The Sinatra Files (8 page)
Authors: Tom Kuntz
The Chicago Office advised that on August 8, 1946, a request was made of Charles Fischetti to get in touch with his brother Joe for the purpose of contacting Frank Sinatra in New York to expedite hotel reservations around November 7, 1946. It was indicated that the reservations for the hotel were desired by the Fischettis as they intended to attend the Notre Dame-Army football game. Fischetti is a Chicago hoodlum who was a subject in the Bureau’s investigation on the Re-Activation of the Capone Gang.
An informant in Chicago advised
Joe Fischetti met Charles Baron and furnished the information to the effect that both Joe Fischetti and Charles Baron had purchased two dozen shirts and forwarded them to Frank Sinatra in Hollywood. The shirts were boxed in two separate boxes and a card was placed in each box, one from Joe Fischetti and the other from Charles Baron. Baron apparently is associated with a Ford agency on South Michigan Avenue in Chicago.
The Washington News on April 10, 1947, carried a story datelined Hollywood, April 10, which carried the following statement:
“Frankie explained he took out the permit two months ago to ‘protect personal funds.’ Shortly thereafter he went to Cuba, where he met Gambler Lucky Luciano. Their alleged friendship was blistered in Mr. Mortimer’s column and was believed to be the spark for Tuesday night’s fracas.
“(Frankie’s ‘friendship’ with Luciano was first revealed by Robert Ruark, 6-foot, 200-pound columnist for the News and other Scripps-Howard papers.)”
If Lee Mortimer has not already done so, he might contact Robert Ruark. Ruark personally told me that he has been investigating Sinatra and it is entirely possible that Ruark might have uncovered some information that may be of assistance. There is attached hereto Mr. Ruark’s column of February 20, 1947. Also, Mortimer might check with law enforcement contacts in Bergen County and endeavor to secure the information from Captain Donohue which he has on Moretti and Sinatra.
3. Mortimer also desires Bureau information on Sinatra’s arrest on a sex offense.
Observation: The records of the clerk of the Second Criminal Judicial District of the County of Bergen, Hackensack, New Jersey, reveal the following information: Docket 15228 in the State vs. Frank Sinatra reflects that Sinatra was charged on November 26, 1938, byNew Jersey, as follows: “On the second and ninth days of November, 1938 … under the promise of marriage he (Sinatra) did then and there have sexual intercourse with the said complainant who was then and there a single female of good repute….” The Charles Casualty Company, 214 Maine Street, Hackensack, New Jersey, made Sinatra’s bond of $1,500. On December 7, 1938, the complaint was withdrawn when it was ascertained that the complainant was in fact married.
Docket 15307 in the case of State vs. Frank Sinatra reveals a complaint was filed on December 21, 1938, by
New Jersey, charging Sinatra with adultery in that he “… on the second and ninth days of November, 1938 … committed adultery with the said complainant, a married woman, wife ofSinatra made his own bond of $500 on January 4, 1939, and the case was remanded to the jury by order of Judge McIntyre.
Docket 18540 for the prosecutor of the bills, Bergen County, reveals that a no-bill was returned on January 17, 1939 by the grand jury and the complaint charging adultery was dismissed in open court for quarter sessions on January 24, 1939. Sinatra was then represented by Harry L. Towe of Rutherford, New Jersey. Towe is
now a member of Congress and the Director may recall meeting him at my house prior to the Shrine Dinner in Alexandria.
4. Conceivably the New York Mirror might have access to the records at Local Board #19 for Hudson County, Room 308, 26 Journal Square, Jersey City, New Jersey. In February of 1944, the chief clerk of this board was Mrs. Mae E. Jones. On the detailed notations appearing in section 4, physical examination results, (made by Captain J. Weintrob, M.C., Assistant Chief Medical Officer), appears the following observation: “55—Mental: emotional instability, N.D.” When interviewed later, Captain Weintrob furnished us with a copy of a communication which he had addressed to the commanding general wherein paragraph C reads as follows:
“During the psychiatric interview the patient stated that he was ‘neurotic, afraid to be in crowds, afraid to go in elevator, makes him feel that he would want to run when surrounded by people. He had somatic ideas and headaches and has been very nervous for four or five years. Wakens tired in the A.M., is run down and undernourished.’ The examining psychiatrist concluded that this selectee suffered from psychoneurosis and was not acceptable material from the psychiatric viewpoint. Inasmuch as the selectee was to be rejected on an organic basis, namely,
(1) Perforation of left tympanum
(2) Chronic mastoiditis, left,
the diagnosis of psychoneurosis, severe was not added to the list. Notation of emotional instability was made instead. It was felt that this would avoid undue unpleasantness for both the selectee and the induction service.”
