Skills, Character, and Connections
It was a helluva education for me, all the way along. Not from books now, but from doing it. From doing the hustling, from doing the burglary, and from the dealing itself. And from being around Jesse, Louie, and Angelo. From watching and listening, like at the auctions and in the penitentiary, too.
Burglary is knowing physical things, being good with your hands, knowing how to see an opening, and knowing the value of things like jewelry, so you pick up the good stuff and leave the junk behind. It is finding a good partner, and having some contacts with fences and tipsters. Hooking up with a good lawyer, not a half-assed one. On account of if you’re clipping regular, the law of averages is you will get popped. Jesse would add, having a good woman. That she is there for you and helps out in little ways but have to be sure she will keep her mouth shut. Be careful not to put her through too much.
Fencing is knowing about people and knowing how to clip, and knowing how to sort out the good information from the bullshit—’cause there’s a lotta gossip about the cops and that, especially from the thieves. It is knowing how to handle yourself in different crowds and in different situations. Having the business knowledge is important, but more so being world-wise on account of dealing with so many different people. You have to know where different ones are coming from, what they’re thinking, what their angle is. Otherwise, you can’t get over on them and can’t get the contacts you will need.
You have to have an eye for clipping. I don’t care if you’re a decent burglar, a fence, or a guy in the rackets. That is a must. Have to see the openings and cash in on them when they come your way. And know when to pull back when the opportunity isn’t there and the risks are too high. It is an outlook, really, a feeling to be leery or to go ahead. My mind would just click that this is a good time to knock off this place, that this guy will buy hot stuff, or that I needed to do such and such to cover my back. It’s not this or that thing, but where the straight person is seeing or hearing one thing, I am seeing something else.
Over the years you pick up on little things, without even thinking. It isn’t like you’re always looking for the opening but more like it becomes second nature. Like when I’m at an auction and another antiques dealer mentions that another big antiques dealer is having his place remodeled. Or say a liquor store is moving to a place down the street, means they aren’t set up yet when they move in. Just like that, it comes to me—this would be a good time to knock it off. Pass that information on to Steelbeams, and he would hit the place. It’s knowing little things about how the police operate, too. Like the time I came back from Smithfield with all them guns. I just had a feeling I was being tailed, so I skidooed. Found out later, sure enough, there was a tail.
I still do it, almost automatically. Say when I walk into a place. This is right before I went to the goddamn hospital [for the cancer]. I stopped at an American Legion to play the poker machines. My first time in the place. I knew right away, this is a cracker box place that has a cracker box safe. Just knew where they had the safe on account from watching where they went for the money. Would be like a carpenter walking into a building—boy, that’s a sloppy panel job.
Most dealers in an area will know one another, will bump into each other here and there. Same is true of burglars and guys in the rackets. It’s only natural that you will rap about things. Not that you say, “Hey, teach me about burglary or about fencing.” But you can watch how the guy handles himself and some things will come up in conversation.
Goes without saying, you have to be a little shady, have some larceny in your heart. Be willing to clip or get over on somebody, not worry if it’s crooked or not. Say you’re a fence—you are a thief, you’re stealing but you don’t call it that. Your ordinary joe blow and even more your ordinary businessman have some larceny in them, too, ‘cause that is part of everyone’s environment. But not have enough larceny [in the heart] to really clip, to really get over on others. Your burglar, your con guy, your fence, your guy in the mafia, this or that one in the local clique will have more larceny in them.
You don’t become a fence out of the blue. The fences I knew generally had a background that was shady. If not shady, then they’re free spirits like Woody and Ollie and Ciletti. Were raised with the hustling and clipping or maybe were hooked up with the rackets in one way or another. I don’t mean they were strictly into crime but had their fingers into different things, if not illegal then on the borderline. Somehow they got the street knowledge and the eye for the easy dollar, and got some contacts with the criminal element—say, with thieves and other fences, and maybe with the cops, too. Some of the Jewish guys and the Italians especially were more or less raised with the gambling, the shylock loans, the shady business stuff.
Depends on the kind of legit business the person has or what he does for a living. A guy who is a private collector or runs a secondhand shop or is an auction guy—will come across people who are clipping and will get some contacts and some know-how. The guy who is a bondsman, and some of your lawyers, get the contacts and the street knowledge by handling bail and dealing with the thieves. Learn the ropes that way.
Your ordinary businessman couldn’t make it as a fence, just as your ordinary thief couldn’t. Especially if you’re talking about dealing on a regular basis, not the off and on dealing that almost anyone can do. Your ordinary store guy would have the business knowledge, would know the prices and that, but he ain’t world-wise. Not in the sense of knowing the criminal element and of having to deal with people from all walks of life. Not just thieves now—but your auction people, other dealers, the lawyers and the magistrates, truck drivers, warehouse guys, your ordinary joe blow who is looking for an easy dollar.
For one, your ordinary store guy doesn’t have the street knowledge to deal with the thieves and the cops. For another, he wouldn’t have the heart, would be too shaky. Couldn’t lean on somebody, which is something the fence will sometimes have to do. Main thing is, the ordinary store guy isn’t known. Others wouldn’t have confidence in him. Who would do business with him? Would be very hard for him to get the connections, except maybe with the dopers and the assholes who will deal with anybody. But then he will have the bums and riffraff hanging around, which will affect his legit business.
This or that good thief would have a shot at it but not your ordinary thief. The thief has the street knowledge and has the larceny in his heart. But he won’t have the business know-how and he ain’t world-wise either. Couldn’t deal with the businessman and with the public. Would have a hard time getting the good connections, say, with the police or other dealers. Another thing, most of your thieves don’t work, and fencing is long hours, can be very hard work.
A Jesse, yes, could pull it off. But even a Bowie or a Steelbeams, as good as thieves as they are, it would very dicey. To get the contacts, to get the knowledge, to put up with all the hassles.
In my eye, the fence is a go-getter, more so than most people. Not so much in Tylersville this time, but my fencing in American City was a ball buster. I was always on the go. Getting calls two, three o’clock in the morning from this or that thief, “Hey, I got such and such, can you handle it?” On account that is the time when most burglars are hitting. Then shipping the stuff out, running to the auctions, having to be at the store. I didn’t sleep much. And you got to be on your toes, with the cops, with your thieves, and different ones.
It isn’t easy to be a fence, not by a long shot. Will depend on the kind of dealer one is—what he needs to know, how much he has to cover his back. In my eye, a fence has to be world-wise, has to have heart and be trusted by those he’s dealing with. Especially his outlets and the better thief have to have that trust, and that he can deliver. That and he has to make his own openings, be a good schemer, which can only come about if he’s world-wise and has the heart. The street knowledge and the eye for the easy dollar must be there. But not be too greedy. Has to have the confidence in himself, that he can get over on others, and others have to have confidence in him, that he’s not an asshole. Helps to be likable, but more so that you can be trusted—leastwise to have them thinking you are.
