Havana Nocturne

by T. J. English

  Lansky divorce: Lacey, pp. 136–38; author interview, Bernard Frank, Miami, April 15, 2006.

  Sinatra at Mob conference: The most convincing account of Sinatra’s appearance at the conference comes from Jorge Miguel Jorge Fernandez, a former employee at the Nacional. Jorge Jorge is interviewed in two documentaries: La Habana en los años 50s and La mafia en La Habana (both produced by Marakka 2000). See also Summers (I), pp. 129–40; Gosch and Hammer, p. 312, 318; Kelley, His Way, pp. 134–35.

  Sinatra-Mob partnership: Summers and Swan’s Sinatra (I) deals extensively with Sinatra’s Mob connections; also Kelley; Mortimer, “Frank Sinatra Confidential,” New American Mercury, August 1951; Gosch and Hammer, pp. 312, 318, 375.

  Sinatra-Luciano orgy at Hotel Nacional: FBN RG-170, general file, box no. 2; Summers and Swan (I), pp. 130–39; also Sondern, Brotherhood of Evil. Sondern describes the incident in detail, leaving out Sinatra’s name; the details coincide exactly with the FBN confidential report, which does name Sinatra.

  Robert Ruark: Summers and Swan (I), pp. 13–34.

  FBN surveillance of Luciano: Details drawn from FBN RG-170, along with various confidential reports filed by Agent J. Ray Olivera and others, 1946–47.

  Luciano connections in Cuba: Luciano’s relationship to Indalecio Pertierra, Paco Prío, and other powerful people in Cuba is detailed in FBN RG-170; also Cirules (I), pp. 32–53; Fuentes, “Mafia in Cuba,” Cuba International, August 1979; Saenz Rovner, La conexión cubana, pp. 19–20.

  Assassination attempt on Luciano: FBN RG-170, confidential report, March 21, 1947.

  Clemente “Sungo” Carreras: After having been both a player and coach for the Almendares Blues (later the Tigers) in the Cuban League, Sungo Carreras played three years with the New York Cubans in the U.S. Negro League. It was while playing second base for the New York team that he learned to speak English. Sungo’s boss with the New York Cubans was owner Alejandro “Alex” Pompez, a Cuban-born former numbers runner who, in the early 1930s, operated a lucrative policy bank in Harlem. Pompez’s numbers business was eventually taken over by mobster Dutch Schultz; it is likely Pompez had dealings with both Luciano and Lansky during his time as a New York racketeer. I am indebted to Roberto González Echevarría, author of The Pride of Havana: A History of Cuban Baseball, for information on Pompez: author interview, Roberto González Echevarría, May 21, 2007.

  Deportation of Luciano: FBN RG-170, plus various confidential reports; “U.S. Ends Narcotics Sales to Cuba While Luciano Is Resident There,” New York Times, February 22, 1947; Gosch and Hammer, pp. 26–32; Feder and Joesten, The Luciano Story, pp. 119–25; Cirules (I), pp. 47–53; Eisenberg, Dan, and Landau, pp. 231–39.

  “[Triscornia] is the Cuban version”: Gosch and Hammer, pp. 325–26.

  3. EL JUDIO MARAVILLOSO (THE MARVELOUS JEW)

  Lansky early biography: Lacey, Little Man, is the most scholarly biography of Lansky. Eisenberg, Dan, and Landau, Meyer Lansky: Mogul of the Mob, has value in that it quotes directly from Lansky and Doc Stacher. Messick, Lansky (II), was the first biography of Lansky and is unfortunately sensationalized and almost entirely without notated sources. Also with biographical detail on Meyer: Cohen, Tough Jews; Russo, Supermob; Fried, The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Gangster in America.

  Lansky-Rothstein relationship: Lacey, pp. 48–61; Eisenberg, Dan, and Landau, pp. 78–95; Katcher, The Big Bankroll, p. 352; Cohen, pp. 46–67.

  “Like me he was a gambler”: Eisenberg, Dan, and Landau, p. 103.

  Lansky, South Florida casinos: Lacey, pp. 97–111; Messick, Syndicate in the Sun (I), pp. 12–25, 31–33.

  “He seemed restless”: Author interview, Bernard Frank, Miami, May 3, 2006.

