Bonanno Family Lineage Chart

[thekiduknow]

Re-examining the people with Charlie "Buster" Domingo in 1933:
- Sebastiano "Charlie" Domingo, AKA Buster from Chicago, 22, 205 Allen Street; murdered after four gunmen lined up ten men and boys playing cards in the Castle Cafe at 72 East 1st Street; and targeted Domingo while injuring five others.
- Benjamin Blaustein, 15, who lived above the cafe; shot in right arm
- "Lohutto Egnazro" [New York Daily News] Ignacio Lobretto [Brooklyn Daily Eagle], 20, 52 East 1st Street, NYC; shot in right shoulder
- Vito Benedetto, 20, 55 Stanton Street; shot on left side
- Irving Maras, 16, 54 1st Street, shot in right arm
- Salvatore Ferrara [Daily News has "Ferri"], 32, 216 Eldridge Street, shot under the heart; mortally wounded and died later
- Steve Palazzolo, 53 Stanton Street; owner of the Castle Cafe, First Ave and 1st Street; around the corner getting change

Obviously we can pass on the non-Italian teens Blaustein and Maras, but there's interesting information regarding the others.

- Steve Palazzolo was born March 27, 1911, in CDG. In 1942 he worked for Paul Sciacca at 127 Berriman Street in Brooklyn (Atlantic & Sciacca Cloaks Inc). His parents were Vito and Lucia Palazzolo; in 1930 they lived at 201 Chrystie Street; may have been from Balestrate or Alcamo.
- On May 12, 1934, Vito Palazzolo, 17, of 55 Stanton Street (and evidently the younger brother of Steve Palazzolo), was arrested with his companion Mariano Catalino, 19, of 51 Stanton St, after they assaulted a police officer preventing them from robbing an elderly man
- In 1964 a Vito Palazzolo was the head of the barbers' union.
- Vito Benedetto could be a match with Vito DeBenedetto, born 1913, and who lived at 201 Chrystie Street in 1930. A World War II draft card shows a Vito DeBenedetto born Mar 22, 1913, and living at 201 Allen Street. In 1950 he lived at 122 Allen with his wife Sadie and two children. His parents appear to be Joseph and Concetta DiBenedetto, and per his draft card was from Catania. The DiBenedettos and the Palazzolos were neighbors in 1930.
-Ignazio Lobrutto was born Dec 13, 1912, in Canicatti, and arrived in 1924. He signed his Declaration of Intention in October 1933.
- Salvatore "Willie" Ferraro [per death cert] was the son of Angelo Ferraro and Rosa Curatolo. He was born in Italy and lived in the U.S. for 22 years and was married to Millie. The undertakers were the Anello & Bonventre Funeral Home in Brooklyn, so he probably came from Castellammare.
-

Great digging. The Palazzolo's look interesting. John Tartamella was also the head of a barbers' union, but I'm not sure for how long, and Steve working for Paul Sciacca is interesting too. I wonder how deep their connection to family were

[motorfab]

In his book, Bonanno says Mimi's brother was also a "Family member", which reads to me like he was a member of the Brooklyn family. Wasn't Salvatore Sabella the boss of Philly by the 1920s?

Yeah, but in the movie they do credit them as Mimi and Salvatore "Sebella". Maybe he just regarded Salvatore Sabella as a defacto member of the Brooklyn Castellammarese sort of like he did Magaddino since they were both ex-Schiro members from Castellamamre.

What's amazing is how close the description of Salvatore Mangiaracina fits the real guy considering he's admitting to ordering the murder.

Movie says:
- Old-time member of Family
- Involved with girlfriend
- From "Palermo"

Mangiaracina def had stature before Bonanno took over, left his wife and kids in Sicily when he was in the US (which might play into the movie making him out to be heavily involved with a mistress), and was from Borgetto but his family lived in Palermo citta.

Shows how detailed Joe Bonanno's memory was that he recalled those specifics and they got it right for a quick movie scene that didn't really require accuracy.

So Marangiacina really existed ? It was his real name ? I ask because when I saw the movie, something like 10 years ago, I searched infos or a photo of him and I never find anything except a credit on IMDb. I always thought it was a made up character because if you notice it's the only man who was explicitely killed on the order of Bonanno. Smitty D'Angelo too, but I don't think his real name is cited in the movie

[B.]

Definitely a real guy. Bill Bonanno changes his name to Salvatore Amari in his last book but tells pretty much the same story we see in the movie.

