Noticing Ed’s friendship with so many other pit crews Wade wondered, “How does he know all these people?” Wade didn’t think much about Ed’s popularity and attributed it to his outgoing personality. Wade always knew that when it was time to get ready for a race, Ed would be there helping and directing the younger members of the pit crew on what to do. He never let Wade down at the track. Wade became very proficient as a driver, rarely missing his tachometer points for shifting or spinning out at the start line.
Wade’s popularity at the track would later become a liability as well as asset. Shelves of winning race trophies perhaps went to his head. One fateful night his overconfidence turned his life upside down.
11
In hindsight, Wade saw that he overlooked many signs his friend Ed Langer was sending that should have made him more suspicious. Perhaps it was inexperience, youthful judgment, or just that things were going so well, but Wade didn’t want to know answers to difficult questions or confront his good friend. The parts Ed provided always seemed immediately available or would arrive in just a few days. The price was always right and well below the going price for similar parts from junk yards.
Wade wrote off these little inconsistencies to Ed’s father’s having two service stations where old parts were always being replaced and to Ed’s uncle, who owned a junk yard. His uncle’s junk yard was actually located quite a ways out of town, on the way to Baton Rouge. Roundtrip to and from his uncle’s junk yard would take more than half a day. Many of the used junk yard parts Ed provided looked newer than those Wade usually saw from other junk yards.
Once the decision was made to go with a Cadillac engine and Corvette transmission, it was only a few days before Ed conveniently showed up with both the engine and the transmission in his father’s truck. Ed’s friendship with so many of the other pit crew members at the track could have been due to his friendly personality, but Wade wondered, when would he ever have had the time to meet them?
That question was never asked. Ed and Wade were always friendly, and neither of them had been in any kind of trouble in the past. Wade had not yet learned the lesson, “When things look too good to be true, chances are they are not.” For a while, Wade’s stressful home life was now quiet, school was fine, and his work at the garage and his early racing attempts were going great.
Dating for Wade still seemed awkward and would be put off well into the future. For these few months, Wade’s life seemed sanguine.
One late afternoon, both Wade and Ed had been working on the '33 for an upcoming race. Both were tired and decided to lock up and grab shrimp po-boys and a beer at Billy-Jacks Grille not far from the garage. They jumped into Wade’s car.
When they finished eating, Ed told Wade he needed to go pick up some '55 Chevy hubcaps for a friend.
Wade asked, “Where are we going to get them?”
Ed replied, “He’s over by Audubon Park. It’s not too far. It will be a quick stop. You can just stay in the car.”
The upper-class Audubon Park area in uptown New Orleans is also the university section of the city, where both Loyola and Tulane are located. The area is dominated by the large Audubon Park which has a scenic lake, bayous, walking and riding trails and a zoo. Large, beautiful, older, affluent homes with well-landscaped front lawns surrounded the area.
It was around 9:30 pm. Ed seemed a little bothered and nervous as they approached the park area.
“What’s wrong?” asked Wade.
“It’s a long story, but I’ve got these guys I promised these hubcaps to, and they are very upset. I’ve got to get these or I’m in big trouble.”
Wade responded, “It’s not a problem we’ll pick them up.”
As they came to the park, Ed suggested that Wade turn down a side street. Ed began looking at the street signs and houses as through searching for a particular address.
Wade asked, “Do you know the address?”
“I lost the address, but I know the house. It’s right around here.”
They were now a few blocks off the large, divided, St. Charles Avenue, going down a side street that bordered the park. “Turn right here. I think this is the area.”
Wade turned down the side street.
“Keep going. Take a left here and another left.”
It was clear to Wade that Ed was confused about the address and the house. It soon became clearer to Wade that Ed was not looking for an address at all. Ed was looking at all the cars parked along these side streets.
Wade asked, “What are you doing?”
Ed said “I’ve got to find these '55 and '56 caps or I’m in serious trouble. Do you see all of the '55 and '56 Chevys parked along this street? This is a gold mine.”
Ed continued, uncomfortable with Wade’s shocked silence. “Look I just need to pick up four caps and I can get these guys off my back. You drive and I’ll take care of everything else – it’s no big deal.”
Wade stared straight ahead, speechless.
Ed pleaded, “Please help me with this. This is the only time I’m ever going to ask you to do this. I don’t want you to get involved. It’s just that my friends need these caps right away or I’m going to be dog meat.”
Wade now saw the whole picture, and while he didn’t like it, he had never seen Ed so concerned and worried. Wade felt mixed emotions, but he wanted to help his friend. After going down several more side streets, Ed found exactly what he was looking for. There sat two cars of the right model, one parked behind the other on the same side of the street. One was a '55 Chevy Bellaire, and one was a '56 Chevy Bellaire.
Ed said firmly, “Stop in the middle of the block between the two street lights so we don’t draw attention, and shut off your headlights. Keep the motor running at idle.”
Ed reached into his tool kit on the back floor behind Wade’s seat. He removed a long heavy-duty screwdriver and quickly got out of the car, then immediately disappeared below the car’s window and Wade’s line of sight. He closed the passenger side door very quietly. Ed moved so quietly in his crouched position that Wade didn’t hear any noise at all.
