WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED?

Read through all of the above evidence carefully. Pore over the court documents, autopsy reports, and news articles. Come and see the play. Afterwards, join the conversation here. Comment below as yourself or post anonymously to whisper your thoughts in my ear. Your insight is greatly appreciated.

34 comments:

  1. Regarding what I think happened, I've been over it in my mind so many times, my gut tells me it's a little bit of everything suggested but truly "Business as usual". I don't think John would have done it unless he was pretty sure some powerful people were looking out for him. I don't think Frank would so openly insult John & flaunt a love affair in his face, but I do think something was going on. I also think John must have been pretty certain there was something going on between Lucrezia & Frank, also having him come to his home & threaten his son is enough to push him over the edge. I think exploring the ideas of Dutch the mastermind are definitely in the right direction. Frank & John and many more were dolls in a business scheme.

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    1. You obviously did your research. This project requires reading of the evidence in order to get the complete picture. I agree with your thoughts and the play will begin to reflect this. Thank you!

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    2. Hello Cynthia,
      My name is Deborah White, I am the grand daughter of Lena and Anthony Doino,my mom was Ann and she was married Lawrence White. I was doing some research for a scrapbook and found this site. My grandmother always said she saw John shoot Frank and it was a crime of passion. I heard this story for years,and even my mom Ann and my aunt Rose (Lena's oldest daughter) repeated this story. My grandmother always said that Lucrezia liked the very best,and would shop with her at the best stores in Manhattan

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    4. This is amazing! I really would love to see some pictures of Lena and Lucrecia if you have them, Deborah! We would love to see you at the play too! I peform as "Hope Dare", a showgirl who was involved in running numbers for Dutch with her boyfriend Dixie Davis (Dutch's lawyer). It's a beautiful show. You should come see the Doll who plays your grandmother!

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  2. John was a mouse. John was a tetotaler. Lucrezia on the other hand was a complete opposite--as opposites attract. She liked the living on the edge component of Prohibition. She was on the same page as guys like Dutch, who did their own thing. It excited her. Frank, the local guy, excited her. She flirted with Dutch. Perhaps even slept with him. Dutch wants it all, so he uses her to 'F*ck" with Frank. A real attraction starts. Frank, likeable and smart, his business starts to grow. A moral man in an immoral world. Does what he has to do. But, his local success is too big for Dutch to handle. Dutch thinks, 'let me have some fun'. Tells John about his wife and Frank...for laughs. To stir the pot. Tells John how he (John) should have his own joint, he is more low key. John is totally manipulated by Schultz. Tells John to kill Frank, show his balls, and he will set him up with his own joint, and get back his wife....

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    1. Interesting. I'm currently trying to find out more about her. We shall see...

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  3. John and Lucrezia certainly had deeper history with Frank and Mary, as they had previously been neighbors. John was absolutely rewarded for offing Frank, no matter who may have asked for it to be done. The guy has a small shop in a bad part of town, then commits murder, gets off, and gets a new nice big place? I have no doubts.

    What if, however, the catalyst here is Lucrezia. By one family member's account (daughter in-law?), she was a horrible bitch. Perhaps she had a run-in with Mary, and wanted to ruin her family. Maybe she DID make advances toward Frank, but he fended them off. Either way, perhaps she was slighted, angry, and wanting revenge.

    Maybe the affair was fabricated to create turmoil in the family, and later used as a tool to force John's hand. Maybe he felt like his life was slipping through his hands. Lucrezia may not have been aware of what the consequences could have been. She could have easily worked with Dutch to apply pressure on her husband. She could have goaded her son into the conflict with Dominic. Mary could still have stabbed Frank after hearing this (untrue) rumor. Maybe Mary had her own insecurities, seeing as her husband was so larger-than-life and friendly.

    I wish we knew more about Lucrezia so that we could delve further into the idea of her involvement.

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    1. Poor Lucrezia! Everyone is out to get her. The thing is this, three people said that there WAS infidelity. This is from both Spanos and Guerrieris. I'm very interested to see pictures of Lucrezia's youngest son. I've been told by a granddaughter that he looked different from all of the other sons. He was also the tallest. The red-haired ice man's son, perhaps? Pictures are coming soon. Hmm.... Still, I do believe that Dutch Shultz had his hand in this affair. The March LUCK show is going to reflect what I currently think happened. Thanks so much for this great feedback.

