Boston Police officer, Frankie Desario talks about the Bennett Brothers and their violent demise.Oral History. But thats what Larry told Jerry Angiulo on the infamous wiretaps in the 1980s. Joe Mac was a WWII veteran and also a ruthless killer at the same time. Back to the Von Maxcy case. They tried to hide in a basement of a local house, but were cornered and sent back to Shirley. Walter was just 17 at the time. The memory of watching his mother return from the morgue after identifying his father's body two days before Christmas, is one that's never dimmed in 33 years. , Larry Baione claimed that Walter Bennett had hired Frankie to take out Larry. When the body was found in 2016, Salemme by then in the witness protection program was charged with DiSarros death. Stevie later testified that Frankie wanted Wimpy killed but that he himself shot Wimpy. Not now. They know it, but want to hang onto the fantasy that these were stand up guys. Subscribe today . Connie was driving home on May 25, 1966 when a car pulled up alongside his. Bennett Brothers Stone Company, Inc. - Better Business Bureau The mystery of what happened to Wimpy and Walter still haunts the Bennett family to this day. Was her father hiding someplace? In October of 1966, citrus Baron Charles Von Maxcy was attacked in the bedroom of his Florida home. George survived but some close to him say he was never was the same after that night. Punchy was transferred there by ambulance not lured there by Earl Smith. He was convicted of involvement in 11 murders and sent to prison. Flemmi is expected to testify that he walked into Salemmes Sharon, Massachusetts, home and saw Salemmes son, Frank Salemme Jr., strangling DiSarro as Salemme watched. His crumpled body was found in a snowbank on Harvard St. near Blue Hill Ave. with a bullet through his brain. 1 Catholic Memorial; roundup/list of scores, Is the Massachusetts Gaming Commission still dragging its feet? For example, the Chico Amico, Tashi Bratsos and Tommy DePrisco murders where Patriarca decided to put an end to Barbozas crew once and for all. The following day Wimpy met with a friend at 10:00 am and was supposed to sign a company payroll after that, but never showed up. Four days later, informant number BS-922-C stated that Stevie Flemmi and Frank Salemme had taken out Walter and Wimpy Bennett. After a tough street fighter named Tommy Sullivan put a public beating on Punchy McLaughlin in 1957, Hannon hunted down Sullivan and killed him. Richie was a government informant for 40 years. The McLean vs. McLaughlin Boston Irish Gang War. By MINA KIMES. So often, I find myself wishing for the kind of satisfaction they knew back in the days when two men faced each other in a duel. He has appeared on various documentaries and local news interviews. Shields was sent back to Walpole on a parole violation charge. In August of 1931 he and Joseph Lewis were arrested in a basement at 335 Shawmut Ave for selling alcohol. Consequently, there was more resignation than outrage in Bennett's voice yesterday when he learned that the government would not be charging Stevie Flemmi with the murders of his father and uncles. Pilgrims! Most of the original players in the war were long gone but a few survived. In an unexpected move, Barboza decided to testify against Patriarca and the Office after his friends were killed. They stole a car and made their way to Albany, NY where they led the State Police in a high speed chase. Speaking of Jack, next week were going to be talking about the botched heists of the late 1960s. He drove them back to the murder scene and helped them move the car to Brookline with Grassos body in it. Look, if it wasnt for the Feds and I dont mean just Rico and Condon, but all the way up to Hoover since they were all aware of what a bunch of fucking degenarate serial killers they were supporting, these guys would have been nothing! Unlike most mob turncoats Weeks went back to his old stomping grounds in Southie, seemingly with little fear of his safety. Everyone - ABC News. Joseph Joe Mac McDonald (1917-1997) Joe Mac was the best friend and partner in crime of James Buddy McLean and a mentor to Howie Winter. The following day Wimpy met with a friend at 10:00 am and was supposed to sign a company payroll after that, but never showed up. And Walter also loved running his mouth to the authorities. Walter left behind an estate of roughly $150,000. Dickie Grasso and the five men who had been indicted back in September 1969. In 1953 he escaped with two other boys from Shirley. Frankies description of the second Fed could only be Gerard Comen, dads handler and Ricos partner at that time. But instead Stevie sent the Feds on a wild goose chase and the Bennett family had their hopes dashed once again. There was, for example, the Bennett brothers. Thank goodness for our listeners sharing with us. He was again offered a deal to testify against Bulger and Stephen Flemmi, but he declined and served another nine years. Joan Bennett, who was 6 in 1967, remembers confusion. Sweet's first trial