FLIGHT 108: The Sault-au-Cochon Tragedy
QUÉBEC, CANADA
In 1949, a passenger plane fell from the sky in the Sault-au-Cochon area of Quebec, killing everyone on board.
This is the story of one of the first instances of in-flight bombing, one of the worst mass murders in Canadian history, and the last woman to hang.
Credits:
Primary research, writing, audio editing: Eileen Macfarlane from Crimelapse
Additional research and writing, sound design, audio production: Kristi Lee
Theme by We Talk of Dreams
Disclaimer voiced by the host of True
Resources and Information Sources:
Online Articles:
https://www.vintagewings.ca/stories/coupable (Great photos!)
My Friend Guay The Murderer, Roger Lemelin, Macleans - https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1951/5/1/my-friend-guay-the-murderer
https://www.vice.com/en/article/wjpavx/the-strange-sad-story-of-the-last-woman-executed-in-canada
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/sault-au-cochon-plane-crash-1949-1.5274763 https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/politics-law/a-monstrous-plot http://www.gendisasters.com/quebec/8654/sault-au-cochon-qb-airliner-crash-sept-1949?page=0,1 http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/biosphere-reserves/europe-north-america/canada/
https://www.tourisme-charlevoix.com/en/sectors/petite-riviere-saint-francois /
https://about-quebec.com/north-saint-lawrence.htm
Books:
Drop Dead: A Horrible History of Hanging in Canada, Poplak, Lorna. Dundurn. Kindle Edition.
COURT DOCUMENTS Ruest v. The Queen, 1952 CanLII 394 (SCC), https://canlii.ca/t/htv97
Newspaper Archives:
Crash/Investigation information
19 Passengers And Crew of 4 Die Instantly, William Stewart, The Gazette, Sept 10, 1949
Quebec Air Crash Cause Unsolved, The Windsor Star, Sept 10, 1949 -
Those Dead In Quebec Plane Crash, CP, The Ottawa Citizen, Sept 10, 1949 -
Most Awful Sight Says Eyewitness of Plane Tragedy, Oscar Tremblay, The Gazette, Sept 10, 1949 -
Death Count In Quebec Plane Disaster Increases To 23, The Ottawa Citizen, Sept 10, 1949 -
Coroner’s Inquest Scheduled In Quebec Airliner Tragedy, The Windsor Star, Sept 12, 1949 -
Crash Victim Still Missing, The Windsor Star, Sept 13, 1949 -
Box May Solve C.P.A. Mystery, The Gazette, Sept 14, 1949 -
Mystery Blast Blamed for Crash That Killed 23 on CPA Airliner, William Stewart, The Gazette, Sept 15, 1949 -
Freakish Mishap Caused Air Crash, The Gazette, Sept 17, 1949 -
Woman Admits Placing Mystery Box On Plane, William Stewart, The Gazette, Sept 24, 1949 -
Inside Story Told In Air Bomb Plot, Edmond Chasse, The Windsor Star, Sept 26, 1949 -
CANADA: Flight to Baie Comeau, Time, Monday, Oct. 03, 1949,
It Has No Name, E.J Kahn Jr, The New Yorker, Nov 14, 1953 -
Guay Information:
Albert Guay Always ‘Put on a Good Front’, Ross Harkness, The Windsor Star, Sept 27th 1949 -
I used to love him but it’s all ‘stopped now’, Raoul Houdassant, The Windsor Star, Sept 27 1949 -
Try Guay Today For Plane Bomb Death Of Wife, Chicago Tribune, Feb 22 1950 -
J Albert Guay Is Standing Trial On Murder Charge, Nanaimo Daily News, Feb 23 1950 -
