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The Mafia Did It


Tim Gratz

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I had previously and will do so again commend John for changing his perspective re Mafia sponsorship of the assassination.

I understand that one reason why John had been resistant to this theory is because of the oft repeated theorem that the Mafia did not ordinarily kill politicians.

In that regard a recent post by Gerry Hemming in the "Ultimate Sacrifice" thread is interesting. It states that when the mayor of Chicago was shot and killed it was really a Mafia "hit" because of Cermak's intention to rid Chicago of the Mafia, and the Mafia tried to disguise its involvement by making it look like an attempted assassination of FDR.

In the Kennedy case, the "cover" was not who the target was but the patsy and his supposed ties to Cuba. The problem the Mafia had was in employing Ruby to kill Oswald.

Of course one thing I think we can all agree on is that there was never a serious attempt to solve the case. Since "The Ultimate Sacriifice" argues the heavy involvement of Santo Trafficante, Jr., a theory to which I have long subscribed, it makes one wonder what would have happened had the FBI investigated the early report that Ruby had visited Trafficante in Cuba.

I think Giancana and Rosselli paid the ultimate price for their involvement in the assassination, but their "justice" was most likely administered by their colleagues. It is unfortunate indeed that Trafficante never had to stand before the bar of justice. Christian that I am, however, I believe that Trafficante will forever suffer for all of the crimes and murders he sanctioned.

Edited by Tim Gratz
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I had previously and will do so again commend John for changing his perspective re Mafia sponsorship of the assassination.

I understand that one reason why John had been resistant to this theory is because of the oft repeated theorem that the Mafia did not ordinarily kill politicians.

In that regard a recent post by Gerry Hemming in the "Ultimate Sacrifice" thread is interesting. It states that when the mayor of Chicago was shot and killed it was really a Mafia "hit" because of Cermak's intention to rid Chicago of the Mafia, and the Mafia tried to disguise its involvement by making it look like an attempted assassination of FDR.

Tim,

how much of a politician was Anton J. Cermak and how much of a mobster? I think he used politics to give his activities a “legal” touch and of course to gain more power. He and one of his buddy’s Roger Touhy were in competition with Al Capone. After unsuccessfully trying to get rid of F. Nitti he was put on the list. So his death was no surprise but Giuseppe Zangara was not really what you would call a “hitman” and

his performance was more an act of a LN than a professional killer. IMO there was no

need for an active cover and the fact that FDR was present and it happened in Miami made it automatically an attempt to kill the president. Just some thoughts.

George

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I had previously and will do so again commend John for changing his perspective re Mafia sponsorship of the assassination.

I understand that one reason why John had been resistant to this theory is because of the oft repeated theorem that the Mafia did not ordinarily kill politicians.

In that regard a recent post by Gerry Hemming in the "Ultimate Sacrifice" thread is interesting. It states that when the mayor of Chicago was shot and killed it was really a Mafia "hit" because of Cermak's intention to rid Chicago of the Mafia, and the Mafia tried to disguise its involvement by making it look like an attempted assassination of FDR.

Tim,

how much of a politician was Anton J. Cermak and how much of a mobster? I think he used politics to give his activities a “legal” touch and of course to gain more power. He and one of his buddy’s Roger Touhy were in competition with Al Capone. After unsuccessfully trying to get rid of F. Nitti he was put on the list. So his death was no surprise but Giuseppe Zangara was not really what you would call a “hitman” and

his performance was more an act of a LN than a professional killer. IMO there was no

need for an active cover and the fact that FDR was present and it happened in Miami made it automatically an attempt to kill the president. Just some thoughts.

George

According to the book 'The Outfit' an encyclopedic history of Chicago organized crime, Zangara was in deep doo-doo with the Outfit and was allowed to perform this service to wipe out his debts, provide for his family and ensure their safety. He was definetly doing the bidding of Frank Nitti's organization.

Remember that Cermak sent two Chicago cops to assasinate Nitti, who survived. From that point onward, Anton was a dead man.

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Tim,

Personally, I see nothing wrong with the implication that Maffia contacts were used in the capacity of the brokerage house for the contract through international sources to acquire some [not all] of the shooters and some of the resources engaged in Dealey Plaza. As per the work of Steve Rivele and others - I can see where this makes a great deal of logical sense. The relationships which had originally been forged for the purpose of elimination Castro would be the same used to eliminate Kennedy - making use of the Maffia as cut-outs, and taking advantage of their extensive connections, and willingness to engage in such activity [certainly no lack of motives]. Hence the alleged payment in heroin. Hence the alleged 'quantity' of Heroin driven up to Dallas by 2 Cubans and Rose Cheramie, allegedly at Jack Ruby's request. Hence the termination of Tippit, who was possibly reconsidering his role in provising escort to one of these professional hitters in escaping Dallas safely.

