The Asaros have been involved with the Bonanno family in New York City for five generations of straight father-son succession and bridge a gap between the late 1800s mafia in Castellammare Del Golfo and every generation of mafia in the 1900s and 2000s, up to present day. There may be comparable examples in organizations like the Gambino family, though I'm not aware of any examples that represent unbroken mafia lineage lasting this long.
Through multi-generational inclusion of cousins and in-laws in mafia activities and membership, the Asaros are a "clan" in every sense of the word both then and now. In addition to New York and Castellammare Del Golfo, this clan has also connected to Boston and Montreal. Most if not all generations of the clan have also produced relatives in leadership positions within the Bonanno family and there is even reason to speculate that this dates back to the 1890s in Castellammare Del Golfo. Through tracing the Asaros' roots, you will see that we can also learn a great deal about the mafia in Castellammare Del Golfo from that period.
The following information covers some earlier aspects of this group that I found particularly interesting and delves a little bit into some of their other connections. Despite its length, it is still not comprehensive and I encourage anyone to add to the discussion as they see fit. For more modern info on the Asaros, see the Gasper Valenti testimony thread and related posts.
1896 Giuseppe Costa Murder in Castellammare Del Golfo
- Current Bonanno figure Vincent Asaro's great-grandfather, Girolamo Asaro, was charged and convicted of ordering the 1896 murder of Giuseppe Costa in Castellammare Del Golfo before coming to NYC. While he was already a fugitive at the time of his 1898 trial, Asaro, then in his late-thirties, was nonetheless convicted of ordering Martino Buccellato to kill Costa, who was shot assassination-style by a hiding Buccellato.
- Other men alleged by Italian investigators to be involved in the Costa murder conspiracy with Asaro were Giuseppe Bonanno, Stefano Ingaglia, Antonino Tagliaria, Salvatore Buccellato, and brothers Vito and Vincenzo Giallo. Further investigation revealed that these men were part of an "association", described as a "society unto themselves", which will be elaborated on further below. This investigation also targeted other crimes committed by the "association".
- Murder victim Giuseppe Costa was from Castellammare Del Golfo and in his mid-thirties. He was the guard of a property bordering an estate owned by fifty-year-old "association" leader Giuseppe Ingaglia and investigators determined that Costa's murder had been premeditated, as evidenced by at least two meetings between members of the "association". Costa was said to be of "upright character" and friendly with police.
- The roots of the murder stemmed from Costa cutting vines on the vineyard of neighboring property belonging to Ingaglia. Costa had also apparently allowed cheese to be stolen from Ingaglia's son Stefano, another "association" member. Costa had also alleged that "association" member Salvatore Buccellato had stolen a dog from the property guarded by Costa and that "association" member Pietro Rondello had stolen sheep. Rondello had demanded Costa meet with Giuseppe Ingaglia to rescind this allegation, but Costa refused. Costa had also allegedly intervened in other crimes being committed by the "association" and invited police to socialize in his (Costa's) home.
- Investigators stated that the conspirators, which included "leading members" of the "association", had met at Ingaglia's home and determined that Costa was a potential informant. An additional meeting was held between Asaro, Martino Buccellato, and Stefano Ingaglia at Ingaglia's store where specifics of the murder were allegedly planned. Asaro appears to have acted in a supervisory capacity on the murder contract.
- At this second meeting, Italian investigators told the US government that the attendees "drew lots" to determine who would commit the murder and it fell on the young Buccellato. However, the original Italian investigation revealed that Martino Buccellato was chosen for the murder because of his "brutal and bloody insticts" as well as his need to "prove himself worthy of his membership" in the "criminal society". Barely over the age of twenty, Buccellato was significantly younger than most of the other conspirators and identified "association" members, which supports the investigators' conclusion that he was "proving" himself worthy of "membership".
- Following the second meeting at Ingaglia's store, Buccellato practiced shooting on the Ingaglias' property and the Giallo brothers did some work on a mill tank to deliberately make loud noises, with the goal of luring Giuseppe Costa to them, though this plan did not work out. Costa's wife begged him not to leave, suspecting he may be murdered. In the days leading up to the murder, the Costas had discovered someone put excrement on their own water tank and Costa knew who was responsible but did nothing as he already knew he was in danger. A threatening letter had also been previously found in front of Costa's home telling him to cease his opposition to the Ingaglia group's activities and referenced the Salvatore Buccellato dog theft; the letter was found with a knife belonging to one of the Giallo brothers.
- On the day of the actual murder, Martino Buccellato went into town to establish an alibi, then hurried back to where Costa was located. Witnesses saw him heading toward the site of the murder with a shotgun. One of these witnesses was the brother of victim Costa. Costa's brother also saw the Giallo brothers in the area, described as members of the "association".
- Buccellato used a shotgun to murder Costa in front of the mill in which he was living. He died instantly via buckshot to the heart. Costa's body was found in the mill and the arrangement of his body suggests a degree of ritualism: he was laid on a mattress with his arms "half-folded" and his right arm across his chest, though it is not stated whether his killers or those who discovered him moved his body. Either way, it was not the police. Investigators reported that Stefano Ingaglia was also at the scene of the crime and pretended to kiss the corpse of Costa following the murder.
- While the murder conspiracy allegedly involved many members of the "association", the investigation suggests that Girolamo Asaro supervised the murder plot carried out by Martino Buccellato. Girolamo Asaro owned property near the site of the murder and also had a brother-in-law in the area. Asaro was described as an ex-convict who was said to hold "conclaves" with his "gang" and plot crimes at the aforementioned property. Both Girolamo Asaro and Martino Buccellato became fugitives following the murder. Despite his young age, Buccellato was described by Italian authorities as deceased by 1908, indicating foul play.
- Following the Costa murder, Costa's relatives were terrified and refused to cooperate with the law out of fear. The brother of the victim Costa ran into shooter Martino Buccellato's older brother Felice, described as 26-years-old, nearly one year after the murder and greeted him. Felice Buccellato however called Costa's brother a "dog of a spy" (he probably used the term "sbirro") and expressed anger over the loss of his own brother (Martino) who was "worth his weight in gold". Buccellato brandished a knife and threatened Costa's brother, but it was broken up by a bystander, though Felice Buccellato made a comment indicating future harm to Costa. It is not clear if Martino Buccellato was already deceased by this time or if his brother was referring to Martino's fugitive status. Felice Buccellato was subsequently charged for his threats toward Costa's brother.
- Given the consistency of mafia protocol over generations and references to Asaro being a "member" of the "association", we can deduce that Girolamo Asaro was at least a made member and may have been Buccellato's sponsor if the account is true that young Buccellato "proved himself worthy of membership" with this murder. The references to Asaro plotting other crimes with his "gang" in this area could suggest Asaro was in a leadership position within the "association", too. Other information which will be mentioned later adds weight to the idea that Asaro held a significant position in the Castellammarese mafia.
"A Society Unto Themselves"
- The investigation into the murder revealed that most of these men were part of an "association" or "gang" who "constitute a society unto themselves" comprised of "criminals and relatives of criminals", and that this association does not follow the law nor does it cooperate with officers of the law. A leader of this group in Castellammare was described as Giuseppe Ingaglia, fifty-years-old, who had since delegated leadership of the group to his 26-year-old son Stefano. Both father and son were ex-convicts who had become "rich". They owned the property adjacent to the estate guarded by Costa.
- Ingaglia/Iugaglia/Ingagli are different spellings used for the above "association" leaders' surname during the investigation. It's possible their true name was Ingoglia, a name that appears in Castellammare, though I haven't been able to confirm the true spelling of these apparent mafia leaders. I am using Ingaglia for convenience, as it was one of the spellings used in the investigation and I suspect it is closer to the true name. I have not seen references to this surname among other Castellammarese mafiosi in the US or Sicily.
- In addition to leading this "association", the elder Ingaglia was said to have once led a group of bandits. Giuseppe and his son Stefano had also previously been charged with harboring the "Adragna gang" at a previous time. It should be noted that there was a trio of Adragna brothers in the US who came from Trapani province and have been identified as mafia members in Pittsburgh, San Jose, and Williamsburg (presumably Bonanno family). The Trapani connection and mafia involvement could suggest a relation.
- This "association" was said to primarily operate on Baria street in Castellammare. In this area they committed "continual crimes" and "terrorized" the less-frequented streets in the area. The group is said to have gone unpunished for their activities, as the victims of their activities did not denounce them out of fear of suffering even worse repercussions from the group.
- Members of this "association" or "gang", described as ex-convicts and "leaders" circa mid- and late- 1890s:
Giuseppe Bonanno (45, son of Giuseppe, CDG resident)
Antonino Tagliaria (32, son of Agostino, Monte San Giuliano / Trapani resident)
Vito Castiglione (30, son of Angelo, Monte San Giuliano / Custonaci resident)
Pietro Rondello (35, son of Francesco, CDG resident)
Martino Buccellato (21, son of Giovanni, CDG resident)
Giovanni Buccellato (55, son of Felice, CDG resident)
Salvatore Buccellato (52, son of Felice, CDG resident)
Vincenzo Giallo (30, son of Giuseppe, CDG resident)
Vito Giallo (37, son of Giuseppe, CDG resident)
Vincenzo Milano (50, son of Sebastiano, CDG resident)
- Though he is not included on the above list, Girolamo Asaro was described as a "member" of the same "association" during the Costa investigation.
- The above names were believed to be responsible for "many" crimes, including the conspiracy to murder Giuseppe Costa. Among specific crimes revealed during the investigation, it was alleged that some of the above members had stolen a horse, donkey, and other animals from properties in their area of residence. Attempts to arrest the members for these crimes led many of them to flee, leading to the arrests of only Stefano Ingaglia, Giovanni Buccellato, Salvatore Buccelato, and Vincenzo Milano.
- I'm unfamiliar with Italian law, especially from the 1890s, but Italian authorities appear to have bundled all of the crimes together in their prosecution of the above "association" members and targeted them for their membership in the "association". Sounds like a primitive RICO approach.
- It is obvious from surnames like Asaro, Bonanno, and Buccellato that the above "association" of "criminals and relatives of criminals" who form a "society unto themselves" in Castellammare is the mafia. This list of names is limited to what investigators described as "leading members" connected to this case, so it is clearly not the whole of the local mafia. The participation of these men in the decision to murder Giuseppe Costa adds weight to investigators' belief that these were leading members as of 1896 based on our understanding of mafia protocol, which has remained overwhelmingly consistent over countless generations.
- What stands out, too, is that the men identified in this case lived and operated around one particular street / neighborhood in the Castellammare area. It also isn't clear if Giuseppe Ingaglia was the boss of the entire Castellammarese mafia or simply the leader of this one group of men. Those alleged to be "members" and "leaders" among this group are roughly the size of a decina, which along with their involvement in one particular neighborhood could suggest this was what we would today call a "crew" though that is pure speculation and we can't be sure the Castellammarese mafia necessitated decinas at this time.
Possible "Association" Connections
- In his autobiography, NYC mafia boss Joe Bonanno says that his uncle Giuseppe "Peppe" Bonanno was a leading mafioso in Castellammare during this period and suggests he was murdered around 1899. I'm not sure what Peppe Bonanno's age was, but like the above Giuseppe Bonanno, Giuseppe "Peppe" Bonanno's father's name was also Giuseppe. It is uncommon in traditional Sicilian culture for a son to be named after his own father, so it is possible the above Giuseppe Bonanno is Joe Bonanno's uncle given this coincidence. Perhaps another researcher knows the uncle Peppe's DOB and can confirm. The investigation took place before 1899, so the uncle Peppe Bonanno would have still been alive. If Giuseppe Bonanno is Joe Bonanno's uncle Peppe, it supports Bonanno's claim that his uncle Peppe was an influential figure in the local mafia prior to his ~1899 murder.
