A PSYCHO-MEDICAL HISTORY 
-OF- 
LOUIS RIEL. 
By DANIEL CLARK, M. D., 
Medical Superintendent of the Asylum for Insane, Toronto. 
[From the American Journal of Insanity, for July, 1887.] A PSYCHO-MEDICAL HISTORY OF LOUIS RIEL* 
BY DANIEL CLARK, M. D., 
Medical Superintendent of the Asylum for Insane, Toronto. 
Louis Riel was about forty-four years of age when he was 
executed. He was born in the Red River country when it was in 
the possession of the Hudson Bay Fur Company. Riel was a 
" half-breed," so-called, but was only one-eighth Indian. The rest 
of the personal unit was French-Canadian. He was educated at 
St. Boniface Roman Catholic School and Seminary, near Winnipeg, 
until he grew up to manhood. He proved to have more than 
ordinary aptitudes and intelligence, and applied himself with 
great diligence to take advantage of his opportunities, as his 
parents were poor. These seminaries of learning were conducted 
under the auspices of Archbishop Tache. The lad Riel attracted 
his attention, and ever afterward he took a kindly interest in him. 
The archbishop found that the young man was anxious to become 
a priest. Seeing in him talents which would fit him for the sacred 
office, when his education would be completed, he sent him to 
Montreal to finish his studies. A French lady, also, took more 
than a passing interest in the young man, and extended to him her 
aid and encouragement. While at college he behaved very well 
and studied hard, but being somewhat retiring and taciturn, he 
made few companions. This quiet disposition was in striking 
contrast to his history in after years. As was natural, he kept 
a regular correspondence with his benefactor, the archbishop. It 
was not long, howrever, before his letters showed that strange and 
Utopian ideas were taking possession of his mind. The writer had 
an opportunity to examine a dumber of these letters, and it was 
evident from the tenor of their contents that the young man had 
imbibed the idea of carrying out schemes which would make him 
the head centre of a religious movement, which would, in his 
estimation, astonish the world. Money was necessary, and the 
rich must be forced to bestow on him such amounts as he thought 
necessary. This was the main idea he elaborated in the letters. 
So to quote any of them would be wearisome. During the latter 
part of the five years he attended college in Montreal, those letters 
* Read before the Association of Medical Superintendents of American 
Institutions for the Insane, at Detroit, Mich., June 14-18, 1887. 2 
showed to Archbishop Tache that Riel's mind had become .so 
erratic and full of delusions as to incapacitate him from becoming 
a priest. The project was abandoned, as he lacked that judgment 
and discretion so requisite of any man about to enter holy orders. 
About this time he did some strange things, which he states in one 
of his letters. He boldly entered the private residence of a 
wealthy French Canadian, in Montreal, who was a stranger to him, 
and peremptorily demanded $10,000, to assist him to go among 
the heathen and establish churches in his own name. This freak 
is corroborated by the citizen of' whom he made the demand. 
About the same time he wrote to his mother, in Winnipeg, order- 
ing her to sell all her effects and bring the money to him at St. 
Paul, Minnesota. The funds were to be used by him in the Lord's 
service, as He would dictate. The silly woman, who was a widow 
at this time, and whose intellect, at best, was of a low order, did 
as directed, and started with a horse and cart to meet her son and 
deliver to him her small savings. At this time there was no 
railroad between her home and St. Paul, so the journey meant a 
weary travel of more than four hundred miles over the prairie; 
After three weeks' travel she reached her destination. Her son 
did not appear, so she went back, sad and disappointed, to her 
lonely home on the banks of the Assiniboine river. Riel did not 
leave Montreal, and wrote to his mother excusing himself for 
breaking his promise, as he was commencing to put into operation 
a great mission of some sort or other, of which he gave no par- 
ticulars. This was in 1867, and for years previously he had been 
leading a wandering and purposeless life. At the end of this year 
he returned to Winnipeg, poor and proud. For some years after 
this he remained quiet, and lost, for a time, or suppressed, his 
grandiose ideas. He behaved himself as a citizen, and gave no 
trouble to his kindred. He married a respectable and intelligent 
Cree " half-breed," and settled down to till the soil. All his friends 
testify that work of any kind was irksome to him, and he was 
what a Scotchman would call "a ne'er-do-weel." He was well 
educated, but applied his knowledge to no good purpose. He 
seemed to lack stamina of mind, and was open to engage in any 
enterprise which would feed his latent ambition. His mental 
composition was unstable, and, as a consequence, its equilibrium 
was easily disturbed by any circumstance, which would evoke its 
bias, or give rein to the forces of passion which had found lodg- 
ment therein. Such minds are like a magazine of dynamite, which 
only need a shock of a mental or moral nature to cause an explo- 3 
sion. Riel was constantly building castles in the air, and in his 
visionary schemes he was always to be the leader. In this ideal 
his fancy gloried in anticipation, and he would brook no opposi- 
tion. The grand opportunity came from a direction he little 
dreamed of at the time. 
In 1868 the vast "Lone Land," whose wheat area is equal to six 
States like that of Minnesota, was turned over to the Canadian 
government by the British Crown cancelling all charters giving- 
occupancy thereon for hunting, fishing and trading. The "half- 
breeds" were not consulted, although that was their native land. 
