A brave and restless man was now growing to have a dominating influence over the French half-breeds.  This was Louis Riel, a fierce and noisy revolutionist, ready for any extremity.  He was a French half-breed, was owner of a small flour mill on the Seine River, and he was the father of the rebel chief of later years.  The day fixed for the Sayer trial by the legal authorities was a most unfortunate one.  It was on May 17th, which on that year was Ascension Day, a day of obligation among the Catholic people of the Settlement.  It was noticeable that there was much ferment in the French parishes.  Louis Riel, who was a violent, but effective speaker, of French, Irish and Indian descent, busied himself in stirring up resistance.  The fact that it was a Church day for the Metis made it easy for them to gather together.  This they did by hundreds in front of the St. Boniface Cathedral, where, piling up their guns, with which all the men were armed, at the Church door, they then entered and performed their sacred duties.  At the close of the service, Riel, “the miller of the Seine,” made a fiery oration, advocating the rescue of their compatriot Sayer, who was to be held for trial at the Court House.  A French sympathizer said of this public meeting:  “Louis Riel obtained a veritable triumph on that occasion, and long and loud the hurrahs were repeated by the echoes of the Red River.”

And now, under Riel’s direction, by a concerted action, movement of the whole body was made to cross the Red River and march to the Court House, which stood beside the wall of Fort Garry.  To allow the five hundred men to cross easily, Point Douglas was selected, and here by ferry boats, said to have been provided by James Sinclair, the English half-breed leader of whom we have spoken, the party crossed, and worked up to the highest pitch of excitement, stalked up the mile or two to the Court House.

[Illustration:  Plan of fort Garry South portion with stone wall and bastions built in 1835.  North portion with wooden wall and stone north gate still standing, built in 1850.]

Though somewhat anxious, the Governor and Court officials passed through the excited crowd which surrounded the Court House.  It was expected that the Governor would order out a guard of pensioners to protect the Court, but he had dispensed with this, and so he, Recorder Thom, and the Magistrate, took their seats upon the elevated platform of Justice precisely at eleven o’clock.  Sayer’s case was called first, but he was held by the Metis outside of the Court room.  Other unimportant business was then taken up until one o’clock.  An Irish relative of old Andrew McDermott, named McLaughlin, attempted to interfere, but was instantly suppressed.  The Court then sent a suggestion to the Metis that they should appoint a leader with a deputation to enter the Court room with Sayer and state their case.  This proposal was accepted, and James Sinclair, the