ended in a hung jury. Robert S. Bennett - Wikipedia He wrote a book called Rat Bastards: The Story Of South Bostons Most Honorable Irish Gangster. He decided the best way to do that was to kill their biggest enemy. The Flemmi brothers Stephen and Jimmy the Bear were in a precarious spot, being Bennett disciples but also ties with Barboza and Winter Hill. When court adjourned for the day, he had not yet gotten to the night 25 years ago that DiSarro went missing. There was also a monthly payment envelope that had the initials BM on it. On April 10th, Walters wife, Barbara, reported him missing to the police. Can you imagine? Here is a brief history of the Bennett Automobile Agency and the building, by Guy Bennett Jr. 1939 Car lot with cars front to back order 39, 38, 37, 36. He is best known for representing President Bill Clinton during the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal. I know, you just found it. Wimpy Bennett and his two brothers Walter and William were all murdered in 1967 during the middle of the McLean/McLaughlin War. Harry and Heath Bennett - Founders, CEOs - Bennett Brothers Balm - LinkedIn Robert was given a Confidential Informant number and made a Top Echelon informant in August. The criminals werent the only ones in trouble. Piecing together the stories and the players in Richies tangled tale. I know Ive ranted about this several times, but read the police reports, read the news articles from when that shooting happened. It all started at a drunken weekend getaway at Salisbury Beach with two different gangs that ended up getting violent. Just a few days after Billy Bennett was murdered, Rico went to his home looking for documents pertaining to the activities of Wimpy and Walter, but not for the FBI, but rather to assist Stevie. Shea was given 12 years for trafficking in cocaine. They were also Loyalists, which is how part of the family ended up in Canada for a few generations. ``No matter what they say, I believe the government is still trying hard to protect a guy like Rico,'' Billy Bennett said. A young Whitey Bulger was part of Killeens crew, as was the feared hitman William OSullivan. If you want to hear more about that case. OMG Earl looked just like Boris Nayfeld! Not Your Average Joe: Joseph JR Russo & Some North End Tales, Joe Meet Joe: Joseph Barboza - Part 3 - The Final Act, Thanksgiving Bonus Episode - Prison Breaks, California Dreaming - Joseph Barboza - Part 2, Finding Frankie Salemme - The 1972 Arrest, Jack's Justice - Part 3: The Trials Continue. Even the FBI does not reveal the names of informers., Hugh Shields and Billy Stuart were acquitted on April 30th. After years of making music together Brooklyn natives, the Bennett Brothers - Guitarist, Jimmy and Bassist, Peter Bennett - have had the honor of performing alongside greats such as Levon Helm, B.B. Forced to take the stand in front of the Massachusetts Crime Commission, Walter refused to state his present occupation. Bennett Brothers Blue Book In Department Stores Catalogs We'll be profiling criminals, informants, law enforcement officers, politicians and molls. At least Williams body was found, shot and tossed in a Dorchester snow bank. Thanks for listening! We were always told to keep our mouths shut.. Det. After the cop shot at their car three times, they abandoned the car and took off on foot. The indictments came down on September 11. . He was beaten savagely until he was nearly comatose. Flemmi went on to take control of the rackets in Dorchester and Roxbury, the former territory of the Bennett brothers. We are a family business offering the design, manufacture and installation of genuine bespoke furniture for your home from Kitchens through to Bedrooms, Bathrooms, Lounge and Home Study furniture.. Butchie Doe passed away from cancer in 2018. Maybe thats where Frankie got the idea about the Rabbi costumes! It is the Irish gangsters like Whitey Bulger who dominated the headlines over the years. An intruder threw a sheet over his head, stabbed him four times, shot him once in the head and then fled from the 324-acre estate. two days later and a trial date was set for April 7. an alleged associate of the Bennetts testified. The Bennetts were well established gangsters in the area and one of the strong Irish sets that resisted working with Patriarca and the Italian Office in Providence, Rhode Island. Walter was just 17 at the time. Let Nina & Lara be your guides through the darkest streets of Boston. When he searched under his car, he found an explosive device wired to his ignition. State Finals Homepage: Eight head to Ford Field, Abby Affholter to sing It was one of the most horrific double murder scenes in Boston history. You bet, Mastrodonato:FIFA president Gianni Infantino should be ashamed of ignorant remarks ahead of 2022 World Cup in Qatar, 'Significant burst' of heavy snow possible for areas of Massachusetts, up to 12 inches potential in spots, Alex Murdaugh killed wife, son to buy time, prosecutor says, Boston employee payroll data shows more big-money employees than