SUICIDE PLAN - The Dark History of the Mousseau Homestead
I have written of Oswald Mousseau in the past, and relayed his sad story verbatim. His story is so outrageous some would consider it a fallacy, thinking no, that's absolutely crazy! However his grave is a silent testament to his life and death, whether anyone believes or not. I am constantly correcting people as to the man's name, they call his Mozo, Mozzle, Moser, Mosiuer. It is actually Mousseau (phonetically Moo-So) like Russo, or Rousseau. This man is legend in these parts, but his story only happened less than 100 years ago. And some people are only still learning of it now. Following an article written in the 1980s some kids learned about this, in a creepy way...
In the 1980's some High School students heard the story from their teacher (who heard it from his grandparents) and thought it unbelievable. One student was informed by his grandfather as to the whereabouts of this location. They all got in a truck one night, about 8 of them piling in the cab and box, drove down there. Upon finding they could drive no further, they started walking with a single flashlight in hand. They panned the light across the field and trees, as soon as one of the boys spotted the white painted cross gleaming, he exclaimed, "There it is!" The light immediately died. The group got so scared they ran back to the truck. Two of the boys walked back, the one with the flashlight, while the other thought it was a joke. "Okay man, what did you do?" "Nothing, it just shut off!" the other replied. Sure enough he handed the light over where the switch was tested several times. It really did die. The light finally turned on just prior to leaving.
The only variation of the story over the years is what he drank. I had heard it to be a form of liquid wolf poison, but we will soon find out what it really was. Also I had heard of him being a prospector, which was not stated in the news article at the time. Another was of the Hydro electric company forcing him to leave and he was not going to at any cost. This may be a fallacy. As we find out he was acting strangely 2 years prior, which means a few people could testify to the fact that it was not just: "I saw him yesterday and he gave me a funny look." This was something for more sinister, something that was causing mental deterioration and what happened was a long time coming.
So what really happened?
"Mr. Mousseau dug a tomb,
Let's get into the details of Oswald's Dark History. We managed to find some original articles from 1932 which state the following:
Hurkett Man Digs Grave And Dies In It. Hurkett Man Lies Down in Open Tomb To Take Strychnine. Oswald Mousseau, 60 - Year old Farmer Near Hurkett Makes Dramatic Exit From Life After Setting Fire To His Buildings Investigating Police Find Dead Body in Excavation - Man Had Attired Himself in Best Clothing Before Taking Fatal Dose. ~ Fort William Times Journal
After digging his own grave, Oswald Mousseau, 60, Hurkett farmer, laid himself down uncoffined in the yawning tomb on Tuesday Evening, took a fatal dose of strychnine and died. He previously had attired himself in his best clothes.
The body of the man, lying in the open grave, was found by provincial constables who on Wednesday had gone to the Mousseau farm to investigate a fire which had destroyed the buildings. The bottle which had contained the poison was by the grave, half empty.
Mousseau, after deciding on his dramatic exit from life apparently made full preparations.
Digging of the grave. It is thought first was carried out. He then put on his best clothing and provided himself with the poison. Next he set fire to his shack and outbuildings.
After having seen his homestead denuded of house and stables, the elderly man approached the grave which was not far from the house.
Mousseau. apparently, was not deterred by the gloomy setting of the tragic drama which he had staged. He lowered himself into the grave and then took the fatal dose. A whispering pine, tall and somber, above his grave chanted his requiem.
Provincial Constables H. E. Blair, Nipigon, and J. Higgins, Port Arthur, were horrified when they stumbled across the gruesome open grave with it's dead occupant. The Police were unable to ascribe a motive for Mousseau's act.
Despite the carefully thought out suicide plan Mousseau made some mistakes. The grave was three inches too short, and it wasn't deep enough.
Mousseau, who was a French-Canadian, had lived at Hurkett about 20 years. Police have not been able to locate any relatives. Coroner Dr. Charles Powell investigated, and decided that no inquest was necessary. Upon instructions from the coroner police enlarged the grave and interred Mousseau in the tomb he had chosen.
