Gaetano "Tommy" Siracusa. Also known as Marsu.
Owned a bar in New Orleans. Known for gambling and narcotics, with ties to New York.
Was involved in murder of Constantino Masotto/Gene Mano. Disappeared on February 8 1944. Headless, skeletal remains found on the side of a road in NOLA on April 3 1944. Body ID'd by wife from articles of clothing and personal affects found on/near body.
Clipped over a 10K debt and/or bad drug deal. Possibly due to the Masotto murder as well.
Suspected that Carlos Marcello did the deed. Others implicated were Vito Longo, Joe "Zip" Chimento, Nick Christiana and an unknown male that fit the general description of Salvatore Vitale.
A witness described the last scene where Siracusa was seen alive. Siracusa arrived at the Willswood Tavern (later Mosca's) around 7pm on February 8 where the above individuals were already having dinner and were the lone party in the place. Siracusa first seemed surprised and then increasingly disturbed.He walked around the bar and then into the kitchen. He was followed in by the party of men where shouting and the clatter of pots were heard soon after. Vito Longo's mother was cooking and quickly came from the kitchen. When the door opened the witness described catching a glimpse of Siracusa in a chair yelling in Italian. Chimento had a gun to his head and Marcello was slapping his face.
New Orleans Family
Moderator: Capos
New Orleans Family
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Re: New Orleans Family
Vittorio Vincenzo Gallo. Vic Gallo
Born July 12 1894 in New York City, died July 20 1961 in New Orleans.
Known for Gambling. Arrests for sodomy and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Ran the Chesterfield Club in Jefferson Louisiana and had ties to the 1.2.3. Club in New Orleans.
Salvador Gallo
Born on November 14 1899 in New Orleans, died in 1962 in New Orleans.
Known for gambling. Arrests included gambling and black marketing violations. Had an interest in NOLA News, a racewire service.
The two were related in some way. Cousins maybe?
Born July 12 1894 in New York City, died July 20 1961 in New Orleans.
Known for Gambling. Arrests for sodomy and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Ran the Chesterfield Club in Jefferson Louisiana and had ties to the 1.2.3. Club in New Orleans.
Salvador Gallo
Born on November 14 1899 in New Orleans, died in 1962 in New Orleans.
Known for gambling. Arrests included gambling and black marketing violations. Had an interest in NOLA News, a racewire service.
The two were related in some way. Cousins maybe?
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Re: New Orleans Family
Crap! Don't know why the pics are sideways. Is there a way to fix that? And keep it from happening again?
Re: New Orleans Family
James Brocato. Known as Diamond Jim Moran.
Born June 17 1895, Died April 13 1958. Spent his life in New Orleans.
Known for being a colorful, eccentric restaurateur. Owned two famous French Quarter restaurants, Food for Kings and La Louisiane. Was a boxer in his youth and changed his name to Moran to keep his mother from finding out that he boxed and worrying.
Speculation as to if he was Made or not. Seems doubtful as he was a highly public figure. He certainly was involved with big names though. He brought Frank Costello, Sam Carollo and Huey Long together to hammer out a deal after Long invited Costello to move his slots to Louisiana when Costello was facing problems in New York with Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. In January 1951 he testified before the Kefauver Committee that he worked for the Louisiana Mint Company (a Costello owned slot distribution company) running routes to service machines and collect cash. Moran was friends with politicians (was in Baton Rouge with Huey Long was assassinated in Sept. 1935), actors, sports figures and gangsters. Even Estes Kefauver remarked that he would miss his friend when he learned Moran had died. He died of a heart attack in La Louisiane.
Born June 17 1895, Died April 13 1958. Spent his life in New Orleans.
Known for being a colorful, eccentric restaurateur. Owned two famous French Quarter restaurants, Food for Kings and La Louisiane. Was a boxer in his youth and changed his name to Moran to keep his mother from finding out that he boxed and worrying.
