by Debra Komar
106 “a very steady pains taking man”: Simpson’s Character Book, 199.
“a queer looking fellow”: Ibid.
“Work might draw negative”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 165.
“I shall be obliged”: McLoughlin Jr., letter to John Work, February 14, 1842.
Thursday, April 21, 1842 — Midnight
109 Kannaquassé’s account is a compilation of his various statements, including his narrative regarding the murder of John McLoughlin Jr., July, 1842, and his deposition taken at Nisqually, July 15, 1842, with two separate addenda from July 16, 1842. His account is augmented with quotations from eyewitnesses whose version of events corroborate Pierre’s testimony.
“elevated”: Kannaquassé’s narrative.
“made no secret” and “was heard several times”: Benoni Fleury, deposition before James Douglas, May 1, 1843, E13/1, folio 226-227, HBCA.
“at the foot of the stairs”: Thomas McPherson, deposition before Donald Manson, August 20, 1842.
Lasserte sees Kannaquassé waiting to shoot: William Lasserte, deposition before James Douglas, May 8, 1843.
“McLoughlin would certainly”: Ibid.
McPherson provides liquor: Benoni Fleury, deposition before James Douglas, May 1, 1843.
“Mr. John had ordered”: Kannaquassé’s narrative.
Kannaquassé pours drink down his shirt: Ibid.
110 “maltreating”: Benoni Fleury, deposition before James Douglas, May 1, 1843.
“killing Fleury”: Louis Leclaire, deposition before Donald Manson, August 19, 1842, with an addendum August 25, 1842.
“struck Urbain in the face”: Antoine Kawannassé, deposition before Donald Manson, August 22, 1842, with an addendum from August 26, 1842 (E13/1, folio 1-63, HBCA), and repeated in subsequent depositions.
“I never received a blow”: Ibid.
Heroux warns McLoughlin and leaves: Ibid.
“It would be well”: Ibid.
“to come down”: Joe Lamb, deposition before James Douglas, May 19, 1843, E13/1, folio 236-237, HBCA.
“heard someone jump down”: Ibid. Lamb’s story was corroborated by Simon Aneuharazie, who “saw someone jump from the gallery to the ground near the end of Urbain’s house.” It was Urbain Heroux. Simon Aneuharazie, deposition before Donald Manson, August 22, 1842.
111 “insolent refusal”: Simon Aneuharazie, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
“appeared in a violent rage”: Charles Belanger, deposition before James Douglas, May 2, 1843, E13/1, folio 222-225, HBCA.
“gun standing against”: George Heron, deposition before Donald Manson, August 19, 1842, with an addendum August 25, 1842.
Heroux hides a gun: Ibid. Heron had found the gun by accident earlier that night. Curious, he had “examined it and found it loaded.” Uncertain why it was there, he left it in place.
“saw Urbain taking aim” and “but the gun appeared”: Antoine Kawannassé, deposition before Donald Manson, August 22, 1842, with an addendum from August 26, 1842.
Sandwich Islanders asleep in their barracks: Powkow, deposition before Donald Manson, August 24, 1842, E13/1, folio 1-63, HBCA.
“seize Mr. McLoughlin”: Kakepé, deposition before James Douglas, May 1, 1843.
McLoughlin orders the Kanakas to shoot Heroux: Powkow, deposition before Donald Manson, August 24, 1842.
“his wife refused”: Antoine Kawannassé, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
“his shirt was torn”: Narrative of Quatkie’s daughter.
“Heroux had fired”: Antoine Kawannassé, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
“continued walking about”: Thomas McPherson, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
112 “Urbain wants to kill me”: Thomas McPherson, deposition before Donald Manson, August 20, 1842.
“I will shoot him”: Ibid.
“he would never be happy”: Antoine Kawannassé, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843. Although not present in the room, Lasserte testified that he “heard Heroux say if he Mr. John said anything to him, he would shoot him like a dog” (William Lasserte, deposition before Donald Manson, August 11, 1842). Heroux’s threats were not the only ones levelled at McLoughlin; Pressé said that the best way to restrain McLoughlin was “to send a ball through his head” (as recounted in Lasserte’s deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843). Pierre Kannaquassé often said that McLoughlin “would never die by any hand but his” (also recounted in ibid).