Trafficking - in sex, vehicles, etc. - but especially in drugs, guns and murder, on an International scale, would make such resources and connections invaluable - and long term.

So the 'Corsican' team could have been contracted/operated through those channels. But that doesn't complete the scenario relative to some of the other players engaged in the planning, the operation and the cover-up. Just my opinion.

- lee

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Wilson Hudson (Brit under journalistic cover Chile) did give FBI lead and FBI did follow it up to extent that they knew to back off IMHO. Like others (perhaps justifyably) Wilson soundly discredited and the story of Ruby Santo Cuba etc went away like it was supposed to.

Another Mob did it book? Yawn and stamp it "JFK."

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Wilson Hudson (Brit under journalistic cover Chile) did give FBI lead and FBI did follow it up to extent that they knew to back off IMHO. Like others (perhaps justifyably) Wilson soundly discredited and the story of Ruby Santo Cuba etc went away like it was supposed to.

Another Mob did it book? Yawn and stamp it "JFK."

I've read a lot about the Cermak killing, and I'm still undecided. Those who came in contact with Zangara swear he was completely off his rocker. I also found a book published right before the killing that insists that Cermak was himself completely corrupt, and in bed with gangsters. If so, his death might make more sense as the rub-out of a competitor than as the rub-out of an upright politician out to clean up the town.

The strangest aspect of the Zangara as mob assassin scenario is that Gus Russo, Tim's hero, subscribes to it. Even better, he claims that Dave Yaras--JACK RUBY'S CHILDHOOD FRIEND--was the brains behind it. Seeing as he believes this, is it possible he honestly believes Ruby's involvement in the Kennedy assassination, where another "lone-nut" just went haywire and killed a prominent politician, was a coincidence? I think not. I think Russo changed the premise of his book at the last second, either on a whim, or under pressure from his publisher, and now he's stuck with it.

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Wilson Hudson (Brit under journalistic cover Chile) did give FBI lead and FBI did follow it up to extent that they knew to back off IMHO. Like others (perhaps justifyably) Wilson soundly discredited and the story of Ruby Santo Cuba etc went away like it was supposed to.

Another Mob did it book? Yawn and stamp it "JFK."

I've read a lot about the Cermak killing, and I'm still undecided. Those who came in contact with Zangara swear he was completely off his rocker. I also found a book published right before the killing that insists that Cermak was himself completely corrupt, and in bed with gangsters. If so, his death might make more sense as the rub-out of a competitor than as the rub-out of an upright politician out to clean up the town.

The strangest aspect of the Zangara as mob assassin scenario is that Gus Russo, Tim's hero, subscribes to it. Even better, he claims that Dave Yaras--JACK RUBY'S CHILDHOOD FRIEND--was the brains behind it. Seeing as he believes this, is it possible he honestly believes Ruby's involvement in the Kennedy assassination, where another "lone-nut" just went haywire and killed a prominent politician, was a coincidence? I think not. I think Russo changed the premise of his book at the last second, either on a whim, or under pressure from his publisher, and now he's stuck with it.

-------------------------------

The Guns Of Zangara

Part One

By John William Tuohy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Almost 70 years ago, an enigmatic Italian immigrant bricklayer named Giuseppe Zangara momentarily leaped onto history's stage and took a misguided shot at President-elect Franklin Roosevelt and, accidentally, killed Chicago's reform mayor, Anton Cermak. Or so the story goes. But over the next six-and-a-half decades, the shooting only created more questions than it answered. Who was Zangara, and who was his intended victim Anton Cermak, and did the Chicago mob order the killing?

The recent discovery of lost government records can now answer those questions and forever seal the case of the Guns of Zangara.

Like most mob murders, it started over money, greed and the lust for power. In 1931, the labor rackets business in Chicago was worth $145,000,000.00 or about a half billion dollars in today's value. In fact, unions were such easy prey for gangsters, that before prohibition, the mob saw control of labor unions, not bootleg beer, as the quickest route to riches.

-------------------------------------------

The job to end the union war with the Touhys and take out Anton Cermak fell to Paul Ricca, acting boss since Nitti had been shot. Ricca determined that the only way to deal with Cermak was to kill him. But, knocking off the mayor of the nation's second largest city would bring down more heat on the mob then Cermak ever could have gathered. Unless, of course, the murder could be thumbed off on a "nut case."

The "Nutcase" they found was Giuseppe Zangara, a hapless Italian immigrant with a gambling problem, who was into the outfit for his eye teeth.