- With the above in mind, this account completely shatters Joe Bonanno's own account of the mafia his relatives were involved with in Castellammare. His description of a noble tradition might have described an element of the mafia he grew up around, but this case shows that the mafia in Castellammare at the time of his birth was a group of violent horse and donkey thieves with criminal records who terrorized their neighbors. They even stole dogs. It is difficult to reconcile Joe Bonanno's lofty view of them with this account even if they were multi-dimensional.
- Given that both Giovanni and Salvatore Buccellato were sons of a Felice and in their 50s, they each likely had a son named Felice who would have been well into adulthood by the mid-late 1890s. The shooter in the Costa murder, Martino Buccellato, was the son of Giovanni and had an older brother named Felice who threatened to harm Costa's brother -- it is likely Martino and Felice were the sons of this Giovanni. Joe Bonanno's godfather was a Felice Buccellato who was likely part of the same generation and he became boss of Castellammare sometime before his 1921 murder. Genealogy by Buccellato descendant and author Jimmy Buccellato has confirmed that the well-known boss Felice Buccellato had a brother Martino and their father was Giovanni -- so we can be almost certain this is the same Felice Buccellato who Bonanno refers to.
- There have continued to be many Buccellatos in the Castellammare mafia in the 120+ years since the Costa murder trial and an elderly Felice Buccellato was recently arrested as a current member, so the name continues to recur. Like Felice, the name Martino Buccellato has continued to show up within the membership ranks of the Castellammare in later decades. Jimmy Buccellato has also stated that leading Bonanno member Giuseppe Buccellato had a nephew in Sicily named Martino Bonventre who was killed in the 1980s mafia wars.
- Jimmy Buccellato has also stated that Felice and Martino Buccellato had a sister who married a Magaddino and one of Felice Buccellato's daughters married an Asaro. So these families were very intertwined.
- The Costa gunman, Martino Buccellato, was said by Italian investigators to be deceased by 1908. His brother Felice's 1897 comments to Costa's brother about losing his brother could indicate he died not long after he became a fugitive in 1896 or it could have simply referred to his fugitive status. Though the exact year and cause of death are not mentioned, Martino Buccellato would have only been thirty or thirty-one at the oldest if he died by 1908. The timeline of Buccellato's death could fit with Joe Bonanno's description of the war between the Buccellato and Bonanno-Magaddino factions for control of the Castellammare mafia. Bonanno reports that multiple Buccellatos were killed by his relatives during this general period and given Martino's youth and role as a shooter in 1896, he would have been a likely target to the rival faction.
- The men from Monte San Giuliano in the "association" stand out, as future San Francisco boss Michael Abati was from Monte San Giuliano and married a woman from Castellammare Del Golfo, then later retired to Castellammare after he stepped down as boss. Before San Francisco, Abati lived in Erie, PA, which was controlled by the Buffalo family, known for its leading Castellammarese faction. This 1896 investigation indicates that Monte San Giuliano, though much closer to the city of Trapani, had close involvement with the Castellammarese family.
- The Giallo brothers were brothers-in-law of Vito Castiglione, described as a "chief leader" among the group. A younger Vito Giallo from Castellammare was arrested in the US in 1919 and has been connected to figures from the infamous Castellammarese "Good Killers". Bill Feather has stated another Vito Giallo, or possibly the same one, was also a partner of Castellammarese Buffalo figure Paolo Palmieri in the 1940s.
- There is no reason to suspect murder victim Giuseppe Costa was involved with the mafia given his close relationship with the law and the nature of his conflict with the "association". However, Costa's mother was a Garofalo from Castellammare, a surname that would produce influential Castellammarese mafia figures in New York City.
- Future Asaro in-laws the Zaffaranos have close cousins named Costa who moved with the Zaffaranos to Florida in the 1980s. It is a common enough Italian name and likely a coincidence.
The Asaros Come to America
- Girolamo Asaro became a fugitive following the 1896 murder and was not detained prior to the 1898 trial, where he was convicted in absentia and sentenced to life in prison.
- Asaro took on the alias "Vincenzo Fudera" as a fugitive. The similar surname Fodera is commonly found in Castellammare, so it may have been a variation. His eldest son Mariano Asaro entered the US in 1902, suggesting Girolamo was in the US by this time. Later, by Girolamo's own admission, he claimed to have entered in early 1902. There is no reason to doubt this, though the nature of his arrival and deceptive lifestyle make it difficult to know for sure.
- Asaro had an international warrant out for his arrest via the Kingdom of Italy. Girolamo Asaro was finally arrested at a saloon at 237 Elizabeth street in Lower Manhattan, NYC, in 1908. He was located at least in part because of a "threatening letter" sent by Asaro to a Carlo Stea in NYC. Stea was from Bari, making his own early mafia membership unlikely and indicates that this could have been a "black hand" style extortion attempt by Asaro or another attempt at intimidation. Nonethless, it indicates that Asaro resumed illegal activities in NYC after his arrival from Castellammare.
- Asaro had long been pursued by detectives working on behalf of Italian authorities and they were able to deduce that "Fudera" was Asaro, the man wanted in the Italian Costa murder. In fact, it was Joseph Petrosino who made the arrest and identified "Fudera" as Asaro. Petrosino entered the saloon and addressed Asaro by his true name, at which point Asaro responded as himself, though he denied having participated in the Costa murder. Petrosino's role in the case is further indication of Asaro's mafia involvement.
- Asaro attempted to identify himself as "Fudera" at police headquarters but they eventually brought his son Giuseppe Asaro to the station and asked him to identify his father among a group of men. The younger Asaro identified the correct man as his father and before leaving the son gave Girolamo a pack of cigars. Giuseppe Asaro is believed to have later become a Bonanno member, so it is interesting that he was cooperative with the police concerning his father's identity. Girolamo Asaro subsequently admitted his true identity and that his hometown was Castellammare, stating he entered the US in February 1902, which matches with his eldest son Mariano's arrival year.
- During his police interviews, Asaro stated his father was named Giuseppe and mother was Anna Sarcona, though it is not clear if this was in reference to his true name or his Fudera alias. Italian investigators repeatedly stated during their investigation that Girolamo father's name was Mariano and this is reinforced by his eldest son's name, Mariano. A defense witness from Castellammare who claimed to know Asaro as "Fudera" in Italy said the father's name was Giuseppe Fudera/Fudiara, suggesting Asaro was sticking with that persona. Either that, or he was attempting to trick them into believing he was a different Girolamo Asaro given that the Italian warrant for his arrest explicitly stated "son of Mariano" as was typical of Italian reports -- by stating he was named Girolamo Asaro, but with a different father, it would create doubt that he was the same one. In fact, Asaro's defense included testimony from a different Girolamo Asaro from Castellammare and references to other Girolamo Asaros from his hometown.
- Asaro was living at 10 Prince Street, Lower Manhattan, at the time of his 1908 arrest. A Castellammarese neighbor who lived on Prince Street testified that he knew Asaro as Vincenzo Fudera in Italy and went to his place business, where he sold wine. Others from Castellammare also testified they knew him as Fudera/Fudiara, including Giuseppe Borruso, a former representative of the mayor of Castellammare who also served as a councilman and became a pharmacist after coming to NYC. Borruso was related to at least one branch of the Asaro family via an elder political figure in Castellammare named Bartolomeo Asaro. One of the Castellammarese defense witnesses was named Andrea Restivo, a name that would show up among later Bonanno members though the Bonanno members were from Partanna, Trapani.
- It's unclear if it is the same saloon where he was arrested, but Asaro ran his own saloon on Elizabeth street which the above pharmacist testified was frequented by many paesani from Castellammare. Asaro was seated as a patron at the saloon he was arrested in.
- Though Asaro was convicted in absentia in 1898 and sentenced to life imprisonment in Italy, where authorities still aggressively pursued him, US law determined that a conviction in Italy did not translate to conviction in the US, only an accusation, and US courts determined that the evidence against Asaro in Italy translated to hearsay. As a result, Asaro was released on bail the same year he was arrested, 1908.
- Two men who paid to secure Asaro's bail were Carlo Costantino and Antonio Bagarozy. Carlo Costantino, said to live at 778 Myrtle Ave in Brooklyn, was identified in the May 2014 issue of the Informer Journal as a leading member of the Paolo Orlando mafia family that would become the Schiro and Bonanno family, which further supports the idea that Asaro was a member of the Orlando family. Costantino attended a dinner with boss of bosses Giuseppe Morello to greet Vito Cascio Ferro when he arrived years earlier, further suggesting he was a high-ranking member. Costantino was also a suspected conspirator in the Joe Petrosino murder. Records show that Bagarozy was the correct spelling used by a man (b. 1873) who lived in Manhattan and later lived in the Bronx and worked as a theater agent on Broadway. He was from Basilicata, Italy, making a mafia connection to Asaro less clear than Costantino, though he owned property on Elizabeth street so that may be how he knew Asaro.
Letter from the Elder Stefano Magaddino
- A letter found in Asaro's possession following his arrest was from "M.Stefano" and Stefano addressed Asaro as "My much esteemed friend and more than brother." Stefano stated he was still waiting for news from "friends of our heart." This language is similar to how mafiosi of the era addressed other mafiosi in letters.
- The primary purpose of the letter was to discuss an issue between Vito Bonventre and Stefano. Stefano, the writer, states that "all his friends were sorry for his (Bonventre's) father's disaster" and states that "we all did something but we could not succeed". Stefano states that whatever happened to Bonventre's father was "not a hand of these places but a stranger's hand" and uses the word "assafatamente" (?). It sounds like he is referring to some offense done toward Vito Bonventre's father, possibly violence, and is stating that it was done by outsiders and not the Castellammarese.
- Strikingly, Stefano says "you must believe for that oath you had me take," indicating Asaro may have inducted Stefano into the mafia. He then says that he (Stefano) is "not like Vito Bonventre" and appears to refer to a letter he received from Bonventre. Stefano quotes Bonventre as saying that he (Bonventre) had shown goodness to "Magaddino Ste-" and was not rewarded, but the writer Stefano then says he did not "give in" to these remarks due to his own character, and how Bonventre's remarks make his (Bonventre's) character look worse.
- It is clear from the context of the above statement that "Magaddino Ste-" is self-referential to the writer of the letter, who signs his name "M.Stefano". It was common for Italians to put last name or initial first, so we can easily deduce that the writer is Stefano Magaddino. This is not Joe Bonanno's well-known cousin Stefano Magaddino, but Joe Bonanno's older uncle Stefano Magaddino who is discussed at length by Bonanno in his autobiography. "Uncle" Stefano Magaddino was described by Joe Bonanno as a top member of the Castellammarese mafia during this time and may have become boss for a time.
- Magaddino wants Asaro to send a message to Vito Bonventre that he "should learn to speak before he attempts to fool me," indicating Bonventre is in the USA. He also refers to Bonventre as a "venomous goat" and mentions Bonventre's attempts to "mollify" Magaddino. He states that if Bonventre returns to Italy "he will fix all of which he is accused" and "then will come the hour for settling accounts." The "settling of accounts" appears to be a threatening statement and given the earlier reference to a "disaster" that had happened to Bonventre's father at someone's hand, we can speculate that this branch of the Bonventre family may have been in conflict with others in Castellammare.
- The Vito Bonventre referred to here is likely not Joe Bonanno's uncle Vito (b. 1891), who was still a teenager at this time and a nephew of Magaddino; that Vito Bonventre would coincidentally also marry Girolamo Asaro's daughter. This is more likely a reference to the other Vito Bonventre (b. 1875) who was a high-ranking Schiro member killed during the Castellammarese War and among the more prominent Castellammarese in NYC during the first decades of the 20th century. This Vito Bonventre's father was Gaspare, so the father who suffered some "disaster" at someone's hands as referenced early in the letter would likely be named Gaspare Bonventre.