While the movie says he was shelved and banished from the US for stealing money from the Family numbers operation then killed for returning without approval, it's a funny coincidence Bonanno killed three of the most significant non-Castellammarese between the 1930s and 1940s. Don't know if there's any way to confirm Mangiaracina was murdered especially if it was lupara bianca like the movie.

He might have been a high-ranking member under Schiro/Maranzano as Gentile said Salvatore Mangiaracina was selected for the peace commission at the same December 1930 meeting where Gaspare Messina was elected acting capo dei capi. The other commission members were Gentile (Cleveland consigliere), Vincenzo Troia (Rockford or Springfield boss? Was a Sicilian boss before US), Giuseppe Traina (Gambino consigliere), Giuseppe Siragusa (Pittsburgh boss), and Toto LoVerde (Chicago boss). These guys were all Family admin members so Mangiaracina either had a high rank too or was at least respected like a top leader.

The Bonanno movie says after the war Mangiaracina served as the Family representive on the five Families joint numbers committee so he continued to be very influential.

[Antiliar]

Another old story of interest:

On November 11, 1917, Antonio Mazzaro, 30, of 230 North 5th Street, BK, and Antonio DiBenedetto, 43, of 343 (or 340) Metropolitan Avenue, BK, got into an argument with two men at Roebling and North 5th Street. Two teenaged girls overheard one of the assailants say, "If you don't tell us, we'll kill you." Then five shots were fired and Mazzaro and DiBenedetto were mortally wounded. Police arrested Antonio Massino, 27, of 165 East 12th Street, Manhattan, and Giuseppe "Matinecio" (or Martinico), 33, of 90 Main Street, Jersey City. The girls ID'd Massino as the shooter. Detectives noted that both the perps and the victims were Sicilian.

- Mazzaro was born to Camillo Mazzaro and Catharine (?) Palmeri in CDG and lived in NYC for 7 years. He had a brother named Filippo. Philip Mazzaro was born in 1888 and lived at 215 N. 5th St. in 1920. Philip apparently married Antonina Pampalona in Buffalo in 1910. He was described as wealthy when he was shot and killed in Buffalo on Dec 22, 1927. He was also president of the Societa Castellammare Golfo, and his pallbearers included Frank Bonventre.
- DiBenedetto was born to Calogero DiBenedetto and Antonina Mione [difficult to read, so could be wrong] in CDG and lived in NYC for 13 years. He had a bro named Martino. According to an Ancestry family tree he married Domenica UNK and was the father of "Charlie Buffalo" DiBenedetto. Martino was born in 1878 and married Grazia Mione. According to his marriage record his mother's surname was Mione also, so his wife was probably a cousin. Martino also lived at 340 Metropolitan in 1918.

In 1921, Bartolo Fontana said that this was a Good Killers-related murder.

[Antiliar]

So Marangiacina really existed ? It was his real name ? I ask because when I saw the movie, something like 10 years ago, I searched infos or a photo of him and I never find anything except a credit on IMDb. I always thought it was a made up character because if you notice it's the only man who was explicitely killed on the order of Bonanno. Smitty D'Angelo too, but I don't think his real name is cited in the movie

I wrote about him here in 2019: viewtopic.php?f=47&t=3115&p=99594&hilit ... ina#p99594

[B.]

Given everyone else we see on the peace committee was a boss or consigliere and we know Mangiaracina was not the Bonanno boss, his name could be in the running as a possible circa 1930 Bonanno consigliere.

[motorfab]

Ok thank you guys. And sorry, for some reasons I totally misspelled his name on my previous post ...

[B.]

If you want to know how insane I am, I tried listening to the names of the random Bonanno members at the end of the movie when they're each being formally introduced to their new rappresentante on the off chance JB gave them real names to use. Only name I could pick out was "Leonardo DeFilippo" which made me wonder if there was a Leonardo DiFilippi in the Family haha.

That movie is def part comedy with the way the mob guys act. It seemed like they deliberately made Salvatore Sabella effiminate.

[thekiduknow]

My favorite fact from the movie is that the actor who played the young Gaspar DiGregorio is named Vito DeFilippo lol.

[jimmyb]

Another old story of interest:

On November 11, 1917, Antonio Mazzaro, 30, of 230 North 5th Street, BK, and Antonio DiBenedetto, 43, of 343 (or 340) Metropolitan Avenue, BK, got into an argument with two men at Roebling and North 5th Street. Two teenaged girls overheard one of the assailants say, "If you don't tell us, we'll kill you." Then five shots were fired and Mazzaro and DiBenedetto were mortally wounded. Police arrested Antonio Massino, 27, of 165 East 12th Street, Manhattan, and Giuseppe "Matinecio" (or Martinico), 33, of 90 Main Street, Jersey City. The girls ID'd Massino as the shooter. Detectives noted that both the perps and the victims were Sicilian.

