MATT CONNOLLY: tough Mob trust

Whitey and Stevie Flemmi meeting with Angiulo mafia soldier Nicky Giso (bottom right) at the Marshall Motors garage

By Matt Connolly

Some will suggest Whitey Bulger was the toughest guy around so just being near him caused the others to respect him.

Yeah, it’s good to be seen as tough and Whitey had all those attributes that would endear him to the gangsters except their trust. That’d have to be earned and that meant time. As far as his toughness making him able to intimidate these gangsters, keep in mind the weakest guy with a gun will beat the toughest guy without one any time.

All of Whitey’s future partners carried, all of them were murderers, and none would have hesitated to take Whitey out in a moment’s notice if he came to Winter Hill and tried to take over.

It seems to me that throughout 1973 and up until at least May 1974 Whitey was just a hang around guy who came around every once in a while to touch base and pay his dues to ensure his protection was still there. Whitey had Southie on his mind. He had made peace at home but it was fragile. Some big Mullen guns were still lurking there who figured they sold out short and would like to take over the whole operation. 

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