- Stefano also refers to a "friend" named "Gregorio" who Magaddino says "the coresponsibility is not mine because before we all made up he was at Mazzara." Mazzara del Vallo is a town in Trapani. Magaddino asks Asaro to give this Gregorio his regards, so he is another figure in the US. The mention of "coresponsibility" indicates this Gregorio may be involved in mafia activities in the US as well and the context suggests that Magaddino has a favorable opinion of "Gregorio" but cannot take responsibility for him because Gregorio was affiliated with Mazzara del Vallo, not Castellammare. We know from the Giuseppe Morello letters that protocol required US-based members to check with hometown paesani and this could be an example of that. While "Gregorio" was connected to Mazzara, it's possible that "Gregorio" had ties to Castellammare given that Magaddino was consulted; if this is the case, "Gregorio" could be a reference to the common Castellammarese mafia surname "DiGregorio".
- Magaddino also refers to his nephew "Salvatore" but says he cannot "take the liberty" at the time of the writing. This very well might be a reference to Salvatore Bonanno, father of Joe, who married Magaddino's niece Catherine Bonventre. In his book, Joe Bonanno implies that his father killed two of the Buccellatos in Sicily during this period and in 1908 Salvatore Bonanno came to the US. Given that Magaddino was not at "liberty" to discuss his nephew Salvatore in detail, it may have involved these matters.
- Magaddino also sends regards to "Don Filippo" and sends "much esteem" and "regards from all our people." He also references his (Magaddino's) brother sending "heartfelt salutations." Magaddino had two brothers, Giuseppe and Giovanni. Giovanni was the father of Gaspare, Stefano, and Antonino Magaddino who would become Schiro and then Buffalo members, though Joe Bonanno says Giovanni Magaddino was not close to his uncle Stefano. On the other hand, Bonanno says Giuseppe Magaddino was like a "counselor" to the uncle Stefano, so this may be the brother referred to here.
- Again, Magaddino closes the letter in similar terms, calling Asaro "affectionate friend and more than a brother."
- This is a lot to take in and opens the door for many questions. Was the elder Stefano Magaddino inducted by Girolamo Asaro? The oath statement suggests this, though the translation may have made it seem more specific to Asaro than was intended. Still, we can see from this letter and the 1896 murder investigation that Asaro was an important figure in the Castellammare mafia and he continued to serve as an important point of contact for Castellammarese mafiosi in NYC. The marriage of Asaro's daughter to Stefano Magaddino's nephew Vito Bonventre and this letter show that there was a close relationship between these clans.
- This letter also indicates that the other Vito Bonventre may not have been held in high favor by the Magaddino-Bonventre-Bonanno clan despite being a second cousin, as Bonventre is described by Joe Bonanno. Joe Bonanno's autobiography also lends itself to this low opinion Magaddino has of Bonventre -- Joe Bonanno describes this Vito Bonventre as a capodecina in the Schiro family who was under consideration to replace Schiro but was considered a poor candidate by the younger Stefano Magaddino, as Magaddino said Bonventere was "weak and loves his money too much," leading to Maranzano's election as the new boss. So we can see that both Stefano Magaddino the uncle and the nephew had a low opinion of Vito Bonventre spanning over twenty years.
A Different Magaddino and Tragic Death
- Buffalo boss Stefano Magaddino refers to the elder Girolamo Asaro in a January 1965 office recording while meeting with Bonanno figures Paul Sciacca and an unidentified elderly member. Magaddino says the elder Girolamo Asaro was "here" and that Magaddino and Girolamo's son Vincenzo were "together" in both New York and Boston. Magaddino references Girolamo's death in a house fire and how he attended Asaro's funeral with future Detroit boss Gaspare Milazzo and "Peppino Bonipito" (ph).
- Magaddino's references to both New York and Boston in connection with the elder Asaro are supported by records. While Girolamo Asaro lived on Prince Street in NYC at the time of his 1908 arrest, he and his family moved to Boston area sometime following his release on bail, where death records confirm Magaddino's account that Asaro died in a house fire in January 1912. Girolamo's eldest son Mariano "Morris" was also living in Boston at this time, as evidenced by the 1912 birth of a son, though he would be in NYC by 1915. It is not clear if Girolamo's other sons Vincenzo and Giuseppe were living in Boston.
- Asaro was buried in Springfield, MA, which explains why Magaddino described staying overnight. Magaddino says he helped Asaro's son Vincenzo in the aftermath of his father's death and that he (Magaddino) "fixed everything" for Vincenzo, suggesting the young Magaddino may have assisted in the funeral arrangements or other details related to Girolamo's death. "Peppino Bonipito" could be a phonetic reference to Giuseppe Bonventre, a brother of the Vito Bonventre who married Asaro's daughter and is believed to have been a Schiro member in NYC at this time.
- Magaddino also states that either Girolamo or his son Vincenzo was a butcher who taught Magaddino how to cut meat, though it is difficult to tell which he is referring to. Magaddino was twenty years old at the time of Girolamo Asaro's death and Vincenzo Asaro was around the same age. Later records show that Vincenzo Asaro was employed in the garment industry, so if he was the butcher referred to as Magaddino, he did not stay in that trade. Given this statement and Magaddino's possible assistance with the funeral, along with attendance alongside Castellammarese mafiosi, it can be easily deduced that Girolamo Asaro was a well-known mafia figure among the Castellammarese who had an impact on Magaddino following his arrival to the US several years earlier. The early letter from Stefano Magaddino's namesake uncle to Asaro and the marriage of Magaddino's cousin Vito Bonventre to Asaro's daughter make Magaddino's relationship to the Asaros a given.
Why Boston?
- It's possible that the "heat" on Asaro related to his Italian murder conviction and 1908 arrest by NYC detectives impacted his move to Boston. He was released on bail and the Kingdom of Italy was attempting to appeal the US's decision. His past as a fugitive make it likely that he wanted to leave NYC for another location where he was less well known.
- Future Boston boss Gaspare Messina was from Salemi, Trapani, and was still living in Brooklyn at the time Asaro lived in Boston. Messina is believed to have been a member of the Schiro family given his Trapani origins. Virtually all mafiosi from Trapani province in the United States were under the influence of the Orlando-Schiro-Bonanno network, including Los Angeles boss Rosario Desimone and influential factions in Detroit, San Francisco, Buffalo, Pittston, and Philadelphia. Like the tight-knit Palermitani, Corleonesi, and Agrigentini networks, the Trapanese network was equally tight-knit, with these different networks forming the backbone of the collective international mafia network. As evidenced by figures like Joe Bonanno and Nick Gentile's accounts of travel, mafiosi tended to go to places where they had an existing foundation -- mafiosi from their hometown or province.
- In addition to Gaspare Messina, a generation of mafiosi who took leading positions in Boston in the years after Asaro's death included consigliere Frank Cucchiara and capodecina Joseph Lombardo, both from Salemi like Messina. Coincidentally, Paul Sciacca who Magaddino was speaking with on the 1965 recording was also from Salemi, further indication that Salemi paesani tended to be Schiro-Bonanno members in NYC. Salemi neighbors Santa Ninfa and Partanna in Sicily, villages that also produced early Schiro-Bonanno members including Benny Gallo, Giuseppe Grimaldi, and Biagio Restivo, plus their descendents.
- Asaro's earlier residence in Boston prior to Messina, Cucchiara, and Lombardo could be an indication that the Trapanese pipeline to Boston goes back to the pre-Messina period where little is known about the make-up of the Boston organization. Rarely did mafiosi make "cold calls" when visiting or moving to a new area, usually joining paesani, relatives, and/or existing mafia contacts -- usually all of the above. In those years, as evidenced by Nick Gentile, most mafiosi also formally transferred membership to the local area they moved to, which could indicate Girolamo Asaro was a member of the early Boston family at the time of his 1912 death.
- Gaspare Messina is coincidentally mentioned by Magaddino during the same 1965 conversation with Bonanno members where he discusses the Asaros, though the discussion of Messina seemingly relates to his role as acting capo dei capi during the Castellammarese war period and does not connect to Asaro. Nonetheless, it shows that Messina was still a familiar name to these Buffalo and Bonanno figures even in 1965.
Asaro's Sons
- Another letter in Girolamo's possession at the time of his 1908 arrest was from Pietro Barone in Castellammare. This letter made reference to his son Mariano, saying that Mariano Asaro would "do his best to make money" and "be like your right arm." Barone said it was "good fortune" for everyone that Girolamo Asaro arrived in America. Barone also said if he were 25 or 30 years younger he would move to America but because of his age he could not "do all that I wished to do" and as a result did not want to run the risk of being deported.
- Mariano Asaro is the only one of Girolamo's sons who has not been identified as a Bonanno member but the nature of this letter, specifically Mariano becoming like his mafioso father's "right arm" and Barone's suspicious references to his own deportation fears could put a mafia spin on these statements.
- Mariano was born in 1886 and died in 1942, living in 1930 near Flatlands, then at the time of his death near Ozone Park where the other descendants of Girolamo would settle and engage in mafia activity. The mafia activities of Mariano's father, brothers, brother-in-law, and their descendants show that Mariano was surrounded by mafiosi and given his age and 1942 date of death we might simply lack the contemporary sources to identify him as a member, unlike his brothers who lived long enough for later sources to identify them.
- Girolamo's son Giuseppe has been identified by one source as an early Bonanno member. Born in 1890, Giuseppe also settled in the Ozone Park area like his brother Mariano, though unlike brother Vincenzo it doesn't appear Giuseppe had any children who would join the Bonanno family. Giuseppe was arrested for bootlegging in the 1920s. He appears to have died in the mid-1960s.
- After referencing Girolamo Asaro's death on the January 1965 tape, Buffalo boss Stefano Magaddino further discusses his relationship with Girolamo's son Vincenzo, who would become a capodecina under Joe Bonanno. Magaddino describes Vincenzo Asaro as a "big bull in a china shop," which appears to be a family quality, as his grandson and namesake Vincent was described by all witnesses in his trial as quick to anger and destructive impulses.
- Vincenzo Asaro was born in 1892, charged in a 1930 murder and had bootlegging convictions during the 1930s. Despite close historic ties and relation to the Magaddino-Bonventre-Bonanno clan, Asaro was allegedly demoted from his capodecina position by Joe Bonanno and Asaro reportedly sided with the DiGregorio faction during the 1960s internal conflict within the family. He died in 1970.
- A lesser-known son was Michele, youngest of Girolamo's sons. I haven't found any information other than he was born in 1895, died in 1984, and lived in Brooklyn.
Asaro's Grandsons
- Vincenzo's sons Jerome "Jerry" (b.1913) and Joseph "Josie" (b.1919) became Bonanno members by the 1950s, as confirmed by many sources. Jerry Asaro operated in the Ozone Park area and would later be in his brother-in-law Mickey Zaffarano's decina. Asaro was involved in criminal activity, though unlike his father, brother-in-law, son, and grandson he never rose higher than soldier in the Bonanno family.
- Jerome Asaro would prove to be active in the 1960s and into the 1970s, as evidenced by his 1970 arrest alongside leading Bonanno figures Paul Sciacca, Natale Evola, Philip Rastelli, Mike Sabella, Vincent Morsellino, and other mafia members and associates. His nephew Gasper Valenti described Jerry Asaro as a low-key but nonetheless active supervisor of Bonanno associates through the middle of the 1970s.. Inactive in his later years, Asaro died in 1977.
- Vincenzo's son Joseph Asaro was inducted in NYC, but fled to Montreal as a federal fugitive in the 1950s, where he was employed by Bonanno capodecina Vic Cotroni. In the 1960s, the FBI stated the belief that Asaro was a member of the Bonanno decina under Cotroni and reported that Asaro made contact with Joe Bonanno when Joe Bonanno visited Canada.
