The Liars

by Ida Linehan Young

  The women of Newfoundland have long had a place on the fishing boats that have gone to the sea. These fishing boats were often small vessels, with limited space, that allowed for little privacy for the crew, especially for the women.

  On May 5, 1884; A. J. Pearce, Sub collector at the Custom House in Twillingate responsible for recording the arrival and departure of all vessels, inspecting the cargo of the vessels and insuring that all paid the required duties and taxes made it known that he wanted the privacy of women aboard vessels protected.

  Under the headline “Notice to Schooner Holders” he posted in the local newspaper an announcement that read:

  “Sailing Vessels carrying females engaged as servants in the fishery or as passengers, between Newfoundland and Labrador shall be provide with such separate cabin or apartments as will afford at least, fifty cubic feet for each of such females and the owners of such vessels shall provide for such females sufficient accommodation for sanitary purposes.” (Section I and V of the said act)

  Captains of the vessels were warned that if they did not conform to this new regulation they could face “a one hundred dollar fine.”

  The regulations were largely put in place for the women involved in the Labrador fishery, especially those involved in the “floater fishery.” The Labrador fishery consisted of “floaters,” those who lived on their boats and fished along the Labrador coast. Floaters brought their catch back to Newfoundland for processing. Women involved in the floater fishery were typically young and single, and their primary responsibility was cooking for the fishermen.

  The regulations that were introduced describing the space to be provided as “a separate cabin or apartment” were somewhat exaggerated. The reality was that the small space (fifty cubic feet), below deck, tended to be just large enough to curl up and sleep. The wall of this so-called apartment would be an old wool blanket.

  In 1900, approximately 1,200 women—one-third of the fishing crews—travelled in small schooners from the communities of Bay Roberts, Brigus, Carbonear, Harbour Grace, and Western Bay to work as hired “girls” in the Labrador fisheries.

  Captain Alexander Ploughman of Ship Cove, Trinity Bay, in describing the space allotted for women, wrote:

  “In most cases the accommodation is very meager being merely a screen dividing the female compartment from that of the men . . . in many cases they [women] are lying around like so many cattle.”

  No matter what the cost of making the space for the women, Captain James Burden of Carbonear was determined to provide separate accommodation. He wrote:

  “I cannot think of prohibiting females as we have to make our fish on the Labrador. Two females are better than two men in many cases, and not half the expense.”

  Dictionary of Canadian Biography—John Moody

  MOODY, JOHN, lieutenant-colonel; deputy-governor of Placentia; b. c. 1677; d. 1736.

  Moody was appointed lieutenant in Captain Michael Richards’ Independent Company in Newfoundland, 18 Feb. 1703.

  Trouble had always arisen between the residents at St. John’s and the military commanders, because the latter regarded themselves as entitled to certain perquisites and privileges. Although prohibited by orders from so doing, every military commander speculated profitably in trade in provisions, fish, and oil on his own account. As the commander’s position gave him special advantages, the residents strongly objected. It was not long therefore before accusations similar to those against Lloyd were levelled against Lieutenant Moody. But the winter of 1704–5 was to provide grounds for more precise and spectacular accusations against Moody. In December Moody ordered that Christian, a charwoman employed by John Jackson’s daughter, Margaret, should be whipped—allegedly for the theft of some rum and brandy. The exact details of the case are lost in a mass of contradictory reports, but it may well be that Christian’s real crime was that she knew too much about Moody’s private life. At all events, she died a few days after her ordeal, and a number of the inhabitants accused Moody of causing her death. The following summer Moody demanded a trial, which was presided over by Commodore Bridges. The court found that the allegations were “malicious and unfounded”; the woman—according to the court—had died from venereal disease.

  In October, Lloyd returned as commander of the land forces, and on 21 Nov. 1705, Moody sailed for England with Commodore Bridges in the Looe. In the same convoy went John Jackson with whom, despite the episode with Christian, Moody had maintained a steady friendship. The Looe was wrecked on the Isle of Wight, with some loss of life, but Moody and Bridges survived.

  Article #1: The Mystery of George’s Island, Labrador

  ALLEGED TRAGEDY ON THE LABRADOR COAST.

  Monday, December 17, 1877 – The Patriot and Terra-Nova Herald

  [From the Harbor Grace Standard.]