The strictly business side of fencing is not a big thing, especially if you’re running a legit business already and handling the same products. Will already know the prices and the profit margin. In some ways the fencing is easier ‘cause you don’t have to figure in the business tax. Don’t have the hassle of people returning merchandise like in a legit business. Your time and the costs in handling and shipping are less with the warm stuff. A bigger worry with fencing is getting stuck with it on account it’s too hot to unload. Or having to sell it too cheaply ‘cause when you bought it you were thinking you could sell it for a better price than you can actually get.
A dealer like myself who is pretty wide open will need to know at least a little about many things. Not an expert, now, but ballpark prices. This was hard at first, learning the prices and knowing about the different kinds of merchandise. Especially with the antiques and because of all the stuff I handled. Even on the legit side it can be hairy with antiques on account of all the reproductions and because the prices can change so quickly. I think I have a good head for figuring out what something is worth, what it will sell for. This goes way back, even when I was a kid I followed the price of things. Going to the auctions helped a lot ‘cause they handle almost anything. For antiques and that, I always kept up-to-date books on what different pieces were worth. I always got along with the secondhand dealers and with different businessmen, too, so I could check with them if I needed to know what something was worth.
The business knowledge I feel I had. Where I fell down was not having the cash in hand. That’s where someone like Louie and Angelo, or Phil today, have an advantage. I never saved my money like I should of. This hurt, but not as much it could of ‘cause the thieves trusted me more than someone like Louie. Would give me a day or two to come up with the cash. Give me a chance to unload the stuff, then pay. Sometimes I would go to Angelo for a shylock loan. Or go to Ciletti once we became buddies. Pay him back in a few days, don’t worry about the interest. Just don’t let Angelo know.
The biggest things are knowing how to deal with thieves and knowing how to sort out the good information from the bullshit. The thieves are on the front line—they know who’s solid, who the cops are after, who’s clipping, who’s lying low or who just got popped. But you got to know how to sort out the good information from the bullshit. Different dealers get that in different ways, but being in prison helped me a lot. And having been a thief, I knew where they were coming from.
In American City I knew just about everything that happened from my contacts with Louie and the local gang and from knowing the thieves. Don’t have that same knowledge in Tylersville on account my contacts are less and my fencing is a different ball game. I have a general knowledge and know where to go to find out but not on top of things like before.
In my eye the fence has to have a lot of personality. Maybe not every fence, but those who are more wide-open. You have to able to mix with all kinds of people and relate to them at their level. The people have to like you, find you interesting, and have confidence in you, too. The personality side was a very big thing for me, that I could talk to anyone. That I have a knack for remembering names and faces, and little tidbits about someone. I always had the gift of gab. If somebody wanted to talk antiques, I’d talk antiques, If they wanted to talk sports, I’d talk sports, if it’s women, I’d talk women. Not just bullshitting my way around but getting others to reveal themselves to me. Give me something I could maybe use later on.
Main thing, you have to be able to open people up, figure them out, let them read between the lines about what you do. You can’t just come up and say, “Hey, I buy stolen goods!” They got to figure it out themselves, pick up on it.
And not letting it go to your head, not become a big shot and come across as better than you are. I was always very careful that way, not to act cocky and not to badmouth one thief to another thief, behind his back. You do that, you got to figure the guy is thinking, “Hey, if he talks about this guy this way, what the hell does he say to others about me?” I was always very careful not to run somebody down that way.
It takes a lot of “heart” [Sam touches his chest1] to be a fence, a lot of heart. What I mean is you have to be a nervy son of a bitch, not scare easy, not fall apart when there’s a search warrant on your shop or when the police pull you over. It’s the same in dealing with the thieves and the other dealers—you got to be tough in little ways, or they’ll take you to the cleaners. Fence can’t be a pussyfoot but has to take charge. You do it and do it now, or you can kiss it good-bye.
Can’t be a pushover, that is for sure. I would say it would be very hard to be a fence, say, like me or Louie, and not have that side of you, roughness or whatever. That you can do it yourself or have a backup do it for you. Louie was a very big man, very powerful, and he had “ties,” which itself scared a lot of people. Same with Phil today, not a muscle man but has “ties” and is a pretty tough guy. You’d be leery about messing with him.
There were just a few times I had to get rough. Am pretty easygoing, but it was well-known I could be very nasty if I had to. Mostly I handled things myself. A few times, yes, shot to the guy’s nose or kick in the balls. But mostly get in his face, push his ass out the door and tell him I never want to see his face again. But a couple of times, this is back in American City, it was more serious and I had Angelo’s boys give me a hand. The one time was when I got jammed up on account of Lemont Dozier—lied to me that he had stolen these TVs outside the area and then this woman walks by my shop and sees her TV in the store window. Lemont got worked over pretty good—more than just a kick in the balls. Even the police didn’t have to worry about Lemont stealing for awhile. This helped to get the word out, too, ‘cause I really had very few hassles with thieves.
Same thing this last period, had to get rough a few times. First time goes back to when I had that little shop in Boonesboro, to when I got popped for buying warm merchandise from the younger Beck boy and his buddies. The Beck boy held up but the other ones were snitching, so had them worked over by the older Beck boy and a couple of his pals.
This just happened a couple of years ago. It is early evening, I’m just back from the auction and am unloading a few things. Two Hispanic kids, eighteen, nineteen year olds, are watching me. I am suspicious. Then the one says to me, “Hey, old man, hand it over.” Something to that effect. I opened the door to my cab like I didn’t hear him. Then he says it again, wanted my wallet. Could see out of the comer of my eye, they were moving toward me. Reached in the cab and grabbed hold of a big crowbar, turned around and swung at them. Nicked the one. Called them motherfucking punks, “Hey, you can have what I got but you got to take what comes with it.” They took off running.
But it doesn’t end there. I am fired up and I didn’t want them or another asshole in the neighborhood thinking they could pull that shit. Hops in my truck and down the street looking for them. Sees them run into this one apartment. I drive right there and bang on the door. The lady answers, the one kid’s mom I guess. I push my way in and am yelling for the motherfuckers to come out, that if I see their faces again, I will blow their brains away.
Turns out that Wanda is looking out the office window and sees this all happening, and me hopping in my truck. She yells at Donnie, my foreman in the shop. So, now I am coming out of the apartment and Donnie shows up. Wants to know what is going on and to settle me down.
You wouldn’t think a thief would steal from a fence he is doing business with. But it happens and more than you would think. This one morning I stopped by to see Tinker. Runs a little secondhand place. Turns out the night before a couple of thieves Tinker’s been buying from broke into his shop. Robbed him. They know who they can pull that shit on. Same with the snitching, you can’t stop it all but you can make them think twice.2
That little suspicion that you can lean on someone helps with your thief and even with your businessman. Even with your ordinary joe blow. Think about it. You’re dealing with thieves and shady businesspeople. Maybe with dopers and real assholes. It’s the snitching but more than that. What’s to keep them from stealing from you, from ripping you off? Sure as hell can’t run to the police. All the way down the line, really, that little suspicion helps ‘cause there are quite a few assholes out there.
