f:p '-. 
 
 IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 LO 
 
 I.I 
 
 U 121 
 
 1112 
 
 S' 
 
 120 
 
 1.8 
 
 
 1.25 
 
 1.4 
 
 1.6 
 
 
 ^ 6" 
 
 
 ► 
 
 "/ 
 
 -'/// 
 
 ,% ^m 
 
 o 
 
 e 
 
 e. 
 
 ^ %.. 
 
 ei. 
 
 ^# A 
 
 % 
 
 s^. 
 
 W-. 
 
 o 
 
 ^ 
 
 '/y///y 
 
 Photographic 
 
 Sciences 
 Corpordtion 
 
 23 WE'.. MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, NY 14580 
 
 (7161 872-4503 
 

 # 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 
 Microfiche 
 
 Series. 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 Collection de 
 microfiches. 
 
 Canadian Institute 'or Historical Microreproductions / Institut canadien de microreproductions historiques 
 
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. 
 
 L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire 
 qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details 
 de cet exemplaire qiM sont peut-dtre uniques du 
 point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier 
 une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une 
 modification dans la m6thode normale de filmage 
 sont indiquds ci-dessous. 
 
 □ 
 □ 
 □ 
 
 □ 
 
 □ 
 
 Coloured covers/ 
 Couverture de couleur 
 
 Covers damaged/ 
 Couverture endommagde 
 
 Covers restored and/or laminated/ 
 Couverture restaurde et/ou pellicul6e 
 
 Cover title missing/ 
 
 Le titre de couverture manque 
 
 Coloured maps/ 
 
 Cartes gdographiques 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'autres documents 
 
 Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion 
 along interior margin/ 
 
 La reliure serr^e peut causer de I'ombre ou de la 
 distortion le long de la marge intdrieure 
 
 Blank leaves added during restoration may 
 appear within the text. Whenever possible, these 
 have been omitted from filming/ 
 II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout^es 
 lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, 
 mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont 
 pas 6t6 film^es. 
 
 Additional comments:/ 
 Commentaires snppl6mentaires; 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 D 
 
 IJ 
 
 D 
 D 
 D 
 
 n 
 
 Coloured pages/ 
 Pages de couleur 
 
 Pagos damaged/ 
 Pages endommagdes 
 
 Pages restored and/or laminated/ 
 Pages restaur^es et/ou pelliculdes 
 
 Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ 
 Pages d6color6es, tachetdes ou piqu^es 
 
 Pcges detached/ 
 Pages d6tach6es 
 
 Showthrough/ 
 Transparence 
 
 Quality of print varies/ 
 Quality indgale de I'impression 
 
 Includes supplementary material/ 
 Comprend du materiel supplementaire 
 
 Only edition available/ 
 Seule Edition disponible 
 
 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, 
 btc, ont §t6 film6es d nouveau de fagon ck 
 obtenir la meilleure image possible. 
 
 This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ 
 
 Ce document est film6 au taux de reduction indiqu6 ci-dessous. 
 
 10X 14X 1&X 22X 
 
 26X 
 
 30X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^■■K.-.^ 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12X 
 
 16X 
 
 20X 
 
 24X 
 
 28X 
 
 32X 
 
The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks 
 to the generosity of: 
 
 Library of the Public 
 Archives of Canada 
 
 L'exemplaire filmA fut reproduit grAce A la 
 g6n6ro8itA de: 
 
 La bibliothdque des Archives 
 publiques du Canada 
 
 The images appearing here are the best quality 
 possible considering the condition and legibility 
 of the original copy and in keeping with the 
 filming contract specifications. 
 
 Les images suivantes ont 6x6 reproduites avec 'j 
 plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et 
 de la netteti de l'exemplaire film6, et en 
 conformity avec les conditions du contrat de 
 filmage. 
 
 Original copies in printed paper covers are fSlmed 
 beginning with the front cover and ending on 
 the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All 
 other original copies are filmed beginning on the 
 first page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, and ending on the last page with a printed 
 or illustrated impression. 
 
 The last recorded frame on each microfiche 
 shall contain the symbol — ^ (meaning "CON- 
 TINUED "), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), 
 whichever applies. 
 
 Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en 
 papier est imprimde sont filmis en commen^ant 
 par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la 
 dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second 
 plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires 
 originaux sont film6s en commenpant par la 
 premidre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par 
 la dernidre page qui comporte une telle 
 empreinte. 
 
 Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la 
 dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le 
 cas: le symbols — »- signifie "A SUIVRE ', le 
 symbole V signifie "FIN". 
 
 Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at 
 different reduction ratios. Those too large to be 
 entirely included in one exposure are filmed 
 beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to 
 right and top to bottom, as many frames as 
 required. The following diagrams illustrate the 
 method: 
 
 Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre 
 filmds d des taux de reduction diff^rents. 
 Lorsque ie document est trop grand pour dtre 
 reproduit en un seul clichd, il est film6 d partir 
 de Tangle sup6r:eur gauche, de gauche 6 droite, 
 et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre 
 d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants 
 illustrent la mdthode. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 

 i 
 
 1 
 
Pnc(^ 25 cents ■• 5"^/^/ hv nil Nm'sdcnhn'^ 
 
 THE 
 
 ■1 
 
 ,1 
 
 7. 
 
 Jn-Pacific Scandal 
 
 J 
 
 
 AT 11 IK 
 
 CUSTOM-HOUSE OF MONTREAL 
 
 bV 
 
 HENRY LACROLX 
 
 AUTIIOK VI- TUB 
 
 "CAXADIAX GUIDE AND BOOK OF REFERENCE'' (1873). iruk descrip- 
 tions and statistics 0/ all Jlaccs along the lines 0/ raihvay in the Erovitice 
 0/ Ontario ; including" a lively description 0/ the old city 0/ 
 QUEBEC. Price reduced to 25 cents, 
 etc., <-tc. 
 
 FIRST EDITION 
 
 MONTREAL 
 
 OCTOBER 1873 
 
 Orders addressed to HENRY LACROIX, Montreal 
 
I 
 
4 
 
 <i 
 
 THE 
 
 Un-Pacific Scandal 
 
 AT THE 
 
 CUSTOM HOUSE OF MONTREAL. 
 
 Those readers who may imagine that this work was got up in a vindictive 
 spirit or as a rctaliaticn for personal wrongs, need only he told that the author con 
 siders he has to fight other battles than his own : that the great majority of the 
 employes at the Custom House of Montreal, who have had to sufTor in many ways 
 "rom its present administration, without any near prospect of relief, require also 
 :hat the Public, as a supreme authority, should be calle<l to consider tiic following 
 inatters of public import, and therel)y compel the Government to institute an 
 enquiry. This introductory paragraj)!! a'.id the following letter, will give readers 
 iomc idea of the nature of this work, and induce them to give to the whole a 
 ireful aud unbiased consideration. 
 