Speculation as to if he was Made or not. Seems doubtful as he was a highly public figure. He certainly was involved with big names though. He brought Frank Costello, Sam Carollo and Huey Long together to hammer out a deal after Long invited Costello to move his slots to Louisiana when Costello was facing problems in New York with Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. In January 1951 he testified before the Kefauver Committee that he worked for the Louisiana Mint Company (a Costello owned slot distribution company) running routes to service machines and collect cash. Moran was friends with politicians (was in Baton Rouge with Huey Long was assassinated in Sept. 1935), actors, sports figures and gangsters. Even Estes Kefauver remarked that he would miss his friend when he learned Moran had died. He died of a heart attack in La Louisiane.
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Re: New Orleans Family
Always good to see what the NO guys looked like....thanks for posting.
Re: New Orleans Family
Carlo Montalbano
Born in 1932. Died December 10 1993 in New Orleans.
Made under Carlos Marcello. Known as muscle. Owned a Bourbon Street strip club called The Blue Angel.
Shot in the stomach in a drive by shooting in 1964.
Montalbano's temper was well known and legendary. On April 17 1969 he beat a customer with a small bat outside The Blue Angel. Allegedly over the size of the bar tab. The guy survived but apparently suffered permanent nerve damage. A couple of years of legal wrangling saw Montalbano walk away without jail time. On the day he died he had been questioned by the FBI for several hours about business relationships. According to family members he was so worked up over the questioning that he suffered a stroke and died at home.
A young Montalbano in 1951 pictured below.
Born in 1932. Died December 10 1993 in New Orleans.
Made under Carlos Marcello. Known as muscle. Owned a Bourbon Street strip club called The Blue Angel.
Shot in the stomach in a drive by shooting in 1964.
Montalbano's temper was well known and legendary. On April 17 1969 he beat a customer with a small bat outside The Blue Angel. Allegedly over the size of the bar tab. The guy survived but apparently suffered permanent nerve damage. A couple of years of legal wrangling saw Montalbano walk away without jail time. On the day he died he had been questioned by the FBI for several hours about business relationships. According to family members he was so worked up over the questioning that he suffered a stroke and died at home.
A young Montalbano in 1951 pictured below.
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Re: New Orleans Family
Frank Gagliano. Fat Frank, Muffaletta Frank.
Born April 20 1930. Died April 13 2006.
Son of Family member Giuseppe Gagliano who was deported in 1955 (possibly returned in 1961?)
Made under Marcello. Opened Frank's Deli on Decauter St. in the French Quarter in the mid 1960's. Attendee at the famous La Stella meeting in Forest Hills, Queens NY.
Known backer of Anthony Carollo in the Marcello/Carollo rivalry. Became Underboss to Anthony Carollo in 1993 after Carlos Marcello's death. In the early 90's Frank's Deli had their phones tapped in the last major FBI Cosa Nostra investigation in New Orleans dubbed Operation Hardcrust (so called for the hard crusty bread used to make Po Boy sandwhiches). In 1994 Gagliano was busted in a video poker machine skimming racket. His son Joe, Joe Marcello and Anthony Carollo would also be busted and serve time. Frank would get hit up with 38 months.
Franks Deli is still there and makes a pretty good Muffaletta. Last I heard one of his sons run the place.
Born April 20 1930. Died April 13 2006.
Son of Family member Giuseppe Gagliano who was deported in 1955 (possibly returned in 1961?)
Made under Marcello. Opened Frank's Deli on Decauter St. in the French Quarter in the mid 1960's. Attendee at the famous La Stella meeting in Forest Hills, Queens NY.
Known backer of Anthony Carollo in the Marcello/Carollo rivalry. Became Underboss to Anthony Carollo in 1993 after Carlos Marcello's death. In the early 90's Frank's Deli had their phones tapped in the last major FBI Cosa Nostra investigation in New Orleans dubbed Operation Hardcrust (so called for the hard crusty bread used to make Po Boy sandwhiches). In 1994 Gagliano was busted in a video poker machine skimming racket. His son Joe, Joe Marcello and Anthony Carollo would also be busted and serve time. Frank would get hit up with 38 months.
Franks Deli is still there and makes a pretty good Muffaletta. Last I heard one of his sons run the place.
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Re: New Orleans Family
Charles Matranga. Millionaire Charlie.