  For some time past, very ugly rumors have been rife among certain of bur Labrador fishermen with reference to the manner in which, it is conjectured, the captain and part of the crew of the Hudson Bay Company’s schooner Walrus came to their untimely end.

  Not to mention reasons arising from the case itself, the assumed Basset murder and other similar instances admonish us to be careful not to speak dogmatically. We wish it to be distinctly understood, then, that we give the subjoined details just as we have learned them (after careful enquiry) from the lips of several respectable planters— one of whom had a conversation with the green fish catchers mentioned below, another heard the whole story from Mr. Pottle himself, who, our informant added, was convinced that the men did not come to their death by fair means.

  The Walrus, it will be remembered, left Rigoulette on the 15th October of last year for Gyady on route to Montreal, with a cargo of salmon, trout, oil, etc. There being no wind, and a heavy sea on, she anchored for the night oft’ George’s Island.

  On the following day a gale of wind springing up, the captain with his crew attempted to land, but were upset in the surf, and (with the exception of one man) drowned.

  After being on the Island for five days, the solitary survivor, by plugging the holes in the boat with his jacket, succeeded in again boarding the vessel. Slipping her cables he ran her ashore at Black Island, where she became a total wreck.

  Such was in effect the story told by the survivor. But now it turns out—(if we can credit the statements of our fishermen) that instead of being drowned in the manner described, the captain and crew of the hapless vessel were cruelly murdered. It appears from all we can glean on the subject, that a crew of green-fish catchers whilst searching for bait early last season, had occasion to land on George’s Island, and were horrified to discover lying on the strand the bodies of three men, with—strange to say—their heads off. As their other limbs, as well as the clothes they had on, were intact, it was seen at a glance that this could not have been caused by the action of the sea, the bodies, moreover, being beyond high water mark. About sixty yards farther west, another body was discovered, the head of which was cleft in four pieces. The suspicions of the men being aroused, they began to make further search. Their efforts resulted in finding the remains of two large canvas tents which—judging from their size and the trampled state of the ground all around them—they believed must have been erected by more than one man.

  Covering the bodies with sand, the green fish catchers made their way to the opposite side of the Island. Here they fell in with a man by the name of Williams, to whom they related all that they had just discovered, Williams at once proceeded to the place indicated, and found that the story told him by the men respecting this horrible affair was correct in every particular. Taking with him the canvas of which the tents had been built, Mr. Williams immediately Set on for Fish Cove, a place some miles farther west, where resides a Mr. Pottle, whom he made acquainted with the particulars of this mysterious affair. A short time after, Mr. Pottle, with some of his men, visited the Island, and proceeded to ma
ke a thorough investigation. Uncovering the bodies he found them just as has been described. He also discovered in a small crevice in the rock near which one of the tents had been erected, a number of half-decayed books, papers, etc., as well as a woman’s photograph and a small quantity of tea—the presence of which proved pretty conclusively that the boat was not upset in the surf as was alleged by the survivor.

  Walling the bodies round with stone, and once more placing the sand over them, Mr. Pottle and his men left George’s Island, with its ghastly occupants, and returned to their homes.

  Article #2: The Twillingate Sun, Thursday December 2, 1880

  The Esquimo Murderer

  His Career of Crime as Narrated by To-Day’s “Newfoundlander”

  We remarked on Friday that the Esquimo charged with murder at Nain as just been captured. He would have been brought here from harbour Grace yesterday if the steamer had crossed, but the weather was rough, and he will probably be sent over to-day instead.

  The story of the later years of the man’s career, as far as it is yet told, exhibits a singularly vicious nature. Of course we only give the narrative of his deeds as we learn it, and without any prejudgment upon allegations which have yet to be tested by law.

  He was born at Nain, Labrador, his name is Ephriam; and his age is thirty six. Nothing more is said of him till the time of his marriage in 1865 to a woman named Ruth. Ten months after their marriage she fell from a height into the sea and was drowned.

  In 1868 he married a widow with three sons, his second wife being by 24 years his senior. His violence to her sons was such that it drove them all from the house, and his treatment of their mother was exceedingly cruel. He is also charged with savage conduct towards his parents. On one occasion when thep (he) and one of his step sons named Paul were working together, a dispute arose and as they left the place he fired a gun at them and the ball barely missed killing his father. His temper was at all times fierce, and he frequently uttered threats against the members of his wife’s family.

