Marrot, wile of Joseph Joly, (the witness just ex- amined,) being duly sworn, doth depose and say:— I am twenty- live years of age. I arrived at Montreal with my husband in tlie month of October last. On our arrival we slept at a hotel, and took our food at the Emigration Home. We were A'ery well fed at tli(! Home and very well treated. I had nothing to complain of. Saw Mr. Belle every day when he came to the Emigration Home. I was treated politely by him. He treated everybody in ray presence in the same manner. I went once to Mr. Belle's ollice, St. Jacques street. I was in it alone with him. He behav- od himself towards me as an honest man. I went there to obtain iulbnnation. I came in the same ship as Mr. and Madame Mo- lior. I had an opportunity of knowing Madame Monieron the ship. As her conversation was not respectable, I had no desire to have a:!y connection with her. Her reputation on board the ship was very bad. There were about from 600 to 700 Emigrants on the ship. After we had left Liverpool, I saw in the hands of Ma- dame Monier a porcelain cup which she said she took from the hotel-keeper at Liverpool, and by which she got her revenge. She said she took the cup to be revenged of the hotel-keeper. The cup was not one of great value. Cross-examined. By Mr. il/owA'.— The cup would be worth ten sous in France. We were subpeoned to appear before this enquiry. \m^ 1; 240 While I was at tho Einigratioii Homo I lived in Mr. Mailer's office, because I knew uo})ody. I was well satisfied to leave the Home. Bi/. Mr. St. Pierre — I never went into the upper rooms of the Emigration Home. I never slept there. I took my inid-day meal there. Someiimes I took an evening meal. lle-e.mmined. When I say that I was satisfied to leave the Emigration Homo. I wished to say, it was becaiTse we had found a situation, and not because wc had been badly treated. And the witness here closes her deposition, persisting therein, and declaring the same to be true, and hath signed. (1LARA MAUROT. (Attested,) J. F. DuimEuii,, Secretary, jnu tempore. C. A. LEliLANC, Commissioner. The same day. lirst April, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three. MabieNarcisse Prevost, wile ol" Jacques Erailo Papinoau, of Montreal, servant, being duly sworn, doth depose and say : — I live in Montreal, at MrrPapinot's, 1 am forty-nine years of age. We arrived in Montreal about live months ago. On our arrival we went to the Emigration Home, where I remained four days. I was fed, and slept there. At the eiul of the four days 1 went to live with Mr. Lamothe. Bt/ Mr. A. Belle. — We arrived ii. Montreal at two o'clock in the morning. My husband remained at the Emigration Homo ten or twelve days I believe. I am a Frenchwoman, Departmont du Pas de Cuiain. • Mr. MuIKt's r,)cr rooms of- V my mid-day u'ration Home, atioi), and nut iistiiig theroin. [ARROT. ;lanc, wimissioncr. hundred and lilo Papinoau, e and say : — I years of age. ago. On our emained four lie four days I ;vvo o'clock in ^ration Home 11, Department 241 I was well treated at the Emigration Home, on our arrival we got coffee and butter. "We were satisfied with our reception. The food given to us at the Home was good and well served Four of us plept in the same room, and we had no complaints to make. While I was there I occasionally gave a hand. The house was clean. There were towels to dry with, and I was offered soap to wash my linen with, if I required it. I saw Mr. Belle every day at the Home. He treated the emigrants politely. We had every facility to make our toilet. Mr. Lelle to my knowledge took a great deal of trouble to iind places for emigrants. Cross-examined. By Mr. St. Pierre. — Whenever wo failed to iind a place (the emigrants,) Mr. Belle said to us "my children have you found places." When he addressed the women he used the words, " my girl," striking them on the shoulder in a friendly manner. I never noticed Mr. Belle using the expressions " thee or thou," {tutoyait) to the women, sometimes he tised these words to the men. The bed on which I slept had two quilts belonging to the Emigration Home. It was Madame Barrette and her daughter whe oH'erod me the soap and towels to waah with. The witness here closes her deposition, persisting therein, and declaring the same to be true. And she further states that she cannot sign her name. C. A. LEBLANC, (Attested,) Commissioner. J. F. DUBREUIL, Secretary, pro tempore. The same day, first April, one thousand eight .hiuidred and seventy-three. ^ ' Jacques Emile Papineau, husband to the last witness ex- amined, beincr dulv sworn, doth depose and say : — I have been in 31 24'* Montreal lor about live months. 1 lived twelve days at the Jiltni- gration Home. I arrived there nt tveo o'clock in the morning. About twenty ol" us, emigrantH, arrived together. Some person met us at the railway station and conducted us to the Emigration Home, where they gave us coflee and bread and butter. While I was at the Home, we were well treated as regards the food. We had good beel' and good soup and potatoes. We had good bedding. I consider I was Avell treated in every re- spect. We could not expect better at an Emigration Home. I saw Mr. Belle every day at his offict', and at the Home, he was engaged getting places for emigrants. He was very polite to everybody, and he called us his children. We had no reason to complain ol" the cleanliness ol' iho Home. We had all we re- quired lor washing purposes, towels and soap. Cross-exam ineil. lUf Mr. tro frwporr. The said second day oC April one thousand eijrht hundred and seventy-three. Nathalie Coubset, wife of Joseph Telzer, already heard in this cause, being duly sworn, doth depose and say : The witness not being al)le to express herself with suiiicient lluency in the French language. Mr. Cyrille Delva is sworn as Flemish hiterpreter. I arrived in Canada with my husband and my child on the 1 9th of August. I am thirty-four years of age. I lived seventeen days at the Emigration Home. I slept there. I had a good l)ed and was well fed. By Mr. Belle.— 1 found the food good, and very suitable. The house was very clean. "We slept on mattrasses. We had woollen quilts. There was a place set apart to wash comfortably, a large bath. There was only one bath-room. I ha^ e no com- plaint to make against the estabUshraent, and I would like to be there again. On leaving the Home we went to live in College street. No. 31. I know Madamo Van.-Xster. I knew her at the rhnigration Home. Madame Yancasier is nui a good character. \' il 246 Myself and my husband wt'ic vvilnessos of her conduct. Slie came once into my house and conductoii herself in the presence of my husband, in an indecent manner. I turned her out that day. Two days afterwards Kho returned. I put ♦her out again and she mocked me. Her conversations, I heard, were in French. Madame Vancaster is not in the habit of speaking the truth. 8he told a groat many falsehoods in my presence. One day she would say she was married, and the next day she would say that she wivs not. She told other falsehoods. I have not seen her, I believe, for a couple of months. I stopped visiting her in conse- queiice of her conduct in the presence of my husband. Madame Vancaster is not a sober woman, she drinks a great deal. I saw her umnk with Dei)leschin and with my husband, I knew Mr. Hans MuUer. He was employed at the Emigra- tion Home during the time I was in it. He is now before this court. I have seen Mr. Muller and Mr. Vancaster together. They came to my house the same day that Mr. Belle was attacked in his office. Madame Vancaster joined them. They subsequently all three went away together. Madame Vancaster .said, they were all three going to Mr. Belle's office, l^hey took a cup of coffee in my room. Madame Vancaster on thi.s occasion said that her husband was going to earn nine dollars a week without doing anythi ig. Madame Vancaster said, she had come from the office oi Mr. Bernard. The other two said nothing upon this subject. I recollect, that about five or .six weeks ago, a Belgian who keeps a cigar .store, Mr. Perrot and Mr. Boncorps, (who are now before me,) came to my house. Depleschin wa. also there. Thi' Belgian in question, offered, in the presence of the persons above named, to get Mr. Depleschin a hundred dollars if he would withdraw the deposition he had made in favor of Mr. Belle. Depleschin answered, saying, " No. that he would not take a false ' oath for all the country.' The Belgian in reply, said it was not honorable on the part of a Beloian to defame a compatriot. The Belgian spoke in Flemisli and in French. Mr. Perrot : It is It was not triot. Th»^ 2tt