 MoNTREAl,, 20th Sept., 1873. 
 Sir, — You will please understand that I can no longer temporize, and that you 
 must either openly state your intentions with n.-gard tome, or carry into effect your 
 reiterated promises, given under your word of honor, that you would have me 
 reinstated in my former position in the Cifstom I louse at Montreal if I jnit a stop 
 to the law suit which I had instituted against you, which promises you afterwards 
 for political emergencies altered thus : that in nowise would you put any ob- 
 stacle in the way of my reinstatement, etc, etc. Was your propf>siti(Mi made 
 through the Hon. J. L. Beaudry, Messrs. C. O. I'er.'ault and [(jseph Turgeon, 
 your delegates, sincere ? . . Was not the frank and loyal manner in wliich 1 acted 
 on that occasion such as to prove to you thai I did not wish to make an improper 
 use of the circumstances which had put you in my power, notwithstanding the 
 remembrance of the treatment to which I had to sul)niit when you were my su- 
 perior. That treatment might naturally have led me to refuse your prop sition, or 
 induced me to exact a larger amount than the two thousand dollars which you 
 j)aid. liy my refusing to comply with your wishes you would, in all likelihood, 
 nave had to expend eight thousand dollars, without counting law expense*. Your 
 four votes so impnidently given at the last general elections rendered you liable 
 to that penalty. 
 
 The motive which had urged me to institute that action did not rest upon any 
 
consideration of gain, as I alrea<ly toM you, Init was in consequence of your un- 
 just ami arbitrary conduct tnwards ine, which you i)robal)ly thouj^lit yuu might 
 exercise with impunity or without ulterior conse<iucnces. You showed yourself 
 implacable; while my conduct was the reverse. When yiu appeared to have he- 
 come aware of the wrongs you had done me, and to have desired t<» atone for 
 them, although at a late hour, it seemed to me right to attach to your words the 
 sense which they naturally bore. This I di'',, although I felt keenly an impres- 
 sion that your apparent sincerity was only a blind, concealing the true object you 
 had in view. A close examination confirmed this impredsion, but, as formerly, I 
 felt myself capable not only of resisting your hidden attacks, however traitorous 
 they might be, but to force you again to beg for my comjwssion, or to make a 
 public spectacle of your vileness should you not take that proper step. 
 
 1 do not like the ofTice of reforming people by punishing theiu, but if after this 
 notice it suits you to submit to punishment rather than fulfd your obligations, 
 please let me know at once. 
 
 I am, Sir, Yours, etc., 
 
 Henry Lacroix. 
 A. M. Dki.isle, Esq., 
 
 Collector of Customs, Montreal. 
 
 It will be seen from the foregoing letter that the affairs at the Custom House 
 of Montreal are managed in a queer manner. The Collector, Mr. A. M. Delisle, 
 through his ill-treatment of the author, a commissioned officer of twenty years' 
 standing in the service, against whom he brought no complaint, forces him to 
 offer his (conditional) resignation. The condition referred to was — eight hundred 
 dollars as a gratuity. The condition was laid aside, but the resignation accepted, 
 as if not conditional. Being sued by the author some time after for having voted 
 at the last general elections, the said Collector, after a while, desires to make a 
 compromise, and through the three delegates mentioned in the letter above, 
 endeavors to '.^Ing the matter to a satisfactory point for himself. During this trial, 
 which was instituted in earnest, and also in order to show collusion in the two 
 former cases which Mr, Delisle had previously pro fonna, got up against himself 
 through the instrumentality of Messrs. J. C. Baker and Z. .S6ry, the latter testified 
 under oath to the following efTect: — 
 
 Province ok Quebec, 
 District of Montreal. 
 
 SUPERIOR COURT 
 
 FOR LOWER CANADA. 
 
 No. 2403. 
 
 HENRY LACROIX, Plaintiff, 
 A. M. DELISLE, ami al. Defendant, 
 
 1st. Question — Is not your name Z^phirin S6ry, and are you not one of the 
 defendants in this case ? 
 
 Ansiver. — Yes. 
 
 2d. Question. — Is not the case pending before this Court under the No. 1 195, 
 in which you appear as plaintiff against the said Alexandre .Maurice Delisle 
 coUusively instituted between you and the said Delisle to prevent the said 
 Delisle tromthe payment of the sum which you claim in the said case. No. 1195, 
 
1195. 
 Delisle 
 ic said 
 
 "95. 
 
 Annoer, — When I instituted the aforesaid action against the said A. M. 
 Delisle, it was at the request of my brothcr-iu-law, Louis Roch, carpenter, of the 
 City of Montreal, now residing at No. 359 Visitation street, who came in a 
 carriage to see me while I was at work, and told me: You can earn ten dollars 
 and me al.o ten dollars by going with me; I went to the Court House with him, 
 that is to say, to the Police Court. Mr. Schiller, the Clerk of the Crown, asked 
 me if I could speak English, and I replied yes. Then another person, unknown 
 to me, read to me a paper in English. I cannot say what was on the paper 
 which was rea<l to me, not having umlerstood. I understand English a little, in 
 conversation, in the way of my tnide, and that is all. I said under oath that I 
 could speak English 1 little, but I did not say that I understood that which was 
 read to mc. On the day following, an Englishman, unknown to me, gave me 
 twenty dollars in a house which I could not (lesignate. The wife of Louis Roch 
 was with me, and I gave her ten dollars. I am not acquaintetl with any lawyer 
 by the name of J. C. Lacoste (his own Lawyer — Author). I cannot tell for what 
 sum of money an action was taken in my name against A. M. Delisle; I do not 
 know why that action was instituted against him. 
 
 Question. — Please give your attention to the reading of an affidavit produced in 
 the cxse No. 1195 made by yourself, and please say who read you that affidavit 
 which was sworn to by you ? 
 
 Anruier. — I have now heard the said affidavit read tome, and it is the first 
 time I have heard it read. If anything of it was read to me at the time it must 
 have been in English. I do not know any lawyer by the name of Bourgouin (a 
 partner of his first lawyer already named — Author). 
 
 Question. — Was it ever your intention to claim of Alexandre Maurice Delisle, 
 Esq., Collector of Customs of the City ot Montreal, the sum of eight thousand 
 dollars as a penalty for having voted in the elections of eighteen hundred and 
 seventy-one ? 
 
 Ans7ve>: — I have never had that intention, and if any action has been instituted 
 in my name .against Mr. Delisle for that object, I know nothing of it. At the 
 t-me when I received the twenty dollars in question I had never heard it said 
 that Mr. Delisle had voted in the elections of eighteen hundred and seventy-one 
 in the County of Jacques Cartier, nor at Iloclielaga, nor at Montreal East, nor at 
 Montreal Centre. I claim no sum of money from the said Alexandre M. Delisle 
 in consideration of any cause whatever. I do not know the man. I can neither 
 read nor write. My brother-in-law, Louis Roch, has been agent, I believe, to 
 drav/ the rents of a house or two owned by Mr. Delisle, and which he remitted to 
 Mr. Schiller. The house in which Louis Roch now lives in has been sold by 
 Mr. Schiller or I^r. Delisle. 
 
 And the deponent adds nothing else, and the present answers having been 
 read to him he declares them truthful, persisting in them, and declaring hira.self 
 unable to sign his name. 
 
 Sworn, taken and acknowledged before us in Montreal in the month and 
 year aforesaid . 
 
 (Signed), Hubert, Papinf.au & Honky, 
 
 Prothonotary, Superiur Court. 
 
 The above strange testimony, which reveals on the part of Mr. Delisle a very 
 imscrupulous mind, is enough of itself to show what confidence can be placed in 
 this public functionary, occupying such a responsible position. That testimony 
 had, no doubt, a great deal to do in bringing about Mr. Delisle's proposition of 
 compromise. It was divulged in the Court House, where Mr. Delisle had learned 
 during his long career to apply the laws over petty criminals, a place in which he 
 was not fit even to occupy a seat, unless that of shame, having been stigmatized 
 in it as a lawbreaker heretofore, which resulted after an enquice in his dismissal. 
 
