In 1957, Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. moved from 50-29 Broadway to a private home at 104-21 193rd Street, Hollis. This movement by Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. is surprising because his former apartment was in the Woodside Public Houses.
The New York City Housing Authority admitted tenants with incomes below specified ceilings. These limits increased with family size and hovered near the poverty level. As a condition of residency, tenants authorized the housing authority to monitor their incomes. The New York City Housing Authority enforced their income ceilings and evicted families whose incomes exceeded limits.
The movement of Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. from public housing to Hollis infers a significant increase in income. He moved to an affluent section where his new neighbors were businesspeople and professionals. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. lived near an attorney who was a special assistant to Borough President James A. Lundy. This new neighbor at 104-33 193rd Street was I. Robert Bassin.
In 1959, Eustace G. Thompson moved from the Ravenswood projects to Hollis and was residing six houses from Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. Almost certainly, I. Robert Bassin did not reside near two former public housing tenants. Eustace G. Thompson displaced I. Robert Bassin as the resident of 104-33 193rd Street. Meanwhile, I. Robert Bassin replaced Harry Lederman as the holder of BO3-0545 at 137-36 71st Avenue, Flushing.
Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. and Eustace G. Thompson moved from public housing to private homes in an affluent neighborhood at a time when federal, state and local authorities were investigating anyone who gave the slightest appearance of impropriety. The stealth of their movements strongly suggest they were government agents.
The public housing histories of Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. and Eustace G. Thompson show striking similarities.
Prior to living at the Woodside projects, Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. was a resident of the Astoria Public houses. In 1952, he moved from 3-02 Astoria Boulevard to 3-06 Astoria Boulevard and retained his former AS8-0312 telephone number. Two years later, Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. moved his family and telephone number to 50-29 Broadway. The Browns remained at the Woodside projects for two years.
In 1952, Eustace G. Thompson moved from 41-01 Vernon Boulevard in the Queensbridge projects to 35-53 12th Street in the Ravenswood Public Houses and retained her former ST6-9477 telephone number.
Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. and Eustace G. Thompson moved between public housing projects in 1952 and retained their former telephone numbers. In 1954, Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. moved from the Astoria to the Woodside Public Houses and retained his original telephone number. Apparently retention of their former telephone number was essential to their activities.
National security laws and the Gwinn amendment permitted agents to gather wiretap evidence of left wing activities by tenants in federally funded public housing. Agents gathered admissible evidence by obtaining court ordered phone taps. The simplicity of these procedure show Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. and Eustace G. Thompson retained their former telephone numbers for purposes other than enforcement of the Gwinn amendment.
Nevertheless, Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. and Eustace G. Thompson bore the cost of retaining their former telephone numbers. Under the prevailing wiretap laws this added expense would have broadened the license of tapping their own phones to extensions in other apartments. Circumstances of Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. and Eustace G. Thompson permitted them to have secretly gathered admissible wire tap evidence on the activities of other public housing agents.
An incident on December 5, 1952, shows I. Robert Bassin had privileged information. He refused to answer questions before the Queens County grand jury. The acting foreman, George Forstbauer, brought the issue to a judge for a ruling. Before the judge could rule, I. Robert Bassin meet privately with Judge William B. Groat who obviated the ruling sought by the acting foreman. The next day George Forstbauer and seventeen members of the grand jury, who had expected a decision on whether the unanswered questions were pertinent, heard I. Robert Bassin tell the Court, "The only thing I can say at this time is that I am very willing to cooperate with the grand jury to the best extent. I always stated so and I will gladly do so." Borough President James A. Lundy, District Attorney T. Vincent Quinn and Borough Works Commissioner C. Parke Masterson were courtroom observers as I. Robert Bassin outflanked the grand jury.
The next day in an article entitled, "Bassin Agrees to Aid Queens Sewer Panel," the New York Times introduced Judge William B. Groat as "County Judge William B. Broad." Observers recognized this misnomer as sarcastic criticism of Judge Groat's broad interpretation of the national security exception clause.
I. Robert Bassin was not the first member of Queens County government to have a former public housing resident as a new neighbor. In 1955, Charles S. Brownstein moved from the Woodside Public Houses to Garden Bay Manor. He resided at 19-89 78th Street, Jackson Heights. Since 1948, assistant District Attorney Lawrence Peirez lived at 19-73 78th Street.
Charles S. Brownstein was an early resident of the Woodside Public Houses. He moved to 50-14 31st Avenue in late 1949 or early 1950. In 1953, Charles S. Brownstein listed YE2-8562 as a second telephone number. In 1954 he listed his newer number with a Woodside address. Upon moving to Garden Bay Manor, Charles S. Brownstein retained his former telephone number.
