Bibliography

BIBLIOGRAPHY [ Sources ]

The following is a list of books and publications used to gather the information contained on the

Blog.

General.

The Gang / Thrascher / 1927

You gotta be Rough / Fiaschetti / 1930

Criminals and Politicians / Lynch / 1932

The Tax Dodgers / Irey / 1948

Crime on the Labour Front / Johnson / 1950

Crime in America / Kefauver / 1951

Washington Confidential / Lait +Mortimore / 1951

Mafia / Reid / 1952

Dope International / Wighton / 1960

The Enemy Within / Kennedy / 1960

The truth about the Mafia / Schiavo / 1962

Crime and Punishment / McClellan / 1963

The Secret Rulers / Cook / 1966

The Grim Reapers / Reid / 1969

Syndicate Wife / Messick / 1969

Secret File / Messick / 1969

The Mafia is not an equal opportunity employer / Gage / 1971

The American Mafia / Albini / 1971

Mafia USA / Gage / 1972

A Family Business / Ianni / 1972

The Heroin Trail / Newsday / 1973

Syndicate in the Sun / Messick / 1974

Pictorial History of the Mafia / McLean / 1974

In my own words / Cohen / 1975

Mafia Mystique / Smith / 1975

Criminal Brotherhoods / Chandler / 1976

The Teamsters / Brill / 1978

The Criminal Elite / Abadinsky / 1983

Crime Inc. / Short / 1984

The Heist / Volkman + Cummings / 1986

Mafia Encyclopedia / Sifakis / 1987

Vengeance is Mine / Zuckerman / 1987

25 years after Valachi / Senate / 1988

The Pizza Connection / Alexander / 1988

The Mafia killed President Kennyedy / Scheim / 1988

Organized Crime in America / Albanese / 1989

The Boys from New Jersey / Rudolph / 1992

World Encyclopedia of Organized Crime / Nash / 1992

The Mafia, CIA + Bush / Brewton / 1992

The Insider / Goddard / 1992

Gangland International / Morton / 1998

An Idiots guide to the Mafia / Capeci / 2002

Genealogy of Organized Crime / Calderone / 2004

Mafia / FBI - FBN / 2007

The Godfathers / Olla / 2007

Casino / Pileggi / 2011

Gangsters / Igloo / 2012

Disorganized Crime / Reuters / ?

Dead Ringer / Gateley / 1994

New York City + New Jersey.

