Smudge Only Clue in Rosselli Case It Was a Grisly End for John Rosseili, Fidence, So He Came to Trust Us
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
THE WASHINGTON POST Friday, August 27.1976 D 15 Jack Anderson and Les Whitten Smudge Only Clue in Rosselli Case It was a grisly end for John Rosseili, fidence, so he came to trust us. We gave information, according to our the dapper, debonair mobster about were the only reporters he would talk sources, which resulted in a grand jury, town, who had been a familiar figure to. confrontation for Tony Accardo. The in the glittering night spots of Holly- So when he vanished last month his surly mobster took the fifth. But Ac- wood, Las Vegas and Havana. associates imme to us for., help. We cardo grumbled to associates that heJ His killers shot or stabbed him in the were suspicious, of course, that his dis- would pay back Rosselli some day. stomach. The autopsy indicates they appearance was linked to the Castro Rosselli was also blamed for passing may have shot him and then dug out caper. But our investigation has now information to the government, which the bullet with a knife. Then they bru- produced evidence to the contrary. led to the conviction of Detroit mob tally hacked off his legs. It is possible We have learned, for example, that ster Anthony Zerllli. He is now serving that he was still alive when they Rosselli was not the amiable, retired a four-year sentence at Sandstone fed- stuffed his body into a 55-gallon drum. old duffer he pretended to be. He be- eral penitentiary for racketeering. They wrapped chains around the gan in the big time as a bookkeeper for Perhaps the last straw was Rosselli's drum to weight it down and tossed it Chicago's notorious AI Capone and be- testimony in the Castro case. He identi- into Biscayne Bay. The autopsy sug- came a specialist in white-collar fied two mobsters, the late Sam Gian. gests he may have died of asphyxiation crimes. -It's a profession, apparently, cane and Santo Trafficante, as being inside the drum before it hit the wa- that he never gave 41. involved in the assassination attempts. ter. The gases from the decomposing Competent sources 'say that, be- It's no secret in the underworld that body floated the heavy container to tween rounds on the Florida golf Trafficante detests publicity. the surface. It was discovered, with Its courses; Rosselli was involved In stolen •Our sources believe that the Mafia nightmarish contents, 10 days after securities and financial swindles. His bosses finally became fed up with Ros- Rosselli had disappeared from his sit- operations reportedly were resented selli. His execution would have re- er's home in Plantation, Fla. by Santo Trafficante, who has been quired the approval of the top leaders, The police withheld the gruesome identified in Senate testimony as the our sources say, because it was almost details of his death while they Mafia chief in Florida. certain to bring the federal govern- searched for his killers. We began our Rosselli came to Florida from Las ment into the case. own investigation, meanwhile, after an Vegas, where he allegedly represented Who were the vicious killers? The appeal from his associates. the Chicago mob. Our sources say that only clue Is a smudge spot on the win- We first encountered Johnny Roe- he handled millions in illegal gambling dow of Rosselli's car. One of his assail- sent more than five years ago. We money, 'which he forwarded to the ants probably had used a greasy hair were investigating his role in the Cen- Chicago underworld. There are re- pomade. tral Intelligence Agency's plot to assas- porta that Chicago crime lord Tony Ac- Washington Whirl—Contrary to sinate Cuban Premier Fidel Castro. cardo felt he had been short-changed press speculation, Vice President Nel- The CIA case officer, William Harv- by Rosselli. son Rockefeller does not want to be ey, told us that Rosselli had been the Still earlier, Rosselli spent time in Secretary of State. If the Republicans hero of the abortive adventure. the stammer, first, for extortion and, win in November, he will not seek Harvey broke his oath of secrecy be- later, for a card swindle. Those who Henry Kissinger's job. Rockefeller told cause he thought it might help Rost:mi- know him say he had developed a taste us categorically that he doesn't intend ll, who was in trouble, with the law. for the good life. He dressed in the lat- to serve in the next Administration. The CIA agent had nothing but praise est styles, dined at the best restaurants Sen. William Scott, R-Va, has told us " for Rosselli's daring. and dated beautiful women. The he's "ready to retire" at the end of his In the strictest of confidence, Ros- thought of