They could not be looked upon as aliens, nor as the nomadic 
Indian tribes, who had no abiding interest in any one part of the 
soil. These Scotch and French mixed races were settlers, and. 
large numbers were farming, as their fathers had been before 
them. To them the transaction was a bargain and sale of their 
homes and country to a foreign power. The paternal rule of the 
Hudson's Bay Company was to be followed by a government of 
which they knew little, and which was fifteen hundred miles away. 
There were over twenty thousand of these people, and many of 
them had been well educated at the Protestant and Catholic schools 
and colleges. No wonder they became rebellious, when no pro- 
vision had been made guaranteeing to them even squatter rights. 
In the murmuriitgs and discontent Riel saw his opportunity. He 
was eloquent and crafty, and fanned the flame into a burning fire of 
rebellion. By ingenious reasoning, he showed his countrymen and 
compatriots how unjust it was to have their country.ceded to 
Canada, without their consent, or even consultation and guar- 
antee as to their rights and privileges as owners of the soil. 
Many of his followers were ignorant and impulsive, but on account 
of Riel's religious fervor and intense earnestness, they looked up 
to him as a fit leader to have their grievances redressed by the 
establishment of an independent government. Riel was educated 
and had travelled. He knew what rebellion meant, were his mind 
in a wholesome state. He could not hope to succeed against the 
Canadian forces, and-if need be-against those of Britain, with 
a few hundreds of untrained volunteers. The former ideas of 
power and glory came back upon him, and he " lost his head," as 
the saying is. He strutted about with the airs of a pompous 
conqueror, when he found himself at the head of an armed force, 
defying his foes. He was dictator and high priest combined. 
At this time Canada was about to send a lieutenant-governor to 
take possession of the country. The Provisional Government of 4 
Riel determined to meet" him at the boundary line and resist his 
approach. Riel, with his armed force, seized Fort Garry without 
resistance, as it was only held by a few Hudson Bay employes. 
In this way the rebels procured ample supplies of food, clothing 
and arms. This was in October, 1869. A band was sent to the 
boundary line to resist the entrance of the Canadian governor. 
They succeeded in this respect. During the following winter the 
whites and Scotch " half-breeds " began to rebel against the arch- 
rebel. A counter-movement was made, but it was weak, and was 
crushed out of existence by Riel's followers. A white, of the 
name of Scott, was sentenced to be put to death because of his 
indiscreet utterances against this Provisional Government. After 
a summary trial, by a sort of court martial, he was shot fortreason 
and using seditious language against the insurgents. 
The cruel death of Scott caused intense feeling in Canada. 
When spring came a force was organized in the east, composed of 
British regulars and Canadian volunteers. They tramped the 
wilderness of six hundred miles, between Port Arthur, at the head 
of Lake Superior' and Winnipeg, under extreme difficulties. This 
force was commanded by General Woolsey. When it reached 
Fort Garry, and the bugle notes of the advance guard were heard 
by Riel, he fled to the United States, and his followers scattered 
to their homes. Good flowed from this uprising, and the many 
wrongs of the early settlers were redressed. Louis Riel was 
looked upon as having been instrumental in bringing about this 
improved condition of things. So popular was he that in 1872 
he was elected a member of the Canadian Parliament by acclama- 
tion. He went to Ottawa and took the oath of allegiance. His 
life was threatened by some super-loyal roughs, because of the 
murder of Scott. So he thought it safer to leave the capital, to 
which he never returned. Strange to say, Riel resigned his seat for 
Cartier, a prominent French Canadian, of Quebec, and a member 
of the government which Riel had rebelled against. The ex- 
rebel's seat was occupied, and he was given money by the gov- 
ernment, through the hands of a church dignitary, to leave the 
country. After this time he wandered through the United States 
for several years, quiet in manners, well behaved, and giving 
utterance to no delusions. This is the testimony of those who 
knew him, and met him at St. Paul, Montana and other places. 
In 1876, Riel found his way to Montreal, and one Sunday he 
interrupted religious services in one of the churches by declaring 
he was superior to any priest or bishop, and should himself conduct 5 
the service. He was arrested and was examined by two medical 
men as to his sanity. He was declared insane, and was legally 
committed to Longue Pointe Asylum. After a few months' incar- 
ceration there, he was transferred to Beauport Asylum, near 
Quebec, as a dangerous lunatic. Dr. Roy, medical superintendent 
of Beauport Asylum, gave sworn testimony to this effect at the 
trial of Riel. He recovered, after having been insane over a year 
and a half, and again began to wander over different parts of the 
United States. He went to Washington in the hope of inducing 
the American government to appoint him to some responsible 
position over the "half-breeds" and Indians of Montana. He 
failed in this, but acted so strangely in the street that he was 
arrested. His prophecies, visions, and feeling of greatness again 
possessed him. After a short time he was liberated, and found his 
way back to his family in Montana. 
