Tragedy at the dairy 1942: When two Montrealers were hanged for stealing 21 bucks

 

Next time you pass the east side arena on gritty Rouen, take a moment to consider the villainy and tragedy that took place within the walls of the building across in the 1940s.
 All eyes were on Europe on November 23, 1942 as Soviet soldiers fiercely defended Stalingrad from invading panzer and Luftwaffe attack.
    Things were calmer in Montreal but a pair of pals sought to make it less so.
    Lucien Valiquette, 25 and Pt. Roger Beaudoin, 23, a soldier presumably on leave, were complaining of their money woes over beer in a Montreal tavern.
    Valiquette had some replacement work at Guaranteed Pure Milk in the West End and also occasionally on the Rouen Street branch across from what's now the Francis Bouillion Arena.
   The duo, in the company of friend Marcel Clavel who decided not to partake, proposed to rob the safe at the West End facility.
   That plan fizzled when a night watchman West End plant simply slammed the door when he saw them.
   Beaudoin then proposed that they try to break into the safes at the sister plant at 3140 Rouen.
   The duo got to the top floor where they eventually realized that they were no match for the two safes.
   They eventually gave up their efforts to abscond with that cash but at the very least they figured they could rob night watchman Francois Mignan, 62, (spelled in many reports as Mignam).
   Valiquette knew that Mignan would have his $20 pay from that day so they went to the harness room where Mignan was located.
   One of the thieves slugged the guard twice in the face with a crowbar.
   Valiquette and Beaudoin later blamed each other for doing the hitting.
   Mignan was not immediately killed but was too weak to call for help and died bleeding on the floor.

Night watchman Fancois
 Mignam

   Valiquette, who was likely drunk, was later chased by police in a lengthy pursuit that ended up at around Pine and the Main.
   Officers Fred Savage and Ted Crowley arrested Valiquette after he fled on foot. Beaudoin was arrested at around the same time.
    Officer Savage would soon after be promoted and eventually rose to lead Station 10. (He is featured in a NFB documentary giving his retirement speech in 1972, jokingly criticizing  any officer who was never brought before a disciplinary board).
   The two thieves were found guilty about three months later. They were sentenced to hang on August 20 for the $21 robbery of the night watchman.
  Neither was granted a reprieve and on August 20, 1942 Beaudoin and Valiquette were hanged by the neck until dead at Bordeaux Prison in Montreal.
   Newspapers did not run any photos of the assailants, presumably because they did not seek to amplify their fame.