The Barrel Mystery / Flynn / 1920

Gangs of New York / Asbury / 1927

Gang Rule in New York / Thompson / 1940

Rise of the Mafia in NYC / Selvaggi / 1948

Murder Inc. / Turkus + Feder / 1953

The Luciano Story / Feder + Joesten / 1954

King of Crime / Frasca / 1959

The Purveyor / Starr / 1961

The Frank Costello story / Brennan / 1962

Revolt in the Mafia / Martin / 1963

The Deadly Silence / Buse / 1966

The Valachi Papers / Maas / 1968

The Prosecuter / Mills / 1969

The Crime Confederation / Salerno + Tompkins / 1969

Unless they kill me first / Siciliano / 1970

Sam the Plumber / Zeiger / 1970

The Racketeers / Hirsch / 1970

Honour thy Father / Talese / 1971

The New York Crime Book / Craig + Posner / 1972

Dutch Schultz / Addy / 1973

Don Carlo / Meskil / 1973

The Killing of Joey Gallo / Aronson / 1973

Uncle Frank / Katz / 1973

Mafia / Cook / 1973

The Luciano Testament / Gosch + Hammer / 1974

Joey / Goddard / 1974

Joe Petrosino / Petacco / 1974

Lucky Luciano / Scaduto / 1975

Pleasant Avenue Connection / Durk + Silverman / 1976

The Sixth Family / Diapoulos + Linakis / 1976

To drop a dime / Hoffman + Pecznick / 1976

The Business of Crime / Nelli / 1976

The Luparelli Tapes / Meskil / 1976

The Black Hand / Pitkin + Cordasco / 1977

Brick Agent / Villano / 1977

Actor with a Gun / Collura / 1979

Viscious Circles / Kwitney / 1979

East Side West Side / Block / 1980

Papa's Game / Wallance / 1982

Squeal / Coleman / 1982

The Mob / Peterson / 1983

A Man of Honour / Bonanno / 1983

Gangster / Stuart / 1985

Marked to Die / Brown / 1985

Organized Crime / Abadinsky / 1985

Dark Victory / Moldea / 1986

Donnie Brasco / Pistone + Woodley / 1987

Wiseguy / Pileggi / 1987

Crime Incorporated / Balsamo + Carpozi / 1988

City for Sale / Newfield + Barrett / 1988

Mob Star / Mustain + Capeci / 1988

Last days of the Sicilians / Blumenthal / 1988

The Westies / English / 1990

Blue Thunder / Burdick / 1990

Mobster / Cummings + Volkman / 1990

Body Mike / Cantalupo / Renner / 1990

Corruption in the N.Y. Construction Industry / NYS O/C Task Force / 1990

Boss of Bosses / O'Brien + Kurins / 1991

Tin for Sale / Manca + Cosgrave / 1991

The Coffey Files / Coffey + Schmetterer / 1991

Quitting the Mob / Franzese + Matera / 1992

Contract Killer / Headley / 1992

Murder Machine / Mustain + Capeci / 1992

Rubouts / Monaco + Bascom / 1992

Mob Girl / Carpenter / 1992

Mafia Cop / Eppolito + Drury / 1992

The GottiTapes / Blumenthal + Miller / 1992

Dead on Delivery / Stutman / 1993

Stiffed / Knoedelseder / 1993

Joe Dogs / Iannuzzi / 1993

A matter of Honour / Franceshini / 1993

Mafia Dynasty / Davis / 1993

Gangland / Blum / 1994

War against the Mafia / Shawcross / 1994

Underboss / Maas / 1997

Gangbusters / Volkman / 1998

Gotham Unbound / Jacobs / 1999

Bound by Honour / Bonanno / 1999

Made Men / Smith / 2003

Gangster City / Downey / 2004

The Englishman and the Mafia / Pearson / 2004

Gaspipe / Carlo / 2008

The First Family / Dash / 2009

The Origins of O/C in America / Critchley / 2009

The Last Testament of Bill Bonanno / Bonanno + Abramovitz / 2011

Manhattan Mafia Guide / Ferrara / 2011

The Sinatra Club / Polisi / 2013

Mob Boss / Capeci + Robbins / 2013

In the Godfathers Garden / Linnett / 2013

The Mob and the City / Hortis / 2014

Chin / McShane / 2016

NATIONWIDE.

Philadelphia.

Boardwalk Empire / DeMaris / 1986

The Plumber / Salerno + Rivele / 1992

Mobfather / Anastasia / 1993

The Goodfella Tapes / Anastasia / 1998

The Jersey Mob / Zeigler / 19?

Before Bruno [ 1 ] / Morello / 1999

-Ditto- [ 2 ] / -Ditto- / 2003

-Ditto- [ 3 ] / -Ditto- / 2005

Mafia Prince / Leonetti / 2012

Pennsylvania Crime Commission Reports / 1970-80-83-90-92.

New Jersey Crime Commission Report / 2004

NYS / Buffalo.

Hide in Plain Sight / Waller / 1982

Mob Nemesis / Griffen / 2002

Gangsters and Organized Crime in Buffalo / Rizzo / 2012

DeCarlo [ 1 ] / Hunt + Tona / 2013

-Ditto- [ 2 ] / -ditto- /2013

Cleveland / Ohio.

Merchants of Menace / Allen / 1962

The Silent Syndicate / Messick / 1967

Rise and Fall of the Cleveland Family / Porello / 1995

To Kill the Irishman / Porello / 1998

Brancato / Monastra / 2013

Crimetown USA / May / 2013

California [ LA / SF / SJ ].

