Mafia's Greatest Hits (2012–…): Season 2, Episode 1 - Albert Anastasia - full transcript
As the head of Murder Inc. Albert Anastasia would oversee the American Mafia's most violent period in history. As Luciano's go-to killer, Albert and his hitmen committed murder wholesale. ...
*
Narrator: THE HISTORY OF
AMERICAN ORGANIZED CRIME
IS FILLED WITH VIOLENCE,
BUT ONE KILLER STANDS OUT --
ALBERT ANASTASIA...
HE IS ONE OF THE CRAZIEST
AND MOST VIOLENT
MOB BOSSES IN HISTORY.
*
...CHOSEN BY LUCKY LUCIANO
TO VIOLENTLY ENFORCE
THE MODERN MAFIA.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
THEY WERE LOOKING AT
ABSOLUTE NAKED HOMICIDAL POWER.
AS THE HEAD OF
MURDER INCORPORATED,
HE HANDPICKED SOME OF
THE WORST KILLERS IMAGINABLE,
BUT ANASTASIA TOOK VIOLENCE
TO ANOTHER LEVEL.
HIS BRUTALITY KNEW NO BOUNDS.
HE KILLED MORE PEOPLE
THAN SOME SERIAL KILLERS.
SOON, NO ONE IS SAFE,
EVEN MOB BOSSES...
NOTHING MAKES YOU MORE NERVOUS
THAN TO BE AROUND A PSYCHOPATH.
...AND THEY HAVE NO CHOICE
BUT TO SAVE THEMSELVES.
THE GUY WHO HAD LIVED BY THE GUN
NOW DIED BY THE GUN.
Narrator: THIS IS THE BRUTAL
STORY OF ALBERT ANASTASIA.
*
[ CLICKING ]
*
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
*
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS,
GUNSHOTS ]
[ SIREN WAILS ]
*
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
*
Narrator: FEBRUARY 18th, 1952 --
24-YEAR-OLD TAILOR STORE
ASSISTANT
ARNOLD SCHUSTER
IS ON HIS WAY TO WORK.
AS HE GOES TO CATCH THE SUBWAY,
HE SEES A FAMILIAR FACE.
HE LOOKS OVER AT A GUY, AND HE
LOOKS AGAIN, AND HE LOOKS AGAIN,
AND HE REALIZES THE MAN IS
THE INFAMOUS BANK ROBBER
WILLIE SUTTON.
Narrator:
AFTER A BOLD PRISON ESCAPE,
WILLIE SUTTON IS ON THE LOOSE.
SCHUSTER,
THE LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN,
DECIDES TO DO HIS BIT
FOR SOCIETY.
ARNOLD FOLLOWED HIM
AND THEN CALLED POLICE.
Narrator: SUTTON IS
QUICKLY ARRESTED
AND SENT BACK TO PRISON.
*
SCHUSTER'S COURAGEOUS
ACTIONS TURN HIM
INTO AN INSTANT CELEBRITY.
HE'S ON ALL THE TALK SHOWS.
HE'S IN ALL THE NEWSPAPERS
WITH HIS PICTURE.
Narrator: THE COUNTRY HAS FALLEN
IN LOVE WITH ARNOLD SCHUSTER,
BUT NOT EVERYONE
SEES HIM AS A HERO,
ESPECIALLY NEW YORK MAFIA BOSS
ALBERT ANASTASIA.
IN ANASTASIA'S BOOK, CALLING THE
COPS ON SOMEONE MAKES YOU A RAT,
AND RATTING IS
THE WORST CRIME OF ALL.
ANASTASIA SEES THIS SCHUSTER,
AND HE'S MAD.
HE'S A RAT, AND HE HATES RATS,
AND HE'S INFURIATED BY IT.
Narrator: ANASTASIA'S WRATH IS
NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.
A RUTHLESS AND VOLATILE KILLER,
WHEN ANASTASIA IS MAD,
HE STRIKES OUT.
Whalen: SO EVEN THOUGH THIS GUY
WAS JUST ENJOYING
HIS 15 MINUTES OF FAME,
ANASTASIA PUTS A HIT ON THE KID.
Narrator: AS THE UNSUSPECTING
SCHUSTER WALKS HOME FROM WORK,
HE IS AMBUSHED
BY A LONE GUNMAN.
[ GUNSHOT ]
[ GUNSHOTS CONTINUE ]
TWO BULLETS, ONE IN EACH EYE,
ONE IN THE GROIN,
SIGNS OF A MOB HIT.
Narrator: NEW YORK'S
GOOD SAMARITAN
HAS PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE
FOR ANGERING THE MAFIA'S
MOST VOLATILE BOSS.
BUT, IN THE END,
THIS KILLING WOULD MARK
THE BEGINNING OF
ANASTASIA'S OWN DOWNFALL.
*
ALBERT ANASTASIA ARRIVED
IN AMERICA 35 YEARS EARLIER,
WORKING AS A DECKHAND
ON AN ITALIAN MERCHANT SHIP.
ALONG WITH HIS TWO BROTHERS,
HE SEES A NEW LIFE IN NEW YORK.
SO HE SIMPLY JUMPS SHIP,
AND HE WENT TO WORK ON THE DOCKS
LIKE JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER
POOR ITALIAN IMMIGRANT.
Narrator: HE QUICKLY DISCOVERS
THAT LIFE ON THE BROOKLYN DOCKS
IS NO FAIRY TALE.
THE DOCKS, IN THE DAYS WHEN
ANASTASIA FIRST REACHED THEM,
WERE A DEADLY PLACE
AND PRACTICALLY LAWLESS.
Volkman: YOU SAW MEN THAT WALKED
AROUND WITH THE BALING HOOKS.
THESE WERE THE BIG HOOKS
THEY USED TO LIFT CARGO.
A LOT OF PERSONAL ARGUMENTS
WERE SETTLED BY BALING HOOKS,
AND YOU SEE A LOT OF MEN
WALKING AROUND
WITH BIG SCARS ON THEIR FACES
WHERE SOMEBODY HAD LIT
INTO THEM WITH A BALING HOOK.
Narrator: IN NO TIME AT ALL,
THE STRAPPING TEENAGE ANASTASIA
ESTABLISHES HIMSELF AS A FEARED
FIGURE IN THIS VIOLENT ARENA.
Whalen: HE WAS A STRONG GUY.
HE HAD ENORMOUS HANDS
FOR HIS SIZE.
THEY WERE LIKE STEEL.
IF HE HIT YOU, YOU KNEW IT.
IT WASN'T UNUSUAL
FOR ONE PUNCH FROM HIM
TO BREAK ONE OF YOUR BONES.
*
Narrator: BEING KNOWN
AS A TOUGH GUY
LEADS TO MONEYMAKING
OPPORTUNITIES.
*
AT 18, ALBERT ANASTASIA
IS READY TO MAKE THE STEP
FROM VIOLENCE TO CRIME.
Whalen: NOW, AT THAT TIME,
A LOT OF THIEVERY WAS GOING ON,
PEOPLE STEALING THINGS
FROM THE SHIPMENTS,
SHIPMENTS THAT NEVER GOT TO
WHERE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GO.
Narrator: ANASTASIA IS SOON
RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL GANG
OF DOCKSIDE THIEVES,
BUT HIS SUCCESS BRINGS HIM
INTO COMPETITION
WITH A RIVAL
ON THE BROOKLYN DOCKS,
A MAN BY THE NAME
OF JOE TORINO.
ANASTASIA DOESN'T KNOW IT,
BUT A BRUTAL CHAIN OF EVENTS
WILL ROCKET HIM TO INFAMY.
AS FAR AS TORINO IS CONCERNED,
IF ANASTASIA WANTS
TO OPERATE ON HIS DOCKS,
HE'LL HAVE TO PAY
FOR THE PRIVILEGE.
HE WANTS A PIECE OF THE ACTION.
Narrator: ANASTASIA HAS DECIDED
THAT HE WON'T LET ANYONE
EXTORT MONEY FROM HIM.
*
AS THE DISPUTE TURNS PHYSICAL,
NEITHER SIDE WILL BACK DOWN...
*
AND EVENTUALLY ANASTASIA ERUPTS
IN AN UNCONTROLLED RAGE.
*
IN FRONT OF WITNESSES,
ANASTASIA BEATS TORINO TO DEATH.
KILLING WAS NOT THAT UNCOMMON
ON THE BROOKLYN WATERFRONT
IN THOSE VIOLENT DAYS,
BUT NOT THAT KIND OF KILLING.
AND -- AND THIS IS WHAT
STUCK IN THEIR MINDS,
AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM
MENTIONED IT TO THE POLICE --
ALBERT LIKED IT.
IT MADE ALBERT VERY TALKED
ABOUT, OBVIOUSLY.
Narrator: ANASTASIA WILL PAY
FOR TAKING THIS LIFE.
THE DOCKSIDES MAY BE
A VIOLENT WORLD,
BUT WHEN A MAN
IS BEATEN TO DEATH
IN FRONT OF DOZENS OF PEOPLE...
[ HANDCUFFS CLICK ]
THE POLICE ARE GOING TO ACT.
*
CONVICTED OF TORINO'S MURDER,
ANASTASIA IS SENTENCED TO DEATH
AT NEW YORK'S NOTORIOUS
SING SING PRISON.
WHILE THERE, NOT EVEN THE
SPECTER OF THE ELECTRIC CHAIR
CAN TAME HIM.
Whalen: HE'S STILL
BEATING UP PEOPLE,
AND THEY'RE FELLOW INMATES.
Narrator: ANASTASIA
IS AS VIOLENT AS EVER.
NOT EVEN HARDENED CONVICTS
FEEL SAFE WITH HIM AROUND.
*
BUT, FOR ONCE, ANASTASIA'S
VIOLENT AND VICIOUS REPUTATION
WILL WORK TO HIS ADVANTAGE
WHEN ONE OF HIS OUTBURSTS
IS NOTICED BY
A PARTICULAR INMATE.
HE COMES TO THE ATTENTION
OF THE BARBER IN THE PRISON,
A GUY WITH
THE NICKNAME THE SHIV.
Narrator: THE SHIV IS NOT
JUST A BARBER.
HE'S A SCOUT FOR PROLIFIC
CRIMINAL GANGS
THAT OPERATE OUTSIDE THE PRISON,
AND ANASTASIA INTRIGUES HIM.
HE KIND OF SAYS, "HEY, THIS GUY
HAS GOT SOME POTENTIAL."
Narrator: THE SHIV BELIEVES
ANASTASIA'S SKILL SET
COULD BE IDEAL
FOR ONE CLIENT IN PARTICULAR.
*
THE MAN IS A RISING LIEUTENANT
IN ONE OF NEW YORK'S
MOST POWERFUL ITALIAN GANGS,
CHARLES "LUCKY" LUCIANO.
LUCKY LUCIANO WAS
THE ULTIMATE MOB BOSS.
HE WAS RUTHLESS.
HE KNEW WHAT HE WANTED, AND HE
WASN'T AFRAID TO GO AFTER IT.
Narrator: IN 1920s NEW YORK,
LUCIANO'S GANG IS
ONE OF THE MANY
ENGAGED IN A VIOLENT WAR
FOR CONTROL
OVER THE LUCRATIVE TRADE
IN ILLEGAL ALCOHOL.
THIS IS THE TIME OF PROHIBITION.
Volkman: THE VOLSTEAD ACT,
ALSO KNOWN AS PROHIBITION,
WENT INTO EFFECT IN 1920.
IT BARRED THE PRODUCTION,
DISTRIBUTION
AND SALE OF ALCOHOL.
*
IT HAD A HUGE LOOPHOLE.
THAT LOOPHOLE WAS IT
DIDN'T BAN POSSESSION,
WHICH MEANT PEOPLE,
IF THEY GET THEIR HANDS ON,
THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO DRINK.
*
Narrator: AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS
ALCOHOL IS A COMMODITY
LUCIANO IS ABLE TO PROVIDE,
IF HE CAN JUST SECURE
A STEADY SUPPLY.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
SO LUCIANO HAS TO CONTROL
THE BROOKLYN DOCKS,
A KEY SOURCE OF ILLEGALLY
IMPORTED ALCOHOL
WHICH FLOWS INTO THE CITY.
THE SHIV BELIEVES ANASTASIA'S
VIOLENT REPUTATION
AND INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE
OF THE DOCKS
COULD BE PRICELESS FOR LUCIANO.
Whalen: HE GETS THE WORD
BACK TO LUCIANO.
HE SAYS, "HEY, I GOT A GUY IN
HERE THAT YOU COULD REALLY USE,"
LIKE A BASEBALL SCOUT SAYS,
"HEY, I GOT
MICKEY MANTLE HERE."
"BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM. HE COULD
FACE THE ELECTRIC CHAIR."
*
Narrator:
FOR A MAN LIKE LUCIANO,
THIS IS NO MORE THAN
A MINOR HURDLE.
FIRST, LUCIANO USES TOP LAWYERS
TO ARRANGE A LAST-MINUTE
STAY OF EXECUTION
FOR THE YOUNG KILLER.
THE LAWYERS TRIGGER A RETRIAL
BY HAVING ANASTASIA'S
ORIGINAL CONVICTION OVERTURNED.
Whalen: LUCIANO'S CONNECTIONS
GET THE CONVICTION THROWN OUT
ON A TECHNICALITY.
[ DOORS BUZZ, KEYS CLICK ]
Narrator: HE ENTERED PRISON
AS A VIOLENT KID,
BUT, IN 1922, WITH LUCIANO
PULLING THE STRINGS,
A TRANSFORMED ANASTASIA
STEPS OFF DEATH ROW,
OUT OF PRISON...
AND INTO A NEW LIFE.
Volkman:
ALBERT'S LEGEND WAS BORN.
EVERYBODY TALKED ABOUT THE GUY
WHO BEAT THE ELECTRIC CHAIR.
[ SHIP HORN BLOWS ]
Narrator:
OWING HIS LIFE TO LUCIANO,
IT IS TIME FOR ANASTASIA
TO REPAY THE DEBT.
FRESH OUT OF SING SING,
ANASTASIA IS SENT
TO THE FRONT LINE
IN THE ITALIAN
AND IRISH BOOZE WAR,
THE BROOKLYN DOCKS.
THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN
THE ITALIANS AND THE IRISH
FOR CONTROL
OF THE WATERFRONT WAS WAR.
[ GRUNTING ]
AND I MEAN WAR.
*
[ GUNSHOT ]
Narrator: AND IN NO TIME AT ALL,
ANASTASIA IS PROVING HIS
WORTH FOR THE ITALIANS.
