STANLEY FORMAN: "WHITEY BULGER, AMERICA'S MOST WANTED, AND ME"
June 26, 2011 | Source: Monroe Gallery of Photography
David Boeri, forÂmer WCVB reporter,currently with WBUR Radio wearÂing his Whitey Tee shirt after he was capÂtured. David is a great hisÂtoÂrian of Whitey and his exploits.
Via Stanley Forman
Whitey BulÂger was capÂtured and I got the call at 2: am to head into the City (Boston) for covÂerÂage of the big story. It brought back memÂoÂries of a conÂfrontaÂtion I had with Whitey almost 40 years ago, way before I knew who or what he was.
The Plaza at the PemÂberÂton Square Court House on BeaÂcon Hill was a gated area (still is, but now with a guard shack) and in order to park vehiÂcles on the Plaza to cover a court issue you had to knock on the door leadÂing to the bowÂels of the buildÂing and get whoÂever was on duty to unlock the gate. It was the same entrance where the prisÂonÂers comÂing for a court appearÂance were brought and then put in holdÂing cells.
One day about 40 years ago I had to go in and out of the Plaza sevÂeral times. Each time I knocked on the door lookÂing for the "key perÂson." The man with the key got pissed off at me as he thought I was bothÂerÂing him. I was young, strong (I thought), and if nothÂing else I could take anyÂone on verÂbally. We spared back and forth yelling and swearÂing at each other, he opened and closed the gate and I moved on.
Later that day I called DisÂtrict AttorÂney NewÂman Flanagan's pubÂlic relaÂtions direcÂtor Dave RodÂman. I told him the story and he knew immeÂdiÂately who I was talkÂing about and told me it was SenÂaÂtor William Bulger's brother Whitey and to let it go.
I did not realÂize what danÂger I had been in till 20 years later when I started to know more about Whitey, read he had worked at the Court House and realÂized who I had had the conÂfrontaÂtion with on that parÂticÂuÂlar day. It was a scary thought after readÂing he had disÂpatched peoÂple for varÂiÂous reaÂsons and I probÂaÂbly gave him good reaÂson that day.
A couÂple of years ago I was at a book signÂing event for "The SoilÂing Of Old Glory" and Billy BulÂger was the modÂerÂaÂtor as we talked about forced busÂing in Boston in the 70s. I told him about the inciÂdent. We both laughed as he said "I guess you are lucky to be alive!"
Through the years Whitey's repÂuÂtaÂtion as the "SavÂior of South Boston" cerÂtainly diminÂished and fear set in. There used to be newsÂpaÂper artiÂcles sayÂing Whitey played it safe against the bad eleÂments of South Boston; only runÂning some gamÂbling operÂaÂtions and keepÂing drugs out of the area. Works out he was the drug runÂner and involved in pretty much everyÂthing illeÂgal in the area, plus murÂderÂing peoÂple at will. He has been charged with 19 known murÂders and believed to be involved with many more.
Paul Corsetti, a forÂmer reporter I worked with, also had an inciÂdent with Whitey. Paul was chasÂing a story on a South Boston bookie and not thinkÂing much about it when he got a call at the office. It said it was Whitey himÂself telling Paul "I know where you're famÂily lives and the school bus your daughÂter gets on every day." Paul told Whitey it was not him he was lookÂing into and gave him the bookie's name he was watchÂing. Whitey lightÂened up and gave Paul all the inforÂmaÂtion he needed to do the story and the two moved on.
Another time in South Boston at PreÂble CirÂcle there was a call for a shootÂing. I raced there and the area was hecÂtic with EMTs workÂing a vicÂtim and cops runÂning around lookÂing for susÂpects. Dick FalÂlon, another news phoÂtogÂraÂpher, kept telling me they were lookÂing for Steven "The RifleÂman" Flemmi, who it turns out, was Whitey Bulger's partÂner both being FBI inforÂmants. Steve's brother Michael was a Boston Cop who later got himÂself in trouÂble and ended up in jail like his brother.
In the late 60s I was cruisÂing with Record AmerÂiÂcan phoÂtogÂraÂpher Gene Dixon my colÂleague for 16 plus years when he heard the call for a perÂson in the snow. It was on HarÂvard Street in DorchÂester and when we got there one of the BenÂnett brothÂers was curled up, bloody snow around him as he had been assasÂsiÂnated. As I read up on the hisÂtory of Whitey it seems his murÂder was all part of the gang wars of those past days.