The Last Mafioso / DeMaris / 1981

Hollywood Connection / Munn / 1993

The Animal in Hollywood / Smith / 2004

Bad Bas Boy / Moore / 2009

Lanza's Mob / DiEdoardo / 2016

Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee Mafia / Schmitt / 2012

Mobsters in the Heartland / Schmitt / 2015

Colorado.

Mountain Mafia / Alt + Wells / 2008

Smaldone / Kreck / 2009

Kansas City.

Mobsters in our Midst / Ousley / 2011

Open City / Ousley / 2012

St. Louis.

The Gangs of St. Louis / Waugh / 2010

New England [ Boston + Providence ].

My Life in the MPafia / Teresa + Renner / 1973

Barboza / Messick / 1975

Ceremony / Pistone / 1989

Underboss / O'Neill + Lehr / 1989

The Godson / Fopiano / 1993

Deadly Alliance / Ranalli / 2001

Pittston.

The Quiet Don / Birkbeck / 2013

New Orleans.

Blood on the Banquette / Kendall [Louisiana Historical Society] / 1939

Vendetta / Gambino / 1977

Spirit of Vengeance / Baiamonte / 1986

Mafia Kingfish / Davis / 1989

Detroit.

The Purple Gang / Kavief / 2000

The Violent Years / Kavief / 2001

The Rumrunners / Gervais / 2009

Ealy Organized Crime in Detroit / Buccellato / 2015

Pittsburgh.

Lonely Fighter / Susce / 1979

Tampa.

Mob Lawyer / Ragano + Raab / 1994

Cigar City Mafia / Deitche / 2001

The Silent Don / Deitche /2007

Elizabeth [NJ].

The Mafia Talks / Volz + Bridge / 2011

Chicago.

Organized Crime in Chicago / Landesco / 1929

One Way Ride / Burns / 1931

Muscling In / Palsey / 1931

Gem of the Prairie / Asbury / 1940

Barbarians in our Midst / Peterson / 1952

The Dry and Lawless Years / Lyle / 1960

The Bootleggers / Allsop / 1961

The Chicago Crime Book / Halper / 1968

Captive City / DeMaris / 1969

Johnny Torrio / McPhaul / 1970

Capone / Kobler / 1971

The Legacy of Al Capone / Murray / 1975

The Don / Braschler / 1977

Man against the Mob / Roemer / 1989

War of the Godfathers / Roemer / 1990

All American Mafioso / Rappleye + Becker / 1991

Doublecross / S + C.Giancana / 1992

The Enforcer / Roemer / 1994

Capone / Bergreen / 1995

Accardo / Roemer / 1995

The Outft / Russo / 2001

The Mobs Guys / Napoli / 2004

After Capone / Eghigian / 2006

Family Secrets / Coen / 2009

The Boys in Chicago Heights / Luzi / 2012

Chicago Crime Commission Reports / 1961 / 67 / 68 / 69 / 90 / 97.

List of Gangland Murders / 1919-92.

Illinios Crime Investigation Commission / 1970.

Canada.

The Canadian Connection / Charbonneau / 1976

Mob Rule / Dubro / 1985

Mafia Enforcer / Renner + Kirby / 1988

Deadly Silence / Edwards + Nicaso / 1993

The Enforcer / Humphreys / 1999

Rocco Perri / Nicaso / 2004

The Sixth Family / LaMothe + Humphreys / 2006

Iced / Schneider / 2009

Business or Blood / Edwards + Nicaso / 2015

Blood Lines / LaMothe + Nicaso / ?

France.

The Marseilles Mafia / Allen / 1979

Australia.

Crims in Grass Castles / Moor / 1990

Sicily / Italy.