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  4. I am wondering if audience members often dress up in costume to attend this show? I would like to! But I don't want to be the only person there that is!

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    1. Everyone dresses up. You will feel more out of place if you do not dress up. Cheers!

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  5. I was at your play on Monday april 2nd and after thinking on this a few days I came up with this theory. It is like a perfect storm and sadly it ends in the death of Frank Spano.I think that Frank and Duch Shultz did not see eye to eye.Frank may have been cutting in on Duch's business and Frank was not going to back down.I also believe that John Guerrieri knew Duch Shultz very well and at some time John told Duch about his suspicions that Frank had some kind of a relationship with Lucrezia his wife. I think that Duch got an idea to get rid of his and John's problem, Frank. The saying killing two birds with one stone comes to mind. I think that Duch's idea was to get John to shoot and kill Frank.I also believe Duch told John something along the lines that if he would do this one job Duch or the mob would protect him by Payoffs to the Judge, police, medical examiner and anyone else that might cause problems. I have a few ideas why your grandmother kept this a secret. 1)She knew Duch/mob put a hit out for Frank and was too scared to say anything. 2)Since she was very religious any infidelity was not accepted and she helped Duch/mob set up Frank and in return they would help her out with money.

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    1. Matthew, I agree with all of your thoughts except one. Mary was destitute after Frank died. She lost the family businesses and my mother grew up extremely poor. My mother recalls wearing the same dress to school every day and battling the rats living in their small apartment. (Have you read Book One?) My grandmother was offered marriage by a Jewish jeweler, but she declined. She never remarried. Mary Spano was a good woman. I know that for sure. I think Mary kept quiet for two reasons. 1) To protect Dom. He probably was extremely guilt ridden and felt that the death was his fault. Read the New York Post article. 2) To hide both families from embarrassment. If Frank was cheating on her Mary wouldn't want everyone to know. There is a also a chance that Frank and Lucrezia had a baby, John Jr. Mary was pragmatic. She would probably be thinking about protecting her family and this child. Frank was dead. He didn't need protecting anymore. I could be wrong, but this is what I currently think.

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  6. For me, the conundrum is as follows:
    1. If Dutch wanted to put the hit on Frank, why would he arrange to do it in such a public way?
    2. If John acted alone, why would Dutch, the mob, and corrupt officials go to such lengths to protect him?

    I'm intrigued by how this situation with the boys resulted in Frank going to John's place. One of the open parts of the story for me is exactly how that situation may have played out.

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  7. Cynthia,

    I've been thinking about your search for the truth in your Grandfather's murder. First, in life and in art there are unthought of twists that may lead us to unpleasant and uncomfortable realizations. That being said, please know I mean no disrespect to your grandparents, but something occurred to me that was brought about by remembering certain situations in my family as well as in the family of a close friend.

    Have you considered the possibility that your grandmother may have arranged for your grandfather's early exit? When the realization of what she put in motion was made real to her by his death, she was overcome with remorse and guilt, passed out and became catatonic until she was brought back to reality by the labor pains. That would explain why she never spoke of it.

    If your Grandfather had indeed gone out to collect a debt where he believed there may be peril, a prudent man would have been armed himself with a firearm. Like your Grandfather, I carry a knife for protection as well as its use as a tool. When I feel I may be in a threatening situation, I am comforted by the .45 in my belt. This is 2012. That was 1935. I'm sure your Grandfather either thought there was no threat or his knife and gun were removed after his death.

    Your Grandmother, for whatever unknown reason, wanted him dead. She used her connections in the community to arrange it. With his knife and gun removed, he would appear to be a helpless victim of a horrible crime. If the knife and gun were with him, the evidence would show he thought there may be trouble and was beat to the draw.

    Since Dominick was less than forthcoming regarding his father's murder, I feel this is further evidence of your Grandmother's involvement. His father was already dead, why would he give evidence against his mother? He wouldn't.

    Food for thought.