Digs Own Grave; Takes Poison - O. MOUSSEAU, HURKETT MAN, FOUND DEAD - HE DONNED HIS BEST CLOTHES THE FIRED BUILDINGS - EARTH OVER BODY - Provincial Police Encounter Gruesome Scene on District Farm ~ Port Arthur Chronicle Journal
Oswald Mousseau, 60, homesteader in the Hurkett district for more than twenty years, completed practically all the details necessary except to notify the coroner, when he committed suicide at his farm house about two and a half miles north of Hurkett Tuesday night.
When Provincial Police Constables James Higgins and Harvey Blair arrived at the spot yesterday morning in answer to a call from Hurkett that there had been a fire burning in that vicinity the previous night, the found the small shack and a dog house destroyed by fire and, not far from the smoldering ruins, a neatly dug grave containing the owner of the shack, dressed in his best clothes and partly covered in sand.
Lying near the body was a partly emptied container of strychnine.
Dug Own Grave
Coroner Dr. Charles Powell was immediately notified and the results of his investigation in company with the provincial Police was that the man had died from poisoning, self-administered. The grave in which the body was found was about four feet deep and the body partly covered by earth as though the man had spread it over himself with his hands as much as possible before swallowing the strychnine.
Little was known about Mousseau's past life except that he was a French-Canadian. He was known to have acted strangely during the past several years, but he had been seen at Hurkett a few days ago.
The burial of Mousseau, started by the homesteader himself, was completed by Provincial Police constables under the supervision of the coroner, in the grave he had himself prepared.
The story of the man was so bad ass, most people couldn't fathom the thought of what he did. I believe what drove him to do this was a mental issue, possibly depression and schizophrenia. In any case, I hope the man found the rest and peace he desperately was seeking. A big thank you goes to Dennis DeCicco for dropping into the Brodie resource library and digging these articles up for me.
Also as a side note: Upon walking the property, we found many old remnants strewn about. We can surmise from the finds, that the man was in great pain during his life, and had a possible addiction to a pain killer that contained opium, as there were many DAVIS bottles lying about.
One variant legend stated that when he was found, a gold nugget was found in his pocket. This story continues to live on as people think he was not just a loner and bushman, but a prospector. One man told me there are lots of places in the forested hills around here with stone piles, which he attributed to Mr. Mousseau. I am not sure what to think of this prospector story, I see no claims listed anywhere. But then again he was so secretive that it just may be a sliver of truth for that fact.
2019 "The most horrible and painful death"
Just prior to taking the strychnine, he had partially covered himself up. The thing with strychnine is, it also causes terrible seizures causing the man to contort and lock up in terrible a death pose as they came across the horror.
Upon watching a video about strychnine I learned this information.
It has a very bitter taste.
It is extremely potent and only takes 10 - 15 ml to kill a human being.
attacks the nervous system, muscles go out of control, die of asphyxiation.
Once swallowed it passes through the stomach lining and enters the blood stream where it then effects the muscles. Once the muscles are effected causing extreme contortion, the lungs stop working and the body will automatically try to ghasp for air which is an impossibility as the lungs are defeated.
The video called it "the most horrible and painful death."
Every year I make a trip to his grave out of respect for the poor old man, sometimes multiple times, and this year a friend came with me who also pointed out to me the area must have looked completely different. Today the location is opened up by the intersecting power lines over head and towers, which make an x marks the spot when viewed from satellite. But in his day there would only have been a small clearing in the forest where the homestead was.
Ghostly Claim
One woman who often camps at the black sturgeon dam, claims she has actually seen the old man several times on the road leading to the dam early in the morning, or down by the river where he talks to no one and just stands there, gazing at the water and then is gone.
When visiting the Museum and asking for more info on the article written in the 80's, the curator mentioned a part where it said, someone had broken in to his home and he was so overcome with anger, he threw everything out of his house. We are still trying to locate this article.
June 5, 2019 - One woman remembers people saying that Oswald was said to have gone into the Dorion Inn where some men saw he had money, and they followed him back home and murdered him. Just another legend of course.
The legend continues...
