Is Charles Chiniquy's
"Fifty Years in the Church of Rome" a valid source of anti-Catholic information?

We got an email that said:

"PLEASE read 50 Years in the Church of Rome by Charles Chiniquy. It will open your eyes!"

Charles Chiniquy was a Priest who was excommunicated in 1855 and spent his lifetime trying to take swats at Catholicism including accusing the Church of murdering of Abraham Lincoln. In 1885, he wrote a book titled Fifty Years in the Church of Rome to advance his charges and theories. A short bit of research reveals quite a lot of interesting information about Charles Chiniquy.

Apparently, the Catholic Church was not the only Christian organization to have a problem with Chinquy. After he was excommunicated from the Catholic Church and became a Presbyterian, he was expelled from Protestant assemblies due to embezzlement and the "misappropriation of money he collected on false pretenses in Europe on behalf of a non-existent Protestant charity". The following essay points out contradictions in Chiniquy's testimony and calls into question his trustworthiness:

Pastor Chiniquy: An Examination of his "Fifty Years in the Church of Rome" by Rev. Sydney F. Smith, S.J. (available here)

This will help put the Charles Chiniquy story in perspective.