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  8. Your dedication to this intriguing investigation compels & inspires. The superb staging you've created for the material = a highly original feat of making the personal accessible & universal. It's stunning that you're sticking to it & inviting the community to join you. Dramatizing this mystery in your history grounds you in the continuum of your wondrous art, which is your life. Brava!

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  9. Cynthia, you are brave to portray this.

    Sam, I do not mean to seem contrary but I think that people don't function like that. Also, I think Cynthia came from a good family -- she'd notice dishonesty.

    An imagining where a woman wants her husband dead, we must understand that simple methods are best and usually sought. There's too many handshakes involved with a complex murder involving many. A woman who wants a man dead would have to rely on (1) everyone involved not panicking and talking about the plan nor bragging, (2) high level assistance in the court, (3) no one asking for more money nor favors than could be feasibly provided during and afterwards.

    We might guess that some people don't want to discuss an unpleasant event. Stories get twisted even so. The way people report nightmarish situations can be similar to the way Foucault described the Pierre Rivere case. People fall into stories in their descriptions. We talk the way we are taught to describe and explain. Honesty is best said simply and succinctly. And that's why in some cases a trustworthy story isn't very detailed.

    What's had so far has evil's hoof print but I must beg mercy that I do not delve into the issue with passion for clues. I have regrets that your family suffered so. My brain is weak presently.

    I do not doubt that evil deeds were transpiring, Cynthia. In this arising time, there's poignancy to your tale. Much love to you and yours, to your family and friends. Good fortune to you all.

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  10. Cynthia,

    I thorougly enjoyed Speakeasy Dollhouse in April and on Monday.

    I think that Dutch Schultz may have had your grandfather killed because your grandfather's Speakeasy posed too much competition for Dutch's clubs.

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  11. Cynthia,

    A problem, a theory, and several questions/potential lines of further research:

    While it certainly appears that Capshaw's dismissal of the case was crooked and that John's subsequent ability to open a larger barbershop may have been a reward (for committing the murder and/or for staying quiet about the circumstances), the problem I keep running into is why Frank drove from the Bronx to midtown Manhattan that March evening. It seems a logistically difficult and strategically dumb way for his killer (and/or his killer's co-conspirators) to plan a 'hit': the killer doesn't have a way of knowing for sure if or when the target (Frank) is going arrive, and the killer makes it super-easy for the police by doing the deed right in front of his own building.

    I also think the fact that Anthony Doino, employee of a mafia-connected competitor to Frank's ice business, lived at the same address where Frank was killed is not just a coincidence.

    My theory, in summary, is that Frank was in midtown that evening to see Anthony Doino, John saw Frank there and killed him out of jealousy, Jimmy/Dutch arranged to get John off via Capshaw in return for becoming John's silent partners.

    Here's how that theory might have played out: Frank drove to midtown that evening over some business matter involving Doino/Knickerbocker, and he figured he'd bring Dom along with him so that Dom could see his friend and former neighbor Frank Guerrieri, who lived at the same building as Doino. You described Doino as having worked for Knickerbocker (not as having owned Knickerbocker). So Frank and Doino could have been anything from secret allies (i.e., Doino acting as Frank's spy within a competitor) to professional colleagues (e.g., perhaps Frank was collecting on a loan of money or equipment) to adversaries. However, since Frank brought Dom with him, my guess is that Frank didn't view the trip's purpose as being so contentious that it might result in violence.

    Under this theory, Frank wasn't even counting on seeing John that evening. He might've hoped to catch a glimpse of Lucrezia while he was there, but he wouldn't have planned on having any meaningful liaison (sexual or otherwise) with her at her own residence, and with his son with him.

    When Frank and Dom arrived at the building where the Doinos and Guerrieris lived, John acted on his jealousy and anger over Frank's affair with Lucrezia. Not being a professional button man, John was nervous and irrational. He confronted Frank in public, in front of witnesses, in front of his own building. John - in a momentary attempt at putting his raw anger aside and acting like some character he'd seen in the movies or heard on the radio - initially ordered Frank to take off his coat to make sure Frank wasn't carrying a weapon. But he quickly remembered that he wasn't interested in having a prolonged negotiation with a disarmed Frank - he wanted to kill the man who was making a fool out of him, and he needed to do it fast before he lost his nerve or his opportunity.

