THE BLACK HAND FORUM

(Rest of the first couple pages of chap. 1)


In the following weeks, the plane of Salvatore Vitale and his companion landed at Dorval Airport, now Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau. Vitale's mission is to convince and take the pulse of the bosses of the Montreal mafia, including Vito Rizzuto, whom he knows and respects. The two men share a terrible secret that has not yet come to light and that will have impacts for both clans in the years to come. When the two men leave the airport, two vehicles are waiting for them. New York visitors are surprised and worried about having to ride each separately in a car. They are not armed and several Montreal mafiosi are present, including Giuseppe Di Maulo, will later tell Vitale. Di Maulo invites Vitale to take a seat in his vehicle. The complexion of Joseph Massino's brother-in-law becomes livid. "They will bring me, they will kill me and they will bury me here, somewhere. I have no chance, I'm dead, "he thinks, swallowing his saliva.

But the car ride continues and Vitale relaxes little by little. Di Maulo makes him go sightseeing. It passes and stops in front of some buildings of Little Italy, Saint-Leonard and elsewhere in Montreal proudly announcing that they belong to them. He finally brings the visitor to a large room not far from the Consenza bar, headquarters of the Mafia Street Jarry, now missing.

Inside, about twenty "men of honor" of the Montreal mafia receive him and his flying companion, who is already there. Vito Rizzuto is here, his father, Nicolo, too. The men present have a drink and expect a lot from Vitale's visit. They believe that the latter will announce to them the name of the successor of Gerlando Sciascia. But they will be disappointed. Massino did not send Vitale to Montreal for this reason, but to try to rebuild the relationship between the two clans at a time when clouds are looming on the horizon. Vitale and his companion then return to New York. When reporting to his brother-in-law, Vitale told him that he had noticed that "the guys from Montreal" were disappointed that no one had been named to succeed "George of Canada". Massino may have had to step into the door at that moment, because when he sends his right arm back to Montreal, six months later, the tone has changed. Vital enters the same room, where are more or less the same men of honor as the first time. This time, he has an official approach to do and he moves away from a few steps with Vito Rizzuto.

- I have orders from Joe. He wants to name you officially at the head of the Montreal cell, Vitale announces him without hiding a certain pride.

Calmly, Vito Rizzuto looks at his interlocutor in the eyes and answers:

- No, I do not want it. Out of respect for my father, you give him this title, not me.

Vitale acquiesces and confirms Nicolo Rizzuto, then 75 years old, in the position of godfather of the Montreal cell of the Bonanno clan. But when Salvatore Vitale returns to Massino, he is perplexed. Later, he will tell Lorie McDougall, who visited him in New York, that it was only because of the protocol that the Montreal mafiosi agreed to receive him and that he had the impression that they laughed at him. For Vitale, the Rizzuto were already doing what they wanted. They no longer needed to ask permission in New York and they were now independent
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