Mark Twain's War Against Toronto's Notorious Book Pirates
Plus, a new Friday the 13th walking tour, ghost stories at Montgomery's Inn, and more...
On a December night in 1884, Allan Gardens was filled with laughter. More than two thousand people had packed into the park's elegant pavilion, one of the city's finest performance venues. They'd come to see Mark Twain. The legendary author appeared to thunderous applause and proceeded to thrill the audience with passages from some of his most popular works. He prowled the stage and filled the room with his iconic drawl, his humour delighting the crowd. But as much as they adored him, his fans weren't the real reason he'd come to Toronto. Mark Twain was in town because he was pissed off.
For years now, the writer had been waging a bitter war against Toronto's notorious Victorian book pirates. These were the days before international copyright laws — a fact some of our city's publishers were eager to exploit. They could legally print their own unauthorized copies of best-selling American books without having to pay the authors. Mark Twain was one of their most lucrative targets.
The most infamous pirates were the Belford Brothers. The firm had been founded by a pair of Irish brothers who moved to Toronto in the middle of the 1800s, living together in a house on Sherbourne while pioneering the practice of literary piracy in Canada. In 1876, they managed to get their hands on a set of stolen proofs for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. They printed ten thousand copies without Twain's permission and began selling them six weeks before the official version was released. They even shipped orders into the United States, able to sell it at a discount since they didn't have to share their profits with the author.
Twain was furious. He was one of the world's best-paid writers, but he was also terrible with his money. As Time magazine once explained, he was "a stupendously incompetent businessman. He lost money on an engraving process, on a magnetic telegraph, on a steam pulley, on the Fredonia Watch Company, on railroad stocks. He once turned down a chance to buy into Bell Telephone even though he had one of the nation’s first residential phones." He was so awful at managing his finances that he would eventually be forced to sell his house. He finally declared bankruptcy.
And as far as he was concerned, the Canadian pirates weren't helping. Twain denounced the Belford brothers as "miserable thieves," claiming he'd lost ten thousand dollars over the Tom Sawyer debacle — hundreds of thousands in today's money. He even took aim at them in one of his plays, naming a character Jack Belford — a villainous desperado with a price on his head. "This inhuman miscreant," he wrote, "…is to be hung next month & his crime-blackened soul sent to that place unmentionable." The Canadian brothers nearly drove Twain to quit writing novels altogether. "If I can make a living out of plays," he declared, "I shall never write another book."
Twain spent years trying to find a way to outsmart the Toronto pirates. And he eventually did. He learned that if he published his books in Canada first, before they came out in the United States, he would own the copyright in both countries. He just had to be here when it happened, it seems, fulfilling a legal requirement of residency.
And so, in 1884 he set out on a speaking tour. The Twins of Genius tour would see him team up with the celebrated New Orleans author George Washington Cable. The son of slaveholders, Cable had fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War before becoming a champion of racial equality and was soon to be driven out of the South for his views. It made for a powerful double-bill. As The Library of America put it, "The Twins of Genius tour was more a proto-rock-and-roll event than a book tour." The writers gave more than a hundred performances in eighty cities over the course of four months. And while most of the dates were in the United States, they would also come to Canada. That way, Twain could file the copyright for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The book would come out here a couple of months before it made its American debut, protecting it against the literary pirates north of the border.
The tour made a pair of stops in Toronto. The first came at the beginning of December: two performances over two nights specifically scheduled to sync up with the publication of Huckleberry Finn. It gave Twain enough to time to secure the copyright while also giving the people of Toronto a chance to see one of the great authors of their age in person.
Those two shows drew thousands of fans to Allan Gardens (still known as the Horticultural Gardens back then). The elegant new three-storey pavilion stood on the same spot where the smaller Palm House conservatory stands today (having replaced it when it burned down). The venue could hold up to 2,500 people — and on those December nights, all the reserved seats were sold. The two authors were introduced to long applause. And while Cable's performances are said to have been a bit stiff and theatrically artificial, Twain's were quite the opposite.
"Every word almost is a joke," the Globe raved, "every modulation of his voice shows new unexpected fun in writings that may have been read over a dozen times. During his readings the house was convulsed with laughter." Even Cable, watching from the wings, was amazed. "Such a time as we are having!" he wrote to his wife that night. "Such roars of British applause. I've never heard anything like it out of New Orleans."