nothing to tako an oatli. I said that to tako au oath wa« a groat (leal in the sight ol' God. Mr. Pcrrot then said, there was no Ood. It is to my knowledge that Madame Vancaster camo to my home to see Depleschin when he was ill. Depleechiu was lying on his hod. Madame Vancaster went in, and shut tho door. Ai'tor .some time I went into the room, and J saw Madame Vancaster lyiii,^" over Depleschin. I told Madame Vancaster to go away. They wer«' together alone, (she and Da- plcschin,) about a quarter of an honr. Cross-examined. Hi) Mr. Monk. — I was not, nor urn I now jealous of Madame Vancaster. I was good Mends with her, until I 'witnessed her conduct in the presence of my husband, as I i.ave above explain- ed. Since then I have not liked her because she was ready to bring trouble into my household. At the time we had the f4le together I drank with my child three glasses of beer. The child drank nearly a glass during the course of that afternoon. I am not in tlie habit of drinking. I have not taken any liquor to-day. When Madame Vancaster came, to see Depleschin I left them at once together. I went to my kitchen. By Mr St. Pierre. Question. — Did you ui>on any occasion see Mr. Belle kiss Madame Vancaster? Answer. — No, never. I knew Madame Barrettc, we visit each ot t occaaionally, oncQ or twice a week. I made a deposition before the Polici' Committee on the Van- caster affair. 1 also made an affidavit, to W'hieh T took oath, before a person whom I do not know. •248 1 1 f 'I MiKlamc IJiincttc iiccoinpunio'I uw Tlio alliduvit was ulrondy prepared. It waN road to mo bol'oro I Kworo to it. I luvvo not roceivod any nionoy lor what I havo done, nor have I boon proiniHod any. I did not solicit any one to appour as a witnoss for Mr. BoHo. Re-examined. lit/ M(. /ie!le.~Tho. JiiHdavit of which I havojnst Ri>okon, was draflod upon the instrnrtions I had proviously givon. Tho witnoBs horo closos her deposition, iwrsistiug therein, de- claring the same to be trut\ and that she cannot sign her name. The above evidence wa« given partly in l>onch, but the greater part of it in tlie Flemish language. (Attested.) ^" J. F. DUDItRITIL, Secretary, pro femj'ore C. A. LEni.ANC, Commissiuner. •! ir r N The same day, second April, one thousand eight liundred and (., seventy-three. Bernahd Thkopiule Clement Boiiderie, of Montreal, I'hysician, being duly sworn, doth depose and say :— I am a French- man. I am forty-three years of age. I arrived in Montreal on the eighth of October last. lu France I was hi^alth officer, I have a diploma. On my arrival at Montreal, I went down to the Emi- irration Homt\ li// Mr. A. Belle.— 1 have been at the Fmigration Home since tho eighth of Octo])er last. The 15th of October last, Mr. Belle asked me to go and work in his office, St. Jacques street, I wont as requested, and I am still there. Towards the 20th of the same mouth, Mr. Belle told m>' that Mr. Muller, (who was then superintondent of the Emigration Home,) complained of tlie beds being dirty, and that thore was icli, but llio uiulrt'*! iiiid Home since 24f» \ fimiii 111 thcin. Mr. I]«'ll« loUl mo to go with him to (ho Kmi- i?ration ^lome We went tog<>thor. W«' exannnod the bcd« in the men's dormitory ono afte*- tho other. Tho Homo vv.in then lull of emigrantH. W« did not Hnd anythinpr- Mr. T^elle brought u microscope with him. From that time Mr. IJ.-lle instructed m<' to clean the dormi- torii H every morning. I acted in ol)'>dien(e to Lis instructions Hin<;e then, and every morning at nine oclock all is ready. ResiJecting the iiuclennliness, w o established that Mr. MuUor made a fal.se report. Mr. iluller left (he establishment a few days after my visit with Mr. Belle to the Home. I had an opportunity of visiting the house in all Ks apar(- mcnts. • The food during Mr. Mi.'.ler's -"iiTie was, what it always has been, good. The food was cumi>osedof tea or coffee wi(li bread and but- ter in tho morning. For dinner we had broth, beef, potatoes, broad and soup. The food was good and he 'ihy, and had a good taste. It was sufticient in quantity, and some always remained over. Since my arrival, I have continuously boarded at (he Emi- gration Home, and I had no r6a.son to complain of the food. I was present when Mr. Muller lell. The evening Mr. Mul- ler and his wife left the Emigration Home, he said : " I am leaving l)ut others will also leave." I thought his having to leave annoy- ed him, and from the tone in which he expressed himself, he had a spite against somebody. On my arrival at the Emigration Home I found (he house clean and well kept, and that the emigrants wer« decently cared for. We were in the habit of washing the stairs and passages twice a week. I overlooked that myself. , Cross-examined. By Mf. Monk. — I have been admi((edto (hoijractice of medi- cine and practice it. 32 250 No hpetial cooking was done Ibr me. I liiko my meals at the .same time as the emigrants, with the superintendent, who re- placed Mr. Muller. We examined to see if there was any vermin, but we did not lind any. If there had been any vermin I would have caught some, having lived six months in the house. I sleep every night in the establishment. Diiring the day I am employed l)y Mr. Belle as well in his oflice as at the Emigration Home. />'// 3Ir. Sf. Pierre. — I have not been instructed by Mr. Belle io look al'ter witnesses. Whenever he told me to look after a witness I did so, and always after office hours. 1 met Mr. Muller one evening at Laurent's in Craig street. lie entered like a mad- man. He sat down and commenced talking to me. He said I was the ph\ sician to the Emigration Home, and that I had felt Madame Barrel te's pulse. I understood from his conversation that he wished to make fun of me. I allowed him to speak for some time when I told him to leave me alone. I brought four witnesses to Mr. Valois' to swear to affidavits. 1 arrived at the Emigration Home on the 8lh Octol)er, and Mr. iMuller left it, 1 believe, about the 22nd October. Re'exanHHcd. « When Mr. Jiulh-r attacked me at Madame Laurent's, he was ill a state of partial intoxication. The enquiry is continued until Thiu^day, the 3rd April, 1873. The witness here clo.ses his deposition, persistnig therein, and declaring the same to be true, and hath signed. CLEMENT DE. BORDERIE C. A. LEBLANC, Coinitmsioncf. [Attested.] J. F. DuiJHEUlL, Becretary, jifv (on/iorc. 251 tssioHcr. Thursday, the third April, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, at two o'clock in the afternoon. Present : CHATILES A. LEBLANC, Q. C, Commissioner. Joseph IsAiERiviKRE.ofthe City of Montreal, hotel-keeper, })eing duly sworn,' doth dei>ose and say :-I am 44 years of a^v. To Mr. A. Belle.— I have known Mr. Hans Muller for al)oul eleven or twelve years. I have had an opportunity of jud..ing' ol his 'Tcneral character. Three or four years ago hi' boarded at my house with his wife. He did not pay me for his board, and 1 have still a judgment against him. He used every possibh' means toavoidpayi--me. He left some eliects at my house and 1 was obliged 10 seize them, to obtain payment of a part of what h- owed me Since then he has not visited my house. ■ Duruig the time he lived at my house and until the moment I asked f m him what he owed me, everything went well enough . He was often absent, as he was a commission merchant. Mr. Muller promised to pay me, but instead of paying me he went to Upper Canada. He never kept his word with me. He ;ihv:)ys made me promises but never kept his promises. Q«e./fO»-If Mr. Hans Muller had. in any affair whatever, no matter how small an interest, would you believe hnn on oath, from what you know of his character and his transactions i Amwer.—l would have no conlidence in this man, in any transaction I might have with him. As the thing is very serious I cannot sav if I would believe him or not on oath m an ailair 1 had no knowledge of. That would depend upon circumslanees. In certain cases I would not belicH'e him, and in others I might boliove him. Question.