“was aware of everything”: Kannaquassé’s narrative.
“a demented sort of”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 163-64.
“kill me if you can”: Kannaquassé’s narrative.
“does not come soon”: Cited in a letter from McLoughlin Sr. to Governor Pelly and the Committee, October 31, 1842 (reprinted in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, Second Series, 82-90), and based on John Jr.’s wife’s statement, in which she tells of her husband “taking me by the hand [and] said “You will not see me again. I am going to be killed by Urbain Heroux” (Narrative of Quatkie’s daughter). In his deposition, Pierre Kannaquassé stated that McLoughlin told his Indian wife “he was to be killed that night.” In Kannaquassé’s narrative, he stated that Kawannassé told him that McLoughlin said to his wife, “I am going to die tonight.’”
“Never mind”: Kannaquassé’s narrative.
“that if he wished”: Antoine Kawannassé, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
Their support made McLoughlin cry: Simon Aneuharazie, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843, in which he stated McLoughlin “was crying bitterly.”
113 “Smith & Simon”: Antoine Kawannassé, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
“I must bring”: Simon Aneuharazie, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
“losing all patience”: Antoine Kawannassé, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
“as soon as it was loaded”: Thomas McPherson, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
“a stout bludgeon”: Kannaquassé’s narrative.
“looking suspicious”: Thomas McPherson, deposition before Donald Manson, August 20, 1842.
“were in irons”: Ibid.
A non-existent enemy: Francois Pressé, deposition before Donald Manson, August 20, 1842.
“the reports of more than fifteen shots”: Kannaquassé’s narrative.
“but not finding it”: Phillip Smith, deposition before James Douglas, May 22, 1843.
“each a shot, apparently”: Captain Cole, deposition before James Douglas, May 7, 1843, E13/1, folio 230-231, HBCA. This is corroborated by Anahi, who watched as Heroux “fired a shot in the air.” Anahi watched as McPherson, Kawannassé, Smith, and Martineau did the same thing (Anahi, deposition before James Douglas, May 18, 1843, E13/1, folio 244-245, HBCA).
McLoughlin falls and rifle fires: Simon Aneuharazie, deposition before Donald Manson, August 22, 1842, with an addendum August 24, 1842.
“especially Lesserte [sic] and Urbain”: Phillip Smith, deposition before James Douglas, May 22, 1843.
114 On McLoughlin’s command: Ibid.
A dozen shots from the gallery: Phillip Smith, deposition before George Simpson, April 26, 1842, in which he testified that he heard “about 12 shots were fired in all.”
“stop, stop, stop”: Kannaquassé’s narrative.
“walking cautiously”: William Lasserte, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
“weeping loudly”: Thomas McPherson, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
“saw Urbain”: Antoine Kawannassé, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
“Urbain stepped back”: Ibid. A number of people saw Heroux fire the fatal round. Lasserte saw Heroux step forward from the corner of the house and discharge his gun at McLoughlin (William Lasserte, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843); Kakepé was positioned at the end of
Heroux’s house, with a clear view of the platform. He saw Heroux “standing by the front corner of the house and saw him fire off his gun” (Kakepé, deposition before Donald Manson, July 24, 1842); Antoine Kawannassé “saw heroux distinctly when he fired the shot which killed Mr. McLoughlin, he wore a red woollen cap on his head at the time” (Kawannassé, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843). Kawannassé detailed Heroux’s second gun (Kawannassé, deposition before Donald Manson, August 22, 1842, with an addendum from August 26, 1842). Thomas McPherson later corroborated the existence of a second, hidden gun in his third and final round of depositions before James Douglas (April 22, 1843): “I saw a gun there that did not belong in that place.”
“a very loud report”: Phillip Smith, deposition before James Douglas, May 22, 1843. Many men insisted that the fatal shot was unusually loud: “a very loud report” (Thomas McPherson, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843); Nahua also heard a “very loud report” (Nahua, deposition before James Douglas, May 18, 1843); as did Anahi (deposition before James Douglas, May 18, 1843).
“lodging in the Carpenters”: Thomas McPherson, deposition before George Simpson, April 26, 1842. The story was corroborated by Charles Belanger in all of his depositions. George Heron claimed “the bullet lodged in the carpentry door after passing through the body” (George Heron, deposition before Donald Manson, August 19, 1842).