Last Struggle with the Mafia / Mori / 1933

God Protect Me from my Friends / Maxwell / 1956

The Mafia / Sondern / 1959

The Honoured Society / Lewis / 1964

The Mafia and Politics / Pantaleone / 1966

Vizzini / Fraley / 1972

Mafia and Mafiosi / Hess / 1973

Angelo LaBarbera / Servadio / 1974

The Mafia of a Sicilian Village / Blok / 1974

Mafioso / Servadio / 1976

To a Different World / Servadio / 1979

Mafia Business / Arlacchi / 1983

Men of Honour / Shawcross + Young / 1987

Men of Respect / Catanzaro / 1988

The Mafia / Sterling / 1990

Men of Respect / Anonymous / 1991

Men of Honour / Falcone / 1992

Men of Dishonour / Arlacchi / 1992

The Sicilian Mafia / Gambetta / 1993

Crusade / Tripodi / 1993

Crime without Frontiers / Sterling / 1995

A Dishonoured Society / Follain / 1995

The Walking Dead / Parker / 1995

Excellent Cadavers / Stille / 1995

Midnight in Sicily / Robb / 1996

The Camorra / Behan / 1996

Mafia Women / Longrigg / 1997

Rebels and Mafiosi / Fentress / 2000

Blood Washes Blood / Viviano / 2001

Mafia Brotherhoods / Paoli / 2003

Cosa Nostra / Dickie / 2004

Boss of Bosses / Longrigg / 2008

White Shotgun / Bolzoni / 2008

Gomorrah / Saviano / 2011

Il Teneroso Sodalizio / Lupo / 2011

Blood Brotherhoods / Dickie / 2011

Money and Politics / Seindal / ?

Baltimore faction / Gambino Family

BALTIMORE  FACTION  : -  GAMBINO  FAMILY.

Early organized Italian crime in Maryland and Virginia seems to have been dominated by Calabrians.  There were many of these small Black Hand type groups in existence during the 1910-30’s.  Vito Corbi, born 1866 in Catanzaro, led a small organization based in Virginia.

 This group included his son Pasquale [Patsy], and Vincenzo [Jim] D’Urso.  In 1923 they were all arrested for the murder of Frank Naples, a reputed Camorra member.  Patsy Corbi was sentenced to a life sentence, while D’Urso fled to Canada.  Vito Corbi was already living in Baltimore by then [1920 Census], and avoided conviction.  Another reputed Camorrist, Rocco Fiorello, was killed in 1924 and several Calabrians were arrested.  It points to a conflict between Neapolitan and Calabrian groups.  

Almost nothing is known of Sicilians active in Baltimore in this period.  The only   Mafioso known to be living city was John [Angel Face] Torres, once acquitted of murder in Detroit, who was later killed during the “Castellammarese War”.

Meanwhile Vito Corbi had died in1929, Patsy was paroled in 1932 and he and his brother Frank were living in the city.  They were continuing to operate, and associate with fellow Calabrians in cities like Pittsburgh and Cleveland.  By the mid-1930’s the traditionally Sicilian Mafia had opened membership to mainland Italians.  But with no local Mafia Family, this was not possible in Baltimore.

We do not know the exact reasons, or timing, for the formation of a regime in the city, but we know the individuals responsible.  Frank Scalice was a former head of the future Gambino Family, since demoted to Capo rank.  He was still a very important member, and although we do not know the details, he was the catalyst for the regimes formation. 

The other individual involved was Luigi Morici, who like Scalice, was born in Palermo, Sicily.  Morici may have already been a member in NYC living in Baltimore, or he was sent there to give the Family a presence.  Whichever, by the early 1940’s he had gathered a small group of local Sicilians together to form the crew.

According to a 1950 FBN document given to the Kefauver committee the following were members by then : -

Vincent Carrona [AKA Jimmy Russo], born 1904, Bisaquino, Sicily.

Frank Gattuso

Gaetano [Thomas] LaFata [AKA Reds], born 1898 Carini, Sicily.

Joseph Palazzolo

Luigi Morici [AKA John Maurice], born 1896 Palermo, Sicily.

About Gattuso and Palazzolo we can find no record, but the other names can be confirmed.

The year1950 saw a violent change in the Families leadership, with the Calabrian Albert Anastasia becoming Head with Scalice as his deputy.  It was probably Anastasia, seeking to strengthen his position, who ordered Morici to induct some local Calabrians as members.