-lM a case within your knowledge, where Mr.Mul- ler had a spite, or wished to exercise his vengeance against any- body from vour knowledue of his character, would you beli.'ve m\ i him on his oath, if ho swore against that person \p>ni I 5 w 252 Answer. -I would not believe either he, or any other- person, when I knew it was done through spite. From my kuoivlodge of Mr. Muller, T do not believe him to bo an honest man. Cross-exam ined. Mr. Muller and his wile boarded at my house nearly throe months. For a certain time I was well enough paid. He paid me with money. I do not remember if at the })eginning he paid me with drafts (truites.) I sued him, I believe, for fifteen pounds, and I obtained judgment against him. I did not detain his ef- I'ects. He had s'ome beds and some linen at my house. I do not recollect if he brought an action en revendication for his effects. I do not remember that he obtained a judgment against me. He came to my house with the Police. In a cause, in which I })o. heved, as I have above stated, that Mr. Muller had a spite against any one, I would not believe him on his oath, because he is not a trustworthy man. But in a case in which he was not interest- ed, I would believe him without difficiilty. I have reasons, other than his default to pay what he owes me, for not believing him on oath, his failure to fathfully pay me IS one of my principal reasons for not believing him on oath. By Mr. St. Pierre.— I have no ill-will or spite against Mr. Muller. I offered to allow him to come for his books that he left at my house. I did not say to any one, that I would do everything in my power to ruin Mr. Muller, he is already ruined. I offered to compound with him, by taking thirty dollars for sixty dollars that he owed me. He offered me his note but his note was not worth anything. The witness here closes his deposition, declaring the f^ame to contain the truth, persisting therein, and hath signed. •T. ISAIE RIVIfiRE, .. ^ ^, ('. A. LEBLANC, Attested, ^ . . J. F. DUBREUIL, :^efretarij, ///v< Umfore. 253 The same day, third April, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-throe. Amable Payette, of the City of Montreal, contractor, being duly sworn, doth depose and say : — I am thirty-nine years of acre By Ml-. A. Belle. — I know Mr. Hans Muller, I knew him wli. II li,' hoarded with Mr. Kiviere, the last witness. I lived next door to Mr. Riviere. Before this date I had occasion to know Mr. Muller's character. The \:\A iime he lived with Mr. Riviere there was a difficulty beUvceu them about the payment of his board Mr. Muller, to my personal kuowledire, frequently pro- mised to pay his board, but did not do so. From what I have heard said to him, Mr. Muller is not a straightforward .nan. I have not had any conversation with him since he left Mr. Riviere's. From what I know of that man I do not believe him to be an honest man. Question. — In a case, in which you knew Mr. Muller had any interest whatever in a business matter, from what you know of his character and his transactions, would you believe him on oath ? Answer. — No, I would not believe him. Question. — If you knew Mr. Muller to owe revenge to any person, from the knowledge you have of his ch.iracter would you believe him on oath, if he gave evidence against the person to whom he owed the grudge ? niissioner. Ah.twcr. — No. Cross-ccaniineil. I spoke to Mr. Mulhu- twice, and I have heard him s^jeak with Riviere about four times. My knowledge of Mr. Muller is not greater than that. Upon that knowledge I take upon myself to swear that I would not believe him on his oath. I never knew of any other of Mr. Muller's transactions excepting that with Mr, Uivit-re, andiiis dt-fanll to keep hi>- promises, and his frauds, were m IS, H / 254 sufficient for me not to believe him on oath. I understand by Irauda man who promises to pay, but does not pay, and %vho gO's to Upper Canada wiihout paying his debts. Mr. Mullordid not to my knowledge commit any other fraud than that of which I Jiave spoken. I know that Mr. Muller did not pay his debts, because Mr Kiviere, my brother-in-law, told me so, and I also know, because I was there every day. I, myself, heard Muller s promises to Kiviere. During the time Mr. Muller boarded at Kiviere's, he was often absent, because he was a Commission Merchant. The last time he was about a month absent. By Mr. St. Pierre.-Ux: Muller was not always absent J have owed more than Mr. Muller did to Riviere, and I have paid It. I could not always keep my promises to my creditor.s at th. time fixed, but I paid. During the time Mr. Muller boarded with Mr. Riviere he al- ways behaved like a gentleman, without causing any disturi,- ance. ^ I never spoke of this matter belbre to-day. I received n s,il,. poena, and that is my reason lor being here. I never had anv quarrel with Mr. Muller. The witness here closes his deposition, persisting therein, and declaring the same to be true, and had signed. ■ t (/.ttested,; J. F. DUBREUIL, Sfrretaff/, pro lemiime. AM ABLE PAYETTE. C. A. LERLANC' Commimotter I' li 11!? < herein, and onnntaxiouer 266 The same day, third ol' April, one thousand eight hundred and seven ty-threc. Francois Maximilien Vincent Lafon, of the City of Mon- treal, safety af^ent, (rt^'-ewY de iiireU,) sergeant of Tolice, being duly sworn, doth d ' h5- whom Mftdamo Vancastor was pressed to make this complaini Mr. Vancaster said it was Mr. Mnller, and others, whose iiame« he did not like to mention. Mr. Belle then said, as you say you Jiave nothing against me and that you were induced by Mull.>r to make the complaint you have made, will you withdraw this complaint you have made, to the Govern Hi^^rt, and sign a writing to that effect. Vancaster said he would c,>7;.sent, I-c on (^^idition his wife Avould also sign the retraction, wl.ich had bee;^ ).vepared in the form of an affidavit by Mr. Belie or Im cleric. V, ,- then looked for the name of a public omcer hhn: ^hoiu ih • alu.uvvit could bo made by Vancaster and his wife, tvd I selected th(> name of Mr. Morissette, being the nearest. Mr. Morissette lived in St. Vincent street. We went to Vancaster's private residence, J^Ir. Morissette, Vancaster and my- self We found Mnd^un- Vancaster. On the way I explained to Mr. Mca)8ft;tte the objf ct for which ho was with us. Oil our o.-nvid we went in and Madame Vancaster ottered us chairs aud afterwards something to drink. She touched glasses and drank with us. I then made known to Madame Vancaster the object of oiu visit. After having read the affida- vit to iior, she refused to sign it. 1 ob-served to her that, perhaps, it wouhi be better for her sign the affidavit, seeing that her hus- band w.s satisBed. Her husband mad,' Die same observation To the ii? t remarks she said, " you, (her husband,) can sign if you like, but ior me, I have giver, my word and I will not withdraw It ; you arp a coward if you i^ign. I will leave you. I will keep my word to those to whom I gavr it. I pressed her a. little more strongly, explaming to her that she exposed herself by allowin-r so long a delay to take place before making her complaint, that in fact it had happened three or four months before. I did not then make her any i.romise of money or recom- pense of any kind if she wcndd withdraw her complaint Mr Morissette then rose and said that he had no time to lose Madame Vancaster refused to do that which we had asked her. I returned alone to Madame Vancaster, upon the invitation of her husband P who Jisjied me to jro back to his wil'.. ni,,l acL-,.,] u. tO glgu illv 257 affidavit. She prorabed me that at throe o'clock she would go to Mr. Belle's to tell him the truth, and afterwards she would make arrangements if it were possible. She accompanied me as far as the bottom of the stairs, and she said, in the presence of her hus- band and Mr. Morissette, that she would positively be at Mr. Belle's at thre« o'clock that afternoon as she had promised me. I did not put my hand on her stomach. We all shook hands in parting in hope that we would all meet together at Mr. Belle's at three o'clock. Punctually at three o'clock I wiw at Mr. Belle's otfico. Mr. and Madame Vancaster arrived about four o'clock. They went to Mr. Belle's chief office, when he asked Madame "Vancaster what she had to reproach him with. She was smiling and did not seem to be indignant. Mr. Belle asked her, if he had not always treated her well, and if he did not send for the doctor for her. She said " yes," but the trip to Varennes. Upon these words a knock came to the door, and Mr. L6tounieau, Mr. Belle's clerk, came in and said that some person wished to see Mr. Belle in the next room. Mr. Belle withdrew, excusing himself. About five or six minutes after Mr. Belle had gone out I heard a stamping of feet. Madame Vancaster said, " they are fighting." I went out and opened the door of the adjoining room, when I found myseli' in the presence of Mr. Belle who was struggling with another person. I arrested him upon the order of Mr. Belle. This person asked me who I was. I gave him my name, and shewed him my badge of office. This person said he recog- nized me, that I had offijred Madame Vancaster two hundred dollars to commit perjury. I then went into the next room for Madame Vancaster, and I asked her if I had offered her any money. She answered in the presence of this person that it was not I, who had offered her the money. The person in question then withdrew his statement. I told Madame Vancaster to go away. Since then I have not had any conversation with this lady. Question.