[Letterhead of the Kingston Penitentiary]

Anna Houde alias Gagnon

[stamp of the KINGSTON PENITENTIARY-CENSOR No. 1 - MAY 8, 1924]

[stamp of the DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE-REMISSION BRANCH-MAY 12, 1924]

DATE: May 4, 1924

To the Honourable Minister of Justice

[stamp of the Minister of Justice]

Forwarded WSR 10/5/24

Ackd. May I2th, 1924.

Dear Sirs,

Allow me once again to commend myself to you and I beg you to pleaz come to my aid and let me explain to you what my business is about

As I have alredy told you and as I can tell you again and swear I am not responsible for what I am accused of this is all a dream to me I was arrestted on February 13 1920 and 4 months later I gave birth to two childrin of whom one of the two has died and the other is at the home for idiots in the Ste. Anne Hospice in Baie St. Paul County of Charlevoix with the address you can make inquiries if you wish.

- 2 -

[stamp of the KINGSTON PENITENTIARY-CENSOR No. 1 - MAY 8, 1924]

Dear Sir,

I ask you to consider what I have suffered during these past four years you can consider it in thinking of how hard it was for a mother to see her two poor babies lieing on this little iron bed and [to know] that in a few days I would leav them for life and 6 other little orphans who ask in all their letters when they wil see their mother again it's the first time I am absent and noone can say anything about my karacter I have always lived honnestly and done everything possible like other mothers to raise my children.

At present, dear Sir, I want to ask you if you would be kind enough to come to my aid. If it is impossible to pardon me, I ask you to at least abollish my sentence.

- 3 -

I am redy to accept anything and I can work and I would have a place right away here in Kingston and I would be very happy to take it and I can promise you and you can take my word for it that I will do my duty.

I hope you will do everything possible to help me I am redy to pardon all those who caused me this trubble and I ask you for the love of my children to [grant] me the same pardon.

Your sincere,
Madame Gagnon