Born around 1858 in Monreale Sicily. Died October 28 1943 in New Orleans.
Stevedore for United Fruit Company and Standard Fruit Company.
Matranga gets the credit as being the first modern Mafia Boss in New Orleans. He was a defendant accused of participating in the murder of Chief of Police David Hennessey in October of 1890 and a survivor of the mass lynching at the Orleans Parish Prison on March 14 1891 after a not guilty verdict came back from the jury.
Charlie's father, Salvatore, brought him and his brother Anthony to New Orleans as small children from Monreale Sicily. Most likely in the early 1860's. Monreale is a small town that sits in the hills above Palermo and the dominant crime group there was called the Stuppagghieri. Salvatore was a member of this group and continued their traditions in New Orleans. The dominant group in New Orleans from the end of the Civil War until 1872 was the Mafia from Palermo under the Agnello brothers. Rafaelle was shot down in the French Quarter in 1869 and his brother Guiseppe was killed at Luggar's Landing not far from the Quarter. Matranga's Stuppagghieri were small and quiet before the Agnello's were killed but started their rise in dominance after the Agnello's were gone. Though they had different traditions Matranga absorbed many of the Mafia's and so absorbed many of the Mafia into his own group. Details are sketchy during that period but by the time of the Hennessey killing Matranga's group seemed the dominant force in the city. After the lynching Mafia activity died down until the early 1900's.
Some questions remain unanswered/unclear. There was quite a bit of Mafia/Black Hand violence between different factions from the early 1900's until the late 19 teens. If Charlie Matranga was Godfather it seems he had a weak hold on things. He retired in 1922 handing power off to Corrado Giacona. He died at his sister-in-laws house.
Born around 1858 in Monreale Sicily. Died October 28 1943 in New Orleans.
Stevedore for United Fruit Company and Standard Fruit Company.
Matranga gets the credit as being the first modern Mafia Boss in New Orleans. He was a defendant accused of participating in the murder of Chief of Police David Hennessey in October of 1890 and a survivor of the mass lynching at the Orleans Parish Prison on March 14 1891 after a not guilty verdict came back from the jury.
Charlie's father, Salvatore, brought him and his brother Anthony to New Orleans as small children from Monreale Sicily. Most likely in the early 1860's. Monreale is a small town that sits in the hills above Palermo and the dominant crime group there was called the Stuppagghieri. Salvatore was a member of this group and continued their traditions in New Orleans. The dominant group in New Orleans from the end of the Civil War until 1872 was the Mafia from Palermo under the Agnello brothers. Rafaelle was shot down in the French Quarter in 1869 and his brother Guiseppe was killed at Luggar's Landing not far from the Quarter. Matranga's Stuppagghieri were small and quiet before the Agnello's were killed but started their rise in dominance after the Agnello's were gone. Though they had different traditions Matranga absorbed many of the Mafia's and so absorbed many of the Mafia into his own group. Details are sketchy during that period but by the time of the Hennessey killing Matranga's group seemed the dominant force in the city. After the lynching Mafia activity died down until the early 1900's.
Some questions remain unanswered/unclear. There was quite a bit of Mafia/Black Hand violence between different factions from the early 1900's until the late 19 teens. If Charlie Matranga was Godfather it seems he had a weak hold on things. He retired in 1922 handing power off to Corrado Giacona. He died at his sister-in-laws house.
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Re: New Orleans Family
Thanks for the New Orleans info. Don't know much about them beyond Davis's flawed book.
Re: New Orleans Family
Fat Frank's son was the one who got jammed up in that sniper van arrest. Reported he was made too. Should be out of jail by now.
"He killed 16 Czechoslovakians. Guy was an interior decorator."
"Really? His house looked like shit."
"Really? His house looked like shit."
Re: New Orleans Family
Thanks led for the NOLA info. My main interest is NY/NJ so this is some fairly new information for me. I hope you plan on posting up some background on the Carollo's. I'm particularly interested in the rivalry between them and Marcello. Thanks again for sharing and good work!