— Did you, the first time you brought Vancaster to Mr. Belle, read to him, at Mr. Belle's request, an affidavit, the miriv^rf nf whioh. was that Madame Parotte was a wqman of J. — i — _- 33 258 light conduct, and thai the depone,! t could have had criminal intercoureo with that woman ? yl«*i/;er.~No. Nothing wa« said about Madame rarotlo. At that time I did not know the name. Question -Did Mr. Belle never 8ay in your presence, thai though he had nothing to say against Madame Vanca8ter he would nevertheless find means to prove something by somebody or did he use words with thatmcaniii"-'? Answer— Viot in my presence. It being five o'clock in the afU'nioon of the said third April one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, the present depo- sition is continued until Friday, the fourth April, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, at two o'clock, P.M. And the witness hath signed. (Attested,] J. F. DUBREUIL, td that a conspiracy hati ]>een formed againht Mr Belle. I havt" h.-wl no reasons since to change my mind Th.- C'hiof of rolioo merely directed nic to go to Mr. Belle's ottice. Question.-iinpi^OHin^ the Chief of Police had said iiothing to • you previously al>out this alleged conspiracy Avhat do you mt'au hy stating in your examination in chief " Mr. Bolle then repeated to mo nearly the same things I have just mentio/ied " ? Amwer.-I understand by this that the Chief of Police had already instructed mo tluit Mr. Belle had informed him that there was a conspiracy afloat '8, 1 would get plenty proof oi' what he had stated to me. There were no perHons pretieiii. at the time except Mr. Belle and myself, and the clerk, Mr. L6tour< iieau, who wiis coming in and out. I then 8«'t to work npon the instructions ijiven to me by Mr. Belle. Whih the . "Vi-r — T Itf- -I J iuHtructions of Mr. Belle I also ex* evrifiod inv own diBrretion in the matter. My lirst step was to proceed in senrch of Mr. Vancaster. I found him, and then merely iwked him to come with me to Mr. Belle m. We took a sleigh. I did not during- iir trip from where I took 4iim to Mr. Belle'H office say a word to him about Mr. Belle's att'airs. I swear that all the evidence gi\ en by me, is, to the be.xt of my recoUec- lion, a statement of what really took plat >. I did not tell Van- caster that he must i-etracl all he had said againnt Mr. Belle. I never charged him with having ever said anything a/.'^iinst Mr. Belle, but I only charged his wife with having done so The in- ducement I held out to Vancaster was about of the lolh ing nature, that Iwiug ne%vly arrived in this country he had to beware of advices given by the Hxh* person he know, that if he waiit«d to get along well in this country I wmild advise him to make a T<;- traction and to withdraw his compidint he had been pushed and pressed to make it; that it was extrao tlinaiy for ine, and that I could not belie\ e that a Fi onchman could w ait three months to vindicate his wife's honour, that it was better to hush the matter rather than to let the public know of such a charge, after a delay of three months. All this took place in Mr. Belle's office. Mr. Belle hud told me, when 1 weni to him, that the comp dint had Ix'en lod vd th.ee months after the facts alleged to have taken place in sain complaint. I do not know jiersonally what those facts are. I did not see the complaint. Mr. Bellet told me, at the time he gave me his instructions, that a complaint had been lodged ai. inst him by a woman nam»'d Vancaster, that she had 1 !5 i ami ted by Mr. Belle. I' also told me that he himself h.i ask- 'or an enquiry in the matter on the part of the (iovernment. .\.i this took place on my first visit with Vancaster ♦ „ Xffw 11. .11., m mt i m \ m J i w^ ' 1 ' 1 - 1 4' 1 • '' ' t 1 1 i'' \ > .4- *' 263 The retraction, in tho Ibrm cf „„ affidavit alludod to i„ mv pre^^nt lepoaition, had not th.u h..M. ,>repared. It w-u. „r.par..<| after Vancanter had said that h.. whs vvillinff to siffn it and road by me to V«nco«ter. The nffi«Iavit was prepaivd by Mr IWh.'s ^ clerk, nnd.-r Mr. Bello'H dln>ction and in our prenence. The name of Conunisnionor Morisscttc was m'l.x -od by accj dent from the din.ctory, .aid name not having been montiono.l »>eiore. I held out no inducement whatever to Mrs. Vanoaster nor did I threaten her nor was any monev otli,red her to mv knowledge. In the exriLse of what I thought my duty, I was polite towands Mrs. Vancoster, and she reth being police oiKcers, ho would please much if he" signed that retraction, that it would be iinishing my work. I heard Mrs. Vancaster swear helorethe Pohce Committee.two ialsehoods I K f T. [ ."'""' "''^ "'toxicating liquors, and thai she had not taken any liquor with us when we went to the hous.. whereas I swear iH.sitively that she touched cans (/./«^«,,, ^j,,, us, and drank w.th us the liquor she had ,>oured in hernials o!u ol a gin t)ottle and which was stiong liquor. ; The aecond falsehood is the iollowing : She swore before the Police Committee that I b .1 been polite to he, and she swore be- ore this commission thai i had t.tken liberties with her. Another ali^hood IS, that she swore I had oiii-red her two hundred dollar.s to withdraw her charge against Mr. Helle, where,. I a.ever of tr- ed her a cent. saw Mra VaneasU. on several occasions, but I ha would no. Mieve Mrs. Vancaster under oath. I only s« hat I hear. h-. utte. fal.sehoueen any, 1 certainly would not have remained at the ll.jme. A great number of emi- •vvants arrived at the Home during the time we lived in it. I say tliat the emigrants at the Emigration Home were well treated, and that they appeared satisfied. Among,st so great a number there are some who are exacting, and they are generally those who had nothing at home. The food at the Emigration Home was plentiful and healthy. Some always remained on the table. People of middling means who came licre, (that is to say nearly all,) and even the farmers, did not eat as much, nor as •rood food at their own hom.'s, as that given to them at the Emi- g rat ion Home. Cross-fiaDihiff/. lif/ Mr. Monh.—\ had no more prfvileges than others at the Emigration Home, no exception.^ were made with us. I received money like others froni Mr. IVlletogo to different localities to look for a place. I went to Terrebon i lo to look for a place and afterwards to Sault-au-1tecolle(. I kno^^ my business. I have been a farmer for 35 years. T cultivated tin? best farms in my country. Having arrived late in Canada, I have not had an opportunity to shew my oapabiliticK. I made the acquaintance of one Telzer yesterday, I invited him lo come and tak.' n glass with me. I remained threes weeks without employment As soon as I found a suitable place I took it. If I had not found n snitable place, T would have return- ed to Europe. 1 come I'rom Montmagny, where 1 now re.iide. Bti Mr >:/ pfVj-.«. I \.v:is .a farnier in. Beli?ium. 84 266 I'lr « The witness here closes his deposition, persisting therein and declaring the same to be true, and hath signed. (Attested,) J. F. VvmiEuiL, Secrelary, /nu (etii/turc. A. DeREZE. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. Saturday, lil'th of April, one thousand *.ight hundred and seven- ty-three, at two o'clock in the afternoon. Present : CKAULES A. LEJJLANC, Q. C CoiHiiiissioner. JilCHAUD HuTTON, o( Montreal, l,ook-keei.er, hen.g duly sworn, doth dei>ose and say :— I am lilty-three years of age. Emmined by 3Ir. Doherly. 