    After John's arrest, Lucrezia could not contain her distresss over the thought of raising four children without a husband to help provide for her and them (just as Mary would have to do). Likewise, Lucrezia's predicament would have been obvious to her current neighbors (including the Doinos) as well as to her former neighbors in the Bronx (including Dutch). It doesn't really matter whether John and Lucrezia sought help or if someone opportunistically offered it to them. My guess is that Jimmy Hines gave the nod for Magistrate Capshaw to dismiss the case against John, and in return Hines/Schultz became John's "silent partners" in his soon-to-be-expanded barber business. (Sex with Lucrezia may have been an additional component of the compensation for arranging John's freedom.)

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    1. Thanks for your input Adam. My grandmother had expressed her fear of Knickerbocker Ice. They wanted to squelch all competition. That is why I was surprised when I found out that Lena's husband worked there. Lena and her husband Anthony lived in the same building as John and Lucrezia. Lena signed Lucrezia's naturalization papers a few years after the murder.

      I like to hear fresh new ideas on what people think may have occurred way back when.

      Many sources cite infidelity as a reason for the death of my grandfather. Because of this I assume that Frank was sleeping or flirting with Lurcrezia. I do think that there might have been some kind of link between Anthony Doino and Frank Spano, but I have no specific evidence of that.

      The Guerrieri family doesn't want to speak with me anymore. If they would be more forthcoming perhaps we could get to the bottom of this mystery.

      Cheers!

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    2. I found your writings to be so compelling. I don't know that I can add anything, but one never knows. I began a journey for my mom's 80th birthday to try and piece together my ancestry on her side.I knew it was not going to be easy, but I never knew where this research was going to take me, which is with more questions than answers. My mother's father, my grandfather - died at 100 yrs old. He lived the majority of his life in Yonkers where he was the reservoir keeper until his retirement in the early 70's. My whole childhood, he talked about Dutch Schultz, Ownie Madden, how he was given his choice of any NYC job and he chose reservoir keeper. He carried (I have it) a NYC Deputy Sheriff's badge. He had tatoos which he said were from a gang he belonged to when he was young. I always blew him off as telling tall tales and paid no mind. Then when he died, my mother divulged to me that in fact my grandfathers brothers were on death row when they were teens and that someone with a lot of power, got them off death row and eventually they came out of prison and lived a normal businessman life. Uncle Herbie just died in May at 105. My mother explained that the boys turned bad because my grandfather's mother had died in 1925 of cancer, the father had deserted them and the boys went bad. I went to the library and sure enough NY Times front pages ran throughout that time with news of the Koerber gang. I could not believe that this was my grandfather's younger brothers and this was my family! So I began to try and research about my grandfather's parent's and more about his early life and why my grandfather's name was never mentioend in any of the NY Times articles. My mom said he was always hiding from "something". He was the oldest, he carried the family name of George Koerber and yet it was like he didn't exist. So I dug further and all of a sudden, i find in one of the census there he was living like two buildings down on Brook Avenue in the Bronx from the Flegenheimer family - Dutch Schultz! It had to have some meaning, but it was like another dead end. Next info shows him living in Yonkers where he lived the rest of his life, working for NYC for the reservoir and not much else. My grandfather's younger brothers Johnny and Herbie I believe were just really stupid delinquents at the time and I don't think they were associated with anything else, but my grandfather I feel like he knew a lot of people, but what did he do for them I don't know. Why would he be given such a great job out of nowhere. He had a little private house on the hill at the Reservoir - mom says she knows a lot of important people went up there to hang out, play cards, whatever else I don't know. I wished I listened more when he talked - unfortunately I didn't. But the Brook Avenue coincidence right around the time his brothers got into so much trouble just caught my attention when I read your story. Sharing this with you because you never know.

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    3. Thank you for sharing your own story. Cheers!

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  13. Continuing my prior comment, here are a few questions relevant to my theory, which could be useful to research if you don't already know the answers.

