We, Pierre Raimbault, King’s Counsel, Lieutenant General, Civil and Criminal Judge of the Royal Jurisdiction of Montreal, went to the main room of the Royal Prisons of this City, and we sent for Mrs De Francheville’s negress, named Angélique, prisonner in this jail by virtue of an ordinance dated yesterday at the request of the King’s Attorney.

After swearing to the truth, she was interrogated by us as it follows:

-She was asked her name, surname, age, situation and residence

She said her name was Marie Joseph, age 29, born in Portugal, and was sold to a Flemish who in turn sold her to Mr De Francheville about nine years ago where she has always lived since.

-She was asked if it’s her who last year ran away from Mr De Francheville’s, and set out to go to New England with a man of the name of Thibault.

She said it was no more than six weeks ago that she and a man by the name of Thibault, whose name is Claude de Butenne, went no more than thirty leagues from here in their attempt to go to New England and from there to her country Portugal right across from Madeira.

-She was asked if she didn’t threaten to burn Mrs De Francheville if she didn’t give her back her freedom.

She said no.

-She was asked if on the day of the fire she didn’t say to Mr. De Berey’s Panis [slave] that her mistress and her would not sleep in their house that night.

She said no, that she would have had to be possess by the Devil if she had done that.

-She was asked if she had not said to someone who was accusing her of being the cause of the fire and of such destruction, that it was not over, to be careful that the rest of the city would be burned too.

She said no and on the contrary, when the widow De Francheville implied that she might have set her house on fire, she had said “Madame, though I am wicked, I am not wretched enough to do such a thing”.

-She was asked why when the fire started on the roof of Mrs De Francheville’s house did she prevent a young girl of Mr Desrivières to call out for help by pulling her away by her apron.

She said the young girl was playing with the young De Couagne’s girl and she was trying to prevent them from playing in the mud and force them to play by the door-step.

-She was asked if it’s true that prior to the appearance of the fire on the roof of De Francheville’s house, she went up to feed the pigeons.

She said she didn’t go there alone, that Mrs De Francheville was with her, after the 7:30 mass.

-She was asked if she didn’t go back to the attic where the pigeons were, after dinner.

She said she didn’t go at all.

-She was asked if the night of the fire she didn’t have on her a green blanket.

She said yes.

Reading done to her of the present examination, she said her answers are the truth and she persisted and declared not knowing how to write or sign.

P. Raimbault. C. Porlier