In 1884, discontent again broke out among the "half-breeds" 
and Indians in the Saskatchewan valley, because of the encroach- 
ments of the whites, and their threats made to dispossess these 
early settlers and aborigines of their country. This fertile valley 
lies over five hundred miles northwest of the country in which 
was the rebellion of 1870. This primitive people had petitioned 
the government for years to redress their grievances, but a deaf 
ear had been turned to their appeals. In their extremity they 
naturally bethought themselves of Riel, who had been the means 
of obtaining redress for their kindred in Manitoba. A deputation 
was sent to see him, at his home in Montana. The mission was 
successful, and Riel once more became an agitator among his 
kindred. At first constitutional means were adopted, and Riel, at 
this time, kept his head level. At the different meetings held 
Riel showed no signs of insanity, and all his actions were those of 
a sound leader. As the agitation went on, and feeling began to run 
high, the former form of mental alienation began to manifest 
itself. The leadership gave him importance and notoriety. The 
quiet man and prudent counsellor began to show undue excitement, 
regardless of consequences. His religious zeal, his praying night 
and day, his carrying and bolding aloft a crucifix, his fervid 
appeals aroused his ignorant and deluded followers to a dangerous 
pitch of frenzy. He now defied not only the mounted police, but 
also the Roman hierarchy. He drove priests from the altars and 
chapels, and desecrated them for common purposes. He was a 
supreme pontiff himself, and could make and unmake popedoms. 
Riel, in one of his paroxysms of fury against the priests who 6 
would not second his efforts, drove them from the chapel, and 
assumed in their stead sacerdotal functions. He baptized a num- 
ber of children, he confessed and gave absolution to over forty 
persons, he held confirmation at the altar and in public, and in 
order to transmit to the congregation the breath of the Holy 
Spirit, he uttered three cries so loud and penetrating that they 
caused the windows of the building to vibrate. Whoever would 
go to the spot could collect from the lips of eye and ear wit- 
nesses many particulars of this nature in respect to Riel at this 
time.-[Cor. Minerve, Quebec.] 
About this period Riel always wrote after his signature the 
addition "Exovced," which he interpreted to me to mean, "Chief 
of the flock," or " Head of the people." All the documents I have 
seen or heard of during the rebellion, had this affix, except those 
sent to General Middleton, during the engagement at Batoche. 
In 1865 he wrote to a clerical friend in the northwest, that he 
was not Louis Riel, but somebody else. He claimed that he was 
David Mordecai, a Jew, and was born in Marseilles, France. He 
came over to Canada when he was only a mere child. His ap- 
pearance was so like that of Louis Riel that they might be taken 
for twins. The Louis Riel was thrown overboard from a steamer 
on the Mississippi and he was put in his place. So alike were they 
that even those in charge of the child did not detect the decep- 
tion. His guardians did the foul deed, because his parents had left 
him immense wealth, and they wished to secure the property for 
themselves. He was not Louis Riel, and not the rightful heir of 
an immense estate, which had been acquired in this way. Being a 
Jew, it was his duty to redeem the race, and rectify the wrongs 
which had been done. He was a second Saviour, sent in these 
latter days to not only succor Jews but also Gentiles, from tem- 
poral, political and spiritual bondage. 
The writer saw a letter written by Riel to a church dignitary, 
at the time he was a patient in Beauport Asylum. It is rambling 
and nonsensical, but natural to any one who has to read the 
superlative ideas of the conceited insane. It is signed "Louis 
David Riel, by the grace of Jesus Christ, Prophet, Pontiff, Infal- 
lible and Priest-King." This letter is dated July 30, 1876. In a 
postscript he gives a reason for adding "David" to his name. It 
was on account of the King of Israel having been chosen by him 
as his patron saint, and who had delivered him out of the hands 
of his enemies. The Spirit which spoke to Moses out of the 
burning bush had often spoken to him. Why? Because he was 7 
about to liberate his brethren in somewhat the same way out of 
their bondage. On the Sunday before his execution, when he was 
sure the death sentence wrould be carried out, he told his confessor 
that he had a visit the previous night from the prophet Jeremiah. 
The Hebrew seer had a long conversation with him on the merits 
of the Book cf Lamentations. He was a greater potentate than 
Queen Victoria, and defied all the military resources of Canada 
or the British Empire. He saw armies of men in the heavens. 
Fire and tumult and chariots and angels were everywhere apparent 
in the air. All were portents of coming victory to his followers 
against their oppressors. He heard the voice of God speaking 
to him, and commending his ways. He had daily conversations 
with the Almighty. By the means of visions, dreams and voices 
he was able, not only to foretell future events, but also to com- 
mand thunderbolts to destroy armies. These are some of the 
delusions which I found in his diaries. The whole of his writings 
in this strain would make a large book if printed, and the veriest 
trash as a whole. Now and then some passages would be vigorous 
and sensible, but ever and anon would crop up his visions and 
prophecies and greatness. 
The following extracts of evidence elicited at the trial give us 
glimpses of the prisoner's mental condition at and after the out- 
break of the rebellion: t 
Charles Nolin was cousin of the prisoner, and assisted him in 
the legal agitation, but refused to be drawn into rebellion. He 
stated that Riel went into the northwest in July, 1884. The pris- 
oner showed him a book, in which he had expressed a determina- 
tion to destroy Canada and England. Prisoner told him he was a 
prophet, and one evening when Riel was at house of witness a noise 
escaped from Riel's stomach which he said was an inspiration. 
Riel showed witness a sheet of paper, on which he had written in 
blood, his plans for the campaign. Ontario was to be given to 
Ireland, Quebec to Germany, and the northwest territories to be 
divided, the Hebrews getting a share. The prisoner's character 
changed remarkably about the time of the outbreak. The very 
word "police" made him furious.- Toronto Mail.] 