The late Sir George Cartier, however, in his political or another kind of compas- 
 sion, establibhcd him in a better berth— in the one which he now occupies. 
 
 The lioard of Trade and public of Montreal have been made to accept as their 
 Collector of Customs a criminal who has not even been whitewashed. The first 
 and most important port of Canada con 11 very well h.ive (lisi)cnscd with the 
 obtrusive and hurtful services of that branded functionary who, apart from many 
 considerations, can claim here no political or other sound influence. It was, how- 
 ever, the will of the reigning power that the great and proud city should thus be 
 humiliated ; but the outraged sentiment very well resented the infliction at the last 
 general elections by overwhelming with disgrace and discomfiture the old title<l 
 candidate who had been prominent in violating in this and other respects the jiopu- 
 lar will and even common decency. 
 
 The corruption of the United .States Government in which the Credit Mobilier 
 and the Tammany Hall Ring and its subordinate rings found nourishment — and 
 which our people and papers so much condemned at the time, as if such a state of 
 affairs never could take root and far less flourish here — has at last tjccome in our 
 Council Chambers and everywhere else a very unpleasant subject to bring on the 
 tapis of discussion or conversation. The " clean hands," so Pacifically stretched 
 out to take American ways and means — which heavenward lifted sarcastically and 
 defiantly mock the ethereal witnesses as absent, blind, deaf and dumb, unable to 
 
 appear, see, Amr and speak the.se "clean hands" must very soon find out that 
 
 "honesty is, after all, the best policy," and that such pathetic mockery of s^vorn 
 innocence, so harmoniously expressed, cannot find credence even on the part of 
 the "Rings," which fit so well on those hands — nor among those in the above 
 regions who have necessarily to vindicate the existence ot their acute senses, 
 appealed to by paralyzing those daring hands and their "Rings," 
 
 When Mr. Delisle, at his own request, had an interview with the writer on the 
 subject of the said compromise, the latter considered he had the right to tell him 
 frankly and loyally what his opinions were, and he said : — 
 
 • • * * " In removing me from my 
 
 station as Landing Waiter, and forcing me to perform a work derogatory to my 
 position, considered in that light by every one in the Custom House and the De- 
 partment as well, which was so injurious to my shattered health, you behaved towards 
 me unjustly and as an enemy, although I had done nothing to deserve that punish- 
 ment. If you had had any cause of complaint against me, why did you not man- 
 fully bring forward those charges, and thereby give me a chance to exonerate my- 
 self, instead of behaving as you did. Mr. Tilley, then Minister of Customs, 
 before whom I went to plead my case, told me before the Commissioner of Cus- 
 toms, that he could not approve of what you had done ; that you had 
 asked him for carte-blanche to make changes in the Custom House, 
 and, therefore, that he could not at once and directly undo what you 
 had done ; that it would be tantamount to official censure. He promised me, 
 however, if I consented to act as locker, as you desired, that he would within two 
 weeks make things satisfactory to me. I low and by what means was that promise 
 of the Minister made of no avail, and broken ?.... Why did you not employ me in 
 the office in place of the many supernumeraries, who could much more i)roperly 
 have been detailed to perform the office of locker, rather than a commissioned 
 officer? What had I done to you? Why did you force me in every way to give 
 in my resignation ? You tell me now that my resignation was only conditional. 
 
and that tlie door is therebv Ifft optn to me. I have all along iKJcn aware of that 
 fact, and was not rolying on you to get back again, some day or other, and there- 
 by get justice. I .low am willing to comply with your wishes, because my heart 
 is not bad and that I do not wish to drive you to the extreme of my might. When 
 I brought you my letter of resignation to transmit to the Dejiartment at Oltiiwa, 
 and that you told me that I was spirited, intelligent and energetic, and could do 
 much belter outside of the service, and that you wished me well, and that as to 
 the gr..luity which I was claiming in my letter of resignation, as a positive condi- 
 tion, and which you considered me entitled to, which I should and must get, why 
 then, after so many expressions of kindness and good-will, and such hearty squeezes 
 of the hand, five minutes after I had left your office, write to the DeiKirtment in 
 such a way as to prevent me fr m getting that gratuity ?... I have seen that letter of 
 yours in Ottawa, and have a copy of it. 
 
 The writer was impelled after he left the Custom House to resent the grievous 
 injury which Mr. Delisle had thus done him in depriving him of his daily bread 
 and even the prospect of superannuation, to which he should have been entitled, 
 by instituting the action referred to. A transfer of the benefits to arise from said 
 action was made in favor of the Institut Canadien of Montreal, to the Tresident of 
 which the two thousand dollars were paid by Mr. Delisle. While the action wis 
 going on in the Superior Court, Mr. Delisle first requested the Hon. J. L. Beau- 
 dry to propose to the author a compromise with the positive promise of reinstate 
 mcnt. The author before that had never been near Mr. Delisle, nor employed 
 any one to go near him, for the purpose of effecting any compromise, — he had kept 
 aloof from him studiously ; but after Mr. Delisle had gained his point, instead of 
 attaching any importance to his given word of honor, cr keeping passive even, 
 — when he saw that Mr. Tupper, the Minister of Customs, had verbally assured 
 the author, on the 14th of August last, "that he was reinstated, etc.," instead 
 of helping on or letting the matter take its regular and proper course, nc, 
 serpent like, moved under the cover (as usual with him) of a private intimation to 
 put a stop to it — claiming that his long and important services (!) to the Govern- 
 ment gave him the right to exact that the Minister should abide by his wishes, 
 and also break his word. 
 
 Was it not unfortunate for Mr. Delisle, that one of his sons should have since 
 said; " I cannot conceive it possible that the Hon. Mr. Tapper should have given or 
 sho^on to Mr. Lacroix my father's /n'z'a/t- letter." 
 
 The said Minister, after reading the author's c<?M^<Vw«a/ resignation, said hewas 
 at a loss to understand (and no wonder) how his predecessor, Mr. Tilley, could 
 have accepted purely and simply such a resignation, without keeping account of 
 the condition it contained ; that he would not have done so ! But what he could 
 do was — to deny point blank, at first, on the 15th. Sept. last, before a witness 
 of his choice, and finally simply doubt that he could have said to the author on 
 the 14th August, the previous month : " I have the pleasure to inform you that 
 you are reinstated, and that my wishes arc that your desires as to the kind of 
 work you are to perform, on account of your affliction of dyspepsia, should be 
 complied with ; and I instruct you to state this to the Collector ; and if it is 
 necessary for me to write the same to him I will do so when you apprize me of 
 it." Mr- Tupper, during the last interview, before lus witness — unreflecting no 
 doubt — made to the author a rather strange avowal : that he had to take into con- 
 
sidcration the wishes of Mr. Dclislc. who had rendered so many services to the 
 Govcrninent ! ! 
 