And the trip wasn't just a success on the stage. It also gave Twain his revenge. By then, the Belford brothers had retired from publishing, but a new version of their firm carried on under their old partner Charles Maclean Rose. His attitude toward piracy is a bit unclear; some sources quote him denouncing the practice, while others say the company continued to pirate books under his leadership. Either way, Mark Twain certainly seems to have seen the Belfords' old partner as one of the "scoundrels" he despised. And when Rose used the author's visit to Toronto as an opportunity to approach him about legally buying the rights to Huckleberry Finn, Twain got to enjoy the pleasure of ignoring his request.
The debate over book piracy would carry on for years. It had begun as retaliation against a similar policy in the United States, but Twain argued it was hurting Canadian writers as well. Pirated copies of foreign books could be sold more cheaply here than books by local authors. And that, he suggested, couldn't help but take a toll on Canada's national identity. "Your authors have a very small chance – You are full of this foreign milk, you get your complexion from it, you are English, French and American perhaps. You are not Canadians at all, except in birth and in name.”
But the laws would soon change. In the decade after Mark Twain's performances at Allan Gardens, a series of treaties and new laws overhauled international copyright protection. The loophole was closed. And while the author's finances would continue to be a mess for years to come thanks to his disastrous investments, he had, at least, won his war against Toronto's book pirates.
I first stumbled upon the story of Mark Twain’s angry visit this summer while writing about Toronto’s terrified reaction to Halley’s Comet (which you can check out here). Mark Twain was born during the comet’s visit to the Earth in 1835 and died during its return to our planet 74 years later.
There’s also another story about his visit to our city — though it may be a myth. When Mark Twain died, George Washington Cable claimed the author had a bit of a breakdown after his first Toronto show. As they headed back to their King Street hotel, the Rossin House, Twain was groaning and sighing, embarrassed by his performance. The people of Toronto, he insisted, would "wake up in the morning ashamed at having laughed at my nonsense.... I have spent the evening and their time, and taxed them to the best of their ability to show their appreciation of my wit and humor, and I have spent that whole time simply spinning yarns.” Another source adds that Twain complained, “Oh, Cable, I am demeaning myself. I am allowing myself to be a mere buffoon. It's ghastly. 1 can't endure it any longer.” Cable then reassured the author: since they had a second show in Toronto the following night, Twain could adjust his act and make it a more seriously literary performance. Which he did. At least according to the story. But historian Taylor Roberts, whose 1998 article “Mark Twain in Toronto, Ontario: 1884–1885” was my most vital source for this week’s newsletter, took a closer look and figured the story must have taken place somewhere else— maybe Montreal. Instead, Twain probably spent his night at the Rossin House reading “Le Morte d’Arthur” and beginning to put together the ideas that would become “A Connecticut Yankee in the Court of King Arthur.”
A Twisted Friday The 13th Tour
It’s not every year that Friday The Thirteenth comes just a couple of weeks before Halloween, so this year I’ve decided to mark the rare and eerie occasion with a new walking tour! We’ll spend the evening exploring some of the strangest tales in Toronto history, from stories about curses, omens and phantoms to mysterious disappearances and grisly deaths.
Meet me outside the main entrance of Old City Hall at 7pm on October 13 and we’ll make our way down toward Union Station over the course of about an hour and a half. And as always, it’s pay what you like!
“A Supernatural History of Toronto” Is Back!
With the creepiest time of year upon us, I’m also bringing back one of my most popular online courses… A Supernatural History of Toronto returns at the end of the month!
You can learn a lot about a city through the stories of the strange things said to lurk in its shadows. In four online lectures, we'll explore Toronto's past through tales of phantoms, monsters and mythical beasts. Whether it's the terrifying creature spotted in the tunnels beneath Cabbagetown, the sea serpent rumoured to live in the depths of Lake Ontario, or the ghosts thought to haunt many of our most fascinating buildings, the supernatural stories told about our city illuminate the history of the place we call home.
As always, paid subscribers to The Toronto History Weekly get 10% my online courses! It’s just one small way of saying thank you. The newsletter is only able to survive because of those of you willing to support it with a few dollars a month. If you’d like to switch to a paid subscription, all you have to do is click the button below. Only about 4% of readers have made the switch so far, which basically means that with your subscription, you’ll be giving the gift of Toronto history to 25 other people:
I’m Sharing Stories from The Toronto Book of the Dead in a 200 Year-Old Post Office!
