Visitors to Quebec City can enjoy a full walking tour of the haunted city, led by Ghost Tours of Quebec. Each tour is about two hours long and visitors are led by lantern through stories that will send chills down anyone's spine.
Duval, the First Executioner of Quebec
Quebec City was founded for the French in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain. The city’s earliest history sets the site of justice, or execution, at a small gate at the present day Palace Royal. In Quebec City, the first person to be executed was a 16 year old girl charged with petty theft.
It was said that the first executioner, a man by the name of Duval, was setting to assassinate Champlain. Champlain found out about the plot and in turn invited Duval for dinner one evening. Thinking this was the perfect opportunity, Duval planned his murder for that night. Instead, Champlain had him arrested for treason, a charge that resulted in his own hanging. It is said at night, a shadowy figure can be seen lurking in the entranceway of the gate, the figure being that of Duval.
Madame Jean Gatier’s Revenge
In March of 1680, two women were involved in a quarrel which resulted in the death of a girl. The murderer was going to be executed however the executioner was old in age and died of natural causes. Monsieur Jean Gatier was appointed the new slayer but was told that he had to move outside the city limits since it was dangerous for the executioner to live among those he might be called on to deal with later. He did so and was later involved in a case where he had to try and hang someone who was convicted of stealing goods from a merchant. The only problem was the convicted was his own wife, whom he did execute. Today it is said that Madame Jean Gatier can be seen near the church Notre Dame de Victories, looking for the husband who hanged her.
The Empress of Ireland
In 1914, there was a group of stage actors who were set to return to England on the Empress of Ireland. A man named Irving was taking his wife with him, though she was leery to sail because of the tragedy of the Titanic two years before. Sure enough, at 2am, a ship collided with the Empress of Ireland causing and explosion and the ship to being sinking. The ship that collided with the Empress was not affected, therefore tried to save those drowning in the St. Lawrence. In the end, 1012 died of which 104 were children. This accident is said to be linked to the captain of the Empress of Ireland, Captain Kendall One year prior, Kendall was responsible for the arrest of Dr. Crippin, a London dentist who had murdered and dissected his wife and was planning to flee on a ship to America. Kendall alerted Scotland Yard who alerted the Canadian authorities, and as a result Crippin was arrested in London. Dr. Crippin cursed Kendall, and one year later the Empress sank, though Kendall survived.
August of 2002 was one more tragedy that surrounds the Empress. This was the most recent time that an attempt was made to raise the ship. Each time it is attempted, someone dies, and 2002 was no different. There are still 700 bodies from this accident that remain in the St. Lawrence. Many today question why the story of the Empress of Ireland is not well known though the magnitude of the tragedy equaled that of the Titanic. Three weeks after the accident of the Empress, World War I broke out, therefore trumping much of what was being said about the accident in the St. Lawrence.
While many places have their haunted history, Quebec City by far has a sampling of eerie occurrences that would make anyone twitch. While history buffs usually know about the Francophone contribution, Quebec City also has a dark side.
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