Canadian On Trial For Wife’s Death In Airliner Crash, St Louis Post-Dispatch, Feb 23 1950 -
J.A Guay On Trial, The Ottawa Citizen, Feb 23 1950
Crown Lining Up Strong Case In Trial Of Quebec Jeweller, The Ottawa Journal, Feb 25 1950 -
Crown States Case Against Guay As Murder Trial Opens At Quebec, William Stewart, The Gazette, Feb 25 1950
Evidence in Guay Case Heard Today, Nanaimo Daily News, Feb 27 1950 -
Watch Kept Over Witness In Guay Case, The Windsor Star, Feb 28 1950 -
Watching Witness, Canadian Press, The Ottawa Citizen, Feb 28 1950 -
Questions On Batteries, Canadian Press, The Ottawa Citizen, March 1 1950 -
Guay Weeps, Buries Face in Hands As Doctor Details Wife’s Injuries, William Stewart, March 1 1950 -
Agency on Plane Caused Explosion Guay Trial Told, The Ottawa Journal, March 2 1950 -
Engineer Witness at Guay Trial Says Plane Broke Up in the Air, William Stewart, The Gazette, March 2, 1950 -
C.P.A. Agent States ‘Box’ Put On Plane, William Stewart, The Windsor Star, March 3, 1950 -
Mrs Pitre Identified, The Ottawa Citizen, 3 March, 1950
Bomb Maker Grilled At Trial of Guay, William Stewart, 4 March, 1950 -
Evidence Given at Quebec Trial Of Guay’s Queries on Explosives, William Stewart, The Gazette, 4 March, 1950
Quebec Watchmaker Says He Made Explosive Device for Albert Guay, William Stewart, The Gazette, March 6, 1950
Guay Gave Detonator Workout, The Windsor Star, March 6, 1950 -
Relates Sale of Dynamite, The Windsor Star, Mar 6 1950
Guay Admitted Giving Her Bomb to Put on Plane, Says Mrs. Pitre, The Ottawa Journal, March 7, 1950
Mrs. Pitre Tells of Bomb Plot, The Windsor Star, March 7, 1950 -
Woman Tells of Delivering ‘Bomb’; Declares Guay Proposed Suicide, William Stewart, The Gazette, March
Chemist Convinced Airliner Wrecked By Dynamite Blast, The Ottawa Journal, March 8, 1950 -
Waitress Tells Of Friendship With Guay, The Ottawa Journal, March 9, 1950 -
Girl Testifies At Murder Trial Of Albert Guay, Nanaimo Daily News, March 9, 1950 -
Quebec Waitress Tells in Court Of Her Relations with Albert Guay, William Stewart, The Gazette, March 9,
Waitress Tells of Stormy 2 Years of On-Off Love Affair with Guay, William Stewart, The Gazette, March 10,
100 Heard In Guay Case, William Stewart, The Windsor Star, March 10, 1950 -
Guay Jury Heard End of Trial, The Leader-Post, March 11, 1950 -
Guay May learn His Fate Monday, The Windsor Star, March 11, 1950 -
Defence Lawyer Asks Jury to Acquit Guay, The Ottawa Journal, March 13, 1950 -
Pleading for Guay, The Ottawa Citizen, March 13, 1950 -
Acquittal of Guay is asked, The Leader Post, March 13, 1950 -
‘Acquittal’ Counsel Plea For Guay, William Stewart, The Windsor Star, March 13, 1950 -
Guay Sentenced To Hang June 23, Canadian Press, The Ottawa Citizen, Mar 14 1950 -
No Decision On Appeal From Guay’s Sentence, Canadian Press, The Ottawa Citizen, Mar 15 1950 -
Technicians Gave Evidence At Guay Trial, The Ottawa Citizen, Mar 15 1950 -
Canadian to be hanged for time-bombing of airliner, The Owensboro Messenger, Mar 15 1950 -
Guay Plea Ruling Due, The Windsor Star, Jan 10, 1951
2-City Appeals Made for Guay, The Gazette, Jan 10, 1951
