by Joe Corso
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Julius drove all night with his cousin Zeke and was fast approaching New York. His daddy’s Second World war Colt automatic was strapped in a shoulder holster under his jacket. He paid the Jersey Turnpike toll and had all intentions of finding a motel in Queens somewhere near The Starlight Club.
Two major crime bosses were on their way as well - to visit Red. They were due at the Starlight Club at any moment.
There was nothing mandating Red’s appearance at the Corona Gentlemen’s Club so he happily settled himself into his office at The Starlight Club and was busy clearing up last minute items when Trenchie walked in.
“You’re never going to guess who wants to speak with you.”
“You’ve got my attention … who?”
“Gambino. He’s sitting in his car and wants a word with you.”
Red walked to the front door but stopped short of opening it. Instead, he pushed aside the curtain, taking a quick glance out the window. Nothing seemed out of sorts so he pulled the curtain back into place, opened the front door and strode to the car. Gambino’s bodyguard opened the door.
“Mr. Gambino would like to speak with you privately. Is your place safe?”
“Of course it is. Why?”
“He’ll meet you in your office in five minutes.”
Red returned to the club and asked Trenchie to fetch two comfortable chairs from the back and bring them into his office. A few moments later, two men, who looked to be bodyguards, canvassed the place, making sure it was safe and suitable for their boss. Precisely three minutes after that, Carlo Gambino strolled in and to Red’s surprise, Tony Lucchese was with him. It was a bit disconcerting to see both of them in his club at the same time, with two bodyguards, one on either side of each man. Red’s mind raced as he concluded that this couldn’t be a hit because the men would have insulated themselves in a dozen different ways. No, they must want to talk, but why? Arming himself with his most confident smile, Red offered them a seat and offered each man a drink. They both politely declined the drinks but Carlo accepted a cup of espresso. Trenchie looked at Red as if to ask if he should stay. Red gave the signal. Trenchie knew what to do. He took a chair and positioned himself outside the door making sure no one could interrupt the meeting. Carlo, his usual stoic self, sat quietly while Lucchese began to speak.
Red interrupted, “Gentlemen, I have this place swept every day by one of the best but you never know, so as a precaution . . . ”
Carlo appreciated the advice but he and Lucchese were pros. They treated every place as if they were being recorded.
“We,” Lucchese said, pointing to himself then to Gambino. “We were impressed with how you resolved our problem. You did exactly what you said you would do and you did it very efficiently so we decided to thank you,” as he gently nudged a large yellow envelope across the desk. Carlo pointed to it, motioning him to open it. He must have felt it was safe to speak.. “Open it!” Inside was a meticulous list of addresses of businesses, individuals, phone numbers.
Carlo spoke again. “It’s a list of businesses.”
Red recognized many of the names. The list was a small, but lucrative, arm of Profaci’s business. Carlo and Lucchese, still the tough guys, waited for Red’s reaction. Red, being a pro as well, just simply said, “Thank you gentlemen.” The men talked at length using misleading sentences and speaking code that Red clearly understood. With business concluded, Lucchese remarked, “I hear that Trenchie is gettin’ married.”
“Excuse me, Tony, but I didn’t know that you knew him.”
“I don’t know him but I’ve heard good things about him. I heard he’s old school, and everybody knows that he did ten years, didn’t cop a plea.”
“He’s a good man - one of the best I’ve ever known.
“He’s the one gettin’ married right?” Lucchese asked.
“Yes, he’s gettin’ married on Saturday.”
“Is that kid James Roman coming because that’s what I heard?”
Red was surprised at how much these two men knew. “Yeah, he’s one of my men and he’ll be here. I sent him out to a contact of mine out west and to my surprise, he made good out there. So, yes he’ll be here and you know who he’s bringing with him?”
“Who?”
“George Raft, that’s who.”
“No kiddin’. George Raft. Man I’m his biggest fan,” Lucchese remarked.