Volkman: HE WAS
A VERY VALUABLE SOLDIER,
AND, AS EVERYBODY
DISCOVERED VERY QUICKLY,
HE'S A PSYCHOPATH.
HE'D KILL YOU
AT THE DROP OF A HAT.
IF SOMEBODY SAID TO HIM,
"GO KILL THIS GUY," HE'D SAY,
"OKAY," AND HE WOULD KILL THEM
WITHOUT ANY REMORSE WHATSOEVER.
Narrator: SOON, THE ITALIANS ARE
SECURING CONTROL OF THE DOCKS,
AND WITH THE IMPORT OF
ILLEGAL BOOZE INTO NEW YORK,
ALL WITH THE HELP OF ANASTASIA.
BUT IF LUCIANO IS TO END
THIS PERIOD OF INTENSE CONFLICT
AND REALIZE HIS DREAM OF THE
PERFECT CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION,
ANASTASIA MUST CARRY OUT
THE BIGGEST HIT OF HIS CAREER.
*
*
Narrator: NEW YORK, 1931 --
AFTER A DECADE
OF MURDER AND VIOLENCE
ON THE BROOKLYN DOCKS,
ALBERT ANASTASIA IS NOW
LUCKY LUCIANO'S GO-TO KILLER
AND IS TO BE INCLUDED
IN A MONUMENTAL PLAN.
THE ORGANIZATION IS ABOUT
TO UNDERGO A BLOODY
AND DRAMATIC REVOLUTION
THAT WILL CHANGE
AMERICAN HISTORY.
AT THIS TIME, WITH PROHIBITION
IN FULL SWING,
CRIMINAL GANGS
ARE MAKING MILLIONS.
BUT LUCIANO CAN SEE A PROBLEM.
THE RACKET OF BOOTLEGGING
IS BASED ON ETHNIC DIVISIONS,
WITH EACH GROUP
IN A VIOLENT STRUGGLE
TO MAINTAIN ITS SHARE
OF THE BUSINESS.
[ GUNFIRE ]
*
YOU'VE GOT THIS ALMOST
MILITARY-LIKE CONFLICT
WHICH IS JUST UNPRECEDENTED
AND COMPLETELY
SORT OF FREAKING PEOPLE OUT.
[ SIREN WAILING ]
Narrator: WITH BODIES LITTERING
THE STREETS,
THE GANG WARS WERE
BECOMING A SCANDAL,
DRAWING ATTENTION FROM
THE POLICE AND HITTING PROFITS.
LUCIANO UNDERSTOOD THAT VIOLENCE
WAS BAD FOR BUSINESS.
*
Narrator: LUCIANO
ENVISIONS A BETTER WAY.
"WE'RE GOING TO COOPERATE.
I DON'T CARE THAT HE'S JEWISH.
"HE DOESN'T CARE IF I'M ITALIAN.
GUESS WHAT?
"SEE THIS DOLLAR BILL HERE?
"OKAY, DOES THAT JEWISH
OR ITALIAN TO YOU?
"WE SIT DOWN.
"WE ORGANIZE ON
A BUSINESSLIKE BASIS.
WE ASSIGN TERRITORIES.
EVERYBODY IS GOING TO GET WELL."
*
Narrator: NOT ALL THE BOSSES
SAW THINGS LUCIANO'S WAY.
Volkman: THERE WAS
A GENERATIONAL SPLIT,
AND THE SPLIT WAS BETWEEN
THE OLD-TIME BOSSES,
WHO WERE STILL PRISONERS
OF THE OLD WAYS,
PARTICULARLY SICILIANS,
WHO WERE VERY, VERY CLANNISH.
Narrator: IF HE CAN TAKE CHARGE,
HE CAN RESTRUCTURE THESE GANGS
INTO A TRULY ORGANIZED BUSINESS
WHERE EVERYONE WILL BENEFIT.
AND LUCIANO ULTIMATELY DECIDED,
"THESE OLD [Indistinct]
HAVE TO GO."
*
Narrator: FOR LUCIANO,
THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT
IS TO TAKE OUT THE TWO
LEADING BOSSES OF NEW YORK,
THE FIRST IN LINE BEING
JOE "THE BOSS" MASSERIA,
BUT HE NEEDS A TRUSTED KILLER.
Volkman: HE HAD TO SELECT
FOUR GUNMEN TO DO THE JOB.
NOW, THESE GUNMEN HAD TO BE
JUST EXACTLY RIGHT,
AND ONE OF THEM HE SELECTED
WAS ALBERT ANASTASIA.
[ PEOPLE SCREAMING,
CARNIVAL MUSIC PLAYING ]
Narrator: APRIL 15th, 1931 --
LUCIANO INVITES JOE MASSERIA
TO LUNCH
AT HIS FAVORITE RESTAURANT
ON CONEY ISLAND,
NEW YORK'S FAIRGROUND.
-MASSERIA CAN'T REFUSE.
-THEY HAD A NICE LUNCH.
THEY WERE SITTING THERE,
PLAYING CARDS.
IT WAS ALL VERY, VERY NICE.
*
AND AT A CERTAIN TIME,
HE LOOKED AT HIS WATCH AND SAID,
"OH, I GOT TO TAKE A LEAK."
AND, AT THAT APPOINTED MOMENT,
FOUR GUNMEN BURST
INTO THE RESTAURANT.
*
[ GUNSHOTS CONTINUE ]
Narrator: ANASTASIA,
LEADING THE HIT SQUAD,
PULLS THE TRIGGER WITH
THE DEATH BLOW TO THE HEAD.
LUCIANO KNOWS HE'S FOUND
THE PERFECT HIT MAN.
Volkman: CARRYING THAT OUT
ESTABLISHED HIM,
IN LUCIANO'S EYES,
AS SOMEONE WHO COULD BE
TOTALLY RELIED ON.
*
Narrator: SIX MONTHS LATER,
THE PLAN IS COMPLETE
WHEN LUCIANO HAS REMAINING BOSS
SAL MARANZANO BRUTALLY MURDERED.
*
THE COUP D'éTAT COMPLETE,
LUCIANO CAN NOW
FINALLY ACHIEVE A PERFECT
CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION,
AND HE KNOWS EXACTLY
WHERE ANASTASIA WILL FIT IN.
BUT FIRST, HE DIVIDES THE
FIVE BOROUGHS OF NEW YORK
TO BE RUN BY FIVE
CRIME FAMILIES,
WHO, ALONG WITH THE HEADS
FROM BUFFALO AND CHICAGO,
WILL MEET IN A GROUP
KNOWN AS THE COMMISSION.
Volkman: WHAT THEY DID WAS TAKE
THE OLD SICILIAN MAFIA IDEA
AND MELD IT WITH
AMERICAN BUSINESS METHOD.
IT WOULD BE A NATIONWIDE COMBINE
RUN STRICTLY AS
A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.
THE BUSINESS WOULD BE CRIME.
Whalen: THEY WOULD TRY
TO DO EVERYTHING
IN A ORGANIZED, REGULATED WAY.
Narrator: EVEN MURDER.
LUCIANO WAS NOT OPPOSED
TO VIOLENCE.
IF KILLINGS HAD TO BE COMMITTED,
THEY WOULD BE COMMITTED.
Narrator:
WHAT HE NEEDS IS A FORCE
THAT WILL POLICE THE MAFIA,
SO LUCIANO ALSO
CREATES A BODY
THAT WILL KILL ON BEHALF
OF THE COMMISSION.
IT WILL BECOME KNOWN
AS MURDER INCORPORATED.
*
HE DECIDED WE NEEDED A GROUP
OF PROFESSIONAL HIT MEN
WHO COULD CARRY OUT WHATEVER
KILLINGS HAD TO BE DONE.
Narrator: AND LUCIANO NEEDS JUST
THE RIGHT PERSON TO RUN IT.
SO WHO DOES HE CHOOSE?
NONE OTHER THAN HIS FAVORED
KILLER, ALBERT ANASTASIA.
Raab: ALBERT ANASTASIA
WAS THE PERFECT MODEL.
WITHIN THE MAFIA, ANASTASIA WAS
RECOGNIZED AS A RUTHLESS,
UNFLINCHING KILLER.
*
Narrator: SO WITH ORDERS FROM
THE COMMISSION,
ALL FUTURE MURDERS
WOULD BE CONDUCTED
BY THESE PROFESSIONAL KILLERS.
HITS ARE NO LONGER
PERSONAL VENDETTAS.
THEY ARE BUSINESS.
LUCIANO IMPOSES STRICT RULES
THAT GOVERN
HOW ANASTASIA
AND MURDER INCORPORATED
SHOULD OPERATE.
ONE OF THE CHIEF RULES,
THOU SHALT NOT KILL A BOSS.
THAT'S A NO-NO.
WE DO NOT KILL CIVILIANS.
Hendley: YOU DON'T KILL
POLICEMEN, JOURNALISTS,
JUDGES, POLITICIANS,
AND PROSECUTORS
BECAUSE OF THE INTENSE REACTION
THAT THOSE ASSASSINATIONS
WOULD CAUSE.
Narrator:
WITH THESE RULES IN MIND,
ANASTASIA IS NOW SET TO KILL
WHOEVER LUCIANO TELLS HIM TO.
*
FROM THEIR OFFICE ABOVE
THE MIDNIGHT ROSE CANDY STORE
IN BROOKLYN,
LUCIANO'S VISION
OF MULTI-NATIONAL COOPERATION
STARTS IN EARNEST
AS THE ITALIAN, ANASTASIA,
WORKS WITH THE JEWISH
LEWIS "LEPKE" BUCHALTER
TO CARRY OUT
SANCTIONED MURDER.
ANASTASIA TURNS OUT TO BE
THE PERFECT PERSON FOR THIS JOB.
HE'S THE GO-BETWEEN.
LUCIANO IS AN ITALIAN GUY.
ANASTASIA IS AN ITALIAN GUY.
BUT LEPKE, HE'S A JEWISH GUY.
LUCIANO
GIVES ORDER TO ANASTASIA,
WHO THEN WORKS
HAND IN HAND WITH LEPKE
IN CARRYING OUT
THESE ASSIGNMENTS.
Narrator: TOGETHER,
THEY HANDPICK A TEAM
OF JEWISH AND ITALIAN HIT MEN,
A LETHAL AND EFFECTIVE
COMBINATION.
THE THEORY, BY USING
JEWISH KILLERS, OFTEN,
IS THAT IF THE VICTIM
WAS ITALIAN,
HE WOULDN'T SUSPECT SOMEBODY
WHO DIDN'T LOOK ITALIAN.
*
Narrator: IN MURDER, INC.,
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS DON'T MATTER.
WHAT DOES IS A PRIDE,
EVEN A PLEASURE, IN YOUR WORK.
THERE WERE MEMBERS
OF MURDER INCORPORATED
WHO WERE GENUINE SADISTS.
THEY GENUINELY ENJOYED TORTURING
PEOPLE IN HORRIBLE WAYS.
*
Narrator: AND ANASTASIA
HARNESSES THESE BRUTAL KILLERS
TO PROFESSIONALIZE
MURDER WHOLESALE.
HITS ARE ORGANIZED
AND EFFICIENT.
HITS ARE ORGANIZED
AND EFFICIENT.
Volkman:
MOST MURDERS ARE CARRIED OUT
BY PEOPLE WHO KNOW EACH OTHER.
Volkman:
MOST MURDERS ARE CARRIED OUT
BY PEOPLE WHO KNOW EACH OTHER.
[ GUNSHOT ]
THE IDEA WAS THESE MURDERS
WOULD BE CARRIED OUT
BY PEOPLE WHO WERE STRANGERS,
VERY DIFFICULT TO TRACK.
[ GUNSHOT ]
*
Narrator:
AND WITH A NEW WAY OF KILLING
COMES A WHOLE NEW WAY
OF TALKING.
Volkman: A MURDER ORDER WAS
CALLED A CONTRACT.
NOW, SOMETIMES THE BODY
WOULD BE LEFT AROUND
FOR WHAT THEY CALLED
THE ADVERTISING BUDGET.
SOMEBODY WHO HAD STOLEN MONEY,
HE'D BE FOUND
WITH HIS HANDS CUT OFF.
SOMEBODY
WHO HAD TALKED TOO MUCH,
THEY HAVE HIS TONGUE CUT OUT.
Narrator: ALBERT ANASTASIA
MANAGES EVERYTHING,
BUT, NOT ONE
TO TAKE A BACK SEAT,
ANASTASIA IS A HANDS-ON
KIND OF LEADER.
[ GRUNTING ]
Whalen: ANASTASIA COULD HAVE
PROBABLY JUST SAID,
"YOU KNOW WHAT?
HERE YOU GO. KILL THIS GUY,"
BUT HE DOESN'T DO THAT.
HE ENJOYS KILLING
AND TAKING PART OF IT,
AND THEY SAY HE WAS
INVOLVED, PERSONALLY,
IN 60 MURDERS HIMSELF.
HE WAS A GUY THAT JUST
COULD GO OUT AND KILL,
NO COMPUNCTION ABOUT IT.
*
Narrator:
BUT THE MERCHANT OF DEATH
WAS A HOME-LOVING PSYCHOPATH.
Volkman:
THEY USED TO HAVE A SAYING,
"THERE'S THE STREET DEVIL
AND THE HOUSE ANGEL,"
AND THAT, BASICALLY,
IS WHAT HE WAS.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS ONE GUY
ON THE STREETS OF BROOKLYN.
HE WAS ANOTHER GUY
IN FORT LEE, NEW JERSEY.
Volkman: HE'S MARRIED TO ELSA,
A CANADIAN IMMIGRANT
16 YEARS HIS JUNIOR
WHO LOVES HIM DEARLY.
FROM 9 TO 5,
DURING HIS WORK DAY,
HE WAS OUT EXECUTING PEOPLE,
BUT THEN, BACK HOME
IN NEW JERSEY,
HE LIVED A PRETTY QUIET LIFE.
SO BIZARRE THAT SOMEBODY
SO RUTHLESS AND EVIL COULD GO
AND BE THE ULTIMATE
FAMILY MAN AFTER THE WORKDAY.
Narrator: AS THE HEAD OF
MURDER INCORPORATED,
LIFE IS GOOD FOR ANASTASIA.
LUCIANO'S DREAM OF THE PERFECT
CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION
IS BECOMING A REALITY,
AND ANASTASIA IS
AT THE HEART OF IT.
Raab: BOSSES RESPECTED HIM.
HE HAD CARRIED OUT
THEIR WISHES TOO.
Narrator: BUT ANASTASIA'S
MURDER INCORPORATED
IS FAST BECOMING A VICTIM
OF ITS OWN SUCCESS.
