Picturesque Quebec, By James Macpherson Le Moine










































































































































 -  From the
    consideration of education, one naturally passes to that of crime.
    Thefts were frequent, and sometimes committed on a - Page 62
Picturesque Quebec, By James Macpherson Le Moine - Page 62 of 864 - First - Home

Enter page number    Previous Next

Number of Words to Display Per Page: 250 500 1000

From The Consideration Of Education, One Naturally Passes To That Of Crime. Thefts Were Frequent, And Sometimes Committed On A Large Scale.

The punishment was whipping at a cart-tail through the streets of the city - the culprits themselves being whipped and whipsters in turn. Assault, stealing in private houses, and highway robbery were punished with death.

The expiation for manslaughter was being branded in the hand which did the deed. Desertion was very frequent, especially among the Hessians and Brunswickers then stationed in Canada. In some cases they were promised pardon if they returned to their regiments, but woe to them if they returned against their will! Towards the end of the year 1783 'Gustavus Leight, a German doctor, confined for felony, broke out of His Majesty's jail at Quebec.' He was '25 years of age, about 5 feet high.' We are not told whether or not he was captured as the advertisement is continued to the end of the year, but if he did not change his dress he could not have succeeded in baffling very long the keen eye of a detective, for "he had on, when he made his escape, a brown coat, red plush waistcoat, white stockings and cock'd hat.' If such a gentleman made his appearance in the streets of any Canadian city to-day, he would certainly be requested to 'move on,' or asked to 'explain his motives.' One thing is certain, that prisoners for felony in the year 1783 had not to submit to any arbitrary sumptuary arrangement - at least in the Quebec gaol (as it is always spelled in the Gazette, perhaps because it is the goal of evildoers).

"The general state of society in Montreal, as well as in Three Rivers, St. Johns, L'Assomption, Terrebonne, Sorel and the other towns and villages in existence at the period which we are considering was, in all probability, very like that of Quebec - the last-mentioned place having, of course, a certain prestige as the capital.

Enter page number   Previous Next
Page 62 of 864
Words from 16603 to 16940 of 236821


Previous 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 Next

More links: First 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200
 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 300
 310 320 330 340 350 360 370 380 390 400
 410 420 430 440 450 460 470 480 490 500
 510 520 530 540 550 560 570 580 590 600
 610 620 630 640 650 660 670 680 690 700
 710 720 730 740 750 760 770 780 790 800
 810 820 830 840 850 860 Last

Display Words Per Page: 250 500 1000

 
Africa (29)
Asia (27)
Europe (59)
North America (58)
Oceania (24)
South America (8)
 

List of Travel Books RSS Feeds

Africa Travel Books RSS Feed

Asia Travel Books RSS Feed

Europe Travel Books RSS Feed

North America Travel Books RSS Feed

Oceania Travel Books RSS Feed

South America Travel Books RSS Feed

Copyright © 2005 - 2022 Travel Books Online