THIS IS TAPE RECORDING NYSITB-FD-15JUL68-437-6G; 15 JULY, 1968; 12:45 P.M.
SIMONS: Hello, Duke. Close that door quick. Let’s not give any of this air conditioning a chance to escape. Good to see you again.
ANDERSON: Hello, Mr. Simons. How you been?
SIMONS: Getting by, Duke, getting by. Can I offer you something?
ANDERSON: Not right now, Mr. Simons.
SIMONS: Well … you don’t mind if I go ahead, do you? I have a luncheon appointment in about half an hour, and I always find that a martini sharpens the appetite.
ANDERSON: You go right ahead.
SIMONS: Well, now, Duke, what have you decided?
ANDERSON: Yes. It’s all right.
SIMONS: You understand completely what you must do in regards to this person from Detroit?
ANDERSON: Yes. I understand.
SIMONS: Excellent. Now then … let’s get down to the fine print. This person from Detroit will be our responsibility. That is, any payment to him or to his heirs is our responsibility and is not part of any of the financial arrangements which, I trust, you and I will soon agree upon. Is that clear?
ANDERSON: Yes.
SIMONS: All expenses and advances will come off the top. In that connection, if these terms are agreeable to you, I have with me and am authorized to turn over to you the two thousand additional expense funds you requested. Upon approval of the operational plan, we will then turn over to you a sum sufficient for half payment of fees of the men involved which, I understand, you estimated as four to five thousand dollars. Is that correct?
ANDERSON: Yes. That’s right. That’s half their take.
SIMONS: Now then … when the final cash income is determined, all these sums—advances, expenses, and salaries—will come off the top. Clear?
ANDERSON: That includes the final payment to my staff—the other half, about four or five thousand to close them out?
SIMONS: That’s correct. All such expenses will be subtracted first. We anticipate no additional expenses other than those you have outlined. In any event, we feel they will be so minor that they need not concern us at this time. Now then … we are down to the net income. We propose a fifty-fifty split.
ANDERSON: I asked for seventy-thirty.
SIMONS: I know you did, Duke. But under the circumstances, and considering the take may be considerably less than your most optimistic estimate, we feel a fifty-fifty split is justified. Especially in view of the moneys we have so far advanced.
ANDERSON: It’s not right. Not when you figure what I’m going to do for you. I won’t go for it.
SIMONS: Duke, we could sit here and argue for hours, but I know you don’t want that any more than I do. I was instructed to offer you the fifty-fifty deal because we feel that is a fair and equitable arrangement, considering the risks involved and the cash outlay up to this point. Quite frankly, I must admit that Mr. Angelo—Little Pat, that is—he did not feel you would be satisfied with this. Therefore, I am authorized to propose a sixty-forty division. And that, Duke, I can tell you in all honesty is the best I can do. If that is not satisfactory, then you’ll have to take up the entire matter with Mr. D’Medico or Mr. Angelo.
[Lapse of eighteen seconds.]
ANDERSON: Sixty for me, forty for you?
SIMONS: That is correct.
ANDERSON: And for this I put my cock on the line for a murder-one rap?
SIMONS: Duke, Duke … I wouldn’t attempt to advise you, my boy. It’s your decision to make, and you know the factors involved in it much better than I. All I can do is offer you the sixty-forty split. That’s my job, and I’m doing it. Please don’t be angry with me.
ANDERSON: I’m not angry with you, Mr. Simons. Or with Mr. D’Medico or Mr. Angelo. You got your job to do and I got mine. And I suppose you all got to answer to someone else.
SIMONS: We do indeed, Duke, we do indeed.
[Lapse of four seconds.]. …
ANDERSON: All right. I’ll buy the sixty-forty.
SIMONS: Excellent. I’m sure you won’t regret it. Here’s the two thousand. Small bills. All clean. We’ll make arrangements for Parelli to come in from Detroit. You’ll be informed when he’s available for planning. We think your idea of a hit on the Labor Day weekend is a good one. Meanwhile we’ll see what we can do about getting you schedules of the two fifty-first Precinct and the Sector George cars. When you have your campaign firmed up, get in touch with me and I’ll set up a meet for you with Mr. Angelo. I suggest you do this before you make a firm commitment to your staff. You understand? No use bringing them in until the whole thing is laid out. You agree?
ANDERSON: Yes.
SIMONS: Is everything clear now? I mean about money, and personnel, or anything else? If you have any questions, now is the time to ask them.
[Lapse of six seconds.]
ANDERSON: This Parelli—what did he do?
SIMONS: I don’t know and I don’t want to know. I suggest you cultivate the same attitude. Would you like something now?
ANDERSON: Yes. All right. A brandy.
SIMONS: Excellent, excellent. …