THE NEW YORK MAFIA'S
GROWING CRIME WAVE
BRINGS ATTENTION
FROM THE PUBLIC AND THE POLICE
AND WILL SOON MAKE ANASTASIA
HIMSELF A TARGET FOR THE FBI.
*
Narrator: NEW YORK, 1935 --
CRIME BOSS LUCKY LUCIANO
HAS REVOLUTIONIZED THE MOB.
[ GUNSHOT ]
BUT THE UNPRECEDENTED
WAVE OF CRIME
HAS COME TO THE ATTENTION
OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.
THEY'RE TRYING TO
CLEAN UP THE STREETS,
AND HOTSHOT SPECIAL PROSECUTOR
THOMAS DEWEY
IS LEADING THE
GANGBUSTING ASSAULT.
TOP OF HIS LIST IS CRIME LORD
CHARLES "LUCKY" LUCIANO,
AND DEWEY HAS THE MANDATE
TO GET HIS MAN.
Whalen:
HE'S PROBABLY THE MOST POWERFUL
PERSON IN LAW ENFORCEMENT,
MAYBE EVEN MORE
THAN J. EDGAR HOOVER.
HE'S FOCUSED ON
JUST THESE MOBSTERS.
HE FELT, QUITE RIGHTLY, THAT
THEIR POWER HAD GROWN TO A POINT
WHERE IT WAS A DANGER
TO THE REPUBLIC,
AND HE DECIDED HE WAS GOING
TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
Narrator: FOR LUCIANO
AND THE REST OF THE COMMISSION,
DEWEY'S INVESTIGATION
IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM.
FEARING FOR THEIR LIVELIHOODS
IN THE SUMMER OF 1935,
LUCIANO, ANASTASIA,
AND OTHER MOBSTERS
GATHER TO DISCUSS
THE EMERGING THREAT.
ANASTASIA BELIEVES HE CAN SOLVE
THE DEWEY PROBLEM FOREVER.
ANASTASIA ACTUALLY STARTED TO
PLOT A WAY TO ASSASSINATE HIM.
*
Ward: HE STAKED OUT
HIS MORNING ROUTINE.
HE BORROWED A BABY CARRIAGE,
ANASTASIA HIMSELF,
AND HE WOULD WALK
THIS PRAM BACK AND FORTH.
HE MUST HAVE BEEN THE LEAST
CONVINCING FATHER EVER,
YOU KNOW, PUSHING
THIS SUPPOSED BABY AROUND.
Narrator: THIS RAISES ALARM
BELLS WITH THE COMMISSION.
THEY DISAGREE,
OVERRULING ANASTASIA,
AND REMINDING HIM
OF LUCIANO'S RULES.
AS SOON AS THEY FOUND OUT
WHAT HE WAS UP TO,
THEY PULLED HIM BACK AND SAID,
"LISTEN, YOU'RE GOING
TO LEAVE DEWEY ALONE.
WE'RE NOT GOING
TO GO AFTER HIM."
Ward: YOU DON'T KILL
THESE PEOPLE.
Whalen: ONLY ONE GUY WAS CRAZY
ENOUGH TO THINK HE COULD DO IT,
AND THAT WAS ANASTASIA.
Narrator: UNLIKE THE COMMISSION,
ANASTASIA DOESN'T SEE
THE BIGGER PICTURE.
Hendley: IF THOMAS DEWEY
HAD BEEN ASSASSINATED,
IT'S ALMOST GUARANTEED
THAT THE TOP-LEVEL MOBSTERS
IN NEW YORK CITY
AT THE TIME WOULD FACE
INCREDIBLY INTENSE PRESSURE
FROM BOTH, YOU KNOW, CITY,
STATE AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES.
*
Narrator: WITHOUT KNOWING
HOW CLOSE TO DEATH HE WAS,
DEWEY AND HIS TEAM
CONTINUED TO PURSUE LUCIANO,
WHO MANAGES TO SHIELD ALL OF
HIS CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES
FROM DEWEY APART FROM ONE.
HE GETS LUCKY ON, OF ALL THINGS,
RUNNING A PROSTITUTION RING.
HE CHARGES HIM WITH
HUNDREDS OF COUNTS,
PROBABLY EVERY SEXUAL ENCOUNTER.
Narrator:
IT'S A TRUMPED UP CHARGE,
BUT, INCREDIBLY, IT WORKS.
IN JUNE 1936, LUCIANO,
THE GENIUS WHO CREATED
THE MODERN MAFIA,
IS SENTENCED TO A MINIMUM
OF 30 YEARS IN PRISON.
HE ACHIEVED A CONVICTION OF
LUCIANO, WHICH WAS INCREDIBLE.
I MEAN, THIS WAS THE LORD HIGH
MASTER CRIMINAL,
AND, SOMEHOW,
HE WENT DOWN.
THAT CONVICTION, WHICH A LOT
OF PEOPLE THINK WAS UNFAIR
AND UNJUST.
Narrator: FOR ANASTASIA,
THIS IS A MASSIVE BLOW.
IF THE PLAN TO KILL DEWEY
HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT,
HIS MENTOR WOULDN'T
BE BEHIND BARS.
*
THINGS GO FROM BAD TO WORSE
WHEN HIS NEMESIS, DEWEY,
DECIDES HIS FRIEND,
LEPKE BUCHALTER,
IS THE NEXT TARGET.
THE WORD GETS OUT,
GETS TO LEPKE,
"YOU'RE NEXT ON
DEWEY'S HIT LIST."
Narrator:
SO, IN NOVEMBER 1936,
WITH A MURDER CHARGE
AGAINST HIM,
LEPKE HAS TO GO ON THE RUN.
FOR MANY YEARS, LOUIS BUCHALTER,
KNOWN AS LEPKE,
HAS BEEN THE WORST INDUSTRIAL
RACKETEER IN AMERICA.
Narrator: FEARING FOR HIS FRIEND
AND PARTNER IN CRIME,
ANASTASIA UTILIZES THE
MURDER INCORPORATED NETWORK
TO KEEP LEPKE IN HIDING
FOR A LONG TIME.
Whalen: THEY DON'T HAVE
ANY IDEA WHERE HE IS.
SOME SAY HE'S OVERSEAS,
HE'S WENT TO JERUSALEM.
$25,000 REWARD WILL BE PAID
TO THE CITIZEN
WHO PROVIDES THE INFORMATION
FOR THIS ARREST.
*
Whalen: TURNS OUT HE'S
IN BROOKLYN THE WHOLE TIME.
Narrator: NOW ANASTASIA,
FEARING THAT LEPKE COULD FACE
A SIMILAR OUTCOME TO LUCIANO,
TAKES MATTERS
INTO HIS OWN HANDS
AND SETS ABOUT
DESTROYING DEWEY'S CASE.
THIS TIME, HE DOESN'T HOLD BACK.
HE'S A GUY THAT SAYS
WITNESSES HAVE TO GO.
AND IF SOMEBODY, GOD FORBID,
WITNESSED HIM KILLING HIM,
THAT PERSON WAS DEAD TOO.
Narrator: ANASTASIA ENSURES
THERE IS NO ONE
WHO CAN TESTIFY
IN COURT AGAINST LEPKE.
WITH A LIST OF RATS
PROVIDED BY LEPKE,
HE PUTS MURDER INCORPORATED TO
WORK ELIMINATING KEY WITNESSES.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
FIVE FORMER LEPKE ASSOCIATES
HAVE BEEN SHOT,
AND TWO HAVE DISAPPEARED.
THIS FUGITIVE MUST BE
FOUND DEAD OR ALIVE.
Narrator:
BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM.
IT IS NOT ENOUGH.
NO ONE LESS THAN THE DIRECTOR
OF THE FBI, J. EDGAR HOOVER,
IS NOW INSISTING
LEPKE MUST BE CAUGHT,
SO DEWEY'S TEAM
TURN UP THE PRESSURE.
Volkman: THERE WAS SO MUCH
PUBLICITY THAT IT WAS DECIDED,
"WE CAN'T HAVE HIM
ON THE LAM LIKE THIS."
THERE WAS TOO MUCH PRESSURE.
"IT'S GOT TO END."
Narrator: THE COMMISSION
CALLED IN ANASTASIA.
THEY PRESENT HIM
WITH A SHOCKING SOLUTION.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
SACRIFICE LEPKE
TO PROTECT THEMSELVES,
AND ANASTASIA WILL PLAY
A VITAL ROLE IN THIS DEED.
THEY SAY, "HERE'S WHAT
WE'RE GOING TO DO.
YOU, BECAUSE THE ONLY GUY
THAT LEPKE REALLY TRUSTS,
YOU WILL TELL HIM WE HAVE
WORKED OUT A DEAL WITH DEWEY."
Narrator: NOW FACING
THE ULTIMATE PREDICAMENT,
ANASTASIA WILL HAVE
TO TURN HIS FRIEND IN.
ACTING ON THESE ORDERS,
ANASTASIA MEETS WITH LEPKE
AND CONVINCES HIM
THAT A DEAL IS IN PLACE
THAT WILL SAVE HIM
FROM THE DEATH PENALTY.
LEPKE BELIEVES HIM.
WHY NOT?
HE'S WORKED WITH HIM
SIDE BY SIDE.
HE'S GIVEN HIM ORDERS,
SEEN HIM KILL PEOPLE.
HE HAS NO REASON TO BELIEVE
THAT ANASTASIA
IS GOING TO LIE TO HIM.
*
Narrator: AUGUST 24th, 1939 --
AFTER AN ASTONISHING
3 YEARS ON THE RUN,
ANASTASIA DRIVES
THE UNSUSPECTING LEPKE
TO A MEETING WITH THE FBI,
WHERE HE BELIEVES
HE WILL TURN HIMSELF OVER
IN EXCHANGE FOR LENIENCY.
*
BUT ANASTASIA HAS BETRAYED
HIS FRIEND AND PARTNER IN CRIME.
[ HANDCUFFS CLICK ]
THERE IS NO DEAL.
Volkman: BUCHALTER
DUTIFULLY SURRENDERED,
AND, OF COURSE, IMMEDIATELY
FACED SERIOUS CHARGES.
Narrator: ON MARCH 4th, 1944,
LEPKE WOULD BECOME
THE ONLY MAJOR MAFIA FIGURE
TO BE EXECUTED
BY ELECTRIC CHAIR...
Man: THE ELECTRIC CHAIR
ENDS THE CAREER
OF LOUIS "LEPKE" BUCHALTER.
Narrator: ...A BURDEN ANASTASIA
WOULD SHOULDER
FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.
Whalen: IF HE EVER FELT BAD
ABOUT SOMETHING,
THIS WOULD HAVE PROBABLY
BEEN THE ONE TIME.
Narrator:
HE HAD TO SACRIFICE A FRIEND,
BUT HE KNOWS THERE'S LITTLE
HE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
Volkman: AS LUCIANO ONCE SAID,
"IF YOU HAVE TO SEND YOUR MOTHER
TO THE EXECUTION BLOCK,
YOU DO IT...
IF IT HELPS THE ORGANIZATION."
"THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS."
*
Narrator: WITH HIS MENTOR
LUCIANO BEHIND BARS
AND HAVING BETRAYED
HIS BEST FRIEND, LEPKE,
ANASTASIA IS FALLING OUT
OF LOVE WITH THE COMMISSION,
AND THEY WILL FALL
OUT OF LOVE WITH HIM.
WHEN ONE OF ANASTASIA'S MURDERS
COMES BACK TO HAUNT HIM...
*
IT THREATENS THE ENTIRE
CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION.
*
Narrator:
FEBRUARY 2nd, 1940 --
WITH LEPKE BUCHALTER EXECUTED,
ALBERT ANASTASIA STANDS ALONE AS
THE HEAD OF MURDER INCORPORATED,
BUT THERE IS A NEW PROBLEM.
ONE OF HIS BEST HIT MEN,
ABE "KID TWIST" RELES,
FACES SERIOUS CHARGES FOR
A MURDER HE COMMITTED IN 1933.
Whalen: AUTHORITIES
GET THE GOODS ON HIM,
AND HE DECIDES
IT'S TIME TO TALK.
Narrator: RELES KNOWS EVERYTHING
THAT MURDER INCORPORATED
HAS DONE.
HE JUST PROCEEDED
TO TALK FOR 11 DAYS --
63 MURDERS THAT
HE HAD SEEN HIMSELF,
MANY OF WHICH THE COPS
HAD NEVER EVEN HEARD OF.
[ GUNSHOT, KNIFE SLICES ]
Narrator: ONE BY ONE, RELES RATS
ON HIS FORMER COLLEAGUES.
HE STARTS GIVING UP
A LOT OF GANGSTERS.
Narrator:
EVENTUALLY, HE OPENS UP ABOUT
THE MAN WHO RUNS MURDER, INC.
HE REMEMBERED A LOT OF DETAILS
ABOUT ONE ALBERT ANASTASIA.
Narrator: AMONG THE CRIMES RELES
LAYS AT ANASTASIA'S DOOR
IS THE DEATH OF
A BROOKLYN DOCK OFFICIAL.
HE SAID, "I KNOW ABOUT
ALBERT ANASTASIA
PERSONALLY STRANGLING
PETER PANTO."
Narrator:
PETER PANTO WAS A UNION LEADER
WHO ANASTASIA
PERSONALLY KILLED IN 1939.
Blass: ANASTASIA PERSONALLY
STRANGLED HIM WITH HIS HANDS
AND THEN BURIED HIS CORPSE
IN A PIT OF QUICKLIME.
Narrator: KID TWIST KNOWS
WHERE THE BODY IS,
AND, WHEN DETECTIVES
FIND PANTO'S REMAINS,
IT IS A GRISLY SIGHT.
WITH THIS EVIDENCE AND MORE,
PROSECUTORS NOW HAVE
A ROCK-SOLID CASE
AGAINST THE MAN BEHIND
MURDER INCORPORATED,
ALBERT ANASTASIA.
Volkman:
RELES WAS THE STAR WITNESS.
HE WAS GOING TO PUT
ALBERT ANASTASIA
AND ALL OF MURDER INCORPORATED
AWAY.
Narrator:
SO, LIKE LEPKE BEFORE HIM,
ANASTASIA IS FORCED
TO GO INTO HIDING.
*
WITH STAR WITNESS IN HAND, THE
AUTHORITIES GO AFTER ANASTASIA,
BUT HE'S NOWHERE TO BE SEEN.
FOR THE COMMISSION,
THE ATTENTION SURROUNDING
ANASTASIA PRESENTS
A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER.
IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE SOME
OF THESE OTHER JABRONES
FROM MURDER INCORPORATED
GO AWAY.
IT'S ANOTHER THING FOR SOMEBODY
LIKE ALBERT ANASTASIA.
THAT'S -- THAT'S A PROBLEM.
Narrator: ANASTASIA KNOWS
TOO MANY OF THEIR DIRTY SECRETS
AND CAN'T RISK HIM
BEING ARRESTED.
SO NOW THE COMMISSION
HAVE TO STEP IN
AND FIX IT FOR ANASTASIA.
KID TWIST HAS TO BE
PREVENTED FROM TESTIFYING.
*
Narrator:
NOVEMBER 12th, 1941 --
THE HALF MOON HOTEL,
CONEY ISLAND.
WITH DAYS TO GO BEFORE
THE TRIAL, ABE "KID TWIST" RELES
IS IN HIS OWN GUARDED ROOM.
THAT NIGHT, THE POLICE GUARD
CHECKS ON HIM IN HIS ROOM,
3 A.M. IN THE MORNING.
HE'S ASLEEP, DOESN'T
THINK ANYTHING OF IT.
Narrator: AND WITH DETECTIVES
WATCHING HIM AROUND THE CLOCK,
RELES CAN AFFORD
TO SLEEP SOUNDLY.
IN THE MORNING,
THEY GO TO CHECK ON HIM.
*
[ KNOCKS ]
HE'S NOT IN THE BED.
THE WINDOW'S OPEN.
Narrator: IT LOOKS LIKE
AN AUDACIOUS ESCAPE ATTEMPT --
THAT IS, UNTIL THE DETECTIVES
SURVEY THE SCENE
SIX STORIES BELOW.
SOMEBODY THREW HIM OUT A WINDOW.
Narrator:
KID TWIST WILL NO LONGER
BE TESTIFYING IN ANY TRIALS.
Whalen:
KID TWIST GOT A NEW MONIKER.
HE BECAME THE CANARY WHO
COULD SING BUT COULD NOT FLY.
[ PHONE RINGS ]
Volkman: WITH THAT, THE CASE
AGAINST ALBERT ANASTASIA
WENT OUT THE WINDOW.
Narrator: WITH HIS BACK
AGAINST THE WALL,
THE COMMISSION HAS
STEPPED IN TO SAVE HIM.
*
BUT TIMES HAVE CHANGED
FOR ANASTASIA.
EVEN THOUGH KID TWIST
NEVER GOT TO TESTIFY,
MURDER, INC. HAS SUFFERED
IN THE AFTERMATH
OF DEWEY'S RELENTLESS CAMPAIGN.
FOUR MEMBERS OF
MURDER INCORPORATED
WENT TO THE ELECTRIC CHAIR.
TWO OF THEM BECAME
STATE'S WITNESSES.
Narrator: SO, WITH LUCIANO
BEHIND BARS,
THE COMMISSION DISBANDS
MURDER INCORPORATED
AND RELEGATES ANASTASIA
TO A LOWLY UNDERBOSS POSITION
IN NEW YORK'S MANGANO
CRIME FAMILY.
TO ANASTASIA, THIS IS
A SLAP IN THE FACE.
HE FELT THAT HE WAS NOW
READY TO BE KING.
Raab:
HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE SECOND
IN COMMAND OR SECOND BANANA.
Narrator: HE'S IN NO MOOD TO RUN
BY THE RULES OF THE COMMISSION,
AND IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG
FOR ANASTASIA
TO SHOW HOW DANGEROUS HE CAN BE.
*
IN NO TIME, DIFFERENCES ARISE
BETWEEN ANASTASIA
AND HIS NEW BOSS,
VINCENT MANGANO,
AND HIS YOUNGER BROTHER, PHILIP.
HE DECIDED THAT MANGANO
WAS DOUBLE-CROSSING HIM,
WASN'T CUTTING HIM IN
ON ENOUGH OF THE PROFITS.
HE MAY HAVE BEEN
A LITTLE PARANOID.
HE THOUGHT MANGANO
MIGHT BE OUT TO KILL HIM.
Narrator: BUT NOT IF ANASTASIA
CAN HELP IT.
ANASTASIA THEN DECIDES,
"AH, I HAVE A SOLUTION.
I WILL KILL VINCENT MANGANO.
I WILL KILL HIS BROTHER."
*
Narrator: BEFORE LONG,
PHILIP MANGANO'S BODY
IS FOUND IN A BROOKLYN MARSH.
SHORTLY AFTERWARDS,
VINCENT, THE BOSS, VANISHES
AND IS NEVER SEEN AGAIN.
Raab:
ANASTASIA WAS TOUGH ENOUGH
AND PERHAPS SMART ENOUGH
TO ACT FIRST.
KILL BEFORE YOU'RE KILLED.
*
Narrator: BY NOW, HE HAS BROKEN
NEARLY EVERY RULE IN THE BOOK.
ON FACING THE COMMISSION
TO EXPLAIN HIMSELF,
HE CAN'T BE CERTAIN
OF THEIR REACTION.
Raab: THE BIGGEST VIOLATION
WAS TRYING TO KILL A BOSS
WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZATION
OF THE COMMISSION.
*
Narrator: BUT ANASTASIA'S GAMBLE
PAYS OFF.
TO KEEP THE PEACE,
THE COMMISSION ACCEPT
HIS REASON OF SELF DEFENSE.
*
BUT WITH THE SEEDS
OF DOUBT SOWN,
THE COMMISSION BECOMES
INCREASINGLY WARY OF ANASTASIA.
Raab: THE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMISSION BEGAN TO SEE
ANASTASIA AS A THREAT.
THEY REALIZED THAT,
IN ANASTASIA,
THEY WERE LOOKING AT
ABSOLUTE NAKED HOMICIDAL POWER,
MADNESS,
AND THEY UNDERSTOOD
HE WAS JUST AS LIKELY TO TURN
ON THEM AS ANYBODY ELSE.
Narrator: ESPECIALLY ONE MEMBER
OF THE MAFIA,
WHO WAS ABOUT TO MAKE
A POWER GRAB OF HIS OWN --
VITO GENOVESE.
Volkman: VITO GENOVESE BEGAN
TO TALK TO THE OTHER PEOPLE
ON THE COMMISSION AND SAY,
"LOOK, I TOLD YOU.
"THIS GUY IS A NUT.
HE'S A HOMICIDAL MANIAC.
HE'S DOING CRAZY THINGS."
Narrator: AND SOON ANASTASIA
WILL GIVE GENOVESE THE EXCUSE
HE'S LOOKING FOR
TO BRING HIM DOWN.
*
Narrator: NEW YORK, 1952 --
AFTER MURDERING A FAMILY HEAD,
THE COMMISSION HAS
BEGRUDGINGLY MADE
ALBERT ANASTASIA BOSS
OF ONE OF NEW YORK'S
FIVE MAFIA FAMILIES.
HE IS AT THE HEIGHT
OF HIS POWER.
Volkman:
HE'S A MULTIMILLIONAIRE.
HE LIVES IN
A BEAUTIFUL MANSION.
EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL, RIGHT?
NO.
ALBERT WANTS MORE,
AND TO GET MORE,
HE STARTS TO MAKE
MISTAKES, BIG MISTAKES.
MISTAKE NUMBER ONE --
ARNOLD SCHUSTER.
*
Narrator: THAT SAME YEAR,
WITH THE RECKLESS KILLING
OF ARNOLD SCHUSTER,
THE CIVIC HERO WHO HELPS BRING
DOWN THE INFAMOUS BANK ROBBER
WILLIE SUTTON,
ANASTASIA BREAKS ONE
OF THE CARDINAL RULES
OF THE MODERN MAFIA --
YOU DON'T KILL CIVILIANS.
[ GUNSHOT ]
PREDICTABLY,
THE PUBLIC ARE OUTRAGED.
Volkman: IT'S SENSATIONAL.
I MEAN, THE PAPERS
ARE FULL OF THIS.
WHO WOULD KILL THIS GUY,
THIS PUBLIC CITIZEN,
THIS GUY WHO'S
GOTTEN A MEDAL
FROM THE MAYOR,
THIS WONDERFUL PERSON?
WELL, THIS GETS BACK
TO THE COMMISSION,
WHICH CALLS ALBERT
ON THE CARPET
BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIG
RULES FOR THE COMMISSION,
YOU DO NOT KILL CIVILIANS.
IT JUST BRINGS TOO MUCH HEAT,
AND IT'S POINTLESS.
IT'S NOT GOOD FOR BUSINESS.
ALBERT REALIZES,
"I MADE A MISTAKE.
IT'S A BIG MISTAKE."
Narrator: BUT ANASTASIA
STILL DOESN'T REALIZE
THE TRUE SCALE
OF HIS MISTAKE.
HIS BIGGEST RIVAL
ON THE COMMISSION, HOWEVER,
CAN SEE IT CLEARLY.
VITO GENOVESE IS A RISING BOSS.
HE'S AMBITION AND CALCULATING
AND KEEN TO ELIMINATE
ANY COMPETITION.
Ward: GENOVESE IS EVERYTHING
ANASTASIA IS NOT,
IF YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL
IS THE TOP JOB.
Narrator:
GENOVESE HAS LITTLE DIFFICULTY
PERSUADING A NERVOUS COMMISSION
THAT ANASTASIA IS
A DANGEROUS LIABILITY.
THERE WAS AN ATMOSPHERE
OF SUSPICION ABOUT ALBERT.
Narrator: ALL GENOVESE NEEDS
IS ONE MORE SLIP-UP
FROM ANASTASIA,
AND HE DOESN'T HAVE
TO WAIT TOO LONG.
*
ANASTASIA DECIDES TO MAKE MOVES
ON THE MAFIA'S GAMBLING
OPERATIONS IN CUBA.
IN THE DAYS BEFORE LAS VEGAS,
THIS IS A MECCA
FOR HEDONISTIC AMERICANS,
AND ALL MAFIA BOSSES
HAVE AN INTEREST THERE,
ALL APART FROM ANASTASIA.
HE'S TREADING ON
OTHER BOSSES' TOES
AND DAMAGING LUCRATIVE
ARRANGEMENTS.
IT'S ALL GENOVESE NEEDS
TO CONVINCE THE COMMISSION
THAT ANASTASIA'S TIME IS UP.
"I HAVE TOLD YOU REPEATEDLY,
AND NOW YOU SEE WHAT I MEANT.
THIS GUY HAS GOT TO GO."
Raab: BY THROWING
HIS WEIGHT AROUND,
AND THE VERY FEAR
THAT HE WAS A THREAT TO THEM,
ANY ONE OF THEM, WAS ENOUGH
FOR THEM TO BAND TOGETHER
AND PUT OUT A HIT JOB
ON ONE ALBERT ANASTASIA.
*
Narrator: THE MAN WHO RAN
THE MAFIA'S DEATH SQUAD
IS NOW A DEAD MAN WALKING.
WITH THE GREEN LIGHT,
GENOVESE PUTS THE WHEELS
OF MURDER INTO MOTION.
IT'S A CLASSIC MOVE
STRAIGHT OUT OF THE MOVIES.
GENOVESE KNOWS WHERE
ANASTASIA IS VULNERABLE.
OCTOBER 25th, 1957,
GRASSO'S BARBER SHOP, NEW YORK.
ANASTASIA RELAXES AS HE GETS
HIS DAILY SHAVE AND TRIM.
HE'S SO UNWORRIED THAT
HE DOESN'T EVEN WORRY
ABOUT HAVING SOMEBODY WITH HIM
WHILE HE'S IN THIS BARBER CHAIR.
Narrator: HIS BODYGUARD
IS ACROSS THE STREET,
GETTING BREAKFAST.
*
SUDDENLY, TWO ARMED MEN
BURST IN AND OPEN FIRE.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
THEY HIT HIM ABOUT FIVE TIMES,
BUT THEY'RE NOT FATAL SHOTS
AT THIS POINT
BECAUSE HE'S MOVING NOW.
[ IMITATES GUNSHOTS ]
AND THEY'RE HITTING HIM
IN THE ARM, SHOULDER AND STUFF.
[ GUNSHOTS CONTINUE ]
NOW HE'S DISORIENTED.
HE'S LOOKING IN THE MIRROR.
HE'S SWINGING AT THE MIRROR
WHEN THE GUYS ARE BEHIND HIM...
[ GUNSHOTS CONTINUE ]
AND HE'S STUMBLING AROUND.
HE TRIPS DOWN ON THE GROUND.
ONE OF THE GANGSTERS
COMES UP TO HIM
AND PUTS THE FINAL SHOT
RIGHT INTO HIS HEAD.
[ GUNSHOT ]
*
THE GUY WHO HAD LIVED BY THE GUN
NOW DIED BY THE GUN.
*
Narrator: ALBERT ANASTASIA
IS LAID TO REST.
AS A TESTAMENT TO
HIS BRUTAL CHARACTER,
ONLY A HANDFUL OF MOURNERS
ATTEND HIS FUNERAL.
IT REALLY SHOWS YOU
WHERE ANASTASIA WAS
AS FAR AS HIS COLLEAGUES.
NONE OF THEM ATTENDED
THE FUNERAL.
IT WAS HIS WIFE,
SOME IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS,
MAYBE A COUPLE OF ASSOCIATES,
BUT, FOR A GUY THAT WAS
THE HEAD OF A CRIME FAMILY,
THERE WAS NOBODY THERE.
Narrator:
ANASTASIA'S LIFE AS A WHOLE
CHARACTERIZES THE EVOLUTION
OF THE MAFIA.
Raab: IF ALBERT ANASTASIA
HAD ANY LEGACY,
IT WAS SIMPLY THIS --
IF YOU GET A REPUTATION
AS A VIOLENT, TOO-RUTHLESS BOSS,
THEN YOU WERE GOING
TO BE FINISHED TOO.
IT WAS AN ERA WHERE THEY WANTED
MORE SOPHISTICATED,
WELL-ORGANIZED CRIME,
NO VIOLENT HITS,
NO BODIES, NOT JUST SOMEBODY
WHO HAD A REPUTATION
OF BEING KNOWN
AS THE MAD HATTER
OR A GREAT EXECUTIONER.
Narrator: ANASTASIA'S VIOLENCE
DEFINED AN ERA
THAT BECAME NOTORIOUS,
ONE CELEBRATED IN MOVIES
AND POPULAR CULTURE.
[ EXPLOSION, GUNFIRE ]
HE SURVIVED IN LUCIANO'S
NEW MAFIA
AT THE HELM OF
MURDER INCORPORATED,
BUT WHEN THIS ORGANIZATION
CEASES TO EXIST,
HE BECOMES OBSOLETE
AND MEETS A VIOLENT END
BEFITTING THE MOB'S
MERCHANT OF DEATH.
