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It was Lansky who opened up what was for a time the Syndicate’s
greatest source of income, gambling in Havana. He personally handled
negotiations with the dictator Batista. Luciano was pleased with
this money machine and never stepped on the toes of Meyer Lansky and
listened to him intently. It was Meyer who had the brains of the
outfit, but it was a group of remorseless hired killers who had the
muscles to keep the ship running. Known infamously as Murder,
Incorporated.
The mob never had any of
society’s misgivings about the justification of the death penalty. They decided it
would be very businesslike to set up a special troop of killers that the Syndicate could
call on for rub-outs. By doing this, they felt it would eliminate animosity and conflict of
interest in killing each other’s members. Under the rules, Murder, Inc., killed only
for pressing business reasons, and was never to be brought into action against political
figures, prosecutors or reporters. Bugsy Siegel probably best summarized the top
gangsters’ attitudes toward Murder, Inc., when he informed construction executive Del
Webb, rather philosophically, that he had nothing to fear from the mob because "we
only kill each other."
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Dutch Schultz
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The principal that "we only kill each other," was never better
illustrated than in the rubout of New York numbers king, Dutch Schultz, himself a founding
ruler of the Syndicate. In 1935, Schultz had become the prime target of special
prosecutor, Thomas E. Dewey, and he demanded that Murder, Inc., hit Dewey. This was in
direct violation of the founding rules of the organization, and Schultz was voted down.
Then Schultz stormed out of the meeting with Luciano, Lansky, Costello and Adonis,
insisting he was not bound by such a decision and that he would handle the hit himself.Immediately,
a new vote was taken, and the principle of law and order prevailed. Schultz got the death
penalty. The job was carried out shortly thereafter in a Newark chop house. |
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Albert Anastasia is often described as the "Lord High Executioner", or
operating commander of the troop, but he took orders from Louis Lepke, the country’s
number one labor racketeer and a member of the Syndicate’s ruling circle. Lepke later
earned the distinction of being the only top Syndicate member to be executed by a state or
federal body, when he died in Sing Sing’s electric chair. At times, Joey Adonis also
issued orders. However, none of the estimated 500 murders believed to have been committed
by Murder, Inc., ever went ahead without the concurrence of Luciano, Lansky or Frank
Costello.
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Albert Anastasia
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Directly below Anastasia, Lepke and Adonis were a number of lieutenants,
including Louis Capone (no relation to big Al), Mendy Weiss and Abe "Kid Twist"
Reles. Instructions for specific assignments came from Luciano, Lansky or Costello and
then passed on to the underlings. This way it could not be proved in any criminal
prosecution that the men at the top were involved. |
| In 1940, Murder, Inc. unraveled when
a number of lesser mob members were picked up on suspicion of various murders. Also picked
up was Abe Reles. He became known as the "Canary of Murder, Inc.," and
eventually gave details on some 200 killings in which he personally participated or had
knowledge. He died while in police custody under mysterious circumstances. He
"fell" 75 feet out a hotel window.
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