ever. If Flemmi had been prosecuted in 1969 for the Fitzgerald bombing or the William Bennett murder, his role as an FBI informant might have been disclosed, and its legal implications might have been examined, three decades ago. How we compiled the list. But he stated that he had never revealed his sources even to his bosses. He decided to go on the lam, and while in hiding committed a murder for Bulger in Oklahoma. Joe Barboza was killing men in the war and also doing contract killings for the Patriarca Family in Providence. He told the agents that until Punchy was murdered he had been shaking down Sonny regularly not that he had something on him, but just putting fear into Sonny that something would happen to him., Walter continued on that Sonny was getting a lot of people in the middle with his stories of where his wealth came from such as gambling and borrowing from shylocks, and admitted to lending Sonny a couple of thousand dollars himself. Ed Punchy McLaughlin (died 1965) Ed McLaughlin was known as Punchy. But Billy Stuart was free to go. What started from one guy getting beat up ended up with 60 young men being murdered and hundreds more victims of the violence. Donald Killeen would be murdered in 1972. The mafia also teamed up with Stephen Flemmi to kill the three Bennett brothers in Dorchester, Walter, William and Wimpy. But the charges were never proven. Georges brother Bernie McLaughlin knew Somerville gangster Buddy McLean casually and reached out to him to get information on his brothers attackers. They dont know if their father was shot or strangled, dumped in the ocean or buried near a Hopkinton gun club, where authorities dug for bodies for weeks. Billy Stuart denied that he was involved in the murder, , and claimed that hed been shocked to hear that Billy Bennett had been murdered. Buddy McLean has become a legendary name in the Boston mob. They lured Walter to Frankies garage on the premise that Frankie would help him take Stevie out. Before the end of his time in the service, Wimpy was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The men who beat him up did drop the nearly lifeless McLaughlin off outside a local hospital. To avoid this, interviewers can do thorough research prior to the interview and formulate questions for the purpose of clarification. Like so many others, he was simply trying to survive in those days. Come on, said Susan of Bulgers homecoming, Whiteys still running the show here., Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), High school tournaments: Winchester stuns No. Maybe he was in juvie, but theres no mention of him having a juvenile record on his rap sheet. Walter was still convinced that Punchy McLaughlin was involved in the Mail Robbery. He was an FBI informant for decades and received special treatment from them. Medical examiners concluded that a blowtorch had been used on his genitals. Arthur Butchie Doe Jr. (1959-2018) Arthur Doe Jr., also known as Butchie was a chronic bank robber and involved in union corruption. ``(Paul) Rico was pushing my Dad pretty hard for the books,'' Bill Bennett said, yesterday afternoon, when contacted by phone.``I know, because I heard him. The Brinks heist would continue to haunt Wimpy Bennett for years. were arrested while breaking into a grocery store in Allston. But this is far from the only scene carved into Bill Bennett's heart and soul. Bernie and his other brother Ed Punchy McLaughlin were furious at the response. BOSTON, Massachusetts (The Boston Herald) -- Any illusions Bill Bennett Jr. had about life being fair evaporated in 1967. At least three sets of brothers perished in this war that has left a scar on the families and neighborhoods affected by it. . But they knew better. Was she being followed? OToole was actually murdered by his own men. Company Profile, Contact information, Current and former Employee directory, Corporate history, state/tax IDs. One former gangster to survive the early days of the war was famous actor Alex Rocco. He couldnt point out his reputed partner in a number of gangland slayings. Hugh Shields and Dickie Grasso went to Stevie Flemmi and they concocted a plan to take out Billy Bennett. Oral history is both the oldest type of historical inquiry, predating the written word, and one of the most modern, initiated with tape recorders in the 1940s and now using 21st-century digital technologies.When using oral history as a source material, several caveats exist. Billy Stuart was indicted in February of 1970 for being an accessory after the fact in Billy Bennetts murder. The conflict started out of nowhere when George McLaughlin went on a weekend getaway with a couple associates from Somerville. Wimpy had a particularly close relationship with Detective Billy Stuart of the BPD, and was regularly informing to him. Yet other reporters there were many who came out to see a notorious mob figure and right-hand man to James Whitey Bulger testify as the trial nears its one-month mark thought he could have said both. George McLaughlin It was George McLaughlins