- Mazzaro was born to Camillo Mazzaro and Catharine (?) Palmeri in CDG and lived in NYC for 7 years. He had a brother named Filippo. Philip Mazzaro was born in 1888 and lived at 215 N. 5th St. in 1920. Philip apparently married Antonina Pampalona in Buffalo in 1910. He was described as wealthy when he was shot and killed in Buffalo on Dec 22, 1927. He was also president of the Societa Castellammare Golfo, and his pallbearers included Frank Bonventre.
- DiBenedetto was born to Calogero DiBenedetto and Antonina Mione [difficult to read, so could be wrong] in CDG and lived in NYC for 13 years. He had a bro named Martino. According to an Ancestry family tree he married Domenica UNK and was the father of "Charlie Buffalo" DiBenedetto. Martino was born in 1878 and married Grazia Mione. According to his marriage record his mother's surname was Mione also, so his wife was probably a cousin. Martino also lived at 340 Metropolitan in 1918.

In 1921, Bartolo Fontana said that this was a Good Killers-related murder.

Giuseppe Buccellato killed them. Danny Waugh identified one of his alleged accomplices. But I suspect Frank Finazzo and possibly Pietro Buccellato provided assistance as well. The Buccellatos tried to take out Stefano Magaddino and Gaspare Milazzo during this time, but were unsuccessful obviously.

[Antiliar]

Giuseppe Buccellato killed them. Danny Waugh identified one of his alleged accomplices. But I suspect Frank Finazzo and possibly Pietro Buccellato provided assistance as well. The Buccellatos tried to take out Stefano Magaddino and Gaspare Milazzo during this time, but were unsuccessful obviously.

That would be the Buccellatos from Detroit, correct?

[jimmyb]

Giuseppe Buccellato killed them. Danny Waugh identified one of his alleged accomplices. But I suspect Frank Finazzo and possibly Pietro Buccellato provided assistance as well. The Buccellatos tried to take out Stefano Magaddino and Gaspare Milazzo during this time, but were unsuccessful obviously.

That would be the Buccellatos from Detroit, correct?

Yes. He was killed in 1918. His brothers were Felice, Giovanni, and Francesco.

[Angelo Santino]

Trapani prov map.jpg

[Angelo Santino]

Great work, gentleman.

Another member in the 1910's was Frank "Toto" Minore who was around Elizabeth and Hester who was a nephew of Salvatore Saracino/Giuseppe Palermo. Also, while incarcerated, Saracino reached out to Flynn stating he was willing to provide information for a reduction of his sentence, he was very sick and ended up dying in prison shortly thereafter. This guy was coined by Bonanno as one of "Castellammare's most important men of tradition." Poalo Orlando was deported in 1909, in 1910 Saracino showed up at the Morello counterfeiting plant with Boss Lupo. Comito described Saracino as well dressed with gold rings and a watch. It is possible that Saracino could have been boss following Orando's deportation up until his incarceration or when Schiro was elected in 1912 which would make DiGaetano acting boss from 1910-1912 unless Saracino lost his position upon incarceration. This is alot of speculation based off of him simply arriving with Lupo and there's no other evidence which confirms his position so it's probably best to just conclude he was a member of importance and likely an office holder.

In the 1920's, Benny Gallo was an owner of a bar or saloon in Little Italy along with Antonino Cecala who was arrested in the Ctfting trial of 1910. One informant stated that Gallo was the "Boss of Williamsburg." We know he wasn't and that Schiro held the position but given how often he traveled, perhaps there was a ruling panel in place like we see throughout the years up to present day. Perhaps Gallo was on it and it could explain why so many members went on to represent other cities. Schiro did alot of traveling and he likely would have required some party to act in an administrative capacity.

The Bonannos seem to have a thing for ruling panels. In 1911 Sebastiano Di Gaetano called in Genovese member Salvatore Clemente and installed him onto a "panel of one" to ascertain whether or not Joe Cesoli was an informant.

[B.]

Speaking of the Bonanno movie, it makes reference to "the council" handling the sitdown with Mimi Sabella. Can't assume every little reference refers to something real (plenty of questionable stuff in the movie), but does make you wonder if the Bonannos had a formal consiglio that included some of these early leaders.

The later ruling panels don't seem to have been a consiglio as we understand it, but because the formal consiglio was brought over from the Sicilian mafia they may have had one in earlier years and this could have informed the decision to keep using ruling panels.