The Bastard of Fort Stikine
Page 24
“addicted to the Bottle”: George Simpson’s letter to Robert McVicar, September 26, 1820, cited in Raffan, Emperor of the North, 111.
“was exceedingly violent”: Thomas McPherson, deposition before George Simpson, April 26, 1842.
“the worst of all those”: McLoughlin Jr.’s letter to John Fraser, October 11, 1836, reprinted in Barker, The McLoughlin Empire, 230-31.
80 “could not get them to work”: Ibid.
“before I get to red river”: Ibid.
“McLoughlin in other respects”: Thomas McPherson, deposition before George Simpson, April 26, 1842.
“Simpson’s penchant for early starts”: Raffan, Emperor of the North, 334.
“The business of the post”: George Simpson, letter to McLoughlin Sr., April 27, 1842.
“Ledger books and post journals”: Raffan, Emperor of the North, 145.
81 “because it confirmed his views”: Barker, The McLoughlin Empire, 124.
“had simply reverted to type”: Lamb, “Introduction,” in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, First Series, .
“this dreadful act”: George Simpson’s letter to McLoughlin Sr., April 27, 1842.
“I have no Doubt”: The words are attributed to George Simpson, repeated in Dr. McLoughlin’s letter to Governor Pelly and the Committee, June 24, 1842, reproduced in E.E. Rich, ed., The Letters of John McLoughlin from Fort Vancouver to the Governor and Committee, Second Series, 1839-44, vol. VI (London: Hudson’s Bay Record Society, 1943), 74-76.
“shot a man in cold blood”: Simpson’s Character Book, 195.
Siveright’s career in the HBC: From a footnote in Williams, Hudson’s Bay Miscellany, 195.
“he was more influenced”: Simpson’s Character Book, 195.
“in self defence”: Lamb, “Introduction,” in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, First Series, xxxi.
82 “attract much unfavourable attention”: Ibid.
Simpson’s suspect hiring practices: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 175.
“he had access to”: Ibid.
“perception was everything”: Raffan, Emperor of the North, 312.
HBC’s perspective: Hamar Foster (“Killing Mr. John,” 159) later summarized Simpson’s conundrum: “Neither the company nor its monopoly were popular.…rumors of how harshly it treated both the Indians and its engages were common. If one of its clerks had so abused his men that they had killed him in self-defense, a trial in Canada would be (what today is termed) a public-relations disaster.”
“In the whole case”: George Simpson’s letter to Governor Pelly and the Committee, June 21, 1844, reprinted in Rich, ed., McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, Second Series, xvi-xvii.
“Neither by this course”: Ibid.
“conveniently antiseptic solution”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 160.
“Mr. [Charles] Dodd, chief Mate”: George Simpson’s letter to McLoughlin Sr., April 27, 1842.
83 “a respectable young man”: Ibid.
“Notwithstanding the melancholy”: George Simpson’s letter to Charles Dodd, April 27, 1842, E 13/1, folio 77-78, HBCA.
“McPherson and Smith, who”: Ibid.
One final threat at Stikine: In his April 21, 1842, letter to John Work, McPherson claimed “now we are in danger from the Indians of this place as they want to attack the Fort when they heard [McLoughlin] was killed.”
“the Indians, who are collected”: George Simpson’s letter to McLoughlin Sr., April 27, 1842.
“The indian interpreter Hanaga Joe”: George Simpson’s letter to Charles Dodd, April 27, 1842.
“he had been guilty”: Lamb, “Introduction,” in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, First Series, iii.
“to be forwarded to Canada”: George Simpson’s letter to Governor and Committee, July 6, 1842, reprinted in Glyndwr Williams, ed., London Correspondence Inward from Sir George Simpson, 1841-1842, vol. XXIX (London: Hudson’s Bay Record Society, 1973), 162.
84 “had done all that”: Lamb, “Introduction,” in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, First Series, xxxi.
“Mr. McLoughlin’s private”: George Simpson’s letter to McLoughlin Sr., April 27, 1842.
“a ring from the” and “gave to the woman”: Powkow, deposition before James Douglas, May 18, 1843, HBCA E13/1, folio 242-243.
“this ring was afterwards”: Ibid.
“Mr. McLoughlin’s conduct”: Cited in Lamb, “Introduction,” in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, First Series, xxxi.
