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| Florence Lassandro |
Born Flumena Costanzo in Cosenza, Italy Florence immigrated with her
family to Southern Alberta, Canada at the age of nine.
At the age of 15 her parents
arranged a marriage for Florence. She married Charles Lassandro in October of
1915. Their marriage was not a happy one.
Charles moved Florence to the
United States in order to make his fortune but ended up with huge gambling
debts. The couple moved back to Alberta.
Charles hit up his former
boss for a job.
Emil Picariello known as “The
Emperor Pic” manufactured ice cream and owned the Alberta Hotel in Blairmore.
However, these legitimate businesses where just a cover for his criminal
activities.
Prohibition was in effect in
Alberta and PIcariello was a successful bootlegger. He ran liquor from British
Columbia into Alberta and Montana. Charles became involved in his rum running
operation and so did Florence.
Picariello’s son Steve was
also involved in this shady business and it is speculated that Florence was in
love with him. Florence, who viewed Emil as a father figure and fed up with her
irresponsible husband, ended up living with the Picariello family.
In September of 1921 the
police spotted Steve Picariello making a rum run. They chased him and gunfire
was exchanged. Steve was injured and then escaped to Michel, B.C.
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| Constable Lawson's home. |
When Emil heard what had
happened to Steve, he and Florence approached Constable Lawson at his home in Coleman. An
argument ensued and gunshots were fired. Lawson’s nine-year old daughter Pearl, watched as her father was fatally wounded.
Both Emil and Florence where
arrested for the murder of the constable. During the trial no evidence was
presented that showed which one had actually shot Lawson. The jury was told they could convict
both, which they did.
A public outcry arose over
the fact there had been no proof or witnesses presented against Florence and
appeals where submitted but nothing came of these.
One account mentions that
Florence remained silent through her trial supposedly because Emil had asked
her to take the blame—“for they would never hang a woman.”
During the trial Florence was
dubbed, “The Mobster Princess.”
Both Emil and Florence were
sentenced to hang. After the trial Florence’s pleas that she was innocent fell
on deaf ears. She was hanged on the gallows at Fort Saskatchewan Penitentiary in Alberta in
1923 at the age of 23.
Fort Saskatchewan was used
for a Northwest Mounted Police outpost—29 people were hanged here—Florence was
the last woman to be hanged in Alberta.
People still wonder if
Florence was just a victim of circumstance or was she a hardened criminal.
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| Fort Saskatchewan |
Today several buildings that
made up this fort still stand—including the courthouse where Florence was
convicted. They are run as a museum today.
Many have experienced strange
activity in these buildings. Unexplained voices and noises are heard on a
regular basis. Apparitions are felt and seen in the buildings and around the
grounds.
One ghost that lingers is
believed to be Florence Lassandro.
One noted encounter with her
ghost was during a Fright Night Halloween event and sleepover the fort hosted
for young people.
Darlene Briere a member of
Fort Saskatchewan Historical Society and a Special Event Coordinator for the
fort took this group of young people outside after the event.
During this time she noticed
a thick fog roll in to the area. Thinking it was strange she took several
pictures with her digital camera.
Later when she downloaded
them to her computer she saw a female standing amidst the fog. She became
convinced it was Florence.
Later that same evening she
went to check on the children whom were bedded down in the museum’s courthouse.
As she walked by an adjoining room she spotted a curtain moving strangely.
She entered this room and saw
this curtain move again—it then fell off its rod. It landed and outlined the
shape of a body kneeling on the floor. She bravely approached this figure and
pulled off the curtain shrouding the figure.
Before her was a young woman
who looked just like Florence. *
* Excerpts from the
television show Creepy Canada.
Side note: A popular Canadian
Opera based on Florence’s or Flumena’s life and death has been performed in
Canada since 2003.
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