While at Garden Bay Manor, Charles S. Brownstein could have legally tapped an extension of YE2-8562 at the Woodside projects. Alternately, Charles S. Brownstein could have established an unlisted extension of YE2-8562 at 19-89 78th Street before 1955. In this case, he could have legally wiretapped his phone at the Woodside projects in 1953 and 1954.
In 1958, Charles S. Brownstein became a lawyer and moved to 69-36 174th Street, Fresh Meadows. In less than one year, Donald W. Fox filled a vacancy at the former address of Charles S. Brownstein. Previously, Donald W. Fox lived at 12-35 35th Avenue in the Ravenswood Public Houses. After residing at 19-89 78th Street for three years, Donald W. Fox moved to 192-10C 64th Avenue, Fresh Meadows.
Successive occupancy of 19-89 78th Street by former public housing residents reenforces suspicions that Charles S. Brownstein and Donald W. Fox were agents.
The movement of Charles S. Brownstein from the Woodside Public Houses to Garden Bay Manor was not unique. In 1958, Emanuel D. Bloch moved to 22-15 79th Street, Jackson Heights. His previous address since 1952 was 50-30 Broadway, Woodside. Emanuel D. Bloch retained his YE2-2922 telephone number upon moving from the Woodside Public Houses to Garden Bay Manor. By having an unlisted extension at one location, Emanuel D. Bloch was legally entitled to tap his own phone from another location.
Charles S. Brownstein and Lawrence Peirez were neighbors while the assistant District Attorney was directing a special grand jury investigating Borough President James A. Lundy, his assistant, I. Robert Bassin, and Commissioner of Public Works C. Parke Masterson. In June 1955 this special grand jury handed up a bitter presentment.
Antagonisms between the Borough President and the District Attorney arose in April 1952 when James A. Lundy began an investigation of foul odors arising from Laurelton sewers built by Victor Clemente. Initially City Hall impeded this investigation by denying funds and equipment to James A. Lundy. After an August cloudburst overloaded the sewers of Laurelton and caused a cave in, Mayor Impellitteri ordered Commissioner James H. Sheils to conduct a complete and thorough investigation.
By early September, District Attorney T. Vincent Quinn obtained an extension of the Queens County Grand Jury to investigate Victor Clemente, the builder of the collapsed sewer. They returned an indictment in January 1953 charging Victor Clemente, his son Dominic Clemente, Robert Tufano, The Tufano Contracting Corporation and six municipal employees with conspiracy and fraud. A superseding indictment in March strengthen the earlier indictment and charged Victor Clemente and a municipal employee with bribery. In October 1953, the Court ruled excessive absences by grand jurors invalidated the indictment. District Attorney T. Vincent Quinn submitted the case to another grand jury and obtained his third indictment in January 1954. The record setting 202-day trail of Victor Clemente and co-defendants began in April 1954.
During this trial, two events linked Victor Clemente and a challenged juror to public housing spies. In 1960, a link between a defendant turned government witness and a former public housing spy emerged.
In 1952 and 1953, Howard C. Harris lived at 40-13 Vernon Boulevard. In 1954, he left the Queensbridge Public Houses and moved to a private home at 106-11 31st Avenue, East Elmhurst. The former long time resident of this address, Harry P. Riconda, relocated to 86-06 208th Street, Hollis.
In 1955, Howard C. Harris moved to a private home at 130-19 116th Avenue, South Ozone Park. His new neighbor, Jack Clemente at 130-05 116th Avenue lived at this address since 1943. Probably, Jack and Victor Clemente were related. In 1957, a brother of Victor Clemente, G. C. Clemente, moved in with Jack Clemente. For the next two years G. C. and Jack Clemente shared a common address and phone number. Although G. C. Clemente was not indicted in the Laurelton sewer scandal, the adverse publicity ruined him. Perhaps this ill fortune explains why he moved in with Jack Clemente.
Movements of Howard C. Harris between neighborhoods without a common exchange prohibited retention of his former telephone numbers. Obviously Howard C. Harris played a role that differed from the activities of Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. and Eustace G. Thompson.
Chief Assistant District Attorney J. Wolfe Chassen obtained convictions in the Clemente case from the testimony of a defendant who was severed from trial and testified for the government. This witness was Robert Tufano, President of the Tufano Contracting Corporation.
In 1960, Saverio Tufano moved from the Ravenswood Public Houses to a private home at 72-39 Caldwell Avenue, Maspeth. Prior to living at the Ravenswood projects, Saverio Tufano resided at the Queensbridge Public Houses. He made the move from 40-14 12th Street to 35-20 21st Street in 1952 and retained his former ST6-0289 telephone number.
Of the three former public housing tenants associated with the prosecution of Victor Clemente, each one moved between public housing projects in 1952 and retained their former telephone numbers. These commonalities suggest Roscoe C. Brown, Jr., Eustace G. Thompson and Saverio Tufano belonged to the common activity of gathering intelligence on public housing agents.