Wade couldn’t tell for sure where Ed was. He turned off the car radio and only heard the quiet noise of the engine at idle. Wade looked around as though he were looking for nearby house numbers for an address, hoping to get a glimpse of Ed. Wade wanted to look like someone waiting to pick up a friend from one of the nearby houses.
He thought, “How hard can this be?” Ed would be back in the car quickly with the caps, and Wade was ready to give him a talking to. Wade had stopped in the darkest part of the block between the street lights, under an overhanging limb of an oak tree. There was no moon that night. Wade couldn’t hear any noise from Ed’s quiet work, and he didn’t want to be turning around looking for him, as it could draw attention to their activity.
What Wade and Ed hadn’t noticed was the dark unmarked police car patrolling this area two blocks behind them. The patrol car spotted Ed and called for backup. They turned down a side street so as not to be noticed and came up on the street just behind Wade’s car. Their headlights were off. They waited a few minutes to confirm what they suspected Ed was doing. The unmarked car moved in before back-up arrived.
What Wade saw next was his dash board light up with the blinding glare of the patrol car’s search light. A voice from behind Wade said, “This is the police. Keep your hands high on the steering wheel. Reach down slowly and turn off your engine, and get out of the car with your hands on your head.”
Before turning to comply, Wade quickly glanced in his rear-view mirror and saw one officer holding his gun on Ed. Ed had his hands on his head. The officer was holding in his other hand four hubcaps and Ed’s large screw driver. Wade’s immediate thoughts as he turned his engine off were, “What happens now? How stupid could I be? The one and only time I ever participated in this kind of thing, the cops caught me in the act.”
By the time they were handcuffed, the back-up patrol car arrived. Wade and Ed were separated and take
n to the precinct for questioning in separate cars.
The young men remained separated in different interrogation rooms. Ed was put in a room two doors down from where Wade was being questioned. Wade was in a small double-locked room with an old oak conference table and two straight chairs. He was alone for perhaps 45 minutes before he heard loud voices from down the hall and his friend Ed, screaming. It was clear Ed was being beaten. Ed’s interrogation went on for more than an hour. Wade sat in the room alone knowing he was next. Wade’s thoughts about what he would say were racing through his mind. He knew his family would become involved, his school would be notified, and his whole future would be in shambles.
Wades future life passed before him as he continued to hear the beating and yelling coming from the hall. After an hour, he could barely hear Ed’s faint voice. Wade felt ashamed for what he had done and somehow guilty for what Ed was going through. His guilt was based on his just going along with the stupid plan and not standing up to Ed. He could have talked Ed out of doing this. He could have been a better friend. They could have found another way to get Ed his hubcaps.
Finally the screaming stopped, and Wade could hear footsteps of several people and what sounded like a body being dragged in the hall just past his door.
Wade’s hands were sweating and shaking as he anticipated what would be next. Finally, the door to his room opened, and a large barrel-chested cop about 6'3" stood in front of him. He had in one hand what appeared to be a short black Billy club. The officer’s first words were, “Be smart, son. Your friend is on his way to the hospital. He had to be constrained for resisting arrest. We’re not going to have the same problem with you, are we?”
Wade stammered, “No, sir.”
“Good. You’re very lucky. Do you know why I say that?”
Wade replied, “No, sir.”
“Your friend is part of a major car theft ring in the city – one that we have been trying to break for several years. Before he tried to escape, he gave us all the key information we needed about the ring and its leaders. Do you know what else he did?”
“No, Officer.”
“He convinced us that you were not part of the ring but were only a driver tonight. That you’ve never been involved in any part of the ring’s activity and were only a buyer of some parts your friend was selling. That he asked you as a personal favor to help him tonight. Is that true?”
“Yes, Officer,” Wade said, almost eagerly.
“That doesn’t mean you’re not in trouble. You were part of a crime that carries a long prison sentence. Do you know what it’s like for a young boy like you to be in prison?”
Wade lowered his head. “No, Officer.” He could feel, more than see, the officer looking at him. He didn’t dare raise his head.
“Well it’s not fun being the girlfriend or wife of some of the prisoners we have. We’re not interested in punishing you for making one stupid mistake if your story checks out. We want the rest of the ring, and we need people who can penetrate that ring and provide us with information. We’ve decided to hold off officially booking you and your friend tonight until we can check out everything your friend told us.”
“All we need tonight is your personal information so we know where to find you. Your friend will be getting out of the hospital in a few days, and we’ll want to speak to both of you soon.”
“You’ll be free to go after an officer comes in and takes down your personal information. Your car was searched and taken to the station lot at the back of the building. You can pick up the keys at the front desk when you leave. Do you have any questions?”
Wade replied, “No, Officer. Thank you, Officer.”
A younger man came in, and Wade gave him all the information he requested, including his home address and phone number, parents’ names and occupations, names of teachers, garage personnel, and even the name of his football coach.