“immediately fell forward”: William Lasserte, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
“noise of a heavy body”: Kakepé, deposition before Donald Manson, July 24, 1842.
“quite naked”: Captain Cole, deposition before Donald Manson, August 24, 1842, E13/1, folio 1-63, HBCA. Naked might be something of an exaggeration. George Heron saw Captain Cole coming out of his house “with his trousers unbuttoned” (George Heron, deposition before Donald Manson, August 19, 1842).
“Urbain a few paces off”: Captain Cole, deposition before James Douglas, May 7, 1843.
“lying wounded”: Ibid.
“the murderer walked”: William Lasserte, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
“retreated a step or two”: William Lasserte, deposition before Donald Manson, August 11, 1842, in which he claimed to have been standing between the kitchen and bathhouse “and I being intimidated [by Heroux], retreated behind the bath for a few minutes.”
“saw a man laying”: George Heron, deposition before Donald Manson, August 19, 1842.
115 “come on from the corner”: Captain Cole, deposition before Sir George Simpson, April 27, 1842, E13/1, folio 69-81, HBCA.
“and place his foot”: Ibid. That Heroux came forward, put his back to the wall, and pressed his foot into McLoughlin’s neck comes from Captain Cole’s deposition before Donald Manson, August 24, 1842. Others concur: “I saw Heroux with his foot upon the deceaseds neck and on asking him what he was doing with his foot there, he said I am doing nothing and took away his foot” (George Heron, deposition before Donald Manson, August 19, 1842); Powkow also saw Heroux with his foot on McLoughlin’s neck (Powkow, deposition before Donald Manson, August 24, 1842); Kannaquassé reported seeing Heroux come forward from the corner and put his foot “savagely on his neck as if to complete the act should the ball have failed in causing death” (Kannaquassé’s narrative). Kanakanui testified that Heroux rushed “with vindictive fury upon the victim who was still breathing and extinguished the feeble remains of life by treading upon is neck” (Kanakanui, deposition before James Douglas, May 10, 1843, E13/1, folio 238-239, HBCA).
“as if to finish”: Kanakanui, deposition before Donald Manson, August 24, 1842.
“still breathing”: Captain Cole, deposition before Donald Manson, July 24, 1842, E13/1 folio 195, HBCA.
“struck him a severe blow”: Ibid.
“Get up now”: William Lasserte, deposition before Donald Manson, August 11, 1842.
“lying on the left side”: Kakepé, deposition before James Douglas, May 1, 1843.
“Mr. John is asleep”: Phillip Smith, deposition before Donald Manson, August 11, 1842, with an addendum August 25, 1842, E13/1, folio 1-63, HBCA.
“hurra for my gun”: William Lasserte, deposition before Donald Manson, August 11, 1842.
Heroux orders Pressé freed: Ibid.
“I do not know”: Captain Cole, deposition before Donald Manson, July 24, 1842.
“I suppose it was”: George Heron, deposition before Donald Manson, August 19, 1842.
“it could not have been the Indians”: Antoine Kawannassé, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843.
116 “wrested”: Kanakanui, deposition before James Douglas, May 10, 1843.
“He who killed him”: Kannaquassé’s narrative.
“He who killed him will not hesitate”: Ibid.
“You have killed the master”: Captain Cole, deposition before Donald Manson, July 24, 1842.
“No, it was not I”: Captain Cole, deposition before Donald Manson, August 24, 1842. Over time, the wording of the exchange evolved. First, Cole swore that Heroux said: “the master is dead, do not say it was me” (Captain Cole, deposition before George Simpson, April 27, 1842). The words cited here are from his second round of depositions. In his third, Cole testified that Heroux “told me not to say that he had killed him” (Captain Cole, deposition before Donald Manson, July 24, 1843). Cole claimed to have been frightened and intimidated by Heroux, who made him promise he “would not divulge the secret” (Captain Cole, deposition before James Douglas, May 7, 1843).
“in a furious manner”: Nahua, deposition before James Douglas, May 18, 1843.
“had better take care”: Ibid.
