Notorious Boston mobster Whitey Bulger, recently convicted of murder, believed that military conflicts could be prevented if the nation had a “hitman” as president.
That’s according to a handwritten note the real-life killer penned on the back of a photo of a war memorial he paid for that included the names of his friends.
“Cost of war and reason why we need a hitman in the White House that can negotiate & keep us out of Wars!” he scribbled recently, in an apparent diss of President Obama.
Front of photo signed by Bulger and up for sale at Alexander Historical Auctions.
It is one of several extremely rare and very valuable Bulger artifacts consigned to Maryland-based Alexander Historical Auctions for sale. The items should draw huge attention because Bulger’s story of living a double life on the lam is now immortalized in the current movie “Black Mass.”
Back of photo.
The consigner, an ex-cellmate of Bulger, also revealed to Alexander President Bill Panagopulos that the gangster was so angry with the Kennedy clan for attacking his brother, the Massachusetts Senate president, for his opposition to school integration, that he sent a group of black children to Hyannis Port on a bus and forced the family to let them swim in the compound’s pool.
“They notified the press and made sure that the media was there so the Kennedys couldn’t turn them away or look bad,” Panagopulos quoted the ex-con as saying.
Panagopulos told Secrets that the consigner was given several signed mementoes by Bulger for him to sell once he left jail to fund a new start in his life.
“Several of the signed photos include admonitions by Bulger to the reader to avoid committing crimes and going to prison, and hoping that his friends succeeds in his new life away from crime and jail,” said Panagopulos.
He has put them up for sale with prices generally below $1,000.
Bulger’s signed material is very rare, and he is already being forged and offered on various internet auction websites.
Below is Alexander Historical Auctions write up of the Bulger items up for sale:
JAMES “WHITEY” BULGER (b. 1929) Irish-American murderer and former organized crime boss of the Boston Irish Mob crew known as the Winter Hill Gang and was later an FBI informant. Indicted for 19 murders and dozens of other felonies, Bulger was sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus five years. Fine lot of three photos, each 4″ x 6″ color, all bearing copious ink notes by Bulger on the verso, one with the addition of his signature and Alcatraz prisoner number. The first photo shows an artist’s night view of Alcatraz while it was in operation. On the verso, Bulger writes: “…One of my favorite pictures of Alcatraz. While on the run…[I] looked out at Alcatraz and thought if they capture me it would be just my luck to wind up on the ‘Rock’…Had many good friends there mostly in fact armed bank robbers. Banks our favorite targets…Food was very good most of the time…the Warden would make it rough to get even…Looking back from here – Miss the Rock…James Whitey Bulger 1428AZ…”
Also included is a photo of a South Boston Korean War memorial with statue. Bulger notes on verso: “… Castle Island – my favorite place. I was there almost every day…always followed by the FBI – they planted listening devices where I would sit or stand…they never succeeded – bugged my house, phones, cars, business in vain!…”
The third photo shows a World War II memorial in South Boston which lists the names of the dead. Bulger notes: “World War II Lots of good men died there, a list of men from my neighborhood…Cost of war and reason why we need a hitman in the White House that can negotiate & keep us out of Wars!…” All are fine. According to our consignor who shared a penitentiary cell with Bulger, the Korean War monument and the World War II monuments were erected with money contributed by Bulger, obtained from a criminal whom Bulger hated but promised to include in a drug deal. Bulger took the man’s $30,000 and summarily killed him…giving $8,000 to the man’s family for funeral expenses. Several of Bulger’s close friends died in both wars, which made Bulger and many other prisoners patriots of sorts. This was further evidenced by the harsh punishment meted out by them to prisoners convicted of espionage.
Here’s another: Great signed photo with his Alcatraz prisoner number “James Whitey Bulger 1428″, 4″ x 6” b/w, a glossy copy of his Alcatraz mug shot. Bulger writes on verso: “…Angry – if Looks could Kill! just came out of 4 months in the Hole.Those were the ‘Good Old Days’ in Americas top crime school. ‘At the End of the Trail’ James Whitey Bulger 1428.”
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