Father Andre, Superior of the Oblat Fathers, had lived in the 
country since 1865; knew Riel well, and had watched his conduct; 
frequently spoke with him of the situation and on religious mat- 
ters; on questions of politics and religion he lost all control of 
himself, and was not the same man ; told the prisoner he was a 
fool on these subjects, not having his mind. Prisoner often said 8 
things that frightened me. Once all the priests met together, and 
the question was discussed and unanimously decided, that he was 
not responsible. In discussing those questions with him it was 
like showing a red rag to a bull. I do not think that every man 
who has strange ideas on religion is a fool; it depends on his con- 
duct in expressing them. The prisoner never had any principles,, 
except that he was an autocrat in religion and politics, but his 
ideas changed-to-day he admitted one thing, to-morrow he denied 
it.-^Toronto G-lobeJ] 
Dr. Roy, medical superintendent of Beauport Asylum, testified 
that Riel had been a patient of his in the asylum. Prisoner 
was discharged from the asylum in January, 1878, after a residence 
of about nineteen months. Had an opportunity of studying the 
disease prisoner was suffering from; had conversations with him 
often. The particular disease of the prisoner was the mania of 
ambition, called by eminent authors "Megalomania." The symp- 
toms of the disease are sometimes found in ordinary maniacs. 
These maniacs are sometimes very clever in arguing from a false 
idea, and are very excitable when opposed, because they hold the 
false idea strongly, and are perfectly sane on all other questions. 
Pride occupies a place in the. symptoms of the disease. The vic- 
tims are very egotistic, and forget their best friends. The diffi- 
culty is to make them believe they will have no success in their 
schemes. Very rarely are they cured, though there may be inter- 
missions. There is more or less difference in each case. Heard 
the witnesses in the court describe the conduct of the prisoner during 
the agitation and rebellion. I am perfectly positive prisoner was 
not of sound mind when he was under my care, and I believe the 
actions described by the witnesses were done when he was laboring 
under the disease; do not believe prisoner had control of his ac- 
tions at these times. The symptoms of this malady, disclosed in 
court yesterday, are the same he suffered from when he was under 
my care. A feature of the disease of " Megalomania " was a fixed 
idea, incapable of change by reasoning, and which is beyond the 
patient's control. Such have lucid intervals, intermissions for 
weeks and months. The evidence of the clergy shows in a posi- 
tive manner, that the prisoner manifests the same symptoms he 
discovered when he was under my care. A man laboring under 
this disease might desire to obtain money to carry out his false 
idea. The facts brought out in evidence in regard to prisoner's 
actions, were, in his opinion, inconsistent with skilful fraud, as 
could be said of all human conduct in the sane. 9 
Father Tourmand said he was well acquainted with Riel. He 
was present at the meeting of priests at which Riel's sanity was 
questioned. Often conversed with him on religious and political 
subjects. I knew the facts upon which the question of his insanity 
arose. Before the rebellion Riel was a polite and pleasant man to 
me. When he was not contradicted about political affairs he was 
quiet, but when he was opposed he was violent. As soon as the 
rebellion commenced he lost all control of himself, and threatened 
to burn all the churches. He denied the real presence of God in 
the Host. It was a man of six feet. Riel said he was going to 
Quebec, France and Italy, and would overthrow the pope, and 
choose a pope or appoint himself. We finally concluded there was 
no other way of explaining his conduct than that he was insane. 
When the fathers opposed him he attacked them. Witness was 
brought before the rebel council to give an account of his conduct. 
He called me a little tiger, being very much excited. Never 
showed me a book of his prophecies, written in buffalo's blood, 
although I heard of it. The prisoner was relatively sane before 
the rebellion. Could better explain prisoner's conduct on the 
ground of insanity than that of great criminality. Witness 
naturally had a strong friendship towards prisoner.-^Toronto 
Globe Report.'] 
Philip Garriot, a prisoner, said Riel often stopped at his house. 
The prisoner would pray all night; never heard such prayers 
before; prisoner must have made them up. Heard him say he was 
representing St. Peter. Heard him talking of the country being 
divided into seven provinces, and he was going to bring in seven 
distinct nationalities to occupy them. He expected the assistance 
of the Jews and other nationalities. Riel said he was sure to suc- 
ceed. It was a divine mission, and God was chief of the move- 
ment. Only met him once before the trouble. I thought the man 
was crazy. 
At a wedding which took place at Batoche in April, 1885, Riel 
carved for the wedding party and set apart some of the food and 
also a chair, which he said were for Jesus Christ, who was to be 
present. Nolin, a cousin of the prisoner's, who gave testimony 
against him, said that in an interview he had with Riel, he set an 
empty chair between them, as the Saviour was to be present at 
the interview. This witness is an intelligent man, and thought 
Riel " acted like a fool." 
The following declarations made by half-breeds is taken from 
the government organ of December 17, 1886, (Toronto Maliy. 10 
Antoine Ferguson says: "I believe that Riel was insane dur- 
ing the rebellion." 
Neil Jervais says: " I thought sometimes that he was not quite 
sane during the troubles." 
Maxime Colin says : " He acted sometimes as if he had wished 
to be taken for an insane man." 
John Sanserequet says: "During the trouble I thought that 
Riel was not quite sane." 
Cyrille Lafond says: "I thought at certain moments during 
the trouble that Riel was not quite sane." 
Charles Lavallee, Sr., says: "I had known Riel in Manitoba, 
and I thought he was not quite the same man during the 
troubles." 
