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In 1733 from Cap Saint-Ignace (Quebec), our ancestor wrote to the Marquis de Beauharnois, the Governor General of New France, the highest authority and official representative of the King of France. In his letter, our ancestor said he, and the stunned parishioners, witnessed the theft of a pair of shoes during Mass in the parish church of l’Islet on Sunday, October 22. The perpetrator later sold the shoes in Cap Saint-Ignace to an acquaintance of our ancestor who lost no time in chasing the culprit because, four years earlier, while visiting with Mr. De Léry, he was ordered by the Governor to pursue all thieves he would encounter. In time, he captured Rousselot the burglar and brought him back to Quebec City; he also chased deserters with Mr. Duburon and Mr. Saint-Simon de Rimousquy. Sparing no effort, he captured the thief at the home of Alexis La Voy, forced him to return to the housemaid her wallet with three pounds and two silver ‘sols’. He hand tied the thief and brought him to Castonguay’s in the Parish of Saint-Roch des Aulnaies. Once there, he securely tied him on a flat timber with a one-inch rope. Dead tired after a four- to five-day chase, he demanded that the people in the house watch over the captive while he rested and to wake him up before they went to bed. They broke their word and the prisoner was long gone when the ancestor awoke. “Now that he is free, he steals whatever he can lay his hand on and walks only at night time. The bearer of this letter personally knows these facts.” Our ancestor offered his services to the Governor in order to capture the thief and requested the assistance of the Captains and Officers of the Militia if need be to bring this or any prisoner to Quebec City. The original letter is in the Quebec National Archives in the « Fonds Gouverneur, régime français » ( Governor’s Archives, French Regime ) under the number (R1) R1/1 Letter written by our ancestor(1) |