Not many times do overnight visitors to the city grab the attention of law enforcement, but when a dozen Hells Angels booked into a city hotel for an overnight stay couple of weeks back, police became interested.
The Angels, dressed in their club colours, were travelling on several Harley-Davidsons and in a van. At least three were wearing full patched jackets.
City police were made aware of their sleepover and two members of the criminal investigation branch were dispatched to perform the standard recording of licence plate numbers.
Sgt. Marc Bissonnette of the criminal investigation branch said the bikers paid no attention to the presence of two police officers in the parking lot writing down licence plate numbers. For the bikers, it is old hat stuff.
According to one source, during their stay the bikers were polite, well-behaved, had little to drink in the way of alcoholic beverages and were generous tippers in the dining room, reportedly leaving a $500 tip when they paid the bill.
Law enforcement agencies in Canada and the United States list the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club as one of the “major MC gangs in North America, the others being the Pagans, Outlaws, Mongols and Bandidos.”
And, if you are thinking of applying for Hells Angels’ membership, one of the requirements is a valid driver’s licence … and a motorcycle over 750cc. No mopeds. Nothing about police background checks.
The Cornwall visitors have been the same group of Hells Angels who spent Thursday night at the same Toronto hotel as Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The PM was in Toronto for the leaders’ debate. The bikers said they were in town for a funeral.
According to the Toronto Star, the Mounties ramped up security when it was discovered the Angels were staying at the same hotel. Just as surprised as the RCMP were the bikers. The newspaper reported that one of the bikers said he was surprised to see that the PM was a hotel guest.
“I saw a lot of police officers around the hotel when we arrived and knew they couldn’t all be here for us (bikers),” said one.
For years the face of the Hells Angels in Canada was Maurice “Mom” Boucher currently doing 25 years (eligible for parole in 2022) for the murder of two prison guards. The Toronto Sun last year reported that after Boucher had been booted from the gang.
* Cornwall Fire Department senior firefighter Brian O’Neill retired on July 31 after 26 years service. So, what does he plan to do? O’Neill said he wants to do some missionary work, perhaps spend some time in Africa next year.
* Ron Lauzon, a first baseman, was one of the city’s talented softball players back in the days when they had the East Cornwall Softball League (Cornwall Township) and North End Softball League which played out of venerable King George Park. The league champs would clash at KGP for city bragging rights. “The park would be packed. You had to get there 30 minutes before the start to get a seat,” recalled retired fire chief Pete Champagne, who picked up the moniker Pistol Pete from then S-F sports editor Ray Shank who covered the senior hockey circuit in the 1960s. The East Enders played on a long-forgotten field behind Nativity Church. Lauzon, a retired Courtaulds employee, died in June. He was 86.
* Hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the untimely passing of one of the greatest hockey talents to come through the Cornwall minor hockey system. Dave Ezard was just 36 when he died. He was most valuable player in the 1980 Memorial Cup series despite missing two games with a leg injury. During the 1979-80 regular season he became the first Quebec Junior Hockey League defenceman to score 40 goals (105 points), most of them rockets launched from the point. He scored another 18 in the playoff run. Steve Dryden, then editor of The Hockey News, said Ezard owned one of the hardest shots he had seen in the game, and that included the NHL. A neat gesture might be for either the Colts or River Kings to set aside No. 6 in memory of Ezard.
* Among the many really good players to come out of that east-end football factory called St. Lawrence High School during local gridiron glory days, was Ray “Bouncer” Payette, a fleet-footed halfback. He got the Bouncer handle because of his knack for sliding off defenders. The Saints of the day (1950s early 60s) ruled EOSSA and were good enough to be invited to a Toronto Red Feather high school football extravaganza which included some of the best high school teams in the province. The Saint drew Runnymede Collegiate, one of the top teams in Toronto, as an opponent. Saints pulled out a 7-0 victory with Payette scoring the TD. He was the older brother of Cornwall Sports Hall of Famer (hockey) Jean Payette.
* Post leaders’ debate coverage included a segment with representatives of the four parties. Each party partisan was asked to evaluate their leader’s performance. That is akin to asking the student to mark his own exam.
* Where has the time gone? Guy Lafleur turns 64 on Sept. 20. Bobby Hull is 76. Phil Esposito is 73. And Ted Lindsay is 90.
THIS WEEK’S HEADLINE HEAD SHAKERS Woman, 26, mother of three, going blind after drinking 28 cans of Red Bull every day. … Man sues new wife for fraud after seeing her without make-up for first time. … Bounty hunters surround police chief’s home in mistaken fugitive hunt …. Florida man left with deformed 1-inch penis after botched surgery
TRIVIA When Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip boarded the Royal yacht Britannia at Cornwall Harbour on July 2, 1967 what world-class event were they en route for in Montreal?
TRIVIA ANSWER Christ Anglican Church, built in 1837, was moved to Upper Canada Village from Moulinette, one of the Lost Villages.
IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR Central Park pool and the adjacent change house. The overhead shower with the pan of murky disinfectant each swimmer had to stand in before entering the pool (This was during the polio epidemic scare). Diving for stones wrapped in tin foil (gleaned from discarded cigarette packs, usually on the way to Central Park pool) in the deep end (six feet). No co-ed swimming in those days. Boys and girls hours (mornings and afternoons) rotated each week. The raised band shell. The cannons and the big Women’s Christian Temperance Union drinking fountain. The Mayor Horovitz Children’s Picnic held each summer in the park. … When girls wore bathing caps.