drunken and disrespectful behavior that started the McLean-McLaughlin War. But Billy saw the gun, and tried to escape from the car and thats why he fell out into the snowbank. and what it wasn't. All Whitey had to do was provide information about the Boston FBIs real target, the Italian mafia. In 1974, Stevie Flemmi returned to Boston and the Bennett murder charge (among others) was dropped, just as the same charge against Frankie Salemme had earlier been dropped. As State Honorees, Kira and Harry each . Absolutely not, said Judy Bennett Ewell. OSullivan was the main muscle for the Killeens who were at war with an ambitious young crew known as the Mullen Gang. Notorious killer Joe The Animal Barboza was the man who killed Connie, but he wasnt done with the Hughes brothers yet. . He told them to get out of town and they obeyed. The big winner of the war was Stephen The Rifleman Flemmi. He was sent to prison in 1979 for fixing horse races. Flemmis testimony Wednesday was a catalog of 1960s-era organized-crime bloodshed, delivered in a banal tone and illustrating a pattern that, prosecutors say, repeated itself in the 1993 murder of DiSarro: Fears that someone would cooperate with authorities. Faith in them? Then on October 20, 1965, Buddy and Barboza took out their biggest rival Ed Punchy McLaughlin. William Bennetts family would later sue the Feds alleging that Rico assisted and participated in the death of William Bennett in order to strengthen Flemmi's position in his criminal operations, thus assuring the continuing flow of information regarding the LCN to the FBI, by way of Flemmi's underworld connections.. Ret. Rocco was never pressed too hard for an answer and died just a few years ago. Some 60 men died in the next couple years as the two sides hunted each other. I bet most of our listeners dont know where the story that Frankie Salemme murdered Walter Bennett came from. Shields was sent back to Walpole on a parole violation charge. It was a horrific murder scene. Oh remember at Raymond Patriarcas trial in 1970 when Jack Kelley was testifying against Raymond. Walters car was eventually found in a parking lot at Logan Airport. - YouTube Ret. The rivalry got so heated that other Boston gangsters were forced to take sides. Some octogenarian central figures have spent decades in jail or in the witness protection program. Wimpy was the most infamous of the trio. Related Story: The McLean vs. McLaughlin Boston Irish Gang War. Florida law won't let a person convicted of perjury testify at a criminal trial. Connie, Punchy and Bernie McLaughlin were all dead. The Bennett brothers were delivered by the forces of truth and justice into the hands of darkness. South Boston aka Southie and its neighboring town Dorchester are the Irish mob hot spots in the city, going back at least a century. That investigation would last for half a decade and spawn many other investigations including one into illegal lottery operations in and around the Boston area. ``I don't believe our family will ever know any satisfaction,'' Bill Bennett said. McLean, knowing the McLaughlins were fully prepared to kill him and his family now would become the hunter. Flemmi will be the first witness to say he was there the night DiSarro was killed. When someone needed to be hurt or killed, the job was usually given to the eager brothers. Stevie Hughes (died 1966) Stevie Hughes was the man who killed Buddy McLean in 1965, among many others. Like you said no shortage of people that loathed Wimpy. When the McLean-McLaughlin War broke out, Punchy was right in the middle of it, killing McLeans friend Russell Nicholson. The Hughes brothers were responsible for the majority of the killings coming from the McLaughlin side of the war. You know Dickie wasnt packing a full deck. And part of the family got counted twice. Was her phone tapped? There were no fingerprints or weapons found at the scene, but a couple of months later Von Maxcys widow Irene came forward to say that her lover Johnny Sweet arranged for the murder of her husband. vintage bennett brothers blue book of quality merchandise 1976 $80.00. At Stuarts trial, an alleged associate of the Bennetts testified that they were paying Billy Stuart $50 a week, but the dates he gave were after both Walter and Wimpy had already disappeared. The Irish mob has a stronger presence in Boston than any other city in America. You remember Boris. Pat Nee was a member of the opposing Mullens and found himself at war with Whitey in these days. Forgot account? Yesterday three daughters of Walter Bennett, who was 55 when they last saw him, said that for years they believed he'd come home one day to Dorchester and his 13 children. Prosecutors say co-defendant Paul Weadick, who worked at The Channel, also participated in the murder. Create new account. McLean was awoken later that night when his dogs started barking. They were quick with a gun and always together looking for enemies. Wayland, a town tucked into the majestic Finger Lakes Region of New York, is rich in heritage and history.