Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hote). DATE: 11-14-2017 JFK Assassination System - Identification Form Date: 6/12/201 Agency Information AGENCY: FBI RECORD NUMBER: = 124-10202-10023 RECORD SERIES: HQ- AGENCY FILENUMBER: = 92-3182-77 Document Information ORIGINATOR: FBI FROM: ROEMER, WILLIAM F. TO: DIRECTOR, FBI TITLE : . DATE: 02/18/1960 PAGES: 24 SUBJECTS : . GAL, ACT, ASSOC, REL, BKG, MED/PER HIST DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMEN CLASSIFICATION: — Unclassified RESTRICTIONS: 4 ~ CURRENT STATUS: — Redact DATE OF LAST REVIEW: — 02/12/1998 OPENING CRITERIA: = INDEFINITE COMMENTS : tO v9.1 Docld: 3227689747 Page 1 208
Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Key"pt 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hote) DATE: 11-14-2017 Ga ; o ~ : 7 / . . 7 ' FD-263 (5-12-55) ie a ee FEDERAL BUREAU. OF. INVESTIGATION _ - Reporting Office Office of Origin Date Investigative Period oo THE CHICAGO DIVISION. LAT. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS __ Will’ continue to investigate the criminal activities, Pl New York dated November 27,°1957, entitled "Top Hoodlum ; Copies of this report are being sent Registered Mail in view of the fact that a substantial portion of the cover Pages has been obtained from CG 6343-C#, a highly sensitive.’ i ? £ Do not write in spaces below 2 - Bureau (92-3182) (RM) ICC 4/13 2 - Chicago (92-373) COPLES DESTROYED , ot £0 6 MAF Gd, 1972, an oe ~ Ds, 1& Boe! “¢ & Qo by wg ( {SFEB 23 1960 we? Sere fey eae of FBI - This report is loaned to you by the FBI, and neither it nor its contents are to be distributed outside the agency ~~ wu. s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1983 O—344750 Doecld: 3227689747 Page 2? ee
"Released under the John F. “Rennedy Assassination Records Colteéction Act of 1799" (iT WC Fils Aote; . DATE: 11-14-2017 a . ine VG . an A Nope . ee os 92-978 JOHNSON advised that MARIANNE ALEX stayed in the ‘ JOHNSON residence on the South Side of Chicago on three recént occasions, this being on weekends of December 19, 1959 and January 16, 1960 and overnight on January 20, 1960. JOHNSON advised that this is a most unusual thing for MARIANNE ALEX to. do for the reason heretofore, ALEX almost never allowed his wife to be away from him. JOHNSON opined that the reason for MARIANNE's' overnight visits with them on these occasions was that ALEX was not in town at least on. these particular occasions. JOHNSON advised that he is reasonably sure that the ALEXes have not traveled to Europe this year as has been their practice in recent years. The JOHNSONs were in Europe during the entire months of October and November, and JOHNSON advised that they received at least one letter postmarked Chicago from MARIANNE RYAN during that time. JOHNSON also noticed that MARIANNE AKEX handled the business ventures which are carried on jointly by. her and CAROLE JOHNSON during the moitths of October and November. JOHNSON is. also aware of the fact that in late September GUS ALEX . was arrested in California on a traffic warrant. He advised ‘ \ that ALEX was extremely upset over this occurrence and that his health deteriorated as a result of it. JOHNSON further advised that when MARIANNE ALEX spent the weekend during December 19, 1959, he took her to the airport where she boarded a plane for Los Angeles for the purpose of visiting her mother in Glendale, California, where she was to remain for the holidays. . : Based on the above information, JOHNSON is reasonably certain that MARIANNE ALEX at least has been in this country i from the period during late September to the present time. i On January 25, 1960, NY 2427-C, advised SA EDMUND FLANAGAN of the New York Office that GUS ALEX, whom the informant knows as a well known gambler from Chicago and . who utilizes the nickname of "SLIM",was in New York City , during the weekend of January 23-24, 1960, where he was Do. staying at the St. Regis. Hotel under his wife' sS maiden name, MARIANNE RYAN, -C- COVER PAGE XS soos s an uJ Docld: 3227689747 Page 3
"Released under the John Fo Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of (997 (if Usc Fior Ho ote el. f : 11-14-2017 fon . oo i i Nee ae CG 92-373 ; According to NY 2427-C, ALEX has been out of the Chicago area since the shooting of ROGER TOURY, who was murdered in gangland fashion on December 16, 1959. The informant added that he had heard that ALEX."had been hiding out in New Jersey" Since the shooting of TOUHY. Il, STATUS OF HEALTH ‘It is apparent from the information . which will be reported hereinafter in the cover pages of this report | under the caption "Information Received From CG 6343-C*" that ALEX has been in very poor physical health during the recent several months. .It is noted particularly that MURRAY HUMPHREYS in a recent conversation with SAM GIANCANA spoke concerning the fact that "he is better than ever during the past few years" and concerning the fact that he does not intend to be retired’ by the Chicago Crime ‘Syndicate. HUMPHREYS and ’GIANCANA are Chicago Top Hoodlums. In this connection he commented that "GUSSIE says they're gonna put him on the farm", It. would appear that what HUMPHREYS was referring to was undoubtedly referring to ALEX and to his recent poor health.. It would also appear that it