  Thelma “Teddy” Schwartz: Author interview, Cynthia (Schwartz) Duncan (granddaughter of Teddy), Miami, May 4, 2006; Lacey, pp. 160–61.

  Meyer-Teddy wedding: Lacey, pp. 164–65; author interview, Cynthia (Schwartz) Duncan; Cohen, “The Lost Journals of Meyer Lansky,” Ocean Drive, January 2005.

  “Batista, who was a senator”: Cohen, “Lost Journals.”

  Fulgencio Batista, early biography: Much detail was drawn from Argote-Freyre, Fulgencio Batista. Also Chester, A Sergeant Named Batista; Thomas, Cuba: The Pursuit of Freedom; Phillips, Cuba: Island of Paradox.

  Batista in power: In addition to the books mentioned above, see Gellman, Roosevelt and Batista, entire book; Whitney, “The Architect of the Cuban State,” Journal of Latin American Studies, 2000.

  Batista in exile: Chester, pp. 85–89.

  Batista stealing oranges: Chester, pp. 88–89.

  “Batista was coming back”: Time, April 12, 1948.

  “He showed up”: Author interview, confidential source, 2006.

  Rise of gangsterismo: Author interview, Max Lesnick, Miami, May 4, 2006; author interview, Bernardo Benes, Miami, May 3, 2006; Thomas, pp. 466–68; Bardach, Cuba Confidential, pp. 239–40; Geyer, Guerilla Prince, pp. 145–55; Szulc, Fidel, pp. 143–47; Farber, “The Political Gangster,” in Chomsky and Smorkaloff, The Cuba Reader, pp. 287–89.

  Castro bursts on the scene: Author interview, Max Lesnick; Szulc, pp. 148–67; Geyer, pp. 112–25; Bonachea and Valdes, eds., Revolutionary Struggle 1947–1958, pp. 129–36; Thomas, pp. 523–34; Sublette, Cuba and Its Music, p. 514.

  Batista-Castro meeting at Kuquine: Szulc, pp. 212–13; Thomas, p. 529.

  4. WELL-CHARACTERED PEOPLE

  Lansky FBN interview: FBN, Strike Force 18, confidential report, Agent John H. Hanly, June 28, 1949; Lacey, Little Man, pp. 173–76; Eisenberg, Dan, and Landau, Meyer Lansky, pp. 243–44, though the investigative agency is misidentified as the FBI.

  “I used to recognize them”: Eisenberg, Dan, and Landau, p. 113.

  Lansky meeting with Luciano: Gosch and Hammer, The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano, pp. 347–48; Messick, Lansky (II), pp. 168–69. Note: Luciano describes the meetings with Lansky in detail as having taken place in Sicily; Lansky, in his Kefauver testimony, says the meetings took place in Rome.

  Lansky makes headlines: Johnson, “Lansky Sails in Luxury for Italy,” New York Sun, June 28, 1949.

  Kefauver hearings: Moore, The Kefauver Committee and the Politics of Crime, 1950–1952, entire book; Kefauver, Crime in America, entire book; Kefauver Committee Transcripts, U.S. National Archives, Washington, D.C.; Bernstein, The Greatest Menace, pp. 35–51; Eisenberg, Dan, and Landau, pp. 303–8; Lacey, pp. 190–207; Peterson, The Mob, pp. 263–77; Wolf and DiMona, Frank Costello, pp. 181–99.

  Jake Lansky incident: Messick, Syndicate in the Sun (I), pp. 161–62.

  Sheriff Walter Clark testimony: Kefauver Transcripts, U.S. National Archive, Washington, D.C.

  Lansky testimony: Ibid.

  Lansky-Kefauver backroom exchange: Lacey, pp. 197–98; Eisenberg, Dan, and Landau, pp. 306.

  Batista to run for president: Thomas, Cuba: The Pursuit of Freedom, p. 477; Chester, A Sergeant Named Batista, pp. 125–27.

  Batista, coup d’état: Author interview, Max Lesnick, Miami, May 4, 2006; author interview, Bernardo Benes, Miami, May 3, 2006; Bonachea and Valdes, Revolutionary Struggle, pp. 31–34, 145–48; Thomas, pp. 493–500; Szulc, Fidel, pp. 213–35; Geyer, Guerilla Prince, pp. 125–29; Phillips, Cuba: Island of Paradox, p. 244; Ameringer, “The Auténtico Party,” Hispanic American Historical Review (1985); “Batista at Work,” Newsweek, March 24, 1952.

