The Majestic

[kevkon]

The more I look at this case and Hauptmann's involvement , the more I wonder if the goings on at the Majestic Apt building may not hold the key to the puzzle. Seems like a pretty busy place, lots of carpentry work being done there. Or is it? I have tried to find the exact nature of this work so that I could correlate it with BRH and his tools. So far it doesn't make sense to me. Now I go back to what Michael and other knowledgeable people have said about Hauptmann, how he was an opportunist, the care free California road trip he took seemingly without financial concern and I am starting to suspect that something other than carpentry was afoot at the Majestic.

[Michael]

I do know that a Painter by the name of Richard Kelly, employed at the same time as Hauptmann, was serving time in Lewisburg for passing counterfeit money by the time the Police went there to check up on him....

If you need me to check out anything in particular just let me know... Here is something else I stumbled upon:

Q. The peaceful-looking corner of Central Park West and West 72nd Street has an extraordinary number of associations with crime. How so?

A. Bruno Richard Hauptmann, the convicted kidnapper-killer of the Lindberg baby, worked as a carpenter in the Majestic Apartments on that corner at the time of the crime. Later, mob bosses Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano and Frank Costello all lived in the Majestic. Costello was shot (not fatally) in the lobby in 1957. And across the street, John Lennon was murdered in front of his home in the Dakota Apartments in 1980. This also happens to be the corner where poor Mr. Bliss met his fate (see previous item).

www.salwen.com/uwss.html

Another point of contact concerning this angle may be Daniel Levinson Wilk. He was a Professor of History at Duke University the last time we communicated (7-02). And was kind enough to share some of his research concerning the Union which was founded at the Majestic in '34 then the eventual strike that occurred in '36.

[kevkon]

Thanks Michael, I think there is much to learn regarding the planning and organization of this crime through scrutiny of the Majestic goings on. I think Hauptmann was involved in illicit activities well prior to the LKC and that those activities can account for his involvement.

[rmc1971]

kevkon said:

Thanks Michael, I think there is much to learn regarding the planning and organization of this crime through scrutiny of the Majestic goings on. I think Hauptmann was involved in illicit activities well prior to the LKC and that those activities can account for his involvement.

I would agree. I wouldn't be shocked if the the stories on him and Fisch buying 'hot' money b/4 the LKC are accurate. And I would think Hauptmann would have other associates besides Fisch.

[Michael]

Kevin,

Are you suggesting that perhaps Hauptmann brought someone in during the time he worked there?

BTW - check out the most recent post in the ransom thread concerning Rab's thoughts on the ransom break-down.

[kevkon]

I think it goes much deeper than that. Just a hunch, but I suspect that Hauptmann had experience and relationships formed through currency based illegal activities long before the LKC. I believe that this, if exposed, would reveal the real genesis of the LKC.

[Michael]

I would agree with your hunch. He always had partners in just about anything on record that he ventured into. Now as to his experience with loot - I know that Rab has disagreed with me in the past about this, however, I just don't believe Hauptmann had been the one to launder the ransom money until the summer of '34.

If we believe he is the Writer of the ransom notes then he is making an effort to hide his identity by and through a technique he obviously feels comfortable with does he not? If he wrote those notes why then didn't he write the J. J. Faulkner deposit slip? The obvious answer to me it because someone else who laundered that money did - otherwise - as Hauptmann proved to us....he would have done it himself.

Do you have any opinions one way or the other about this?

[kevkon]

I wish I knew more.
I suppose it comes down to two opposing viewpoints. This guy is either a megalomaniac as Shoenfeld proposed or he acting in concert with others. I just get the feeling that Hauptmann isn't the Lone Ranger. In fact, I think he is acting as someone who has learned the hard way that the best way to get away with a crime is to keep a degree of separation between it and yourself. That being the case, I could easily see him keeping away from the money laundering for a safe period of time.

[Michael]

I certainly don't think it was his nature to be a Lone-Wolf based upon documented facts of his life. They attempted to paint that picture of him in Court but the it just wasn't so.

One thing for sure, whoever picked him up for whatever his involvement was, made the right decision. And if you believe Fisch was involved the same goes for him. I have never found an instance where they blamed or included anyone else in anything excepting Hauptmann naming Fisch after it was known he was dead.

As I have pointed out in the past.... They were attributing some monies to Hauptmann's $50,000 grand total that came from legitimate sources - people giving Hauptmann money to invest in the market - yet Hauptmann didn't even bring this up in order to defend himself. Normally, I think most people would have but it seems in his character not to bring anyone, regardless of the circumstances, into this matter. This is important and precisely the person I'd want to have as a Confederate in some illegal activity.

It's my personal opinion that he wasn't handling the laundering earlier then the summer of '34. At that point he seems to be very reckless which was not the overall theme/character of the crime - quite the contrary.

I've learned that inconsistency usually means change in some form or fashion.

[kevkon]

Does anyone know if the Majestic was the subject of investigation by law enforcement ? If so I wonder if any information that might be relative to the LKC was shared at the time. Reading about the difficulty the NYPD had in obtaining info from the NJSP makes me wonder if there could have been more available by another agency.
Also, beside the famous time sheet, is there any documentation of the exact work performed by Hauptmann and others at the Majestic? It could be possible to correlate that info with his known tools.