    1) Who owned Knickerbocker Ice, and what was Anthony Doino's role with it?
    2) How many ice businesses operated in New York in 1935? (If there were hundreds of them, then that may weaken the theory that Frank went to Manhattan to see Doino; if there weren't that many, then Knickerbocker indeed may have been a significant competitor to Frank.)
    3) Who (names and/or types of clientele) patronized Guerrieri's barber shop? Did it attract a "connected" crowd or a Tammany Hall crowd, supporting the theory that Hines/Schultz were silent partners in the business?
    4) In the years after Guerrieri opened his new, larger barbershop in 1936, did his lifestyle become more comfortable (e.g., did he move to a larger dwelling?), suggesting that he retained most of its profits? Or did he maintain the same lifestyle as before, suggesting that the increased profits benefitted others (i.e., Hines/Schultz and their successors, who presumably assumed many of their illegal revenue streams and business interests after Schultz's murder and Hines' conviction)?
    5) What became of John Guerrieri's larger barbershop - was it sold (to whom? when?), closed (when?), foreclosed (when? what were its liabilities?), burned down in a suspicious fire?

    Alternatively, to test the theory of a Dutch-led conspiracy to rub out Frank and take over his speaks and/or force the speaks to buy Dutch's bootlegged liquor, it would be useful to know:

    1) Did speakeasies still operate in 1935, after Prohibition was repealed?
    2) Was Frank Spano still operating either of his speakeasies in March 1935?
    3) Was Dutch still bootlegging after Prohibition was repealed.

    (I could see how speaks might still have attracted customers who had been long-time patrons during Prohibition and wanted to drink in the same place and with the same people despite the repeal - and potentially have access to cheaper liquor if it was homemade or bootlegged and thus wasn't taxed. I could also see the logic of speakeasy owners wanting to continue operating underground even after repeal, in order to avoid taxes.)

    4) If one or both of Frank's speakeasies were still in operation when he was killed, what became of them after his death?
    5) Did Cousin Frankie take them over when he took over Spano Ice?
    6) If either of Frank's speakeasies continued operating after his murder, did they start buying liquor from Dutch?

    Thanks for creating such a fun, engaging and inclusive exploration of a very intriguing family history.

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    1. Hi Adam!

      1. I don't know this. He worked there. I found that on his census record. My grandmother was very afraid of Knickerbocker Ice. She said they were mafia.

      2. Ice was a huge business. I think there were many people involved in this industry. Refrigeration was invented in 1935 and very few people could afford it.

      3. I don't know. I do know that one of Dutch's associates was operating out of another barbershop not far from Guerrieri's place. Also, a year after Frank was shot John Guerrieri moved his bigger shop even closer to midtown.He was certainly growing his business quickly for such lean times. He moved his shop in the Bronx to one on Manhattan's east side in Dec 1934 and then he moved to a bigger shop again in 1935. Look at the evidence for actual addresses.

      4. I don't know. His granddaughter only spoke with me once and does not want to talk any further. I don't want to bother her, but I'd love to know more. It was a better neighborhood than the far east side, that's for sure. Hines was in big trouble by that time. He ended up going to prison for his connections to Dutch Schultz.

      and

      1. No. Prohibition ended in Dec 1933. I have heard that cousin Frankie was a gambler. Many of those in the speakeasy business went into the lottery and gambling businesses, Dutch included. I do not know if Frank went this route. We have incorporated all of this into the latest version of the play. Come back!

      2. I don't know.

      3. No, he went into the number's games, lotteries and gambling. He still owned clubs, but they were legal for drinking by 1935.

      4. All I know is that Frankie supposedly took over the Ice business. An ice business still exists. It is now called Spano Fuel (based in Yonkers) and was run by an Italian Spano family from the same town my grandfather was from, Bari. They also had fair hair and blue eyes like my grandfather. They became politicians. Google them. Try to find out more. I couldn't get through to them. They ignored my messages. See the "Evidence" for more on them.

      5. I don't know.

      Thanks for your input!

      Cheers, Cynthia

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  14. We attended your play last night and we plan on coming again. It was wonderful.