- Magaddino also makes mention of Joseph Asaro in his January 1965 discussion of the other Asaros. Magaddino strongly disliked Joseph, telling a story about Asaro's attendance at the 1957 funeral of Magaddino's brother Gaspare Magaddino (a Buffalo member). At the funeral, Joseph Asaro openly disparaged other Bonanno members and leaders in earshot of other mafiosi. An offended Magaddino reported this to "Ciccino" in New York (most likely underboss Frank Garofalo), who passed the info to Joe Bonanno. Bonanno sought Magaddino's counsel on how to handle Asaro's infraction and Magaddino felt it reflected poorly on Bonanno's leadership to ask Magaddino's opinion on how to punish his own soldier. Asaro, Magaddino, Garofalo, and Bonanno were all of Castellammarese heritage.
- Joseph Asaro's attendance at Gaspare Magaddino's 1957 service shows the recurring connections between the Asaros and Magaddinos over the decades: the <1908 letter from the elder Stefano Magaddino to Girolamo Asaro; the younger Stefano Magaddino's assistance and attendance at Girolamo's 1912 Boston funeral; Girolamo's grandson Joseph's attendance at Gaspare Magaddino's 1957 Buffalo funeral. Joseph Asaro appears to have visited the Magaddino funeral on a visit from Montreal.
- A 1966 raid by Canadian LE revealed a meeting between Josie Asaro, his visiting father Vincenzo, and the Cotronis. Joseph Asaro was subsequently sent back to New York to serve an unspecified prison sentence. I can't confirm Joseph Asaro's DOD, though some have suggested it was around 1973. I've seen nothing to indicate he remained active post-Montreal and have had difficulty tracing his trajectory in the years before his death.
Modern Asaros and Enduring Connections
- Both Vincent Asaro and cousin Gasper Valenti started as associates "on record" with Vincent's father Jerry Asaro. Valenti and Bonanno underboss Sal Vitale both acknowledged having heard of Vincent's namesake grandfather's earlier membership in the Bonanno family during their testimony in the Asaro trial. They were no doubt unaware of the elder Girolamo Asaro, whose mafia activities appear to have primarily taken place in Sicily and who only spent a short time in NYC before his 1912 Boston death over two decades before Vincent Asaro was even born.
- While Vincent Asaro is an Americanized NYC-born mafia figure who has long associated with non-Sicilian underworld figures in the Ozone Park and Howard Beach area, including the Gotti Bergin crew and Irish-American gangster Jimmy Burke, testimony and available information also confirms close relationships with Sicilian figures, particularly those associated with the Queens Bonanno faction. Jerry Capeci has reported that Asaro has in recent years been viewed as a respected figure among the Bonanno family's Sicilian faction along with Vito Grimaldi, also of Trapanese heritage. Jerry Capeci also reported that Asaro is known for speaking Sicilian phrases.
- Valenti testified to a close relationship between Asaro and Castellammarese-born Bonanno mafia figures Cesare Bonventre and Baldo Amato during the 1980s. Asaro, Bonventre, and Amato were all members of Asaro's uncle Mickey Zaffarano's decina in the late 1970s. Valenti's testimony reported that Asaro conversed with Cesare Bonventre and Baldo Amato in Sicilian.
- 2013 FBI surveillance showed Asaro at a Bonanno social club with NYC-based Sicilian mafia figure Sergio Gucciardi who has been connected by Italian authorities to the mafia in Sciacca and Castellammare Del Golfo.
- Cesare Bonventre's relation to the other Castellammarese Bonventres has not been determined, though it is an interesting coincidence if nothing else given the Asaro family's historic and current ties to the Bonventre name. I believe Cesare's father was named Vito, like Girolamo's son-in-law, potentially suggesting common lineage.
- Vincent Asaro was promoted to capodecina in 1993 but in subsequent years was demoted, with his son Jerry replacing him. Jerry was proposed for membership in the 1980s and inducted in the early 1990s. Jerry Asaro has remained a capodecina since the 1990s, one of the the longest standing family leaders.
- Former Bonanno boss turned government witnesss Joe Massino testified that one of his first choices to be part of the Bonanno family's ruling panel circa late 2004 and early 2005 was Jerry Asaro, though Asaro's legal troubles and the family's meltdown in leadership prevented this from taking place.
- Vincent Asaro was promoted back to capodecina of a new crew in the 2010s and served on the family's ruling panel.
- We have seen that members of the Asaro crew(s) often have heritage in Trapani province. Asaro crew members Gasper Cammarata's heritage traces to Partanna and the Grimaldis trace to Santa Ninfa, while the Bonventres are Castellammarese like the Asaros.
Asaro In-Laws and Other Relatives
- The elder Girolamo Asaro's daughter, sister of Mariano, Vincenzo, and Giuseppe, married Bonanno member Vito Bonventre, uncle of Joe Bonanno. Vito's brothers Pietro and Giovanni were also members of the Bonanno family, and it is likely their other brother Giuseppe was also a member in Brooklyn prior to his 1925 death. Giuseppe Bonventre might be the "Peppino Bonepito" (ph) described by Stefano Magaddino as attending Girolamo Asaro's 1912 funeral in Boston alongside Magaddino and Gaspare Milazzo.
- Two living Bonanno members in the Asaro crew, Antonino Bonventre and his son Giacomo "Jack", are described by the Asaros as cousins. Jack Bonventre has periodically served as Jerry Asaro's acting capodecina on a consistent basis for the past 16 years. Testimony by Asaro cousin Gasper Valenti revealed that Bonventre had an active role leading the affairs of the Asaro crew and was responsible in the 2010s for proposing members for induction.
-Jack Bonventre was acting boss Tommy DiFiore's choice for consigliere in the 2010s, though Bonventre turned down the promotion. While the exact relation can't be determined, it is possible they trace these Bonventres trace their Asaro relation back to Vito Bonventre's marriage to Vincent Asaro's great-aunt unless a more recent marriage has taken place between Asaro and Bonventre relatives. Sicilian culture, especially in the mafia, is known for its use of the term "cousin" even generations removed.
- Following prison sentences for both Jerry Asaro and Jack Bonventre, the Asaro crew has been run by Ronnie Giallanzo, a nephew of Vincent Asaro and first cousin of Jerry. Giallanzo's brother Bobby has also been identified as an associate though his current activities are not known to me.
- Another daughter of Girolamo Asaro married a Giuseppe Giordano. While I can't determine Giordano's heritage, there were mafia-connected Giordanos from Castellammare who would produce future Bonanno "zip" figure Santo Giordano. Santo Giordano's uncle was a Gaspare Bonventre, so we can see recurring names in these relations.
- Bonanno member Mickey Zaffarano married Vincenzo Asaro's daughter Rosalie (named for his mother, Girolamo's wife who died along with him in the 1912 fire) in 1956. Like his father-in-law, Zaffarano would become a Bonanno capodecina. Vincent reported to Zaffarano until Zaffarano's 1980 death, at which point many of Zaffarano's associates were re-assigned to Asaro. Zaffarano is well-known for his heavy-handed involvement in the pornography industry -- these interests were inherited by Zaffarano's son under the direction of Vincent Asaro.
Other Possible Mafia Relations
- Another Asaro made into the Bonanno family is Andrew Asaro (b.1927). Asaro was inducted in the 1970s and does not appear to have lived near nor associated with the other Asaros in the Bonanno family. He died in New Jersey in 1991. While I initially struggled to make the connection, I have found records that confirm Andrew Asaro is a cousin of the well-known Asaros. Andrew Asaro's father Giuseppe was the nephew of Girolamo Asaro. Andrew was born in Brooklyn and as a boy his father Giuseppe moved the family to New Jersey. Andrew Asaro continued to live in NJ as a Bonanno member. Like Girolamo Asaro's daughter's marriage to a Giordano, Andrew's great-aunt in Castellammare was also a Giordano, suggesting deeper ties in Sicily to the Giordano name. Also, Andrew's mother was from Monte San Giuliano, like some of the figures linked to the "association" Girolamo Asaro was involved with in Sicily.
- Current Castellammare Del Golfo mafia boss Mariano Asaro lived in America for period, earning him the nickname "the American" among Sicilian mafiosi. Italian authorities have stated that Asaro served as a liaison between Sicily and the United States though the extent of his contact with US mafia families while living here is not known to me.
- In July 2020, Mariano Asaro was arrested as the sitting Castellammare mafia boss. This followed the June arrest of the Castellammarese capomandamento of Alcamo Francesco Domingo and many other mafiosi in Castellammare, including an elderly Felice Buccellato, showing that in both 1896 and 2020 the surnames Asaro and Buccellato remain a part of the Castellammare mafia.
- The above investigation revealed renewed relationships between the US Bonanno family and the mafia in Castellammare Del Golfo, including meetings, messages, and favor requests. It is likely that Mariano Asaro was privy to these contacts given his status as a capomafia under Domingo. The investigation also revealed contact with Sciacca mafia boss Accursio Dimino, whose affiliates have ties to the Bonanno family.
- Mariano Asaro has been alleged by some sources to be a distant cousin of Vincent Asaro. The father of Vincent's mafioso great-grandfather, Girolamo, was also named Mariano Asaro and so was Vincent's great-uncle. Given the Sicilian naming tradition, this could suggest a common ancestor. Given Girolamo's involvement with the Castellammare mafia in the 1890s, there may have been other Asaro relatives who remained in Castellammare that eventually produced current Castellammare boss Mariano Asaro.
- At the time he became a fugitive in the late 1890s, the elder Girolamo had a sister-in-law in Castellammare with the surname Fracorsi. I am unfamiliar with mafiosi of this name, but only mention it as a possible connection because it is likely Girolamo Asaro had other mafioso relatives in Sicily prior to leaving for the US. Due to limited records, it is difficult to determine all of the relationships that may have existed in the Asaro family tree pre-1900s.
- Early Schiro-Bonanno figure Santo Vultaggio's mother was an Asaro and he was born in Castellammare. Asaro is a common surname in Castellammare, though his membership in the mafia would make a potential connection more likely.
- Though Girolamo Asaro gave authorities the wrong name for his father, he told them that his mother's name was Rose Sarcona. Whether this was true or not, there was a Luca Sarcona from Castellammare Del Golfo who was murdered in Detroit in 1919 in an apparent mafia murder.
- Thank you to Jimmy Buccellato and Chris Christie, we know that Bartolomeo Asaro was a leading political figure in Castellammare during the 1860s. He also had a son named Girolamo Asaro, not to be confused with the one referenced throughout this post. Bartolomeo Asaro was married into the Borrusos, another local political family. Given this relation between Bartolomeo Asaro and the Borrusos, it is likely no coincidence that Giuseppe Borruso testified on the mafioso Girolamo Asaro's behalf during this 1908 extradition trial.
- Jimmy Buccellato also identified a Giovanni Asaro as an influential figure in early Castellammare, possibly connected to Bartolomeo.
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Conclusion
A lot of information but I believe it speaks for itself. The Asaros are a true product of the mafia phenomenon and they prove that as much as circumstances change, the mafia itself stays relatively similar over time and place. We see recurring names, a tendency to favor relatives, and enduring connections based on shared hometown and regional heritage.
That the Asaros show connections between Castellammare Del Golfo, New York City, Montreal, and even Boston is helpful to understanding mafia history. That they are still a well-known name in the New York Bonanno family is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their deep roots in the mafia tree. Even with all of the above information, it's likely we don't know the full extent of their roots, either, especially as they relate to pre-1900s Castellammare Del Golfo.
Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
Moderator: Capos
Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
Last edited by B. on Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:40 pm, edited 6 times in total.