[Michael]

They did investigate as it related to Hauptmann and that "block" of time. Your observations concerning information being withheld is something we must always consider - especially since Dr. Gardner's book has completely shown and demonstrated this occurred so often. The Majestic investigations started with the 3-man approach. FBI, NJSP, NYPD. After the FBI pulled out (again) it still appears the effort remained a joint one between the NJSP and NYPD. For example, Det Patterson was still conducting investigations with Det. Monahan. While your suggestion still could have happened, I think this late in the game would have been risky and the other Agency would have found out a "side investigation" was going on w/o information being turned over.

I see no indications of this in files and/or being alluded to while I have in other instances - just not this one. We also have to be aware of "verbal" reports but no written ones being made. This occurred too. Just how often is anyone's guess but I know it did happen.

To answer your question about the exact nature of his work... E.V. Pescia and Josheph Furcht originally both agreed about this. Then Furcht was either pressed into changing his story or his memory was faulty, therefore, I don't think we should rely on him until the stock room records turn up. I think this too, for the time being, neutralizes Pescia because the payrolls support Furcht's 2nd version. Of course the Complaint Sheets might show something different but that's a whole mess I don't want to get into right now.

By the way, the two Officers who chased Furcht down during that infamous event were Det. Sgt. Albrecht, NJSP and Det. James Petrosino, NYPD. Not to be confused with the famous Lt. Joe Petrosino:

italophiles.com/petrosino.htm

Hauptmann's foreman, James Davie, simply told Police he was "working" in one of the apartments. Co-Worker and fellow carpenter, Gustuve Kassens, told police Hauptmann may have been hanging doors or fitting locks but in the end he just "didn't know." Of course this man was probably scared as hell being swooped down on and pressed for information like he was. He also revealed that during a lunch time conversation that Hauptmann had told him, in essence, that he was not a cabinet maker and didn't have those types of skills.

[kevkon]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I meant to ask whether or not the Majestic was the subject of any law enforcement surveillance independent of the LKC. Was there any documentation of ongoing criminal activity there? Something like that of the Lexington or Anton in Chicago.
As for Mr Hauptmann's job description, I won't say it is impossible but for a variety of reasons it seems implausible to me.

[Michael]

A lot of criminals lived or would eventually live there so I am sure there was. I'll go through the files to see if anything turns up.

Please explain your position concerning what Kassens told Police (if you're ready).

[kevkon]

Please explain your position concerning what Kassens told Police (if you're ready). Michael

Well it just seems to ring hollow to me. Was this construction project so large that no one knew what anyone else was doing? What exactly was the nature of this project? Who is Hauptmann working for? A general contractor? A tenet? The building super? If Hauptmann is hanging doors why is his tool inventory bereft of some of the most basic tools that job would require? Same goes for the locks. Also,and I know this is a bit subjective, when working alone on a project where other tradesmen are employed, lunch and coffee breaks are usually very social. It's the nature of being alone and then having contact with others. It is hard for me to believe that Hauptmann would not have had many conversations with the other workers.
All and all, it is not just one thing but a combination of items that makes me wonder if there was more going on at the Majestic than carpentry. And if there was, and if it was organized, how likely would any law enforcement organization,other than the BOI, dig deeper?

[kevkon]

Some sites and articles on the Majestic;

www.thecityreview.com/uws/cpw/cpw115.html

www.nyc-architecture.com/UWS/UWS016.htm

Upper West Side Story
A History and Guide
by Peter Salwen

Q. The peaceful-looking corner of Central Park West and West 72nd Street has an extraordinary number of associations with crime. How so?

A. Bruno Richard Hauptmann, the convicted kidnapper-killer of the Lindberg baby, worked as a carpenter in the Majestic Apartments on that corner at the time of the crime. Later, mob bosses Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano and Frank Costello all lived in the Majestic. Costello was shot (not fatally) in the lobby in 1957. And across the street, John Lennon was murdered in front of his home in the Dakota Apartments in 1980. This also happens to be the corner where poor Mr. Bliss met his fate (see previous item).


'May We Help You?': Downstairs at the Majestic
October 24, 1993 NY Times

APRIL 1929 -- Irwin Chanin, a theater builder, files plans for a 45-story apartment-hotel on the site of the Majestic, which he would tear down. His scheme provides for apartments of 11 to 24 rooms.

OCT. 1, 1929 -- Chanin formally acquires the old Majestic for an undisclosed amount and begins demolition.

OCT. 23, 1929 -- Stock-market crash.

AUGUST 1930 -- In a troubled real-estate climate, Chanin files revised plans for the present 32-story building, with apartments of 4 to 14 rooms.

FALL 1931 -- The new Majestic opens. The Chanin Organization describes the streamlined exterior, designed by Jacques Delamarre, as "Modern American." Tenants are encouraged to rent "at 1931 prices," less than pre-crash rents. Special features include corner windows, a giant rooftop solarium, colored bathroom fixtures, a central radio antenna and, in every window, Vitaglass, designed to admit ultraviolet light.

FEBRUARY 1932 -- In lieu of foreclosure, rents are assigned directly to the Continental Bank and Trust. Foreclosures were to become common for luxury apartment buildings, especially new ones, by the mid-30's.

MARCH 1932 -- According to Peter Salwen's 1989 history, "Upper West Side Story," Bruno Hauptmann, who would be executed for the Lindbergh kidnapping, worked as a carpenter at the Majestic.

MARCH 1933 -- Chanin defaults on the mortgage and loses the building to Continental.