mp.godfather-第74章
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ts of Havana gambling houses； whorehouses； to lure gamblers from the American mainland。 Tramonti was now a millionaire many times over and owned one of the most luxurious hotels in Miami Beach。
When he came into the conference room followed by his aide； an equally sunburned Consigliere； Tramonti embraced Don Corleone； made a face of sympathy to show he sorrowed for the dead son。
Other Dons were arriving。 They all knew each other； they had met over the years； either socially or when in the pursuit of their businesses。 They had always showed each other professional courtesies and in their younger； leaner days had done each other little services。 The second Don to arrive was Joseph Zaluchi from Detroit。 The Zaluchi Family； under appropriate disguises and covers； owned one of the horse…racing tracks in the Detroit area。 They also owned a good part of the gambling。 Zaluchi was a moon…faced； amiable…looking man who lived in a one…hundred…thousand…dollar house in the fashionable Grosse Pointe section of Detroit。 One of his sons had married into an old； well…known American family。 Zaluchi； like Don Corleone； was sophisticated。 Detroit had the lowest incidence of physical violence of any of the cities controlled by the Families； there had been only two execution in the last three years in that city。 He disapproved of traffic in drugs。
Zaluchi had brought his Consigliere with him and both men came to Don Corleone to embrace him。 Zaluchi had a booming American voice with only the slightest trace of an scent。 He was conservatively dressed； very businessman； and with a hearty goodwill to match。 He said to Don Corleone； 〃Only your voice could have brought me here。〃 Don Corleone bowed his head in thanks。 He could count on Zaluchi for support。
The next two Dons to arrive were from the West Coast； motoring from there in the same car since they worked together closely in any case。 They were Frank Falcone and Anthony Molinari and both were younger than any of the other men who would e to the meeting； in their early forties。 They were dressed a little more informally than the others； there was a touch of Hollywood in their style and they were a little more friendly than necessary。 Frank Falcone controlled the movie unions and the gambling at the studios plus a plex of pipeline prostitution that supplied girls to the whorehouses of the states in the Far West。 It was not in the realm of possibility for any Don to bee 〃show biz〃 but Falcone had just a touch。 His fellow Dons distrusted him accordingly。
Anthony Molinari controlled the waterfronts of San Francisco and was preeminent in the empire of sports gambling。 He came of Italian fishermen stock and owned the best San Francisco sea food restaurant； in which he took such pride that the legend had it he lost money on the enterprise by giving too good value for the prices charged。 He had the impassive face of the professional gambler and it was known that he also had something to do with dope smuggling over the Mexican border and from the ships plying the lanes of the oriental oceans。 Their aides were young； powerfully built men； obviously not counselors but bodyguards； though they would not dare to carry arms to this meeting。 It was general knowledge that these bodyguards knew karate； a fact that amused the other Dons but did not alarm them in the slightest； no more than if the California Dons had e wearing amulets blessed by the Pope。 Though it must be noted that some of these men were religious and believed in God。
Next arrived the representative from the Family in Boston。 This was the only Don who did not have the respect of his fellows。 He was known as a man who did not do right by his 〃people；〃 who cheated them unmercifully。 This could be forgiven； each man measures his own greed。 What could not be forgiven was that he could not keep order in his empire。 The Boston area had too many murders； too many petty wars for power； too many unsupported free…lance activities； it flouted the law too brazenly。 If the Chicago Mafia were savages； then the Boston people were gavones； or uncouth louts； ruffians。 The Boston Don's name was Domenick Panza。 He was short； squat； as one Don put it； he looked like a thief。
The Cleveland syndicate； perhaps the most powerful of the strictly gambling operations in the United States； was represented by a sensitive…looking elderly man with gaunt features and scow…white hair。 He was known； of course not to his face； as 〃the Jew〃 because he had surrounded himself with Jewish assistants rather than Sicilians。 It was even rumored that he would have named a Jew as his Consigliere if he had dared。 In any case； as Don Corleone's Family was known as the Irish Gang because of Hagen's membership； so Don Vincent Forlenza's Family was known as the Jewish Family with somewhat more accuracy。 But he ran an extremely efficient organization and he was not known ever to have fainted at the sight of blood； despite his sensitive features。 He ruled with an iron hand in a velvet political glove。
The representatives of the Five Families of New York were the last to arrive and Tom Hagen was struck by how much more imposing； impressive； these five men were than the out…of…towners； the hicks。 For one thing； the five New York Dons were in the old Sicilian tradition； they were 〃men with a belly〃 meaning； figuratively； power and courage； and literally； physical flesh； as if the two went together； as indeed they seem to have done in Sicily。 The five New York Dons were stout； corpulent men with massive leonine heads； features on a large scale； fleshy imperial noses； thick mouths； heavy folded cheeks。 They were not too well tailored or barbered； they had the look of no…nonsense busy men without vanity。
There was Anthony Stracci； who controlled the New Jersey area and the shipping on the West Side docks of Manhattan。 He ran the gambling in Jersey and was very strong with the Democratic political machine。 He had a fleet of freight hauling trucks that made him a fortune primarily because his trucks could travel with a heavy overload and not be stopped and fined by highway weight inspectors。 These trucks helped ruin the highways and then his roadbuilding firm； with lucrative state contracts； repaired the damage wrought。 It was the kind of operation that would warm any man's heart； business of itself creating more business。 Stracci； too； was old…fashioned and never dealt in prostitution； but because his business was on the waterfront it was impossible for him not to be involved in the drug…smuggling traffic。 Of the five New York Families opposing the Corleones his was the least powerful but the most well disposed。
The Family that controlled upper New York State； that arranged smuggling of Italian immigrants from Canada； all upstate gambling and exercised veto power on state licensing of racing tracks； was headed by Ottilio Cuneo。 This was a pletely disarming man with the face of a jolly round peasant baker； whose legitimate activity was one of the big milk panies。 Cuneo was one of those men who loved children and carried a pocket full of sweets in the hopes of being able to pleasure one of his many grandchildren or the small offspring of his associates。 He wore a round fedora with the brim turned down all the way round like a woman's sun hat； which broadened his already moon…shaped face into the very mask of joviality。 He was one of the few Dons who had never been arrested and whose true activities had never even been suspected。 So much so that he had served on civic mittees and had been voted as 〃Businessman of the Year for the State of New York〃 by the Chamber of merce。
The closest ally to the Tattaglia Family was Don Emilio Barzini。 He had some of the gambling in Brooklyn and some in Queens。 He had some prostitution。 He had strong…arm。 He pletely controlled Staten Island。 He had some of the sports betting in the Bronx and Westchester。 He was in narcotics。 He had close ties to Cleveland and the West Coast and he was one of the few men shrewd enough to be interested in Las Vegas and Reno； the open cities of Nevada。 He also had interests in Miami Beach and Cuba。 After the Corleone Family； his was perhaps the strongest in New York and therefo