October is always a busy season if you happen to be the author of a book called The Toronto Book of the Dead. And I’m thrilled the Town of York Historical Society has invited me to share some of my favourite stories from the book at one of our city’s most charming historic sites. On October 19th at 7pm, I’ll be at Toronto’s First Post Office talk about the role changing attitudes toward death have played in shaping our city along with fascinatingly disturbing tales of everything from séances to executions to murder.
I’m Telling Ghost Stories in a 200 Year-Old Tavern!
And that’s not all I’ve got planned for this October! On the weekend before Halloween, I’ll be telling Toronto ghost stories at Montgomery’s Inn. I can’t tell you how excited I am to spend a couple of eerie nights — and one family-friendly afternoon — sharing some of my favourite haunted tales in a place where people have been telling stories like these for nearly two centuries now. And I’m just part of the entertainment! Here’s the description from the event listing:
“Enjoy live music and haunting tales in the historic tavern. Creepy candlelit displays in the historic house will edify & terrify in equal measure. Food and drinks available for purchase from the bar. Enjoy some Halloween Fun.”
The event will be held on Friday, October 27 & Saturday, October 28 at 6:30pm as well as a family-friendly version (with the scare-factor turned down a bit and no alcohol) on Sunday October 29 at 4:30pm.
QUICK LINKS
The best of everything else that’s new in Toronto’s past…
TRILOBITE NEWS — In the Globe, Tahmeed Shafiq writes about the fossils hidden beneath our city, from those “deposited between 350 and 450 million years ago, when Ontario was close to the equator and the land was covered by tropical seas” to “the only-known specimen of a caribou-sized deer that died some 11,315 years ago, nicknamed the Toronto Subway Deer because it was found near Islington station.” Read more.
CHARLOTTE’S CASTLE UPDATE NEWS — Last week, I wrote about the new documentary, Charlotte’s Castle, which tells the story of the fight to save one of Toronto’s oldest apartment buildings and its residents from renoviction. The Globe’s Shane Dingman shares more about the film and that ongoing battle. Read more.
HIDDEN ART NEWS — Global’s Matthew Bingley gets a glimpse inside “Toronto’s expansive city art collection,” a trove of work that began to be gathered in the middle of the 1800s and now boasts more than three thousand pieces. Read more.
VJ NEWS — In Toronto Life, Courtney Shea chats with filmmaker Sean Menard about his new documentary which covers the history of MuchMusic, 299 Queen Street West. Read more.
MORE THAN I WOULD PAY NEWS — Kimia Afshar Mehrabi tell us that someone recently spent $700 to buy an old receipt from a Blockbuster video rental store in Scarborough… and why it’s not quite as ludicrous as that sounds. Read more.
ALSO MORE THAN I WOULD PAY NEWS — Meanwhile, a rare Canadian $500 bill from the 1930s is expected to fetch more than $500,000 at auction according to blogTO. Read more.
OLD FRIENDS NEWS — Anthony Teles writes that after two years of construction, the old storefront facades on Yonge Street at Cumberland (across the street from the Reference Library) have been revealed, preserved as part of a new condo development. Read more.
TORONTO HISTORY EVENTS
SPACIOUSNESS
Various dates until Oct 7 — 7pm — Fort York
“Spaciousness is a compelling new theatrical experience that offers a tour like no other. Be transported to the past to encounter a multitude of characters who bring to life expansive stories of love, life, and loss during the War of 1812. Then be brought back to present day with a story of surviving conflict that encourages us towards peace. Traverse the grounds of Fort York and meet a cast of characters while travelling from one historic building to another, becoming immersed in stories of life during wartime.”
$30
BOOK LAUNCH: “MARY ANN SHADD CARY: ESSENTIAL WRITINGS OF A NINETEENTH-CENTURY BLACK RADICAL FEMINIST” BY NNEKA D. DENNIE
October 9 — 6pm — Online
“Mary Ann Shadd Cary at 200! Join Nneka Dennie for her book launch on Oct. 9 with Jane Rhodes, Kristin Moriah, Jim Casey, Melvin Rogers, and Jacinta Saffold.”
Free with registration!