 Were not the facts here related truthful, why did Mr. Tupper order that the 
 author's petition to lie reinstated, endorsed \>y the Dejjartment at Ottuvva as fol- 
 lows : " Mr. L.ncroix hein^ an olTiccr ajjain^t whom there ajipears to be no cause 
 of complaint, but on the tr>ntrary j^'enerally approved as elTicient, etc., I see no 
 reason why he may not Ijo allowctl to withdraw his resignation provided his ser- 
 vices are re(|uired in Montreal, Signed, J. Johnston, Asst. Commissioner of Cus- 
 toms" — be sent on to the (Jollector at Montreal? Mr. Dclisle happening as an 
 ordinary occurrence, which has become chronic with him, to be at Kimouski, that 
 docunjent li.id to l)c transferred to him there fnjm Montreal by Mr. Crispo, who 
 acts for him here. The latter received srmie time after the intelligence from the 
 first that he would answer directly to the Department ; but lie relented, and finally 
 ordered Mr. Cr'spo to reply " '//irrr is no ^'aaiHcy !^' — The double shutlle was 
 thus made apparent, and the operator's mask fell ! 
 
 Many other charges beside these and the following might be brought t<j light 
 against Mr. Delislc by means of an in.'cstigation were he to linger in office, 
 instead of resigning, as he often has spoken < f doing. The cloud over his head 
 is thick and dark — thicker and darker than that which drove him in disgrace and 
 dismay from the Court House. Will he tarry and run tlie risk of being again 
 dragged through the ordeal he had then to undergo — for the sake of the 
 annuity of six hundred pounds, which he is so persistingly claiming as superannua- 
 tion for an undue amount of public service -which, were it unjustly accorded 
 to him, would swell but little indeed his personal income. The fjuestion, how- 
 ever, in a moral sense, is significant and interesting, and the })sychologically inclined 
 may have an opportunity of becoming convinced that an unwieldy physique and 
 wealUi are rather a curse than a blessing. 
 
 It is considered by many people who nin through life in a hurried manner, or 
 carelessly, that those constituted differently from themselves, and who attach a 
 great imjiortance to tlie bla/ing materiality of this worlil, should wear themselves 
 out of that blupitl mania. That notion is loose, wild, and phUosophically wrong. 
 Deep hued sin left to itself would get to be boundless, and darken the existence 
 of common sense and virtue in such a way as to choke both, were not its great 
 surging forces, which only seek to destroy, arrested at the jiropcr time. Those 
 who represent and enact that gross .state require and seek occasionally* in 
 their own way for the excruciating process which some have to exercise over 
 them; their unfoldmcnt necessarUy depends on such kind of fraternal function and 
 office, which becomes effective \x\ its results, only on the condition that the dealing 
 hand shall be strong and moved by a piojier spirit. 
 
 1 The person to whom these remarks may be particularly applied as fitting, 
 offers in another way some remarkable trait*;, which distinguish him, although a 
 unit, as a curious and distinct duality. The primitive nature of the "fallen 
 angel," which comprise ambition, boldness, cruelty, pride, and the active passions 
 in their fiery state, which he possesses, render him tcHible and very dangerous, 
 coupled as these passions are in him with the lesser evils which are roflccted from 
 the first, and servo to hide or veil their action; that positive natuie, so original, 
 
and balancing itself scientifically and artistically, to use a mild term, loses much, 
 however, of its effect in the eyes of a connoisseur when the linkedto second nart 
 is seen to lurk out child-like, and obliterate occasionally the fir-.t. The savai;e 
 crouches down before anything unusual to him, which he cannot understand, and 
 loses temjiorarily his power. The shark, that voracious and dreadful fish of the 
 sea, which carries terror among others of the finny tribe, and sailors as well, 
 becomes also very timid at times ; for instance, when in the act of seizing the 
 swimmer or <liver, the latter defiantly dashes white water i.ito its eyes and jaws. 
 By these examples, cited to illustra(».« m ue vividly the discord referred to as Airrn- 
 ing the second part or nature of our subject, it will be admitted by th(»se who 
 have deilt with that sul>ject that his terrible and foaming fiiculties can be awed 
 down to '.liiid-iike timidity and abject fearfulness by the display of a little «•////<• 
 water dasliol into his face with a moral indignation and power. Like 'he shark, 
 in another respect, our subject canncjt do without one or several piirts to inspire 
 and guide him in his movements. That queer fancy is a law unto i ■ !'. It 
 rules our subject and makes him hal)itually the chained and pitiful slave ■ > con- 
 temptible beings, who, while profiting by his munificence extended to them, 
 repay it by resorting to all kinds of mean practices imaginabh ,o darken his 
 existence and increase his torments. 
 
 Mr. Delisle, led by h... pilot, Villencuve, has made the Custom House ^ very 
 stonuy antl d'-'idful place, whcie ali tlie employees almost have become so dis- 
 mayed or disgu.iied, that exisjtence in it is to them a moral and material torture. 
 Who would say tlie contrary in face of the evidence furnished here, and v.hich 
 can be extended ? Who would, for instance, imagine it possible that the Depart- 
 ment at Ottawa has had very often to blindly obey the dictates of this sfia>/: and 
 piiot, who have been incarnated here in the above named two human forms? 
 However strange it may appear, it is none the less a fact. These two m<7n> 
 assisted more or less at limes by a few others, as coadjutors, have so fir upset the 
 old normal ami right state of things at this Custom House, that nothing short of 
 the whip used in earnest to drive away the lawless set and their allied companions^ 
 forming the " Ring," will be able to restore there proper system aiul order. 
 
 After a few years' repose in the Collector's chair, during which Mr. Delislt; 
 revived from the stunning cDTects of his dismissal from the Court House, his 
 natural propensities returning to active state were first exercised over the writer 
 and a i, w others. As he gained consciousness and warmed up, his operations 
 became more extensive, bolder, more arbitrary stitl, and impunity aiding, these 
 operations were extended in an overhand and underhand way in various specu- 
 lations—in which others, outside of the " Ring," found themselves losers or 
 sufferers. 
 
 The predecessors of Mr. ^Delisle i;; the Custom House had enjoyed an untarn- 
 ished reputation and k«ft a good corps of officers, who expected to live in peace as 
 heretofore. The fir^t, however, feeling secure in their honor and conscience, 
 managed without ///c?/j or the despicable aSiistancc of "rings" to protect their 
 authority against any presumable danger of its being questioned as unjust, arbitra- 
 ry or inmioral. 
 
 Mr. Delifcile's administration as Collector has been replete from the beginning 
 almost with overt practices of corruption and mismanagement of such kind and 
 
8 
 
 extent that scarcely any one woiil'' believe it unless both were made the subject 
 of ,1 public strict and thorough enquiry and be thereby revealed with all its sup- 
 porting proof. The facts in that connection now brought forward arc particularly 
 furnished for the purpose of showing the necessity for such an enquiry— which the 
 Government, it would seem, from many indirect and some direct evrlences, are 
 averse to institute. Must the great number ot employees of tiie Custom House, 
 who arc cognizant of those facts, be made to understand that the evident weak- 
 ness or looseness manifested thus by the Government — in refusing to listen to the 
 complaints which many among them have timidly or otherwise boldly addressed 
 to it — is nothing less than a proof of connivance on their, the Government's, 
 
 part, and that they abet it ? ' Corruption of such varied and great 
 
 gravity, coming from such high quarters, in such scarcely undisguised shape, and 
 allowed to spread among subordinate officers of all grades, tends not only to 
 disgust them with their superiors acting thus towards them, but invites them to 
 follow ihe fast flowing current so profitable to those around them who do 
 so. The attractive circumstances of that sort which surround and impel theu 
 on, cither to have a willing share in the spoil, which they see others enjoy with 
 perfect ease and impunity, as if there was nothing wrong about it ; or. view- 
 ed from the higher kind of ground, of furnishing their families with certain wants 
 or comforts which these families have not, and whicb- they cannot in many cases 
 with their limited salaries provide them with — all these considerations forcing 
 themsclves|upon them daily and repeatedly form, it must be admitted, very strong 
 temptations to be effectually resisted. It must, however, be here acknowledged 
 to the honor of the majority of these employees, that they deserve well indeed of 
 the pul)]ic and country for having so long kept clear of the contamination which 
 reigned supreme around and above them. There is in the individual human mind 
 a faculty which can readily appreciate such devotedness to stem and right prin- 
 ciples, and the people, or the great man, more so, will feel cause to be proud of 
 them. 
 