Normally, no, I didn’t carry a gun. Never with the burglary. Sometimes with the fencing. As a precaution if I was transporting some good antique pieces or good jewelry and am leery of some assholes stopping my truck and cleaning me out. A gun can bring you headaches. Pull a gun and there will be heat from the police and from the public too. Can get lot of extra time if a gun is involved.
You usually would not want to hurt someone that way [with a gun], put someone’s lights out. A gun can help, can be some protection. But you can’t rely on it—you’re only blowing wind outta your ass if that’s all you have to back you up. It is more how a guy carries himself.
The fence has to get the confidence of those he is selling to, even more so than those he is buying from. Can he be trusted? Is his word good? Whether it is the ordinary business guy who is buying for his store or I’m peddling to another dealer like myself, have to get his confidence.
Most fences are pretty solid that way. Like Angelo and Scottie, I would trust all the way. Other ones I dealt with, if they got jammed up, I would be leery they couldn’t stand up. Another thing, there are fences who are snitches, regular snitches, that is how they get their license to steal. Turn in thieves to save their own ass and make the police look good, help them clear their books.
Like Louie, he was protected in other ways, but he would snitch to keep the police happy. Was a main way he got his slack. But he was careful who he snitched on. Would turn in the shitass thieves and the dopers. And he would snitch on some of the other dealers, the smaller secondhand guys, to have the cops slow the guy down or knock him out of business. A lotta thieves would overlook Louie’s snitching ‘cause he had the cash and the thief is figuring he just turns in shitass thieves but won’t snitch on me. Still the suspicion is there and this hurt Louie ‘cause the better thieves shied away from him. I never feared Louie that way but I was watchful.
It depends, too, on how covered the guy is, how protected he is. Take Angelo or the lawyer who handled the coins for Jesse and me, they are very cautious and very protected. Very little worry that they will get jammed up. Same with the foundry guy and Rosen, the jewelry guy, you could lay your faith in them. They were so covered and you had confidence in the way they handled things. It is easier to trust someone like that.
Most fences if they snitch will not take down anybody that could hurt them— say, if they [the fences] are leery of getting roughed up or if it will cut off their business. You can get worked over pretty good for snitching ‘cause some of the thieves can get pretty rough. That’s what happened to one of Angelo’s cousins, ratted on a couple of guys and they busted him up, and good. Louie got his due, too, when he was doing time for the fencing [see Chapter 12]. Couple of guys he snitched on, stabbed him in prison. Had to transfer Louie to another prison but he still had to watch his back.
The big thing for me was, my word was good. Once I had the goods, the thieves didn’t have to worry about it. It was my worry, and if something happened, it was on me. If I said I’d pay so much, or set it at this price, they knew my word was good. It was known I would handle my end of the deal, be there at such a time, do this or that. All the way down the line, they knew they could depend on me.
That doesn’t mean I didn’t try to get over the other guy or clip some of the people I dealt with. Take Norm Hirsch, he and his mother were very big antique dealers and importers. I did a lot of business with them, mostly legit but some on the shady side. But I did arrange for a burglary of one of their shops, and I would clip them on the docks, like on the grandfather clocks
The clocks happened this way. I’m at their shop, talking to Norm. And I asked about Sarah, his mother. Tells me, she’s in Europe buying dolls, grandfather clocks, and other items. My mind just clicked, that I’d have the guys I knew that worked on the docks watch for her crates to come in. Break into them, and clip a few of the dolls and the clocks. Off and on when Sarah made a trip, I’d post the guys at the dock, “Hey, some crates are coming in.” Just make sure they didn’t clip too much.
The burglary was a pretty decent haul. Norm’s wife tells me that her and Norm are going on a trip out West, to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Their daughter and Sarah will run the main shop but will close down the little shops they have in Salem and Montrose. I’m thinking, this might be a good time to clip one of those places. Don’t have to be in a hurry and would be a while before it was discovered. Got Steelbeams and Mickey to hit the place in Salem. From my being in that shop, I knew the layout and how the alarm system worked. Guided them on what pieces to take. Like what dolls to take and what not to take on account some would be too hot to unload and was leery that my outlets might know where they came from. Even scouted the place with Steelbeams and Mickey.
The fence has to hustle, but it is different than the street hustling, what the dopers and street types do. They will do anything to turn a buck, really lower themselves and beat anybody. How can I say it? There’s more honor in the hustling a fence does. It is more like that of a businessman or a salesman. Playing on the greed of the person looking for a bargain. Being shrewd, being a shyster. Getting over on somebody to make a buck, to give you information or make a contact. A good conman, really.
I especially pulled a lot of shit with antiques. I’m talking about selling what people believed was an antique, but wasn’t. Many times I would buy a reproduction and doctor it, maybe upholster or even scratch in an old date. I fooled antique dealers already. It’s funny. If it had been legit, they would check the piece out very carefully. But when it’s hot, people are too eager.
With antiques especially, I know how to take care of what I’m buying—that has always been big help for me. Even with appliances and TVs when they were a good item, I’m enough of a handyman to repair them if they come in damaged. But with the video cameras, the CD player, the laptop computer— it is a different ballgame. Don’t know shit.
The fence is really a schemer, an operator. There is hustling, but it’s more scheming. Has to take the openings that come his way, but he ‘s got to make his own openings, too. It’s more like what Angelo or somebody in the rackets does, ‘cause they are schemers, too.
The fence has to make the adjustment if something comes up, but the big thing is to stay one step ahead. Say, I was at the auction, I might buy some junky TVs, furniture, or whatever, just so I’d have the receipts and have my back covered in case things like that came my way. Covering your back, setting up a deal, whatever, you’re always thinking down the road. This is more true for fencing than for the guy in burglary.
As far as buying and selling, I did more hustling on the legit secondhand side than with the fencing. The fencing is more scheming, know what I mean. The difference is the fence has to hustle harder to keep up his contacts and has to be more on his toes not to be outhustled ‘cause your other dealers and even many of the dopers and street types are pretty sharp. Fence has to watch more carefully so he doesn’t get ripped off ‘cause who is he going to complain to? Call the cops? They would get a laugh out of that.
Getting the connections is the hardest part. For burglary, too, but especially for the fencing. This will depend on the kind of dealer one is. Operating the way I was in American City, whew, you have to have contacts with a lotta people, and different kinds of people. Not just with the thieves now, but with other dealers, with the local clique, and with the legit business guy. And you will need some slack from the cops. Don’t forget about that.
I had a helluva spider web in American City. Helluva spider web. And it connected with other spider webs—with Louie’s, with Angelo, with Cooper, with Scottie, with guys in the local clique. This time in Tylersville, not sure you’d call it a spider web. Pretty half-assed. Enough for me to operate but the comparison would be like night and day.
Some of the contacts just fell into place, others I had to work at. Main thing is to get a couple of good spokes, to get the wheel rolling.
