NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
(Originally published by the Daily News on Tuesday, March 24, 1970, written by Edward Kirkman and Harry Schlegel.)
Carlo Gambino, the reputed new boss of all Cosa Nostra bosses in the country, was bagged by federal agents in Brooklyn yesterday on charges of masterminding a daring plot to pull off a multimillion-dollar armored car robbery.
And, not content with stakes of $3 million to $5 million from that job, according to government authorities, the suave, 67-year-old Gambino was also making plans to stage a $25 million foray at the offices of the U.S. Trucking Co. at 66 Murray St.
Gambino was fingered by John J. Kelley, 55, described by federal agents as a Boston armored car heist expert, who broke down after his arrest in another case last May and named Gambino as the kingpin in the alleged conspiracy here. Kelley is being held in protective custody in Boston.
At his arraignment late yesterday, before U.S. Commissioner Earl N. Bishopp in the court in Foley Square, Gambino was impassive as special prosecutor Daniel P. Hollman asked for $100,000 bail.
However, the defendant's face brightened into an amused tolerance as Hollman read off the complaint against him. And he broke out into a broad grin at the mention of the $25 million conspiracy, and again when Kelley's name was read off.
Attempts to Calm Him
Gambino listened politely as his lawyer, Edward J. Ennis of 8 W. 49th St., described him as an unfortunate man in ill health, devoted to his family.
But when Bishopp ruled that he be held in $75,000 bail, Gambino flew into a rage. "I'll stay in jail," he fumed. "I am innocent from this accusation. I won't put up five cents for bail."
Gambino's lawyer attempted to calm him. "You're not well enough to stay in jail," he told his client. "I stay in jail," Gambino shouted.
Ennis turned to Bishopp and asked: "Let me talk to his son, your honor."
"Don't talk to my son. I stay in jail," Gambino said.
Then Thomas Gambino, richly dressed, with an aquiline nose like his father's, stepped to the center of the room, embraced his father, and kissed him on the lips.
Agrees to the Bail
The two talked quietly for a few moments, then with Bishopp's permission, withdrew from the courtroom. The defendant returned a half-hour later and announced he had agreed to the bail.
Bishopp commented that "a man should be free if he can make bail." The elder Gambino nodded, smiled, bowed at the waist to the commissioner, and strode out of the courtroom.
The arrest of Gambino, who has one home at 2230 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, and a plush $100,000 waterfront layout at 34 Club Dr., Massapequa, L.I., comes less than a week after The News reported in a series on cargo thefts at Kennedy Airport that he cuts in for 25% of all the take there. Gambino is also fighting deportation proceedings.
This was the way the plot went, according to U.S. officials:
Last year, a group of lesser Mafia members got the idea that there was a good buck to be made in hitting armored cars. But since none of them was particularly knowledgeable about armored car heists, it was decided to bring in Kelley, the authorities said.
A Trip to Brooklyn
A veteran hijacker of armored cars in Massachusetts, Kelley began checking on similar vehicles here and finally decided that the U.S. Trucking Co. rigs met his specifications, it was said.
One company truck that he tailed left the firm's downtown headquarters, headed over the Williamsburg Bridge, and dropped off between $3 million and $5 million in new money at Chase Manhattan Bank branches in Brooklyn.
But a problem arose concerning the shipments. None of the initial conspirators knew how to deposit of the new bills without attracting attention. Thereupon it was decided to bring in Gambino.
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Charge Robbery Plot
But Gambino, as Cosa Nostra boss and successor to the late Vito Genovese, would have no part of a mere auxiliary role and immediately declared himself a head man, it was charged.
He agreed to provide, "among other things, autos for the robbery and the means to dispose of the money," said one official. And he also ordered Kelley to do the planning.
Kelley did, the authorities said. And what he came up with was what would have turned out to be one of the biggest jobs of all time - a projected $25 million heist of the trucking company, it was charged. The company at times has that much on hand when bills totaling that amount are sent to them from the Federal Reserve Bank downtown, to be split up and distributed to hundreds of banks in the five boroughs.
But it was about that time that Kelley was arrested in Massachusetts in an armored car job. Questioned about the many trips he had made to New York, he broke down, and according to federal agents, confessed to the U.S. Trucking Co. plot - aborting the whole scheme. Authorities said Kelley had been "extremely reliable and accurate in all statements and information" given to them.
Seized in Auto
Officials did not name any of the others involved in the alleged conspiracy, but it was learned that most of them are well known mobsters and Cosa Nostra luminaries. Nationwide alarms were issued for their arrest.
Gambino was driving with his wife, Catherine, when their car was pulled over at 14th Ave. and 48th St., Brooklyn. He was taken into custody by FBI men assigned to the federal strike force headed by Hoffman.
First, he was taken to FBI headquarters at 201 E. 69th St. for questioning. Then, he went to Federal Court for arraignment on a charge of conspiring to violate provisions of a federal statute banning the interstate transportation of stolen goods.
The white-haired, hawk-nosed Gambino came to this country as a stowaway in 1921. Although local, state and federal enforcement agencies have lengthy dossiers on Gambino, his only imprisonment occurred 33 years ago, when he served 22 months for operating an illegal still.
His career as a Mafia overlord began in 1958, when he assumed command of a family that had been headed by Albert Anastasia, who was murdered in a Manhattan hotel barber shop.