Montreal Pilot
Ontario, Canada
24 September 1857
The Case of Dr. Tumblety
Yesterday afternoon a private examination took place in the Magistrate's room, when the affidavits of Simard and Philomene Dumas were read before the prisoner. The affidavits contain the facts as stated in our issue of last evening. The prisoner, through his counsel, B. Devlin Esq., stated that he did not wish to put any questions to Simard; but when the deposition of Philomene Dumas was read, Mr. Devlin put the following questions to her: -
Q. In what part of the city and with whom have you been living during the last month?
A. I have been living at Perthius Street, Saint Louis suburbs with Mrs. Foley who keeps a boarding-house.
Q. Is it not true that Mrs. Foley keeps a house of ill fame?
A Yes Sir, it is.
Q. Is it not true that the witness Simard, now present, is in the habit of frequenting this house?
A. To my knowledge he has only been there twice; but he never slept there. It was not in consequence of this affair.
Q. At whose insistence were you induced to make false representations to the prisoner, by pretending you were pregnant when you knew you were not?
A. I repeated the words as I was told to repeat them, but I cannot tell you the name of the gentleman who told me; but I think he was a doctor, whom I saw for the first time yesterday upstairs in the Magistrate's room.
Q. Was the Inspector and Superintendent of Police for this city present when the gentleman spoke to you in the Magistrate's room?
A. I could not tell.
Q. Were you promised any money for acting in the manner that you did?
A. I was not promised any money.
Q. Is it not true that the prisoner advised Simard to marry you and that that would be the best way to get rid of the difficulty under which you pretended to labor?
A. Yes Sir, he did.
The prisoner was then remanded to gaol.
The morning papers of today having stated that the examination would be resumed at 11 o'clock this morning, at that hour the Police Court was crowded, but they were doomed to disappointment, for the examination took place in private, the reporters of the press only being admitted. The only affidavit read was that of Chief Constable McLaughlin, of the Government Police, who stated that on Sunday between the hours of 12 and 1, he saw Simard, accompanied by a young girl, enter the door leading to Dr. Tumblety's office. In Great St. James Street, and that in about twenty minutes after they came out, when they had a vial and a box of pills in their possession, which they had received from the doctor. Dr. Tumblety put no questions to Chief McLaughlin.
He was then remanded to gaol till tomorrow, when it is believed the chemist to whom has been allotted the analyzing of the medicine which the Doctor gave the young girl, will be prepared to make his affidavit.