Word of mouth is the best advertisement ‘cause there is a helluva grapevine out there. One buddy to his buddies, one dealer to another dealer. Not one grapevine, now, but different grapevines. There is the street grapevine, there is the grapevine the better thieves have, the grapevine the businessman has, and your fences and secondhand dealers have their own grapevine. Same with your truckers and warehouse guys, they may hear from the street grapevine or from a better thief, but they will have their own grapevine. Is some overlap, but less than you would think.
The walk-in trade and the penny-ante thief will know from the street grapevine but the better thief will not use that. He will have his own grapevine, with other thieves who are decent. The word of mouth that brings a good thief to a fence is not the same as the one that brings the walk-in or the doper thief. Even the in-between thief, like Rocky or Andy or the older Beck boy, won’t rely on the street talk. Sure as hell not Bowie or Steelbeams.
Myself, when I was into burglary, I didn’t know the street grapevine. Didn’t bother with it. My grapevine was with other burglars and with the higher-ups like Angelo or Louie. Here’s the thing, your good thieves and even many of your ordinary burglars, pretty much stay to themselves. Won’t advertise where he’s unloading, except may tell another decent thief or a buddy. Another thing, if they hear somebody’s buying, say, from the street talk or from an in-between thief they know, they’ll ask another decent thief: “Hey, what’s he paying? Is he solid?” Or, they’ll check it for themselves. Be cautious, but if they feel comfortable then give the guy a shot. But the rule for the better thief is the recommendation of another decent thief or somebody else they have confidence in—maybe their lawyer or maybe even a businessman he is getting tips from.
Being recommended or having someone vouch for you is a main thing. You need a hookup, somebody who will bring you together. Take Steelbeams, he had heard from the street talk that I would buy. But he didn’t pay it any mind. Then, he is talking to Bowie and Bowie tells him check me out. Once I knew he was okay with Bowie, we was set. Your better thief will usually have a number of places he can go, to get rid of his stuff. But sometimes he has to go shopping, too. That’s when he is gonna check with his buddies or look for himself.
Even Jesse and me had to shop around a few times. One time we clipped an antique place and headed straight to Scottie in Oceantown. Got there when his place opened up in the morning. But Scottie isn’t there, gone for the day. This is a three-hour trip, now, and I didn’t want to haul this stuff back. Jesse was leery but went along with checking out the secondhand places in the area. Felt comfortable with a couple of them and decided to unload the antiques. You are pretty safe doing this but there is still too much risk. Jesse was right about that. You should always know the man you are selling to.
Lotta thieves, especially the younger ones, don’t know much about what is going on. May ran with just a few other guys or a clique. Unless he’s done time, been in jail, won’t know many people. Take Rocky. The guys he was operating with were selling to Louie. I was already pretty wide open but Rocky never heard of me. They were content with the price Louie was paying and stayed to themselves. Then Louie sends them to me ‘cause he couldn’t handle the antiques they had picked up. Rocky was a greenie. Knew something about burglary but otherwise didn’t know nothing about nothing.
Louie paved the way for me, you might say. Introduced me around and brought me into the gambling club. Same with Woody. Paved the way for me and I paved the way for him. Was a two-way street. I had several ones who did that for me in American City. Were good spokes in the wheel. Didn’t really have that in Tylersville this time, except maybe could still rely on Phil or Scottie.
The gambling hookup was a big help. One time Louie just asked me if I wanted to come to their card game. Some nights they play cards, other times it’ll be rolling dice. Send out for food, any liquor you wanted, bring in girls sometimes. But mostly we gambled and gave each other the business, lots of ribbing back and forth.
Not anybody could come. It was only if one of the main ones—like Louie or Angelo or Nicky—invited you. Were about twenty guys that were part of the regular gang but others would come. It was like a clique and everybody had his fingers into something, were connected with city hall or with the money downtown. I wouldn’t say all the main operators in town were part of the club. Some of the Jews weren’t. But they were still connected with the Italians and others who were. I already had some connections with the local clique—the gambling hookup just cemented that.
Hooking up with Jesse was a big boost ‘cause he was well-known, but getting in with the local clique was an even bigger step. They threw a lot of openings my way. If something came my way I couldn’t get rid of, or I needed a hookup with somebody, I could check with one of the gang. And just people knowing I was doing business, say, with Angelo, opened a lot of doors. It helped, too, with the magistrates and some of the police. Most of those in club were getting police protection one way or another. The fencing was starting to roll before Louie invited me in, but it really took off after that.
In American City, yes, I did put out the word out I would buy, encouraged that. But not this time [in Tylersville]. Very little anyway. Same with building up the outlets. Then [in American City], if I surmised a businessman or an auction guy might chisel, thought there was some play there, I would feel them out, give them an opening. Not come out and say, “Hey, I deal in warm stuff,” but let them know about my shop. That I could handle almost anything, that if they ever needed something or ran across something, I’d appreciate getting a shot at it. It would be pretty plain, they could read between the lines. This time [in Tylersville], I did some of that but was more careful and was more content to stay with the contacts I had.
With the walk-in thief and the doper, you don’t have to put the word out. Not as much anyway. They will keep checking out the secondhand places, especially if they hear on the street that so and so is buying. For a long time in American City I shied away from the general thief, from the shoplifters, and the half-assed burglars. Was choosy what I’d buy and who I bought from. Then, I started buying more and different things. Soon, it went “swoosh.” Different thieves, like Danny Turner and Lemont Dozier, put out the word that I would buy and pay an okay price. Danny was an all-around thief but mostly a shoplifter. Very good at it. Can go out and get the stuff. Lemont was a black thief, a half-assed burglar and breaking into cars. They were known on the streets, especially Danny. A real talker, likes to brag. They were peddling to Louie, to the other secondhand shops, and to their friends. Once I started buying regular from Danny and Lemont, it spreads quickly in their kind of crowd.
This last period I dealt very little with the walk-in thief. Off and on, yes. If somebody came in with something I couldn’t pass by, I might buy. But if the thief started coming back, I’d cut it off. Say, “Hey, can’t handle that stuff anymore.” If kept coming back, then make it very clear “Don’t want see your fucking face again.” I didn’t want the word to spread. Had to be careful it didn’t get out of hand. Would pull back if I was leery of hassles from the police to make sure my name doesn’t keep coming up.
I always preferred to deal with the good burglar, and with the truck hijacker or the warehouse guy. I am guessing most fences would. But the better thieves have other outlets. And with them, it’s more strictly business. “What can you pay?” “Can you be trusted?” You can’t get the better thief in your pocket that way, except they will want to feel comfortable with the guy they are selling to. I always did business with some of the better burglars, especially if they came across antiques, but not as much as I would’ve liked.
My main business was with the in-between thief the younger guy who is easier to keep in your pocket. Not that I financed them. But would help them out. If a guy needed bail, put a call into Phil or another bondsman, tell him this guy is okay. If a guy is in jail and needs a job to get out, I’d sign the papers to get him out. Be a job sponsor. Hire him for week or so, then tell the parole officer I can’t use the man no more. He no longer works for me. Not just any thief now, but some of the regulars. Like Denny and Mickey back in American City, and the Beck boys this time. If they were short of cash, I’d help them out. It is easy come, easy go for the ordinary thief. Even the good thief can spend money something fierce. Next time around when they are peddling, just take off what they owed me. Just little debts to keep them in my pocket. Nothing big.