    There are some things about the evidence that do not add up for me. The fact that there was no blood on Frank's jacket and that his jacket was torn up. Seems more likely that he was caught in a place he should not have been and while trying to get his coat away from someone who may have grabbed it off a chair on their way into a bedroom. Perhaps he was caught with Lucrezia and his son lied about where he was when shot to spare his pregnant mother's feelings? Mary thought he was in an apartment when shot, a woman's intuition is often correct. He could have been shot in the apartment when caught there by John and then drug into the street. The boys could have lied and said they were witnesses because they knew it had to be John. It would be interesting to see what John Junior looked like, as I am certain he would look more like a Spano, for obvious reasons.

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    1. The police report and witnesses say he was shot on the street.

      I'm hoping to find out what JOhn Jr. looked like. Wish me luck!

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    2. maybe it's possible it started in the apartment, and John shot him out the door and onto the street curb. Especially if it said he was shot multiple times. And Dom being there could be explained by the fact of him playing with Little Frankie. Never thought of it this way

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  15. As is so often the case, I generally think of these things as being the result of an inside job. Its those who are closest to you who can cause the most damage. Before seeing the show (just based on reading the evidence) I had one person in mind and it was not Dutch.

    The show seems to point a lot of fingers at Dutch. This is understandable. Dutch is connected. Dutch also has a great deal of money in order to achieve some of his goals. But what stood out most for me is that Dutch was killed. The end of his empire a few months after Frank's murder. Now I know that you have it stated Murder Inc. killed Dutch and I don't question that they did, but why? They could have easily just let the DA take him down (Which doesn't seem like it would have been that hard. Dutch seemed wild and a bit sloppy. There's no reason you should be able to find details of his torturous endeavors.) and this might have even taken the heat off of them. Dutch would make a better sacrifice than a martyr. So I think the conspiracy goes a bit deeper. Who has the most to gain from the death of both Frank and Dutch? Cousin Frankie.

    What first made me suspect him is that your mother stated that she "remember[ed] hearing that Frankie took over control of Spano Ice after the murder." Not suspicious as things stay in the family. Understandable. But why did then Mary suffer financially? Why was Dutch murdered later, essentially eliminating any competition Frankie might have and how was he able to thrive until today (assuming Spano Fuel was Spano Ice)? Now do I think this was ALL Frankie? No. I think, as someone mentioned earlier, there was a bit of a "perfect storm" effect. But I do think he had a bigger hand than is currently insinuated. He has access to all of the players to manipulate the situation. Also why was Domnick SO silent about the details. If there is a bigger conspiracy why not sing to the rooftops...unless...there's a reason to be scared. To be worried. To be quiet. A reason close to you...that you care about and feel conflicted about.

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  16. Let's get back to that "perfect storm" theory. Frankie did not do this alone. I do not even think he set everything in motion (though it is possible, as he is the ONLY person who came out of this smelling like roses and with his business in tact and still open). I think there is some merit to finger pointed at Dutch. But where did Dutch gt his information. It didn't seem like he and Frank were close. But I bet Frank and Frankie were close. I know I confide my dirt in my cousin. So now Frankie has given Dutch the information (which is always gold) that's most sensitive to Frank, possibly with a promise that if Dutch takes him down, then Frankie and he will be partners. Dutch might be suspicious but is so eager to take down his competition that he goes with it. Enter John. Poor pawn. Poor cheated on pawn. Poor cheated on emotionally erratic (breaking down constantly decades after a death) sap of a pawn. John is not stable which makes him easy to manipulate. Let's say Dutch gets in good with John by moving him from the Bronx to Manhattan (which I am going to assume was even back then an upgrade in living status). There was not much question about how John made that initial first move happen. Dutch likely did not say "go kill Frank." I would think something more emotionally manipulative like "a man has to take care of his family and fight for what is his (your wife) oh and BTW here's a gun in order to do so...cause I like you. I see potential in you." Whatever. Now that's in place he just needs to wait for the inevitable meeting between the two men. Dutch probably thought it would come as a result of someone walking into someone's bedroom at an inopportune moment. Let's go back to Frankie, who is likely not sitting idly by as Dutch goes into his plan. He knows that Dutch is a much a threat to his advancement as Frank is/was. Here goes some holes in my theory based on the evidence but fortified by the play. I played cards with Frankie, the magistrate, etc. It is possible that Frankie met some of these other players during his gambling endeavors. This could have led to bringing down Dutch by effecting those in his circle such as the magistrate and Jimmy Hines while at the same time feeding information about the entire operation to the DA. Things all too conveniently fell apart for Dutch, the magistrate, and Hines just months following Frank's death. It is very likely that the DA had someone on the inside. So now that ALL of the competition is out of the way and the DA things you're on their side, what to do? Tie up loose ends. But in a smart way. This is post prohibition. We're legitimate business men now. We don't kill people, we give them hush money. John (and possibly Dominick) are the only two loose ends. Little was said about Dominick but based on his adult picture it is possible that he died in WWII. Loose end 1. Check. John just wants a good life for his wife and children. They're already in Manhattan which makes her happy and he just wants to make her happy by providing for her. If Frankie gives him money to increase his business then he can provide for them. This money could have even come anonymously or posthumously from Dutch as Frankie wouldn't want to implicate himself. Loose end 2. Check.

