Thursday, November 8, 2012

Satan's Slaves and the Straight Satans

In doing a little research on both the Satan's Slaves and the Straight Satans I learned that they were two different motorcycle clubs.  Both are said to have been 1%er clubs.  The term 1% comes from the idea that 99% of motorcycle riders are law abiding citizens and the remaining 1% are outlaws.

Informally, in the 1950's, there was an agreement among the 1%ers to agree to certain guidelines, regardless of club affiliation, concerning stealing from one another, rat-packing, etc. and to be committed to biking and brotherhood not as a weekend activity but as a way of life.  The Hells Angels originally went along with this but soon decided that they were committed to no one except their fellow Hells Angels.  This put them in a class by themselves leaving the remainder of the outlaw motorcycle clubs to be known as the 1%ers.

I was able to find mid '60's articles on the Satan's Slaves which legitimizes them as true 1%ers, using the same logo over the years until they patched over with the Hells Angels.

Bugliosi in Helter Skelter does not mention the Satan's Slaves but there is plenty on the Straight Satans.  Both Al Springer and Danny DeCarlo reportedly gave evidence of the Family's involvement with many murders attributed to the Family.  Generally there is a code of silence among the 1%ers but some members of the Straight Satans were like babbling brooks.  The March 13-19, 1970 article that appeared in the Los Angeles Free Press has me wondering how legitimate the Straight Satans were as a 1%er club.

I was able to find an article saying that one Straight Satan, Robert Driscoll, was charged with murdering a fellow who was impersonating a Straight Satan in June 1971.  Apparently 10 people were originally arrested but by the end of 10 days only one person was charged.  I could not find anything further on the arrest, a trial or a conviction.  The person murdered is listed in the California Death Index.  After that there are no more articles on the Straight Satans.  This article struck me as a little odd considering the LA Free Press article on people impersonating the Straight Satans.



Quote accompanying the patch:

"Satan's Slaves. MC SFV. We do know the Slaves were a well known outlaw club from 1960 till New Years Day 1978. Then they patched over. My ole man got these around the 50th anniversary of the club. They are a memory collection item. Produced around that time.

"A one chapter hard core outfit. Some called them a club. Others called them a gang. A big part of the history of the 1%er. 'Any thing you heard about them is likely true.', one of their ole ladies told my ole man.

"Selling my ole man's collection. He was injured by a violent act but is recovering."