 The mercantile class have also had to realize i;i many ways the effects of the 
 corniption and mismanagement so overtly and otherwise displayed in the Custom 
 House. As the " Ring" enjoys supremacy and interferes more or less, as oppor- 
 tunities offer, in damming the regular course of things, so as to bring the waters to 
 their mills, the importers or their clerks have very often had to submit to vexations 
 or extortions — and quietly submit to them — for fear in acting differently of seeing no 
 way to get out of their repetition or extent. If the large number of quashed com- 
 plaints which have been fyled in the Collector's office against the members of the 
 "Ring" were examineu; or if the Collector's /;-iVa/'t' secretary was called on oath 
 to testify as to the nature and extent of those complaints, made by many merchants 
 and others against the "Ring," there would be much to swell the proportions of this 
 work. If the prospect of better times for the Custom House were even to dawn 
 the ve.\e(l and pilfered merchants and brokers would, no doubt, turn out in masse 
 io testify to their past and present complaints. It is hoped they will soon have 
 that opportunity. 
 
 There are officeis, clerks, tidewaiters and lockers among the Ring who have 
 no doubt, been forcibly enticed, in some way or other, to belong to it, and who 
 would be glad to free themselves ot the obloquy which clings to them as leprosy. 
 

 
 That is kno%vn to ])c the case, but discrimination in this instance would be some- 
 what hard to establish, as the same atmosphere binds them all together. The 
 breaking up the King will show who among them arc but partially tainted. 
 
 The accompanying copy of a letter (found further on) of Mr. Landing Waiter 
 Barry, addressed to the Department at Ottawa, which contains startling and grave 
 accusations preferred against Mr. Dclisle and his Ring— has to receive here 
 some consideration in reference to the details which it omits in a great measure. 
 
 Mr. Villeneuve's appetite and digestive powers, on a par wUh those of his 
 official master and colleague, are, however, of a disorderly or squandering kind, 
 and profit not to him as unto his protector. 
 
 Mr, Delislc had Mr. Villeneuve appointed as appraiser on account of his 
 " meritorious services," and has left him many "doors open" to get ai pickings ; 
 but the would-be " Irishman^ (I) would perhaps liave preferred to see him use a 
 little more daccnry in these and other operations ; it is a hard tiling to bend a 
 full-grown tree. As it has become dc bon gout (of good taste), during these very 
 Pacific times, to make a liberal use of the purses ot others or make loans (!) ad 
 libitum-'\\\ exchange for I.ONG promises to pay (I) Mr. Villeneuve being a big and 
 great man — as he c(jntrols the Collector and "has the use ot pul)lic money for 
 years without interest," as stated in Mr. Barry's letter — thought, it must be sup- 
 posed, that he had just ns much right as the Ministers to atiopt that wise and 
 lucrative policy — lUU will he be able to get up and command a Royal Commis- 
 sion? In gi'iiig up tlie Aggregate Book to Mr. A. Laurin, his successor 
 
 (who might perhaps be found to have a more lively memory than .Sir Hugh Allan 
 and others), made loans to Mr. Villeneuve to the amount of three or five hundred 
 dollars. It is a difTicult thing in these troublesome times to get to exact figures. 
 This was a very legitimate transaction ! 
 
 The second very thankful victim of Mr. Villeneuve is Mr. Tide Waiter J. 
 Brosseau, now stationed at St. Armand, from whom Mr. Villeneuve obtained a 
 loan of about three hundred dollars. But there are interesting particulars in this 
 case which deserve to ba mentioned. Mr. Brosseau was living in Montreal when 
 iie made this loan to Mr. Villeneuve ; he expected that the latter would get him 
 promoted as promised for the temporary use of said loan. lie pressed the matter, 
 perhaps, a little too much to suit the delicate feelings of the borrow '-r, and having, 
 unluckily for himself, laid in seven cords of good hard wood for winter's use, which 
 cord wood it exactly suited Villeneuve tS: Co. to have for their particular use, the said 
 fuel was turned into another loan — apart from a fine load of hay which afterwards 
 found its way to Mr. Villeneuve's stables to feed one of Mr. Delisle's horses, 
 which happened somehow to be in said stables, &c., &c. Mr. Brosseau was 
 considerately and <iuiclly removed to St. Armand, to reflect philosophically at his 
 leisure on what had happened. lie may have found out by this time, not his 
 money, nor any -'alue for it, but that Mr. Villeneuve is a very powerful and influ- 
 ential personage ; he may be willing to adil something to the above. During this 
 operation, Mr. Delisle had been put into a magncoo sleep by Mr. Villeneuve, 
 during which he conversed with the angels and could see only their doings. 
 
 The third case concerns Mr. D. Goron, ex-clerk in tlie Long Room (a very 
 deserving young man, and efficient accountant;, who, in some way or another, j^ot 
 in also to be helped out by Mr. Villeneuve ot a loan of about one hundred and 
 
10 
 
 twenty-three dollars. Mr. Goron had innocently given to the word loan its strict and 
 real meaning, and being hard pressed, after a long delay, for the return of said 
 loan to meet the wants of himself, his mother and sisters, whom he had to sustain, 
 he begged for it, cried for it; but the legitimate consequence of those stirring 
 appeals and unfortunate demand was Mr. Ooron's dismissal from his situation. 
 
 It would be useless to go on here with farther items on this particular part of 
 the subject, as the above will no doubt suffice to illustrate and demonstrate it, for 
 all necessary purposes. We will leave out of these immediate paragraphs the 
 other exploits of Mr. Villeneuve, also those of the minor members of the Ring, to 
 begin a cursory review of the grander tactics and doings of Mr. Delisle as Co'lec- 
 tor of the Customs of Montreal. 
 
 Mr. Delisle beir.j a warm and stern advocate of economy in public matters, 
 could not very well have been expected to follow the footsteps of his predecessors. 
 In consequence of that strong proclivity he began his first reform by exacting an 
 increase to his salary of six hundred dollars and getting a private secretary, whose 
 salary is now nine hundred and fifty dollars, and a private messenger receiving^ 
 five hundred dollars. This was a bold and radical change, which the Government, 
 no doubt, adipired, as a sample of able strategy — and which the whole class of 
 tax -payers, even the malcontents, should also consider in the same light. 
 