    All in all for me there are still some details I'm trying to work out, most upsettingly this coat detail. The statement "taking your coat off on the street in the cold month of March has a different connotation than taking your coat off in an apartment" seem very relevant to me. As does its odd appearance of being slashed and blood/bullet hole free. For me things still end up going to Frankie as he made all of the arrangements with identifying the body, dealing with the police, etc. But what I don't entirely get is why is the coat is such a condition? I feel the coat is telling more story that I can't quite figure out.

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    1. Frankie and Frank were close, but Mary never complained about Frankie or suggested that he had anything to do with the murder. It seems pretty clear that John murdered Frank. Could Frankie have helped this along by spreading rumors? Possibly? He had the most to gain didn't he? His family moved to Florida. We lost touch with them. I might be able to contact his children. I think his daughter was named Jean. He also had a son, Anthony? My mother doesn't remember. His wife Anna was close with Mary. My mother says that Mary confided in Anna and trusted her judgement. I could not find a Frank involved with Spano Ice. There was a Nicholas. I'd love to talk to the Yonker's Spanos and see if they are also from the famous Spano Pyrotechnica (fireworks) family of Bari. The business still exists and my parents met with a living relative there who remembers Frank. He remembered hearing about infidelity, but I need to talk to him to find out more. the language barrier made it hard for my parents to communicate with him.

      The coat. He had it down around his arms as though he was taking it off. Dom has always stated this. He couldn't defend himself when he was shot. The bullet missing the coat makes sense with this scenario. Also, the coat would get ripped from being jerked around. Maybe he threw his hands up and the coat ripped? A knife is mentioned in the NY Post article. A knife is not mentioned in the autopsy report. My mother says that he always carried a knife in his pocket for ice cutting. You can't really be holding a knife in your hand if your coat is down over your arms. It sounds like he was taking off his coat to fight. This is how we show it in the play.

      What about the "practically healed" cut near his groin? The one with black salve on it? Cut before the shooting or during? Odd.

      Thanks for you input. Keep it coming.

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    2. Dom did not die during war. He was a medic. He wasn't allowed in combat because he would faint when stressed by fighting. He had children (who have been to the play). He had a low key life. He cared for his wife when she became ill and he died years ago. All of my uncles have passed away. Frank Spano's two girls are still alive, my mother and her older sister Lena.

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  17. As a writer who can't believe what he reads on the net anymore... I carry a knife as a tool for work (not a weapon of rage. I've been injured on the job and at play, even while my hands dug in the dirt to plant a garden. As a human being with an imperfect mind I had lost sense of my own body and it was battered and broken just to keep going for a unifying future, just to carry on through the wounds and heal.) Some one very important to how I live is in this show and I'm glad to hear of it's success. It was through her and no matter how cold and distant I may have grown, I let her go to Share the beauty in art and music that she showed myself... as a writer lost in his mind, that Love told me that we will Endure and that it is a story worth being told. As a human being, what's your story, I like this one.

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  18. and as a human with some crazy vivid dreams... the collected bits of memory and the past few years has been Deja Vu of something terrible that wants to be fixed. this human is tired, no need to worry, just tired that's all.

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