Kawannassé in the gallery: In his last deposition, Kawannassé swore that, immediately after Heroux shot McLoughlin, the killer looked at him in the gallery and threatened to “murder me if I informed against him” (Antoine Kawannassé, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843).
“kicked the body”: William Lasserte, deposition before Donald Manson, August 11, 1842.
117 “he would not carry”: Ibid., a translation of the original French: “Quand on tue un chien on le laisse là.”
“painted himself with the blood”: McLoughlin Sr., letter to Governor Pelly and the Committee, June 24, 1842, in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, Second Series, 74-76.
“It was the blood”: Ibid.
“some of the men”: Charles Belanger, deposition before James Douglas, May 2, 1843.
“the fatal shot had been fired by one Urbain Heroux”: Lamb, “Introduction,” in Rich, McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, First Series, i. In a later deposition, Antoine Kawannassé told HBC officials: “A good many shots were fired immediately before Mr. John’s death, I do not know exactly how many but, the last shot was the one fired by Urbain Heroux,” adding adamantly, “on this point I feel satisfied that I am correct” (Antoine Kawannassé, deposition before James Douglas, April 22, 1843).
Chapter Seven: Tight Reins and Loose Women
119 “Horny Boys’ Club”: Newman, Empire of the Bay, 13.
“for residence here among”: J. Quinn Thornton, “Oregon History,” 5.
“took their meals alone”: Morrison, The Eagle & The Fort, 66.
Infanticide by country wives: Sylvia Van Kirk, “Women and the fur trade,” The Beaver (Winter 1972): 4-21, reference on page 14.
120 “were not enlightened”: Galbraith, The Little Emperor, x.
“the White Fish diet”: George Simpson, letter to John George McTavish, November 12, 1822, reprinted in R. Harvey Fleming, ed., Minutes of Council, Northern Department of Rupert Land, 1821-31, vol. 3 (Toronto: Champlain Society for the Hudson’s Bay Record Society, 1940).
“She is an unnecessary”: Ibid.
“If she is unmarketable”: Ibid.
“disgustingly indecent”: Simpson’s Character Book, 175.
“over intimacy” and “indiscreet amours”: Simpson’s journal entry for March 26, 1825, reprinted in Simpson, Fur Trade a
nd Empire, 127.
“off the Ears of an Indian”: Simpson’s Character Book, 207.
“in the heat of passion”: Ibid.
“Almost every difficulty”: Simpson’s journal entry for March 26, 1825, reprinted in Simpson, Fur Trade and Empire, 127.
121 “short-term, potentially”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 178.
“Fourteen or fifteen of the men”: Cited in Laura F. Klein, “Demystifying the opposition: The Hudson’s Bay Company and the Tlingit,” Arctic Anthropology 24 (1987): 101-14, quotation on page 111.
“these matrimonial connections” and “a useful link”: Ibid.
“afforded the Stikine Tlingit”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 179. Also see Klein, “Demystifying the opposition.”
“petty coat politicians”: Cited in Newman, Caesars of the Wilderness, 262.
“I must beg”: George Simpson’s letter to Charles Dodd, April 27, 1842.
Abandoned women: Newman, Caesars of the Wilderness, 262.
“The Company’s practice”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 180.
Simpson looks for a wife: Raffan, Emperor of the North, 165.
122 “A wife I fear”: Cited in Galbraith, The Little Emperor, 5.
“Would you believe it?”: George Simpson, letter to John George McTavish, December 26, 1829, B.135/c/2, HBCA.
“I shall settle my bullocks”: Ibid.
George’s wedding date: Raffan, Emperor of the North, 253.
Frances refers to her husband as “Mr. Simpson”: Cited in Galbraith, The Little Emperor, 107.
“affection-starved”: Raffan, Emperor of the North, 376.
123 “a prized but almost inanimate possession”: Newman, Caesars of the Wilderness, 270.
“there is no direct evidence”: Raffan, Emperor of the North, 376.
“overnight, she created”: Newman, Empire of the Bay, 161.
“Indian wives”: James Douglas, letter to James Hargrave, February 26, 1840, Hargrave Papers, Library and Archives Canada.
124 “his disapproval”: Foster, “Killing Mr. John,” 192.
“had fathered”: Ibid.
“refused to accept”: Williams, Hudson’s Bay Miscellany, 160.