Thus the Corbi brothers, among others, finally joined the Family.  Morici was promoted to Capo status, and his connection to NYC became Joseph Gallo.  The crew membership during the 1950-80’s looked like this : -

Luigi Morici  -  Capo till 1966 /  died 1971

Vincent Caronna  -  died 1980

Thomas LaFata  -  died 1965

Patsy Corbi  -  1895-1955

Frank Corbi  -  1904-90  /   Capo 1966-90

Mario Anello  -  1905-72

Louis Comi  -  1906-79

Joseph Gigliotti  -  1903-2001 [poss. Member in Pittsburgh]

Frank Dabbene  -  1897-1984

Charles Barbera  -  1904-87

Benjamin Magliano  -  1904-71

Frank Malvaso  -  1901-91

Sam Adornato  -  1905-72

Joseph Corbi  -  1911-2001

Angelo Perrera  -  1912-72

Angelo Munafo  -  1927-2001

Another possible member was Antonio Messina, who was killed in Baltimore in 1952.

By the 1980’s most of the membership had died or retired, and with Capo Frank Corbi in his 80’s and inactive, the regime became extinct.

  

Springfield + Worcester factions

  Springfield + Worcester, Mass.  [Genovese ].

Springfield.

The first known active Italian criminal group in Springfield were the Albano family, from Avellino.  This mainland connection would dominate organized crime throughout the following decades.

Carlo Sinischalchi, born 1884 in Campania and entering America in 1907, would inherit leadership of this group after marrying Pasqualina Albano in the 1910’s.  Sinischalchi, who first lived in Brooklyn before moving to Springfield in 1913, possibly had connections to the Camorra gangs then prevalent in Brooklyn.

The couple became involved in bootlegging at the start of Prohibition, attaining a dominant position locally.  However they soon made enemies, and in 1921 Sinischalchi was murdered.

The widowed Pasqualina now needed protection against her competitors, and found it in Antonino Miranda, who she soon married.  Miranda was from San Giuseppe Vesuviano, near Naples and previously lived in Brooklyn.  He was from a family of prominent criminals, including brothers Michele and Donato.

Michele, AKA Mike, would remain in the NY / Brooklyn area and become the Genovese Family Consiglieri.  He was the best friend, and close associate, of Vito Genovese.  As such, this connection is probably the reason Springfield became Genovese Family territory.

Donato was listed, in the 1950 FBN document presented to the Kefauver hearings, as a Boston member.  So the Springfield group had family connections to both NYC and local New England Cosa Nostra Families.  Miranda seems to have kept the peace in Springfield throughout the 1920’s, no mean achievement in that violent period.

Because the early CN Families were dominated by Sicilians, mainland members were only admitted during the late 1920-early 1930’s period.  Therefore local gangsters like Miranda, Frank Iacone and Raymond Patriarca in Worcester, and Frank Morelli in Providence were either recently inducted individual members, or not yet inducted [ associates ]. 

After the 1930-31 “Castellammarese War” in NYC, the whole organization was re-organized and expanded.  This meant creating larger Families by absorbing smaller gangs and factions, all based on geographical locations.

In New England this meant the union of the Boston and Providence groups into a unified Family.  This Family seems to have had a general supervisory role over the Springfield and Worcester factions, even though both were recognised as Genovese territory.

Antonio Miranda did not live to see these developments, as he died of natural causes in 1930.  He was accorded a lavish funeral, in accordance with his position.

 One Joseph Fiore stepped into a leadership role, partnering with the twice widowed Pasqualina.  This obviously did not sit well with some elements, as an attempt on Fiore’s life in 1932, resulted in Pasqualina being killed.  Fiore only managed to survive another year before being murdered [ 1933].