86 “His violence”: George Simpson’s letter to McLoughlin Sr., April 27, 1842.
“Heroux’s conduct”: Taken from McLoughlin Sr.’s letter to George Simpson, February 1, 1844, in which he cited Simpson back to himself.
“no legal steps against”: George Simpson’s letter to McLoughlin Sr., April 27, 1842.
“their conduct throughout”: Ibid.
“remarkable for its callousness”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 160.
“harsh and tactless”: Glyndwr Williams, Highlights of the First Two Hundred Years of the Hudson’s Bay Company (Winnipeg: Peguis Publishers, 1976), 64.
“even if the details”: Barker, The McLoughlin Empire, 48. Lamb also described the letter’s tone as “definitely unsympathetic and, considering the circumstances, the wording is frequently harsh in the extreme” (Lamb, “Introduction,” in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, First Series, xxxi).
Chapter Five: “A Sink of Pollution”
87 Stikine’s location: Ernest Voorhis, Historic Forts and Trading Posts of the French Regime and of the English Fur Trading Companies (Ottawa: Department of the Interior, 1930). Voorhis noted that Stikine was located on a flood plain four miles from the mouth of the Stikine River.
“had not been”: George Simpson, Narrative of a Journey Round the World, 1841-1842 (London: Hudson’s Bay Record Society, 1847).
“an Establishment two hundred ft. square”: McLoughlin Sr., letter to George Simpson, February 1, 1844.
“Tide very high”: From the entry dated March 28, 1842, in Fort Stikine Journal, 1842.
“The slime that was”: Simpson, Narrative of a Journey.
“a hell upon Earth”: John Rowand’s letter to McLoughlin Sr., March 11, 1843, printed in Appendix A in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, Second Series, 355-56.
“The water was not”: Harvey, “The Life of John McLoughlin,” 13.
88 “Civilized World”: In a letter to Simon Fraser, February 24, 1840, Dr. McLoughlin refers to life outside the HBC outposts as “the Civilized World.” Letter reprinted in Barker, The McLoughlin Empire, 244.
“It was a miserable”: Harvey, “The Life of John McLoughlin,” 13.
Fort Tako: also appears in documents as “Taco” and “Taku.” Fort Tako was built near Stephen’s Passage (Voorhis, Historic Forts and Trading Posts). According to Roberts (“Recollections of George B. Roberts,” 7), “The Russians permitted the building of Tako still further north — the rent was paid in wheat — butter & East side Otter.”
“landlocked harbor”: Voorhis, Historic Forts and Trading Posts.
89 The eleven-day standoff: Peter Skene Ogden’s adventures are recounted in Newman, Empire of the Bay, 141-42.
McLoughlin Sr. tries to infiltrate Stikine: Raffan, Emperor of the North, 299.
Simpson goes to Russia: Ibid., 300. According to Galbraith (The Little Emperor), HBC Governor Pelly accompanied Simpson to Russia, a fact overlooked by some biographers and historians, because Simpson’s account of the trip rarely mentioned the presence of his boss.
“an extraordinary looking”: Cited in Alice M. Johnson, “Simpson in Russia,” The Beaver 291 (1960): 4-12. The quotation appears on page 11.
“stupid to a degree”: Ibid.
Two thousand otter skins: Raffan, Emperor of the North, 304; Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 149.
90 “Indian trouble”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 151.
“HBC would ne
ed”: Ibid.
“a big hogs head”: Harvey, “The Life of John McLoughlin,” 13.
91 “We are in it”: McLoughlin Jr. describing his experiences in Fort Vancouver, in a letter to John Fraser, March 15, 1840, reprinted in Barker, The McLoughlin Empire, 244-45.
“are as attentive and”: McLoughlin Sr., letter to John Fraser, October 24, 1840, reprinted in Barker, The McLoughlin Empire, 246.
“a good disciplinarian”: Lamb, “Introduction,” in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, First Series, xxx.
“no half-breed ever”: Ibid.
“a more sober”: William Rae’s letter to McLoughlin Sr., April 20, 1843, E13/1, folio 189-190, HBCA.
“it must have been”: Barker, The McLoughlin Empire, 48.
“I believe he is”: David McLoughlin, letter to John Fraser, April 7, 1842, reprinted in Barker, The McLoughlin Empire, 247-49.