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scagghiuni
- Full Patched
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Re: Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
i read that in the late 1800s there were several trials against mafia groups in the provinces of palermo and agrigento but i never heard any in trapani, obviously that so called 'association' was the mafia and i 'm almost sure that the document written by a general prosecutor of trapani in 1838 was also talking of the mafia although with another name
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Angelo Santino
- Filthy Few
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Re: Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
There was the kidnapping of Duke Calvino in the 1883:
"Universally, he wrote, it is believed that the organization of crime that concerns us took place in Paceco by means of an association of criminals, tending to commit crimes against people or property, and whose area would extend to Trapani, Monte S Giuliano, Salemi and Castellammare; but then, after reviewing the individuals that make it up, he closed his famous relationship with the following words:
"This office has no facts, or special elements to be administered to justice against the aforementioned individuals, because none of them have been reported; but he can safely say that they are considered capable of getting ugly in any filth, and their names are indicated with the utmost reserve and circumspection in the ears of all officials as perfidious and affiliated with the mafia and therefore feared in the country. "
"Seven have been exiled as innocent, and one, Michele Tedesco, has been placed in reserve or available. Later in a more accurate review, the Tedesco accusations were also recognized as insufficient, and he too was released from the noble functions of the leadership of the command, and left in service of the association with the humble position of advocate. The tireless magistrate, who directs our Royal Prosecutor, armed with courage and intelligence, has also deluded himself to reach the leaders of the association of evildoers, but, in his long and difficult journey, he met a forest in front of his eyes wild and harsh and strong. In exchange for the big monster, who disappeared as if by magic, he, with his magnifying glass, gave us to observe four little monsters of new species, that is, four sections of the criminal association. The first, that of Borgo and Paceco is two-headed, and the two heads are (Leonardo) Isca and (FNU) Lentini. The second, that of Monte e Misericordia, is led by Giovanni Pace. The third, that of Macari and S. Vito, is directed by Vincenzo Gambicchia. In the last one in Castellammare, the microscope barely arrives, as there are two heads, the visible head which is Paolo Valenti intended Naschino, and the invisible head, the elegant adventurer Francesco Plescia. Finally the sentence of the Section of Accusation came and he buried suddenly, with his eloquent silence, all the leaders of the association of criminals, while persisting, without direction and command, to consider it existing. Let us discuss, therefore, as we so wish, this new form of the criminal association."
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"The barber, declares to have learned from the sailor Di Liberti, in early December, the people who besides them, they kept the Duke Calvino hidden; that is, the Renda, Spataro, Como, Asaro, Genna, Valenti, and he does not blush to conclude that he moved to send that letter, because he asked for money and did not want to give it to him."
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Nobile declares in his written examination that Di Liberti confided to him in the countryside for the strange request of a rifle or rifle, considered indispensable for the release of the Duke, and in the oral examination he repeats that all this happened to the navy, and he no longer speaks rifle and rifle: Nobile insists on justifying his propalations for refusing money, while he has not been able to demonstrate to whom, where and when he asked for them: Nobile and Russo bring out, with the names Paolo Valenti, those of Asaro and Como, as accomplices of the extortion and kidnapping, and these wretched peasants are recognized as innocent and later acquitted.
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However, a very serious doubt troubles the test, and it is justice to appreciate it in all its parts. To say that Valenti was once sentenced and that, as soon as the trial began, he became a fugitive, is to say little or nothing. The sentence, dusted in the old archives, took place in 1868 only by receiving stolen goods, and was canceled by a long period of work and calm.
His escape from his native place, after the arrest warrant, originated from the strong desire not to be subjected to handcuffs, violence and prison, like the other judges, and can be considered forgotten and buried from the day he came here freely, innanti to the Instructor, to be interrogated. If you really wanted to find a clue in its past, remember, gentlemen, that its name appeared for the first time in the prefectural report of 5 November 1883, as one of the components of the famous association of evildoers, together with thirty-three others, among whom there was also that of the brother Andrea, of Giuseppe Bonanno understood as Valenti and of this Baron, born and domiciled in Castellammare.
Now, nearly a third of the reported people came to the police reins, arrested; but Paolo Valenti, despite the suspicions, was left free, and did not run away, and remained calm in his own country.
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"When Genna (and this requested by the Instructor) came to see me at the marina followed by the unknown one, I asked him if the latter that I had noticed of an advantageous stature was Paolo Naschino, or Peppe Bonanno, to whom that stature corresponded, and Genna replied thus: "what must you do? think for yourself": and it was then that I did not insist, realizing that Genna wanted to keep it secret.
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Why has not been investigated well on the account of Giuseppe Bonanno, which in the search certificate on f. 17 vol. Are you qualified for Giuseppe Bonanno or Valenti meaning Naschino? he was not once charged with extortion against Mr. Galante and then freed from the prosecution section? was not the gabelloto of the lands near the Pedale cave together with the Ruvolo of Alcamo, where did you leave a letter to get the price of the blackmail? didn't his stature match that of the hooded man? Why make Paolo Valenti the victim at any cost, while Genna, requested by Renda, did not want to reveal the secret?
Oh and B. has been outed. He's Little Joe Shots in disguise, I only figured it out on the 15th paragraph.
"Universally, he wrote, it is believed that the organization of crime that concerns us took place in Paceco by means of an association of criminals, tending to commit crimes against people or property, and whose area would extend to Trapani, Monte S Giuliano, Salemi and Castellammare; but then, after reviewing the individuals that make it up, he closed his famous relationship with the following words:
"This office has no facts, or special elements to be administered to justice against the aforementioned individuals, because none of them have been reported; but he can safely say that they are considered capable of getting ugly in any filth, and their names are indicated with the utmost reserve and circumspection in the ears of all officials as perfidious and affiliated with the mafia and therefore feared in the country. "
"Seven have been exiled as innocent, and one, Michele Tedesco, has been placed in reserve or available. Later in a more accurate review, the Tedesco accusations were also recognized as insufficient, and he too was released from the noble functions of the leadership of the command, and left in service of the association with the humble position of advocate. The tireless magistrate, who directs our Royal Prosecutor, armed with courage and intelligence, has also deluded himself to reach the leaders of the association of evildoers, but, in his long and difficult journey, he met a forest in front of his eyes wild and harsh and strong. In exchange for the big monster, who disappeared as if by magic, he, with his magnifying glass, gave us to observe four little monsters of new species, that is, four sections of the criminal association. The first, that of Borgo and Paceco is two-headed, and the two heads are (Leonardo) Isca and (FNU) Lentini. The second, that of Monte e Misericordia, is led by Giovanni Pace. The third, that of Macari and S. Vito, is directed by Vincenzo Gambicchia. In the last one in Castellammare, the microscope barely arrives, as there are two heads, the visible head which is Paolo Valenti intended Naschino, and the invisible head, the elegant adventurer Francesco Plescia. Finally the sentence of the Section of Accusation came and he buried suddenly, with his eloquent silence, all the leaders of the association of criminals, while persisting, without direction and command, to consider it existing. Let us discuss, therefore, as we so wish, this new form of the criminal association."
-
"The barber, declares to have learned from the sailor Di Liberti, in early December, the people who besides them, they kept the Duke Calvino hidden; that is, the Renda, Spataro, Como, Asaro, Genna, Valenti, and he does not blush to conclude that he moved to send that letter, because he asked for money and did not want to give it to him."
-
Nobile declares in his written examination that Di Liberti confided to him in the countryside for the strange request of a rifle or rifle, considered indispensable for the release of the Duke, and in the oral examination he repeats that all this happened to the navy, and he no longer speaks rifle and rifle: Nobile insists on justifying his propalations for refusing money, while he has not been able to demonstrate to whom, where and when he asked for them: Nobile and Russo bring out, with the names Paolo Valenti, those of Asaro and Como, as accomplices of the extortion and kidnapping, and these wretched peasants are recognized as innocent and later acquitted.
-
However, a very serious doubt troubles the test, and it is justice to appreciate it in all its parts. To say that Valenti was once sentenced and that, as soon as the trial began, he became a fugitive, is to say little or nothing. The sentence, dusted in the old archives, took place in 1868 only by receiving stolen goods, and was canceled by a long period of work and calm.
His escape from his native place, after the arrest warrant, originated from the strong desire not to be subjected to handcuffs, violence and prison, like the other judges, and can be considered forgotten and buried from the day he came here freely, innanti to the Instructor, to be interrogated. If you really wanted to find a clue in its past, remember, gentlemen, that its name appeared for the first time in the prefectural report of 5 November 1883, as one of the components of the famous association of evildoers, together with thirty-three others, among whom there was also that of the brother Andrea, of Giuseppe Bonanno understood as Valenti and of this Baron, born and domiciled in Castellammare.
Now, nearly a third of the reported people came to the police reins, arrested; but Paolo Valenti, despite the suspicions, was left free, and did not run away, and remained calm in his own country.
-
"When Genna (and this requested by the Instructor) came to see me at the marina followed by the unknown one, I asked him if the latter that I had noticed of an advantageous stature was Paolo Naschino, or Peppe Bonanno, to whom that stature corresponded, and Genna replied thus: "what must you do? think for yourself": and it was then that I did not insist, realizing that Genna wanted to keep it secret.
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Why has not been investigated well on the account of Giuseppe Bonanno, which in the search certificate on f. 17 vol. Are you qualified for Giuseppe Bonanno or Valenti meaning Naschino? he was not once charged with extortion against Mr. Galante and then freed from the prosecution section? was not the gabelloto of the lands near the Pedale cave together with the Ruvolo of Alcamo, where did you leave a letter to get the price of the blackmail? didn't his stature match that of the hooded man? Why make Paolo Valenti the victim at any cost, while Genna, requested by Renda, did not want to reveal the secret?
Oh and B. has been outed. He's Little Joe Shots in disguise, I only figured it out on the 15th paragraph.
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Angelo Santino
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Re: Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
1862 - on its face, not mafia.
Meanwhile, the supreme destinies of Italy accelerated, and Castellammare was the first municipality in Sicily to feel the spirit of freedom in a high degree. And here I sign with pleasure: that the unhappy D. Bartolomeo Asaro, of non-doubtful principles; but withdrawn up to that point from political life, he showed his nature clearly, daring to advocate the common cause, as soon as he saw the need.
In the extreme needs of the homeland, friends and enemies were revealed.
The gentlemen:
(D. = Don, a term used by Sicilians for adults. Mister in layman's term.) (Can't help but notice alot of doctors and priests
)
Dr. D. Francesco Borruso,
Dr, D. Giuseppe Borruso son,
D. Bartolomeo Asaro,
D. Girolamo Asaro son,
Dr. D. Leonardo Calandra,
Dr. D. Giuseppe Calandra son,
Dr D. Giuseppe Marcantonio,
Dr. D. Simone Riggio,
D. Gaspare Fundarò,
D. Francesco Fundarò,
D. Francesco Nicotri,
D. Antonino Nicotri,
Priest D. Ignazio Galante,
D. Giuseppe Galante brother,
Priest D. Tommaso Sceusa ,
Priest D. Giuseppe Barone,
Priest D. Antonino Gioia,
Priest D. Antonino Zangara,
D. Giacomo Plescia da Partanna,
priest D. Mariano Bologna,
Priest D. Antonino Romano,
D. Nunzio Filogamo,
brothers Ferrantelli d 'Antonio,
D. Giuseppe Ferrantelli di Gioachino,
and brothers,
D. Rocco Foderà di Giuseppe,
many others, almost all the workers, and combined them, basically, the whole Commune .