In the 1980's some High School students heard the story from their teacher (who heard it from his grandparents) and thought it unbelievable. One student was informed by his grandfather as to the whereabouts of this location. They all got in a truck one night, about 8 of them piling in the cab and box, drove down there. Upon finding they could drive no further, they started walking with a single flashlight in hand. They panned the light across the field and trees, as soon as one of the boys spotted the white painted cross gleaming, he exclaimed, "There it is!" The light immediately died. The group got so scared they ran back to the truck. Two of the boys walked back, the one with the flashlight, while the other thought it was a joke. "Okay man, what did you do?" "Nothing, it just shut off!" the other replied. Sure enough he handed the light over where the switch was tested several times. It really did die. The light finally turned on just prior to leaving.
 |
| Oswald Mousseau Grave with a metal cross Died September 6, 1932 |
The only variation of the story over the years is what he drank. I had heard it to be a form of liquid wolf poison, but we will soon find out what it really was. Also I had heard of him being a prospector, which was not stated in the news article at the time. Another was of the Hydro electric company forcing him to leave and he was not going to at any cost. This may be a fallacy. As we find out he was acting strangely 2 years prior, which means a few people could testify to the fact that it was not just: "I saw him yesterday and he gave me a funny look." This was something for more sinister, something that was causing mental deterioration and what happened was a long time coming.
So what really happened?
"Mr. Mousseau dug a tomb,
In life he cursed his mother's womb.
He dressed up in his best attire,
As he set his home and shacks afire.
He took a belly full of deathly ale,
Covered himself in earth and wailed.
A cross erect on that Tower line,
In the ghostly silence of a lonely pine."
~ Nursery rhyme Dee McCullay 2018
Let's get into the details of Oswald's Dark History. We managed to find some original articles from 1932 which state the following:
Hurkett Man Digs Grave And Dies In It. Hurkett Man Lies Down in Open Tomb To Take Strychnine. Oswald Mousseau, 60 - Year old Farmer Near Hurkett Makes Dramatic Exit From Life After Setting Fire To His Buildings Investigating Police Find Dead Body in Excavation - Man Had Attired Himself in Best Clothing Before Taking Fatal Dose. ~ Fort William Times Journal
After digging his own grave, Oswald Mousseau, 60, Hurkett farmer, laid himself down uncoffined in the yawning tomb on Tuesday Evening, took a fatal dose of strychnine and died. He previously had attired himself in his best clothes.
The body of the man, lying in the open grave, was found by provincial constables who on Wednesday had gone to the Mousseau farm to investigate a fire which had destroyed the buildings. The bottle which had contained the poison was by the grave, half empty.
Mousseau, after deciding on his dramatic exit from life apparently made full preparations.
Digging of the grave. It is thought first was carried out. He then put on his best clothing and provided himself with the poison. Next he set fire to his shack and outbuildings.
After having seen his homestead denuded of house and stables, the elderly man approached the grave which was not far from the house.
Mousseau. apparently, was not deterred by the gloomy setting of the tragic drama which he had staged. He lowered himself into the grave and then took the fatal dose. A whispering pine, tall and somber, above his grave chanted his requiem.
Provincial Constables H. E. Blair, Nipigon, and J. Higgins, Port Arthur, were horrified when they stumbled across the gruesome open grave with it's dead occupant. The Police were unable to ascribe a motive for Mousseau's act.
Despite the carefully thought out suicide plan Mousseau made some mistakes. The grave was three inches too short, and it wasn't deep enough.
Mousseau, who was a French-Canadian, had lived at Hurkett about 20 years. Police have not been able to locate any relatives. Coroner Dr. Charles Powell investigated, and decided that no inquest was necessary. Upon instructions from the coroner police enlarged the grave and interred Mousseau in the tomb he had chosen.
 |
| Fort William Times Journal September 8, 1932 |
Digs Own Grave; Takes Poison - O. MOUSSEAU, HURKETT MAN, FOUND DEAD - HE DONNED HIS BEST CLOTHES THE FIRED BUILDINGS - EARTH OVER BODY - Provincial Police Encounter Gruesome Scene on District Farm ~ Port Arthur Chronicle Journal
Oswald Mousseau, 60, homesteader in the Hurkett district for more than twenty years, completed practically all the details necessary except to notify the coroner, when he committed suicide at his farm house about two and a half miles north of Hurkett Tuesday night.