Second Petition is Denied, The Lethbridge Herald, Jan 11 1951 -
Guay Pays Supreme Penalty, The Gazette, Jan 12,1951 -
Murder Over MT. Torment, St Louis Globe Democrat, Dec 16 1956 -
Ruest Information:
Genereux Ruest, 42, Held as an Accesory In Air Bomb Deaths, The Windsor Star, June 7, 1950 -
Guay Bomb-Maker Charged With Murder, The Ottawa Citizen, June 7, 1950 -
Bomb Plot Trial Scheduled Today, The Gazette, June 14, 1950 -
Sister of Ruest Arrested in Quebec, The Ottawa Journal, June 14, 1950 -
Ruest Hearing On In Quebec, The Windsor Star, June 14, 1950 -
Witness Claims Ruest Asked About Detonating Dynamite, The Leader-Post, June 14, 1950 -
Ruest On Trial In Bomb Slaying, Calgary Herald, Nov 27, 1950 -
Seeks Proof Ruest Knew Of Bomb Use, The Ottawa Citizen, Nov 28, 1950 -
Guay Plot Aired Anew, The Windsor Star, Nov 29, 1950
List Clues In Bombing Of Airliner, The Ottawa Citizen, Nov 29, 1950 -
Court Hears Of An Air Blast, The Windsor Star, Nov 30, 1950 -
Expert Tells Crash Cause, The Windsor Star, Dec 1, 1950
Court Told of Dynamite Purchase In Murder Trial of Watchmaker, The Gazette, Dec 4, 1950 -
Ruest Built Clock Bomb, The Windsor Star, Dec 5, 1950 -
Say Witness Threatened, The Ottawa Citizen, Dec 5, 1950
Death Threat, Suicide Suggestion Described in Ruest Murder Trial, The Gazette, Dec 6, 1950 -
Mrs Pitre Faces Count, The Windsor Star, Dec 7, 1950 -
No Bail For Mrs Pitre, The Ottawa Citizen, Dec 7, 1950
Testimony In Ruest Murder Trial, The Ottawa Citizen, Dec 8, 1950 -
Aged Mother Recounts Ruest Habits, The Ottawa Citizen, Dec 12, 1950 -
Relate Ruest, Guay Met On Crash Date, The Ottawa Citizen, Dec 11, 1950 -
Ruest sentenced to hang in March, The Leader-Post, Dec 13, 1950 -
Ruest Asks for Appeal From Gallows, The Windsor Star, Dec 26, 1950 -
Ruest Conviction Will Be Appealed, The Gazette, Dec 27, 1950 -
Ruest Is Removed to Jail in Quebec, The Gazette, Jul 15, 1952 -
Clemency Denied; Ruest Will Hang, Edmonton Journal, Jul 24, 1952 - https://www.newspapers.com/image/469343777
Watchmaker Hangs For Plane Bombing, The Vancouver Sun, July 25, 1952 - https://www.newspapers.com/image/491188151
Quebec Officials Deny New Arrest In Guay Case, The Gazette, August 2, 1952 - https://www.newspapers.com/image/419528984
Pitre information:
Jury Trial For Woman, The Ottawa Citizen, Nov 8, 1949 -
Pitre Woman Facing Trial, The Windsor Star, Nov 8, 1949 -
Assizes Trial Ordered For Mrs. Arthur Pitre, Star-Phoenix, Nov 8, 1949 -
Stole Money to Reach Montreal So He Could Kill Albert Guay, The Ottawa Journal, Nov 21 1949 -
Robbery Suspect Sought to Avenge Death of Father, The Gazette, Nov 21, 1949 -
Arrest Halts Death Pledge, The Windsor Star, 21 Nov, 1949 -
No Decision Reached On Trial of Mrs Pitre, The Gazette, Nov 24, 1949 -
Mrs Pitre Ordered to Appear Dec 6, The Gazette, Dec 1 1949 -
Mrs Pitre’s Trial Jan. 19, The Windsor Star, Dec 6, 1949
Speedy Trial, The Ottawa Citizen, Dec 6, 1949
Mrs Pitre’s Trial Set for Jan 19, The Gazette, Dec 7, 1949
Pitre Trial Postponed, The Ottawa Citizen, Jan 19, 1950
Mrs Pitre’s Trial Delayed to Feb 7, The Gazette, Jan 27, 1950
Guay Urged Mrs. Pitre ‘Turn on Gas’, The Windsor Star, Feb 7, 1950
