157

Manager. Peter died in 1912. Edward was Peter's son (born 1872 in Ontario). Edward

served in various positions and by 1920, he became President of the firm.

Industries of Canada

published in 1886 lists the J. E. Doyle Co., 431 St. James St. West as a

manufacturer and importer of corks, capsules, corking machines, tinfoil, bottling wax,

and wire. They report that the firm employed a large force of workmen engaged in

―

manufacturing corks of all sizes for all purposes ... for bottlers, druggists, etc. ... Corks

of any size are cut to order with promptness and all business is conducted upon a

sound, liberal, honourable basis.

‖

The publication further notes that J. E. Doyle and

Peter Freyseng also have an office in Toronto where a substantial amount of business is

transacted. It is quite likely that the Doyle operations in Montreal became P. Freyseng &

Co. subsequent to 1886.

An interesting side of the firm is revealed in the 1904

Canadian Labor Gazette

:

CONVICTIONS AT TORONTO UNDER ALIEN LABOUR

ACT

On Tuesday, January 26, Isaac McClain and David H.

Beecher laid an information before the clerk of the police

court at Toronto, upon which a summons was sworn out

against Edward Freyseng, of the Freyseng Cork Company,

(Limited), of the city of Toronto, charging that in the month

of July, 1903, Mr. Freyseng had violated the provisions of the

Alien Labour Act, by having induced two citizens of the

United States to come to Canada to work in his establishment

by an agreement made previous to their coming and by

prepaying their transportation.

There were several adjournments of the hearing, and, on February 29, when the case

was finally tried, the defendant was convicted by the presiding magistrate and fined

$50 and costs, or thirty days, for each of the two violations of the Act. In his defence,

Mr. Freyseng maintained that there had been a strike in his factory a short time

previous to the time of employing the Americans, as complained of, and that during the

strike a rival firm had employed some of his men, and he had been left short-handed;

the men had not been brought in to break the strike, but only because he was unable to

get cork-cutters in this country. He maintained, further, that he acted in the matter

without any knowledge that he was breaking the law. The magistrate remarked that he