  “The military junta have acted”: Thomas, p. 498.

  Time magazine cover: March 14, 1952.

  “[Batista’s military coup]”: Bonachea and Valdes, pp. 147–49.

  “We would have won the case”: Ibid.

  Lansky pleads guilty: Lacey, pp. 208–9.

  5. RAZZLE-DAZZLE

  Dana C. Smith incident: Lacey, Little Man, pp. 224–25; Lowinger and Fox, Tropicana Nights, pp. 229–30; Schwartz, Pleasure Island, pp. 143–44; Velie, “Suckers in Paradise,” Saturday Evening Post, March 28, 1953.

  “El Razzle-dazzle, mala publicidad”: Ramírez-Rosell, Diario de la Marina, April 12
, 1953.

  Lansky return to Havana: Schwartz, pp. 145–47; Lacey, pp. 226–29; Lowinger and Fox, p. 151; Eisenberg, Dan, and Landau, Meyer Lansky, pp. 253–55; Velie, “Suckers”; Reiss, “The Batista–Lansky Alliance,” Cigar Aficionado, May/June 2001.

  Muscles Martin and Sammy Mannarino: Velie, “Suckers”; Schwartz, pp. 144–45.

  Casino dealers deported: “Cuba Ousts 13 US Gamblers,” New York Times, March 31, 1953.

  Lansky pleads guilty and does time: Lacey, pp. 208–9.

  “I liked him”: Ibid., p. 209.

  Amadeo Barletta Barletta: “Caribbean Tyranny,” Time, May 13, 27, 1935; “Lese Majeste,” Time, May 27, 1935; Cirules, The Mafia in Havana (I), pp. 16–17, 89–98; Cirules, La vida secreta de Meyer Lansky en La Habana (II), pp. 13, 24–25, 39; Gálvez, Otro jinete apocalíptico, pp. 27–41; U.S. Treasury Department memo, Dade County, Organized Crime Bureau file #1–139, September 1961; Pardon, “Amadeo Barletta,” Granma, March 30, 1971.

  Amletto Battisti y Lora: FBN RG-170, Box 154, #0660 (foreign countries), no date; FBN RG-170, confidential memo, Agent Olivera, March 21, 1947; Cirules (I), pp. 16, 33–34; Cirules (II), pp. 117, 155–56; official history, Hotel Sevilla, http://www.hotelsevillacuba.com, November 1, 1995.

  Rolando Masferrer and Los Tigres: Author interview, Max Lesnick, Miami, May 4, 2006; Thomas, Cuba: The Pursuit of Freedom, pp. 466–68, 578; Szulc, Fidel, pp. 143–44; Phillips, Cuba: Island of Paradox, pp. 318–19; Cirules (I), p. 54; Farber, “The Political Gangster,” in Chomsky and Smorkaloff, The Cuba Reader, p. 289.

  “Yes, chico”: Thomas, p. 488.

  Lansky kibitzing poolside at Nacional: Lacey, p. 232.

  “That dirty Jew bastard”: Ragano and Raab, Mob Lawyer, p. 43.

  Tampa–Ybor City history: Deitche, Cigar City Mafia (I), entire book; Deitche, The Silent Don (II), pp. 23–25, 28–30; Ragano and Raab, pp. 11–13, 15–19.

  Martí in Tampa: Martí, Selected Writings, introduction.

  Bolita in Tampa: Ragano and Raab, pp. 9–13, 15–19, 21–25, 64–68; Deitche (I), pp. 19–85; Deitche (II), pp. 21–24, 34–36, 50–63.

  Santo Trafficante Sr. and Cuba: Ragano and Raab, pp. 15–18, 23–25, 78–79; Deitche (I), pp. 66–68; Deitche (II), pp. 24–26, 35–36; Saenz Rovner, La conexión cubano, pp. 21–23; Cirules (I), pp. 16–17, 33; Gálvez, pp. 124, 148.

  Origins of Aerovías Q: FBN RG-170, confidential memo, March 21, 1947; Cirules (I), p. 33; Gálvez, p. 94.

  Charlie Wall background: Deitche (I), pp. 15–18; Atkins, White Shadow. Atkins’s fictionalized account of Charlie Wall and the Tampa–Ybor City underworld of the 1950s is well researched and evocative.