1 know Mr. Hans .MuUer, a witness already examined in this case. 1 see him here present. I first met him in the year 1862 m this city. I was in business, at the time, in this city. I asked Mr. Muller, thinking him a good bu.siness man, to tj^ke him in with me. I was then in the Avine and spirit business. I fur- nished the cai)ital, upon the supposition that he was a good bu- . siness man. My bu8ine;ss extended as far ius Ottawa. I was, :.t the time, furnishing certain persons in Ottawa, and Mr. Muller attended the Ottawa business. As to the goods disposed of ai Ottawa, I can say nothing of their proceeds, as Mr. Muller never iu-counted to me lor them. I asked him several times to give me some account of su.h proceeds, and he told me that he had taken some notes for the goods, and that the rest he could not collect He disposed of the whole matt.T ^^ithout giving me any satisfac li» all liqu()r dealers do. I had oyor three hundre.l pounds when I took Muller in With n.e. \Ve made prolits, lait [ ca.umt say how much Ol course, HI addition to the throo hundred pounds, we had a lar^^o ..mount o credit. My family and that of Muller hJd to be s«;. ported out ol our business. Muller assisted me, but only to a tri- l".g extent, alter w<. had becom- bankrupts. I might havo ..ot ■ ;; m" "^^ "'• "^'^^ r '-^ ^ --'^' When I was i', partnership u.th Mullormy annual exi.ons.. ^vore not two hundred ami lifty 260 pounds a year, although I paid sixty pounds a yeav for Iho rent of my house on St. Charles- Baromce street. I am not aware that the goods of the lirm of " Hutton & Muller," were sold by the Sheriff, at the suit of the creditors. There was, I believe, a public sale of what stock there was left in the business. There weiv no dilTiculties when I was arrested, and I am not aware that there were any when I went away. I therefore eannot account for the fact that within six weeks our stock could . have been seized and sold by the .sheriff. I do not think that my Hying from arrest was the caus(> of our business beinp,- mine*'. I do not believe tliat the commercial agency reported our dilHculties, to our creditors, and caused our arresl. 1 cannot say that Mr. Muller would make a false oath. 1 never k.\ew him to make a false oath. If Mr. Muller were examined in my presence at this moment, I cannot say that I would believe him under oath. I would no^ believe him under oath. Question. — Have you stated all the reasons that induced you to say that you would not believe Muller, under oath ? Amwei-.—Yen, I have, and I know nothing more a])Out his (harncter, but what 1 have above stated. And the witness doth herewith close his dejiositiou, to which he adheres, and which he d<'clares true, and he hath signed. RICHARD IIUTTON. C. A. J.EBLANr, C<>miui.isii)tier. (Attested,) J. F. DUDREUIL, Serrelari/, pro Irmpore. And it bi'ing ni»ar four oClock in the afternoon of the said dav, fifth of April, one thousand eight hundred and smenty-three, r 270 the prosent emituHe is adjoununl to Monday, the soventh of April one thousand eight hundivd and seviMity-throi'. •1; Monday, sovonth of April, one thousand eight hundred aii- consent of the department. A few days aft.r I took charge of the Home, my uncle, Mr. V. E. Belle, took n.e to the house to show n.r what I vvouUl have to do, and to notify the parties at the Home that I would be left in charge of the Home, and that they would have to look to me for orders during his al>sence. The personnel of the Home at that time comprised Mr. Muller and a man of the mime of Desautels as guardian ; Mrs. widow Ikrrette as vcmk, and lier daughti'r as geui-ral servant. A couple of davs after I enten-d in charge, I made an i.ispection of the house and premises • I found everything in order, the house had just been cleaned, the b.'d an.l beddnig seemed to me to be clean, and not having heard any complaint about vermin, I made no particular examination in thi.t resi)ect. There was no compluini about anything elsi- to me con- cerning any other thing about the house to me, except that some of the Fren.h immigrants tuld m.- that they were accn.stom.'d m venth of April hundred mid slrtHM, ill I his 271 drink wine in their country and lelt llie want ol' it here. I tohl them that wine was a luxury hero and that it could not bo pro- vided in the houNe. I even prevented some of the French immi- ^n-antu from introducing; wine and biH»r in the house. I saw the food prepared, but I did not taste it ; but there was no complaint of it. It appeared to me to be very good food. There were some immigrants who came during I was there who had trades unknown in this country ; and therefore these people were very hard to place ; others did not seem much (li^iposcd to go to work immediately ; they wanted to re.st and wait a little longer. Mr. MuUer reported to me three of these immigrants as unwilling to set to work, having been already pro- vided with work three times, and having com*^ back to the house each .ime, and being provided with work for the fourth time, (hey were unwilling to work xinii] the following week. I told Mr. Muller to force them by fimine, i. e. cutting off their dinner, so as to lompel them to go to work right ofl". The three of whom I have spoken were respectively named Papa, Pigot, and Jogni. I was generally entrusted with the general correspondence of the Immigration Home at Montreal ; and we remonstrated fre- (juently in letters to the d*'partment, and to Mr. Eossange, against the sending of certain classes ot French immigrants, similar to tho.se that liad alreuvly been forwarded, who were hard to please, and some of tht'm very poorly adapted to the require- mi'iits of this country. Mr. Uossange himself admitted in some ol his letters that he was deceived in some of the immigrants he had forwarded to Canada. Witli the English. Irish, and »Scolch immigrants wo had no dilficiilty. they geui'rally did not remain long in the house, and I'ovxnd places at once. During the time I was in charge of the House, few German immigrants camiv During my superintend- eiicj Mrs. liarretto acted as n hard working, sober and steady woman ; she was a very kind heartml woman and used to lend her money to immigrants. For against which I pxit her on her guard. I found that Desautels. the guardian, was not a fit and proper person for his place, and he was discharged upon my re. 272 V\9 IttdU "P to which l,mo Mr. Mulh-r h„d „„|hJ.,R |„ ,1„ „ ilh Ihr inl ' iiKomcnl of Ih.. Horn,.. "<> "nn inc man- Tl>«-.. arrivod cv, I « „ hundred iuimisra,,!, during the timo "■•« '" f'"f "I- ll« imuugranu. Th™e „•«■„ i^inci,,! lrn,d. and l)el,Muns. Uvry day I askod Mr. Muller if h,. h„ a..y .omplanu lo n,„ko abom tho h„u.„ and iu.migranl. h ' -eemed to 1.. ™,i.,|i..d with Iha whol... , ,„|d him i?a,v"hi,t was required I would attend to it. ^ Vn..» n at the otheo, m the month of January last, Mr. (' E IWh.v re»,grnat,on had ,«vu written out by n.e/hut on find„"th, compl»,ut» ha.llK.en tnade. an'd were in the h.«ul» of the de, a ueu t, I adv,«ed hjm not to send it, and therefore it w,., „," , — Of trouble with .hi, a;.ney"r U' ^:Z^::;::t up before complaints were known in the office. •esse 1! Lf I •'" '" "*^'' ^" '^''■'^^' ^° '^^'•- '^^"""i, U.I- things aUhe Home as they were, in order that he miuht teleo-ra -g proved ,0 be i„ the hauduritin,, „t the w t t . ,: 'a I he t., uuony r,.|at,n.. thereto i„ in the nature of hearsay 1 "dete .....1 ,t „„t l,e,„s „, the ,«wer of the proseeution to eotUrad 't Objection reserved, 278 r Jt'placed him, i'h the man- iiriijg the limo 10 piincij>ally lltM- if he had iinigraiitH ; hi* m if any»Hij|g ti8:atioii wt'io '. C. K. mU's rmdiiifv that f the deparl- was not Nt'iit M'ud it under lollars a year, l«, and a vast led to give it e couiplaiiiis Maurice Dfl- >een iji Mon- itislied with ht telegraph ime inforni- lO folk>vvinj; <>. It waN ideuce ton- er itself not hereoj; and vy e\ ideiui' iitradiet. Mr. C. E. Belle produees the envelope iu which wan con- tained the letter of Mr. Delfonne. This envelope bears the official seal of the Belgium Minister, and the jwst stamp ot the United States, and in particular that of Washington. ExamineA btf the Commimoiier. Mr. MuUer wuh at the Emigratioft Home during all the time I was in charge. He never complaind to me about the conduct of my uncle, Mr. C. E Belle. He made no complaint of any kind relating to the Home. After the return of Mr. C. E. Belle, I only went a couple of time to the Emigration Home. I went there yesterday. I did not make any inspection of it since I left the agency. During the time I was at the Home no complaints were made againet the management by any l>ody, nor agaimtt the Homo itself. It was in the month of January last that I heard a iwrtiou of the comjdaint. forminir the subject of thi.s enquiry, spoken of. Cfoss-e.i'amineil. To Mr. Ht. Piene.~l have been acting as counsel i'or Mr. ('. E. Belle iu this enquete since Mr. Pich6 retired therefrom. It was during Mr. Belle's absence that the Emigration Home was under my care. .>;. .,ii To Mi: .MowA-.— While I was at the house i found Mr. Muller a hard workingman, very active, fulfilling his duties to my entire satisfaction. Had he not done .so. I would have discharged hiui at oiiice. . - 1 And further witness saith not, and after having nraile' his df^- iwsition re-affirming the .same, hath aigned. .1. A. A. BELLE. , ('. A. LEBLANC, , Commissioner. 