And the Bourbon party, dark and gloomy more than the color of hell;
Mr. D. Andrea Di Blasi, author of all evil,
D. Antonino Costamante, his accomplice;
D. Benedict Palermo priest, enemy of freedom, unworthy priest of his ministry;
Notary D. Gaetano Mangiarotti, then alternate to the judge reggio, wicked without limits, devious, and varied,
doctor D. Giovanni Marcantonio fraudulent for organ, just the dictates of Gall, slanderer,
D. Francesco Plaia Coniglio very vile creature who did not blush cry out in public:"I know I'm a Spy, but I'm an honored spy;"
D. Sebastiano Domingo green in face, very black in heart, libellist, fake for dessert, and Bourbon at the sign to bet, days before the catastrophe happened, five lire, with Giuseppe Fundarò of D. Carlo that in January 1862, Francis II returned to the throne of Sicily;
D. Antonino Restivo scribe in the bank of the Di Blasi forge of every black slander, a cowardly servant, a disgusting spy for the most self-serving spies;
D. Gaetano D'Anna, imbecile, and fickle;
D. Nicolò D'Anna son, also of the same kind;
D. Pietro Costamanle;
D. Gioachino Borruso son-in-law of Di Blasi,
doctor D. Salvatore Borruso Spy of the superintendent Jezzi, and of the royal judge sig. D. Ignazio Castagna, who, being of non-tyrannical principles, warned the liberals that they were ware of that Dr Borruso who kept the government informed of everything;
D. Giovan Battista Sangiorgio ancient urban chief;
D. Giovanni Sangiorgio son, sold to the Bourbon police;
D. Mariano Lombardello,
D. Leopoldo Rabito, man-belly, to fatten which would also make league with the devil; (So evidently in 150 years the Rabitos haven't changed much. )
D. Francesco Barraco in whose pharmacy assiduous conspiracies were held.
The liberals, unable to repress the joy with which Italy was animated, counted the steps and the works of the Bourbons, who had given everything, and gave account to the government. Indeed Mr. dot. D. Leonardo Calandra was arrested, tied up in the public square as a murderer, and translated into Alcamo on foot. Other citizens went into hiding because they were threatened with arrest.
But on April 4, at the sound of the Bell of the Gancia, Palermo rises, Alcamo replies, and on day six, it was Good Friday, Castellammare raises the Flag of the three Italian colors.
That sacred banner was raised in the center of this main road, now via Garibaldi, by mr. D. Bartolomeo Asaro, in front of his magnificent dwelling house, where sublime spectacle was offered in the eyes of this people.
Those two parties that were unable to reconcile neither the fury of the police force, nor very valid authorities, nor the precepts of spiritual Fathers, embraced under the banner of regeneration; or rather as Christ preached peace and love, under the wood of the cross, so liberals forgave the enemies of the country under the banner of freedom. -
Are you liberal, Asaro shouted, in those supreme moments, to Dr. Marcantonio, embrace, and forgive your enemy Di Blasi, (who had had his brother massacred). Marcantonio obeyed; and at that example we all embraced each other.
The people mourned for tenderness, Asaro mourned, who formed that generous thought first, there was no eyelash without a tear of contentment.
With brotherly love we all went to the Mother Church, where the hymn of graces was sung; and God, scrutinizer of every secret thought, blessed the liberals, because their forgiveness was sincere. -
We will see below how the Bourbons returned death for life. -
Meanwhile, the same evening a good number of murderers from other countries came to Castellammare, who, combined first with these of ours, intended to dive to the throat in the substances, and in the blood of the Bourbons.
It was then that Mr. D. Bartolomeo Asaro, who had them at home, used, in one to other liberals, all the means of reason, to persuade them, that it was not right to deprive many family fathers of life, or to reduce them to misery, that such scenes were of sad example for other Municipalities, which were fatal to the Italian cause. He prayed to them, averted them, paid a few sums, succeeded, saved the lives of the Bourbons.
Meanwhile, the supreme destinies of Italy accelerated, and Castellammare was the first municipality in Sicily to feel the spirit of freedom in a high degree. And here I sign with pleasure: that the unhappy D. Bartolomeo Asaro, of non-doubtful principles; but withdrawn up to that point from political life, he showed his nature clearly, daring to advocate the common cause, as soon as he saw the need.
In the extreme needs of the homeland, friends and enemies were revealed.
The gentlemen:
(D. = Don, a term used by Sicilians for adults. Mister in layman's term.) (Can't help but notice alot of doctors and priests
)Dr. D. Francesco Borruso,
Dr, D. Giuseppe Borruso son,
D. Bartolomeo Asaro,
D. Girolamo Asaro son,
Dr. D. Leonardo Calandra,
Dr. D. Giuseppe Calandra son,
Dr D. Giuseppe Marcantonio,
Dr. D. Simone Riggio,
D. Gaspare Fundarò,
D. Francesco Fundarò,
D. Francesco Nicotri,
D. Antonino Nicotri,
Priest D. Ignazio Galante,
D. Giuseppe Galante brother,
Priest D. Tommaso Sceusa ,
Priest D. Giuseppe Barone,
Priest D. Antonino Gioia,
Priest D. Antonino Zangara,
D. Giacomo Plescia da Partanna,
priest D. Mariano Bologna,
Priest D. Antonino Romano,
D. Nunzio Filogamo,
brothers Ferrantelli d 'Antonio,
D. Giuseppe Ferrantelli di Gioachino,
and brothers,
D. Rocco Foderà di Giuseppe,
many others, almost all the workers, and combined them, basically, the whole Commune .
And the Bourbon party, dark and gloomy more than the color of hell;
Mr. D. Andrea Di Blasi, author of all evil,
D. Antonino Costamante, his accomplice;
D. Benedict Palermo priest, enemy of freedom, unworthy priest of his ministry;
Notary D. Gaetano Mangiarotti, then alternate to the judge reggio, wicked without limits, devious, and varied,
doctor D. Giovanni Marcantonio fraudulent for organ, just the dictates of Gall, slanderer,
D. Francesco Plaia Coniglio very vile creature who did not blush cry out in public:"I know I'm a Spy, but I'm an honored spy;"
D. Sebastiano Domingo green in face, very black in heart, libellist, fake for dessert, and Bourbon at the sign to bet, days before the catastrophe happened, five lire, with Giuseppe Fundarò of D. Carlo that in January 1862, Francis II returned to the throne of Sicily;
D. Antonino Restivo scribe in the bank of the Di Blasi forge of every black slander, a cowardly servant, a disgusting spy for the most self-serving spies;
D. Gaetano D'Anna, imbecile, and fickle;
D. Nicolò D'Anna son, also of the same kind;
D. Pietro Costamanle;
D. Gioachino Borruso son-in-law of Di Blasi,
doctor D. Salvatore Borruso Spy of the superintendent Jezzi, and of the royal judge sig. D. Ignazio Castagna, who, being of non-tyrannical principles, warned the liberals that they were ware of that Dr Borruso who kept the government informed of everything;
D. Giovan Battista Sangiorgio ancient urban chief;
D. Giovanni Sangiorgio son, sold to the Bourbon police;
D. Mariano Lombardello,
D. Leopoldo Rabito, man-belly, to fatten which would also make league with the devil; (So evidently in 150 years the Rabitos haven't changed much. )
D. Francesco Barraco in whose pharmacy assiduous conspiracies were held.
The liberals, unable to repress the joy with which Italy was animated, counted the steps and the works of the Bourbons, who had given everything, and gave account to the government. Indeed Mr. dot. D. Leonardo Calandra was arrested, tied up in the public square as a murderer, and translated into Alcamo on foot. Other citizens went into hiding because they were threatened with arrest.
But on April 4, at the sound of the Bell of the Gancia, Palermo rises, Alcamo replies, and on day six, it was Good Friday, Castellammare raises the Flag of the three Italian colors.
That sacred banner was raised in the center of this main road, now via Garibaldi, by mr. D. Bartolomeo Asaro, in front of his magnificent dwelling house, where sublime spectacle was offered in the eyes of this people.
Those two parties that were unable to reconcile neither the fury of the police force, nor very valid authorities, nor the precepts of spiritual Fathers, embraced under the banner of regeneration; or rather as Christ preached peace and love, under the wood of the cross, so liberals forgave the enemies of the country under the banner of freedom. -
Are you liberal, Asaro shouted, in those supreme moments, to Dr. Marcantonio, embrace, and forgive your enemy Di Blasi, (who had had his brother massacred). Marcantonio obeyed; and at that example we all embraced each other.
The people mourned for tenderness, Asaro mourned, who formed that generous thought first, there was no eyelash without a tear of contentment.
With brotherly love we all went to the Mother Church, where the hymn of graces was sung; and God, scrutinizer of every secret thought, blessed the liberals, because their forgiveness was sincere. -
We will see below how the Bourbons returned death for life. -
Meanwhile, the same evening a good number of murderers from other countries came to Castellammare, who, combined first with these of ours, intended to dive to the throat in the substances, and in the blood of the Bourbons.
It was then that Mr. D. Bartolomeo Asaro, who had them at home, used, in one to other liberals, all the means of reason, to persuade them, that it was not right to deprive many family fathers of life, or to reduce them to misery, that such scenes were of sad example for other Municipalities, which were fatal to the Italian cause. He prayed to them, averted them, paid a few sums, succeeded, saved the lives of the Bourbons.
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Angelo Santino
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Re: Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
1903 description of the area:
The first includes the land adjacent to the Forgia or Lentini torrent. The perimeter line of it begins on the right side of the stream starting from the beach of the sea, going up to the Lentini plain until it touches the Lentini-Castellammare road, then follows this same road up to the border of the Maranzano fondo (large farm) bordering the territory of Castellammare.
From this point it descends to the beach along the left side of the stream. The lands that fall along the perimeter line of the area are:
Marino, cav. Giuseppe,
Adragna, Giovanni,
Ripa, baron Raffaele,
Marino, Adragna, Ripa, up to Maffi; after Maffi, Fardella heirs of the Marquis Giovanni, heirs of La Sala Francesco Paolo, heirs of Trapani Giuseppe, Rizzotto Giovanni and Antonino, Farina Vincenzo, Rizzo Paolo (towards Pietra di Code) heirs Scinonte.
From this point along the road crossing the - bottom of Bertolino, heirs of di Mario, the perimeter line reaches the road Lentini-Castellammare which runs to the Maranzano fondo bordering the territory of Castellammare and from this point passes through the following properties:
Benivegna Matteo, La Porta heirs of Rocco,
Coppola heirs of the cav. Giuseppe,
Luppino heirs,
Macaddino heirs,
Macdonald Raimondo, of Salvatore. (Romanian fortress). Property of the Rizzo heirs near the building known as the Moglibelle.
Crossing the said Rizzo property, which reaches the sea beach, closes the perimeter line of this area. This closure point is about four kilometers from the mouth while the opposite side is two and a half meters.
The first includes the land adjacent to the Forgia or Lentini torrent. The perimeter line of it begins on the right side of the stream starting from the beach of the sea, going up to the Lentini plain until it touches the Lentini-Castellammare road, then follows this same road up to the border of the Maranzano fondo (large farm) bordering the territory of Castellammare.
From this point it descends to the beach along the left side of the stream. The lands that fall along the perimeter line of the area are:
Marino, cav. Giuseppe,
Adragna, Giovanni,
Ripa, baron Raffaele,
Marino, Adragna, Ripa, up to Maffi; after Maffi, Fardella heirs of the Marquis Giovanni, heirs of La Sala Francesco Paolo, heirs of Trapani Giuseppe, Rizzotto Giovanni and Antonino, Farina Vincenzo, Rizzo Paolo (towards Pietra di Code) heirs Scinonte.
From this point along the road crossing the - bottom of Bertolino, heirs of di Mario, the perimeter line reaches the road Lentini-Castellammare which runs to the Maranzano fondo bordering the territory of Castellammare and from this point passes through the following properties:
Benivegna Matteo, La Porta heirs of Rocco,
Coppola heirs of the cav. Giuseppe,
Luppino heirs,
Macaddino heirs,
Macdonald Raimondo, of Salvatore. (Romanian fortress). Property of the Rizzo heirs near the building known as the Moglibelle.
Crossing the said Rizzo property, which reaches the sea beach, closes the perimeter line of this area. This closure point is about four kilometers from the mouth while the opposite side is two and a half meters.
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Angelo Santino
- Filthy Few
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- Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:15 am
Re: Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
1837:
QUESTIONS OF FACT
1. Do you know that Gattina is guilty of murder in the person of Francesco Paolo Prato, and of excitement to the people to commit the massacre against a class of people?
2. Do you know that the brothers Pietro and Luca Mirra have taken an active part in the aforementioned crimes?
3. Do you know that the remaining Spallina, Ferriera, Trapani, Giovenco, Zito, Rosalia, Vavila, Benvenuto, Maranzano, Zimmardi and Macaluso are guilty of attempted massacre?
