Jury sees 'street tax' video
Tape of reputed Outfit collector in action played at trial

By Jeff Coen
Tribune staff reporter
Published June 26, 2007, 10:27 PM CDT
Reputed mob "street-tax" collector Frank "the German" Schweihs thought someone was moving in on his territory, and he wasn't happy about it.

"I don't care who it is," Schweihs barked in a secretly recorded video played Tuesday at the Family Secrets trial. "If it's Al Capone's brother and he comes back reincarnated. This is a declared [expletive] joint."

Schweihs was being recorded by William "Red" Wemette, an adult-book store owner who worked undercover for the FBI while paying the Chicago Outfit $1,100 a month in street tax to continue in business on the North Side. Prosecutors have told jurors that the collection of street tax—the mob's price for allowing certain businesses to operate—was one of many ways the Chicago Outfit profited. In some of the grainy videos from the late 1980s played in court, Wemette could be seen counting out his tribute as Schweihs looked on.

Wemette's recordings, filled with curses and slang, played a role in Schweihs' conviction for extortion in 1989. In one, Schweihs talked about "making a believer" out of one of Wemette's competitors. Schweihs also said that a mobster to whom Wemette used to pay street tax had vanished to "open up a hot dog stand in Alaska."

Some jurors shot amazed looks at one another as recordings played in court on the second day of trial testimony.

Schweihs, who is too ill to stand trial, is alleged to have acted as muscle for reputed mob boss Joey "the Clown" Lombardo, one of five defendants on trial. Also being tried for racketeering conspiracy are reputed Outfit figures James Marcello, Frank Calabrese Sr. and Paul "the Indian" Schiro as well as former Chicago Police Officer Anthony Doyle.

In the recordings, Schweihs could be heard ranting when Wemette told him that an unknown man had been around his Wells Street porn shop inquiring about the owner.

Wemette, who no longer owns the shop, testified Tuesday that he had been put up to falsely telling Schweihs that a possible rival was paying visits to the store, all part of a ruse by investigators to draw a reaction from Schweihs.

"Tell him God is my [expletive] partner," Schweihs said in a gruff voice. Schweihs sometimes stood up and at other times remained in his seat as he continued to speculate about who could be attempting to lean on Wemette. "Maybe he's a [expletive] Rush Street gangster that's looking for something," Schweihs said. "[He's] gonna get something he ain't looking for."

Wemette raised the possibility that the individual could be related to the California supplier of his pornography. Schweihs laughed off that possibility.

No one would mess with a business connected to the Outfit in "Chicago's back yard," Schweihs said.

"Chicago has the worst reputation in the United States," Schweihs said in apparent reference to the Outfit, adding that even "New York doesn't want to come here to mess with us."

One Outfit rival had previously been warned to stay away from the shop, Schweihs said on the tape, allegedly using a nickname for Lombardo.

"Lumbo made it real [expletive] clear to him," Schweihs said.

Wemette could be heard laughing nervously as Schweihs continued to lose his temper.

"I'll be looking at the obituaries," Wemette said.

"Let's just say it's an act of God, whatever happens to him," Schweihs answered.

Defense lawyers are to cross-examine Wemette beginning Wednesday.

jcoen@tribune.com



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