Mrs Pitre Denies Suicide Try, The Ottawa Citizen, Feb 8, 1950
Mrs Pitre Denies Suicide Attempt, The Gazette, Feb 8, 1950
Mrs Pitre Trial On Attempted Suicide Ends in Quebec, The Lethbridge Herald, Feb 11, 1950 -
Mrs Pitre Not Guilty, Goes Free, The Windsor Star, March 16, 1950 -
Suicide Attempt Charge Withdrawn, Calgary Herald, March 16, 1950 -
Girl Witness Says Mrs. Pitre Threatened Her, The Ottawa Journal, June 14, 1950 -
Sister Of Alleged Killer Facing Charge Of Intimidation, The Ottawa Citizen, June 15, 1950 -
Mrs Pitre Arrested On Perjury Count, The Vancouver News-Herald, Dec 7, 1950 -
May Lay Third Murder Charge, Nanaimo Daily News, Dec 13, 1950 -
Mrs. Pitre To Be Tried For Murder, The Windsor Star, Dec 14, 1950 -
Pitre Murder Charge Laid, The Vancouver Sun, Dec 15, 1950 -
Mrs Pitre accused, The Leader-Post, Dec 14, 1950
Mrs. Pitre Faces Trial February 12, The Windsor Star, Dec 15, 1950
Third Murder Charge, The Ottawa Citizen, Dec 15, 1950
Almost Perfect Crime, The Windsor Star, Dec 16, 1950
Pitre Perjury Hearing Postponed to Dec 28, The Gazette, Dec 21, 1950 -
Special Term To Hear Plane Bombing Case, The Ottawa Citizen, Jan 5, 1951 -
Voice From Dead to Accuse Woman in Bomb Plot Trial, Daily News, Feb 18, 1951 -
Date for Pitre Trial Announced, Star-Phoenix, Feb 19, 1951 -
Perjury Trial, The Windsor Star, Feb 21, 1951
Mrs Pitres Trial Opens In Quebec, The Gazette, March 6, 1951 -
Mrs Pitre’s Trial Begins, The Windsor Star, March 6, 1951 -
Pitre Murder Trial, The Ottawa Journal, March 7, 1951 -
Mrs Pitre Dozes As Trial Proceeds, The Gazette, March 8, 1951 -
Pitre Trial Moves To Witness’ Home, The Gazette, March 9, 1951 -
Planes Wreckage Proof Of Bombing, The Gazette, March 10, 1951 -
Mrs Pitre Stated Ignorant Of Bomb, The Gazette, March 12, 1951 -
Ruest Denies Sister Guilty, The Windsor Star, March 12, 1951 -
Recalls Ride With Bomb, The Windsor Star, March 13, 1951 -
Parcel Fragile Taximan Warned, The Gazette, March 13, 1951 -
Dynamite Traced In Plane Bombing, The Gazette, March 13 1951 -
Planned to Inform On Guay – Mrs Pitre, March 15, 1951
Pitre Trial Near Climax, The Windsor Star, March 16, 1951 -
Mrs Arthur Pitre Sentenced To Death, The Ottawa Citizen, March 17, 1951 -
Woman To Hang, Guilty In Air Crash, The Vancouver News-Herald, March 17, 1951 -
Mrs. Pitre Faces Noose, The Windsor Star, March 17, 1951
Quebec Woman Pays With Life On Death Charge, Nanaimo Daily News, Jan 9 1953 -
Mrs. Pitre Hangs For Air Killing, Edmonton Journal, Jan 9, 1953 -
Slow, Sure Justice, The Windsor Star, Jan 10, 1953
Mrs. Pitre Dies On Gallows At Montreal, The Vancouver Sun, Jan 9, 1953 -
The Crow Dies Calmly; Last of Bomb Killers, The Windsor Star, Jan 9, 1953 -
Buxom Widow Pitre Goes To Gallows For Part In Time-Bombing Of Plane, The Ottawa Citizen, Jan 9, 1953 -
Music credits:
Theme Song and other original music: We Talk of Dreams
Blue Dot Sessions: Uncertain Ground, Dawn Line Approaching, Sals Place, Fissure Forming, Illa Villardo, Cicle Arial, Roadside Bunkhouse, Cold and Hard, Darkened Treeline
Kai Engel - Modum, July, Nothing Lasts Forever
P. Weigl - Subdivision of the masses, Western Shores
