Page 165. “other woman”: Confidential source, interview with author, 1988.
Page 165. “coarse manners”: Confidential source, interview with author, 1988.
Page 165. “She was ready to get rid of him.…”: Confidential source, interview with author, 1988.
Page 166. She decided to stay.: “Bess and the Mess.”
Chapter 23: Cultural Affairs
Among the people interviewed for this chapter were Walter Canter, Nancy Capasso, Raoul Lionel Felder, Sam Fredman, former mayor Edward I. Koch, Nelson Pagan, and Herb Rickman. Much of the information in this chapter is drawn from Capasso v. Capasso divorce papers and sworn testimony at Bess Myerson’s federal trial on conspiracy and bribery charges in U.S. District Court, Manhattan. The author also consulted articles published in the New York Times, Newsday, New York Daily News, New York Post, and New York magazine.
Page 167. “superstar status”: Michael Goodwin, “Bess Myerson Is in Line for Cultural Affairs Post,” New York Times, February 23, 1983.
Page 167. he thought that she would make a superb commissioner of cultural affairs: Mayor Edward I. Koch, interview with author, 1988.
Page 167. “is as important a commodity as wheat is in Kansas and steel in Pittsburgh”: Richard Walker, “Do One-Night Stands Lead to Permanent Relationships?”, ARTnews, Summer 1984.
Page 168. $5.62 billion: Amei Wallach, “Arts a $5.6 Billion Bonanza for City,” New York Newsday, February 16, 1983.
Page 168. She seemed enthusiastic about her return to government: Confidential source, interview with author, 1988.
Page 168. she saw her life coming full circle: Bess Myerson, unpublished interview with confidential source, 1987.
Page 168. “It took me five years to get her into government.…”: Quotes from press conference come from press release issued February 23, 1983, by the mayor’s office; Bruce Lambert, “Cultural Affairs Post to Myerson,” New York Newsday, February 24, 1983; and David Dunlap, “Miss Myerson Plans Arts Strategy,” New York Times, February 24, 1983.
Page 169. “Between the time I knew of it.…”: Marcia Kramer, “Bess Tied to Hate Mail,” New York Daily News, June 27, 1987.
Page 169. He was furious: Tom Iovino, sworn testimony in United States of America v. Bess Myerson, Carl A. Capasso, Hortense W. Gabel, December 2, 1988.
Page 169. “Serious allegations have been made by the defendant.…”: Capasso v. Capasso divorce papers.
Page 169. “That’s right. I told you I was going to have you thrown out of here.”: Capasso v. Capasso divorce papers.
Page 170. “He was angry, and he went into the closets.…”: Nancy Capasso, interview with author, 1988.
Page 170. “You will get nothing.”: Nancy Capasso, interview with author, 1988.
Page 170. Tony Bailey: Confidential source, interview with author, 1988.
Page 170. “Newly named Cultural Affairs Commissioner Bess Myerson.…”: “Irate Wife Evicts Escort of Bess Myerson,” New York Post, March 7, 1983.
Page 170. “It made me more supportive of him.…”: Patricia Morrisroe, “Bess and the Mess,” New York, March 30, 1987.
Page 171. Andy had become preoccupied: Confidential sources, interviews with author, 1987 and 1988.
Page 171. “The divorce was getting the best of him.”: Confidential source, interview with author, 1987.
Page 171. “She said Mr. Capasso was going through a very messy divorce.…”: All quotes from Shirley Harrod come from her sworn testimony in U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al., November 1, 1988.
Page 172. “The official version was that their marriage had been troubled long before.…”: Confidential source, interview with author, 1988.
Page 172. Tony Bailey: Confidential source, interview with author, 1988.
Page 173. “He has cut me off.…”: Capasso v. Capasso divorce papers.
Page 174. “artificially inflated her expenses …”: Capasso v. Capasso divorce papers.
Page 174. Alan Jay Lerner: New York Times, October 26, 1979.
Chapter 24: Mother and Daughter
Among the people interviewed for this chapter were Roma Conable, Judge Hortense W. Gabel, Sukhreet Gabel, and Herbert London. The author also consulted documents contained in former mayor Robert Wagner’s papers on file in New York City’s Municipal Archives, the Tyler report, and sworn testimony before the state Commission on Judicial Conduct and in the federal trial of United States of America v. Bess Myerson, Carl A. Capasso, and Hortense W. Gabel in 1988. Other material was drawn from articles published in the New York Times, Newsday, New York Post, and New York Daily News.
