Memorandum re. Carlo Scarabelli, by G.W. McPherson, September 17, 1940, Ottawa, ON

This memorandum was written by G.W. McPherson, Counsel for the Custodian of Enemy Property, regarding Carlo Scarabelli.

Scarabelli was interned for a brief period of time -- just over 2 months. Other records indicate that he was an accomplished chef, employed as the executive chef at the Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa. This document seems to suggest that after his release he was a "Travelling Inspector for the C.N.R. hotels" to which the Chateau Laurier belonged. It is unclear what the role of Travelling Inspector entailed and whether it was specific to the food services of the hotels. Regardless, the document does indicate that the activities and actions of internees continued to be monitored after their release.

The Capital Trust Company was the agent of the Custodian of Enemy Property (CEP) in this case. CEP was a branch of the Canadian government that oversaw the administration of assets belonging to internees and other enemy aliens. This government office served a dual function. Acting as a trustee for the internee/enemy alien, the office and its agents also protected the interests of the creditors. The CEP would pay off an internee’s debts by selling his or her property or businesses. It also collected money owed to internees by others. The office charged the internees for their services, to reclaim their expenses, although the internees did not have a choice in whether the CEP took over their affairs or not. In this case, the fees amount to $5.60.