“was kind and indulgent”: Phillip Smith, deposition before George Simpson, April 26, 1842.
“too young and hot headed”: Roberts, “Recollections of George B. Roberts,” 22.
“he had not been”: Harvey, “The Life of John McLoughlin,” 14.
“congenial and competent”: Lamb, “Introduction,” in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, First Series, xxx.
92 “Mr. Finlayson, who I am sure could not tell a lie”: John Work, letter to George Simpson, May 1, 1842, D 4/7, HBCA.
“formed a favourable opinion”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 153.
“at each stop, Simpson”: Raffan, Emperor of the North, 342.
“Simpson’s favourite trader”: Newman, Empire of the Bay, 144.
“left John to govern”: Barker, The McLoughlin Empire, 48.
“I am sure that all this comes”: McLoughlin Jr., letter to Roderick Finlayson on December 2, 1841, cited in Lamb, “Introduction,” in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, First Series, xxxviii.
93 “a poor soft half”: McLoughlin Sr. to the Governor and London Committee, June 24, 1842, reproduced in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, Second Series, 74-76.
“McPherson was not a fit person to act as second”: John Rowand’s letter to McLoughlin Sr., March 11, 1843.
“soft and dull”: McLoughlin Sr., letter to George Simpson, February 1, 1844.
“knew McPherson to be a lazy Sleepy Drone”: Ibid.
“will never answer the purpose”: McLoughlin Jr., letter to John Work, October 2, 1841, E 13/1, folio 295, HBCA.
Tuesday, June 28, 1842 — Dusk
95 “The Dr. never smoked”: Roberts, “Recollections of George B. Roberts,” 32.
“Brandy was placed”: Ibid.
Other HBC employees knew before McLoughlin Sr.: Lamb, “Introduction,” in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, First Series, xxxviii.
96 “Poor john”: David McLoughlin, letter to John Fraser, March 19, 1843, reprinted in Barker, The McLoughlin Empire, 246-47.
“he should Leave”: McLoughlin Sr., letter to George Simpson, February 1, 1844.
“the chary way”: Roberts, “Recollections of George B. Roberts,” 7.
97 “the depositions were a tissue of lies”: Lamb, “Introduction,” in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, First Series, ii.
“many had a motive”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 174.
“some of the most”: Ibid.
“Finlayson also showed”: John O’Brien, statement regarding the death of John McLoughlin Jr., June 4, 1842, E13/1, folio 84, HBCA.
Lasserte not deposed, saw shooting: William Lasserte, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843. He stated: “It was a clear moon light night and I could see both Mr. McLoughlin and Heroux distinctly.” When later asked why he had not “informed against Heroux,” Lasserte replied: “I had no opportunity of information against him before Sir George Simpson, during his short stay at Stikine, as I was not examined by him but I have given Mr. Manson all the particulars of the murder” (William Lasserte, deposition before James Douglas, May 8, 1843, E13/1, folio 252-253, HBCA). Lasserte added two additional comments: first, that he did not say what he had witnessed “before Urbain Heroux was removed from Stikine as I feared the man.” Second, “I also think that Pierre Kannaquassé was an abettor of the murder” (ibid.).
98 Kannaquassé would only identify the killer to Simpson: Kannaquassé’s narrative.
Manson, McNeill, Lee: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 162.
Chapter Six: An Underhanded Complement
99 “these men had been sent”: McLoughlin Sr. to Governor Pelly and the Committee, February 1, 1844, reprinted in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, Third Series, 39-42.
“Our people here are”: David McLoughlin, letter to John Fraser, March 19, 1843.
“a somewhat volatile”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 149.
bois brûlé: Raffan, Emperor of the North, 370.
“confused tribes with clans”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 150-51.
100 Dividing the complement into three groups: As an anthropologist, it pains me to do this, but to apply labels retroactively would be to artificially introduce a concept that was meaningless at the time, and is misleading now.
“They had lived apart”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 175. The source of the internal quotations was not specified.
“a general comingling”: Roberts, “Recollections of George B. Roberts,” 9.
“a good deal of the Indian”: Simpson’s Character Book, 190.
“inclined to form leagues”: Cited in Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 175.
“the most numerous”: McLoughlin Sr., letter to George Simpson, February 1, 1844.
“by no means in good humour”: Cited in Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 152.
“cheerful” and “probably not the best judge”: Ibid., 151.
