The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-06
AS Pegler Sees 1t
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER
copyright, 1S47, BY King Features
Cvudicafp Enc1

VGl. LIE olSStO1 I'll 't1S sD'A
ernor Warren and Senator Downey, OF
California, a few days ago in their dis
coverv of a new underworld in the arnuse-
ment industry.
On this special phase of the new prob
lem of criminality in the entertainment
trades. Mr.. Hoover delivered some re-
marks to a class of 500 Of his Omen at
the Department of Justice in Washington.
"Glaring headlines announced the assas-
sination of Buggy Siegel, but circum-
stances surrounding his career in CRIME
tell the story better than words, said
he. Here was an individual whose Life
was a constant challenge to common de-
cencv. Yet he and his criminal scum were
lionized and their favors sought after IN
so-called respectable circles"
Mr.. H. was referring here to an &C
count of a cocktail party by the Eddie
Cantors soon after Siegel was shot dead
in the presence of another socially ais
tinguished Hollywood racketeer known as
Allen Smiley, which is an alias for Aaron
Smehoff and Abraham Smickoff, original
1y of Bella. Russia. Cantor had blown
some kisses after the dead gorilla and
Jimmy Durante, an old-time speakeasy
PLAYER himself, saluted Siegel's memory
kindly. Then, too, Hoover remembered
that Siegel had been a cordial 1rleno OIL
an American woman of wealth who mar
TleQ oil 1Ldldl ollo Soi
wears, a sort of rhinestone Mrs. Astor OF
the Hollywood glammer set, under the TILE
of the Countess Dorothy Di Frasso. She
mourned Siegels passing by phone from
Italy and the morgue envelopes showed
that the Countess Dorothy until a lew
wears ago was the head babe OF the haute
monde and the bon ton OF the hollywood
Observation-Disclosures set.
"The glamour that surrounded his lne
in all its vile implications was ~shocklngly
diseusting." said John Edgar, still going
on about Buggy, "but Siegel was a SYM
Dol. He fronted for more sinister and DIS
reputable characters, the untouchables
who hire mercenaries to do their work
He fronted for Frank Costello, Willie
Moretti, and Joe Adonis, OF the Jersey
criminal scum. There is a continuing, Wld-
ening web of association among these peo-
pie. In Arizona last winter, an old-tlme
L~eavenworth convict with a brutal record
turned up socially with some of the old
Roosevelt new deal White House set. This
is one of the manifestations that Hoover
means when he twangs the note about the
lionizing of criminal scum by 'so-calleo
respectable social circles.
Now let us consider a little night-side
paper published in Hollywood called
Hollywood Mite Life, Movies. Radio. Mite
Clubs. Sports. Music"
The masthead names Jimmy Tarantino
as the ''editor and publisher" Tarantlno
is a swipe and hustler who used to hang
around Jacobs beach, a stretch near
Madison Square Garden where the Tight
ers, managers and racketeers gather. ne
has a cheap police record in Newark and
he has been a friend and protege OF Frank
Sinatra.
George Evans, Sinatra's press agent and
manager, has been jumpy lately. They
overdid their publicity. The pied piper
theme about the hungry-looking little raga-
muffin with the hollow cheeks and the IN
nocent stare, leading millions of American
young girls-just children-lnto nsensate
street connections and liberal" or anti
fascist political riots was badly overcome:
People got inquisitlve and lnqu1rea wnae
sort of fellow this really was who was
going to influence their young ones: They
found out. One arrest on a seduction
charge that washed out. Not too bad, but
mo recommendation for a youth leader,
especially of girls. Then Evans said the
complainant seduced Slnatra and was ar
rested for Annoying him. Not often IS the
female of the species accused OF ae1low-
erine an innocent young male roadhouse
crooner. which was Sinetra's job at that
time. Put it could happen In Slnatra.s
neighto~nood in New Jersey where his
touch underworld friends live. Another ar
rest followed for drawing a bead on a man
who wasn't looking and slugglng am Win
a sneak punch. Then Slnatra hoilered .lol-
erance," which is coming to rival pa5rlo-
t;s1n as the last refuge OF the ~scoundrel.
He thought he had better not risk a
+r;.1 on that charge. The conviction Tor
s1,1oo;no would have been bad enough, but
40 evidence that would have gone into
tho nermanent record would have been no
boost for a leader Of American youth. so
Sinatra paid off instead. Ponce record:
two arrests.
Evans saws Sinatra brushed Tarantino
80 aao Never did have anything to do
with him, really. Just one OF those punks
Who trv to latch onto a successful fellow.
Rut on Feb. 4, 1916, Sinatra's name was
signed first to a telegram to Fred HoWser,
the prosecuting attorney OF Los Angeles
county, demanding big police protection
for Tarantiro and his wife and child VINO
Nd been "threatened and harassed by
%no1;+;ca1 qangsters.' There was. a queer
renort that Mrs. Tarantino and the baby
chiId had been kidnapped. This investlga-
ion did not confirm this but it did Lead
tn interesting information about Lar antlno.
Sinatra assumed great Importance IN the
telegram to Howser. He himself mad call.
ed the meeting OF a "c1tlzens commlttee.
Mr. Howser is now the attorney general
If the state in charge OF several serious
;nvesti cations of underworld activity in
connection with the amusement business,
ordered by Governor Warren. In this work
he can exchange information with the
F.B.I., the bureau of narcotics and many
| police departments.
Evans specifically said Sinatra did not
.1eded s.ou!4ugIeL soueug
One appropriate selection from. Taran-
tino's own essays is entitled ga weekend
at the Flamingo."
This is two columns of ~ecstatic publicity
about the gangster's trap at Las Vegas
and personal admiration of M Benjamin
Siegel, a handsomely groomed, tall, hand
some, tanned and smiling gent" whom
J. Edgar Hoover called ga challenge to