 Ity prevailing upon Government to purchase from the Royal Insurance Com- 
 pany ihe new premises, which ofTer inadequate proportions and conveniences for 
 a Custom House and Examining Warehouse at the same time, and in the base- 
 ment of which tlie waters of the St. Lawrence have an easy access every fall and 
 spring, unfitting that part to be constantly used for storing goods brought in for 
 examination or otherwise, Mr. Delisle considered the investment from a finan- 
 cial point of view rather than by those vulgar principles which reformists are so 
 apt to bring forward on every possible occasion. Mr. Delisle being a large and 
 successful real estate owner, possessed the necessary qualifications tD give to Gov- 
 ernment the very best opinion in this transaction, and as tu tlie carrying out of a 
 close bargain, in which so many men are apt, unless very closely watched, and even 
 then, to realize handsome or extraordinary bonuses or loans, he, Mr. Delisle- 
 acquitted himself in this affair to the satisfaction of all parties concerned, notwith- 
 standing what Dame Rumor may have then said to the contrary. Vindication 
 never comes too late, and clean hands need not be afraid to show themselves ; these 
 must be the sentiments of Mr. Delisle, and he would have no objection, we dare 
 say, to come forward of his own accord to vindicate himself in this affair were any 
 Government imbecile enough to propose an enquiry. 
 
 The affairs of tixe Custom House being altogether under the control of the 
 Collector, no one has any business to bring the latter to account, or insinuate 
 anything against him which is bad so long as the Department, controlled by 
 Government, does not see fit to interfere or find fault with the proceedings of that 
 functionary. The question otherwise viewed, would be tantamount to the upset- 
 ting of all the rights and privileges of authority, however much democratic liberty 
 and its pernicious jirinciples might gain by attempting the contrary. Collectors, 
 like other mortals, have their troubles; and the best among them, after doing all 
 they can for their subordinates, are sometimes e.Xposed to the ordeal of receiving 
 anonymous letters from some of those ungrateful beings, who pitilessly accuse 
 
n 
 
 them of committing all kinds of unjust, arbitrary and immoral actions. Those 
 Collectors who are made to meet with such ordeals, and who benevolently pardon 
 the detected guilty, after he should have been proved of having written, for 
 instance, nineteen such abusive missives (which are at this day in the Tolicc Court) 
 • — those Collectors, we must insist, deser\'ethe Iqud praises of the piously minded! 
 Mr. Delisle may have met with the trouble above mantioned in the problematic 
 way, and actually received the nineteen anonymous letters from a pet within his 
 " Ring," and besides, very leniently pardoned the guilty pet; but what of that ? 
 Must pardon in such a case be so construed as to wear the ugly mask of fear? 
 Decidedly mankind is too prone to subvert right for evil, and therefore deserve 
 to be chastised. But it would be well, however, to refer to the testimony of Mr. 
 Tide Waiter Charland, which relates to the above strange story. 
 
 Tliere is a question which the Collector should be made to answer : How is it 
 that so many bailiffs have followed him from the Court House? 
 
 RAFFLE OF THE COLLECTOR'S OLD WATCH AMONG THE 
 EMPLOYEES ! THE COLLECTOR GETS A NEW WATCH 
 
 IN EXCHANGE ! 
 The letter of Mr. Barry, kept as a back or dark ground, speaks about the Col- 
 lector's old watch as having been raffled among the employees of the Custom 
 House. Tlie occurrence was noticed at the time by some of the city newspapers, 
 but in a somewhat hushcd-up manner, so that few outsiders really understood 
 the case. A man of Mr. Delisle's position, official and social, and of his wealth, 
 allowing himself to fall into such a fool's trap, for the sake of satisfying his corrupted 
 sense of acquisitiveness, and become thereby the target for many kinds of hits, 
 which would have wounded others very deeply, or so teasingly, as to drive them 
 onit of the country to hide themselves, this occurrence or rather the disclosure of 
 it, did not, however, disturb the equanimity of Mr. Delisle in the least, nor inter- 
 fere with his digestion. Being a shark, as before said, his sharp tri-set, saw-like 
 moving teeth and capacious stomach are proof against such small fry. 
 That is evident from the fact that it affected others much more indeed than it did 
 him. Others t)lushed deeply and sorrowfully for him, but Jie kept his usual 
 plausible mask of innocence and stern digt^ity ! The chief " pilot" of the Col- 
 lector and "ring," Mr. Villeneuve, was pern tted to enact under the mock "patron- 
 age" of an ex-employee's widow in great distress ! W'-rjl SIX CHILD- 
 REN CRYING FOR BREAD ! ! ! the farcical and gross deception. That disgusting 
 melodrama cannot surely be too severely or sarcastically attacked. If al)jcct ridi- 
 culousness is more despised than vice in many cases, this speculation must be suffi- 
 cient to spread outside of the Custom House the profound abhorrence and almost 
 unfeigned expression of that sentiment which every decent man there entertains 
 toward the two authors and actors above named, who committed that mean and 
 despicable action. Surely the public and Government will see tiic necessity 
 of putting a stop to all possibilities of its recurrence. "* 
 
 •The Collector's old watch was raffled in June, 1871, at nine o'clock p. m., 
 at the " Montreal House," sixty-eight tickets at two dollars each having been sold 
 among the employees of the Custom House. Several of the employees, who 
 dreaded the consequence of a refusal, liad to pay for tickets wluch had been givea 
 
12 
 
 them to be disposed of, if possible, and among them may be cited Mr. Tide Waiter 
 II. Mullins, to whom Mr. Villeneuve had previously given twelve ticket>, and 
 who had to pay for the whole, as he was told by Mr. Villeneuve, although he had 
 been able to dispose of but a few. One hundred and thirty-six dollars were 
 realized by the raflle — and Mr. Tide Waiter John Tipson became the lucky owner 
 of Mr. Delisle's old watch. Some mischievous wag insinuated that Tipson was so 
 elated after he learnt that the old relic was Mr. Delisle's, that he would have 
 went to the Collector for the purpose of thanking him, or give it l)ack to him, aS 
 he shortly after learned that the Collector had almost cried — before witnesses, able 
 to testify to this — at the loss he had suffered in being deprived of si4ch a precious old 
 family relic. The raffle brought in one hundred and thirty-six dollars, and one 
 hundred dollars were paid for the new watch. The difference of thirty-six dol- 
 lars went to Mr. Villeneuve, who also tried hard to keep the main one hundred 
 until threatened with exposure. ' , 
 
 The craving appetite of Mr. Villeneuve for raffles, subscriptions, &c., is some- 
 thing wonderful. He would eat " the church, the staple and all the paple" were 
 he allowed to remain any longer where he is. lie docs not, however, always feel 
 sanguine of success in planning out new operations, — that is to say, he knows 
 that his repeated extortions made among the poor Customs people have so indis- 
 posed them against him, that he has sometimes to resort to queer ways to gain his 
 end, as seen by the following : He had a horse — to raffle, at two hundred dollars, 
 some time previous to the watch affair, and succeeded in getting the employees to 
 contribute towards the "sensation," by saying that it belonged to ari offlcer 
 of the House, who is much beloved. The dexterous trick was discovered, but too 
 late. In v.v.i affair, Mr. Tide Waiter Mullins had to pay heavily, viz. : twenty 
 dollars for ten tickets. 
 
 Another affair of Mr. Villeneuve will, no doubt, prove the fertility of his 
 imaginative power and his means of carrying out what he wishes to do in the Custom 
 House. He got the Collector to create a new office or department in th- Custom 
 House, that of Superintendent of Tide Waiters and Lockers, which fell to the lot 
 of Mr. O. Allard — who had, it is said, ^fat pign\\x.(i!n. coveted by Mr. Villeneuve. 
 
 The gauging question at the Custom House was some time ago a matter of 
 much controversy in the House, and newspapers even, but it has since subsided. 
 