*
Narrator: THE HISTORY OF
AMERICAN ORGANIZED CRIME
IS FILLED WITH VIOLENCE,
BUT ONE KILLER STANDS OUT --
ALBERT ANASTASIA...
HE IS ONE OF THE CRAZIEST
AND MOST VIOLENT
MOB BOSSES IN HISTORY.
*
...CHOSEN BY LUCKY LUCIANO
TO VIOLENTLY ENFORCE
THE MODERN MAFIA.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
THEY WERE LOOKING AT
ABSOLUTE NAKED HOMICIDAL POWER.
AS THE HEAD OF
MURDER INCORPORATED,
HE HANDPICKED SOME OF
THE WORST KILLERS IMAGINABLE,
BUT ANASTASIA TOOK VIOLENCE
TO ANOTHER LEVEL.
HIS BRUTALITY KNEW NO BOUNDS.
HE KILLED MORE PEOPLE
THAN SOME SERIAL KILLERS.
SOON, NO ONE IS SAFE,
EVEN MOB BOSSES...
NOTHING MAKES YOU MORE NERVOUS
THAN TO BE AROUND A PSYCHOPATH.
...AND THEY HAVE NO CHOICE
BUT TO SAVE THEMSELVES.
THE GUY WHO HAD LIVED BY THE GUN
NOW DIED BY THE GUN.
Narrator: THIS IS THE BRUTAL
STORY OF ALBERT ANASTASIA.
*
[ CLICKING ]
*
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
*
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS,
GUNSHOTS ]
[ SIREN WAILS ]
*
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
*
Narrator: FEBRUARY 18th, 1952 --
24-YEAR-OLD TAILOR STORE
ASSISTANT
ARNOLD SCHUSTER
IS ON HIS WAY TO WORK.
AS HE GOES TO CATCH THE SUBWAY,
HE SEES A FAMILIAR FACE.
HE LOOKS OVER AT A GUY, AND HE
LOOKS AGAIN, AND HE LOOKS AGAIN,
AND HE REALIZES THE MAN IS
THE INFAMOUS BANK ROBBER
WILLIE SUTTON.
Narrator:
AFTER A BOLD PRISON ESCAPE,
WILLIE SUTTON IS ON THE LOOSE.
SCHUSTER,
THE LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN,
DECIDES TO DO HIS BIT
FOR SOCIETY.
ARNOLD FOLLOWED HIM
AND THEN CALLED POLICE.
Narrator: SUTTON IS
QUICKLY ARRESTED
AND SENT BACK TO PRISON.
*
SCHUSTER'S COURAGEOUS
ACTIONS TURN HIM
INTO AN INSTANT CELEBRITY.
HE'S ON ALL THE TALK SHOWS.
HE'S IN ALL THE NEWSPAPERS
WITH HIS PICTURE.
Narrator: THE COUNTRY HAS FALLEN
IN LOVE WITH ARNOLD SCHUSTER,
BUT NOT EVERYONE
SEES HIM AS A HERO,
ESPECIALLY NEW YORK MAFIA BOSS
ALBERT ANASTASIA.
IN ANASTASIA'S BOOK, CALLING THE
COPS ON SOMEONE MAKES YOU A RAT,
AND RATTING IS
THE WORST CRIME OF ALL.
ANASTASIA SEES THIS SCHUSTER,
AND HE'S MAD.
HE'S A RAT, AND HE HATES RATS,
AND HE'S INFURIATED BY IT.
Narrator: ANASTASIA'S WRATH IS
NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.
A RUTHLESS AND VOLATILE KILLER,
WHEN ANASTASIA IS MAD,
HE STRIKES OUT.
Whalen: SO EVEN THOUGH THIS GUY
WAS JUST ENJOYING
HIS 15 MINUTES OF FAME,
ANASTASIA PUTS A HIT ON THE KID.
Narrator: AS THE UNSUSPECTING
SCHUSTER WALKS HOME FROM WORK,
HE IS AMBUSHED
BY A LONE GUNMAN.
[ GUNSHOT ]
[ GUNSHOTS CONTINUE ]
TWO BULLETS, ONE IN EACH EYE,
ONE IN THE GROIN,
SIGNS OF A MOB HIT.
Narrator: NEW YORK'S
GOOD SAMARITAN
HAS PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE
FOR ANGERING THE MAFIA'S
MOST VOLATILE BOSS.
BUT, IN THE END,
THIS KILLING WOULD MARK
THE BEGINNING OF
ANASTASIA'S OWN DOWNFALL.
*
ALBERT ANASTASIA ARRIVED
IN AMERICA 35 YEARS EARLIER,
WORKING AS A DECKHAND
ON AN ITALIAN MERCHANT SHIP.
ALONG WITH HIS TWO BROTHERS,
HE SEES A NEW LIFE IN NEW YORK.
SO HE SIMPLY JUMPS SHIP,
AND HE WENT TO WORK ON THE DOCKS
LIKE JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER
POOR ITALIAN IMMIGRANT.
Narrator: HE QUICKLY DISCOVERS
THAT LIFE ON THE BROOKLYN DOCKS
IS NO FAIRY TALE.
THE DOCKS, IN THE DAYS WHEN
ANASTASIA FIRST REACHED THEM,
WERE A DEADLY PLACE
AND PRACTICALLY LAWLESS.
Volkman: YOU SAW MEN THAT WALKED
AROUND WITH THE BALING HOOKS.
THESE WERE THE BIG HOOKS
THEY USED TO LIFT CARGO.
A LOT OF PERSONAL ARGUMENTS
WERE SETTLED BY BALING HOOKS,
AND YOU SEE A LOT OF MEN
WALKING AROUND
WITH BIG SCARS ON THEIR FACES
WHERE SOMEBODY HAD LIT
INTO THEM WITH A BALING HOOK.
Narrator: IN NO TIME AT ALL,
THE STRAPPING TEENAGE ANASTASIA
ESTABLISHES HIMSELF AS A FEARED
FIGURE IN THIS VIOLENT ARENA.
Whalen: HE WAS A STRONG GUY.
HE HAD ENORMOUS HANDS
FOR HIS SIZE.
THEY WERE LIKE STEEL.
IF HE HIT YOU, YOU KNEW IT.
IT WASN'T UNUSUAL
FOR ONE PUNCH FROM HIM
TO BREAK ONE OF YOUR BONES.
*
Narrator: BEING KNOWN
AS A TOUGH GUY
LEADS TO MONEYMAKING
OPPORTUNITIES.
*
AT 18, ALBERT ANASTASIA
IS READY TO MAKE THE STEP
FROM VIOLENCE TO CRIME.
Whalen: NOW, AT THAT TIME,
A LOT OF THIEVERY WAS GOING ON,
PEOPLE STEALING THINGS
FROM THE SHIPMENTS,
SHIPMENTS THAT NEVER GOT TO
WHERE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GO.
Narrator: ANASTASIA IS SOON
RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL GANG
OF DOCKSIDE THIEVES,
BUT HIS SUCCESS BRINGS HIM
INTO COMPETITION
WITH A RIVAL
ON THE BROOKLYN DOCKS,
A MAN BY THE NAME
OF JOE TORINO.
ANASTASIA DOESN'T KNOW IT,
BUT A BRUTAL CHAIN OF EVENTS
WILL ROCKET HIM TO INFAMY.
AS FAR AS TORINO IS CONCERNED,
IF ANASTASIA WANTS
TO OPERATE ON HIS DOCKS,
HE'LL HAVE TO PAY
FOR THE PRIVILEGE.
HE WANTS A PIECE OF THE ACTION.
Narrator: ANASTASIA HAS DECIDED
THAT HE WON'T LET ANYONE
EXTORT MONEY FROM HIM.
*
AS THE DISPUTE TURNS PHYSICAL,
NEITHER SIDE WILL BACK DOWN...
*
AND EVENTUALLY ANASTASIA ERUPTS
IN AN UNCONTROLLED RAGE.
*
IN FRONT OF WITNESSES,
ANASTASIA BEATS TORINO TO DEATH.
KILLING WAS NOT THAT UNCOMMON
ON THE BROOKLYN WATERFRONT
IN THOSE VIOLENT DAYS,
BUT NOT THAT KIND OF KILLING.
AND -- AND THIS IS WHAT
STUCK IN THEIR MINDS,
AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM
MENTIONED IT TO THE POLICE --
ALBERT LIKED IT.
IT MADE ALBERT VERY TALKED
ABOUT, OBVIOUSLY.
Narrator: ANASTASIA WILL PAY
FOR TAKING THIS LIFE.
THE DOCKSIDES MAY BE
A VIOLENT WORLD,
BUT WHEN A MAN
IS BEATEN TO DEATH
IN FRONT OF DOZENS OF PEOPLE...
[ HANDCUFFS CLICK ]
THE POLICE ARE GOING TO ACT.
*
CONVICTED OF TORINO'S MURDER,
ANASTASIA IS SENTENCED TO DEATH
AT NEW YORK'S NOTORIOUS
SING SING PRISON.
WHILE THERE, NOT EVEN THE
SPECTER OF THE ELECTRIC CHAIR
CAN TAME HIM.
Whalen: HE'S STILL
BEATING UP PEOPLE,
AND THEY'RE FELLOW INMATES.
Narrator: ANASTASIA
IS AS VIOLENT AS EVER.
NOT EVEN HARDENED CONVICTS
FEEL SAFE WITH HIM AROUND.
*
BUT, FOR ONCE, ANASTASIA'S
VIOLENT AND VICIOUS REPUTATION
WILL WORK TO HIS ADVANTAGE
WHEN ONE OF HIS OUTBURSTS
IS NOTICED BY
A PARTICULAR INMATE.
HE COMES TO THE ATTENTION
OF THE BARBER IN THE PRISON,
A GUY WITH
THE NICKNAME THE SHIV.
Narrator: THE SHIV IS NOT
JUST A BARBER.
HE'S A SCOUT FOR PROLIFIC
CRIMINAL GANGS
THAT OPERATE OUTSIDE THE PRISON,
AND ANASTASIA INTRIGUES HIM.
HE KIND OF SAYS, "HEY, THIS GUY
HAS GOT SOME POTENTIAL."
Narrator: THE SHIV BELIEVES
ANASTASIA'S SKILL SET
COULD BE IDEAL
FOR ONE CLIENT IN PARTICULAR.
*
THE MAN IS A RISING LIEUTENANT
IN ONE OF NEW YORK'S
MOST POWERFUL ITALIAN GANGS,
CHARLES "LUCKY" LUCIANO.
LUCKY LUCIANO WAS
THE ULTIMATE MOB BOSS.
HE WAS RUTHLESS.
HE KNEW WHAT HE WANTED, AND HE
WASN'T AFRAID TO GO AFTER IT.
Narrator: IN 1920s NEW YORK,
LUCIANO'S GANG IS
ONE OF THE MANY
ENGAGED IN A VIOLENT WAR
FOR CONTROL
OVER THE LUCRATIVE TRADE
IN ILLEGAL ALCOHOL.
THIS IS THE TIME OF PROHIBITION.
Volkman: THE VOLSTEAD ACT,
ALSO KNOWN AS PROHIBITION,
WENT INTO EFFECT IN 1920.
IT BARRED THE PRODUCTION,
DISTRIBUTION
AND SALE OF ALCOHOL.
*
IT HAD A HUGE LOOPHOLE.
THAT LOOPHOLE WAS IT
DIDN'T BAN POSSESSION,
WHICH MEANT PEOPLE,
IF THEY GET THEIR HANDS ON,
THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO DRINK.
*
Narrator: AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS
ALCOHOL IS A COMMODITY
LUCIANO IS ABLE TO PROVIDE,
IF HE CAN JUST SECURE
A STEADY SUPPLY.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
SO LUCIANO HAS TO CONTROL
THE BROOKLYN DOCKS,
A KEY SOURCE OF ILLEGALLY
IMPORTED ALCOHOL
WHICH FLOWS INTO THE CITY.
THE SHIV BELIEVES ANASTASIA'S
VIOLENT REPUTATION
AND INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE
OF THE DOCKS
COULD BE PRICELESS FOR LUCIANO.
Whalen: HE GETS THE WORD
BACK TO LUCIANO.
HE SAYS, "HEY, I GOT A GUY IN
HERE THAT YOU COULD REALLY USE,"
LIKE A BASEBALL SCOUT SAYS,
"HEY, I GOT
MICKEY MANTLE HERE."
"BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM. HE COULD
FACE THE ELECTRIC CHAIR."
*
Narrator:
FOR A MAN LIKE LUCIANO,
THIS IS NO MORE THAN
A MINOR HURDLE.
FIRST, LUCIANO USES TOP LAWYERS
TO ARRANGE A LAST-MINUTE
STAY OF EXECUTION
FOR THE YOUNG KILLER.
THE LAWYERS TRIGGER A RETRIAL
BY HAVING ANASTASIA'S
ORIGINAL CONVICTION OVERTURNED.
Whalen: LUCIANO'S CONNECTIONS
GET THE CONVICTION THROWN OUT
ON A TECHNICALITY.
[ DOORS BUZZ, KEYS CLICK ]
Narrator: HE ENTERED PRISON
AS A VIOLENT KID,
BUT, IN 1922, WITH LUCIANO
PULLING THE STRINGS,
A TRANSFORMED ANASTASIA
STEPS OFF DEATH ROW,
OUT OF PRISON...
AND INTO A NEW LIFE.
Volkman:
ALBERT'S LEGEND WAS BORN.
EVERYBODY TALKED ABOUT THE GUY
WHO BEAT THE ELECTRIC CHAIR.
[ SHIP HORN BLOWS ]
Narrator:
OWING HIS LIFE TO LUCIANO,
IT IS TIME FOR ANASTASIA
TO REPAY THE DEBT.
FRESH OUT OF SING SING,
ANASTASIA IS SENT
TO THE FRONT LINE
IN THE ITALIAN
AND IRISH BOOZE WAR,
THE BROOKLYN DOCKS.
THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN
THE ITALIANS AND THE IRISH
FOR CONTROL
OF THE WATERFRONT WAS WAR.
[ GRUNTING ]
AND I MEAN WAR.
*
[ GUNSHOT ]
Narrator: AND IN NO TIME AT ALL,
ANASTASIA IS PROVING HIS
WORTH FOR THE ITALIANS.
Volkman: HE WAS
A VERY VALUABLE SOLDIER,
AND, AS EVERYBODY
DISCOVERED VERY QUICKLY,
HE'S A PSYCHOPATH.
