The Sinatra Files (6 page)

Under docket #15228 of that court in the STATE vs. FRANK SINATRA, SINATRA was charged, on November 26, 1938, by
N.J., with having committed the following offense: “On the second and ninth days of November 1938 at the Borough of Lodi … under the promise of marriage [SINATRA] did then and there have sexual intercourse with the said complainant, who was then and there a single female of good repute … contrary to and in violation of the revised statute of 1937.” The Peerless Casualty Company, 241 Main Street, Hackensack, N.J., went bond for SINATRA in the amount of $1500. This complaint was withdrawn on December 7, 1938 because it was ascertained that the complainant was in fact married. In place of that complaint and under docket #15307, the STATE vs. FRANK SINATRA, a complaint was filed on December 21, 1938 by
N.J., charging SINATRA with adultery in that he, “On the second and ninth days of November 1938 … did then and there commit adultery with the said complainant, a married woman, the wife of
. SINATRA went bond for himself in the amount of $500. On January 4, 1939, the case was remanded to the Grand Jury by order of Judge McINTYRE.

According to Mr. Guthrie, SINATRA’S attorney was Mr. HARRY L. TOWE of Rutherford, New Jersey, who at the present
time is the Congressman (U.S. House of Representatives) from the 7th District of New Jersey.

Under docket #18450 for the Prosecutor of the Pleas of Bergen County, it appears that a no-bill was returned on January 17, 1939 by the Grand Jury in connection with the second complaint. In accord with the no-bill the complaint was dismissed in open court of Quarter Sessions of Bergen County on January 24, 1939.

Because of the limited investigation requested, no additional investigation is contemplated by this office.

Very truly yours,

S. K. McKEE
SAC

    
Though there was no evidence to substantiate the allegation that Sinatra had paid $40,000 to avoid the draft, there were reasons to be suspicious. Spurred by Hoover’s interest, headquarters ordered a more thorough investigation of the draft-dodging allegation. It turned out that details of the singer’s emotional instability—including his supposed fear of crowds—were omitted from the official reasons for his 4-F classification to “avoid undue unpleasantness for both the selectee and the induction service.”

February 24, 1944

Director, FBI

Re: FRANK ALBERT SINATRA
SELECTIVE SERVICE

Dear Sir:

    Reference is made to the two letters from this office, dated February 10, 1944 and February 17, 1944, and to telephone message
from Mr. CHRISTOPHER CALLAN on February 21, 1944. In accordance with instructions given by Mr. CALLAN, JOSEPH R. WEINTROB, Captain, U. S. Army Medical Corps, Chief Medical Officer, Armed Forces Induction Station, 113th Infantry Armory, Sussex Avenue and Jay Street, Newark 4, New Jersey, was interviewed by Special Agent
on February 23, 1944. The line officer in command of this induction station is Captain RAYMOND E. WALLS. Captain WEINTROB’S superior is Major FRANK GUIDOTTI, 39 Whitehall Street, New York, N.Y.

Captain WEINTROB said that he had personally examined SINATRA’s ears and had rejected SINATRA against his, WEINTROB’S, wishes on the basis of a perforation of the left tympanum and chronic mastoiditis, left, either one of which would have sufficed for having rejected the registrant. The rejection was based on Mobilization Regulation #1-9, War Department, Washington, D.C., issued October 15, 1942 and amended thereafter. These regulations entitled “Standards of Physical Examination during Mobilization” set forth under Section 5, “Ears,” paragraph #25, that the following defects make a registrant “not acceptable”:

Captain WEINTROB stated he had discussed this case with Major GUIDOTTI and with Colonel CHARLES E. WALSON, Chief, Medical Branch, Second Service Command, New York City, and he had, at the request of Colonel WALSON, forwarded on December 27, 1943 a true copy of the work sheet of the physical examination of SINATRA to General CHARLES C. HILLMAN, M.C., Office of the Surgeon General, War Department, Army Service Forces, 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington 25, D.C. A certified true copy of the cover letter used by Captain WEINTROB in forwarding the copy of the work sheet is enclosed with this letter. There is also enclosed a certified true copy of a letter signed by
Captain WEINTROB to Colonel WALSON on December 28, 1943 and this letter is being set forth below:

ARMED FORCES INDUCTION STATION
113th Infantry Armory
Sussex Avenue and Jay Street
Newark 4, N.Y.

28 December 1943
  JW/eak          

Subject: Supplementary Information, Frank A. Sinatra.