This is something I frequently would do, to make the thief think I was really doing him right. Say, you sold me a gun or an antique, and I give you a hundred dollars for it. Next time you come in, I say—”here’s another fifty bucks, that gun you sold me was worth more than I thought.” You’re gonna think I’m a pretty great guy ‘cause I don’t have to do that. The thief is like anybody else, he more or less thinks he owes it to me to give me a shot at what he has on account of my treating him fair, and just from being his outlet in the past.
In a way you have to be a good sport, not be a tightass. ‘Cause a lotta thieves are looking for a handout, a free meal, round of drinks. This can be an aggravation ‘cause you know what kind of a moocher someone like Rocky is. But you can play on that, too. With the in-between thief, I came across as a nice guy. Had them a little in my debt. If not on a money basis, then more or less a feeling of guilt if they thought of peddling elsewhere.
Another thing, a lot of your burglars and thieves have a lot of time on their hands. Don’t work or if they do work, want a job that won’t tie them down, or a part-time job. So, are looking for a hangout, a place to kill time. My shop in American City, I’d be in back working, they’d come back, bullshit, horse around. Somebody got a new motorcycle, they would want to show it off. Maybe see what was on the shelves today. Give Cletus or one of the help a hard time. There was always something going on at my store. I don’t know how to say it, I guess you want to be where something is happening.
This last time, I didn’t allow the thieves to hang around. Not as much anyway. Take the Beck boys, would stop by fairly regular. I’d chat, maybe send Wanda out for sandwiches—for them and for the guys working in my shop. But, I wouldn’t let them drop their hat. Didn’t want my shop to become a hangout. If you start letting that happen, it can get out of hand. Get more losers than you can imagine.
More so than with your regular thief, it is harder to keep up the connections with your truck driver and warehouse thief. There is more turnover and they usually aren’t hanging with other thieves. Are mostly an ordinary joe blow who steals off and on, when the coast is clear. Not part of a clique or a party crowd like your ordinary thief is. So, you got to put the word out yourself, and keep working at it or that trade can dry up.
There are different ways it can happen. Some of your truck drivers and warehouse people will know this or that thief ‘cause these are the kinds of jobs that ex-cons and the burglar is gonna get. Take the big tire place in town, and does a lot of service work on cars. Who works there? The ordinary joe blow and ex-cons. Maybe they’re hanging at the same taverns or eating places. Or know each other from the same neighborhood or old school days. The flea markets and the auctions are good meeting places. If the thief thinks the driver or the warehouse guy is solid, it may come out in their conversation—”Yeah, this guy at Goodman’s will buy what you’re hauling or what you are picking up.”
In American City I would stop at the truck stops in the area. Rap with the truckers and let them know what kind of a shop I had. Maybe the guy isn’t even chiseling yet, but next time when the chance is there, he’s gonna be more interested. His mind is gonna click ‘cause he thinks he can get rid of it. Then, too, one guy can tell his buddy. Especially with your track driver, there’s a trust between them.
With the warehouse guy, it is funny all the ways it can happen. Take Tommy Willadson, he was working at Hilary’s, the big truck and freight ter-minal place [in American City]. Huge transfer and storage place. I am stopping there pretty regular to pick up furniture, appliances, and different things for my shop. Legit now. And to see if there is damaged merchandise. I would kid with the help, the guys working there. Let them know about my shop, that if they ran across something that was damaged or unclaimed, I’d appreciate their giving me a shot at it. Pay them a fair price and no headaches for them. Let them know that this was hard work they were doing and probably weren’t getting paid enough. That the big shots in the office were making all the money. I was pretty direct. Different ones would bring me stuff but Tommy was a main one. Typewriters, tools, radios. Couple of times a month, Tommy would bring me stuff. He worked there a long time and passed the word to some of his buddies, that I’d buy and there’d be no hassles. As long as they didn’t clip too often, the risk is very small. I may have to remind them to slow down, not get too greedy. But your hookups with drivers and the warehouse and shipping people come and go. You have to make a lot of little things add up to keep that side of the trade going.
Another time I’m seeing this woman and she is working at a large department store. Picked her up after work a couple of times and got to know her supervisor, the main guy that worked in the shipping department. I started buying used refrigerators, stoves, shit like that—trade-ins. He was giving the stuff to me for a few bucks, rather than throw it away, and pocketing the money for himself. Then I moved on to better stuff, even new stuff. Once I got my foot in the door and he saw the dollars coming in, it got to where he was approaching me. Not just appliances, now, but lamps, chairs, mattresses. Pull my track right in and load up ‘cause he was covered, could say it was used or damaged.
This is funny, how one thing can lead to another, ‘cause that is how I met Becky—from this guy. Turns out, he lives across the street from Becky and he is telling her she should check out my shop on account of my prices. So one day, this is like a year after I got out of jail for the antique burglary, she stops by my shop [in American City]. Attractive lady. Dark hair. Had a way about her that caught your eye. Came in with her three kids, two girls and a boy. The boy was the oldest, about ten. Buys a bunk bed for the two girls. I could tell she was having a hard time making it, so I chopped the price way down. Month or so later, she is back and buys a couple of more pieces. Decided to check her out, so I delivered the pieces myself We get to rapping, it turns out she is divorced and is working at Bailey’s Furniture, which is where I worked when I first came to American City. I am leaving, so I tells her, she should come to the auction with me sometime on her day off. You can get good bargains and I could help her pick out the better stuff from the junk. She went for it, and we ended up becoming a couple.
She was married to a real asshole. Left her with the three kids, wasn’t paying support or nothing. They was going hungry when I met them. First on, I helped Becky pay the bills and that. Then we bought a house together. I was more or less a dad for the kids, especially the boy ‘cause I would take him along in the truck or I’d have him do little odd jobs in the shop, give him a chance to earn some money. I was good to Becky but it was tough for her in some ways. I was always on the go, spent very little time at home. Saturday nights and maybe Sunday afternoons were our main times together. Saturdays, I’d usually take Becky out for dinner. Maybe take the kids along, then go roller skating. Might pick up Amy, too, if her mom would let her go [Amy is Sam’s daughter]. The kids got a bang out of that. I enjoyed it, too, ‘cause I used to skate when I was a kid.
Becky knew, but didn’t wanna know that I was dealing in warm stuff. She more or less went along with it, pretended it was all legit. Some of the regular thieves would stop by my house or call me, “Can you handle this?” “Where should we drop it?” If I wasn’t home and Becky knew where I was, she’d call and leave a message for me.
Just running a secondhand place helps. A lot of people surmise that a place like mine is dealing in warm stuff—not just thieves but your truck drivers, your ordinary joe citizen. Even some of your businesspeople, your store people will surmise that. It helped, too, I got along with the different secondhand places. Stay on a friendly basis with guy running the place and even with the help. Stop at each other’s shop, to razz one another and see what the other was up to. If a warehouse or a track thief is shopping around, chances are this or that secondhand guy would send him my way. This is even in Tylersville, but not near as much as in American City. In both places, too, some of the secondhand guys are selling to me what they are buying direct from the thieves. The money is less when you operate that way, but especially this time in Tylersville I many times wanted that layer in between.