MARY ANN SHADD CARY: CELEBRATIONS & DISCUSSIONS
October 14 — 2pm — St. Lawrence Hall
“Join an afternoon of art, poetry and lively discussion in the ballroom of the historic St. Lawrence Hall – where Mary Ann Shadd Cary attended the North American Convention of Colored Freemen when she first visited Toronto in 1851. Award-winning journalist and associate professor Nana aba Duncan hosts panels and performances celebrating Mary Ann Shadd Cary’s ground-breaking achievements and legacy. Afterwards enjoy poetry slam performances by Poet Laureate of Toronto Lillian Allen and R.I.S.E Edutainment featuring Poet Laureate of Ontario Randell Adjei.”
Free with registration!
TALK AND NEIGHBOURHOOD TOUR: TRACING MARY ANN SHADD CARY’S FOOTSTEPS IN MID-19TH CENTURY BLACK TORONTO
October 15 — 1pm — Mackenzie House
“Join Natasha Henry-Dixon, award-winning author and assistant professor of African Canadian History at York University, to explore the life and times of Mary Ann Shadd Cary. Learn about her life in Toronto in the mid-1850s within a vibrant, growing Black community in an emerging city centre, her activism and her writings. The talk at Mackenzie House is followed by a short neighbourhood tour.”
Free with registration!
GHOSTS, GRIEF & CAVADERS TOUR
October 15 & 29 — 7pm — Muddy York Walking Tours
“Take a stroll through Toronto’s central university campus. We’ll get away from the crowds and slip into the dark, tree lined paths. Once there, we’ll explore the most macabre of Victorian mourning traditions and talk about medical practices and body snatchers. But we’ll also share in the stories of some of Toronto’s most infamous ghosts. These include a murderous, loved crazed stonemason, a sinister baker who locked up his love interest, and a poor, spooky, little ghoul whose been lost and on her own for over 100 years.”
$15
THE DON: INMATES, GUARDS, GOVERNORS & THE GALLOWS
October 19 — 7:30pm — Montgomery’s Inn — Etobicoke Historical Society
“Join writer and researcher Lorna Poplak as she presents the facts behind the Don Jail’s location and construction, and shares tales about inmates, guards, governors, gangs, officials, and even a pair of ill-fated lovers whose doomed romance unfolded in the shadow of the gallows. The illustrated talk will highlight the Don’s tumultuous descent from palace to hellhole, its shuttering and lapse into decay, and its astonishing modern-day metamorphosis.”
Members only; an annual membership is $25.
SCREENING: “STEADFAST: THE MESSENGER AND THE MESSAGE”
October 20 — 7pm — Papermill Theatre at Todmorden Mills
“The Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine is a Canadian icon who broke barriers and fought for social justice. Be inspired by this documentary film capturing Dr. Augustine’s journey from her humble beginnings in Grenada, West Indies, to her numerous achievements and accolades after immigrating to Canada in 1960. Q&A session with Dr. Jean Augustine and Director Fahim Ali follows the film.”
Free with registration!
A NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
October 20 — 7pm — Toronto’s First Post Office — Town of York Historical Society
“Join Toronto’s First Post Office & special guest, Richard Fiennes-Clinton, as we experience the museum after hours with a presentation on the traditions surrounding the Victorian culture of death and dying & the spread of spiritualism in Toronto with a look at the rising popularity of capturing ghosts on film! You’ll also craft your own Victorian mourning wreath to take home and display in plenty of time for Hallowe’en. All materials are included in the ticket price.”
$11.98 for members; $17.31 for non-members.
SILENCE TO STRENGTH: A CONVERSATION WITH CHRISTINE MISKONOODINKWE SMITH
October 26 — 6:30pm — Online — Toronto Public Library
“From the 1960's through the 1980's, many Indigenous children were taken from their communities and placed in non-Indigenous homes. The programs and policies that enabled child welfare authorities to do this is referred to as The Sixties Scoop. In this Live & Online program, author, editor, and journalist Christine Miskonoodinkwe Smith discusses her work in shedding light on this period.”
Free!
THE CULTURAL VALUE OF NORTH YORK’S SUBURBAN HOUSES
October 26 — 7:30pm — Online — North York Historical Society
The single-family houses of Toronto's former boroughs are often thought to lack both architectural merit and heritage value. Alessandro Tersigni, researcher at the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario's Toronto branch, will offer a different perspective on suburban homes by showcasing a nine-month project documenting over 2,000 detached houses built in North York between 1940 and 2000, including the "victory homes" built after WWII. Alessandro recently wrote an article for the Toronto Star in which he advocated for different thinking about the cultural value of architecture.
Free with registration!