HE'D KILL YOU
AT THE DROP OF A HAT.
IF SOMEBODY SAID TO HIM,
"GO KILL THIS GUY," HE'D SAY,
"OKAY," AND HE WOULD KILL THEM
WITHOUT ANY REMORSE WHATSOEVER.
Narrator: SOON, THE ITALIANS ARE
SECURING CONTROL OF THE DOCKS,
AND WITH THE IMPORT OF
ILLEGAL BOOZE INTO NEW YORK,
ALL WITH THE HELP OF ANASTASIA.
BUT IF LUCIANO IS TO END
THIS PERIOD OF INTENSE CONFLICT
AND REALIZE HIS DREAM OF THE
PERFECT CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION,
ANASTASIA MUST CARRY OUT
THE BIGGEST HIT OF HIS CAREER.
*
*
Narrator: NEW YORK, 1931 --
AFTER A DECADE
OF MURDER AND VIOLENCE
ON THE BROOKLYN DOCKS,
ALBERT ANASTASIA IS NOW
LUCKY LUCIANO'S GO-TO KILLER
AND IS TO BE INCLUDED
IN A MONUMENTAL PLAN.
THE ORGANIZATION IS ABOUT
TO UNDERGO A BLOODY
AND DRAMATIC REVOLUTION
THAT WILL CHANGE
AMERICAN HISTORY.
AT THIS TIME, WITH PROHIBITION
IN FULL SWING,
CRIMINAL GANGS
ARE MAKING MILLIONS.
BUT LUCIANO CAN SEE A PROBLEM.
THE RACKET OF BOOTLEGGING
IS BASED ON ETHNIC DIVISIONS,
WITH EACH GROUP
IN A VIOLENT STRUGGLE
TO MAINTAIN ITS SHARE
OF THE BUSINESS.
[ GUNFIRE ]
*
YOU'VE GOT THIS ALMOST
MILITARY-LIKE CONFLICT
WHICH IS JUST UNPRECEDENTED
AND COMPLETELY
SORT OF FREAKING PEOPLE OUT.
[ SIREN WAILING ]
Narrator: WITH BODIES LITTERING
THE STREETS,
THE GANG WARS WERE
BECOMING A SCANDAL,
DRAWING ATTENTION FROM
THE POLICE AND HITTING PROFITS.
LUCIANO UNDERSTOOD THAT VIOLENCE
WAS BAD FOR BUSINESS.
*
Narrator: LUCIANO
ENVISIONS A BETTER WAY.
"WE'RE GOING TO COOPERATE.
I DON'T CARE THAT HE'S JEWISH.
"HE DOESN'T CARE IF I'M ITALIAN.
GUESS WHAT?
"SEE THIS DOLLAR BILL HERE?
"OKAY, DOES THAT JEWISH
OR ITALIAN TO YOU?
"WE SIT DOWN.
"WE ORGANIZE ON
A BUSINESSLIKE BASIS.
WE ASSIGN TERRITORIES.
EVERYBODY IS GOING TO GET WELL."
*
Narrator: NOT ALL THE BOSSES
SAW THINGS LUCIANO'S WAY.
Volkman: THERE WAS
A GENERATIONAL SPLIT,
AND THE SPLIT WAS BETWEEN
THE OLD-TIME BOSSES,
WHO WERE STILL PRISONERS
OF THE OLD WAYS,
PARTICULARLY SICILIANS,
WHO WERE VERY, VERY CLANNISH.
Narrator: IF HE CAN TAKE CHARGE,
HE CAN RESTRUCTURE THESE GANGS
INTO A TRULY ORGANIZED BUSINESS
WHERE EVERYONE WILL BENEFIT.
AND LUCIANO ULTIMATELY DECIDED,
"THESE OLD [Indistinct]
HAVE TO GO."
*
Narrator: FOR LUCIANO,
THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT
IS TO TAKE OUT THE TWO
LEADING BOSSES OF NEW YORK,
THE FIRST IN LINE BEING
JOE "THE BOSS" MASSERIA,
BUT HE NEEDS A TRUSTED KILLER.
Volkman: HE HAD TO SELECT
FOUR GUNMEN TO DO THE JOB.
NOW, THESE GUNMEN HAD TO BE
JUST EXACTLY RIGHT,
AND ONE OF THEM HE SELECTED
WAS ALBERT ANASTASIA.
[ PEOPLE SCREAMING,
CARNIVAL MUSIC PLAYING ]
Narrator: APRIL 15th, 1931 --
LUCIANO INVITES JOE MASSERIA
TO LUNCH
AT HIS FAVORITE RESTAURANT
ON CONEY ISLAND,
NEW YORK'S FAIRGROUND.
-MASSERIA CAN'T REFUSE.
-THEY HAD A NICE LUNCH.
THEY WERE SITTING THERE,
PLAYING CARDS.
IT WAS ALL VERY, VERY NICE.
*
AND AT A CERTAIN TIME,
HE LOOKED AT HIS WATCH AND SAID,
"OH, I GOT TO TAKE A LEAK."
AND, AT THAT APPOINTED MOMENT,
FOUR GUNMEN BURST
INTO THE RESTAURANT.
*
[ GUNSHOTS CONTINUE ]
Narrator: ANASTASIA,
LEADING THE HIT SQUAD,
PULLS THE TRIGGER WITH
THE DEATH BLOW TO THE HEAD.
LUCIANO KNOWS HE'S FOUND
THE PERFECT HIT MAN.
Volkman: CARRYING THAT OUT
ESTABLISHED HIM,
IN LUCIANO'S EYES,
AS SOMEONE WHO COULD BE
TOTALLY RELIED ON.
*
Narrator: SIX MONTHS LATER,
THE PLAN IS COMPLETE
WHEN LUCIANO HAS REMAINING BOSS
SAL MARANZANO BRUTALLY MURDERED.
*
THE COUP D'éTAT COMPLETE,
LUCIANO CAN NOW
FINALLY ACHIEVE A PERFECT
CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION,
AND HE KNOWS EXACTLY
WHERE ANASTASIA WILL FIT IN.
BUT FIRST, HE DIVIDES THE
FIVE BOROUGHS OF NEW YORK
TO BE RUN BY FIVE
CRIME FAMILIES,
WHO, ALONG WITH THE HEADS
FROM BUFFALO AND CHICAGO,
WILL MEET IN A GROUP
KNOWN AS THE COMMISSION.
Volkman: WHAT THEY DID WAS TAKE
THE OLD SICILIAN MAFIA IDEA
AND MELD IT WITH
AMERICAN BUSINESS METHOD.
IT WOULD BE A NATIONWIDE COMBINE
RUN STRICTLY AS
A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.
THE BUSINESS WOULD BE CRIME.
Whalen: THEY WOULD TRY
TO DO EVERYTHING
IN A ORGANIZED, REGULATED WAY.
Narrator: EVEN MURDER.
LUCIANO WAS NOT OPPOSED
TO VIOLENCE.
IF KILLINGS HAD TO BE COMMITTED,
THEY WOULD BE COMMITTED.
Narrator:
WHAT HE NEEDS IS A FORCE
THAT WILL POLICE THE MAFIA,
SO LUCIANO ALSO
CREATES A BODY
THAT WILL KILL ON BEHALF
OF THE COMMISSION.
IT WILL BECOME KNOWN
AS MURDER INCORPORATED.
*
HE DECIDED WE NEEDED A GROUP
OF PROFESSIONAL HIT MEN
WHO COULD CARRY OUT WHATEVER
KILLINGS HAD TO BE DONE.
Narrator: AND LUCIANO NEEDS JUST
THE RIGHT PERSON TO RUN IT.
SO WHO DOES HE CHOOSE?
NONE OTHER THAN HIS FAVORED
KILLER, ALBERT ANASTASIA.
Raab: ALBERT ANASTASIA
WAS THE PERFECT MODEL.
WITHIN THE MAFIA, ANASTASIA WAS
RECOGNIZED AS A RUTHLESS,
UNFLINCHING KILLER.
*
Narrator: SO WITH ORDERS FROM
THE COMMISSION,
ALL FUTURE MURDERS
WOULD BE CONDUCTED
BY THESE PROFESSIONAL KILLERS.
HITS ARE NO LONGER
PERSONAL VENDETTAS.
THEY ARE BUSINESS.
LUCIANO IMPOSES STRICT RULES
THAT GOVERN
HOW ANASTASIA
AND MURDER INCORPORATED
SHOULD OPERATE.
ONE OF THE CHIEF RULES,
THOU SHALT NOT KILL A BOSS.
THAT'S A NO-NO.
WE DO NOT KILL CIVILIANS.
Hendley: YOU DON'T KILL
POLICEMEN, JOURNALISTS,
JUDGES, POLITICIANS,
AND PROSECUTORS
BECAUSE OF THE INTENSE REACTION
THAT THOSE ASSASSINATIONS
WOULD CAUSE.
Narrator:
WITH THESE RULES IN MIND,
ANASTASIA IS NOW SET TO KILL
WHOEVER LUCIANO TELLS HIM TO.
*
FROM THEIR OFFICE ABOVE
THE MIDNIGHT ROSE CANDY STORE
IN BROOKLYN,
LUCIANO'S VISION
OF MULTI-NATIONAL COOPERATION
STARTS IN EARNEST
AS THE ITALIAN, ANASTASIA,
WORKS WITH THE JEWISH
LEWIS "LEPKE" BUCHALTER
TO CARRY OUT
SANCTIONED MURDER.
ANASTASIA TURNS OUT TO BE
THE PERFECT PERSON FOR THIS JOB.
HE'S THE GO-BETWEEN.
LUCIANO IS AN ITALIAN GUY.
ANASTASIA IS AN ITALIAN GUY.
BUT LEPKE, HE'S A JEWISH GUY.
LUCIANO
GIVES ORDER TO ANASTASIA,
WHO THEN WORKS
HAND IN HAND WITH LEPKE
IN CARRYING OUT
THESE ASSIGNMENTS.
Narrator: TOGETHER,
THEY HANDPICK A TEAM
OF JEWISH AND ITALIAN HIT MEN,
A LETHAL AND EFFECTIVE
COMBINATION.
THE THEORY, BY USING
JEWISH KILLERS, OFTEN,
IS THAT IF THE VICTIM
WAS ITALIAN,
HE WOULDN'T SUSPECT SOMEBODY
WHO DIDN'T LOOK ITALIAN.
*
Narrator: IN MURDER, INC.,
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS DON'T MATTER.
WHAT DOES IS A PRIDE,
EVEN A PLEASURE, IN YOUR WORK.
THERE WERE MEMBERS
OF MURDER INCORPORATED
WHO WERE GENUINE SADISTS.
THEY GENUINELY ENJOYED TORTURING
PEOPLE IN HORRIBLE WAYS.
*
Narrator: AND ANASTASIA
HARNESSES THESE BRUTAL KILLERS
TO PROFESSIONALIZE
MURDER WHOLESALE.
HITS ARE ORGANIZED
AND EFFICIENT.
HITS ARE ORGANIZED
AND EFFICIENT.
Volkman:
MOST MURDERS ARE CARRIED OUT
BY PEOPLE WHO KNOW EACH OTHER.
Volkman:
MOST MURDERS ARE CARRIED OUT
BY PEOPLE WHO KNOW EACH OTHER.
[ GUNSHOT ]
THE IDEA WAS THESE MURDERS
WOULD BE CARRIED OUT
BY PEOPLE WHO WERE STRANGERS,
VERY DIFFICULT TO TRACK.
[ GUNSHOT ]
*
Narrator:
AND WITH A NEW WAY OF KILLING
COMES A WHOLE NEW WAY
OF TALKING.
Volkman: A MURDER ORDER WAS
CALLED A CONTRACT.
NOW, SOMETIMES THE BODY
WOULD BE LEFT AROUND
FOR WHAT THEY CALLED
THE ADVERTISING BUDGET.
SOMEBODY WHO HAD STOLEN MONEY,
HE'D BE FOUND
WITH HIS HANDS CUT OFF.
SOMEBODY
WHO HAD TALKED TOO MUCH,
THEY HAVE HIS TONGUE CUT OUT.
Narrator: ALBERT ANASTASIA
MANAGES EVERYTHING,
BUT, NOT ONE
TO TAKE A BACK SEAT,
ANASTASIA IS A HANDS-ON
KIND OF LEADER.
[ GRUNTING ]
Whalen: ANASTASIA COULD HAVE
PROBABLY JUST SAID,
"YOU KNOW WHAT?
HERE YOU GO. KILL THIS GUY,"
BUT HE DOESN'T DO THAT.
HE ENJOYS KILLING
AND TAKING PART OF IT,
AND THEY SAY HE WAS
INVOLVED, PERSONALLY,
IN 60 MURDERS HIMSELF.
HE WAS A GUY THAT JUST
COULD GO OUT AND KILL,
NO COMPUNCTION ABOUT IT.
*
Narrator:
BUT THE MERCHANT OF DEATH
WAS A HOME-LOVING PSYCHOPATH.
Volkman:
THEY USED TO HAVE A SAYING,
"THERE'S THE STREET DEVIL
AND THE HOUSE ANGEL,"
AND THAT, BASICALLY,
IS WHAT HE WAS.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS ONE GUY
ON THE STREETS OF BROOKLYN.
HE WAS ANOTHER GUY
IN FORT LEE, NEW JERSEY.
Volkman: HE'S MARRIED TO ELSA,
A CANADIAN IMMIGRANT
16 YEARS HIS JUNIOR
WHO LOVES HIM DEARLY.
FROM 9 TO 5,
DURING HIS WORK DAY,
HE WAS OUT EXECUTING PEOPLE,
BUT THEN, BACK HOME
IN NEW JERSEY,
HE LIVED A PRETTY QUIET LIFE.
SO BIZARRE THAT SOMEBODY
SO RUTHLESS AND EVIL COULD GO
AND BE THE ULTIMATE
FAMILY MAN AFTER THE WORKDAY.
Narrator: AS THE HEAD OF
MURDER INCORPORATED,
LIFE IS GOOD FOR ANASTASIA.
LUCIANO'S DREAM OF THE PERFECT
CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION
IS BECOMING A REALITY,
AND ANASTASIA IS
AT THE HEART OF IT.
Raab: BOSSES RESPECTED HIM.
HE HAD CARRIED OUT
THEIR WISHES TOO.
Narrator: BUT ANASTASIA'S
MURDER INCORPORATED
IS FAST BECOMING A VICTIM
OF ITS OWN SUCCESS.