Pierre Vaudal says: "I have said sometimes during the 
trouble that Red seemed not quite sane." 
Isadore Lafontaine says : " I thought at certain moments that 
Riel was not speaking like a sane man." 
It is true a number of half-breeds also stated that they thought 
Riel was not insane. It is to be remembered, however, that their 
pride revolted against the idea of being influenced by an insane 
man. At the same time, it is not to be forgotten that these 
ignorant men may never have seen an insane man, and of necessity 
must have had hazy ideas of what insanity really meant. The 
more masked and subtle forms of it would be beyond their ken. 
This being the case positive statements like the above have more 
than ordinary value. 
On July 28, 1885, the writer made a first visit to Riel in the 
prison at Regina, Northwest Territory. He was found to be a 
stoutly built man and of splendid physique. He was in good 
health, about forty-two years of age. He had a swarthy com- 
plexion and black eyes of great brilliancy, restless and searching. 
His movements were nervous, energetic and expressive as are so 
characteristic of the French. This was evidently a normal con- 
dition and not from apprehension as to his fate. He was very 
talkative, and his egotism made itself manifest, not only in his 
movements, but also in his expressed pleasure in being the central 
figure of a State trial, which was likely to become historic. The 
writer stated to him that his lawyers were trying to save his life 
by proving that he had been insane. At this statement he got 
very much excited, and paced up and down his cell like a chained 
animal until his irons rattled, saying with great vehemence and 
gesticulation, " My lawyers do wrong to try to prove I am insane. 11 
I scorn to put in that plea. I, the leader of my people, the 
centre of a national movement, a priest and prophet, to 
be proved to be an idiot. As a prophet, I know beforehand, the 
jury will acquit me. They will not ignore my rights. I was put 
in Longue Pointe and Beauport Asylums by my persecutors, and 
was arrested without cause when discharging my duty. The 
Lord delivered me out of their hands." 
I questioned him very closely as to his plans in the past, but he 
did not seem to be communicative on these points. He said he 
would insist on examining the witnesses himself. He did not feel 
disposed to allow his lawyers to do it for him, if they were 
determined to try to prove he was insane. During the trial he 
made several attempts to take the case into his own hands, as in 
the questioning of witnesses, his importance seemed to be ignored 
by his counsel. I asked him if he thought he could elicit more on 
his own behalf than men expert in law could. He proudly said: 
"I will show you as the case develops." During a long conversa- 
tion with him, I found him quite rational on subjects outside of 
those connected with, his " mission " and personal greatness. He 
walked about a good deal as he talked, at the same time putting 
on his hat and taking it off in a nervous way. His fidgety way, 
his swagger, his egotistic attitudes, his evident delight at such a 
trying tour-in being so conspicuous a personage-impressed me 
very strongly as being so like the insane with delusions of great- 
ness, whether paretics or not. A hundred and one little things in 
appearance, movement and conversation, which can not be 
described in writing, are matters of every day observation by 
asylum medical officers. I may say they are almost intuitions 
in this respect. Such knowledge as this, which we acquire by 
every day acquaintance of the insane, would be laughed out of 
court by the legal profession, who can not discern any valid 
evidence that does not tally with a metaphysical and obsolete 
definition. 
It was evident to me that Riel was concealing to some extent 
the inner workings of his mind, and that he had an object in 
view in hiding his thoughts. I endeavored to make him angry 
by speaking contemptuously of his pretensions. He only 
shrugged his shoulders and gave me a smile of pity at my 
ignorance. I touched upon his selfishness in asking $35,000 from 
the government, and on receipt of it, to cease agitation. He 
smiled at my charge, and said that the money had been prom- 
ised to him and was due to him. Had he received it he would 12 
have established a newspaper to advocate the rights of his 
kindred. It would have been a glorious work for him to be able 
to control a newspaper, and to promulgate in print his mission to 
the world. 
Dr. Roy and myself had a second examination of Riel at the 
Police Barracks, on the evening of the 28th of July. He was 
closely catechised by Dr. Roy in French, and by me in English. 
He evaded giving direct answers to our questions, although he 
knew we were to give evidence for the defense, if his insanity 
were a fact. He thanked us for our kindly interest in him, but 
repudiated our plea with scorn. We took that ground to possibly 
put him off his guard, but in this he was consistent with himself 
and his record. We elicited little from him except that great 
developments, of a national character, were near at hand, accord- 
ing to his prophecy, and he was to be the central moving power.. 
The insanity plea was abhorrent to him, and he scorned to take 
that ground, even to save his life. Friends and foes were con- 
vinced of his honesty and candor in his repudiation of this 
defense. He would rather die as a deliverer than live as a lunatic. 
I had a third visit alone with Riel, in his cell, on the 29th of 
July. He was very much excited, and paced his narrow enclosure 
like an enraged tiger would, yet in this mood he said nothing. 