  Wall testimony at Kefauver hearings: Kefauver Committee Transcripts, U.S. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

  Attempted assassination of Trafficante: Ragano and Raab, p. 18; Deitche (I), p. 91; Deitche (II), p. 46.

  Charlie Wall murder: Ragano and Raab, pp. 16–18; Deitche (I), pp. 68–70; Atkins, pp. 7–13. Atkins’s entire novel deals with the residue of the Wall murder.

  Trafficante takes over Sans Souci: U.S. Treasury Department memo, Dade County, OCB file #1–139, September 1961; Findings of the House Select Committee on Assassinations, Vol. 5, testimony of Santo Trafficante, September 28, 1978; Lowinger and Fox, pp. 180–84; Deitche (I), pp. 99–100; Havermann, “Mobsters Move in on Troubled Havana,” Life, March 10, 1958.

  International Amusements Corporation: Deitche (I), p. 99; Deitche (II), p. 69.

  “I’ve got a wonderful wife”: Ragano and Raab, p. 40.

  Law of Public Order (Legislative Decree 997): Mencia, The Fertile Prison, p. 76. Effects of Batista-era censorship also discussed in Thomas, Cuba: The Pursuit of Freedom; Sublette, Cuba and Its Music; Phillips. Additional insights from author interview, Delio Valdes, Miami, October 17, 2006. Valdes was a journalist in Havana in the 1950s.

  Martí centennial: Diario de la Marina, extensive coverage, January 28, 1953.

  Batista appropriation of Martí: Thomas, pp. 387, 392, 435; Argote-Freyre, Fulgencio Batista, p. 340.

  Moncada attack: The circumstances surrounding the attack on the Moncada army barracks are detailed in Franqui, Diary of the Cuban Revolution; Castro, La historia me absolverá; Castro, My Early Years; Thomas; Szulc; Geyer, Guerilla Prince; Phillips; Bonachea and Valdez, Revolutionary Struggle 1947–1958; Chester, A Sergeant Named Batista; DePalma, The Man Who Invented Fidel; Mencia.

  6. THE GHOST OF JOSÉ MARTÍ

  Castro early biography: Castro, My Early Years (II), entire book; Szulc, Fidel, pp. 83–221; Geyer, Guerilla Prince, pp. 5–35; Thomas, Cuba: The Pursuit of Freedom, pp. 516–20; Phillips, Cuba: Island of Paradox, pp. 292–93; American Experience: Fidel Castro, PBS documentary.

  “All of the circumstances”: Franqui, Diary of the Cuban Revolution, pp. 1, 2.

  “I spent most of my time”: Ibid., p. 2.

  “We were playing ball one day”: Ibid., p. 4.

  Castro university years: Castro (II), pp. 83–109; author interview, Max Lesnick, Miami, May 4, 2006; Szulc, pp. 177–90; Geyer, pp. 145, 61; Thomas, pp. 522–28; Bonachea and Valdes, Revolutionary Struggle 1947–1958, pp. 129–36; American Experience: Fidel Castro.

  U.S. intelligence report: Matthews, The Cuban Story, p. 140.

  Cayo Confites conspiracy: Castro’s involvement in the planned invasion of the Dominican Republic and overthrow of the dictator Rafael Trujillo is detailed in Szulc, pp. 157–60; Geyer, pp. 136–38; Thomas, pp. 475–76, 525.

  “I did not let myself be arrested”: Szulc, p. 160.

  “I could guarantee his life”: Ibid.

  Fidel and Bogotazo: Castro (II), pp. 110–48; Szulc, pp. 183–88; Geyer, pp. 154–63; Thomas, pp. 526–28; Sublette, Cuba and Its Music, pp. 521–23. In American Spy, former CIA agent E. Howard Hunt gives the official U.S. intelligence community view that Castro was involved in an all-out insurrection in Bogotá, though there has never been much evidence to support that view.

  Moncada prosecutions: The show trial of Fidel Castro and others involved in the Moncada attack is dealt with in detail in Castro, La historia me absolverá (I), which came about because of the trial; Szulc, pp. 306–22; Geyer, pp. 198–205; Thomas, pp. 547–50; Phillips, pp. 267–69; Bonachea and Valdes, pp. 161–220; Mencia, The Fertile Prison, pp. 12–86.