 After behaving in the above exemplary manner, Mr. Delisle was further 
 taxed with selfish motives in his kind conduct towards his chief gardener — whose 
 two sons found somehow a "vacancy" in the Custom House — as a recompense 
 for their father's "meritorious services!" 
 
 Whatever vague semblance of truth there may be in the preceding paragraph, 
 the accusation contained in the present or.e would have to be borne out by strong 
 testimony to receive credence : It is claimed that Mr. Delisle wrote to Mr. Duns, 
 comb, Collector of Customs at Quebec, to get his brother-in-law. Captain Dun- 
 lord, Collector of the Inland Revenue in Montreal, to apply for superannuation, he 
 Mr. Delisle, stating that he wished to get rid of Mr. Lewis, the Surveyor of Cus- 
 toms at this port, and have this gentleman to take Mr. Dunford's situation. In 
 wishing to tS.o good to Mr. Lewis — in that way — how can it be conceived for a sin- 
 gle instant that the said proposed operation of Mr. Delisle carried any sinister 
 motive? One of Mr. Delisle's /r^/^^'-^j was to have had, iu the event of success, 
 Mr. Lewis's situation — as a recompense for his ''meritoiious services." 
 
13 
 
 The ghost of poor Tide Surveyor Fletcher, whose awful fate thrills yet through 
 everyone in the Custom House gifted with nerves or sensibilities, is said by some 
 to haunt the new Custom House and to cry out every night with heartrending 
 and loud impressive notes : " Give me my book ! give me my book ! ! give me my 
 book ! ! ! Curses on those who stole my book !" and the voice with this last shrlil 
 note is said to be no more heard ; but the presence of the poor unfortunate ma- 
 niac is constantly felt by every one in every room of the House, except that of the 
 Collector, who, it is said, has had written on his door, in invisible leUers: 
 
 Difensc a Dint, 
 De/aire miracle en ce lieu, 
 
 or, " God is prohibited from working miracles here." Poor Fletcher is said to 
 have l^een driven to despair and finally to madness, a madness which he to the last 
 moment attributed to Mr. Delisle, directly and indirectly as the one who took his 
 book. He was a good soul, a fine man, and a very efficient officer, the departed 
 Tide Surveyor, and had got up for his own /nz/a/f use a book containing improved 
 formulas for the measurement of vessels of all kinds of tonnage or form, which 
 got out of his possession in some way or another. Mr. Villeneuve had got some 
 time before from poor Fletcher a loan of twenty-seven dollars on his (useless) 
 bon, which is at this day in the hands of Mr. Lawyer McCord. Had poor 
 Fletcher been more wide-awake, he would not have asked Mr. Villeneuve for his 
 money; but by so doing he got an "Assistant," lost his book and his mind 
 besides. Great events often proceed from small caures. 
 
 During the winter of i869-'70, four porters of the Examining Warehouse 
 were turned out to freeze and starve, because they could not understand Mr. 
 Villeneuve's system. The Collector stepped out of his office at the command ol 
 Mr. Villeneuve, and said to the four old, reliable and faithful helps : " I have to 
 introduce rct'/wwy .'" Shortly after, however, the four vacancies were filled by 
 men who were expected by Mr. Villeneuve to have a sound and lively under- 
 standing. Some of their pockets were, howeverj once found filled with costly 
 fancy goods, &c. ; and on that occasion the Collector is said to have made a 
 splendid speech, uttering strong imprecations against the pilferers ot silks, velvets, 
 &c., but ending with "recommendation to mercy." Was the pilfering then dis- 
 covered not preceded and followed by others? The poor ex-porters, named 
 Daniel Wilts, Robert Groves, James Barry, and Richard Conway, brother of the 
 highly esteemed Superintendent of the Lachine Canal, had distinguished them- 
 selves at Delhi, Balaklava, and during the Fenian raid in this country; their 
 medals shone on their manly breasts; but those precious relics, which did not 
 tick like the Collector's old or now watch, were unable to save their possessors 
 from being discharged. Mr. M. I'. Ryan, member of the House of Commons, 
 had the noble courage to stand up in the House in the defense of those four 
 victims of Mr. Delisle & Co., but he was unable, by warm appeals and indignant 
 remarks, to obtain justice or redress for them. 
 
 Mr. Villeneuve's brother-in-law, Mailloux, could not, on account of his 
 relationship with the first, have been introduced among the packers in the 
 Exaraiiiijig Warehouse in the ordinary way, or hired by the day ; so the Governor- 
 
 11 
 
General in Council was pleased to appoint him with a fixed and good salary* That 
 speaks well fur the influence of Mr. Villeneuve in the Privy Council. Mr. 
 Dcliblc should be proud of his associate ! 
 
 Mil. BARRY'S DISCARDED LETTER, 
 
 REVEALING THE ABOMINABLE AND DISGRACEFUL TROCEED- 
 INGS IN THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 MoNTREAi,, 30th January, 1873. 
 
 Sir, — T most respectfully beg to inform you that Mr. Assistant Appraiser .Mer- 
 cier has fie [uontly stated to several ofTicers of this House in my presence that he 
 has fro'iuenlly S-un the Collector of this Port during the past two years enter the 
 bedroom of a woman who is the wife of an employee and resides in the Custor.i 
 House, and that on one particular occasion he, Mr. Mercier. had seen the Col- 
 lector in the bedroom licfore referred to in company with the woman above 
 mentioned, and that he, the Collector, had then and there his person exposed. Mr. 
 Mercier states that he is j)repared to make oath to the above facts, and I am pre- 
 pared to prove that I have been sent by the Collector to the Grand Trunk RR. 
 Station with a letter from the Collector asking for tree passes for this woman from 
 Riviere-du-Loup and return, which passes I obtained from Mr. Ilickson of the 
 Grand Trunk Railway and handed to the Collector. 
 
 It*is well known that the woman mentioned is in receipt of pay from the Cus- 
 toms, to the detriment of the housekeeper, who is in every respect her superior. 
 
 I have good reason to believe that Mr. Mercier has mentioned all he knew 
 respecting this scandal, to several members of Parliament with whom he is ac- 
 quainted, and that it is intended to have this subject enquired into during the en- 
 suing session of Parliament. I therefore deem it my duty to pl.ice the Depart- 
 ment in possession of this information. 
 
