The Fall of Mayor Flatley
In 1954, Erie’s Mayor, Thomas Flatley, was arrested — alongside several people in his administration, top brass at the police station, and members of the city’s crime syndicate — on charges of corruption, abuse of power, and illegal gambling, to which he pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and violating his oath of office, leaving him to resign facing jail time and fines.
Thomas W. Flatley, born September 5, 1890, in San Francisco, California, was the Democrat Mayor of Erie from 1952 to 1954. Arrested in October of 1954 and charged with taking part in a gambling racket, Flatley admitted to receiving payments and pleaded guilty; sentenced, on December 15, to one to two years in jail, and fined $1,000.
Mayor Flatley’s downfall followed a Republican-inspired investigation of gambling in the city, involving the bribery of officials and employees of the City of Erie connected with gambling or the operation of the numbers racket in the city. The inquiry resulted in indictments against about forty persons, twelve of whom were tried and convicted, while eighteen pleaded guilty.
The local Chairman of the Democratic Party, Stanley M. Schwartz, gave $500 to Mayor Flatley to influence him. Jack Martin, a police inspector for the city, later indicted for bribery, who pleaded guilty, attended a meeting in Mayor Flatley's office on or about April 10, 1954, at which he and the mayor were present. It was there agreed that Martin should see certain gamblers or numbers men and collect money from them. These collections had formerly been made by one Henry Soscia, who had been dropped as collector because of difficulties with the police.
Schwartz, Martin and Flatley met once a month, often in the mayor's office. They equally divided the money collected, after paying $250 a month to Soscia to keep him quiet. About $1,500 was collected each month by Martin. Later, Martin would testified in court to his efforts to arrest certain gamblers who had been making protection payments, and that he was thereupon called by Mayor Flatley and directed to go to the mayor’s home, where the mayor warned Martin not to make any more such arrests if he wanted to retain his job.
Following their arrests, Schwartz and Mayor Flatley made written statements or confessions which were read into evidence at their trial. In his signed statement Schwartz gave detailed accounts of meetings with the mayor, Martin, and Soscia at which it was agreed that money should be collected from men in the numbers business or lottery, including the amounts to be collected by Schwartz, Martin, and Soscia from the various numbers men named. Schwartz therein said that the period when the collections were made by them covered approximately a year and four months, ending with September, 1954; and that the money was divided, usually in the mayor's office, being put into three envelopes, averaging $500 each. In his confession Mayor Flatley admitted receiving about $500 a month from Schwartz and Martin; and that the division sometimes took place in the mayor's office. Flatley stated he suspected the moneys came from persons in the numbers game, though he denied receiving any money directly from gamblers. Flatley confession was taken in the presence of Schwartz who made suggestions as to what it should be.
At the trial of Schwartz, Martin and Mayor Flatley, an operator of a cigar store and a numbers man in the city testified in court that he paid Stanley Schwartz $250 a month from May through October, 1954, for no reason other than Schwartz asked him for political funds.
Assistant District Attorney Johnson testified that just prior to the time Flatley made his written confession Schwartz entered the room, and, in the presence of prosecuting officials said to Mayor Flatley: "Tom, they know all about it. You might as well tell them."
Schwartz took the stand in his own behalf. He testified that he was a close friend of Mayor Flatley; that he was active in Flatley's political campaigns; and that, while admitting receipt of moneys from business men and payments to the mayor, these funds were collected and distributed solely as political contributions without any intent to bribe this city official.
Thomas W. Flatley, born September 5, 1890, in San Francisco, California, was the Democrat Mayor of Erie from 1952 to 1954. Arrested in October of 1954 and charged with taking part in a gambling racket, Flatley admitted to receiving payments and pleaded guilty; sentenced, on December 15, to one to two years in jail, and fined $1,000.
Mayor Flatley’s downfall followed a Republican-inspired investigation of gambling in the city, involving the bribery of officials and employees of the City of Erie connected with gambling or the operation of the numbers racket in the city. The inquiry resulted in indictments against about forty persons, twelve of whom were tried and convicted, while eighteen pleaded guilty.
The local Chairman of the Democratic Party, Stanley M. Schwartz, gave $500 to Mayor Flatley to influence him. Jack Martin, a police inspector for the city, later indicted for bribery, who pleaded guilty, attended a meeting in Mayor Flatley's office on or about April 10, 1954, at which he and the mayor were present. It was there agreed that Martin should see certain gamblers or numbers men and collect money from them. These collections had formerly been made by one Henry Soscia, who had been dropped as collector because of difficulties with the police.
Schwartz, Martin and Flatley met once a month, often in the mayor's office. They equally divided the money collected, after paying $250 a month to Soscia to keep him quiet. About $1,500 was collected each month by Martin. Later, Martin would testified in court to his efforts to arrest certain gamblers who had been making protection payments, and that he was thereupon called by Mayor Flatley and directed to go to the mayor’s home, where the mayor warned Martin not to make any more such arrests if he wanted to retain his job.
Following their arrests, Schwartz and Mayor Flatley made written statements or confessions which were read into evidence at their trial. In his signed statement Schwartz gave detailed accounts of meetings with the mayor, Martin, and Soscia at which it was agreed that money should be collected from men in the numbers business or lottery, including the amounts to be collected by Schwartz, Martin, and Soscia from the various numbers men named. Schwartz therein said that the period when the collections were made by them covered approximately a year and four months, ending with September, 1954; and that the money was divided, usually in the mayor's office, being put into three envelopes, averaging $500 each. In his confession Mayor Flatley admitted receiving about $500 a month from Schwartz and Martin; and that the division sometimes took place in the mayor's office. Flatley stated he suspected the moneys came from persons in the numbers game, though he denied receiving any money directly from gamblers. Flatley confession was taken in the presence of Schwartz who made suggestions as to what it should be.
At the trial of Schwartz, Martin and Mayor Flatley, an operator of a cigar store and a numbers man in the city testified in court that he paid Stanley Schwartz $250 a month from May through October, 1954, for no reason other than Schwartz asked him for political funds.
Assistant District Attorney Johnson testified that just prior to the time Flatley made his written confession Schwartz entered the room, and, in the presence of prosecuting officials said to Mayor Flatley: "Tom, they know all about it. You might as well tell them."
Schwartz took the stand in his own behalf. He testified that he was a close friend of Mayor Flatley; that he was active in Flatley's political campaigns; and that, while admitting receipt of moneys from business men and payments to the mayor, these funds were collected and distributed solely as political contributions without any intent to bribe this city official.
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| Erie’s Mayor, Thomas Flatley at his office. |