is very possible that ALEX is retiring from Crime ‘ Syndicate activities. As corroboration of this presumption, it is noted that when CG 6343-C* was established in July of 1959, it was expected that this informant would be able to i follow very closely, activities of ALEX due to the fact that ot it was ALEX who most frequently of all the Chicago Top Hoodlums appeared where his activities would be followed by. the informant. It would appear that the reason that this has not been true is due to the fact that ALEX has been sick, as evidenced by his two visits to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and has not taken anywhere near the active position which he assumed in the Chicago Crime Syndicate up until the last eight or nine months. Questions concerning the health of GUS ALEX . were put to GEORGE JOHNSON, above. . JOHNSON advised that inasmuch as heis not in contact with GUS and only knows of ALEX through his close friendship with ALEX's wife, he.is not in a position to furnish current information concerning the status of ALEX's health, however, he does know that MARIANNE ALEX has been very concerned concerning the health of ALEX in the recent past but is of the opinion -D- | COVER PAGE | De LOS 3 Docld: 3227689747 Page 4
teleased under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1997 (i4 USC FToT Hotes. DATE: 11-14-2017 fo. : . ~es. 3 ose. ; oe CG 92-373 _ It would appear that PETE's reference to SLIM | is to GUS ALEX and his reference to FRANKIE is to FRANKIE FERRARO: : It would also appear from the conversation that ALEX and FERRARO have some jurisdiction over TORNBENE and ARGER. From CG 6232-C it is known that ALEX and FERRARO have sanctioned TORNBENE's and ARGER's activities in the loop and without their approval ARGER and TORNBENE could not continue to operate as they do.. This information has been reported in the past. _CG 6343-C* reported on January 18, 1960, that on that date SAM GIANCANA and MURRAY HUMPHREYS, Chicago Top Hoodlums had a conversation, HUMPHREYS made the following comment: ; ; "You know, ‘the older I-get, the better I get. You guys better not put me on the (obscene) farm". ‘GIANCANA laughed at that remark, HUMPHREYS. continued: | "What with GUSSIE saying that they're gonna: put him on the (obscene) farm, you better keep me around, wo HUMPHREYS reference to GUSSIE is obviously to GUSSIE ALEX and it would appear that in view of ALEX's deteriorating health, ALEX is considering retiring from the Chicago Crime “Syndicate, at least to some extent. On the same date HUMPHREYS had a conversation with FRANK FERRARO concerning MIKE BRODKIN, well known Chicago criminal lawyer with offices at 188 West Randolph. In - this regard FERRARO made the following comment: "That money hungry. MIKE, GUSSIE is the guy who controls him on the price", ° | Later on this same date BRODKIN had a conversation -with FERRARO and HUMPHREYS. HUMPHREYS and FERRARO were angry -J- | | | COVERP PAGE oo 4 ‘ oo CO - : ~ ee — . —_ SUS 99Ng Docld: 3227689747 Page 5
ss DATE: 11-14-2017 1 aa ‘ — ’ d° ST, CG 92-373: . IV, INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM CG 6232-C CG 6232-C advised SA WILLIAM A. MEINCKE on December 23, 1959 that he had recently learned that GUS ALEX is absorbing a lot of "heat" from his associates regarding the recent publicity linking himself and "Strongy" of the Normandy Lounge which had been, up until all of the publicity, one of ALEX's prime meeting places and a place where he conducted a lot of his business tran- ‘sgactions. He advised that the newspaper publicity Linking ALEX to LOUIS BRIATTA regarding the recent city payroll scandal further caused ALEX embarrassment. ‘Regarding the old Viaduct Lounge, the informant . advised that there was an individual known only to him as RAMMIE who was described as white, male, slim, Italian, 160 pounds, 5'8", well built, well dressed, residing on the southside in the vicinity of 31st and Wentworth. _ He advised that RAMMIE was a front man for GUS ALEX in the huge crap game operated at the Viaduct Lounge. He. advised that since the activity at the Viaduct Lounge RAMMIE has fallen out of favor with ALEX and is no. longer on the payroll. Informant advised that RAMMIE gambled extensively himself and when ALEX found out about it he got rid of. him immediately. The informant advised that ALEX did | not consider the offense too serious and possibly again RAMMIE would act in ALEX's behalf at.a later date in other gambling operations. Informant advised that he recently learned that one . JIMMY CONTRUSI is becoming more and more prominent among southside hoodlums. The informant advised that since RODI died, his son-in-law "SKID" CARUSO controls all the books and gambling on the southside which was formerly operated by his father-in-law. The informant advised, however, that CARUSO is not near the man that RODI was. He is slow moving and not a quick thinker and as a result other hoodlums are moving in for power in his area. Informant advised that JIMMY CONTRUSI is one who collects money from all the bookies in the immediate southside area. He is supposed to turn all of this money. over to CARUSO who in turn brings the good portion of it to GUS ALEX, Inasmuch as "SKID" CARUSO is not 3 _ M- COVER PAGE Ee a | Yos-rooay, -- Lees Docld: 322769747 Page 6