I accused him of hiding his motives to his own hurt, and told him 
that his friends from Quebec could do nothing for him because of 
his obstinacy. Suddenly he calmed down and with great self-pos- 
session said: "His legal friendshad mistaken his mission. At 
present he was an important State prisoner, and he was suffering, 
not only for himself, but also for others." He also told me that 
he wrote a book which was still in existence. In it he clearly 
proved that he was a great prophet, and as a prophet he knew 
beforehand that a verdict would be given in his favor. I closely 
questioned him as to why he thought so, but his only reply was in 
putting his hand over his heart and saying pathetically, " It is re- 
vealed to me." I informed him that there was a bitter feeling hostile 
to, him outside, and that so far the evidence was strongly against 
him and that he would probably be hanged as a felon. He smiled 
cynically at my ignorance, but the alternative did not 'seem to 
affect him. I told him the feeling had not subsided for the mur- 
der of Scott, in 1870. In reply he said the Northwest Council 
sentenced Scott to death for treason. He was only one of thirteen. 
He suddenly broke away from this subject and began to pour out 
a torrent of vigorous language on the head of Dr. Steultze, of 13 
Winnipeg, whom he associated in some way with Scott and the 
rebellion of 1870. Before I left he came back to the fulcrum idea 
that he was yet to be a great political and religious leader, who 
would revolutionize the world. 
These were the notes I took at the time. To me they were sig-, 
nificant, but as legal evidence they would be considered of little 
value. 
I wish again to repeat the statement which is a truism to 
alienists. He had a look and movement so characteristic of insane 
people, which it is impossible to put in words, but known so well 
to us. He had that peculiar appearance, which is hard to be de- 
scribed, of a man who is honest and sincere in his insane con- 
victions and statements. There could be no doubt he was stating 
what he himself believed to be true. In acting as he did he was 
not a pretender, and did not assume those feelings to his own hurt 
for the occasion. The most cunning deceiver could not simulate 
the appearance and actions which he presented. A malingerer 
would never utter so much wisdom, mixed with so much that 
showed insanity. Riel's great aim, even at the trial, was to falsify 
the charge of insanity, and to show by his words his mental 
capacity to be a leader of men. Anyone who has read his 
letters and addresses to the jury will see that a great deal of 
shrewdness, and irony, and sarcasm, of rather an intelligent kind, 
were mingled with his delusions of greatness. This is perfectly 
consistent with his form of insanity. Every asylum could pro- 
duce men and women just as clever, cunning, and able to write 
as good letters as Riel did, and even hide their delusions when it 
suits their purpose -so to do. His frowns, facial disgust and depre- 
catory shakes of the head when evidence was given to prove his 
insanity, and his egotistic walking up and down the dock, with 
swinging arms and erect head when his sanity was witnessed to, 
were no actor's part. His actions and speeches carried conviction 
of their genuineness even to the minds of many who were bitterly 
hostile to him. Much evidence was given by the Crown after- 
mine was rendered. His two speeches made to the jury and much 
of his excited conduct in the dock towards the end of his trial im- 
pressed me very strongly as to the prisoner's mental unsoundness. 
His whole aim was to show that he was responsible in all his conduct, 
and not demented. He was a saviour and leader of his people, 
and this glorious position was to be taken from him by his friends 
trying to prove his insanity. He repudiated the plea with scorn. 
Riel, in his address to the judge, after a verdict had been ren- 14 
dered, said, with an honesty which carried conviction to every one 
who heard him, " I suppose that now, having been condemned, I 
will cease to be called a fool, and for me it will be a great advan- 
tage. If I have a mission-I say "if" for the sake of those who 
doubt-but for my part, since. I have a mission, I can not fulfil 
my mission as long as I am looked upon as an insane being." 
Again: "Should I be executed, at least, if I were going to be 
executed I would not be executed as an insane man. The recom- 
mendation to mercy by the jury shows me to be a prophet. So 
my career is cleared of the charge of insanity." After giving an 
outline of what he intended to do, in dividing the country into 
ten nationalities, he gives vent to the following delusion : " My 
ancestors were among those who came from Scandinavia and the 
British Isles over a thousand years ago. Some of them went to 
Limerick, and when they crossed to Canada they were called Riel. 
So there is in me Scandinavian, Irish, French, and some Indian 
blood." 
"I thank the glorious General Middleton for the testimony that 
I possess my mental faculties. I felt that God was blessing me 
when those words were pronounced. Even ifl have to die, I will 
have the satisfaction to know that I will not be regarded by all 
men as an insane person. I was in Beauport and Longue Pointe 
Asylums, but was not insane. I thank the government for de- 
stroying the testimony of Dr. Roy, who says I was insane." 
There is much of these denials in his two speeches, mixed with 
sarcasms against the government, and with declarations of his 
great mission as a prophet and deliverer of his people. Some of 
his statements were very pathetic and even eloquent. All this 
medley of sense and nonsense, shrewdness and want of judgment,, 
cunning and honesty, are no new features in an insane character. 
The metaphysical and theoretical lawyer can see such in any 
asylum at any time were he looking for light. 
Rev. Mr. McWilliams, Roman Catholic priest, was with Riel a 
good deal before his execution. He believed the prisoner to be 
insane. I quote from the government organ, which urged his 
execution, (Toronto Mail,} "Riel has had another 'manifestation,' 
consisting of entirely incoherent rubbish. Riel took advantage of 
the Rev. Mr. McWilliams' presence on Friday night to declare his 
divine mission. ' I am,' said the prisoner, ' a prophet; I have been 
ordained, not as a priest, but as the prophet of the northwest, to 
preach a reformation to you and every minister of the church,, 
and will continue to fulfil my mission until I mount the scaffold? 15 
While delivering himself of this little oration he paced his cell like 
an infuriated maniac. He thundered his anathemas on the policy 
and principles of the nineteenth century churches, gesticulating 
almost all the while. When he came to the word ' scaffold ' he 
faced his visitors. With the veins of his throbbing temples dis- 
tending with convulsions, he pointed towards the scaffold, and 
fixing his wild, haggard eyes on the Rev. Mr. McWilliams, con- 
tinued: 'To that scaffold will I walk boldly, preaching this mission 
of church reformation so much needed throughout the world.'" 