There is attached hereto a more detailed summary memorandum prepared in Mr. Rosen’s division on February 26.
Tolson ended up meeting with Mortimer the following day. He later briefed Hoover on the visit, all the while insisting that he had not given the
columnist any “official assistance,” when in fact it appeared that he had been helpful
.
| TO: DIRECTOR | DATE: May 13, 1947 |
| FROM: CLYDE TOLSON |
I talked this afternoon to Mr. Lee Mortimer, of the New York Daily Mirror, who wanted to ask some questions concerning Frank Sinatra. I told Mr. Mortimer that, of course, he realized that we could not give him any official information or be identified in this matter in any manner, which he thoroughly understands.
He left a photograph taken of Frank Sinatra in Cuba and asked whether we could identify one individual shown in the picture. Copies of this photograph are being made and an effort will be made to determine whether any of our Agents are acquainted with the person in question.
Secondly, he was interested in the association between Sinatra and Willie Moretti of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. I told Mr. Mortimer in this connection that his best bet would be to make appropriate contacts with the Bergen County Police and possibly with a Captain Donohue.
Also, Mr. Mortimer was interested in Sinatra’s arrest on a sex offense. He had practically all of the information concerning this charge and I merely indicated that he might secure information as to the ultimate disposition of the charge by contacting the prosecutor of the bills, Bergen County, New Jersey.
Also, Mr. Mortimer had already learned of the contents of the selective service file pertaining to Sinatra and knew the location of the board in Jersey City. He indicated that while he had secured the contents of this file on an informal basis, he understood that these records were not subject to subpoena.
Mr. Mortimer had already contacted Robert Ruark, who has written several derogatory articles concerning Sinatra.
Mr. Mortimer told me that he understood that Colonel Fain D’Orsey, alias Charles Conley, was arrested in the spring of 1946 for smuggling narcotics from Mexico to the United States and at the
time of his arrest was driving a station wagon which belongs to Sinatra. He indicated that Sinatra has made no effort to secure repossession of this station wagon but he has learned that possibly D’Orsey will furnish enough information to the Narcotics Bureau to include Sinatra in a conspiracy charge. He stated he planned to have the Hearst Office arrange for him to see Mr. Anslinger, of the Narcotics Bureau, in an effort to run this down. I am trying to ascertain whether we have a criminal record of this person on the basis of the information furnished.
Mr. Mortimer was appreciative of the opportunity to talk to me and thoroughly understood we could not be of any official assistance to him in this matter.
In an open letter to the public issued in the spring of 1947, Sinatra denounced “certain unscrupulous newspapermen” who were attacking him and thanked the journalists standing by him, including Winchell, who had a role in touching off the Sinatra draft investigation in 1944. And years later, Winchell evidently passed on another damaging and unsubstantiated allegation to the FBI, as evidenced by this excerpt from a memo sent by the Los Angeles FBI office to Hoover
.
The Bureau by letter to Springfield dated July 11, 1951, captionedINFORMATION CONCERNING, furnished a photostatic copy of a letter written byPeoria, Illinois, dated July 23, 1950, addressed to Mr. WALTER WINCHELL. A copy of this letter was confidentially furnished to the Bureau. The letter contains quotations from a booklet written by KENNETH GOFF entitled “Confessions of Stalin’s Agent.” One of the quotations describes SINATRA as “one of the outstanding Reds in Hollywood.” According toletter, the booklet also includes other allegations concerning SINATRA.