At this point we do not know who led the faction, as the next recognised leader only emerged around 1940.  A possible candidate could be Carlo Sarno, born in1891 in Salerno, who died in 1957.  We do know that after the 1934 Bocchia murder in Brooklyn, Michele Miranda sent Rupolo and Palmeri to hide in Springfield.  They were in the care of Nicholas Camerota [1904-72] possibly a member by then.

Salvatore Cufari who was the first “officially” recognised Capo in Springfield, was a Calabrian born in 1901.  He arrived in America in 1914, joining his father who had lived in Springfield since 1908.  Naturalized in 1927, he had a long criminal record [27 arrests] and had been shot and wounded by police in 1928.  He emerged as a force by the late 1930’s, and as the faction leader by the 1940’s.

Records held at the National Archives [NARA] list possible members of, what was by then the Springfield regime of the Genovese Family, as the following: -

Salvatore Cufari / AKA Big Nose Sam / 1901-83 / Capo 1940-80’s

Nicholas Camerota / Nick /1904-72 / Soldier 1930-70’s

Frank Scibelli / Frankie Skyball / 1913-2000 / Soldier 1950-80’s / Capo 1980-90’s

Alvaro Lanzetta / 1916-99 / Soldier 1950-80’s

Andrew Pradella / ????-76 / Soldier 1950-70’s

The following are possible members or associates : -

Mario Fiore / 1928-90

Joseph Mineo / ????-83

Albert Scibelli / AKA Baba / ????-76

Anthony Scibelli / AKA Turk / 1914-98

Louis Maloni / 1925-2002

Henry Siciliano / 1927-86

James Fiore / ????-2008?

William Fiore / 1920-2007

Pasquale Romeo / 1897-1970

Frank Lombardo / 1895-????

Amato Santaniello / 1921-76

Angelo Santaniello / 1915-79/86

Louis Scibelli / 1901-????

Felix Siciliano / 1909-76

Anthony Camerota / 1907-76

Michael Raffaele / 1909-83

Jerry Maloni / 1915-2002

Cufari died in 1983, and was succeeded by Frank Scibelli, a veteran member.  When he died in 2000 Al Bruno took-over as the Capo, but was killed in 2003.  Anthony Arillota was the new Capo, but the regime was decimated by prosecutions and convictions.  The following are suspected members, but the list is incomplete : -

Al Bruno / 1948-2003 killed / Capo 2000-03

Anthony Arillota / Capo 2003-

Frank Pugliano / AKA Pugs / Soldier

Amedeo Santaniello / Soldier

Felix Transghese / Soldier

Anthony Delevo / Soldier

Emilio Fusco / Soldier

Albert Calvanese / Soldier

Ralph Santaniello / Soldier

The regime is still believed to be active [2010’s], and present members can still trace their ancestry back to villages in Avellino and Salerno Provinces.

WORCESTER.

As stated above, Frank Iacone was probably inducted into the Genovese Family around the late 1920-early 1930’s period.  He likely operated alone, or with a few non-member associates.  Raymond Patriarca was born in Worcester in 1908 and was probably one of these associates.  It is difficult to assess when the faction became a regime within the Genovese Family.  Looking at the dob’s of suspected members, it was probably in the 1940’s.  According to NARA records the following were members during this period [1940-80’s] : -

Frank Iacone / 1896-1956 / born Castonor ?, Italy /  USA 1913, lived in Brooklyn / Naturalized 1937 / possible marriage link to Lombardo brothers of Boston / Conflict with Patriarca [1940’s] /Capo 1940-50’s

Francis Santo / 1908-93 / Soldier

Thomas Sanfratello / AKA Champ / 1910-91 / Soldier

Carlo Mastrototaro / 1920-2009 / Soldier 1950’s / Capo ????-2000’s

James Collaro / 1914-2004 / Soldier

Angelo Iacone / AKA Chester / 1919-91 / Soldier

Salvatore Iacone / AKA Sully / 1917-92 / Soldier

Cosmo Panarelli / AKA Pinky /1920-89 killed / Soldier

Carlo Mastrototaro continued as Capo until the 2000’s, but no other members names are known.  With his death in 2009 the regime became extinct.