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But the records show little else. So far as they are concerned, Perley is still the owner. He says he sold Mascoma to Goldfine within a day or two after his purchase. Asked if he has records to verify the transaction, he disappears into a side office, stays for half an hour, returns emptyhanded. Then he says that a Concord attorney handled the deal. The Concord lawyer denies it. Then Perley says that a Boston lawyer handled it. The Boston lawyer denies it. Questions: Who does own Mascoma Mill—and why the mystery?
Brucemark Inc. & Wilton Woolen Mills. On Nov. 18, 1955, a paper firm named Brucemark Inc. purchased the Wilton Woolen Mills of Wilton, Me. Partners in Brucemark: Robert C. Baker and Bernard Goldfine. Wilton Woolen has been in receivership since last February, just last month was put up at public auction. Buyer of the Wilton Woolen Building: Bernard Goldfine, for $35,000.
Baker (through his wife) has sued Goldfine. Baker's charge: in 1955 he was approached by Goldfine, who asked him to invest $150,000 toward buying a mill. Goldfine refused to name the mill, saying it was a "hush-hush" deal. In return for his investment, says Baker, Goldfine promised Baker a $30,000-a-year job as his administrative assistant. Baker put up the $150,000—but says he never got any of the salary from Goldfine. Baker claims that Goldfine actually controlled Wilton Woolen even before Brucemark bought it. He says that Wilton Woolen was a losing proposition, and Goldfine wanted to cut his losses. Baker charges that Goldfine duped him into paying, through Brucemark. $150.000 to buy Wilton Woolen stock already owned by Goldfine.
The Boston Common Garage. In May, 1946, Goldfine's good friend Democratic Governor Maurice Tobin pushed through the Massachusetts legislature a bill enabling Boston to give an option to prospective builders of a vast garage under Boston Common. On July 2, Motor Park Inc., with plans already in hand for a 3,500-car garage, was incorporated, with Goldfine Business Partner William Mac-Donald as president. Within a few days, on July 10, Boston's Democratic Mayor James Michael Curley. another dear Goldfine friend, without consulting the city planning commission or putting the project up for bids, gave Motor Park Inc. the exclusive option to build the Boston Common garage. The man with the money behind Motor Park Inc.: Boston's Bernard Goldfine.
Goldfine stood to make plenty. He already had owned a small building facing Boston Common. In June he bought another. In July he bought still another: the Little Building, one of Boston's biggest. If the Boston Common garage was built, the value of all these properties figured to soar.