◆ SpookStack

from Miami +: Hevana with the Pischett! brothers, soc aKa’, Rocco, of G' :o, Sinatra was not merely a passenger on the Same plane ....i the Faschettis. He was with them. The Fischettis are related to the Capones and have mas, inleresis in common with the Capone gang. On this passenger- list, Sinatra’s age is given aw-fO. He weamat farmers om wealthy in 1938, so the suggestion of blackmail is not as per- suasive as it might be, had the trouble with the girl occurred in the 1940s. ne R. KAHN IS ONLY ONE of many writers, including night club, radio and movie columnists of New York and , ‘Hollywood, who have minimized incidents of Sinatra’s career which other persons might have viewed with severity. Dozens of these ‘‘interpreters’ and propagandists pur- port to be authorities on the personal histories of all such ‘celebrities.’ Many of them draw outlandish salaries as “re. porters.” But not one of them has ever reported this episode, the most dramatic in Sinatra's life. ; Mr. Kahn concedes that Sinatra hag ‘‘several friends , who, while not precisely desperadoes, are fairly rough-and- tumble individuals.’ He quotes one of Sinatra's friends as saying that such persons ‘‘are always looking out to see that nothing happens to Frankie and it makes him happy to think they’re tough hombres.” We are not told why they should « apprehend that anything might ‘‘happen to” a decent man, keeping good company. “Again, Kahn says: ‘‘He is often surrounded by a strolling | wall of self-eppointed guardians,” and “he doesn’t have any | official bodyguard now, but he has had them.”? When Sinatera slugged Lee Mortimer, the New York theatrical reporter, in Ciro’s, in Hollywood, without warying, striking him from the side or from behind, Mortimer said “Sinatra and three men jumped me.’’ i Now, touching Sinatra’s relaxation with Luciano, the ; Fischettis and others, in Havana, Kahn writes: ‘‘One of his acquaintances this past year has been a Chicagoan named Joe Fischetti. He was a mau of unsullied reputation him- self, but a member of a family not unfamiliar with the duc processes of the law. It was through relatives of Fisehetti’s that Sinatra, while vacationing in Cuba, was induced to shake hands with Lucky Luciano.” ; That is Kahn’s version. He stands on it. I UT ONE OF SINATRA’S OWN GROUP has referred to | a wild party, in which the idol of innocent American | girlhood took part in the Hotel Nacional in Havana, as “that de- bauch.” Among those present were Sinatra, Luciano, the Fischet- | tis, a Chicago journalist of the night club and underworld run and a number of women. Ii.was a very loud party. Such was the handshake with Luciano, one of the fowest crim- finals of the age and a man soon to We deported even from Cuba for conspiring to start & great narcotic trade. The United States even cut off legal narcotic traffie with Cuba until he had been taken out of action, Sinatra knew who and what Luciano was |! and he reveled with him, A strip of moving pictures shows Sinatra coming off the plane in Havana accompanied by two Fischettis, Joe and Rocco. Sinatra , is carrying @ small baggage case, hardly blg enough for more ap- | parel than a shirt, but apparently quite heavy. This is an appropriate point to quote an official of the U. 8. Bureau of Narcotics: “The fact of his being associated with the Fischettis warrants our giving him (Sinatra) more than passing attention.” . Another Government investigation revealed thai Sinaira’s friend, Joe, was a partner with Rocco and another brother named Charlie in a suburban Chicago gambling dive. Rocco was described as 2 Member of the Italian secret underworld erganization, the Mafia, of which Luciano was the leader. ; Rocco is named in the passenger Hst just above Sinatra and | 4s with him in the candid movie shot. In Chicago, all three Fischet- tis. live together. Joe and Charlie professed to be antique deaiers, -but Joe, in official Government papers, gave his occupation as wagering.” Rocco said he was ‘'a gambler.” The Narcotics Bureau interviewed. all three Fischettis on oifi- ficial business. ; : | (To Be Conjinued) , Bead another forceful, factual arficle ef significant comment trem 7 , the pon of Westbrook Pegler fn Seterday’s Jonrnal-American. te a ene