Sunday 15 July 2018

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 / ?














Friday 23 March 2018

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.








  

Friday 16 March 2018

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.