“Well if that’s the case and you’d like to come to the wedding, then the both of you are invited.”
Gambino spoke again in that quiet way of his. “My granddaughter loves that James Roman kid. Would you mind if I brought her to meet him?” That surprised Red. The boss of bosses would like his granddaughter to meet Jimmy the Hat! Go figure. What an irony this world was.
“Sure. I would consider it an honor to have the three of you at the wedding. Just do me a favor, and let me know how many of your party will attend the reception. I’ll arrange the seating.” Red knew that attending the wedding was probably the real reason for their visit, because any one of their men could have delivered the package.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Ever since the Captain of the 110th Precinct had retired, Red seemed to have problems. He just couldn’t do business with his straight-laced new replacement. It became necessary to obtain a cabaret license, something he had never had to do in the past. In mid May, Red had asked Doc to secure the necessary forms for the filing. Red completed the application and sent it to his lawyer, instructing him to have it ready for his signature no later than the next day. The papers indeed arrived by noon the next day. Doc took over, making sure to rubberstamp them at the bureau of liquor and cabaret and retuning them to the club by late afternoon. By the end of the following day, Red had his Cabaret license and the wedding reception could now take place without concern of breaking any laws.
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Julius and Zeke arrived at the La Guardia Airport Marriott in Queens where they settled into their rooms, talking long into the night about their plans. The question was whether to kill him as he came out of church or when he arrived at The Starlight Club for the reception. Such tough decisions. Julius seemed to delight with the idea of shattering his happiness at either event. Steal my wife, I steal your life, he mused.
After an anxious night with little sleep, Julius showered, dressed and went down to the lobby dining room for a hearty breakfast. He found Zeke at a table, sipping coffee, waiting for him. During breakfast, his mind recalled how easy it was to run up on Mary and how smooth it had gone until that guy Trenchie showed up, screwing up his plan. He was so close. Rollie was just about to pull the car around when Trenchie decided not to mind his own business. He ran the scenario over and over in his mind, how he had waited until she walked past the alley, how he grabbed her, reclaiming what was rightfully his.
The thought of Trenchie interfering in his life and then being so presumptuous as to take Mary from him was motivation enough to kill him. A man just shouldn’t do those things to another man’s wife. Julius layed out his plans to Zeke. From the report, they knew his address so Julius decided that the best approach was just to wait for him to leave his home, follow him, and kill him when the first opportunity presented itself. The plan pleased Julius. They would grab him, work him over a good while, make him suffer and squeal like a pig, before killing him. Julius smiled. He’d fix it so he wouldn’t be going anywhere, let alone marry his Mary. Feeling better now, he motioned to his waitress for a fresh cup of coffee and unsolicited, she brought over a sweet bread, his favorite pastry. That must be a sign, he reconciled, a foretelling of his adventure and its outcome. Full of confidence from the “sign” he had received, Julius brazenly told Zeke that he felt like having drinks at The Starlight Club.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Ralph and Gibby had left the Gallos’ President Street headquarters in Brooklyn and were on their way to pick up Trenchie. Albert Kid Blast didn’t want
to take a chance on anything happening before, during, or after the peace negotiation set for later this afternoon, so he instructed everyone to make sure they were armed, with eyes alert, and bodies close to everyone, especially Trenchie.
“Guys, we have plenty of enemies and it would be in their best interest to see these peace talks fall apart. I can picture them salivating over how they’re gonna’ take over our territories. It’s up to you guys to make sure this doesn’t happen. From the moment you pick him up, to the time he’s seated at the table’, make sure nothin’ happens to him. Remember, Trenchie’s the only one who can represent us, so be on your toes.”
Albert wasn’t finished. “I don’t want weapons in the trunk. I want you to carry today. Understand?”