'Jban Fleury DuiiBi^iE, now of the City of Montreal, ac- countant, aged twenty-live years, after being duly sworn on the Holy Erangelints, doth depose and say : . •I.) !f 374 I urn «'ini)loy .1 at the Graud Seminary ittthi«city. 1 arrived 111 this HHH try tho Hi of October last. - I \khh with n nu»ber of otiior cmigruuts. On lu . arrival I wont to th- Eiriiffx..tion Home, midor the iiuvuugom^jut ( ' :^^r. C. K Bolle. I lived in it Jor iwelvo days. I was w^U oand for. the tood was excalleiil. and Nome jf the emigrauts said Hivy had ^lov.r ate so much in their lives. Our sle^'ping ac oimaodation was ^ ry ffoo(' -nd I did^not see any vermin. T cannot )>ut praise Mr liellefor hl^ con dUdtt'waMs myself as well M the other emigr, ti; I camo in the same sKip as Mr. and Madam.. Moni«»r frO^ Lirerpool to Quebec. The last named hud a bad reputation ort hoard, besides her condnet justified it. I suv hfer atlrrwawis at the Rmigration Home, where her language and mann.-rs wvre the Halii- n«on shif. boird. Hwr language whs indecent, and f*ho h«d the habit ivl" swearing. She said to tho.se who wihJwd to hear her, thai she came to thi^ country to start a brnfh.»l. . :' i CfosS'exnmineil. To Mr. at. rieri'c.—i lived tweh^ day.s af the 42;migrati.>n J^Iome, J. e., from ^y arrdvaJ ou the iirst of October/ unMl the thirteouth of the jwim • mon !j. I slept k the she^lj^u th^, yj^r^l The accommodation t. r sloeping was good, ; 11 ti|ept svciv I did not feel any cold. \\q had quilts that we ii ad bought on the ship. My sleet>in^' comrades were named, one IVhief ' atid the other Hiiilai'd. '" "•' ■ ■- i- / nuui^iiijio// Jyjii,! , Qitestwv.-\s[\ not true that you, and your two comradiis. were in the habit of piling the mattra.sses one oji top of Uie.other! to prevent yourselves from patching cold ?, . , , ' ' .4w.»ifl«r.-~,No. We did that, the last night only, but it was more through child's play tlian otluTwise. We were th.> onlv persons sleeping in the .shed (hangard) at that time, the others hail gone away. We even said in fun that Mr. Muller could not lind us under the mattrasses the next morning. I never made com- plaint aeainik the Emigration Home nor ofharing snlleredfrom cold . I «woar that my: two companioiifi mui myself Iwft iim ^mi- gration Home together, and we.fouudfouu other emi^faulp with lrf-!< 275 it-* oiri wo loft I)jr the fiilwuy. Mr. Mnllcr accui. miediK to the station. Mr. Mullor n'minds u.o it in not fifteen days sin !e. One ol' my corapaiiionH, lluilard, had obtained a situation at Montrcii ;is coachman, and having- lost his place, returned to the KmigTuti. '-omt'. It is in thip way he left Montreal with mysell and mv dies to u;<> to Ottawa. Ques on. — Have you not, for bume time pawt, boon in the habit of assdciating with Madami T5arrotte ? 4/iwerffr.— I-accoraponied her here three times, to make my deposili m. Question.- Is it to your knowledge that Mr. Belle sent you to OttavN .i to get rid of you ^ 'Uinwer. — No. ' ,va8 sent to Ottawa, but I do not know by whom. From th aiomont Mr. Muller accompanied us to the station, I believed it waa he who had sent me away, because if it had been Mr. Belle, I think he would have told me. I did not stay at Ottawa, on the contrary, the day following my arrival there I continued my journey as far as Pembroke. I nHurned from the last named plfti-e the 2f)th February last. It wa.s Mr. Oswald, elerk in the lilraigration Olhce, who placed mo at the Grand Seminary. And lurthor witness saith not, re-alhrminc? his deposition, and hath sicfned. , J. F. DURBIZE. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. It beini? near i\ve o'clock in the afternoon, the Commissioner adjounis the enquiry until to-morrow, TueHclay, the eighth of April instant, at three o'clock in the afternoon. C. A. LEBLANC. Commissioner. (Attested,] PKTF.lt L. MaOIX'KELL, Secrelatfj. MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI ond ISO TEST CHART No. 2) 1.0 I.I 1^ la. U. m II 3.2 ■ 4.0 2.5 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 A ylPPLIED IfVMGE Inc Br 165.5 [051 Uuin SIreel ^ Rochestei, New York 14609 USA = (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone = (716) ?88 - "i989 ro. • i * 27« Tuesday, the eighth of April, one thousand eight hundred and soventy-lhree, at three o'clock in the afternoon. Present : CHARLE8 A. LEBLANC. Q. C, Commissioner. , Mr. Archille JJelle, iu the nnmo of Mr. C, E. Belle, suh- mit.s twenty affidavits, signed by twenty diflerent persons, pur- porting to shew that the Emigration Home is well conducted. The names of these persons are : 1, Hyppolite Vivian ; 2, Joseph Gachel ; 3, Joseph Gachet ; 4, Bruelle Alexandre ; 5, Auguste La- croix ; 6, Henri Cure ; 7, Baron Fran9ois ; 8, Arsene Picard ; 9, Pierre Guillard ; 10. O.scar Mozer; 11. Amateur Lefeuvre ; 12, Pierre Gachet; 18, Pierre Bourdier; 14. Antoine Roche; 15, Fodrine Antoine ; 10, Pierre Burdon ; 17. Julien Cazet ; 18. Ar- mand IMoreau ; 10. Louis Berthelon : 20, Thomas Labourdetie. Mr, Archillc Belle, on the piwt of Mr. Chs. Emmanuel Belie, tenders a voluntary declaration under oath of the said C. E. Belle, to the effect that he never at any time made an indecent proposi. tion to any of the women who have sworn against him before this commission, nor to any of the women indicated or named by the witnesses for the l>^o''^ecution, heard before the Commissioner ; that on the contrary he , 'ways conducted himself towards these women with decencv and reserve. Mr. Monk objocts to the reception ol" iljo deolaration of Mr. C. E. Belle. The Commissioner declares that he cannot receive this de- t'laration under oath, on the part of Mr. C. E. Belle, inasmuch as Mr. Belle pleaded to the charge brought against him, and pro- ceeded with the PHqii^le for the defence with every possilde lati- 1 ude. Counsel for Mr. C. E. Belle declare their e.nqu>>le evidence rlosed. 277 umdred and And the Commissioner adjourns the enquiry to to-morroW, Wednesday, the ninth of April instant, at throe o'clock intheafter- i). Belle, sub- ersons, pur- conducted. II ; 2, Joseph Anguste La- e Picard; 9, sfeuvre ; 12, Roche; li>, zet; 18. Ar- onrdetie. lanuel Belie, C. E. Belle, pnt proposi. t him before >r named by nmissioner ; .vards these ation of Mr. ive this de- nasmuch a« ira, and pro- ossible lati- le evidence noon. f. A. LBBLANC, Commissioner. [Attested,] Peter L. Macdonell, Secrelnry. Wednesday, the ninth of April, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, at three o'clock in the afternoon. Prksknt : CHARLES A. LEBLANC, Q. C. (Commissioner. [In Rebuttal.] FRfcDEBic BoNCOBPS, now of the City of Montreal, and here- tofore of Paris (France), architect, aged thirty years, being duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists, doth depose and say : I was present during the visit made at the house of Mr. and Madame Pelzer, spoken of in the depositions of Mr. and Madame Pelzer and of Depleschin. I was present when the witnesses gave their evidence before this enquiry. When I entered the house, i was with Mr. Perrot. We found a Bel"-ian then named Matchgeels, who kept a tobacco store in Montreal, but who has since abandoned it. There were also pre- sent, Mr. and Ma'lame Pelzer, Depleschin and another mdividual, whose name I cannot now remember. It was the iirst time I hatl met the Belgian. I positively affirm, that during the time I was at Pelzer's, there was no question of a sum of one hundred dollars offered to DepieBchin to withdraw the deposition made by him before the 278 'f H i! i: Pblicii CoTOiriittt'e agaiiisi Msulnmo Vancaster, iibr Was kfty sum of money whatevor tondered. During the time I was there, money was not spoken of at all. If any money had been tender- ed, I would cei-tainly have heard it, because we were, as we arc now, in general conversation, and the lone of voice wafj evQn a little elevated. I say that Mr. Telzer formally lies when he speaks in his de- position of an offer of money having been made. I say that in that particular he has perjured himself From the evidence given here by Felzer in my presence, I would not believe him on oath, because he swore falsely in my presence. I declare the same thing in reference to the deposition of Madame Telzer , and I equally affirm the same thing in relation to th- dcposiiivm of Depleschin, as to the offer of money. I declare, that in this ciTcurastance, they have all three perjured themselves. Cross-e:caini/ie(/. To Mr. A. Belle.— \ took nn active part in this business in tht iitterfest of the immiirrants. Queslinn.—lla,\o you not taken an active part against Mr. Hi'lle in the interest of the prosecution before this Commission ^ An*teei-.