going back to prison, term in 1979. Not unless he is abso- selli himself confirmed that he had di- friends say, horrified him. lutely needed to stop a Democrat from rected six 'assassination attempts To avoid prison, he began to talk to capturing his Senate seat, he said, against Castro. We protected his con- the government as early as 1970. He would he run again. Jack Anderson's Washington Merry-go-round pay back Roselli some day. BY JACK ANDERSON he came to trust us. We were the only Hoselli was also blamed for passing With Les Whitten newsmen he would talk to. information to the government, which So when he vanished last month his led to the conviction of Detroit mobster WASHINGTON — It was a grisly end associates came to us for help. We were Anthony Zerilli. • He is now serving a for John Roselli, the dapper, debonair suspicious, of course, that his four-year sentence at Sandstone federal mobster about town, who had been a disappearance was linked to the Castro penitentiary for racketeering. familiar figure in the glittering caper. But our investigation has now Perhaps' the last straw was Roselli's nightspots of Hollywood, Las Vegas and prodcued evidence to the contrary. testimony in the Castro case. He Havana. We have learned, for example, that identified two mobsters, the late Sam His killers shot or stabbed him in the Hoselli was not the amiable, retired old Giancana and Santo Trafficante, as stomach. The autopsy indicates they duffer he pretended to be. Hie began in being involved in the assassination may have shot him and then dug out the the big time as a bookkeeper for attempts. It's no secret in the bullet with a knife. Then they brutally Chicago's notorious AI Capone. and underworld that Trafficante detest hacked off his legs. It is possible that he became a specialist in white-collar publicity. was still alive when they stuffed his body, crimes. It's a profession, apparently, Our sources believe that the Mafia into a 55-gallon ctruin., that he never gave up. bosses finally became fed up with They wrapped chains around the drum Competent sources say that, between Roselli. His execution would have to weight it down and tossed it into rounds on the Florida golf courses, required the approval of the top leaders, Biscayne Bay. The autopsy suggests he Roselli was involved in stolen securities our sources say, because it was almost may have died of asphyxiation inside the and financial swindles. His operatiOns certain to bring the federal government drum before it hit the water. The gases reportedly were resented by Santo into the case. from the decomposing body floated the Trafficante, who has been identified in Who were the vicious killers? The only heavy container to the surface. It was Senate testimony as the Mafia chief in clue is a smudge spot on the window of discovered, with its nightmarish Florida. Roselli's car. One of his assailants contents, 10 days after RoSelli had Roselli came to Florida from Las probably had used a greasy hair disappeared from his sister's home in Vegas, where he allegedly represented pomade. Plantation, Fla. • the Chicago mob. Our sources say that WASHINGTON WHIRL: Contrary to he handled millions in illegal gambling press speculation, Vice President Nelson The police withheld the gruesome money, which he forwarded to the Rockefeller does not want to be details of his death while they searched Chicago underworld. There are reports Secretary of State. If the Republicans for his killers. We began our own that Chicago crime lord Tony Accardo win in November; he will not seek Henry investigation, meanwhile, after an felt he had been short-changed by Kissinger's job. Rockefeller told _us appeal from his associates. Roselli. categorically that he doesn't intend to We first encountered Johnny Roselli Still earlier, Roselli spent time fn the serve in the next administration. more than five years ago. We were stammer; first, for extortion and, later, — Sen. William Scott, R.-Va., has told investigating his role in the Central for a card swindle. Those who know him us he's ready to retire" at the end of his Intelligence Agency's plot to assassinate say he had developed a taste for the good term in 1979. Not unless he is absolutely life. Cuban Premier Fidel Castrol. He dressed in the latest styles, dined needed to stop a Democrat from The CIA case officer, William Harvey, at the best restaurants and dated capturing his Senate seat, he said, would told us that Roselli had been the hero of beautiful women. The thought of going he run again. Scott once called. a press the abortive adventure. Harvey broke back to prison, friends say, horrified conference to deny that he was the his oath of secrecy because he thought it him.