September 17, 1920

Right Hon. C. J. Doherty,
Minister of Justice,
Ottawa, Ont.

Dear Sir:-

Enclosed please find a number of petitions praying for the commutation of the sentence of death on Marie-Anne Houde (Gagnon) at Quebec. These petitions represent all classes of society and, though mostly from this province, include some signatures from further afield Clergymen, prominent commercial men, medical men, lawyers and industrial workers are among these signatories. We believe that your department will also have received a number of petitions which have been mailed to you direct. We have also a number of petitions which are still to come to hand and these will be forwarded to you within a day or two. We are receiving from many quarters expressions of opinion which support our contention that this woman must have suffered from some form of insanity or that she cannot have been of normal mind. We beg to ask that the Council will give their earnest consideration to the prayer of your petitioners. We beg to remain on behalf of the Prisoners Welfare Association.

Very truly yours,
George P. Graham, President (ex minister of railways and canals)
Robert Bickerdike, Hon. President (ex MP)
John Ridman, Hon. Secretary