  In September last, Ephriam and his step-son Philip travelled from their fishing place up into a creek. Soon after they began to move, Philip was shot through the neck and died on the spot. Ephriam’s first story was that Philip stumbled and fell and in the fall the gun got discharged; and Philip’s wife Nancy, who is said to have been Ezra’s paramour, confirmed the statement. She afterwards however told Philip’s brother Paul that this statement was untrue and that she was afraid of Ephriam to tell the truth, which was that Ezra himself had committed the murderous act. She added that he had threatened her own life and that of her child if she did not confirm his version of the cause of Philip’s death. The Moravian missionaries on hearing of the case sent some of their body with a company of Esquimos to the place where Philip’s body lay. Meeting Ezra on the way they apprehended him. On examination he adhered to his first assertion that the cause of death was accidental; and persisted in this even when confronted with Nancy who now made a contrary statement. She said that as soon as Ezra came back after Philip’s death he told her that he had shot him. Ezra still denied; the missionaries and their party then made him go with them to the scene of the blood.

  As they went, he uttered threats that something worse would yet happen. Soon after and before reaching their destination, Ephriam voluntarily confessed to the party that he was guilty of the crime. He said he had gone out hunting with Philip, that they were disputing about Nancy, that Philip said something which Ezra though disparaging of her, and that a struggle ensued; that Philip seized his gun, and Ezra also laid hold to it and threw Philip down; he then shot him from behind in the nape of the neck.

  When the missionaries arrived at the place they found Ezra’s gun hidden in the bushes, and near it Philip’s body wrapped in a reindeer skin, partially buried and covered with turf and wood. The place where the ball had gone through was distinctly seen. They there and then made a grave and interred the body.

  The missionaries lost no time in ridding the locality of Ezra and sending him on here to be dealt with as the law shall adjudge—St. John’s Evening Telegram, Nov. 23.

  Article #3: From the Harbour Grace Standard

  About a quarter to eight o’clock last night, Police Inspector CARTY received a telegram from Brigus stating that the Eskimo charged with the murder of his son at Nain, Labrador, and who escaped at Scrammy, from custody, on board the SS Panther, had arrived at Harbour Main from HANNON, and that while being conveyed by the said HANNON from Harbour Main to Brigus, to be handed over to the police authorities there, he made his escape at Gasters, Salmon Cove. On receipt of this information, the Inspector immediately sent dispatches to the police in Holyrood, Brigus, Bay Roberts, and Harbour Grace, instructing them to leave nothing undone that would be likely to lead up to his apprehension. At eight o’clock, some of the horse police were sent from St. John’s in search of the fugitive, followed shortly after by a detachment on foot. Up to the time of our ongoing press, his recapture had not been effected. -Ibid 12.

  Periodical Accounts Relating to the Missions of the Church of the United Brethren; (subtitled) Brethren’s Society for the Furtherance of the Gospel among the Heathen

  Volume 33, page 209 states: . . . tidings had recently come of the death of Ephraim the Eskimo, in prison, in St. John’s. . . . Before his death he confessed, what long had been suspected, that he was also guilty of the murder of his first wife, whom he had pushed off some rocks into the sea.

  About the Author

  First and foremost, Ida Linehan Young is a grandmother to the most precious little boys, Parker and Samuel, a mother to three adult children, Sharon, Stacey, and Shawna, and a wife to Thomas. In her busy daily life, Ida works in the information technology sector of the federal government of Canada, and she volunteers her time in the community of Conception Bay South with the Kiwanis Club of Kelligrews.

  Ida had a fascination with writing in her high school days, when she dabbled in poetry and essays. In 2012, she became serious about her writing with a story to tell, and that led to her memoir, No Turning Back: Surviving the Linehan Family Tragedy, in 2014. Having found a passion for writing and with a love of local history and lore, she published several historical fiction novels, Being Mary Ro (2018), The Promise (2019), and The Liars (2020).

  With strong influences of the familial art of storytelling passed down by her father, Ed Linehan, and her maternal grandfather, Frank Power, Ida writes stories about her beloved province, Newfoundland and Labrador. She enjoys researching events of the late nineteenth century and weaving fictional characters through historical tales that complement that cultural richness and renews and regenerates interest in our storied past.

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  @idalinehanyoung

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  www.idalinehanyoung.ca