To be continued

Mr. Tuohy can be reached by writing to MobStudy@aol.com

AmericanMafia.com

div. of PLR International

P.O. Box 19146

Cleveland, OH 44119-0146

216 374-0000

---------------------------------------------------

1933-1935 Page 1 of 2

1933

Inmate population

December 31, 1933:

3,144

Giuseppe Zangara attempts to assassinate President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt in Miami's Bayfront Park. Instead, he mortally wounds Chicago mayor Anton J. Cermak. In perhaps one of the shortest periods of time between crime and execution (32 days), Zangara is executed on March 20, 1933 in Florida's electric chair. The bizarre story of Zangara is detailed in a book by Blaise Picchi entitled "The Five Weeks of Giuseppe Zangara: The Man Who Would Assassinate FDR."

-------------------------------------------

The following is an excerpt from a review of that book, written by Florence King.

"......At 9:15 on the evening of February 15, 1933, the greatest "what if" in American history was played out in Miami's Bayfront Park. The attempted assassination of President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt is almost forgotten today, but for connoisseurs of Fate there is nothing quite like it..."

-------------------------------------------

"......Walter Winchell, who was in Miami that night, immediately concluded that Zangara was not a presidential assassin but a hit man for the Chicago mob who had been sent to shoot the man he did in fact shoot: Mayor Anton Cermak. Many people agreed; Cermak was a reform mayor and dedicated anti-Prohibitionist who had made enemies in the underworld, but Zangara insisted that he wanted to shoot only "kings and presidents" and disclaimed all ties to all groups except the bricklayers' union, which, he said, he had joined only because he had to. "I don't like no peoples," he explained.

The FBI investigation proved him right: He belonged to nothing and no one. An atheist, he believed only in "what I see. Land, sky, moon," and said he felt no remorse over wounding Cermak and Mrs. Gill, but his rationale was not so much cold and psychopathic as matter-of-fact and practical: "You can't find a king or a president alone. Lots of people stick around him and you got to take chance to kill him. All the chiefs of people, never alone. The chief of government you no see alone. He go all the time with a bunch."

Since Cermak and Mrs. Gill were still alive, Zangara was arraigned on four counts of assault with intent to kill, with a murder charge pending should one or both of them die. He insisted on pleading guilty, saying, "I kill capitalists because they kill me, stomach like drunk man. No point living. Give me electric chair." Sentenced to four terms of 20 years each, he told the judge, "Don't be stingy, give me hundred." He rejected an appeal.

The whole picture changed for Zangara when Anton Cermak died on March 6, two days after FDR's inauguration. His death came about through a misdiagnosis of his injuries that his doctors tried to cover up by citing a pre-existing condition. This opened a legal door for Zangara to claim that his bullet had not caused Cermak's death, but he insisted on pleading guilty.

He was electrocuted on March 20 in what still stands as the swiftest legal execution in this century. It's a measure of his unknowable personality that he was able to be both stoic and cocky in the death chamber. To the minister intoning sonorous prayers he snapped, "Get to hell out of here, you sonofabitch," and strode toward the chair unassisted, shouting, "I go sit down all by myself." A reporter-witness compared it to a man hopping into a barber's chair. As they put the hood on him he called out, "Viva Italia! Goodbye to all poor peoples everywhere!" His last words, spoken to Sheriff Hardie at the controls, were "Pusha da button!"

The story of the attempt on FDR's life has never been told except in a few magazine articles, but now Florida criminal lawyer Blaise Picchi has filled the 65-year gap with The Five Weeks of Giuseppe Zangara, a book that is impossible to put down. A native Floridian, Picchi paints an evocative picture of a vanished Miami that conveys the texture of a bygone age, interviews the still-living persons who were there on the fatal night, digs up never-published documents, and presents a Zangara who is intriguingly reminiscent of Celine, the French writer who was cleared of charges that he collaborated with the Nazis when the judges agreed that "he was too much of a loner to collaborate with anybody......."

------------------------------------------

From: www.namebase.org/

CERMAK ANTON

Giancana,S.& C. Double Cross. 1992 (64)

Moldea,D. Dark Victory. 1987 (21-2)

Scheim,D. Contract on America. 1988 (7-9)

pages cited this search: 6

Order hard copy of these pages

_______________________________________

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David Yaras is an interesting figure. Besides his ties to Chicago, he was associated with Santo Trafficante Jr. in Miami during the 1960's.

His son Ronnie owned a string of massage parlors and lounges. He was allegedly whacked by Sam "The Fat Man" Cagnina III, a Trafficante family associate.

Sam denied this to me, saying that Yaras was killed by someone else; and in fact Blackie Llernadi, another low level associate, was the last person to see Yaras alive.