The upcoming meeting was the most important meeting in their short career and they were excited, expecting the results to be favorable to them. The mob war had gone on too long and the both sides were ready for an end. All parties were now on the same page and Trenchie was the guy who could ensure a favorable outcome which translated to peace and profit.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Wednesday Afternoon, June 13, 1962
Big Red and Frankie were at Idlewild airport waiting for Jimmy and Moose. As they walked through the terminal gates, Frankie nudged Red. “Look who’s walking alongside the boys.” Red couldn’t help but recognize that it was George Raft walking with his two friends, talking and smiling, and if Jimmy hadn’t told him Raft was coming, Red would have figured that they most likely had met on the plane. When Red waved to the guys, Raft walked over too. Jimmy formally introduced Raft to Red and Frankie, telling them that George was his guest and would be attending the wedding with him. At sixty-seven years old, Raft was still recognized as a major screen tough guy. His last big Hollywood role was when he was personally chosen by Billy Wilder two years earlier to co-star in Some Like It Hot.
The limo ride was full of chatter with the guys getting to know George. He told how he counted Owney Madden, the king of the bootleggers, among his friends and how Madden was responsible for his introduction into moving pictures.
As soon as the group entered The Starlight Club, Red ordered the dining room be opened and instructed his chef to prepare a special lunch. In the interim, Tarzan delivered the beverages of choice to each of the men sitting at a table. Raft ordered iced tea. The men spent a leisurely afternoon discussing old times. Raft regaled them with his stories, especially one that had to do with Scarface. It was released in 1932 and was an overnight sensation. One night while on his way back to his hotel, he was approached by some pretty rough looking guys, thrown into the back seat of a car, and driven to a warehouse. Terrified and much to his surprise, he found himself face-to-face with none other than Al Capone himself. He was sure that big Al must be pissed off about the movie that loosely portrayed him and had a flashing moment of being whacked right here by the Kingpin and his thugs. Well, it turns out that Big Al loved Raft’s performance and wanted to say so in person. Capone and Raft settled into a long and surprisingly pleasant conversation which lasted well into the night. Reluctantly, Capone finally released the movie star, allowing him to be driven back to his hotel where Raft collapsed onto his bed, happy it was all over, and realizing that, yes, he was still breathing and living. The experience had emotionally exhausted him.
As their big Italian lunch was winding down, Big Red asked Raft if he would do him a favor and accompany him to the Corona Gentleman’s Club. He wanted to surprise a few of his fans. Raft readily obliged. Jimmy didn’t want to leave the club because of the fans outside so he opted to hang out, watch the Met game and maybe have a beer or two.
The Starlight Club had three TV’s - one in the corner of the bar, high on the wall, visible to everyone in the room, one in the anteroom, and the third in Red’s office which he rarely used. Jimmy was watching the game in the anteroom when Tarzan walked in clearly angry. He looked at Jimmy, “Trenchie’s not here, is he?”
“No, nobody’s here right now. Why?”
“There’s this little punk sitting at the bar that I threw outta here a few days ago and now he’s back. I get the feeling this guy’s trouble. It’s like he’s casin’ the place or somethin.’ He asked about Trenchie last time he was here. It’s a little strange that tomorrow Trenchie’s got an important meeting and today this guy shows up.” Jimmy stood up.
“Gimme your car keys. I’m gonna tail this guy. Let’s see what he’s got up his sleeve.”
Tarzan reached into his pocket and tossed Jimmy his keys. “It’s the blue caddy in the lot across the street.”
Jimmy sneaked out the back door then turn right and hugged the wall in the alley as he made his way to the street opposite the parking lot, careful not to draw any attention from the legions of women crowding the front door, and waited in the car for the stranger at the bar to leave. After two beers, Zeke walked outside, got into his car and headed back to the hotel. This was like old times for Jimmy. He had tailed many cars in the past and was good at it. He stayed three or four cars behind and kept himself hidden behind a truck or between two cars. When Zeke pulled into the parking lot of the Marriott, Jimmy parked three rows behind Zeke’s car. Zeke strode into the lobby where his cousin was waiting. Jimmy remained in his car with a solid view of the hotel lobby and watched as an animated discussion took place. He watched the men walk through the lobby, past the room clerk, and enter an elevator. When the door closed, Jimmy got out of his car and walked over to the front desk hoping he wouldn’t be recognized. No such luck. As soon as the clerk looked up, he knew immediately who he was. “James Roman. I can’t believe it’s you. Do you need a room?” he asked hopefully.
