Quebec City hardware merchant A.D. Fraser came to Montreal in 1876 to stay at the Montreal House on Common street near the customs house, which was where sailors would stay on their brief stays in the city.
However destiny had other things in store for the Scottish-Canadian.
Fraser left Quebec City with $800 in cash and a small suitcase.
Upon arriving in Montreal he split up with the person he was travelling with and passed his luggage to a man who started driving away.
Fraser followed the man, who went into some other home, which he claimed to be the Montreal House.
It wasn't and Fraser pointed this out.
During the course of this discussion the two had a drink but Fraser's drink was poisoned.
After sucking back the Mickey Finn,Fraser found himself shanghaied all the way to Capetown South Africa.
Fraser found work as a bookkeeper while in Capetown and earned enough to make his way back to Quebec City in September of 1877 via London.
His wife and children were delighted by his return, presumably.
Fraser would have been about 57 when this occurred, assuming that he's the same Donald Fraser born in 1819 and belonging to the well known clan.
However destiny had other things in store for the Scottish-Canadian.
Fraser left Quebec City with $800 in cash and a small suitcase.
Upon arriving in Montreal he split up with the person he was travelling with and passed his luggage to a man who started driving away. Fraser followed the man, who went into some other home, which he claimed to be the Montreal House.
It wasn't and Fraser pointed this out.
During the course of this discussion the two had a drink but Fraser's drink was poisoned.
After sucking back the Mickey Finn,Fraser found himself shanghaied all the way to Capetown South Africa.
Fraser found work as a bookkeeper while in Capetown and earned enough to make his way back to Quebec City in September of 1877 via London.
His wife and children were delighted by his return, presumably.
Fraser would have been about 57 when this occurred, assuming that he's the same Donald Fraser born in 1819 and belonging to the well known clan.
What a story!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the language in these old articles, for example when he confronts the man who stole his luggage by buying him a drink and saying "I suppose you think you have played sharp this time!"
BTW I assume they all had waxed moustaches and whatever version of hat that was in vogue in 1876... Simpler times!