to Irish powerJews, Italians and middle-class white professionals as well as blue-blood reformers. Hines saw he needed new allies. He found them in organized crime but would find he could not call the tune.
|
Most payoffs from the underworld to Hines were funneled through Dutch Schultz, the maverick numbers boss of Harlem, and Frank Costello, already known as the Prime Minister, the Mafia's emissary to the political machines. When Hines attended the 1932 Democratic convention in Chicago, Costello shared a suite with him. On the Schultz payroll alone, Hines received from $500 to $1,000 a week. Payoffs from Costello were believed to be higher and overall it has been estimated that Hines garnered for himself something like $5,000 a week.
|
One of Hines's principal duties was protecting the numbers rackets for Schultz and, after the latter's murder in 1935, for the Luciano-Costello elements that took over. As Dixie Davis, a flamboyant corrupt lawyer who worked for Schultz, later confessed: "Hines ... could and did have cops transferred when they bothered the numbers. He had magistrates throw out good cases that honest cops had made against George Weinberg and Lulu Rosenkrantz. He gave his support to a district attorney who didn't bother us much."
|
The district attorney was William C. Dodge who preceded Thomas E. Dewey as Manhattan D.A. Hines called Dodge "stupid, respectable and my man." His man did all he could for Hines and organized crime. Dodge steered a 1935 grand jury away from important mob rackets, but his efforts failed when the grand jury, incensed at his actions, "ran away."
|
It was through Schultz and Costello that the mob controlled the police. John E Curry, boss of Tammany Hall until 1934 when he was deposed, testified Hines frequently called him to get "recalcitrant" cops demoted or transferred. Curry would call the commissioner of police and invariably Hines's wishes were complied with. A former chief inspector, John O'Brien, confirmed Curry's testimony.
|
When Dewey moved from special prosecutor to district attorney, he went after Hines while at the same time getting a conviction against Lucky Luciano. On May 25, 1938, Hines, once the most powerful Democrat in New York State and President Franklin Roosevelt's primary patronage dispenser in New York City, was officially charged as "a coconspirator and part of the Dutch Schultz mob." Dewey trotted out proof that Hines was the bagman for the mob and paid off police, judges and even the district attorney. Hines's first prosecution ended in a mistrial, but he was convicted in a second trial on February 25, 1939. After appeals were exhausted Hines went to Sing Sing in 1940, served four years and was paroled. He died in 1957 at the age of 80, the last of his kind.
|
True, bribery remained a hallmark of the relationship between politicians and organized crime. But Hines's free-wheeling methods had to give way in most areas, and especially in New York, to more discreet and sophisticated methods.
|
"Hitombile": Hob car for assassination missions
Mafia executions frequently involve the traditional black car. Either stationary or in motion, hit men within the vehiclethe "hitmobile"can cut down victims and rapidly flee the scene.
|
Designing and equipping hitmobiles requires considerable ingenuity. A typical car, allegedly designed by one of the Chicago Outfit's most creative killers, Milwaukee Phil Alderisio, included quite a few options unavailable at the Ford plant. According to a report issued by Chicago authorities:
|
 | | On May 2, 1962, the Chicago police received a call that a suspicious automobile was parked in front of 1750 Superior Street, in Chicago. Upon investigation, police officers discovered a 1962 Ford sedan parked at the specified location. Crouched on the floor of the car to avoid detection were two notorious Capone syndicate hoodlums, Phillip Alderisio, of 515 Longcommon Avenue, Riverside, Ill., and Charles Nicoletti, of 1638 North 19th Road, Riverside, Ill. Alderisio and Nicoletti informed the investigating officers that the car did not belong to them, and they had no idea as to the identity of its owner
.
|
| | They insisted that they were merely sitting on the floor of the automobile waiting for some unidentified personwhen the police arrived at 1 a.m. on May 2, 1962
.
|
| | Alderisio and Nicoletti were taken into custody and subsequently released on a $1,000 bond
.
|
| | The automobile in which Alderisio and Nicoletti were riding at the time of their arrest was registered in the name of Walter Getz, of 9340 South New England Avenue in Oak Lawn, Ill. This address turned out to be a vacant lot and the Walter Getz nonexistent
.
|
| | Under the dashboard of this automobile were concealed three switches. Two of these switches enabled the operators of the car to disconnect the taillights. Without taillights, the police would have difficulty in following the car at night
.
|
|
