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The Montréal tabloid La Patrie followed the Alfred Bonenfant case as closely as the Ottawa newspapers did. La Patrie played up Alfred Nadon's sensational story, but it also reported the coroner's jury verdict of accidental death.

Source:

La Patrie, Monday, June 15, 1908, p. 1 (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec; click on "Affichage plein écran"); and Friday, June 19, 1908, p. 16 (click on "Affichage plein écran" and turn to page 16).

Last Trip: The Death of Alfred Bonenfant / 29

The Verdict

The key testimony came from George Duncan and Louis Boileau, the two witnesses who had seen the accident. By the end of the Tuesday evening sitting, at which Boileau testified, it was clear that Bonenfant had died accidently.

With the possibility of murder eliminated attendance was noticeably down when the inquest reopened on Thursday evening. As expected the jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

They also added a recommendation that "doctors when called to accidents should be careful in examining patients and accompanying them to an hospital" -- a direct criticism of the two unlucky medical men who first came to Bonenfant's aid. During the inquest one of the jury had pointedly asked Dr. Fontaine why he and Dr. Archambault had not done more for the victim.

With the closure of the inquest the drama faded from public interest and public memory.

The inquest brought no comfort to Alfred Bonenfant's wife and children. They were left to piece their lives together as best they could.