Weaker evidence suggests public housing activities influenced juror selection.
On April 24, 1954, the New York Times reported a pigeon flew around the courtroom as they selected Miss Dorothy King of 30-31 91st Street, Jackson Heights as a juror. The prosecution opened their case without Miss Dorothy King on the jury. Probably Assistant District Attorney, A. Edward Markowitz, removed Miss Dorothy King by peremptory challenge.
Since the forties, Harry R. King was a resident of 30-31 91st Street and Miss Dorothy R. King lived at 34-07 36th Avenue, Astoria. Both addresses were within the juror poll of the Long Island City Courthouse.
Between 1947 and 1950, Ara N. Serian and Miss Dorothy R. King were neighbors at 34-07 36th Avenue. In 1951, Ara N. Serian moved to the Ravenswood Public Houses. She remained at 35-40 24th Street until late 1953. When she moved to 41-10 48th Avenue, Sunnyside, Ara N. Serian retained her former ST4-5589 telephone number. In 1957, Ara N. Serian moved to a comfortable section of Whitestone and resided at 157-35 25th Drive for at least sixteen years.
In 1954, the telephone company listed two Dorothy A. Kings in Queens County. Dorothy A. King of Bayside lived beyond the juror pool while Dorothy A. King of 30-89 44th Street, Astoria had direct bus and train routes to the Long Island City Courthouse.
Probably, Dorothy A. King of Astoria was related to Thomas J. King, a resident of the Ravenswood Public Houses. In 1957, Thomas J. King replaced Dorothy A. King as resident of 30-89 44th Street and assumed her former AS8-1533 telephone number. Thomas J. King remained at this location until 1973.
Between 1949 and 1957, Dorothy A. King of Bayside lived at 215-20 47th Avenue. She resided at this address with David J. Marks since 1949. In 1952, David J. Marks moved to Jackson Heights. He rented an apartment at 19-82 78th Street and remained until 1964. From 1952 to 1956 Assistant District Attorney Lawrence Peirez and David J. Marks were neighbors.
On June 9, 1955, the jury convicted Victor Clemente, Dominic Clemente and three municipal employees. Seven days later, a Brooklyn Federal Grand Jury indicted Victor Clemente on tax evasion charges. On June 20, the court granted a motion by the prosecution for dismissal of charges against Robert Tufano and the Tufano Contracting Corporation. Corporation Counsel Peter Campbell Brown on June 22 announced filing a $363,963 civil suit against the convicts.
Sydney Rosenthal appealed the convictions of Victor and Dominic Clemente and they were released on bail. On July 24, 1959, the seven-year ordeal of Victor Clemente ended on the Saw Mill River Parkway. He collided head-on with another car and perished.
During the reluctant investigation and ineffective prosecution of Victor Clemente, District Attorney T. Vincent Quinn was under extraordinary pressure. His Queens County Republican and Liberal rivals formed a watchdog committee and made two unsuccessful appeals to Governor Dewey for a special prosecutor to supercede T. Vincent Quinn. These local developments were tolerable. However, the appearance of heavy-handed tactics by the Federal Government shocked New Yorkers.
On April 4, 1952, District Attorney T. Vincent Quinn answered charges before the Ways and Means Committee that as a member of the House of Representatives he influenced a friend to stop criminal prosecution of an indirect client. During January 1953, three federal indictments charged him with acceptance of fees with the intent to influence and persuade officials. In April a supplemental indictment raised the total to four. These indictments were pending during the trial of Victor Clemente. After leaving office in 1956, T. Vincent Quinn and his former law partners stood trial on charges contained in two of the four indictments. Following presentment of the prosecution's case, the Court directed a verdict of acquittal. The government declined to appeal and dismissed the remaining indictments in 1957.
Whereas Quinn was a common family name, we can attribute Quinns in public housing to coincidence. However, a namesake of T. Vincent Quinn lived near people associated with public housing spies.
From 1948 to 1951, Stanley T. Quinn lived in the Queensbridge Public Houses at 40-16 12th Street. In 1952, he moved to the Ravenswood Public Houses and retained his former ST6-1673 telephone number. For the next two years Stanley T. Quinn and Eustace G. Thompson were neighbors at 35-53 12 th Street. In 1955, Stanley T. Quinn left public housing and moved to a private home at 30-60 44th Street, Astoria. Until 1962, he was living across the street from Dorothy A. King and Thomas J. King.
Something special happened in 1952. The implementors of the internal apparatus established under the National Security Act of 1947, meet and engaged their enemies at the public housing projects of Queens County. This battle was part of a larger campaign. Throughout the United States, the Federal Government confronted the local security organizations, which developed and matured under the New Deal.
