On Saturday February 2, 1957 Montreal cops planned the most ambitious niteklub raid ever seen in this city.
Twenty five crews went on a surprise bust of 75 drinking establishments looking for weapons, hookers, minors and any other illegal thing that might turn up after the 2 a.m. closing time. They didn't call in the Liquor License cops because they weren't looking to make busts concerning closing hour violations.
Someone had apparently tipped off the bad guys. The massive raids netted nothing.
A few hours after the fiasco Night Patrol boss Paul Hetu, 54, a well-liked character, died suddenly, after the flop, presumably of a heart attack.
Someone had apparently tipped off the bad guys. The massive raids netted nothing.
A few hours after the fiasco Night Patrol boss Paul Hetu, 54, a well-liked character, died suddenly, after the flop, presumably of a heart attack.
Drapeau wasn’t always right…
ReplyDelete(Wait. Was he in power in 1957 or was it Sarto Fournier???)
First part of '57 was Johnny Flag. Remainder of the year was Fournier.
ReplyDeleteDrapeau was dead set against the slum clearing Dozois plan. He called a snap election because the province was going ahead with it against him.
ReplyDeleteHe lost that election.
The area from around St. Dominique and Ontario to Demaisonneuve to Berri was demolished for the Jeanne Mance Habitation monstrosity. Drapeau was right, that should never have been built.