It’s November 16th: LOUIS RIEL DAY

For those of you who are a bit rusty on your Canadian history: Louis Riel (1844-1885) was the leader of the Métis, a Father of Confederation, and a founder of the province of Manitoba – executed as a traitor to the country he remains today a controversial figure in Canadian history.

But what does Riel’s story have to do with the history of psychology?

Riel was tried for treason in 1885 – an event that has become not only one of the most famous trials in Canadian history but also in the history of the insanity defense. Riel’s lawyers based their argument for Riel’s insanity largely on the fact that from 1876-1877 Riel had spent time as a patient in the Québec asylums at Longue-Pointe and Beauport under the assumed name “Louis R. David.” Prior to his admission, Riel had declared himself “the prophet of the new world,” the liaison between God and the Métis – reports describe his behaviour as becoming increasingly excitable and sporadic in the year leading up to his admission to the asylums.

In support of their plea of insanity, the defense called Fathers Alexis André and Vital Fourmond to testify about Riel’s religious visions and beliefs. Two medical experts were also called: Drs. François Roy (Medical Superintendent of the Beauport Asylum, Québec) and Daniel Clark (Medical Superintendent of the Toronto Asylum, Ontario).

Roy testified Riel was a megalomaniac:

Q. Will you give the symptoms of this disease?
A. Many of the symptoms of that disease are found in the ordinary maniac. The particular characteristic of this malady is, that in all cases they show great judgment in all cases not immediately connected with the particular disease with which they suffer.

Q. Will you speak from memory or by referring to the authors, what are the other symptoms of this disease?
A. They sometimes give you reasons which would be reasonable if they were not starting from a false idea. They are very clever on those discussions, and they have a tendency to irritability when you question or doubt their mental condition, because they are under a strong impression that they are right and they consider it to be an insult when you try to bring them to reason again. On ordinary questions they may be reasonable and sometimes may be very clever, in fact without careful watching they would lead one to think that they were well.

The Oxford English Dictionary (online) defines “megalomania” as: “In Psychol.: delusions of power or self-importance, esp. resulting from mental illness; a passion for grandiose schemes. More generally: lust for power, a desire to control” and cite Roy’s testimony at the Riel trial as one of the earliest quoted uses of the term.

(Though long, the transcripts of the testimonies are very interesting to read)

Riel maintained that he was sane throughout the trial. In his closing remarks, he stated that:

I have been in an asylum, but I thank the lawyers for the Crown who destroyed the testimony of my good friend Dr Roy, because I have always believed that I was put in the asylum without reason. To-day my pretension is guaranteed, and that is a blessing too in that way. I have also been in the lunatic asylum at Longue Pointe, and I wonder that my friend Dr Lachapelle, who took care of me charitably, and Dr Howard are not here.

The jury found Riel guilty. The judge stated:

You have been found guilty of high treason…For what you did, the remarks you have made form no excuse whatever…It is not my painful duty to pass the sentence of the court upon you…on the 18th of September next you be taken to the place appointed for your execution, and there be hanged by the neck till you are dead, and may God have mercy on your soul.”

Whether or not Riel was actually mentally ill has remained a debate to the present day:

Flanagan, T. (1979). Louis “David” Riel: Prophet of the new world. Toronto, Buffalo: University of Toronto Press.

Flanagan, T. (1978). Louis Riel: A case study in involuntary psychiatric confinement. Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal, 23, 7, p. 463-468.

Interview from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) online archives (1994) with Maggie Siggins.

Patterson, R. & Lee, A. (1992). Louis Riel and the insanity plea that never came. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 147, 1, p. 84-87.

Wallace, D. (1988). Louis Riel: A case of insanity. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, 29, 1, p. 9-11.

Perr, I. (1992). Religion, political leadership, charisma, and mental illness: The strange story of Louis Riel. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 37, 2, p. 574-584.