— l devoted body and soul to collect the documents J thought necessary to disco v.m- the truth. I did not act directly ivgainst Mr. Belle, i did not know him privately in the matter, Imt a« Agent of Emigration. Question. — Have you not given instructiorr for the prosecution ? Anaiver. — Yes, Sir. the Counsel T assisted at a great part of this investigation, and I only withdrew through deference to Mr. Monk, who requested me. I assisted at the enquiry to give inlbrmation to Mr. Monk, in order that the truth should be elicited. The Belgian of whon'i I spoko, in my deposition, .spoke in Flemish and French daring the viBit iQ relzer.s. I do not u/iderstand tlie Flennsh languaire T it is \Vas iifty sum I was ther^, I been teiider- ?re, as we arc u rvafj evei^ ,•» aks in his de- I say that in vidence given him ott oath, he same thing nd I equally >!' Depleschin, circumstanco, usiness in tht against Mr. Commission ? documents I act directly 1 tho matter, •ll! the Counsel and I only ested xne. Ir. Monk, in of whom I 1 dariui^ the J»'' "''-^ ■ - J.: •■■, •! To Mr. St. Pierre.- -Vile had no money between us there, the Belgian, Perrot and myself ; at lea,st the Belgian told me that he did not own one hundred sf>«s. I had more, "and as for Piisnwt i think he was not very rich. Ahd thewithess Boncorps fvxrthor saith.uot^iaudTo-aftrws.JhM dapofiition.-andiiath signed. i' > h ^*T. , ,1.^.. I,..,. BONCORPS, ,, I, n 280 ulJ^Tr^^uT^:-'^'' ''"^ of Montreal. Ch.rn.«(, a witness •irndy heard before this invesligatio.i, having bo.n duly swoni upon the Holy K vangolists, dolh depone and say : ^ hiv,^t^^"'''T^ "'''"' ^^ ""^' <*"^««^i^- that I did nothe- rehgton a. all honest men should do. I never soiled my mouth hy usmg such expressions. ^ I went to Peli5er-G house with Mr. IJoncorps. We found a Belgian there whose name I do not know. There were present upoiithat occasion. Mr. and Madame. Pelzor. Mr. Depleschin. and the Belgian m question. ' During my visit, I did not hoar a .single word ha vin- refer- ence to an offer of money to Depleschin, to withdraw his deix)si- tion against Madame Vancaster. I did not hear anything like this. If ail offer of this kind had }.een made, I would certainly have heard^.t, because we were all speaking together, and even in » voice loud enough to be heard by the neighbours. The room is a small room. The Pelzers. husband ,md wife, and Depleschin if^ swearing that an offer of money had been made, did not tell the tri*th. In reference to this offer, I do not believe the oath made.bv these three persons. ' ,^;,l:QHeslioH,^I)id you never say to Mrs. Joseph Pelzer. a witness heord before this investigation, that it was nothing to tnke an oath '^ , : Afttinet\-r-4.,ucYyxlnU such a proposition. iiuestioH.~Did you never say, in the presence ol the said Pel- zer and his wife, that there was no God, and that you did not be- lieve m God ? . .Answer ~I re^at, u« i said a .sliort time «go, tliut 1 never mir cd my mouth by the use of such expressions. ."''., I know Madame Moaier. a wit.ies.hoard at this .^^«e/., Ibr luld certainly ', and even in The room is d Depleschin, id not tell the oath made by zer, a witness take an oath ? tlie'saidPel- X did not be- ■ 1 never t»oii' s eaquete, ibr ettl. To my ■ of a family. p of making' a false oath, I have been freequently in company with her, more particularly at the house of Dr. DeBonald of this city, and she iihvay conducted herself in a very respectable manner. I know ihat Madame Monier attends her religious duties every Sunday as a good woman ought to do. I know I'elzer and his wife well ; they were my neighbours for live or six weeks. I noticed that they were intoxicated four or live times a week at least. They became so brutalized from liquor that I would not believe them on oath. One day the woman Pelzer fell from the top of the stairs with the 11.. girl which was nearly killed. She was then tolerably drunk. Cross-examined. Question. — Do you go to mass every Sunday i AnKiver. — I go to mass when it })leases me to go. Question. — Are you in the halnt of giving yourself this plea- sure ? Answer. — I give myself the i)leasure when it suits me. During my visits to the Pelzers the conversations were held in two languages, French and Flemish. I ixnderstand some words in Flemish, but I do not know the language. If it had been in question I would have understood perfectly. Question. — The Moniers had a child that died some t'* after thDir arrival in this country ? Question. — Did you not take an active and voluntary part in the affairs of the Paris Commune ? Answer. — As the question has no reference to the present enquiry, I will only answer when you demand proof Question. — Have you not been actually under the sentence of death by contumacy, for having taken »n active and voluntary part in the affairs of the Paris Commune ; having been thus con- demned by the sixth council of war ? 86 i 282 The question is objected to by Mr. 8t. I'ierre at, being foreign to this enquiry, and not heing of a nature to discredit the witness, supposing he answered affirmatively, and whereas the answer would only bo proof of the fact that he took par in a political movement, and not that he was guilty of any heinous crime him- self by which he would have been disgraced ; that if he had committed any reprehensible act, he would not be obliged by law to incriminate himself by his answer. Objection reserved. Answer. — I refuse to answer this question. • Re- examined. — Bt/ Mr. St. Pierre. Question.— Ih it to your knowledge that you were condemn- ed to death ? Answer. — No sir. Question.— Are you not the bame Terrot who has already given evidence at this enquiry, and who produced a special cer- tificate signed by Mr. Bossange, Canadian Immigration Agent at • Paris ? Answer. — Yes. Re-cross-examined. — Bt/ Mr. A. Belle. Question. — Did you not receive notice through a letter from your sister of the afore.said sentence of the Sixth Council of War ? The question is objected to by Mr. St. Tierre, because it is illegal. Objection reserved. Answer. — I am not here to communicate the news I receive from my family. And further witness saith not, and he hath signed his deposi- tion. PERROT, File. < being foreign it the witness, js the answer in a political 1X8 crime him- hat if he had B obliged by sre condemn- has already I special cer- ion Agent at a letter from moil of War ? because it is Jws I receive ed his depoei- :)T, File. 288 It being six o'clock in the afternoon, the Commissioner ad- journs the enquSle until to-morrow, Thursday, the tenth of April instant, at two o'clock in the afternoon. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. (Attested,) Peter L. MArjDONEiiL, Secrelary. Thursday, the tenth April, one thousand eiffht hundred and seventy-throe. Present : CHARLES A. LEBLANC. Q. C, Commissioner. Two odor/,; P. M. Edouard Machoeels, now of the City of Montreal. Com- mercial Traveller, aged twenty-six years, being duly sworn, upon the Holy Evangelists, doth depose and say ;— I am from the City of Anvors in Belgium, and I have been living for three years in Montreal. I saw the Pelzers only once. I also know Deples- ehin from having seen him three or four times. The visit to l*el- zers took place about the month of February. I foixnd at Pelzers. himself, his wife and Depteschiu. A few minutes later, perhaps ten minutes, Messrs. Boncorps and Perrot came in. I already knew these last named gentlemen by sight. I swear positively that 1 did not upon this, more than upon a?iy other occasion, oF'r any sum of money to Depleschin or any other person whont.o rer, and I swear that the Pelzers and Depleschin, in so stating under oath, have committed perjury. During the time of my visit, there was no question of money whatever, not a word was said upon the subj ct. I am convinced they swore falsely in this circum- stance. I certainly would not believe either the Pelzers or Deples- chin under oath. :i i 284 Upon the viNit I spoke equally ilio Flemish and French languages, but I spoke to Madame Pelzer particularly in Flemish. 1 went to Telzers to meet Depleschi)i, but my visit had no refer- »*noe to immigration affairs. I have not the slightest ill-feeling against Mr. Belle, on the contraiy, I have to thnnk him for nil that he hn.sdone for me. Cam-exam i tied. — To Mi: A. liflle. « Qwes//o«.— Have you not said, in this enquele room, to Mr. Napoleon Archambault, that you had in fact, offered to Mr. Do- plesohiil, at the time of your visit to the Pel/ers, a sum of one hundred dollars to make him withdraw his deposition againsl Madame Vancaster ? /f/Mwe/-.— Never in my life. And further the witness saith not, re-affirms his deposition, and hath signed. E. MACHGEELS. V. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. :'■ ) Hans Muller, the lirst witness heard in this investigation, having Wn duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists, doth depose and say : To Mr. Monk.