I had very few warehouse or truck thieves this last time. Nothing like before. Didn’t work at it, which is what you have to do. A main warehouse thief the last few years has been Chet. Works for a big, big wholesale furniture place in Oceantown. In the shipping and delivery department. The foreman is a slacker and more or less has Chet ran the department. Chet was at Scottie’s place when I was there, asking about art deco. Had come across a sofa and a couple of chairs, and wanted to know what they might be worth. Scottie bullshits him, “Hey, we got the country’s expert right here,” referring to me. Turns out Chet dabbles in antiques and we hit it off. One thing led to another, I could help him and he could help me. Off and on there’d be a message at Scotties when I’m in Oceantown, that Chet has some boxes for me—lamps, chairs, coffee tables, whatever. This is stuff I could run right to the auction on the way back to Tylersville.
Another good one has been Glenn. At the airport in Franklintown. Knew him from the penitentiary and ran into him at one of the auctions. Him and a guy he worked with would clip, then meet me at a fishing cabin this guy owned. Glenn was very cautious. Very leery of doing time again. Just clip every now and then but clip stuff that is worth a decent dollar.
One guy knowing another guy from being in prison has always been a big source for me. A guy will come into my shop, or calls me at home: “Joe so-and-so sent me or told me to give you a call.” In American City that was usually enough for the connection to be made but this last period I was more cautious. I might check back with joe so-and-so or meet with the guy, see if we felt comfortable with one another, or see if there were other people we both knew.
I’m not talking only about the regular thief, now. But guys who have done time, are legit really, but are now driving truck or working on the docks where they might clip a little. Or take guys like Andy or Ronnie, say, they are pulling back from burglary or are lying low for awhile, they will find work driving truck or working in a warehouse. If they come across something at the warehouse or if there was an extra piece on the truck when they delivered, they would keep it. Call me and I would meet them at storage place I had. A few extra bucks for them and for me, too.
Hooking up with a store owner or a businessman who will buy warm stuff is tricky. When I was operating in American City I would go to different places in town and the towns nearby, like the furniture and carpet places. See if they had seconds or damaged items. That was a big part of my legit business and wanted them to know I handled what they have. I am feeling them out, to see if they will bite. This is a good entry. Can build up a relationship by buying their seconds or damaged merchandise and they can see I am pretty decent guy to do business with. Not just that I would buy but can sell to them for a good price, too. Let it be known without saying it that on different items I am covered and can deal with them as if it’s strictly legit. It may end up they don’t buy warm stuff from me, but the opportunity for them is there.
Once it got around that I was buying, some of the store people would stop in my shop, look around and see what I have. A main one was Winnie Burdette. Had the biggest TV and appliance place in American City. Started buying my TVs that were a year, two years old. Would stop by and pick out the ones he wanted. Turns out that he is selling them as new, as demonstrators. Now, I am knowing I always have an outlet for TVs, as long as they were in decent shape, weren’t too old. I could still run them to the auction or to a couple of dealers in Southstate but also have a local outlet. Less hassle, save on time and gas, too. If you were to ask me to pick one thing I handled more than anything else [in American City], it would probably be TVs. Was good money in them then, which is not the case today. I peddled a lot of them, whole lot. Some were legit ‘cause I’d buy seconds, but most were warm.
Another hookup with some of the local businesspeople came from my being part of the gambling clique. I got to be buddies with some of them. If I needed an outlet for something, I could go to one of them ‘cause you’re running in a circle of free spirits and guys that will be at least a little shady. Have their own businesses and know other people in the business world, legit now. Could they recommend somebody?
This is how I met “Fat Charlie,” Charlie Ciletti, the food importer. We hit it off, became pals. Charlie would stop at my shop almost every day. Maybe go for coffee or a sandwich. He was a big help ‘cause he knew everybody. I would ask him, is so-and-so strictly legit or will they close an eye? Take Ziefield that handled the truckload of lobsters. Ziggy had a big seafood place in town. I ate there a lot and met him. Surmised he was out for the extra dollar. So, when I got the call on the lobsters, I checked with Charlie, “What about Ziggy? Will he take them, is he okay?” Charlie said he thought it was worth a try. I called Ziggy and he grabbed them. You have to figure Ziggy knew very well I was dealing. ‘Cause he didn’t hesitate. Really, the risk is small on his part—how in the hell are you going identify lobsters as belonging to somebody else.
I would say overall that getting contacts with your businessman and store people is about the hardest connection for the fence to make. But once you get it going and get in with the right crowd, once different ones have confidence in you—that they can deal with you and not have to worry about hassles—then you will have all the outlets you will need. Really, you don’t need that many store people, especially if you have a couple of auctions that are good outlets. Couple of furniture places and antique outlets, TV and appliance place, place that handles building supplies, auto parts and that, maybe a restaurant, a good jewelry shop.
This last period I didn’t have the contacts with the local businessmen or the store people. [Except for contacts with local secondhand places and antique dealers.] Five, six years ago I get a call—guy has a load of shingles. Did I have an outlet? I was tempted ‘cause I did know the owner of a big building supply place right outside of Tylers ville but I was leery. Tried calling Phil but he wasn’t around. Figured he’d want too big a bite anyway. Thought about Lenny but at that time we were still feeling each other out. So I passed it up.
When I was operating in American City, it would have been “bang, bang”— a couple of calls and the deal would be done. In fact, I did handle shingles in American City. Maybe half a dozen times. It even crossed my mind to contact the guy I had done business with back then. But we’re talking fifteen years. You can’t go back to the well that way. I am no longer part of that scene. It would be hard for him to have confidence in me. And could I still trust him?
Making contacts with the auction people and the antique dealers is a lot easier than with your ordinary businessman. The auction people are shadier and they’re not as afraid of taking a little risk. Know the ropes better. They don’t ask many questions. Are figuring, what they don’t know won’t hurt them. Another thing, your antique dealers and secondhand people hang at the same places, run in the same circle. If you stop at one secondhand place, you might bump into other dealers. Who is gonna know is it warm or not?
When I was operating in American City and taking stuff to Scottie in Ocean City, I would run into dealers there. Just killing time and talking business. This last period I would stop to see Log Cabin [moniker for a man who converted a log cabin into an antique shop] and you’d find other dealers there. It’s the same thing with the auctions, you will bump into other antique dealers and secondhand people. You get to know them that way first, then later on it might develop into something more.
That’s how I met Woody when I was operating in American City. I’m at this one auction and have bought a shitload of furniture and antiques that were sold that day. This guy comes up and says, “You must have a helluva shop to be buying all that stuff.” We chatted and I told him to stop by my shop, see for himself. Couple of weeks later he does stop by, looks over what I have. Tells me that he and his dad run this auction place in Southstate, and that he comes into this area to pick up stuff from the auctions here to sell down there. Says he can get furniture at a good price and what did I have for him. We was both reading between the lines that we was handling stuff that could be a little shaky.
