Is it likely," they said, "that he could always take the impartial view of a case that might involve in its results his own interests or deprive him of his daily bread ?" Likewise, on the part of the French half-breeds, there was the same distrust in regard to the limiting of the privileges which they enjoyed, while along with this it had been noised about that during the Papineau trouble in Canada, the Judge was no favorite of the French.

The French half-breeds, accordingly, became strongly prejudiced against the new Recorder.
In the year after the arrival of Recorder Thom, a most startling and mysterious event--which indeed has never been solved to the present day, happened in the case of Thomas Simpson, who it will be remembered had roused by his crushing blow on the head of Larocque, the rage of the whole French half-breed community.

The case was that Thomas Simpson, with a party of natives, had been going southward through Minnesota, ahead of the main body of sojourners.

In a state of frenzy he had shot two of his four companions.

The other two returned to the main body, and got assistance.