-------COURT OF KING'S BENCH.-------

CRIMINAL JURISDICTION, SITTING IN

QUEBEC CITY.

-------------------------

HIS MAJESTY THE KING

V

MARIE-ANNE HOUDE,

TO THE HONOURABLE J. C. DOHERTY, MINISTER OF JUSTICE,

HOUSE OF COMMONS,

O T T A W A.
ONT.

The petition of the undersigned respectfully states:

1°:- We served as petty jurors in the trial of the said Marie-Anne Houde, accused of the murder of Aurore Gagnon;

2°:- After the case was tried, we found her guilty and his Lordship, the Honourable L. P. Pelletier, immediately sentenced her to be hanged on next October first;

3°:- During the trial of the said case, it was established that the said Marie-Anne Houde, wife of Télesphore Gagnon, was the mother of several children, of whom the youngest was thirteen months of age at the time of the trial. She gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, in the Quebec City prison on July 8, 1920;

4°:- The principal Crown witnesses against the said Marie-Anne Houde were two of her sons, one of whom is barely thirteen years of age, and the other nine years of age;

5°:- In the charge made to us by the Honourable Justice Pelletier, Presiding Justice, on pages 86 and 88, the Honourable Justice suggested to us that we could recommend her to the mercy of the Court;

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6°:- After these suggestions from the Honourable Justice, we did not then consider recommending the said Marie-Anne Houde, while finding her guilty, to the mercy of the Court;

7°:- Given these remarks of the Honourable President at the trial, the birth of her two children since her imprisonment, and especially in considering the future of her children, we take the liberty of recommending her to your mercy and the commutation of the sentence of death to imprisonment for life.

Signed:

Witnesses:

J. N. Francoeur
Herménégilde Morel

his

J. N. Francoeur
Joseph X Giguère
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J. N. Francoeur
Aimé Rainville

J. N. Francoeur
Emile Latouche

J. N. Francoeur
Théophile Huot – Foreman-

J. N. Francoeur
Arthur Paquet

his

Witness: Adolphe McCann
Georges X McCann

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his

Witness: Joseph Béland
Louis X Béland

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his

Witness: F. Labrèque
François X Beaumont

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Witness: J. N. Francoeur Joseph Chabot