I grew up in Revere, MassÂaÂchuÂsetts where it was said there was a bookie or gangÂster on every corÂner. Not true- just on a lot of corÂners but not all of them. My first "Mafia" hit took place durÂing a gang war between local gangs. There was an inforÂmant by the name of Joseph Baron BarÂboza. Joe was someÂhow involved in helpÂing the police get to rival gang memÂbers and he and his friends were on a hit list. On a weekÂday night 35 plus years ago I covÂered the murÂder of Domenic DamÂico, and East Boston man. He was an assoÂciate of Barboza's and had gone into a club in what was then called the ComÂbat Zone on lower WashÂingÂton Street in Boston to try and straighten things out. He had police proÂtecÂtion and lost them thinkÂing he could make things right.
He was told to go to Revere and meet someÂone near the Squire Club on Squire Road in North Revere. He did meet someÂone or should we say someÂone met him. When I got there he had been blown apart and was sitÂting slouched against the steerÂing wheel of his car about 100 yards from the club.
Another one of the group was Patsy FabiÂano. Patsy was in hidÂing and at one point was put in the Charles Street Jail for proÂtecÂtion. Kevin Cole, my colÂleague at the paper, got his picÂture as he walked in the front door. Patsy was later killed gangÂland style in the Boston area. I actuÂally knew Patsy; he hung out in Revere and went to Revere High.
DurÂing this gang war time our great writer Harold Banks did a book on BarÂboza and word was out there was a "hit" on him. Harold was the City EdiÂtor on SatÂurÂdays at the paper and his AssisÂtant City EdiÂtor was Tom SulÂliÂvan. Harold was nerÂvous about what might hapÂpen and had police proÂtecÂtion, One SatÂurÂday, Tom SulÂliÂvan put up a big sign on the back of his chair which read "I am not Harold Banks" with an arrow on the sign pointÂing to the Harold. It brought on a lot of laughs.
We were tight with the DisÂtrict AttorÂney back then and we were set up to phoÂtoÂgraph BarÂboza as he was being escorted from one court room to another at the PemÂberÂton Square Court House. A very nerÂvous Dick ThomÂson a colÂleague was sent on a SatÂurÂday mornÂing and the susÂpect was led across the corÂriÂdor well proÂtected by police. Our SunÂday ediÂtion was the only paper that capÂtured the image. The end finally caught up with BarÂboza on the streets of San FranÂcisco reportÂedly by a Boston area hit man!
I was on Prince Street in Boston's North End when they raided the offices of GenÂnaro Angiulo the local crime boss. The office had been bugged and after culling the inforÂmaÂtion that was needed they pulled out all of the files, safes and whatÂever else was movÂable. Of course the late and great Globe reporter Dick ConÂnolly was there, noteÂbook in hand and watchÂing the scene. Dick was so good at what he did I would be surÂprised if he did not get to lisÂten to the tapes that were recorded.
I had a friend who was told after offiÂcials lisÂtened to those recordÂings he was on a hit list. My friend had pissed some Mafia peoÂple and it was time to even the score. The "law" wanted him to help them but instead he fled the CounÂtry for sevÂeral years till things cooled down.
The Angiulo office was less than a mile from the ManÂchesÂter Street garage Whitey used to hang out with along with his partÂner Steve Flemmi. Most of the phoÂtos we see of Whitey and Steve were taken in the area of that garage. Mass State Police had set up surÂveilÂlance in a buildÂing across from the site. All of a sudÂden the pair stopped going to the garage and the rife between the FBI became more proÂnounced as they thought there was a leak comÂing from that office. Works out they were corÂrect and his name was John "ZipÂper Connolly."
Reporter Pam Cross and I were in a disÂtrict court folÂlowÂing Frank "CadilÂlac" Salemne, a Mafia boss and hit man. He surÂvived an attempt on his life durÂing a dayÂtime try on Route One in Saugus, MA, when sevÂeral shots were fired at him and although he was hit he surÂvived. Salemne at one time had fled MassÂaÂchuÂsetts and was livÂing in New York. FBI Agent John ConÂnolly hapÂpened to see him amongst 8 milÂlion peoÂple on a downÂtown ManÂhatÂtan Street and made the arrest. It was always felt he was one of the peoÂple BulÂger and Flemmi dimed out and let ConÂnolly know where he was. Salemne was supÂposed to be a friend of the pair.
RayÂmond PatriÂarca with his attorÂney Joseph BalÂliro leavÂing a Boston court around 1967. Over Patriarca's right shoulÂder is Record AmerÂiÂcan Reporter Tom Berube.
RayÂmond PatriÂarca with his attorÂney Joseph BalÂliro leavÂing a Boston court around 1967. Over Patriarca's right shoulÂder is Record AmerÂiÂcan Reporter Tom Berube.