— J was pro.sent at the examination of Dr. Picault in this enquiry. I remember perfectly well the interview had with that gentle- man, and which is specified in Dr. Picault's examination. ' Question.— Do you recollect that gentleman stating under oath that about the termination of your interview with him you made use of the words following ; " Oh Mr. Belle, je leferai d^sfi- luer. etje me vengerai de lui."" Answer. — I do recollect it. 285 and French y in Flomish. ialiov<« her stntoui.'nt, even uilhout an oalh. I know thi. I\.IzorN an»l Mr. D..i»K.8chin. h'cnri Depk-schin ^ a comploto -'runkurd, aiul a iiotoriouH had eharactor; oh to the Pelzers, both of them arc addicted to drink, anU particularly the woman Pelzer, a.id I know a« a fact that they are of the lowent character. I would not believe either of them under oath, nor any of them. The Counsel for Mr. C. E. R.-lle refuse to cross-examine the witness. And further the witnes.s saith not, and he n-affirms his depo- sition, and hath siuned ir. MULLER. V. A. LEBLANC, Conimissiuner. Etiknnk Adam, now of the City of Montreal, modeller, aged thirty years, having been duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists, doth dei>ose and say :— I am from France, and I arrived at Que- bec the twenty-sixlh of June la^t, and at Monlroal between the tenth and twentieth of Augu.st. I cannot -ive the date exactly. I went once to the Emigration Home through curiosity. I found employment immediately at Montreal. To Mr. Monk.~-I know Mr. and Madame Felix Gagnon, No. 31, College street, where I live myself I was presimt atone Oagnon's wedding in that house. I have no complaint to make against Madame Felix Gagnon. I know ]».. newly married man Gagnon from having se.Mi him at his wedding and frequent- ly since in the house. At the wedding party I danced with Madame Vancaster • we danced a quadriU,* of four figures, which appeared very funnv to the spectators, who did not understand it. Several French ladies took part in the dance, which we repeated twice. It was not this dance which made the ladies withdraw from the room but the conduct of the groom, who was seated in the corner of oalh. i Dt'ph'Bchin lt; UN to the ticnlurly thf f th« lowoHt er oath, nor exuAiiue the ins hiH dt'i>o- l ANC, missiuner. deller, agod Evangelists, ved at Que- etvvecu tht^ ate exactly. uriosity. I agiioii, No. sent at one nt to make ly married d f'reqiient- Vancaster ; very funny al French e. It was the rooni, ; corner of 287 Iho room with hiii wilt- on^is kiieet^, and his htiitdM hidden under her clothes. Thin action was (he signal for the French ladies who were prep -nt to leave the room. 1 know th say against the conduct ol' Madame Gagnon. I know Madame Vancaster to be an honest woman. I was her nearest neighbor, and from what I know of her, I do not believe she would swear a lalse oath ; and although a little light in her ex- pressions, I lielieve her to be as honest as any lady in Montreal. The Attorni-ys of Mr. C. E. Belle decline cross-examining the witness. and hath signed And further the witness saith not, re-afhrming his deposition, ADOLPHE BRUN. - r. A. EEBLANC, Commissioner. CJeuuuk Cornwall CoNiiuv, surveyor and accountant, now of me City of Montreal, aged twenty-eight years, aftev being sworn on the Holy Evangelists, .saith : I came to this country in the month of August last. I went to the Emigrants' Home, being advised that it was safer to go there than to a hotel. I spent one iiight .at the Home. °I went to l)ed but could not stay there om^ hour on account of the vermin in the bed. The place was a regular flea bag, or vermin ba"- The bed was so full of lice that I felt myself insulted on bein- asked to sleep there. I sat up till morning, and complained to he hous>keep.>r of this state of things; she could not understand me, because; she knew not the English language. I complained •tterwards to Mr. MuUer. The bed in the room where I went to bed was Jilthy in the extreme and a disgrace to any civilized country. 'v^. ends left the that we were a change. louse in the not tell the hin and Ma- I have noth- )n. I know her nearest believe she bt in her ex- in Montreal. :amining the s deposition, muN. lNC, nmissioner. untant, now aftev being, 1st. I went r to go there le. I went the vermin ermin bac'. id on beiny iiplained to understand complained e I went to liV civilized 280 And furth(.r witness saith not, he declares this his deposition contains the truth, and hath signed. GEO. C. CONBOY. C. A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. Mr. Monk produces a certiiicate signed by the Mayor of Terre- l>onne, in favor of Isidore Perrot, a witness heard in this enquite marked R. Counter Rebuttal, NAi'OLiioN Placide Archambault, of the City of Montreal Printer, aged twenty-iive years, being duly sworn upon the Holy J'.yangehsts, doth depose and say :-I know Mr. Machgeels, the witness heard in the present enquiry. I was present and heard him give his evidence. I have already very often assisted at the sittings of this Commission. I saw Mr. Machgeels upon one other occasion apart from to-day. I spoke to him. It was on the after- noon that Pelzer gave his evidence. ,vas also present when 1 ejzer gave his ovidence. During the examination of Mr. Pelzer \iy Mr. Archille Belle when Mr. Belle asked the witness Pelzer if it was true that the' Jtolgian had offered a hundred dollars to Depleschin. I addressed myself to Machgeels, who was near to me, asking him if such was the case. He answered " Yes,^' but it was through a joke, as he had not^a sou in his pocket. I knew Mr. Machgeels sometime before this. ^" ^l^'-- J5oAer/^.-Machgoe]s told me that it was true, that he had ottered a hundred dollars to Depleschin, Cross-examined. To Mr. Monk—^ix. Machgeels spoke to me in French I do not speak Flemish, To Mr. St. Pierre.~l have followed the present enquiry for about three weeks or a month. I also very frequently follow the Criminal Term, 37 290 c ! if'r Question.— Are you not the person who offered to swear to certain facts in the Quesnel affair, to one of the Attorneys for the defence, with the view of securing Quosnol's acquittal i Ansioer.—}^o. I do not know Mr. Quesnol. Question— Where did you get the "black eye," that you have now on your riffht eye 'i Ansioer.—l have no black eye. The mark on my riffht eye is a birth mark. 1 am a printer by trade, but I have iiot worked for some time. Question.— Bid you not say in reply to the last question sub- mitted to you by me that it wa.s not I who gave you the black eye you have ? Ansioer.— Yes, I said so, and I added that it was not I who had offered to give evidence in the Quesnel aflliir. Question.— For how long a time have you known the J]olgian of whom you have spoken ? Answer— I have known him since the municipal election of Mr. Munroe, that is to say c. a. d. over a year. We both worked iji favor of Munroe. And further the witness saith not, re-affirming his deposition and hath signed. NAP. ARCHAMBAULT. C A. LEBLANC, Commissioner. Itbenig five o'clock in the afternoon, and the parties havin"- declared their tnqudte closed, the Commissioner declares the pre- sent enquite closed and ended, reserving to the advocates repre- sentmg respectively the Public Minister and the National Societies to produce certain affidavits, and to e.stablish the good character of Madame Monicr. C. A. LEBLANC. (Attested,) Comnmmmer. Pkter L. Macdonell, Becrtfarij. d to swear to irneys for the ^1^ ',"' that you ny riirht cyo )r some time. uestiou sub- ou the black s not I who the Holgian election of oth worked i deposition, AULT. misstoner. ties having res the pre- dates rcpre- al Societies, iharacter of LNC, nissioner. 291 Montreal, fifteenth April, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three. Mr. Monk, the Attorney, representing the National Societies, produces this day- h. April,) a memorandum recapitulating the proof against Mr. ), E. Belle. This memorandum is accompanied with six (6,) affidavits and the certificate of a Priest, all proving the personal respecta- bility of Madame Monier. I. The certificate is that of J. T. Tallet, Priest, and marked I. The affidavits are those of: II. Mr. Doctor de Bonald; III. Josephine Puginier, widow Damas ; IV. Joseph Germaux ; V. Delina Cloutier ; VI. Belzemire Lapointe ; VII. Jean Cloutier. Messrs. Doherty and A. A. Belle, the Attorneys of Mr. C. E, Belle, produce this day, 15th April, 1873, their memorandum in support of the proof submitted by them, testifying as to the in- nocence of their client.