THE NEW YORK MAFIA'S
GROWING CRIME WAVE
BRINGS ATTENTION
FROM THE PUBLIC AND THE POLICE
AND WILL SOON MAKE ANASTASIA
HIMSELF A TARGET FOR THE FBI.
*
Narrator: NEW YORK, 1935 --
CRIME BOSS LUCKY LUCIANO
HAS REVOLUTIONIZED THE MOB.
[ GUNSHOT ]
BUT THE UNPRECEDENTED
WAVE OF CRIME
HAS COME TO THE ATTENTION
OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.
THEY'RE TRYING TO
CLEAN UP THE STREETS,
AND HOTSHOT SPECIAL PROSECUTOR
THOMAS DEWEY
IS LEADING THE
GANGBUSTING ASSAULT.
TOP OF HIS LIST IS CRIME LORD
CHARLES "LUCKY" LUCIANO,
AND DEWEY HAS THE MANDATE
TO GET HIS MAN.
Whalen:
HE'S PROBABLY THE MOST POWERFUL
PERSON IN LAW ENFORCEMENT,
MAYBE EVEN MORE
THAN J. EDGAR HOOVER.
HE'S FOCUSED ON
JUST THESE MOBSTERS.
HE FELT, QUITE RIGHTLY, THAT
THEIR POWER HAD GROWN TO A POINT
WHERE IT WAS A DANGER
TO THE REPUBLIC,
AND HE DECIDED HE WAS GOING
TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
Narrator: FOR LUCIANO
AND THE REST OF THE COMMISSION,
DEWEY'S INVESTIGATION
IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM.
FEARING FOR THEIR LIVELIHOODS
IN THE SUMMER OF 1935,
LUCIANO, ANASTASIA,
AND OTHER MOBSTERS
GATHER TO DISCUSS
THE EMERGING THREAT.
ANASTASIA BELIEVES HE CAN SOLVE
THE DEWEY PROBLEM FOREVER.
ANASTASIA ACTUALLY STARTED TO
PLOT A WAY TO ASSASSINATE HIM.
*
Ward: HE STAKED OUT
HIS MORNING ROUTINE.
HE BORROWED A BABY CARRIAGE,
ANASTASIA HIMSELF,
AND HE WOULD WALK
THIS PRAM BACK AND FORTH.
HE MUST HAVE BEEN THE LEAST
CONVINCING FATHER EVER,
YOU KNOW, PUSHING
THIS SUPPOSED BABY AROUND.
Narrator: THIS RAISES ALARM
BELLS WITH THE COMMISSION.
THEY DISAGREE,
OVERRULING ANASTASIA,
AND REMINDING HIM
OF LUCIANO'S RULES.
AS SOON AS THEY FOUND OUT
WHAT HE WAS UP TO,
THEY PULLED HIM BACK AND SAID,
"LISTEN, YOU'RE GOING
TO LEAVE DEWEY ALONE.
WE'RE NOT GOING
TO GO AFTER HIM."
Ward: YOU DON'T KILL
THESE PEOPLE.
Whalen: ONLY ONE GUY WAS CRAZY
ENOUGH TO THINK HE COULD DO IT,
AND THAT WAS ANASTASIA.
Narrator: UNLIKE THE COMMISSION,
ANASTASIA DOESN'T SEE
THE BIGGER PICTURE.
Hendley: IF THOMAS DEWEY
HAD BEEN ASSASSINATED,
IT'S ALMOST GUARANTEED
THAT THE TOP-LEVEL MOBSTERS
IN NEW YORK CITY
AT THE TIME WOULD FACE
INCREDIBLY INTENSE PRESSURE
FROM BOTH, YOU KNOW, CITY,
STATE AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES.
*
Narrator: WITHOUT KNOWING
HOW CLOSE TO DEATH HE WAS,
DEWEY AND HIS TEAM
CONTINUED TO PURSUE LUCIANO,
WHO MANAGES TO SHIELD ALL OF
HIS CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES
FROM DEWEY APART FROM ONE.
HE GETS LUCKY ON, OF ALL THINGS,
RUNNING A PROSTITUTION RING.
HE CHARGES HIM WITH
HUNDREDS OF COUNTS,
PROBABLY EVERY SEXUAL ENCOUNTER.
Narrator:
IT'S A TRUMPED UP CHARGE,
BUT, INCREDIBLY, IT WORKS.
IN JUNE 1936, LUCIANO,
THE GENIUS WHO CREATED
THE MODERN MAFIA,
IS SENTENCED TO A MINIMUM
OF 30 YEARS IN PRISON.
HE ACHIEVED A CONVICTION OF
LUCIANO, WHICH WAS INCREDIBLE.
I MEAN, THIS WAS THE LORD HIGH
MASTER CRIMINAL,
AND, SOMEHOW,
HE WENT DOWN.
THAT CONVICTION, WHICH A LOT
OF PEOPLE THINK WAS UNFAIR
AND UNJUST.
Narrator: FOR ANASTASIA,
THIS IS A MASSIVE BLOW.
IF THE PLAN TO KILL DEWEY
HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT,
HIS MENTOR WOULDN'T
BE BEHIND BARS.
*
THINGS GO FROM BAD TO WORSE
WHEN HIS NEMESIS, DEWEY,
DECIDES HIS FRIEND,
LEPKE BUCHALTER,
IS THE NEXT TARGET.
THE WORD GETS OUT,
GETS TO LEPKE,
"YOU'RE NEXT ON
DEWEY'S HIT LIST."
Narrator:
SO, IN NOVEMBER 1936,
WITH A MURDER CHARGE
AGAINST HIM,
LEPKE HAS TO GO ON THE RUN.
FOR MANY YEARS, LOUIS BUCHALTER,
KNOWN AS LEPKE,
HAS BEEN THE WORST INDUSTRIAL
RACKETEER IN AMERICA.
Narrator: FEARING FOR HIS FRIEND
AND PARTNER IN CRIME,
ANASTASIA UTILIZES THE
MURDER INCORPORATED NETWORK
TO KEEP LEPKE IN HIDING
FOR A LONG TIME.
Whalen: THEY DON'T HAVE
ANY IDEA WHERE HE IS.
SOME SAY HE'S OVERSEAS,
HE'S WENT TO JERUSALEM.
$25,000 REWARD WILL BE PAID
TO THE CITIZEN
WHO PROVIDES THE INFORMATION
FOR THIS ARREST.
*
Whalen: TURNS OUT HE'S
IN BROOKLYN THE WHOLE TIME.
Narrator: NOW ANASTASIA,
FEARING THAT LEPKE COULD FACE
A SIMILAR OUTCOME TO LUCIANO,
TAKES MATTERS
INTO HIS OWN HANDS
AND SETS ABOUT
DESTROYING DEWEY'S CASE.
THIS TIME, HE DOESN'T HOLD BACK.
HE'S A GUY THAT SAYS
WITNESSES HAVE TO GO.
AND IF SOMEBODY, GOD FORBID,
WITNESSED HIM KILLING HIM,
THAT PERSON WAS DEAD TOO.
Narrator: ANASTASIA ENSURES
THERE IS NO ONE
WHO CAN TESTIFY
IN COURT AGAINST LEPKE.
WITH A LIST OF RATS
PROVIDED BY LEPKE,
HE PUTS MURDER INCORPORATED TO
WORK ELIMINATING KEY WITNESSES.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
FIVE FORMER LEPKE ASSOCIATES
HAVE BEEN SHOT,
AND TWO HAVE DISAPPEARED.
THIS FUGITIVE MUST BE
FOUND DEAD OR ALIVE.
Narrator:
BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM.
IT IS NOT ENOUGH.
NO ONE LESS THAN THE DIRECTOR
OF THE FBI, J. EDGAR HOOVER,
IS NOW INSISTING
LEPKE MUST BE CAUGHT,
SO DEWEY'S TEAM
TURN UP THE PRESSURE.
Volkman: THERE WAS SO MUCH
PUBLICITY THAT IT WAS DECIDED,
"WE CAN'T HAVE HIM
ON THE LAM LIKE THIS."
THERE WAS TOO MUCH PRESSURE.
"IT'S GOT TO END."
Narrator: THE COMMISSION
CALLED IN ANASTASIA.
THEY PRESENT HIM
WITH A SHOCKING SOLUTION.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
SACRIFICE LEPKE
TO PROTECT THEMSELVES,
AND ANASTASIA WILL PLAY
A VITAL ROLE IN THIS DEED.
THEY SAY, "HERE'S WHAT
WE'RE GOING TO DO.
YOU, BECAUSE THE ONLY GUY
THAT LEPKE REALLY TRUSTS,
YOU WILL TELL HIM WE HAVE
WORKED OUT A DEAL WITH DEWEY."
Narrator: NOW FACING
THE ULTIMATE PREDICAMENT,
ANASTASIA WILL HAVE
TO TURN HIS FRIEND IN.
ACTING ON THESE ORDERS,
ANASTASIA MEETS WITH LEPKE
AND CONVINCES HIM
THAT A DEAL IS IN PLACE
THAT WILL SAVE HIM
FROM THE DEATH PENALTY.
LEPKE BELIEVES HIM.
WHY NOT?
HE'S WORKED WITH HIM
SIDE BY SIDE.
HE'S GIVEN HIM ORDERS,
SEEN HIM KILL PEOPLE.
HE HAS NO REASON TO BELIEVE
THAT ANASTASIA
IS GOING TO LIE TO HIM.
*
Narrator: AUGUST 24th, 1939 --
AFTER AN ASTONISHING
3 YEARS ON THE RUN,
ANASTASIA DRIVES
THE UNSUSPECTING LEPKE
TO A MEETING WITH THE FBI,
WHERE HE BELIEVES
HE WILL TURN HIMSELF OVER
IN EXCHANGE FOR LENIENCY.
*
BUT ANASTASIA HAS BETRAYED
HIS FRIEND AND PARTNER IN CRIME.
[ HANDCUFFS CLICK ]
THERE IS NO DEAL.
Volkman: BUCHALTER
DUTIFULLY SURRENDERED,
AND, OF COURSE, IMMEDIATELY
FACED SERIOUS CHARGES.
Narrator: ON MARCH 4th, 1944,
LEPKE WOULD BECOME
THE ONLY MAJOR MAFIA FIGURE
TO BE EXECUTED
BY ELECTRIC CHAIR...
Man: THE ELECTRIC CHAIR
ENDS THE CAREER
OF LOUIS "LEPKE" BUCHALTER.
Narrator: ...A BURDEN ANASTASIA
WOULD SHOULDER
FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.
Whalen: IF HE EVER FELT BAD
ABOUT SOMETHING,
THIS WOULD HAVE PROBABLY
BEEN THE ONE TIME.
Narrator:
HE HAD TO SACRIFICE A FRIEND,
BUT HE KNOWS THERE'S LITTLE
HE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
Volkman: AS LUCIANO ONCE SAID,
"IF YOU HAVE TO SEND YOUR MOTHER
TO THE EXECUTION BLOCK,
YOU DO IT...
IF IT HELPS THE ORGANIZATION."
"THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS."
*
Narrator: WITH HIS MENTOR
LUCIANO BEHIND BARS
AND HAVING BETRAYED
HIS BEST FRIEND, LEPKE,
ANASTASIA IS FALLING OUT
OF LOVE WITH THE COMMISSION,
AND THEY WILL FALL
OUT OF LOVE WITH HIM.
WHEN ONE OF ANASTASIA'S MURDERS
COMES BACK TO HAUNT HIM...
*
IT THREATENS THE ENTIRE
CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION.
*
Narrator:
FEBRUARY 2nd, 1940 --
WITH LEPKE BUCHALTER EXECUTED,
ALBERT ANASTASIA STANDS ALONE AS
THE HEAD OF MURDER INCORPORATED,
BUT THERE IS A NEW PROBLEM.
ONE OF HIS BEST HIT MEN,
ABE "KID TWIST" RELES,
FACES SERIOUS CHARGES FOR
A MURDER HE COMMITTED IN 1933.
Whalen: AUTHORITIES
GET THE GOODS ON HIM,
AND HE DECIDES
IT'S TIME TO TALK.
Narrator: RELES KNOWS EVERYTHING
THAT MURDER INCORPORATED
HAS DONE.
HE JUST PROCEEDED
TO TALK FOR 11 DAYS --
63 MURDERS THAT
HE HAD SEEN HIMSELF,
MANY OF WHICH THE COPS
HAD NEVER EVEN HEARD OF.
[ GUNSHOT, KNIFE SLICES ]
Narrator: ONE BY ONE, RELES RATS
ON HIS FORMER COLLEAGUES.
HE STARTS GIVING UP
A LOT OF GANGSTERS.
Narrator:
EVENTUALLY, HE OPENS UP ABOUT
THE MAN WHO RUNS MURDER, INC.
HE REMEMBERED A LOT OF DETAILS
ABOUT ONE ALBERT ANASTASIA.
Narrator: AMONG THE CRIMES RELES
LAYS AT ANASTASIA'S DOOR
IS THE DEATH OF
A BROOKLYN DOCK OFFICIAL.
HE SAID, "I KNOW ABOUT
ALBERT ANASTASIA
PERSONALLY STRANGLING
PETER PANTO."
Narrator:
PETER PANTO WAS A UNION LEADER
WHO ANASTASIA
PERSONALLY KILLED IN 1939.
Blass: ANASTASIA PERSONALLY
STRANGLED HIM WITH HIS HANDS
AND THEN BURIED HIS CORPSE
IN A PIT OF QUICKLIME.
Narrator: KID TWIST KNOWS
WHERE THE BODY IS,
AND, WHEN DETECTIVES
FIND PANTO'S REMAINS,
IT IS A GRISLY SIGHT.
WITH THIS EVIDENCE AND MORE,
PROSECUTORS NOW HAVE
A ROCK-SOLID CASE
AGAINST THE MAN BEHIND
MURDER INCORPORATED,
ALBERT ANASTASIA.
Volkman:
RELES WAS THE STAR WITNESS.
HE WAS GOING TO PUT
ALBERT ANASTASIA
AND ALL OF MURDER INCORPORATED
AWAY.
Narrator:
SO, LIKE LEPKE BEFORE HIM,
ANASTASIA IS FORCED
TO GO INTO HIDING.
*
WITH STAR WITNESS IN HAND, THE
AUTHORITIES GO AFTER ANASTASIA,
BUT HE'S NOWHERE TO BE SEEN.
FOR THE COMMISSION,
THE ATTENTION SURROUNDING
ANASTASIA PRESENTS
A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER.
IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE SOME
OF THESE OTHER JABRONES
FROM MURDER INCORPORATED
GO AWAY.
IT'S ANOTHER THING FOR SOMEBODY
LIKE ALBERT ANASTASIA.
