Miscellaneous
Key West Fire Chief Joseph "Bum" Farto fell into the drug culture in Key West at a time when drugs were as mainstream in Key West as Key Lime Pie. He was so comfortable dealing drugs, that he actually made deals on the bench out in front of the Fire Station on Kennedy Ave. It was this lack of caution that led to his downfall. Operation Conch came along and took down more than 19 accused drug dealers in Key West. It also took down Bum Farto. Soon Farto would be tried and convicted of multiple counts of drug trafficking. Just prior to his sentencing, Farto told his wife he had an appointment in Miami, and he rented a car to make the trip. He took no clothes with him. He was expected to return his rental car the same day. One month later, Farto's wife finally reported him missing. He hadn't been seen or heard from since the day he was headed to Miami. He just vanished without a trace. Shortly thereafter, t-shirts with the question "Where is Bum Farto?" began popping up around Key West. Those t-shirts became the hottest commodity in Key West at the time. Even Jimmy Buffet has performed at concerts wearing one of these shirts. The question still has yet to be answered. It was today, March 4, 1976, that Bum Farto's wife reported him missing. And that's what happened Today in Key West History. This show is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find us at http://43keys.com.