I have given part of the evidence of these non-professional 
people, because it is recorded in law books, and was asserted by a 
learned Queen's Counsel at the trial, that any ordinary common 
sense man could detect an insane man as easily as could an expert- 
Had this sweeping assertion been made of cases of acute mania, 
there might have been some force in it; but any one who has even 
a limited experience of the insane knows that there are many 
phases of insanity in all our asylums which in their subtility and. 
masked form, would baffle the common sense but inexperienced 
man, and even the legal theorist, with his ethical and antiquated 
absurdities of definition. I have seen judges, lawyers, and mem- 
bers of grand juries trying their mental acumen at selecting the 
sane from the insane in our wards, with most ludicrous results. 
Only a few days before his execution he wrote to his clerical 
friend in Winnipeg a farewell epistle. It is closely written in 
French, and contains fourteen pages of foolscap. He knew that 
his day of doom had come, yet it is full of the old delusions of 
prophecy and other rubbish concerning his power and greatness. 
One sentence will suffice as a specimen. He says: "The pope of 
Rome is in bondage and is surrounded by wicked counsellors. He 
is, however, not infallible, and the centre of the hierarchy should 
be located on this continent. I have elected Montreal as its head- 
quarters. In a year of weeks after this change the Papal See will 
be centred in St. Boniface, Manitoba. The new order of things 
will date from December 8, 1875, and will last four hundred and 
seventy-five years." 
Then again: " Archbishop Bourget told me of my supernatural 
power on the 18th of December, 1874. I felt it on that day, while 
I was standing alone on a high hill, near Washington, D. C. A 
spirit appeared to me and revealed it out of flames and clouds. I 
was speechless with fear. It said to me, ' Rise, Louis David Riel. 
You have a mission to accomplish for the benefit of humanity.' I 
received my divine mission with bowed head and uplifted hands- 16 
A few nights before this the same spirit told me that the apostolic 
spirit which was in the late Archbishop Bourget, and who was the 
pope of the new world, had taken possession of Archbishop Tache. 
It is to remain with the latter until his death, and then will re-enter 
the archbishop of Montreal. It will remain in him and his succes- 
sors for one hundred and fifty-seven years. At the end of that 
time it will return to the ecclesiastical head of St. Boniface and 
his successors for 1,876 years." 
Such delusional and egotistic nonsense could be quoted to any 
extent. Enough has been transcribed, not only to show the groove 
in which his mind ran when these frenzies took hold of him, but 
also to indicate how consistent throughout his whole career of 
over a quarter of a century, his mental activity was in respect to 
the uniformity of these vagaries. 
Archbishop Tache, in speaking of Riel and his condition, said: 
" For many years I have been convinced beyond the possibility of 
a doubt, that, while endowed with brilliant qualities of mind and 
heart, the unfortunate leader of the Metis was a prey to what 
may be termed 'megalomania' and 'theomania,' which alone can 
explain his way of acting up to the last moments of his life." 
The prosecution brought forward a number of witnesses to show 
that such had known Riel and had conversations with him, but 
saw no signs of insanity. It need scarcely be said that such 
negative evidence is worthless. A person may be insane and yet 
rational. Such having delusions can mask them with a great 
deal of shrewdness in ordinary conversation. All asylums have 
this experience, until some pertinent remark or favorable condition 
evokes and brings into prominence and activity the abnormal and 
diseased mental bias. A thousand persons may see no insanity in 
a patient, but one reliable witness who has seen indubitable evi- 
dence of mental alienation, will cancel the whole negation. Leav- 
ing out the evidence for the defense altogether, the witnesses for 
the crown gave facts enough to establish the prisoner's mental 
nnsoundness, at least in the estimation of the writer. 
There is no doubt that Riel was responsible for some years, up 
to the time of the Duck Lake fight; The excitement of that fight 
caused another attack of insanity, and from that time there is no 
evidence that he was accountable for what he did. While he was 
suffering from these attacks he was not responsible for anything 
he did. I spoke to some of the half-breeds who were in all the 
engagements with Riel, and they uniformly said he was not the 
same man after the first fight. He seemed to have changed en- 17 
tirely, and became frenzied. He organized no opposition after this 
time, did no fighting, but was looked upon as inspired by his 
deluded followers, and ran about from rifle pit to rifle pit, holding 
aloft a crucifix, and calling upon the Trinity for aid. The mili- 
tary organizers, leaders and fighters were Dumont and Dumais. 
These sane, shrewd and brave rebels have been amnestied by our 
government, but the mental weakling was hanged. 
A few days before the .execution two medical gentlemen were 
sent to Regina by the government to enquire into and report upon 
the prisoner's mental condition. It is just to them to say that 
they were servants of the government. One was a chemical 
analyst and the other was warden of Kingston Penitentiary. On 
their knowledge and judgment and skill as experts hung the fate 
of Riel, at least so it was said officially. They examined the 
prisoner and reported in cipher to the government. This report 
has never been published, although it was an official document, 
but on the contrary it was returned to the authors. A new 
report was made out when the examiners had returned to the 
capital, and after the prisoner had been executed. Such is the 
parliamentary record. It must be a satisfaction to these estimable 
gentlemen to know that their report did not seal the fate of the 
insane rebel. 
