Surviving incarceration at the infamous Trois-Rivers prison was no small accomplishment. Built in 1822, it was one of the harshest institutions in the province of Quebec, a foreboding limestone fortress where prisoners lived in grayish light, each in a single cell with a wooden bucket for the elimination of human waste. Inmates there were systematically dehumanized, and only the strongest maintained their sanity. The most effective way to survive years at Trois—Rivers was by receiving and inflicting pain, and one man was better at that than any other. His name was Robert LaRue, a well-known Montréal loan shark with unattractive facial features and a darkly evil demeanor. He left Trois-Rivers thirsty for revenge.