The big boss of the Mafia in New EngÂland was RayÂmond PatriÂaca, the Mafia Don from Rhode Island. GetÂting a photo of him was a big deal as he put the fear of God in everyÂone and he always had his tiparÂillo cigar in his mouth and did not say pleasÂant things to the media.
The first time I saw him was at FedÂeral Court in Boston. We were all waitÂing for his appearÂance, everyÂone was talkÂing, and I was the only one that spotÂted him when he walked by us. I raced in behind him as he got in the eleÂvaÂtor and got the only photo as the eleÂvaÂtor door closed. About an hour later he came out the same door and walked right through the crowd, everyÂone was alert this time. Both the AP and UPI phoÂtogÂraÂphers got betÂter images than I did and the EdiÂtor of the paper hung them up in the photo departÂment to make sure we all knew we got beat.
The last time I saw RayÂmond was at a New BedÂford Court when they brought him in by ambuÂlance and stretchered him into his hearÂing. I got a great photo of him laid out. When he died we all went down to Rhode Island to the funeral home and covÂered peoÂple going in and out of the wake.
When I first began at the newsÂpaÂper, bookie raids were big and we had sources to tell us when, where and everyÂthing we needed to know to be there when it hapÂpened. I was disÂpatched to the 411 Club on ColumÂbus Avenue in Boston's South End. The susÂpects were being carted out and from there I folÂlowed the group to the FedÂeral Court House in Post Office Square. There were not any metal detecÂtors in those days so keepÂing up with the group was no problem.
I got into an eleÂvaÂtor but litÂtle did I know I got on with some of the susÂpects. One of them being a major player in the rackÂeÂteerÂing group, Dr. Harry "Doc" SaganÂsky, a BrookÂline denÂtist and big time bookie. He was smokÂing a cigar and he turned to me flickÂing his ashes and said "If you take my picÂture I will burn your eyes out." I still have my eyes so you know what I did not do that day.
Another time the FBI was pickÂing up Mafia susÂpects along with Boston Police and they paraded the group across the street to the JFK buildÂing from the DisÂtrict One Police StaÂtion on New SudÂbury Street. It was a very orgaÂnized show and tell by the cops and at one point VinÂnie "The AniÂmal" FerÂrara, one of the key figÂures, looks at me and says "get that light out of my eyes," I said "yes sir" and moved onto someÂone else.
I knew some of the vicÂtims of Mafia hits. The beauÂtiÂful wife of gangÂster Richie CasÂtucci, SanÂdra, used to shop at Arthur's CreamÂery where I had my high school delivÂery job. I loved going to his Revere Beach BouleÂvard home as the tip was big and she was good to look at.
He reportÂedly felt obligÂated to the FBI after they proÂvided some inforÂmaÂtion to him so he became a conÂfiÂdant. They found him wrapped up dead in the trunk of his car less than a mile from where DamÂico was murÂdered on Lantern Road in Revere. This was supÂposÂedly part of the Whitey Bulger's group of killings. Another murÂder tied to FBI Agent, John "ZipÂper" ConÂnolly, who is servÂing what should end up being life senÂtence in a Florida Jail.
When these gang wars first began my colÂleague Gene Dixon took a great photo of one of the vicÂtims near the back of the old Boston GarÂden. Gene had gone up on the expressÂway and even told Globe phoÂtogÂraÂpher Ollie NooÂnan, Jr. where there was a good view. The phoÂtos the two of them made with the lightÂing, girdÂers and highÂway made it look like the scene from a movie.
The Record AmerÂiÂcan did not use the photo as they thought it was too grueÂsome and Gene walked around for weeks showÂing and talkÂing about all the sugÂgesÂtive picÂtures on the movie pages of the paper where everyÂone appeared to being havÂing sex (not the words he used). What really got him pissed was seeÂing Ollie's photo in a douÂble page spread in Life MagÂaÂzine doing a story on underÂworld murÂders and this was a good example.
Today, while chasÂing the story surÂroundÂing Whitey's capÂture I was first sent to his brother's Billy house then to his brother Jack's house, both in South Boston. I was sitÂting there lookÂing around workÂing to stay awake and as I looked up at two men talkÂing I realÂized one of them looked like Jackie. I picked up my video camÂera and zoomed in, it was him.
I started tapÂing the scene, jumped out of the car as he began walkÂing towards me. He had this big umbrella in his hand and all I could think of was I escaped the wrath of his brother and now he would do me in. Not to be, I said "Hello, would you like to talk to me?" he very angrily said "I am not talkÂing" and he walked back to his apartment.
Stanley Forman's Pulitzer-Prize winning photograph "The Soiling of Old Glory" is featured in the exhibition "History's Big Picture" July 1 - September 25, 2011,