The writer challenged the government to hold a post mortem 
on Riel's brain, and submit it to the examination of any competent 
pathologist. He was prepared to abide by the opinion and verdict 
of such an expert. This challenge was made through the press, 
and especially through the government organ. The writer was 
sure that organic changes would be found in Riel's brain, even of 
a gross nature, after such mental storms of a life-time. The foot- 
prints of disease were there, and within that skull was evidence of 
the prisoner's aberrations. Two medical men were present at his 
execution, but they also were government officers, under instruc- 
tions. o post mortem of the brain was made. He was buried 
beside the scaffold where he bravely died. His body was kept 
under military supervision for about four weeks, and at the expira- 
tion of that time it was delivered up to friends. Decomposition 
had set in, and so the brain records were forever destroyed. 
The facts set forth in this man's eventful history are not denied 
by his executioners. The plea is that he was a religious fanatic 
or "crank" such as are described in all ages of the world's 
history, that his delusions were normal to his mind and used by 
him to accomplish his selfish and ambitious designs. The answer 18 
to this plausible excuse is, that his strange conduct was intermit- 
tent, and that during the many years of mental health he was 
quiet, unassuming, showing no delusions, and even supporting his 
family by engaging in humble employments, such as came to 
hand. In short, he was a well disposed and law abiding citizen. 
There is no parallel between him in any respect and those sane 
religious enthusiasts who found sects and carry on religious 
wars. Such adapt means to ends which have in them the 
probabilities of success, and have no intermissions such as Riel 
had in his life. 
A crank has a mental twist from childhood upwards. He has 
mental peculiarities without intermissions and, eccentricities 
throughout the whole course of his life. He is a naturally odd 
and hobby-riding man who is unchangeable in his possession of 
whims and fancies. The insane man becomes so synchronously 
with brain disease. These peculiarities come and go with the 
invasion of disease and departure of the corporeal abnormal con- 
dition. The intermissions of freedom from delusioUs or from 
mental deprivation are the insane man's normal condition. He 
then comes to himself in his words and conduct. The crank has 
no such intervals, because his mental condition is natural, uniform 
and continuous as known in all his doings. His being is saturated 
congenitally with all kinds of visionary projects or psychical 
obliquities, yet he will use ordinary methods and reasonable 
instruments to acquire power towards an end however absurd that 
goal may seem to mankind. 
Let us drop the name and person of Riel out of our thoughts, 
and put in their place an algebraical symbol to equal an unknown 
mental condition of an equally unknown person. Let us then 
predicate of this symbol all that is known of this man's tragic, 
erratic and unaccountable history. Let all the facts be written in 
a medical certificate as reasons for putting this unknown person 
into an ayslum. Let these recorded facts be closely scrutinized 
by legal and medical experts and properly authenticated, and 
there is not any asylum in Christendom but would commit him as 
a lunatic. In fact, there are few lunatics who have such a pro- 
nounced record of mental alienation and of periodic brain disease. 
In this way, we do not consider the sad mischief Riel has done, 
nor the cruelties of which he has been the instrument nor the 
grievous loss of life he has occasioned. We look at the man apart 
from all extraneous circumstances, and we judge of him only as a 
man. 19 
It will be seen that I have avoided quoting authorities to bolster 
up my belief. I have thought it best to give a synopsis of this 
man's mental life, including the ^testimony of those who were his 
enemies as well as of those who had sympathy for him, and to let 
any candid mind say, if this man had always a sound mind 
in a sound body. Since his execution up to a few months ago his 
death was made to do duty as a political war-cry. It was felt 
that the recommendation to mercy by a Protestant and English 
speaking jury; that the strong evidence of the prisoner's insanity, 
which was adduced at the trial and after it; that the repeated 
postponements of the day of execution; that the fact of his hav- 
ing been only the nominal head of the rebellion should have had 
due weight with the executive. A living lunatic in an asylum 
would soon have been forgotten, but a dead Riel has roused into 
unwonted activity, influences which will not easily be allayed. 
It may be interesting to American medical jurists to notice in 
connection with the trial of this unbalanced man the following 
points: 
First. Undei- Canadian law a question of life and death was 
decided by a petit jury of only six persons, and selected by the 
magistrate who tried the case. 
Second. There was no grand jury empanelled to examine the 
positive evidence against the accused. 
Third. The magistrate who tried the offender for high treason 
was not a judge in the legal sense, being only a stipendiary magis- 
trate, yet he presided over a State trial. 
Fourth. It is customary in such cases in the territories to select 
a jury composed of half English and half of the countrymen 
of the prisoner. This jury was not so chosen. No half-breeds 
nor French-however loyal-were taken. 
Fifth. The charge was treason, although the prisoner was an 
American citizen, and legally an alien and invader. He virtually 
led a rebellion against a foreign power. 
Sixth. The question should not have been the prisoner's 
mental condition during the trial, but only when the overt acts 
were committed. 
Seventh. The jury recommended the prisoner to mercy either 
(a) because the rebellion was justifiable, or (5) because his mental 
condition made him less responsible.