To: Commanding General, Second Service Command, Army Service Forces, Governors Island, New York, 4, New York. ATTENTION:

    1. Supplementing the telephonic conversation of 27 and 28 December and work sheet of the physical examination of Frank A. Sinatra, the following information is submitted:

(a) Selectee stated that at birth he sustained an injury below the left ear, presumably from the blade of forceps. In his early childhood he had several mastoid operations and subsequently has had frequent and repeated attacks of “running ear” on the left side, the last having occurred within the past several months. He also stated that he often suffered from “head noises” on the left side.

(b) Examination of the external ear revealed that the lobule had been removed, and there was much post auricular scarification, including what were probably incisional scars of the previously mentioned mastoid surgery. The external auditory canal was narrowed and somewhat deformed and there was a considerable quantity of inspissated wax present. The tympanum was seen to contain a perforation. X-Rays of the left mastoid area revealed a “sclerosing mastoiditis.”

(c) During the psychiatric interview the patient stated that he was ‘neurotic, afraid to be in crowds, afraid to go in elevator, makes
him feel that he would want to run when surrounded by people. He had somatic ideas and headaches and has been very nervous for four or five years. Wakens tired in the A.M., is run down and undernourished.’ The examining psychiatrist concluded that this selectee suffered from psychoneurosis and was not acceptable material from the psychiatric viewpoint. Inasmuch as the selectee was to be rejected on an organic basis, namely,

the diagnosis of psychoneurosis, severe was not added to the list. Notation of emotional instability was made instead. It was felt that this would avoid undue unpleasantness for both the selectee and the induction service.

For the Commanding Officer:

    In explanation of some of the medical terms used above, and in explanation of the material transmitted to Colonel WALSON by Captain WEINTROB, the latter gave the following information:

SINATRA had stated to him that he had had at least three mastoid operations in his youth. If SINATRA mentioned the name or names of the physicians involved, Captain WEINTROB was unable to recall them. The examination, according to Captain WEINTROB, seemed to verify the statement inasmuch as there were found scars behind the ear. The perforation of the drum (tympanum) was a disease perforation so far as Captain WEINTROB could tell and not the result of an incision by human hands. Captain WEINTROB stated that mastoiditis is ordinarily caused by infection of the middle ear. In SINATRA’S case, there was chronic infection of the middle ear. Such infection ordinarily causes the formation of pus, which may seek outlet through the drum causing a perforation and thereafter pus draining or running through the perforation. The pus may stop flowing in which case the perforation of the drum will
ordinarily heal over until pus again causes a perforation. However, where a perforation has healed, it is possible to see that a perforation formerly existed at that spot. The diseased middle ear can spread this infection to the brain causing an abscess, or to the mastoid area. In the latter area, a diseased condition is termed “mastoiditis,” which may be acute; that is inflamed, or chronic; that is more a case of a hardening of the mastoid area with the laying down of bone deposits. In adverse weather conditions and the like chronic mastoiditis may well develop into acute mastoiditis. In SINATRA’S case, his assertion that “running ear” had recently occurred was borne out by the perforation noted in the x-ray of the mastoid area, which showed that the condition was one of chronic mastoiditis. This was borne out by the appearance on the x-ray of the scelorizing or hardening of that area; that is clotting in the remaining cells of the mastoid area not removed by operations indicating that the chronic mastoiditis had had the effect of petrifying that portion of the head. Captain WEINTROB attempted to locate the x-rays of the mastoid area, but was unable to do so immediately. He said he would continue to search for them and would lay them to one side if he were able to locate them.

The Captain also stated that no one had ever attempted to influence his opinion in this case and in fact no one had discussed the SINATRA case with him prior to the actual examination. He added that within the past few weeks he has read an article by one of the New York City columnists to the effect that it was understood FRANK SINATRA’S case was not yet closed so far as induction was concerned. Captain WEINTROB stated he was satisfied in his own mind that SINATRA should not have been inducted and was willing to stake his medical reputation on his findings. He pointed to his training at the Jefferson Medical School and post-graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School as an indication of his medical qualifications.

Captain WEINTROB stated that although SINATRA was four pounds below the minimum weight for men of his height, his induction station no longer went by the rules regarding minimum
weight and for that reason no mention was made of his being below minimum weight. He also stated that many men coming into the induction station are found to have known physical defects which they did not list on the questionnaire or other draft papers. Ordinarily they fail to list such defects in their draft records for fear that people will criticize them for attempting to evade the draft in that fashion.