We have previously discussed the crazy carnage and mass murders that took place in Montreal 40 years ago as biker gangs battled over drug turf in the area of St. Louis Square on St. Denis in the mid-70s.
But the untold preface to this story involves even more chilling elements upriver in the provincial capital involving a Marxist biker gang and a woman killer.
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The biker war between the Pacific Rebels of Quebec City and the Citoyens de la Terre - supposedly a Marxist biker gang - based in Ile D'Orleans claimed four lives in the first five weeks of 1974 in the usually-sleepy provincial capital.
The Rebels' headquarter was entirely empty when the Citoyens attacked except for one person.
Michele Blouin, the girlfriend of the Rebels gang leader Serge "Gallo" Beaulieu was alone when Raymond Che Ramon" Cardinal led the nine-man attack armed with rifles and baseball bats.
Blouin shot one of the attackers, Yvan Lapointe, dead.
He was given an ornate funeral by his gang Citoyens de la Terre biker mates.
The Rebels could not resist an opportunity to show poor taste.
The sent a wreath to their rivals' funeral with the message "It's a tragic accident but on the bright side you're in now shape to chase after anybody for damages because you're dead you damn dog."
Pride comes before the fall, of course and the Pacific Rebels would be humbled.
The explosion occurred right in the heart of the tourist area near where the caleche horses wait between rides.
The gang was in town to watch the trial of seven fellow gangmates. Those proceedings had been delayed after the prisoners led a riot in the pre-trial cells.
But the fourth was the stuff of high drama.
The very next day Michele Blouin, a strong and beautiful woman, by all accounts but who who was still facing charges on manslaughter, was found dead in her Beauport apartment with a bullet hole in her head and a .22 calibre rifle at her side.* It was deemed a suicide.
The bike war quieted down after that as many participants were jailed for weapons and other violations.
Pacific Rebels leader Serge Beaulieu said after learning of his girlfriend's death "All I had was my bike, boots and girl. Now she's gone and I have nothing.**
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*Anybody who happens to be at the BANQ on Berri might do me a solid by checking the Allo/Photo police on the microfilms and scanning and sending me a photo of Blouin, if there is one.
** Some of the worst biker violence of this pre-Hells period happened outside of Montreal, and includes an August double-murder-by fire of August 1971, 40 miles south of Quebec City. Victims were Jarrets Noire gang members Jacque Giguere, 19 of St. Marie de Beauce and Serge Bourque 24, of Notre Dame des Pins in Beauce.
But the untold preface to this story involves even more chilling elements upriver in the provincial capital involving a Marxist biker gang and a woman killer.
The war between the two obscure gangs started on July 29, 1973 when the Pacific Rebels attacked the Citoyens de la Terre headquarters on Ile D'Orleans.
The Citoyens returned the favour and attacked the Rebels headquarters.
Indeed this is where an obscure but intriguing character makes her mark on the gang war.The Rebels' headquarter was entirely empty when the Citoyens attacked except for one person.
Michele Blouin, the girlfriend of the Rebels gang leader Serge "Gallo" Beaulieu was alone when Raymond Che Ramon" Cardinal led the nine-man attack armed with rifles and baseball bats.
Blouin shot one of the attackers, Yvan Lapointe, dead.
He was given an ornate funeral by his gang Citoyens de la Terre biker mates.
The Rebels could not resist an opportunity to show poor taste.
The sent a wreath to their rivals' funeral with the message "It's a tragic accident but on the bright side you're in now shape to chase after anybody for damages because you're dead you damn dog."
Pride comes before the fall, of course and the Pacific Rebels would be humbled.
On January 1, 1974 Rebels member Ghislain Fiset, 24, was found dead by the road in St. Emile, just north of the city murdered by axe.
Then Mario Demers, 18, of the Rebels was shot dead by three gunmen in Sherbrooke on Tuesday, January 29, 1974. His friend Mario Bureau, 19, survived the shooting.
And thirdly, on February 4, when Serge Letourneau, 27, a top dog of the Rebels was killed in broad daylight when he started started a booby-trapped car outside of the Chateau Frontenac. Three other gang members were also in the car and they suffered injury as well.The explosion occurred right in the heart of the tourist area near where the caleche horses wait between rides.
The gang was in town to watch the trial of seven fellow gangmates. Those proceedings had been delayed after the prisoners led a riot in the pre-trial cells.
But the fourth was the stuff of high drama.
The very next day Michele Blouin, a strong and beautiful woman, by all accounts but who who was still facing charges on manslaughter, was found dead in her Beauport apartment with a bullet hole in her head and a .22 calibre rifle at her side.* It was deemed a suicide.
The bike war quieted down after that as many participants were jailed for weapons and other violations.
Pacific Rebels leader Serge Beaulieu said after learning of his girlfriend's death "All I had was my bike, boots and girl. Now she's gone and I have nothing.**
--
*Anybody who happens to be at the BANQ on Berri might do me a solid by checking the Allo/Photo police on the microfilms and scanning and sending me a photo of Blouin, if there is one.
** Some of the worst biker violence of this pre-Hells period happened outside of Montreal, and includes an August double-murder-by fire of August 1971, 40 miles south of Quebec City. Victims were Jarrets Noire gang members Jacque Giguere, 19 of St. Marie de Beauce and Serge Bourque 24, of Notre Dame des Pins in Beauce.