101 “very humble indeed”: Fort Stikine Journal, 1842, from the entry dated Friday, June 19, 1840.
“came to the gate”: Ibid, entry for Tuesday, March 29, 1842.
“given to them”: Ibid.
“threatened to kill someone”: Ibid.
“doing so to see”: Ibid.
“would have made”: Ibid.
“No one at Stikine”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 152.
“At Stikine the Indians”: McLoughlin Sr. to George Simpson, February 1, 1844.
“the bad quality” and “you may push your finger”: Donald Manson, letter to Dr. John McLoughlin, September 3, 1842, E13/1, folio 292-294, HBCA.
“the natives also complain”: Ibid.
“I think it my duty”: McLoughlin Jr., letter to John Work, March 3, 1841, Judge Howay Collection, Library of the University of British Columbia.
Surrounded the fort with pickets: Ibid.
102 “We require men”: Ibid.
“I am here left”: Fort Stikine Journal, 1842, from the entry dated Sunday, October 3, 1841.
McLoughlin Jr.’s letters grow desperate: In a letter McLoughlin wrote to John Work (March 3, 1841), he lamented, “If no exchange of men takes place, I shall not be able to do more than half of the work.…if it is in your power to remove some of the useless hands, I should be very thankful.”
“the more I see”: McLoughlin Jr., letter to John Work, June 3, 1841, Judge Howay Collection, Library of the University of British Columbia.
“new pickets”: Ibid.
Trade was brisk: Fort Stikine Journal, 1842, from the entry for Monday, June 15, 1840.
Metis: Metis is “an elusive term” used to describe people of mixed European/aboriginal heritage (Newman, Empire of the Bay, 120).
“neither work, understand”: McLoughlin Sr., letter to John Fraser, April 12, 1843, reprinted in Barker, The McLoughlin Empire, 249-51.
103 “who has been taught”: Kakepé, deposition before James Douglas, May 1, 1843, E13/1, folio 232-233, HBCA.
“a Sandwich Islander”: Kanakanui, deposition before Donald Manson, August 24, 1842, E13/1, folio 1-63, HBCA.
&
nbsp; “a half fool”: Fort Stikine Journal, 1842, from the entry for Monday, June 15, 1840.
“a half-breed and passable”: Ibid, entry for June 13, 1840.
“Pressé had been dismissed”: McLoughlin Sr., letter to George Simpson, February 1, 1844. According to Foster, Pressé had been “turned out of the Southern Department” of Rupert’s Land for trying to shoot a man at Moose Factory, although the exact details were unclear (“Killing Mr. John,” 161).
“a smart lad”: Fort Stikine Journal, 1842, from the entry for June 12, 1840.
“a good man”: Ibid.
“a half fool”: Ibid.
“Blackguard…who”: Cited in Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 161.
“appears to be”: Oliver Martineau, deposition before Donald Manson, August 23, 1842.
“the most Criminal”: McLoughlin Sr., letter to George Simpson, February 1, 1844.
104 “Ill Nature and Bad temper”: Ibid.
“getting into difficulties”: Ibid.
“the ferocity that”: McLean, Notes of a Twenty-Five Years’ Service, 12.
“they do not pay”: Ibid.
“the most uncouth, savage”: Ibid., 119, although McLean was not describing the Iroquois of Stikine specifically.
“a good man before”: Fort Stikine Journal, 1842, entry for Monday, June 15, 1840.
“Pierre Kanaquassi [sic] is”: McLoughlin Sr., letter to George Simpson, February 1, 1844.
“a blackguard”: Fort Stikine Journal, 1842, entry for Monday, June 15, 1840.
“one of the Greatest villains”: McLoughlin Sr., letter to the Governor and London Committee, June 24, 1842, in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, Second Series, 74-76.
“appears to have been”: From George Simpson, Remarks on the depositions.
“addicted to liquor”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 161.
105 “Heroux was tried”: Letter from Dr. John McLoughlin to George Simpson, February 1, 1844.
“He would fly”: Ibid.
“savage looks”: William Lasserte, deposition before James Douglas, May 8, 1843.
“Heroux’s dress was remarkable”: William Lasserte, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
“a good man”: Fort Stikine Journal, 1842, entry for June 13, 1840.
“As a Body the Canadians”: McLoughlin Sr., letter to George Simpson, February 1, 1844.