ss.
“Philomene Schwartz being first duly sworn, deposes and says: That she is of the age of forty-three years, and resides at 484 Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago; that her maiden name was Philomene Moffat, that she knew Father LeBelle, the Roman Catholic priest of the French Catholics of Chicago during his lifetime, and knows Rev. Father Chiniquy; that about the month of May, A. D. 1854, in company with Miss Eugenia Bossey, the housekeeper of her uncle, the Rev’d Mr. LeBelle, who was then living at the parsonage on Clark street, Chicago, while we were sitting in the room of Miss Bossey, the Rev. Mr. LeBelle was talking with his sister, Mrs. Bossey, in the adjoining room, not suspecting that we were there hearing his conversation, through the door, which was partly opened; though we could neither see him nor his sister, we heard every word of what they said together, the substance of which is as follows—Rev. Mr. LeBelle said in substance, to Mrs. Bossey, his sister:
“‘You know that Mr. Chiniquy is a dangerous man, and he is my enemy, having already persuaded several of my congregation to settle in his colony. You must help me to put him down, by accusing him of having tried to do a criminal action with you.’
“Madame Bossey answered: ‘I cannot say such a thing against Mr. Chiniquy, when I know it is absolutely false.’
“Rev. M. LeBelle replied: ‘If you refuse to comply with my request, I will not give you the one hundred and sixty acres of land I intended to give you; you will live and die poor.’
“Madame Bossey answered: ‘I prefer never to have that land, and I like better to live and die poor, than to perjure myself to please you.’
“The Rev. Mr. LeBelle, several times, urged his sister, Mrs. Bossey, to comply with his desires, but she refused. At last, weeping and crying, she said: ‘I prefer never to have an inch of land than to damn my soul for swearing to a falsehood.’
“The Rev. Mr. LeBelle then said:
“‘Mr. Chiniquy will destroy our holy religion and our people if we do not destroy him. If you think that the swearing I ask you to do is a sin, you will come to confess to me, and I will pardon it in the absolution I will give you.’