Page 175. “lady against the slums”: Gertrude Samuels, “Lady Against the Slums,” New York Times Magazine, August 12, 1962.
Page 175. “Government was always a topic.…”: “Tough Housing Idealist: Hortense Wittstein Gabel,” New York Times, April 3, 1962.
Page 176. “a complete case of father identification”: Bennett Schiff, “Daily Close-up,” New York Post, August 27, 1959.
Page 176. “The situation was so bad with men going off to the war.…”: Hortense W. Gabel, interview with author, 1989.
Page 176. “endorsement”: Hortense W. Gabel, sworn testimony, Commission on Judicial Conduct, May 26, 1987.
Page 176. “Since I had a good record.…”: Hortense W. Gabel, interview with author, 1989.
Page 176. “It was such a breathtaking thing.…”: Robert Caro, The Power Broker (New York: Random House, 1975), 962.
Page 177. “She’s proud of me.…”: Bennett Schiff, “City Hall Aide on Slum Rehabilitation,” New York Post, August 13, 1955.
Page 177. two hundred city blocks: “Lady Against the Slums.”
Page 178. April 2, 1962: Press release announcing appointment from Office of the Mayor, Municipal Archives.
Page 178. “I don’t know why I’m looking forward to this job.…”: Joseph Wershba, “The City’s Rent Chief Is No Stranger to Landlords,” New York Post, April 4, 1962.
Page 178. “many-sided woman …”: “Tough Housing Idealist: Hortense Wittstein Gabel.”
Page 178. “slumless New York”: “Lady Against the Slums.”
Page 179. Sukhreet Gabel: All quotes from Sukhreet Gabel and the description of her childhood come from interviews with author, 1987, 1988, and 1989.
Page 180. “She was very precocious.…”: Confidential source, interview with author, 1989.
Page 181. “She was always daydreaming, fooling around.…”: Confidential source, interview with author, 1988.
Chapter 25: Seduction
Among the people interviewed for this chapter were Nancy Capasso, Raoul Lionel Felder, Sam Fredman, Judge Hortense W. Gabel, Sukhreet Gabel, and Herb Rickman. The author also drew on court records, notes, transcripts, and sworn testimony from Bess Myerson’s federal trial, the state Commission on Judicial Conduct, the Capasso v. Capasso divorce case, and the Tyler Commission. Articles published in the New York Times, Newsday, New York Post, New York Daily News, and New York magazine were also consulted.
Page 186. May 25, 1983: Description of gala comes from Judge Gabel and Herb Rickman, interviews with author, 1988, and sworn testimony in the federal trial United States of America v. Bess Myerson, Carl A. Capasso, and Hortense W. Gabel.
Page 186. “We were friendly, rather than friends.…”: Hortense Gabel, sworn testimony, Commission on Judicial Conduct, May 26, 1987.
Page 186. “Is what’s-his-name here?”: Herb Rickman, sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 187. Sukhreet Gabel: All of the quotes and information from Sukhreet Gabel come from numerous interviews with the author, 1987 and 1988, and from her sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 188. “Bess told me she liked Sukhreet.…”: Hortense W. Gabel, Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Page 188. Howard Leventhal: All of the quotes and information from Howard Leventhal are drawn from his sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 189. she was pleased wi
th the judge’s decision: All of the quotes from and information on Nancy Capasso in this chapter come from interviews with author, 1987, 1988, and 1989.
Page 189. Andy was outraged: Description of Andy’s outrage over having to pay alimony comes from Herb Rickman and Shirley Harrod, sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 189. “He was angry as all get-out.…”: Herb Rickman, sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 189. “obviously overlooked and or misapprehended material facts”: Capasso v. Capasso divorce papers.
Page 190. “one of the biggest …”: Hortense W. Gabel, sworn testimony, Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Page 190. Although Judge Gabel was more impressed: Hortense W. Gabel, sworn testimony, Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Page 191. Bess later said she found Sukhreet to be charming: Bess Myerson, interview with author, 1988.
Page 191. “And Sandy is not impressed by anyone.”: Bess Myerson, interview with author, 1988.