Considering that the public examination has prepared the following facts:
1. The morning of 11 next July in this was killed in the courtyard of the Conceziono al Capo the named Francesco Paolo Prato, because he was believed to be the proponator of poison; the first to attack him was Vincenzo Gattina; the brothers Pietro and Luca Mirra took an active part in it, and all three excited the crowd to bring the massacre towards the class of people, made to be believed to be a propagator of poison; with attacking by the feet and publicly dragging the body of the interceptor through several streets, often proclaiming the voices of Viva S. Rosalia, preceded even by Salvatore Zito, who waved a handkerchief; Hurrying the said Gattina as troublemaking to deal with that huge crime, announcing that after that they had to go to the Police Directorate to do the same in person of another subject, who said he was puranco propagator of poison.
2. That the other aforementioned Spallina, Ferriera, Trapani, Giovenco, Zito, Rosalia, Vavila, Benvenuto and Maranzano made this attempt.
3. That Zimmardi was seen at the time of that union.
Considering that the generic of the murder is well based on the report of the health expert; Considering for the specification that the facts expressed above come from sufficient disputed documents and witnesses;
Considering that the real object of the attackers was not only to kill the man who mistakenly believes they were the author of poisoning, but that of inviting the people to the massacre of indeterminate individuals, who wanted to make the perpetrators of such alleged crimes believe, or this the object of carrying out further searches for poisons in the houses of the city peace, as they had said in wanting also to kill an existing person in the Police Directorate, and thus helping the killers and the robberies; For these reasons, the aforementioned Commission has unanimously declared, and declares
1. Finding to be the aforementioned Gattina, Pietro and Luca Mirra brothers, Spallina, Ferriera, Trapani, Giovenco, Zito, Rosalia, Vavila, Benvenuto and Maranzano guilty of their respective crimes as a consequence of the queries.
2. Do not find enough to be Zimmardi guilty of the crime for which he was to be prevented, by ordering to obtain a large instruction to remain in prison during the same.
3. To ascertain that he is not the last, that is Macaluso, guilty of the crime with which he was accused, and to put himself once again in absolute freedom.
Finally, behind the straight question proposed by the President, the aforementioned Commission came with the same uniformity of votes to condemn imentate individuals to the following classification of penalties, namely:
1. Vincenzo Gattina to death penalty with shooting and with the 2nd degree of public example according to art. 130 of the criminal laws.
2. Pietro and Luca Mirra brothers to death penalty by shooting in accordance with art. 131 of the said laws. (A century later and Mirras were still getting shot.)
3. Salvatore Spallina at the 3rd degree of irons for twenty-four years, in accordance with art. 132 of the above-mentioned laws.
4. Salvatore Zito at the 2nd grade of the irons for eighteen years.
5. Gioacchino Ferrierı, Gaetano Trapani and Ignazio Giovenco on the fence for years! 3.
6. Giuseppe Rosalia, Giacomo Vavila, Angelo Benvenuto and Salvatore Maranzano to imprisonment for six years, being of a minor age.
Finally, he condemned all the aforementioned individuals jointly and severally to the costs of the judgment in favor of the Real Treasury.
In the end he condemned the more repeated Spallina, Zito, Ferriera, Trapani, Giovenco, Rosalia, Vavila, Benvenuto and Maranzano to the curse for three years under penalty of 300 ducats.
He also ordered the execution of this sentence tomorrow morning at 7 a.m., and that 200 copies be printed in print for the corresponding publication and branch.
All by the care and diligence of the Captain Rapporteur.
Made, read and published today in continuation of the trial in Palermo,
on August 4, 1837.
Signed:
Ludovico Matina artillery colonel president.
Giuseppe Ferrara captain of the first grenadiers.
Job Romanzi captain of the 1st line.
Francesco Valliso captain of the 2nd line.
Antonio Albertis 1st Lieutenant of the 1st Grenadiers.
Gaetano Prinzivalli 1st lieutenant of the 10th line.
Domenico Patierno captain speaker.
Gaetano Vanni judge of the Civil Court, man of law.
Francesco D 'Avella 2nd sergeant of 1st line King, chancellor.
Seen
Captain Speaker DOMENICO PATIERNO, major assistant.
QUESTIONS OF FACT
1. Do you know that Gattina is guilty of murder in the person of Francesco Paolo Prato, and of excitement to the people to commit the massacre against a class of people?
2. Do you know that the brothers Pietro and Luca Mirra have taken an active part in the aforementioned crimes?
3. Do you know that the remaining Spallina, Ferriera, Trapani, Giovenco, Zito, Rosalia, Vavila, Benvenuto, Maranzano, Zimmardi and Macaluso are guilty of attempted massacre?
Considering that the public examination has prepared the following facts:
1. The morning of 11 next July in this was killed in the courtyard of the Conceziono al Capo the named Francesco Paolo Prato, because he was believed to be the proponator of poison; the first to attack him was Vincenzo Gattina; the brothers Pietro and Luca Mirra took an active part in it, and all three excited the crowd to bring the massacre towards the class of people, made to be believed to be a propagator of poison; with attacking by the feet and publicly dragging the body of the interceptor through several streets, often proclaiming the voices of Viva S. Rosalia, preceded even by Salvatore Zito, who waved a handkerchief; Hurrying the said Gattina as troublemaking to deal with that huge crime, announcing that after that they had to go to the Police Directorate to do the same in person of another subject, who said he was puranco propagator of poison.
2. That the other aforementioned Spallina, Ferriera, Trapani, Giovenco, Zito, Rosalia, Vavila, Benvenuto and Maranzano made this attempt.
3. That Zimmardi was seen at the time of that union.
Considering that the generic of the murder is well based on the report of the health expert; Considering for the specification that the facts expressed above come from sufficient disputed documents and witnesses;
Considering that the real object of the attackers was not only to kill the man who mistakenly believes they were the author of poisoning, but that of inviting the people to the massacre of indeterminate individuals, who wanted to make the perpetrators of such alleged crimes believe, or this the object of carrying out further searches for poisons in the houses of the city peace, as they had said in wanting also to kill an existing person in the Police Directorate, and thus helping the killers and the robberies; For these reasons, the aforementioned Commission has unanimously declared, and declares
1. Finding to be the aforementioned Gattina, Pietro and Luca Mirra brothers, Spallina, Ferriera, Trapani, Giovenco, Zito, Rosalia, Vavila, Benvenuto and Maranzano guilty of their respective crimes as a consequence of the queries.
2. Do not find enough to be Zimmardi guilty of the crime for which he was to be prevented, by ordering to obtain a large instruction to remain in prison during the same.
3. To ascertain that he is not the last, that is Macaluso, guilty of the crime with which he was accused, and to put himself once again in absolute freedom.
Finally, behind the straight question proposed by the President, the aforementioned Commission came with the same uniformity of votes to condemn imentate individuals to the following classification of penalties, namely:
1. Vincenzo Gattina to death penalty with shooting and with the 2nd degree of public example according to art. 130 of the criminal laws.
2. Pietro and Luca Mirra brothers to death penalty by shooting in accordance with art. 131 of the said laws. (A century later and Mirras were still getting shot.)
3. Salvatore Spallina at the 3rd degree of irons for twenty-four years, in accordance with art. 132 of the above-mentioned laws.
4. Salvatore Zito at the 2nd grade of the irons for eighteen years.
5. Gioacchino Ferrierı, Gaetano Trapani and Ignazio Giovenco on the fence for years! 3.
6. Giuseppe Rosalia, Giacomo Vavila, Angelo Benvenuto and Salvatore Maranzano to imprisonment for six years, being of a minor age.
Finally, he condemned all the aforementioned individuals jointly and severally to the costs of the judgment in favor of the Real Treasury.
In the end he condemned the more repeated Spallina, Zito, Ferriera, Trapani, Giovenco, Rosalia, Vavila, Benvenuto and Maranzano to the curse for three years under penalty of 300 ducats.
He also ordered the execution of this sentence tomorrow morning at 7 a.m., and that 200 copies be printed in print for the corresponding publication and branch.
All by the care and diligence of the Captain Rapporteur.
Made, read and published today in continuation of the trial in Palermo,
on August 4, 1837.
Signed:
Ludovico Matina artillery colonel president.
Giuseppe Ferrara captain of the first grenadiers.
Job Romanzi captain of the 1st line.
Francesco Valliso captain of the 2nd line.
Antonio Albertis 1st Lieutenant of the 1st Grenadiers.
Gaetano Prinzivalli 1st lieutenant of the 10th line.
Domenico Patierno captain speaker.
Gaetano Vanni judge of the Civil Court, man of law.
Francesco D 'Avella 2nd sergeant of 1st line King, chancellor.
Seen
Captain Speaker DOMENICO PATIERNO, major assistant.
-
Angelo Santino
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Re: Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
The guy that really got the whole thing going for Williamsburg was an Antonino Governale who was in the US since the 1870's. He has no criminal record so we don't know if he was in the mafia or just a padrone or somebody who caused chain migration. He was from Caporeale.
1874
Governale Giovanni, from Camporeale (Trapani), constituted an armed gang, accused of murder and rebellion.
--------------------
Rather than make another post, with the 1800's stuff I posted, I'm not jumping to any conclusions. We don't know if these "good fellows" were actually Mafia or if it shows that the Mafia might have been composed of some of these relatives or perhaps the "bad sheep" from these families. It's kinda like the chicken or egg argument. You see in other areas of Italy crime bosses whose brother or uncle or whatever was the mayor or police chief. Schiro's own grandfather was mayor of Roccamena.
The Mafia, contrary to popular belief, wasn't filled with barbaric illiterate castle rustlin' idiots. The Mafia pre-1900, unlike many other criminal groups in Italy and the world, has a few visible bosses who come from middle class backgrounds with little to no criminal records. The mafia has its criminals, but that's only one side of it. It's an interesting "big bang" of criminality that, at its essence, will resort to murder to meet its needs, within the 'legal' world and criminal underworld.
It seems like a fraternity set on controlling commerce and issuing its own taxes on their territory. There's the element of "protection" and people often believe they mean it's set up to protect Sicilians but it's to protect themselves, their own interests. And they, appear to be ruffians of middle class means rather than street criminals, although like I said, that was a part of it.
1874
Governale Giovanni, from Camporeale (Trapani), constituted an armed gang, accused of murder and rebellion.
--------------------
Rather than make another post, with the 1800's stuff I posted, I'm not jumping to any conclusions. We don't know if these "good fellows" were actually Mafia or if it shows that the Mafia might have been composed of some of these relatives or perhaps the "bad sheep" from these families. It's kinda like the chicken or egg argument. You see in other areas of Italy crime bosses whose brother or uncle or whatever was the mayor or police chief. Schiro's own grandfather was mayor of Roccamena.
The Mafia, contrary to popular belief, wasn't filled with barbaric illiterate castle rustlin' idiots. The Mafia pre-1900, unlike many other criminal groups in Italy and the world, has a few visible bosses who come from middle class backgrounds with little to no criminal records. The mafia has its criminals, but that's only one side of it. It's an interesting "big bang" of criminality that, at its essence, will resort to murder to meet its needs, within the 'legal' world and criminal underworld.
It seems like a fraternity set on controlling commerce and issuing its own taxes on their territory. There's the element of "protection" and people often believe they mean it's set up to protect Sicilians but it's to protect themselves, their own interests. And they, appear to be ruffians of middle class means rather than street criminals, although like I said, that was a part of it.
Re: Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
Some additional possible connections:
The only other Costa from Castellammare who comes to mind is Jimmy Costa, the high-ranking Los Angeles member who Joe Bonanno said he visited in 1941.
There was a Simone Borruso from Castellammare who was part of the Magaddino Family in the 1920s, but died in San Diego in 1943. He was born in 1880.
