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DOUBLEC'ocrtinued frttw Piffe 7It was soon after the double hanging on that May morning in 1923 that Charlie Las-sandra, Florence's huaband, was picked up by Immigration and deported to Italy. Apparently Charlie had entered Canada from the L’n.ted States Illegally, after being refused entry.After that the liquor problem became part of history; for with B.C. and Quebec leading the way soon the other provinces signified they'd had enough of the prohibition experiment. With the more sensible approach to the problem, the big-time bootleggers and mobsters vanished from the scene, along with their high powered ears and boats, their machine guns, bribery and corruption.All that was left to mark their passing wereA E on thethe graves of their victims. One was Steve Lawson.Settled on the Island for some time now are two of the law officers who took part in this famous case. One is ex Inapr. E. W. “Ernie” Bavin who lives st 2564 Chelsea Place overlooking Gadboro Bay.Ernie is an otd-time Mountte who later served with the newer Alberta ProvincialPolice, and when It was amalgamated with the RCMP, he was back in red serge again.As divisional Inspector he got the call the Jiight of the shooting that caused him to speed to Blairmore from his Lethbridge headquarters and head up the manhunt.Windup to his police career came during the Second Work! War when he was with British Intelligence at New York.SCAFFOLDt \Out near Sidney, at 9145 Locluide. ta another who rushed with his men to the Blair-more manhunt 40 odd years ago. He's ex-Asst. Commissioner Wyndham V. Bruce, at that time an RCMP inspector at Fernie.Mr. Bruce served 35 years with the Moun-ties lt;1907-1943), his final post being at Washington. D.C., where he was the force's liaison with the FBI.“I used to see Ernie Bavin once in awhile when 1 was in Washington,” he told me the other day. “wrhen Ernie was doing his MI 5 Job. Which makes me think that between the two of them they should have some interesting recollections. One in particular they have in codmon goes back to the day when a stocky little bootlegger called PtcarcBo toppled oil his throne. He was, if you remember, “The Emperor 'Pic* of Crow's Nest Pass!”
Newspaper Details
Victoria Daily Colonist
Victoria, British Columbia, CA
Sun, Mar 22, 1964
Page 51
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
CA 28 Dec 2019
Other Publications Near Victoria, British Columbia
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