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Re: New Orleans Family
Thanks Chaps. Haven't run across too much info on their rivalry other than it always burned Anthony that he didn't get the top spot after dad was deported. A lot of theories on the La Stella meet but the only one that really makes any sense to me with the NOLA presence there is the one about Anthony wanting a bigger cut of things and to be named Boss after Marcello. Carollo may have been inviting some Genovese members into NOLA without Marcello's OK. Gagliano, known to back Carollo, was cousin to Dom Alongi who grew up in NOLA so that kinda gives that some weight. Other than that it seems to have been something that simmered for decades but never really boiled over, least not that I've come across. I've heard some info that initially after Carlos died brother Joe took over as Carlos intended but that he was basically just pushed aside by Carollo and Gagliano. Not sure how accurate that is though.Chaps wrote: ↑Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:53 am Thanks led for the NOLA info. My main interest is NY/NJ so this is some fairly new information for me. I hope you plan on posting up some background on the Carollo's. I'm particularly interested in the rivalry between them and Marcello. Thanks again for sharing and good work!
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But yeah, plan on posting info on both Sam and Anthony.
Since your interest is Jersey let me ask you: Would you have any info on a guy named Anthony Zappia? Actual name SanFilippo. Connected to the DeCalvacante's and sent to NOLA around '73, was killed here in '74 by Nick Karno in a fight at Karno's LaStrada Club. Have the story of that but would be interested in any background Jersey info you might have.
Re: New Orleans Family
Vito Di Girgio
Early New Orleans Black Hand/Mafia member.
Born in Palermo March 20 1876. Died in Chicago May 13 1922.
Vito enters the U.S in 1904 in New York. Stays with cousin Giuseppe Morello a short time before heading to New orleans where he quickly gets a reputation for extorting Italian grocery store owners.In 1907 under the alias of Joseph Caronia he kills a man in self defense and in 1908 is arrested under the same alias for attempted extortion of an Italian grocery. In 1914 he becomes the owner of a grocery store himself (and would come to own several) which was sold to him by Henry Sciambra. The original owner, Henry's brother Antonio, was murdered along with his wife as they slept on the night of May 16 1912 (some speculate that this was early works of the Axman of New Orleans and that in fact the the whole Axman ordeal was connected to Black Hand/Mafia activities). On May 13 1916 Vito and another man named Jake Gileardo are shot in Vito's grocery. Vito is seriously wounded but survives, Gileardo does not. Vito refuses to ID the shooter but a clerk that worked in his store named Angelo De Peche as the shooter.
Between 1910 and 1920 there were sporadic bursts of violence between the factions of Vincenzo Moreci and Paolo Di Christina. Di Christina had risen to power briefly in 1908 but with the backing of Giuseppe Morello in New York Vince Moreci was given control of things (this according to Nicola Gentile). In 1910 Di Christina decided to take Moreci out and he was ambushed by two shooters but survived. Just by chance, I'm sure, Di Christina's new found bravery co-coincided with Morello's imprisonment in NY on counterfeiting charges. A month later Di Christina is killed and two months later Joe Di Martini, the other shooter of Moreci, is killed. Moreci is killed on November 19 1915, a man named Joseph Monfre being the main suspect. Sporadic violence would continue into 1916.
Vito seems to have aligned himself with the Di Christina faction and on the losing side. Vito re-locates to the Los Angeles California prior to or at the beginning of 1920. Just prior to this on July 6 1919 his son Philip is found drowned in the Mississippi River. It's unknown what happened but speculated it's in revenge against Vito. He becomes what many consider the first Boss of L.A.
In May of 1921 Vito is thought to be behind an attempted robbery in Independence Louisiana (though I've only seen one source saying this) in which a local businessman, Dallas Calmes, is killed. Six Italian men from New Orleans are arrested and would eventually be hung in 1924. On July 18 1921 Vito was shot and wounded in the leg. Vito again refuses to ID his shooter but it seems that an old "friend" named named Vincenzo Chiapetta was the shooter. Chiapetta had been busted with Vito in the 1908 extortion case. Chiapetta was now part of the Kansas City Family and it seems Nicola Gentile smoothed things out between them.