Wade’s mind was racing, and he was shaking all over as he drove home slowly. Halfway home from the police station at a stop light, he suddenly became sick to his stomach and pulled over in an open parking spot to his right. At the stoplight, Wade had suddenly realized he had forgotten that he still had his .45 pistol hidden under the dash in the drop-down compartment. Wade remembered the officer saying “They searched the car.”
If they’d found that gun, he would also be guilty of carrying a concealed weapon. Wade slowly reached back to find the hidden button just between the seat and the covered trim piece which runs around the side of the driver’s seat. He pushed the button and the secret hinged trap door dropped, exposing the handle of the .45 pistol. Wade took a deep breath and looked around before he pulled back onto the street and slowly resumed his drive home.
When he arrived, Wade removed the pistol from the car and hid it in the house. He went straight to bed because he was exhausted. But he couldn’t sleep that night. His mind raced from thought to thought, What will happen to me? Will Ed survive his beatings?
A few days later, he called Charity Hospital and asked about his friend’s condition, without giving his own name. He was told that Ed Langer was still in “critical condition.” Wade went back to school and continued working at the garage. He heard nothing from the police. Two weeks passed, and Wade called the hospital again and the attendant said Ed had gone home.
Wade felt some relief but didn’t know whether to contact Ed or not. At this point, Wade really didn’t want to know anything more about Ed or his gang activities. He decided not to call him. Wade tried to keep to a normal routine as he was instructed. He attended school but had no contact with his football coach, and he kept a distance from his teachers and friends. He avoided his football teammates because he didn’t want to relive his injury and explain why he had stopped playing or what he had been through. He certainly didn’t want anyone knowing anything about the theft. He became noticeably cautious at school and at the garage.
One day at the garage, Jesse’s uncle mentioned, “I haven’t seen your parts friend, Ed.”
Wade replied, “I haven’t seen him either. I think he’s on a trip with his parents.”
Not having heard from the police or Ed, Wade felt, as he went to school and worked at the garage that he was just going through the motions, waiting for bad news. Something ominous was about to happen. He feared the cops were everywhere. Wade also feared Ed’s gang may have heard about the police incident and would be looking for him. Wade wished he could simply disappear. He became nervous every time he saw a police car. In one instance, he almost had a wreck trying to make a turn to avoid a patrol car on regular duty.
About two months had passed since the arrest, and a call finally came from a detective at NOPD. The detective called his home, and when his mother answered, she was told, “According to witnesses, your son scraped a car in a parking lot while he was pulling in. I just want to talk to him about it.”
Wade’s mother told him a detective had called and wanted to know if he remembered scraping a car.
“I’ll give him a call, and if there is a minor scratch on the bumper or something, I’ll take care of it at the garage next week.”
That satisfied his mother. Soon after getting the detective’s message, Wade went to a payphone near the school and called, asking for the detective by name, “May I speak with Detective Jake Pisano?”
Wade was relieved that the call had come, and that the detective was willing to keep his parents in the dark about all that was happening. That gave Wade some level of comfort.
The conversation with Detective Pisano was brief. The detective asked Wade if he’d had any contact with his “parts friend,” and Wade said no. The detective said he was going to try to reach Ed and set up a meeting. He told Wade to call back in two days. From the way Detective Pisano talked, Wade knew he was not one of the arresting officers or from the police station where he had been taken when he was arrested. After two days, as instructed, Wade called and a meeting was set up at the “Ole Grille” for 2:00 pm on the following Saturday.<
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12
Automobile theft in the '50s and '60s was as a serious crime as it is today, but it was rare to find theft rings organized on any large scale. As in most large cities, then, as now, organized crime tended to focus on extortion, drugs, bookmaking, loan-sharking, gambling, racketeering, murder, and fencing stolen property. Since the turn of the century, New Orleans has had several mob bosses with ties to the Mafia and crime families in Chicago, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Florida. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, mob activity was concentrated in several of these more typical crime activities. There were also small gangs of varying sizes throughout the city with different commercial interests.
With the election of President John F. Kennedy and his appointment of Bobby Kennedy as U.S. Attorney General, the elimination of major organized crime got new attention. New Orleans was one of Bobby Kennedy’s hot spots, and increased federal pressure was being placed on organized crime figures and their operations. At the time of the Kennedy election, most mob bosses in New Orleans were primarily focused on illegal gambling.
Fifteen years prior to Kennedy’s election, a young street hood by the name of T.J. Coletta was emerging as a tough guy on the streets of New Orleans. Among other small crimes, he was involved in steeling cars, dismantling them, and selling parts.
Before Coletta, car theft was not an activity that organized crime was interested in. To the mob, large scale auto theft and parts distribution was a messy and complicated business. As one crime boss indicated, the business “had too many moving parts.” Too many parts were marked and traceable. There was the vehicle’s VIN number; then there were engine parts and chassis numbers that could all be used to trace stolen vehicles. Numbers were stamped or molded onto the various parts. Removing of individual parts numbers was a time consuming job. And parts could be bulky, heavy, and difficult to handle. Large parts had to be broken down into smaller parts; it was very difficult to sell an entire drive train. It was much easier to sell the individual parts: generators, radiators, transmissions, starters, rear ends, wheels and other engine parts.
Silent Sanction: A Novel Page 7
