The Way To Canada, And the Hits On Trudeau And Castro!

In the summer of 1974, a bag was passed to me from a friend of ours. He was a member of an aligned group in the mid-west. It contained one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The first tied bunch contained $95,000.00, and the other, just shy of $55000.00. I asked what this was for and was told the story. Paul Di Cocco had mentioned how upset Meyer had always been, since the Cuba expulsion. He had been with Meyer since 1950 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Paul had been acting under boss for Carmine Galante in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, after the Bononno War in the middle 50's. Paul was Meyer's Valet in Saratoga County Jail, for Meyer's famous 90 day jail sentence, for operating 11 casinos, illegal baseball betting and the punch boards. The joke sentence was arranged by my fathers partner Art Kirwin and Dan O'Connell. My father was new to the firm of Solomon, Kirwin, and Craft but had worked for Meyer fixing the outcome of Labor Dept. Hearings in the Catskills. Paul's reward for his jail work was the expulsion of Dan O'Connell from Schenectady and all north. Paul was also given Teamsters Local 294 and his friend Nick Robolotto placed as President. Those two made 50 plus million off that union and never hurt it. They used it as a bank for construction projects and repaid the money at low interest rates. I was always impressed that they did not rob that pension fund. So Here I was with this stupid paper bag of money, waiting for the story (street vernacular for crime explanation). The story was that Paul was right! Meyer had flipped! He wanted me to go to Canada and shoot the Prime Minister, Pierre Elliot Trudeau. I actually laughed and said "When do I board the the Moon rocket." He laughed, but said that Meyer had found out how good I was with a gun. He told me Meyer was mad at my father for not telling him that he was a national pistol champion in the depression days, and that he had taught me since the age of 5 years old. I told my associate that Paul had known this, and since he was senior, I took it for granted. I was not as good with a 22 Caliber automatic as my father but I was a sharpshooter with a rifle, in many calibers. Meyer now new this, plus the fact that I had lived in Canada until the age of 13 1/2, every spring & summer and was used to crossing the borders, plus use to the people. I said "aah," and smiled. I did ask if I had any appeal. I was told "NO." So I, at the age of 26, was about to go to another country to kill it's President, although they called him Prime Minister. I did not like the way Trudeau had handled the civil war in 1970. And I did not like the way he was Fidel Castro's best friend. It appears that Trudeau was not the only target. Fidel Castro was to be hit at the State Funeral for Trudeau. Now, that one I would come to be worried about, especially since it would be so close to me popping Trudeau. I knew that I could get Trudeau as long as I kept my golden rule, "let the target come to you." I would hit him with no problem, in his home town, Montreal, not the capital Ottawa! I proceeded to say just once, if you see Meyer, tell him he owes me more money. This price is not even good enough for Trudeau. I know I am a new member but, I should not be disrespected like this. I will do the pop, but under financial protest. Don't say anything, just deliver the message when this thing is over. I took my lousy $150,000.00, and walked away. I drove home and tightly wrapped the large bills, the 50's and hundreds. I asked my mother if she would put this envelope, in her safe Deposit Box, at her bank. She looked at me and said, "do you have problems coming up?" I just said "No." I told her I had to go to Canada for a business deal and if I got killed in a car accident, she should keep the money. She laughed and said "sure." I drove her to the bank and she boxed $120,000.00 in a legal envelope. I kept the loose $30,000.00 for expenses. I would demand at least another $50,000.00 later. I prepared to do my shopping list. I had to close (real estate close) on my bar "The Road House" in Rotterdam, N.Y. I had sold it to a black corporation, run by some very fine gentleman, some of whom I went to school with. They were paying me cash, but I had to grease the local ABC board head to clear the license. It cleared, because all the men were not felons. It was on the 4th of August that the Bar closed at State Bank of Albany. I got paid in full, and gave all my creditors their money the next day. I paid off the note at Schenectady Trust Company and received a new credit line from my friend Jack Miller, the VP. I now prepared to leave for Canada, and prepared to kill the Prime Minister. I was going to use Plattsburgh as my staging area. I had dated a nice school teacher/barmaid named Alice. She was very hot but had 4 kids. I still liked her, and would stay on the US side of the border at night. The way I worked, I only did the day! Alice was at the Plattsburgh Holiday Inn, and I would occasionally stay there. It would be a short affair, but a good one! She was a great girl. I now needed to get my guns and new barrels together. I must be perfect on this one. every one in the world would be watching from a later point, and I sure did not want to be caught! Next, The set up in Canada! Sincerely, big mike craft, PS, I went to Canada,and set up!