This last period I met Ollie almost the same way. He is at an auction and is buying all the wicker. Including the pieces I’m selling. Afterwards, he comes up to me and asks if I handle much in the way of wicker. Turns out he runs an auction in Bordertown, right across the state line. Bring a load down sometime, he tells me. Which I did. We hit it off, you might say. Felt very comfortable with each other. But I still started slow. Gradually let it be known to him that, hey, sometimes in this business you pick up things that can be a little shaky. Then, more and more it was out in the open. He introduced me to the people working there, the auctioneers and the ticket people. Normally, I wouldn’t broadcast whether what I was bringing was warm. But if something was maybe too warm, I’d let Ollie know. Not blabber out, “Hey, this is stolen,” but just say, “The guy selling this to me is a real screwball, so this stuff could be a little shaky.” To protect him in case he preferred I peddle it elsewhere and to make sure he doesn’t just sell it to anybody, and then everybody gets jammed up.
Ollie has been my main outlet for warm merchandise these past years. Except for small antique pieces, guns, jewelry, few things like that—an awful lot of what I bought that was warm I’d run down to his auction. Very few people know, even have an inkling, that this has been my main outlet. The police never found out. The Beck boys and different ones I was buying from, even Rocky and Steelbeams, I never let them know. A couple of guys who work in my shop have gone down with me, to help with the loading and unloading, and to give them a break from the shop. They might surmise what is going on but don’t really know.
Almost anyone can peddle this or that piece, small stuff, at an auction or flea market. But if you’re clipping regular or if its pieces that are worth a good dollar, then you will need to know some of the main people at the auction—guy who runs it, the auctioneer, the ticket people, maybe some of the pickers. Need them to help you in little ways, move you ahead in the line, look the other way or give you a break. The police, especially the state police, can watch some of your auctions pretty closely. The ticket guy can give you a heads up, can put you ahead of the line so you get in and get out. I always shot to get on the good side of the auctioneer and the ticket people. Not paying them off now but being a nice guy, buy them a sandwich or cup of coffee, bid up this or that piece of merchandise. If the guy puts you ahead in the line so you can unload first, leave him a twenty or a fifty—”Here, this is for you.”
The auctions were always a place I would meet a lot of different ones I had done business with over the years. You’d be surprised who you’d run into. Not just dealers, secondhand people, private collectors, and that. But this or that joe blow or businessman who has some larceny in his heart. A lot of burglars and truck driver types. Maybe looking for a bargain but it was enjoyment for them, too, a way to pass the time.
Another thing, I always met a lot of dealers and collectors from working on antiques, repairing and doctoring them up. I was well known for that. It started small, really, way back in American City. Is how I met Norm, one of the biggest dealers in the area and handled what was worth a very good dollar. Comes into my shop and asks me to work on some antique pieces—a loveseat, chairs, and a grandfather clock. I ended up doing a lot of work for him, and he put out the word that I was very good at the upholstery and working on antiques. We’d stop at each other’s place. Got to be very friendly. I didn’t know if he was shady or not but one time I got my hands on some good porcelain pieces that I couldn’t unload ‘cause they were too hot. Included a French punch bowl that your eyes were just pulled to look at. Handpainted in gold and very bright purple. Turns out it went all the way back to 19th century, it was that old. The state police had already checked with some of the local dealers and had checked my shop, too. I called Norm and told him that I had bought some porcelain, some very nice pieces, that “I think are legit but I am still leery they could be hotter than hell. Not sure what to do with them.” I didn’t know if he’d take a shot at them but he did.
Then, another time I got what turned out to be a Louis XIV cabinet and china set. I surmised it was valuable, so I grabbed it. Ran it by Norm and he told me what I had, only a few of its kind in existence. But said he didn’t want to take a chance on it, that he would rather put me touch with a dealer who could handle better what I had. As a favor for me. I ran it down to that guy the same day. Now I had really good contact who could handle the really warm stuff.
But it’s different with someone like Brubaker [main antique dealer in area]. He was a important contact for antiques, but he was strictly legit. No need to give an opening. I knew there wasn’t any play. I think I have an eye for that, can sense who has larceny in their heart and who doesn’t. I could always do business with both types.
Even more so this last period, my contacts with antique dealers and private collectors came from my being able to repair and doctor antiques. Has put me in touch with different dealers and forms a bond, too, where you are more likely to trust the other person and they have more confidence in you. I would do the repairing as favor for this or that one but didn’t want to make it my main business.
That’s how I met Benny and got involved with the art deco. He was buying art deco furniture to furnish hotels in Oceantown. Heard I did upholstery work and was good at it. Comes by my shop and we ended up becoming partners. He does the buying and selling, and I do the repairing and doctoring. Benny is a shyster, has some larceny in him. But this side of my business is legit—if not all the way, very close.
My best fence contacts were mostly ones where we was brought together by a go-between, by someone we both knew. Like Woody hooked me up with Tex and other dealers in Southstate, Scottie with some of the antique and secondhand dealers in Oceantown, and Cooper hooked me up with private collectors who would take the really warm stuff. Louie and Angelo put me in touch with this or that fence or buyer. Phil has been a big help, especially these past years. And Lenny is becoming a bigger spoke, from the Orchard Grove area. He isn’t mafia but is part of a whole clan that has their fingers into different things.
But I did find a couple of very good fences just by playing a hunch. Like Frankie Grasso, dirty little Italian. You wouldn’t think he could pour himself a cup of coffee but he was shrewd and had a way about him. His name came up a couple of times in conversation that he had a big secondhand place in Glen-dale, half-assed town about eighty miles from American City. But I didn’t give it any thought. One time I’m in the Glendale area and his name popped into my mind. I just had a suspicion about him ‘cause it was odd I wasn’t getting any business from this area. I decided to check it out. Were some hangers-on there and a couple of guys who I’m figuring are burglars. His place was like mine, only twice, three times bigger. I told Grasso about my shop, what I handled, and he showed me around his place. I just knew he was dealing. I bought a few items, legit now, and when I was leaving, Grasso tells me to keep in touch. If I have extras or an overflow, I should bring up a load sometime. I said that was fine but if you have a secondhand shop like mine, you never know what might be a little shaky. He says back to me, “Yeah, yeah. You never know in this business. It is something what some people will pull.” Just the way he said it. You could read between the lines, was an opening for both of us.
One spider web can overlap with another spider web. In American City some of the people I am doing business with are doing business with Angelo and Louie. Same with Scottie. We knew a lot of the same people, helped make contacts for each other. If I couldn’t handle something I would send the guy to Louie, and he was sending people to me. Louie and me palled together, had lunch or saw one another almost every day, went to Vegas together. Same with Woody, when he was in town we had dinner or met at an auction.
Many of the good thieves, especially the older ones, at one time were selling to Angelo. He pulls back, now they’re selling to me. The in-between burglar is switching from Louie to me but Louie is now the main one for the walk-in thief. Is an ebb and is a flow.
