John Paul Spica

The Leisure Factor

"You gotta keep your friends close and your enemies closer." - Paulie Leisure

Lurking in the background ready to take advantage of the volatile situation was Paul John "Paulie" Leisure. He headed a renegade splinter group of cutthroat gangsters, including his brother, Anthony, assistant business manager of Local 110, and a cousin, David, who was not known for his intelligence. Leisure had designs on the entire St. Louis underworld and was ready to move to consolidate control of the Laborers' Union locals as a power base. Intelligence experts speculated at the time that if he succeeded, his outfit would be reminiscent of the Capone gang in Chicago, well organized, omnipotent and cold-blooded. Organized crime in St. Louis would take on a new, dangerous character.

Although he once had been a bodyguard for Giordano, Paulie Leisure despised the Italians, especially Trupiano, whom he considered weak. Leisure coveted the power they wielded. He was Syrian, but he also had little use for Jimmy Michaels, the long-time boss of the Syrian faction of the mob in St. Louis, to whom he once had been close. Several times he had appealed to Aiuppa in Chicago for recognition of his gang as a legitimate underworld faction. Each time he was turned down when Aiuppa deferred to Michaels.

Leisure was no less ruthless and deadly than Flynn. A knowledgeable intelligence source told this reporter it was believed that Leisure had taken as many as 14 murder contracts throughout the country. The source said Leisure probably received many of them through Giordano, who was well connected with other Mafia families.

This reporter in the mid-1970s was on the same flight from Chicago to St. Louis with Leisure. Leisure carried one piece of luggage and a briefcase, both empty and bearing identification tags with the fictitious name, address and telephone number of a man in Youngstown, Ohio. It was speculated he had been returning from a hit.

Leisure was one of those to whom Spica bragged about his intent to kill Flynn. Leisure immediately recognized some interesting possibilities. He was concerned, and justly so, that the Italians were making a concerted move to take over all three Laborers' locals. It was in direct conflict with his own plans. Leisure offered Flynn his assistance in thwarting Spica.

Stoneking eventually would give FBI agents the background of the Spica-Flynn confrontation, but it was one of Leisure's close allies who provided agents with deep insight into how the scheme to eliminate the threat presented by Spica materialized. Fred Prater, who eventually would be relocated in the federal Witness Protection Program, had been a business associate of Leisure's in operating a towing and salvage business. He would become involved in the effort to set up Spica for the kill.

"Paulie explained that if they (the Leisures) were to form an alliance with Flynn, the Italians would not have the power to push them around," Prater told agents. "Paul felt that ... they would be able to pretty well do whatever they wanted."

The plot conceived by Leisure was the epitome of treachery. He needed to know as much as he could about the victim and he was meticulous in planning details, the mark of a professional. He developed a relationship with the intended victim. Leisure and his wife spent considerable time socially with Spica and his girlfriend. Not only did he want to become familiar with Spica's habits and thoughts, he needed to gain his trust. On numerous occasions, he called Spica to arrange meetings. It was intended to prepare him to be possibly lured to his death without suspicion.

Leisure had another, more pragmatic, reason. "You gotta keep your friends close and your enemies closer," Prater said he told him.

Spica became a frequent visitor to Leisure's office and a confidant. Prater said that during one visit, Spica confirmed Leisure's suspicion about the Italians' intent. "Paul said Spica told him that he went to Tony Giordano and informed him of his plans to take over leadership of Local 42. Giordano gave him his blessing on the plan and guaranteed the backing of the Italians."

Early in November, Prater was instructed to borrow a 1977 Cadillac identical to Spica's from a friendly car salesman who kept no written records of such transactions and bring it to the salvage yard. That afternoon Flynn and Anthony Leisure practiced wiring a bomb to the brake lights and the taillights before Prater returned it.

The night of Nov. 6, Anthony Leisure and Flynn went to Spica's apartment building in a suburban community, but there was too much activity in the neighborhood to install the bomb. The next night they were successful. They knew Spica was a light sleeper. Paul Leisure had learned that. While Flynn attached the bomb containing 12 sticks of dynamite, Leisure stood guard with a shotgun in case Spica awoke and came outside to investigate.