  Lansky plans for Hotel Nacional: Author interview, Estela Rivas (official historian of Hotel Nacional), Havana, August 15 and 17, 2006.

  International Hotels, Inc. (subsidiary of Pan Am): Lacey, Little Man, p. 229.

  Wilbur Clark: Russo, Supermob, p. 205; Lacey, pp. 232, 256; Schwartz, Pleasure Island, pp. 153, 156, 163; Lowinger and Fox, Tropicana Nights, pp. 180, 256; Cirules, The Mafia in Havana (I), p. 152 (though he is misidentified as Walter and Willberg); Cirules, La vida secreta de Meyer Lansky en La Habana (II). Clark’s significance to the Havana Mob is noted throughout. Clark was so famous in professional gambling circles that his face and name appeared on the gambling chips at the Nacional.

  Clark testimony: Kefauver Committee Transcripts, U.S. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

  Jake Lansky at Casino de Nacional: Author interview, Estela Rivas; author interview, Armando Jaime Casielles, January 24 and 26, 2007; Lacey, pp. 229–30, 232, 253–63; Cirules (I), p. 120; Cirules (II), pp. 112, 125–27; Lowinger and Fox, pp. 88, 329; Eisenberg, Dan, and Landau, Meyer Lansky, pp. 255, 257–58; Havermann, “Mobsters Move in on Troubled Havana,” Life, March 10, 1958.

  “[He] had a way of chewing”: Lacey, p. 52.

  Jake denying credit to Batista official: “Lansky ‘El Cejudo’ no hace caso,” Granma, August 29, 1988; Cirules (I), p. 113; author interview, Armando Jaime Casielles.

  Lansky refusing handshake: Cirules (I), pp. 113–14; author interview, Armando Jaime Casielles.

  Banco de Créditos e Inversiones: FBN RG-170, confidential memo, undated; Cirules (I), p. 16.

  Banco Atlántico: Cirules (I), pp. 17, 89–95.

  “Upon carrying out the inspection”: Ibi
d., p. 90.

  Formation of BANDES: Schwartz, pp. 154–58, 163; Cirules (I), pp. 107–110; Fuentes, “Mafia in Cuba,” Cuba International, August 1979; Pardon, “Amadeo Barletta,” Granma, March 30, 1971.

  Ley Hotelera (Hotel Law) 2074: Lowinger and Fox, pp. 255–56; Lacey, pp. 231, 257; Schwartz, p. 152; Reiss, “The Batista-Lansky Alliance,” Cigar Aficionado, May/June 2001; Lahey, “Gamblers Find Cuban Paradise,” Washington Post, January 9, 1958; Havermann, “Mobsters.”

  Batista graft: Thomas, pp. 428, 461, 687, 722; Lowinger and Fox, pp. 256, 310–13; Cirules (I), pp. 127–47; Phillips, p. 283; Bardach, Cuba Confidential, pp. 244–45; Dorschner and Fabricio, The Winds of December, pp. 63–64, 66, 455.

  Hotel-casino boom: Schwartz, pp. 147–63; Cirules (I), pp. 148–55; Batista, The Growth and Decline of the Cuban Republic, pp. 89–93.

  Death of Trafficante Sr: “S. Trafficante, Underworld Family Head, Dies of Cancer,” Tampa Tribune, August 12, 1954; “Over 500 See Trafficante Buried in Costly Coffin,” Tampa Tribune, August 13, 1954; “$36,000 Estate Reported Left by S. Trafficante, Sr,” Tampa Tribune, September 20, 1954; author interview, Scott M. Deitche, Tampa, July 7, 2006; Ragano and Raab, Mob Lawyer, p. 18; Deitche, Cigar City Mafia, pp. 89–90; Deitche, The Silent Don (II), pp. 55–56.

  Frank Ragano introduction to Trafficante: Author interview, Chris Ragano, Tampa, July 18, 2006, and March 1, 2007; Ragano and Raab, pp. 5–25.

  “A different species”: Ragano and Raab, p. 12.

  “These people always pay cash”: Ragano and Raab, p. 13.

  Trafficante bolita trial: “Deputies Pick Up Trafficante and Bodyguard ‘On sight,’” Tampa Tribune, January 23, 1954; author interview, Scott M. Deitche, Deitche (II), pp. 47–53; Ragano and Raab, pp. 9–27.