 And I must further inform you that it is a notorious fact that Mr. Appraiser 
 Villeneuve has been levying blackmail on Customs officers and others, and that he 
 uses his official position to do so ; his power and influence with the Collector 
 being so great that officers. Customs brokers and others would not dare to refuse 
 his frequent as well as extravagant demands. His system of blackmailing consists 
 of borrowing money, sending subordinate officers to make purchases for him, Mr. 
 Villeneuve, for 'which he refuses to pay when the accounts are rendered. I am 
 prepared to hand you a long list of names of officers and others who have thus 
 been blackmailed. I would also beg to state that, during the summer of 1871,. Mr. 
 Villeneuve informed me that the Collector expressed a desire to exchange his old 
 watch for a new one, and that Mr. Villeneuve could raffle the Collector's old 
 watch among the officers for more than the new watch would cost. He, Mr. 
 Villeneuve, and I proceeded to Schwob Bros, and purchased a gold watch for 
 $100, and handed it to the Collector in exchange for the old watch. Mr. Ville- 
 neuve then caused the old watch to be raffled, and by so doing realized $136. Mr. 
 Tide Waiter Weir acted as Treasurer on this occasion, and that officer hand ed over to 
 me the proceeds, which I immediately handed to Mr. Villeneuve, who requested the 
 use of the money for three months, at the expiration of which time I insistedtliatMr. 
 Villeneuve should take up my note which Schwob Bros, held for the Collector's 
 new watch. Mr. Villeneuve then said I should pay Schwob Bros., as he and the 
 Collector had succeeded in getting me promoted ; Init I would not submit to be 
 blackmailed by Mr. Villeneuve or any other person. Consequently Mr. Ville- 
 neuve took up my note and brought it to my house on the evening of 7th March 
 last, and on which date the Collector had sent word by Mr. O'ilara, his secretary, 
 that he wished to see me at his private residence, he, the Collector, being then 
 laid up with rheumatism. I proceeded to the Collector's house, was shown to his 
 bedroom, and while there was requested to make up friends with Mr. Villeneuve 
 
n 
 
 to which I replied that I could not act any longer with Mr. Villencuvc, as 
 he had been hoiTowin;^ money from every officer of whom he coukl ol»tain it. 
 I have since l)ecn crodil)!y informed that Mr. Villencuve has had the use of public 
 money for years without interest. 
 
 Trusting that this matter may be thoroughly investigated, and that officers 
 while such investigation is pending may be p-()tecte<l from tlireats of Mr. Ville- 
 ncuve and his friends, and being well aware of the responsibility I assume in 
 placing the Department in possession of this statement, 
 I have the honcjr to be, Sir, 
 
 Your most obedient, hunible servant, 
 
 (Signed) T. IUrry. 
 
 R. S. M. BouciiETTE, Esq., 
 
 Commissioner of Customs, Ottawa. 
 
 77iis ktter was never noticed by the Minister of Customs, 
 
 You writhe, Mr. Delisle, within my gra?p, and your convulsive efforts to 
 escape Irom me serve but to make that grasp more firm, stronger and necessarily 
 unpitiable. Menaces, intercessions, officioos, or of any other kind, rampant 
 pleadings, nor any sort of trick can save you from the fate which awaits you. 
 Your friends (! ) cannot save you. Your worst enemy, the Government, will noj 
 dare give you a helping hand. You know it. How despicable must you not 
 appear to yourself in your present cringing situation ! dishevelled with fear, or 
 foaming with rage; unable to extricate yourself, nor deal any effectual b1 ,s to 
 your tormentor and rescuer ^ you agonizingly look around for means to save youj 
 but that will not do, Mr. Delisle. I hold you tight, and my hold cannot be 
 unloosened. See the looks of your officials or subordin.ites; see those ol others 
 outside of the Sanctum which you have daringly and defiantly prostituted; do 
 those looks betray any sympathy, sorrow, or tears ? No! Where are your friends» 
 Mr. Delisle? To whom were you a friend ? You, a public man! You, a friend 
 of the public! Dare say so before the public denial. 
 
 / would have saved you, Mr. Delisle, or freed you from public exposure, 
 which you cannot now avoid; but you would not mind the kind advice, the only 
 friendly one, which you should have taken. You preferred an ignominious end, 
 rather than resign, as I told you, a few days ago, your office of Collector. You 
 clutch on to the emolument, which is a straw; you foolishly hope for succor 
 which cannot come; your wealth even cannot save you. Your repeated trips to 
 Ottawa, nor the supplications from there, must not, nor cannot interfere with the 
 scoriating process which I must inflict on you— for your own good ! ! 
 
 Mark! what sounds do you hear from the Custom House ? What ominous 
 peals so disturb and so violently proceed from the Capital ? The small place is 
 rejoicing; the other, like yourself, is vociferous, blustering; menacing and 
 imploringly trying to prolong its existence and save — what ! its honor ? its "clean " 
 hands? No! honor with you all is but a name, a lie, a thunderbolt which must 
 destroy you all. Power, you all wish to keep. Injustice, you all wish to 
 exercise. Corruption, you all wish to extend. But the employees and the people 
 bid those whom they invest with power to deal harshly towards the lawless and 
 immoral set, and save tlie departmental and general institutions from a crushing 
 and disgraceful downfall. 
 
 Prostitution of all kindi has for a long time made a great show in Government 
 offices and electioneering matters; but exultant evil must at last corae to ^ end, 
 
16 
 
 and by its overthrow permit reason, virtue and justice to appoint in its stead new 
 men to carry on the progressive and moral destinies. 
 
 That exposed sum of evil which must necessarily bring on the small and large 
 events predicted above, within almost breathing time, linked together by a similar 
 nature and operating in the same way, are so identical as to defy the most dex- 
 terous in establishing a difference. In the small case the facts are established as 
 previously mentioned, and find a sequel in the following fx/>osd : 
 
 The first three paragraphs of the above letter addressed to the Department 
 establish a vile case, such as has never before occurred in any Government office 
 in the country. There is no use mincing expressions to qualify it. The Custom 
 House of Montreal has been made, with the smiling or sneering consent of the 
 Minister of Customs or Department— a Brothel ! It has been a brothel for 
 several years, to the knowledge not only of the author of that letter and Mr. 
 Mercier, who witnessed the liaion, but of many others in this House and Parlia- 
 ment as well. How many besides, among the press, merchants and others, were 
 also made aware of that scandal ? But all and every one almost shirked from 
 meddling in the task ot getting it to explode. Mr. Thomas Workman, member 
 of the House of Commons, over a year ago, brought the matter before Mr. Tilley, 
 then Minister of Customs, and ^ras promised by the latter that an enquiry would 
 shortly be instituted into it. But it was only a promise ! Ministerial promises to 
 Opposition members, even in such cases, need not be kept ! There is no harm 
 to shove off with a lie a commoner of that class ! It is even questionable whether 
 Mr. Tilley, or any other member of the present Government could very well 
 have found it convenient t act with rigor towards any kind of prostitution vary- 
 ing more or less from that in which one and all of them have dipped their ''clean" 
 hands. . 
 
 The disclosure of that crime, for so must be called the impudent vice which 
 so boldly has defied anger, contempt, and sorrow, has led those who entertain 
 those sentiments into the belief that the common decency with which such evil 
 generally clothes itself with is no more required. Any other but Mr. Delisle, 
 after the disclosure, would have been influenced by shame, if not remorse, and 
 removed elsewhere the quarters of his facile amours. But he! sullied and 
 steeped, dyed, dried, and used in every kind of official process, imposetl by 
 authority to have the highest seat in — the Chnrch — Harbor Commission, and 
 elsewhere, never would have thought of such a condescension to vulgar prejudices. 
 Not//f.' 
 
 By providing the new Custom House with a new character, and appointing an 
 engineer to heat the premises and drive its hoisting and lo^oenng power, Mr. 
 Delisle imagined, no doubt, that he deserved well of his country and the 
 public. Such ingcniousncss is not common, and should be taken into consider- 
 ation by both. The accommodating engineer who hoists and conveniently loivers 
 within the House its status and his own, and who, for a salary and by official 
 authoriiv, is bid to disown conjugality and paternity as nonsensical things — 
 although apprenticed for ten days on a harbor dredge by tlie re-elected President 
 of the Harboi Cammission — has been declared by the Inspector of the Board of 
 Works as inefficient, and endangering the lives of the whole household. Bat the 
 Collector relies on the ENGINEERING which is still going on I !