Page 192. “Sometime in July, if I’m not mistaken.…”: Hortense W. Gabel, sworn testimony, Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Page 192. They had at least five face-to-face meetings: Harold R. Tyler, Jr., special counsel, Report to the Mayor on the Investigation of Bess Myerson, Commissioner of Cultural Affairs, April 8, 1987.
Page 192. Bess left messages under assumed names: Howard Leventhal, Brenda Shrobe, sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 192. “I was very eager for Sukhreet to find this kind of interesting work.…”: Hortense W. Gabel, sworn testimony, Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Page 192. “Mr. Capasso was extremely distressed by the divorce.…”: Patricia Morrisroe, “Bess and the Mess,” New York, March 30, 1987.
Page 193. Nancy Capasso: Interviews with author, 1987 and 1988.
Page 193. Bess was convinced that Nancy was following them: “Bess and the Mess.”
Page 195. Shirley Harrod: Sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 196. “legalistic”: Howard Leventhal, sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 197. Brenda Shrobe: Sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 197. Nelson Pagan: Interview with author and sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Chapter 26: “Tough Love”
Most of the material for this chapter was drawn from extensive interviews with Sukhreet Gabel and sworn testimony of former city employees at the federal trial, United States of America v. Bess Myerson, Carl A. Capasso, and Hortense W. Gabel, 1988. The author also conducted interviews with several sources who requested anonymity. In addition, the author consulted the Tyler report, records from the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs, and articles published in the New York Post, New York Times, New York Daily News, and Newsday.
Page 199. Bess encountered hostility: Bess Myerson, interview with author, 1988.
Page 199. Randall Bourscheidt, was bitterly disappointed: Confidential source, interview with author, 1988.
Page 199. “Maybe she sat on the stage and played the piano.…”: Confidential source, interview with author, 1988.
Page 199. “tough love”: Deirdre Carmody, “Evaluating Bess Myerson’s 4 Years as Cultural Affairs Leader,” New York Times, February 16, 1987.
Page 199. “knew all about city employees”: Confidential source, interview with author, 1988.
Page 199. she felt that her secretary could take care of whatever: Richard Bruno, sworn testimony, United States of America v. Bess Myerson, Carl A. Capasso, and Hortense W. Gabel.
Page 199. “Nobody had a clue.…”: Confidential source, interview with author, 1988.
Page 200. Gray was stunned.: Harold R. Tyler, Jr., special counsel, Report to the Mayor on the Investigation of Bess Myerson, Commissioner of Cultural Affairs, April 8, 1987.
Page 200. “acted as though the commissioner could not do anything …”: Harold R. Tyler, Jr., special counsel, Report to the Mayor on the Investigation of Bess Myerson, Commissioner of Cultural Affairs.
Page 200. Sukhreet Gabel: All quotes and descriptions of her feelings come from extensive interviews with the author and from her sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 200. “it was no coincidence”: Susan Mulcahy, My Lips Are Sealed: Confessions of a Gossip Columnist (New York: Doubleday, 1988), 216.
Page 201. Richard Bruno: All quotes and information from him are drawn from his sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 201. Bess was furious: Richard Bruno, sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 202. “New York is a big city.…”: Richard Johnson, “Small World: Bess Hires Kin of Divorce Judge,” New York Post, October 18, 1983.
Page 203. “I felt, when I saw the clipping.…”: Hortense W. Gabel, sworn testimony, Commission on Judicial Conduct, May 26, 1987.
Page 203. “Did you people see this story?…”: Howard Leventhal, Brenda Shrobe, sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 203. “I think we have been dealt with squarely.…”: Quotes from the proceedings come from court transcripts, Capasso v. Capasso, October 18, 1983.
Page 203. Raoul Lionel Felder: Interviews with author, 1987 and 1988.
Page 203. Herb Rickman: All quotes and information are drawn from interviews with author, 1988, and sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 209. Marcella Maxwell: All quotes and information are drawn from sworn testimony, U.S. v. Bess Myerson et al.
Page 210. “Sukhreet came in with a lot of very strange notions.…”: Confidential source, interview with author, 1989.
Page 212. “She was in pretty bad straits when I visited in October.…”: Carole Agus, “The Sukhreet Story,” New York Newsday, November 2, 1988.