Camillo Caiozzo of the Good Killers fame, his mother was Carmela Borruso.
Peppino Bonipito could by Joseph Panepinto. An Alfred or Albert Panepinto, a 35-year-old Niagara Falls undertaker, was shot and killed in his car in 1937. I'm just throwing this out there as a possibility, although other surnames are probably closer.
Salvatore Saracino (various spellings, alias Giuseppe Palermo), associated with Lupo in the 1910 counterfeiting case, was either born in Partanna (according to Dave C.) or Castellammare (Secret Service). His in-laws were surnamed Minore. We know that Salvatore Maranzano's in-laws were Minores from Trapani, although these ones were from Castellammare.
Don't forget that Jimmy Buccellato's book on Detroit has some Castellammarese family trees.
The only other Costa from Castellammare who comes to mind is Jimmy Costa, the high-ranking Los Angeles member who Joe Bonanno said he visited in 1941.
There was a Simone Borruso from Castellammare who was part of the Magaddino Family in the 1920s, but died in San Diego in 1943. He was born in 1880.
Camillo Caiozzo of the Good Killers fame, his mother was Carmela Borruso.
Peppino Bonipito could by Joseph Panepinto. An Alfred or Albert Panepinto, a 35-year-old Niagara Falls undertaker, was shot and killed in his car in 1937. I'm just throwing this out there as a possibility, although other surnames are probably closer.
Salvatore Saracino (various spellings, alias Giuseppe Palermo), associated with Lupo in the 1910 counterfeiting case, was either born in Partanna (according to Dave C.) or Castellammare (Secret Service). His in-laws were surnamed Minore. We know that Salvatore Maranzano's in-laws were Minores from Trapani, although these ones were from Castellammare.
Don't forget that Jimmy Buccellato's book on Detroit has some Castellammarese family trees.
Re: Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
Great additions to the thread CC + Antliar.
Good suggestion, re: Panepinto. This was in 1912 before Magaddino moved to Niagara Falls and the Panepinto who owned the funeral parlor was from Agrigento -- I assumed "Bonepito" (ph) was Castellammarese based on the context but good to consider more possibilities. Another name to consider is Pepitone which shows up in Castellammare though I'm unaware of any early mafiosi who fit.
I've never thought to look up Tony Mirra or Anthony Rabito's heritage but interesting those names show up in a shadowy Castellammare context. Mirra's uncle Al Walker Embarrato was born in Sicily and came here as a young child, but he was from southeastern Sicily with no apparent mafia ties, though not sure about the Mirra side of the family. Rabito was in the Zaffarano crew with the Asaros.
What you said about Trapani rings true in general. I went through an early Italian report from 100+ years ago that describes the mafia in Sicily and it is incredible how well Italian authorities understood it even back then. The report includes a map of Sicily and marks towns/villages that they considered important historical locations for the development of the mafia. Palermo and Agrigento provinces are completely covered in marked towns/villages, while Trapani only includes a few. Naturally Castellammare is one of them.
Either the Italian government believed the mafia was slower to spread through Trapani or they simply had less information on Trapanese mafia groups. I lean toward the latter, though this 1896 investigation revealed a great deal of insight into the group around Giuseppe Ingaglia, so there was certainly evidence of concrete mafia activity by the 1890s regardless of the name used for the "association".
Good suggestion, re: Panepinto. This was in 1912 before Magaddino moved to Niagara Falls and the Panepinto who owned the funeral parlor was from Agrigento -- I assumed "Bonepito" (ph) was Castellammarese based on the context but good to consider more possibilities. Another name to consider is Pepitone which shows up in Castellammare though I'm unaware of any early mafiosi who fit.
I've never thought to look up Tony Mirra or Anthony Rabito's heritage but interesting those names show up in a shadowy Castellammare context. Mirra's uncle Al Walker Embarrato was born in Sicily and came here as a young child, but he was from southeastern Sicily with no apparent mafia ties, though not sure about the Mirra side of the family. Rabito was in the Zaffarano crew with the Asaros.
Funny, those are the exact towns mentioned in the first post. There are of course many other Trapani towns with strong mafia ties, but I don't think it's a coincidence that so much history tends to fall back on those specific towns and their immediate neighbors."Universally, he wrote, it is believed that the organization of crime that concerns us took place in Paceco by means of an association of criminals, tending to commit crimes against people or property, and whose area would extend to Trapani, Monte S Giuliano, Salemi and Castellammare..."
Mentioned this in the Agrigento thread a while back, but there was an 1820 case that targeted a large group of men said to be part of a ritualistic criminal society in Cattolica Eraclea and Siculiana. The "m" word is not used, though what they described sounds like the mafia or an earlier manifestation of it. They arrested a priest in Burgio as part of the case.scagghiuni wrote: ↑Fri Jul 10, 2020 2:59 pm i read that in the late 1800s there were several trials against mafia groups in the provinces of palermo and agrigento but i never heard any in trapani, obviously that so called 'association' was the mafia and i 'm almost sure that the document written by a general prosecutor of trapani in 1838 was also talking of the mafia although with another name
What you said about Trapani rings true in general. I went through an early Italian report from 100+ years ago that describes the mafia in Sicily and it is incredible how well Italian authorities understood it even back then. The report includes a map of Sicily and marks towns/villages that they considered important historical locations for the development of the mafia. Palermo and Agrigento provinces are completely covered in marked towns/villages, while Trapani only includes a few. Naturally Castellammare is one of them.
Either the Italian government believed the mafia was slower to spread through Trapani or they simply had less information on Trapanese mafia groups. I lean toward the latter, though this 1896 investigation revealed a great deal of insight into the group around Giuseppe Ingaglia, so there was certainly evidence of concrete mafia activity by the 1890s regardless of the name used for the "association".
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Angelo Santino
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Re: Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
Giuseppe Palermo / Salvatore Saracino had a nephew who also went by Joe Palermo. His other nephew, as you said was Frank Minore who ended up going back to Sicily whom Saracino wrote to in CDG:
Prior to that, Minore had some addresses on Elizabeth, one being 233.
In July 1914:
"Salvatore Asaro, who was deported about a year ago, has returned to the United States with his family and is residing at 223 Elizabeth St, NYC, and that Asaro told Luong that he was making up to get his brother Giuseppe out of prison, and also stating it may be possible that Asaro is brandishing the 5 ctft notes."
"Salvatore Asaro, who was deported about a year ago, has returned to the United States with his family and is residing at 223 Elizabeth St, NYC, and that Asaro told Luong that he was making up to get his brother Giuseppe out of prison, and also stating it may be possible that Asaro is brandishing the 5 ctft notes."
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scagghiuni
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Re: Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
the fist time they used the word mafia was in 1865 i believe, before they used other words as sects, brotherhoods, parties... turrisi colonna called it 'the sect' but he was sure talking of the mafia/cosa nostra with another name, i didn't know anyway this agrigento case in 1820, i knew the report of the prosecutor of trapani in 1838 where he said that in many towns there were criminal sects/parties, so it seems that mafia groups were very present also in that provinceB. wrote: ↑Fri Jul 10, 2020 8:50 pm Mentioned this in the Agrigento thread a while back, but there was an 1820 case that targeted a large group of men said to be part of a ritualistic criminal society in Cattolica Eraclea and Siculiana. The "m" word is not used, though what they described sounds like the mafia or an earlier manifestation of it. They arrested a priest in Burgio as part of the case.
What you said about Trapani rings true in general. I went through an early Italian report from 100+ years ago that describes the mafia in Sicily and it is incredible how well Italian authorities understood it even back then. The report includes a map of Sicily and marks towns/villages that they considered important historical locations for the development of the mafia. Palermo and Agrigento provinces are completely covered in marked towns/villages, while Trapani only includes a few. Naturally Castellammare is one of them.
Either the Italian government believed the mafia was slower to spread through Trapani or they simply had less information on Trapanese mafia groups. I lean toward the latter, though this 1896 investigation revealed a great deal of insight into the group around Giuseppe Ingaglia, so there was certainly evidence of concrete mafia activity by the 1890s regardless of the name used for the "association".
Re: Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
Thanks B for taking the immense amount of time it must have taken to out this together. I really get into mafia geneaology!
This guy was really screwed! Not only was he fickle but a retard to boot! And, apparently, the apple didn't fall far from the tree!Chris Christie wrote: ↑Fri Jul 10, 2020 5:00 pm D. Gaetano D'Anna, imbecile, and fickle;
D. Nicolò D'Anna son, also of the same kind;
asaro.PNG
Re: Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
Great info -- the saloon Girolamo Asaro was arrested in was 237 Elizabeth, so right by Minore's 233 + 234 Elizabeth addresses. I couldn't determine if the Asaro-owned saloon on Elizabeth street was 237 Elizabeth, though one of his defense witnesses from Castellammare said Asaro's saloon was frequented by the local Castellammarese community.Chris Christie wrote: ↑Sat Jul 11, 2020 2:46 am Giuseppe Palermo / Salvatore Saracino had a nephew who also went by Joe Palermo. His other nephew, as you said was Frank Minore who ended up going back to Sicily whom Saracino wrote to in CDG:
Capturesara.PNG
Prior to that, Minore had some addresses on Elizabeth, one being 233.
Capturemin.PNG
In July 1914:
"Salvatore Asaro, who was deported about a year ago, has returned to the United States with his family and is residing at 223 Elizabeth St, NYC, and that Asaro told Luong that he was making up to get his brother Giuseppe out of prison, and also stating it may be possible that Asaro is brandishing the 5 ctft notes."
No prob! I've been chipping away at this one for a while so happy to finally share it.
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Adding to the original post
- Based on the elder Stefano Magaddino's letter to Asaro, I'm wondering if there is any evidence that Vito Bonventre's father was killed in Sicily. Magaddino's mention of a disaster and some other group of people being responsible implies something more than an accident happened to him. Magaddino's ensuing conflict with Bonventre and desire to "settle accounts" if Bonventre visits Italy could relate to this.
- Vito's father was Gaspare Bonventre and his mother was a Domingo (of course she was). If we can find a DOD for Gaspare in Sicily and it coincides with the mid-late 1900 decade it could help clarify if Magaddino was referring to a murder or at least a death. We know from Joe Bonanno and other sources that this period included many murders due to in-fighting within the Castellammarese mafia.
- With Vito's father's name in mind, there were later members in Castellammare named Gaspare Bonventre. One of these is Gaspare "Nino" Bonventre, the uncle of Bonanno "zip" captain Santo Giordano. Circumstantial evidence has led me to believe that this Gaspare Bonventre is the same one identified through Jimmy Buccellato's research as a Castellammarese mafiosi with a violent reputation who moved to the US. Bonventre was living in Brooklyn and Santo Giordano was taken to his apartment following his receipt of "friendly fire" during the three captains murder in 1981. Massino later identified an elderly FNU Bonventre as a shooter in that murder -- it is likely this was Giordano's uncle Gaspare whose apartment they went to afterward. Gaspare Bonventre was also a relative of Bonanno "zips" John Fiordilino and Francesco Navarra.
- Girolamo Asaro's wife was an Iracani. Looks like a variant spelling in CDG is Iracane. Never seen this name before.
- Went through Jimmy Buccellato's Detroit book and I believe it clears the Buccellato relation up. While he doesn't reference Costa shooter Martino Bonventre, he states that the Felice Buccellato who became boss and was killed in 1921 was the son of Giovanni. This Giovanni was also the brother of Salvatore, so the names and generation coincide with the Giovanni and Salvatore Buccellato described as 1896 "association" members. Appears likely that like the well-known boss and baptismal godfather to Joe Bonanno was the same Felice Buccellato whose brother killed Costa and who threatened Costa's brother a year later.
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JohnnySalami
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Re: Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
Interesting stuff B! Keep it coming
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motorfab
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Re: Asaro Clan Info + Early Castellammarese Mafia
As usual, excellent work B., thanks for the read