Cagnina was also fingered in the attempted murder of cracker mob figure Clyde Lee- yet it was again actually Llerandi who shot Lee, on orders from cracker mob boss Harlan Blackburn.

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Tim,

Personally, I see nothing wrong with the implication that Maffia contacts were used in the capacity of the brokerage house for the contract through international sources to acquire some [not all] of the shooters and some of the resources engaged in Dealey Plaza. As per the work of Steve Rivele and others - I can see where this makes a great deal of logical sense. The relationships which had originally been forged for the purpose of elimination Castro would be the same used to eliminate Kennedy - making use of the Maffia as cut-outs, and taking advantage of their extensive connections, and willingness to engage in such activity [certainly no lack of motives]. Hence the alleged payment in heroin. Hence the alleged 'quantity' of Heroin driven up to Dallas by 2 Cubans and Rose Cheramie, allegedly at Jack Ruby's request. Hence the termination of Tippit, who was possibly reconsidering his role in provising escort to one of these professional hitters in escaping Dallas safely.

Trafficking - in sex, vehicles, etc. - but especially in drugs, guns and murder, on an International scale, would make such resources and connections invaluable - and long term.

So the 'Corsican' team could have been contracted/operated through those channels. But that doesn't complete the scenario relative to some of the other players engaged in the planning, the operation and the cover-up. Just my opinion.

- lee

It's much more than your opinion. It's the truth.

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David Yaras is an interesting figure. Besides his ties to Chicago, he was associated with Santo Trafficante Jr. in Miami during the 1960's.

His son Ronnie owned a string of massage parlors and lounges. He was allegedly whacked by Sam "The Fat Man" Cagnina III, a Trafficante family associate.

Sam denied this to me, saying that Yaras was killed by someone else; and in fact Blackie Llernadi, another low level associate, was the last person to see Yaras alive.

Cagnina was also fingered in the attempted murder of cracker mob figure Clyde Lee- yet it was again actually Llerandi who shot Lee, on orders from cracker mob boss Harlan Blackburn.

Scott, thanks for your input. I don't remember reading about Yaras' death. Are you aware of when, where, and why he got whacked? I'm wondering if his death had any connection to the assassination. If Trafficante was behind it, hmmm...

Or am I misreading you? Was it Dave or Ronnie who got whacked?

Edited by Pat Speer
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  • 1 year later...

Curious...

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : CIA

RECORD NUMBER : 104-10133-10433

RECORDS SERIES : JFK

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 80T01357A

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : CIA

FROM : ROME

TO : DIRECTOR

TITLE : CABLE - LEE HARVEY OSWALD IDENTIFIED AS KUBARK AGENT.

DATE : 12/06/1963

PAGES : 1

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : JFK ASSASSINATION; SANSONE INA; SANSONE VITO

CLASSIFICATION :

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 06/03/2004

COMMENTS : JFK48 : F17/3 : 20040226-1050435 :

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : CIA

RECORD NUMBER : 104-10002-10036

RECORDS SERIES : JFK

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 201-289248

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : CIA

FROM : KINGSTON STATION

TO : DCI, CIA

TITLE : UNCONFIRMED REPORTS THAT CUBAN COMMERCIAL ATTACHE

JULIAN NOVAS FERNANDEZ SAID OSWALD HAD BEEN EMPLOYEE

OF KUBARK

DATE : 04/02/1964

PAGES : 1

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : CUBAN ATTACHE; FERNANDEZ; JFK ASSASSINATION; RUBY JACK

CLASSIFICATION :

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 05/03/2004

COMMENTS : OSW8 : V33 : 20031124-1016214 :

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Lee,

Here is one of the relative documents.

BTW, Novas was the Cuban Intelligence Service Chief stationed in Jamaica.

James

Thanks James!

Smacks of a Pedro Charles letter, which is why I placed it here. I am surprised that David Phillips didn't come out strongly in support of this intel as well as the Rome cable. They would have fit his agenda quite well, I should think. Flip it on it's head.

- lee

Edited by Lee Forman
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Lee wrote:

"Smacks of a Pedro Charles letter, which is why I placed it here. I am surprised that David Phillips didn't come out strongly in support of this intel as well as the Rome cable. They would have fit his agenda quite well, I should think. Flip it on it's head."

Lee, with all due respect, and to quote the cave-man in that Geico commercial: "Huh?" David Phillips would support an allegation that LHO was a Kubark agent? Somehow I hardly think so, even if LHO was in fact a KUBARK agent. It is interesting however that Cuban intelligence suspected that LHO was connected to the CIA. They might very well have been right, don't you think?

Edited by Tim Gratz
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