Chapter 27: Capasso v. Capasso
Most of the material for this chapter was drawn from hundreds of pages of testimony, affidavits, and other court records from the Capasso v. Capasso divorce trial. The author also consulted transcripts of tape-recorded telephone conversations between Andy and Nancy in 1984 and 1985 and interviewed Nancy Capasso and the lawyers from both sides of the case.
Page 213. Nancy Capasso: Interview with author, 1987.
Page 214. “I have seen absolutely no evidence.…”: Letter, Raoul Lionel Felder to Nancy Capasso, January, 16, 1984.
Page 214. “realistic and just in terms.…”: Capasso v. Capasso divorce papers, March 1, 1984.
Page 214. Andy was reluctant: Andy Capasso, transcript of telephone conversation with Nancy Capasso, July 1984.
Page 215. Herman Tarnow: Transcript of telephone conversations between Andy Capasso and Nancy Capasso, July 1988.
Page 215. Over the years he had developed a scam that generated $1.5 million: Indictment, United States of America v. Carl A. Capasso, January 14, 1987.
Page 216. Andy became worried: Andy Capasso, transcript of telephone conversation with Nancy Capasso, July 31, 1984.
Page 216. “I want to talk to you about an issue.…”: Andy Capasso, transcript of telephone conversation with Nancy Capasso, July 31, 1984.
Page 218. Tarnow opened the conversation by calling him an “asshole”: Andy Capasso, transcript of telephone conversation with Nancy Capasso, August 14, 1984.
Page 218. He despised people who did not treat him with respect: Andy Capasso, transcript of telephone conversation with Nancy Capasso, August 14, 1984.
Page 220. “Dear Justice Gabel.…”: Letter, Nancy Capasso to Hortense W. Gabel, December 1984.
Page 220. Judge Gabel later acknowledged: Hortense W. Gabel, sworn testimony, Commission on Judicial Conduct, 1986.
Page 221. Herman Tarnow: Interview with author 1988.
Page 221. Patrick Mulhearn: Interview with author, 1987.
Page 222. July 8, 1985: Quotes and testimony come from transcript of Capasso v. Capasso divorce trial, Manhattan Supreme Court, July 8, 1985, through October 11, 1985.
Page 222. Andrew R. Tyler: Jack Newfield and Wayne Barrett,
City for Sale: Ed Koch and the Betrayal of New York (New York: Harper & Row, 1988), 409–11.
Page 224. Raoul Lionel Felder: Interview with author, 1987.
Page 225. “I could have put up with it.…”: Nancy Capasso, interview with author, 1987.
Chapter 28: The Fifth Amendment
Among the people interviewed for this chapter were Nancy Capasso, Michael Feldberg, Kevin Ford, Sukhreet Gabel, Jay Goldberg, Fred Hafetz, former mayor Edward I. Koch, Marcia Kramer, David Lawrence, Tony Lombardi, Herb Rickman, Barbara Ross, and Marilyn Thompson. The author also examined more than a hundred pages of testimony from a grand jury, the Tyler Commission, and the state Commission on Judicial Conduct. The author also drew from court records and transcripts involving Andy Capasso’s indictment and sentencing on federal tax evasion charges. Much of the information about the city’s corruption scandal comes from the author’s work as a City Hall reporter in 1986 for New York Newsday. The author also drew on articles published in Newsday, the New York Times, New York Post, and New York Daily News, where reporters Barbara Ross and Richard Rosen provided a detailed reconstruction of the scandal. The author also consulted Jack Newfield and Wayne Barrett’s superb account of the corruption scandal in City for Sale: Ed Koch and the Betrayal of New York (New York: Harper & Row, 1988).
Page 226. January 1, 1986: Description of mayoral inaugural ceremonies comes from reports published in the New York Times, New York Daily News, and New York Post on January 2, 1986. Additional details were drawn from the detailed reconstruction of the inauguration and scandal by Barbara Ross and Richard Rosen, “The Fat Boys,” New York Daily News, December 14, 1986.
Page 226. Rudolph Giuliani: Interviews with author, 1988 and 1989.
Page 227. “whether it was all true or not”: Rudolph Giuliani, interview with author, 1989.
Page 229. Andy Capasso slipped into the hospital: Confidential source, interview with author, 1989.
Page 229. “Michael Dowd, a Queens Blvd. attorney.…”: Jimmy Breslin, “Manes Accused of Extortion,” New York Daily News, January 23, 1987.
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