Margot Turner and Ronald Fishman's final night together

   On 23 August 1964 two lovebirds, Margot Turner, 36 and student and part time machinist Ronald Fishman, 23, walked into The Cabaret to catch singer Rosita El Salvador.
   Boris Theodore, of the Jose Theodore clan, owned the new drinking hole on St. Cat and Sanguinet, at the now-demolished building which housed the original Club 281.
  Ronald was forgiving of Margot's past, which included a three year stint for being in a whorehouse in 1950. Between 1952 and 1964 she was busted for loitering 14 times and had recently been arrested for theft with violence and running a whorehouse at 1439 St. Lawrence.
 Fishman and Turner planned to wed the next year.
   Ronald had no objection to her age and her past as an escort and stripper.
   Roland and Jacques Poirier were in the bar as well, they were known as half of the crime family that had a fading grip as Kings of the Main.
   The Poiriers had heavy criminal records and had been badly injured in a prison riot at Bordeaux in 1960. Margot, familiar with the duo, sends them a drink. In return, the Poiriers invite them to sit. Margot allows the thuggish brothers to buy her a round, Fishman declines.
   She teased Roland about having put on some weight. Roland Poirier replies that she too isn't getting any thinner. She flashes him to show that she’s still got a healthy rack.
   Jacques had socked back about a dozen cognacs and Roland the same amount of rye whiskey.
   The show ended and she came over to say hi. Jacques later said that he told her that she put on weight, so she showed him her breasts and she fell onto a chair.
   Jacques “The Pick” Poirier then turns on Turner, pointing out that she’s having a jolly good time while her old friend, their brother, the family crime boss, sits in prison in Ontario. Jacques also accuses her of hanging out with the Canasta Gang (Café Cleopatra was then known as the Canasta).
Turner replies that the Poiriers are no longer the kings of the Main. This is an obvious no-no and Jacques slugs her. Fishman, who’s a strapping guy holds Roland and the brothers attack him. Margot begs them to stop, “you’re going to kill him!” About 15 clients do nothing as this happened.
   The Poiriers then return and punch Margot in the face and smash a bottle on her head until she loses consciousness in a pool of blood. They return to their seats and kept drinking. Half an hour later Fishman awakes and Roland apologizes for having used excess force.
   The Poiriers offered to bring them to a hospital in the suburbs where nobody will ask questions. Fishman declines, and leaves alone with Margot but the Poiriers trail them in a car. They intercept the battered duo in the Royal Victoria parking lot.
   Poirier grabs Margot and put a wire around her neck, which he tightens while laughing. Fishman pleads for her life, promising that he won’t rat Poirier out.
   Roland replies: “That’s for sure you won’t be saying anything to anybody.” Fishman passes out and when he awakes in the hospital he asks staffers if the woman is in the hospital. They don’t recognize the description and call the police.
   One announces that a woman’s body had been found on Hill Park Circle. Cops launch a massive manhunt for the Poiriers, who also used the name Binette.
   Eventually it was discovered that two women had harboured them in an apartment on Lafontaine Park St. from Dec. 1964 to Jan. 1965. The two were arrested unarmed at an apartment at Rachel and Gardnier on Jan 9, 1965. Courts later dismissed charges against Carmen Mathieu 19, and Mabel Matthews, 19.
   The Poirier trial began June 1965 at a packed courthouse. It takes 35 minutes of deliberating for them to be found guilty.
   They were sentenced to hang on 5 September.
   Their went to appeal in October 1966 and ended the same way but by this time the death sentence has been abolished and the duo did not get feel the twiney necktie of justice.
    The Poiriers stay in prison a long time after the murder of Margot Turner. Fishman was given a new name and identity. It is said that he became a professional in Montreal. Perhaps you even know him under that other name.
    The Le Cabaret Club lost its booze license. It was later demolished for UQAM.
   Jacques Poirier was busted for importing cocaine into Dorval Airport in 1987.