In May of 1922 Vito travels alnong with a friend, Vincenzo "James" Cammarata Lo Cascio, to Buffalo for a meeting. On the way back to California they stop in Chicago, possibly for a meet with Mike Merlo of the Unione Siciliane. They stop at a barber shop on Larabee St. in Chicago's Little Italy and while sitting in barber chairs two men enter and blast Cascio and Di Giorgio (a la Anastasia) killing both. Some versions of the story has another Di Girgio man present but if this was the case he escaped as there's no mention of him in the papers.
The picture below is of Vito and a friend in Venice. Vito is sitting, the friend unknown. It's a postcard dated May 26 of either 1920 or 21. The last number is obscured. It was sent to New Orleans from Los Angeles to his friend that he would die with, James Cascio.
Early New Orleans Black Hand/Mafia member.
Born in Palermo March 20 1876. Died in Chicago May 13 1922.
Vito enters the U.S in 1904 in New York. Stays with cousin Giuseppe Morello a short time before heading to New orleans where he quickly gets a reputation for extorting Italian grocery store owners.In 1907 under the alias of Joseph Caronia he kills a man in self defense and in 1908 is arrested under the same alias for attempted extortion of an Italian grocery. In 1914 he becomes the owner of a grocery store himself (and would come to own several) which was sold to him by Henry Sciambra. The original owner, Henry's brother Antonio, was murdered along with his wife as they slept on the night of May 16 1912 (some speculate that this was early works of the Axman of New Orleans and that in fact the the whole Axman ordeal was connected to Black Hand/Mafia activities). On May 13 1916 Vito and another man named Jake Gileardo are shot in Vito's grocery. Vito is seriously wounded but survives, Gileardo does not. Vito refuses to ID the shooter but a clerk that worked in his store named Angelo De Peche as the shooter.
Between 1910 and 1920 there were sporadic bursts of violence between the factions of Vincenzo Moreci and Paolo Di Christina. Di Christina had risen to power briefly in 1908 but with the backing of Giuseppe Morello in New York Vince Moreci was given control of things (this according to Nicola Gentile). In 1910 Di Christina decided to take Moreci out and he was ambushed by two shooters but survived. Just by chance, I'm sure, Di Christina's new found bravery co-coincided with Morello's imprisonment in NY on counterfeiting charges. A month later Di Christina is killed and two months later Joe Di Martini, the other shooter of Moreci, is killed. Moreci is killed on November 19 1915, a man named Joseph Monfre being the main suspect. Sporadic violence would continue into 1916.
Vito seems to have aligned himself with the Di Christina faction and on the losing side. Vito re-locates to the Los Angeles California prior to or at the beginning of 1920. Just prior to this on July 6 1919 his son Philip is found drowned in the Mississippi River. It's unknown what happened but speculated it's in revenge against Vito. He becomes what many consider the first Boss of L.A.
In May of 1921 Vito is thought to be behind an attempted robbery in Independence Louisiana (though I've only seen one source saying this) in which a local businessman, Dallas Calmes, is killed. Six Italian men from New Orleans are arrested and would eventually be hung in 1924. On July 18 1921 Vito was shot and wounded in the leg. Vito again refuses to ID his shooter but it seems that an old "friend" named named Vincenzo Chiapetta was the shooter. Chiapetta had been busted with Vito in the 1908 extortion case. Chiapetta was now part of the Kansas City Family and it seems Nicola Gentile smoothed things out between them.
In May of 1922 Vito travels alnong with a friend, Vincenzo "James" Cammarata Lo Cascio, to Buffalo for a meeting. On the way back to California they stop in Chicago, possibly for a meet with Mike Merlo of the Unione Siciliane. They stop at a barber shop on Larabee St. in Chicago's Little Italy and while sitting in barber chairs two men enter and blast Cascio and Di Giorgio (a la Anastasia) killing both. Some versions of the story has another Di Girgio man present but if this was the case he escaped as there's no mention of him in the papers.
The picture below is of Vito and a friend in Venice. Vito is sitting, the friend unknown. It's a postcard dated May 26 of either 1920 or 21. The last number is obscured. It was sent to New Orleans from Los Angeles to his friend that he would die with, James Cascio.
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