When Provincial Police Constables James Higgins and Harvey Blair arrived at the spot yesterday morning in answer to a call from Hurkett that there had been a fire burning in that vicinity the previous night, the found the small shack and a dog house destroyed by fire and, not far from the smoldering ruins, a neatly dug grave containing the owner of the shack, dressed in his best clothes and partly covered in sand.
Lying near the body was a partly emptied container of strychnine.
Dug Own Grave
Coroner Dr. Charles Powell was immediately notified and the results of his investigation in company with the provincial Police was that the man had died from poisoning, self-administered. The grave in which the body was found was about four feet deep and the body partly covered by earth as though the man had spread it over himself with his hands as much as possible before swallowing the strychnine.
Little was known about Mousseau's past life except that he was a French-Canadian. He was known to have acted strangely during the past several years, but he had been seen at Hurkett a few days ago.
The burial of Mousseau, started by the homesteader himself, was completed by Provincial Police constables under the supervision of the coroner, in the grave he had himself prepared.
 |
| Port Arthur Chronicle Journal September 8, 1932 |
The story of the man was so bad ass, most people couldn't fathom the thought of what he did. I believe what drove him to do this was a mental issue, possibly depression and schizophrenia. In any case, I hope the man found the rest and peace he desperately was seeking. A big thank you goes to Dennis DeCicco for dropping into the Brodie resource library and digging these articles up for me.
Also as a side note: Upon walking the property, we found many old remnants strewn about. We can surmise from the finds, that the man was in great pain during his life, and had a possible addiction to a pain killer that contained opium, as there were many DAVIS bottles lying about.
 |
| DAVIS Vegetable Painkiller "Opium" Bottles |
 |
| Char layer spread at 6 inches |
 |
| JW Crooks Drug Co. Port Arthur |
 |
| Two different pairs of old boots |
One variant legend stated that when he was found, a gold nugget was found in his pocket. This story continues to live on as people think he was not just a loner and bushman, but a prospector. One man told me there are lots of places in the forested hills around here with stone piles, which he attributed to Mr. Mousseau. I am not sure what to think of this prospector story, I see no claims listed anywhere. But then again he was so secretive that it just may be a sliver of truth for that fact.
2019 "The most horrible and painful death"
Just prior to taking the strychnine, he had partially covered himself up. The thing with strychnine is, it also causes terrible seizures causing the man to contort and lock up in terrible a death pose as they came across the horror.
Upon watching a video about strychnine I learned this information.
It has a very bitter taste.
It is extremely potent and only takes 10 - 15 ml to kill a human being.
attacks the nervous system, muscles go out of control, die of asphyxiation.
Once swallowed it passes through the stomach lining and enters the blood stream where it then effects the muscles. Once the muscles are effected causing extreme contortion, the lungs stop working and the body will automatically try to ghasp for air which is an impossibility as the lungs are defeated.
The video called it "the most horrible and painful death."
Every year I make a trip to his grave out of respect for the poor old man, sometimes multiple times, and this year a friend came with me who also pointed out to me the area must have looked completely different. Today the location is opened up by the intersecting power lines over head and towers, which make an x marks the spot when viewed from satellite. But in his day there would only have been a small clearing in the forest where the homestead was.
 |
| An intact Moonshine bottle June 14, 2013 |
 |
| Mr. Mousseau's old cookstove June 14, 2013 |
Ghostly Claim
One woman who often camps at the black sturgeon dam, claims she has actually seen the old man several times on the road leading to the dam early in the morning, or down by the river where he talks to no one and just stands there, gazing at the water and then is gone.
When visiting the Museum and asking for more info on the article written in the 80's, the curator mentioned a part where it said, someone had broken in to his home and he was so overcome with anger, he threw everything out of his house. We are still trying to locate this article.
June 5, 2019 - One woman remembers people saying that Oswald was said to have gone into the Dorion Inn where some men saw he had money, and they followed him back home and murdered him. Just another legend of course.
The legend continues...
~Dee McCullay - Dark History
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