THAT'S -- THAT'S A PROBLEM.
Narrator: ANASTASIA KNOWS
TOO MANY OF THEIR DIRTY SECRETS
AND CAN'T RISK HIM
BEING ARRESTED.
SO NOW THE COMMISSION
HAVE TO STEP IN
AND FIX IT FOR ANASTASIA.
KID TWIST HAS TO BE
PREVENTED FROM TESTIFYING.
*
Narrator:
NOVEMBER 12th, 1941 --
THE HALF MOON HOTEL,
CONEY ISLAND.
WITH DAYS TO GO BEFORE
THE TRIAL, ABE "KID TWIST" RELES
IS IN HIS OWN GUARDED ROOM.
THAT NIGHT, THE POLICE GUARD
CHECKS ON HIM IN HIS ROOM,
3 A.M. IN THE MORNING.
HE'S ASLEEP, DOESN'T
THINK ANYTHING OF IT.
Narrator: AND WITH DETECTIVES
WATCHING HIM AROUND THE CLOCK,
RELES CAN AFFORD
TO SLEEP SOUNDLY.
IN THE MORNING,
THEY GO TO CHECK ON HIM.
*
[ KNOCKS ]
HE'S NOT IN THE BED.
THE WINDOW'S OPEN.
Narrator: IT LOOKS LIKE
AN AUDACIOUS ESCAPE ATTEMPT --
THAT IS, UNTIL THE DETECTIVES
SURVEY THE SCENE
SIX STORIES BELOW.
SOMEBODY THREW HIM OUT A WINDOW.
Narrator:
KID TWIST WILL NO LONGER
BE TESTIFYING IN ANY TRIALS.
Whalen:
KID TWIST GOT A NEW MONIKER.
HE BECAME THE CANARY WHO
COULD SING BUT COULD NOT FLY.
[ PHONE RINGS ]
Volkman: WITH THAT, THE CASE
AGAINST ALBERT ANASTASIA
WENT OUT THE WINDOW.
Narrator: WITH HIS BACK
AGAINST THE WALL,
THE COMMISSION HAS
STEPPED IN TO SAVE HIM.
*
BUT TIMES HAVE CHANGED
FOR ANASTASIA.
EVEN THOUGH KID TWIST
NEVER GOT TO TESTIFY,
MURDER, INC. HAS SUFFERED
IN THE AFTERMATH
OF DEWEY'S RELENTLESS CAMPAIGN.
FOUR MEMBERS OF
MURDER INCORPORATED
WENT TO THE ELECTRIC CHAIR.
TWO OF THEM BECAME
STATE'S WITNESSES.
Narrator: SO, WITH LUCIANO
BEHIND BARS,
THE COMMISSION DISBANDS
MURDER INCORPORATED
AND RELEGATES ANASTASIA
TO A LOWLY UNDERBOSS POSITION
IN NEW YORK'S MANGANO
CRIME FAMILY.
TO ANASTASIA, THIS IS
A SLAP IN THE FACE.
HE FELT THAT HE WAS NOW
READY TO BE KING.
Raab:
HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE SECOND
IN COMMAND OR SECOND BANANA.
Narrator: HE'S IN NO MOOD TO RUN
BY THE RULES OF THE COMMISSION,
AND IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG
FOR ANASTASIA
TO SHOW HOW DANGEROUS HE CAN BE.
*
IN NO TIME, DIFFERENCES ARISE
BETWEEN ANASTASIA
AND HIS NEW BOSS,
VINCENT MANGANO,
AND HIS YOUNGER BROTHER, PHILIP.
HE DECIDED THAT MANGANO
WAS DOUBLE-CROSSING HIM,
WASN'T CUTTING HIM IN
ON ENOUGH OF THE PROFITS.
HE MAY HAVE BEEN
A LITTLE PARANOID.
HE THOUGHT MANGANO
MIGHT BE OUT TO KILL HIM.
Narrator: BUT NOT IF ANASTASIA
CAN HELP IT.
ANASTASIA THEN DECIDES,
"AH, I HAVE A SOLUTION.
I WILL KILL VINCENT MANGANO.
I WILL KILL HIS BROTHER."
*
Narrator: BEFORE LONG,
PHILIP MANGANO'S BODY
IS FOUND IN A BROOKLYN MARSH.
SHORTLY AFTERWARDS,
VINCENT, THE BOSS, VANISHES
AND IS NEVER SEEN AGAIN.
Raab:
ANASTASIA WAS TOUGH ENOUGH
AND PERHAPS SMART ENOUGH
TO ACT FIRST.
KILL BEFORE YOU'RE KILLED.
*
Narrator: BY NOW, HE HAS BROKEN
NEARLY EVERY RULE IN THE BOOK.
ON FACING THE COMMISSION
TO EXPLAIN HIMSELF,
HE CAN'T BE CERTAIN
OF THEIR REACTION.
Raab: THE BIGGEST VIOLATION
WAS TRYING TO KILL A BOSS
WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZATION
OF THE COMMISSION.
*
Narrator: BUT ANASTASIA'S GAMBLE
PAYS OFF.
TO KEEP THE PEACE,
THE COMMISSION ACCEPT
HIS REASON OF SELF DEFENSE.
*
BUT WITH THE SEEDS
OF DOUBT SOWN,
THE COMMISSION BECOMES
INCREASINGLY WARY OF ANASTASIA.
Raab: THE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMISSION BEGAN TO SEE
ANASTASIA AS A THREAT.
THEY REALIZED THAT,
IN ANASTASIA,
THEY WERE LOOKING AT
ABSOLUTE NAKED HOMICIDAL POWER,
MADNESS,
AND THEY UNDERSTOOD
HE WAS JUST AS LIKELY TO TURN
ON THEM AS ANYBODY ELSE.
Narrator: ESPECIALLY ONE MEMBER
OF THE MAFIA,
WHO WAS ABOUT TO MAKE
A POWER GRAB OF HIS OWN --
VITO GENOVESE.
Volkman: VITO GENOVESE BEGAN
TO TALK TO THE OTHER PEOPLE
ON THE COMMISSION AND SAY,
"LOOK, I TOLD YOU.
"THIS GUY IS A NUT.
HE'S A HOMICIDAL MANIAC.
HE'S DOING CRAZY THINGS."
Narrator: AND SOON ANASTASIA
WILL GIVE GENOVESE THE EXCUSE
HE'S LOOKING FOR
TO BRING HIM DOWN.
*
Narrator: NEW YORK, 1952 --
AFTER MURDERING A FAMILY HEAD,
THE COMMISSION HAS
BEGRUDGINGLY MADE
ALBERT ANASTASIA BOSS
OF ONE OF NEW YORK'S
FIVE MAFIA FAMILIES.
HE IS AT THE HEIGHT
OF HIS POWER.
Volkman:
HE'S A MULTIMILLIONAIRE.
HE LIVES IN
A BEAUTIFUL MANSION.
EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL, RIGHT?
NO.
ALBERT WANTS MORE,
AND TO GET MORE,
HE STARTS TO MAKE
MISTAKES, BIG MISTAKES.
MISTAKE NUMBER ONE --
ARNOLD SCHUSTER.
*
Narrator: THAT SAME YEAR,
WITH THE RECKLESS KILLING
OF ARNOLD SCHUSTER,
THE CIVIC HERO WHO HELPS BRING
DOWN THE INFAMOUS BANK ROBBER
WILLIE SUTTON,
ANASTASIA BREAKS ONE
OF THE CARDINAL RULES
OF THE MODERN MAFIA --
YOU DON'T KILL CIVILIANS.
[ GUNSHOT ]
PREDICTABLY,
THE PUBLIC ARE OUTRAGED.
Volkman: IT'S SENSATIONAL.
I MEAN, THE PAPERS
ARE FULL OF THIS.
WHO WOULD KILL THIS GUY,
THIS PUBLIC CITIZEN,
THIS GUY WHO'S
GOTTEN A MEDAL
FROM THE MAYOR,
THIS WONDERFUL PERSON?
WELL, THIS GETS BACK
TO THE COMMISSION,
WHICH CALLS ALBERT
ON THE CARPET
BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIG
RULES FOR THE COMMISSION,
YOU DO NOT KILL CIVILIANS.
IT JUST BRINGS TOO MUCH HEAT,
AND IT'S POINTLESS.
IT'S NOT GOOD FOR BUSINESS.
ALBERT REALIZES,
"I MADE A MISTAKE.
IT'S A BIG MISTAKE."
Narrator: BUT ANASTASIA
STILL DOESN'T REALIZE
THE TRUE SCALE
OF HIS MISTAKE.
HIS BIGGEST RIVAL
ON THE COMMISSION, HOWEVER,
CAN SEE IT CLEARLY.
VITO GENOVESE IS A RISING BOSS.
HE'S AMBITION AND CALCULATING
AND KEEN TO ELIMINATE
ANY COMPETITION.
Ward: GENOVESE IS EVERYTHING
ANASTASIA IS NOT,
IF YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL
IS THE TOP JOB.
Narrator:
GENOVESE HAS LITTLE DIFFICULTY
PERSUADING A NERVOUS COMMISSION
THAT ANASTASIA IS
A DANGEROUS LIABILITY.
THERE WAS AN ATMOSPHERE
OF SUSPICION ABOUT ALBERT.
Narrator: ALL GENOVESE NEEDS
IS ONE MORE SLIP-UP
FROM ANASTASIA,
AND HE DOESN'T HAVE
TO WAIT TOO LONG.
*
ANASTASIA DECIDES TO MAKE MOVES
ON THE MAFIA'S GAMBLING
OPERATIONS IN CUBA.
IN THE DAYS BEFORE LAS VEGAS,
THIS IS A MECCA
FOR HEDONISTIC AMERICANS,
AND ALL MAFIA BOSSES
HAVE AN INTEREST THERE,
ALL APART FROM ANASTASIA.
HE'S TREADING ON
OTHER BOSSES' TOES
AND DAMAGING LUCRATIVE
ARRANGEMENTS.
IT'S ALL GENOVESE NEEDS
TO CONVINCE THE COMMISSION
THAT ANASTASIA'S TIME IS UP.
"I HAVE TOLD YOU REPEATEDLY,
AND NOW YOU SEE WHAT I MEANT.
THIS GUY HAS GOT TO GO."
Raab: BY THROWING
HIS WEIGHT AROUND,
AND THE VERY FEAR
THAT HE WAS A THREAT TO THEM,
ANY ONE OF THEM, WAS ENOUGH
FOR THEM TO BAND TOGETHER
AND PUT OUT A HIT JOB
ON ONE ALBERT ANASTASIA.
*
Narrator: THE MAN WHO RAN
THE MAFIA'S DEATH SQUAD
IS NOW A DEAD MAN WALKING.
WITH THE GREEN LIGHT,
GENOVESE PUTS THE WHEELS
OF MURDER INTO MOTION.
IT'S A CLASSIC MOVE
STRAIGHT OUT OF THE MOVIES.
GENOVESE KNOWS WHERE
ANASTASIA IS VULNERABLE.
OCTOBER 25th, 1957,
GRASSO'S BARBER SHOP, NEW YORK.
ANASTASIA RELAXES AS HE GETS
HIS DAILY SHAVE AND TRIM.
HE'S SO UNWORRIED THAT
HE DOESN'T EVEN WORRY
ABOUT HAVING SOMEBODY WITH HIM
WHILE HE'S IN THIS BARBER CHAIR.
Narrator: HIS BODYGUARD
IS ACROSS THE STREET,
GETTING BREAKFAST.
*
SUDDENLY, TWO ARMED MEN
BURST IN AND OPEN FIRE.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
THEY HIT HIM ABOUT FIVE TIMES,
BUT THEY'RE NOT FATAL SHOTS
AT THIS POINT
BECAUSE HE'S MOVING NOW.
[ IMITATES GUNSHOTS ]
AND THEY'RE HITTING HIM
IN THE ARM, SHOULDER AND STUFF.
[ GUNSHOTS CONTINUE ]
NOW HE'S DISORIENTED.
HE'S LOOKING IN THE MIRROR.
HE'S SWINGING AT THE MIRROR
WHEN THE GUYS ARE BEHIND HIM...
[ GUNSHOTS CONTINUE ]
AND HE'S STUMBLING AROUND.
HE TRIPS DOWN ON THE GROUND.
ONE OF THE GANGSTERS
COMES UP TO HIM
AND PUTS THE FINAL SHOT
RIGHT INTO HIS HEAD.
[ GUNSHOT ]
*
THE GUY WHO HAD LIVED BY THE GUN
NOW DIED BY THE GUN.
*
Narrator: ALBERT ANASTASIA
IS LAID TO REST.
AS A TESTAMENT TO
HIS BRUTAL CHARACTER,
ONLY A HANDFUL OF MOURNERS
ATTEND HIS FUNERAL.
IT REALLY SHOWS YOU
WHERE ANASTASIA WAS
AS FAR AS HIS COLLEAGUES.
NONE OF THEM ATTENDED
THE FUNERAL.
IT WAS HIS WIFE,
SOME IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS,
MAYBE A COUPLE OF ASSOCIATES,
BUT, FOR A GUY THAT WAS
THE HEAD OF A CRIME FAMILY,
THERE WAS NOBODY THERE.
Narrator:
ANASTASIA'S LIFE AS A WHOLE
CHARACTERIZES THE EVOLUTION
OF THE MAFIA.
Raab: IF ALBERT ANASTASIA
HAD ANY LEGACY,
IT WAS SIMPLY THIS --
IF YOU GET A REPUTATION
AS A VIOLENT, TOO-RUTHLESS BOSS,
THEN YOU WERE GOING
TO BE FINISHED TOO.
IT WAS AN ERA WHERE THEY WANTED
MORE SOPHISTICATED,
WELL-ORGANIZED CRIME,
NO VIOLENT HITS,
NO BODIES, NOT JUST SOMEBODY
WHO HAD A REPUTATION
OF BEING KNOWN
AS THE MAD HATTER
OR A GREAT EXECUTIONER.
Narrator: ANASTASIA'S VIOLENCE
DEFINED AN ERA
THAT BECAME NOTORIOUS,
ONE CELEBRATED IN MOVIES
AND POPULAR CULTURE.
[ EXPLOSION, GUNFIRE ]
HE SURVIVED IN LUCIANO'S
NEW MAFIA
AT THE HELM OF
MURDER INCORPORATED,
BUT WHEN THIS ORGANIZATION
CEASES TO EXIST,
HE BECOMES OBSOLETE
AND MEETS A VIOLENT END
BEFITTING THE MOB'S
MERCHANT OF DEATH.
*