“No, but I sure would like your help on a private matter.”
“Sure. How can I help you?” he asked, disbelieving that James Roman was asking for his help.
“I was supposed to meet two gentlemen here and I noticed two men in the lobby, but they disappeared before I could get to them. Could you tell me their names to see if they’re the ones I’m waiting for?”
“Of course. Let’s see - the tall one is Julius Benton III and the other man is Zeke Tomson. Are those the men you were expecting?”
“No, I thought it might be them but it’s not, but thank you for your help.”
“Uh, Mr. Roman, would you mind doing me a favor and autograph my rate card?”
“I’d be happy to. How do you want me to sign it?”
“Could you sign it To My Friend, Jerry Solomon?”
“Sure,” and Jimmy signed it the way Jerry wanted it.
Jimmy spotted the pay phones over by the elevators and called Tarzan. He read him their names asked if he knew these two guys. “This little guy, Zeke - he’s the guy who was nosing around here and the other guy is Mary’s ex-husband, the one Trenchie had the fight with.”
“Then we have a problem. It looks to me as if ole Julius here is looking to break up the wedding. Tarzan, I’m not heeled. If I was, I’d go to their room and finish the two of ‘em off right now and be done with it.”
“Jimmy, don’t even think of it. You have too much to lose and besides, I’ll tell Ralph and Gibby to be on the lookout for these two bozos. This is a nothing job for them so don’t give it another thought. I’ll handle everything.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Thursday, June 14, 1962
Ralph was behind the wheel of his black 1959 Chrysler Imperial with Gibby sitting attentively in the backseat, his eyes riveted on the front door of the Condo building that Trenchie lived in. They’d feel a whole lot better when Trenchie walked through the door. They were both a bit anxious, feeling like sitting ducks, for anyone with a gun. As a precaution, they had earlier taken the elevator to the top floor and walked up the short flight of stairs to the roof. Gibby had placed his jacket between the door and the doorjamb so it wouldn’t lock closed behind them, and they did a thorough search of the roof. When everything checked out and Ralph was satisfied that there weren’t any hidden surprise
s, they retraced their steps, took the elevator to the garage level and checked out every possibility where a gunman could position himself for an ambush.
Meanwhile, at The Starlight Club, Jimmy The Hat was concerned that the two men he had seen talking in the hotel lobby yesterday were up to something. The only thing he could think of is that they were looking to even the score with Trenchie. It could be as juvenile as trying to stop the wedding or something more sophisticated such as murder. Jimmy discussed it all with Tarzan and decided not to leave anything to chance. Tarzan insisted that he was coming along on this ride. They opted for what seemed logical - to tail Julius and his cousin when they left their hotel. That meant getting there early to ensure that the guys didn’t slip through their fingers. On the way, Tarzan stated how he longed for his wake up juice - a heaping cup of coffee. He couldn’t send Jimmy because he would be recognized so Tarzan left him in the car as he entered a corner coffee shop, not far from the hotel. Within minutes, Tarzan returned with two steaming coffees and two bagels with sides of butter and cream cheese.
Tarzan and Jimmy arrived in front of the Marriott around seven in the morning and parked Tarzan’s blue Cadillac in a spot just vacated by what appeared to be a hotel employee. They suspected that Julius and his cousin wouldn’t leave any earlier than eight o’clock. While the two men drank the coffee and ate bagels, Jimmy asked Tarzan if he thought it might be better if they just went up to Julius and his cousin’s room, put a gun to their heads and make them fess up.