Another thing, Angelo is pretty much packing in the fencing and at the same time I am pulling back from the burglary. He is shying away from buying up front and dealing direct with the thieves. And is getting bigger in the gambling and that, taking over from his old man. So, Angelo is more operating in the background. With the fencing, too, he wants a layer in between. This was an opening for me ‘cause he is pulling back and even pushing on me.
I really did have it good with the police in American City. Dagget was the first cop to help me out. Paul Dagget. Nothing big. Would let me know if my name came up at the police station. Knew each other from the skating rink when we was kids. He was a little on the wild side, drove an old blue ford, a ladies’ man. Married a girl from American City, moved here and became a cop. Another one was Hershel Dokes, a detective. Black cop. He would look the other way or, if somebody was fingering me, he’d tell the other cops there ain’t nothing here. Dokes and me worked together at Bailey’s Furniture when I first moved to American City. Got to be buddies. I did some upholstery work for them and gave them good deals on stuff in shop, but I wasn’t really buying them off. They were both pretty straight cops. They would give me a break as long there wasn’t too much heat. You don’t need more than that most of the time.
Then, later on I got in with the chief. Big Polish guy—Melvie Pulaski. Met him through his son who was at the auctions a lot. Sometimes the chief would be there, too. I would rap with them, advise them on antiques, little shit like that. Turns out the chief and his son are into guns. Were gun collectors. I could help the chief out ‘cause I was getting my hands on some good guns. It isn’t too long, the chief’s son is under suspicion in a shady gun deal. The state police are pressing him hard—where’d the guns come from. I more or less took the heat for it, that I bought the guns from a gun dealer at an auction. Had a receipt but hadn’t seen the guy since. This cemented it even more with the chief. I had no worries from the chief.
My big boost with the cops came from my getting in with the gambling club. That was a message overall to the local cops to go slow. Really opened the door with the detectives. With Lieutenant Duggan and his buddy, Lieutenant Lorenzo. Duggan’s brother was in the gambling club and must’ve passed the word to his brother ‘cause he was in my shop almost like the next day. Week or so later, Lorenzo is with him and has his hands open, too. Didn’t pull any punches. “Hey Sam, what are you selling cheap? I need a TV, need a refrigerator, can you help me out? Got any snow tires coming in?” Other cops would stop by my shop, too. To kill time but also to see what they could get for nothing. If I saw they were interested in something, I’d tell them, “Can’t let it go for nothing but I’m tired of looking at it. Pay half the price that’s listed and it’s yours.” I don’t know if you’d say I was buying them off, but I knew I had my foot in the door. Dokes and Dagget more looked the other way, which was a big help. But Duggan and Lorenzo had their hands out. They were really, really corrupt cops.
Most cops will take a handout. If not a big handout, a little one. Some of the same ones who were in my shop stopped at Louie’s when his flea market was open. Or run into them at another secondhand place or at junkyard for cars. Guy that runs a junkyard has an in with the cops on account he can provide damaged cars and that for driving practice, for test driving. Very few cops are clean all the way. Some cops like Duggan and Lorenzo are corrupt all the way. Having their hands out with Louie and myself was the tip of the iceberg ‘cause they had their hands in the pockets of other guys in the local clique.
The state police wanted Duggan something fierce. The suspicion was that he would pick up jewelry or pocket cash if he investigated a burglary. In Jesse’s eye some of the tips on places to clip that we were getting from a couple of lawyers are coming to the lawyers from Duggan and Lorenzo. Duggan was pretty sharp on antiques. Would ask me did I know where he might buy such and such. As if he wanted to buy. I’m leery that instead he is looking to peddle antiques or a coin collection that came from a burglary. I didn’t want to go that route with him, so I introduced him to a couple of deal-ers but not any of my main outlets. Wanted him on my side but keep some distance between us.
All those years, when Jesse and I was into burglary, Wally [a main lawyer in American City] was a main one for tips—and good tips on safes and on coins. On the safes, he would want a percent. With the coins, he was our outlet. What he did with them I don’t know. This kept on when I was in the fencing. If I came across coins, they would go to Wally. Even today I am surmising Wally is the main one for giving tips to Jesse ‘cause they are very tight. Is a trust there. Wally is in with the right crowd and maybe has been in their homes, know what I mean?
Another thing, Louie was tight with some of the magistrates in town. They could be bought off, as long as there wasn’t much publicity. I eventually get hooked up with them through Louie and from being part of the local clique. Not all the way like Louie was but enough to be a big help. If you get popped, the case has to go through the magistrate first, before it can go to trial. He can throw it out, say, on a technicality or just say the evidence is too soft.
This is something. When I was into burglary with Jesse, we knew our lawyer was paying off. Didn’t know to who. Turns out, it is usually the magis-trate. Now that I am hooked up, I can go directly to them. I was surprised, very surprised, at how little it cost. Few hundred bucks each time. As long as it was something minor like a thief fingering you but no recovery of stolen property, “Hey, is this all you got?” Was a lot cheaper than paying the lawyer who is jacking up the price but is having you think the people he is paying off are greedy. You are going to pay ‘cause you have no way of knowing.
All this time, too, the district attorney is someone that Angelo or people in the local clique helped put in office. First, it was Cummings and later on it was Abbott. I wasn’t paying them off, nothing like that, but as long as the state police didn’t push too hard they [local DA] pretty much looked the other way. They were hard-asses on the dopers and muggers but not the gambling and the fencing.
Without a doubt, yes, it helps to have good lawyer. Is another backup. Is good in the courtroom but has the connections to pay off is the main thing. I pretty much always dealt with Cohen. This connection came from my burglary days, from Jesse. Later on, I used Gleason or Savelas. Were junior partners with Cohen. Cohen was connected something fierce, was owed a lotta favors. If he went to bat for you, there wasn’t much he couldn’t get you out of.
Someone like Cohen gets his connections from being associated with the local clique or helping a judge or a prosecutor get elected. A judge and a lawyer can scratch each’s back in a lotta ways. Will often ran in the same crowd, have business connections. And usually the connections stay in the same law firm. Like Gleason and Savelas got their connections from Cohen, when he took them in as partners.
But I would never leave it entirely to the lawyer. Say a thief is going to testify against me, the state police or whomever is making him promises. I am going to lean on the guy, either myself or have someone do it for me. Do whatever needs to be done.
Looking back, it’s hard to for me to believe all the ones that were involved—how big the spider web got to be, how it came about, how this led to that. But still not big enough. The state police surely weren’t a spoke in the wheel. Were a helluva thorn, is what it came down to. If it had not been for them, I’d still be operating in American City. Have to hand it to them, how they built a case against me and against Louie, how they put us both away.
1. Sam used to tap his chest by his heart with the back of a thick fist. Now, weakened by cancer, he slowly touches or brushes his chest with thin fingers.
2. Steffensmeier was actually with Sam on this occasion. Tinker was more chagrined than angry and took in stride Sam’s enjoyment and ribbing about the incident.