Word: valachi
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When Hoodlum Joe Valachi appeared before Arkansas Senator John McClellan's Permanent Investigations Subcommittee last week, he rasped out a 31-hour rhapsody of names, crimes and Cosa Nostra syndicate secrets. Valachi's song held nothing new for U.S. lawmen: he had been holding private recitals for them for more than a year. But his testimony might provide some ideas for show biz scriptwriters...
...Valachi is an aging (60), two-bit punk-once a thief, a dope pusher, a willing killer for syndicate chiefs, now turned stool pigeon. Yet last week he found U.S. Senators treating him with patronizing respect. John McClellan addressed him warmly as "Joe," inquired if he wasn't tired from testifying, quickly adjourned the hearings until this week when the mug from the Mafia said he was indeed weary. In fact, Valachi's act was introduced-with some pride-by none other than Bobby Kennedy, Attorney General of the U.S. Boasted Bobby: "For the first time an insider...
Thinking of Themselves. No one seemed certain just what Valachi's appearance before the committee might gain. Bobby spoke about new wiretap laws and extending immunity from prosecution for racketeers who cooperate with the Justice Department. McClellan said vaguely that he had in mind some kind of law to "prohibit membership in such a criminal and secret organization as Cosa Nostra." And Joe Valachi thought organized crime should probably be outlawed-largely because "the bosses been thinking only of themselves for years...
...Valachi's testimony does nothing else, it has already produced a shocking commentary on the underworld jungle in the U.S. prison system. When Joe went to the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary on a narcotics conviction in 1960, the Cosa Nostra "boss of bosses" Vito Genovese, a prisoner, was there too. Valachi said Genovese arranged for them to be cellmates. One night in their cell Genovese said to Valachi...
...Valachi's singing is the greatest threat yet. Later this month he will testify before the Senate's McClellan committee. Already the Justice Department is readying a score of new indictments. But the Government's fear has been that Valachi's startling confession might touch off a new wave of gangland killings as hoodlums sought to weed out bad risks. At week's end it happened. Two Brooklyn thugs died as bullets sprayed their cars in two separate attacks. One was a member of the Gallo gang, from which killers had been recruited...