THE BLACK HAND FORUM

He definitely allowed things to get out of his control by not curtailing some of the factionalism that was developing. He also didn't do much to stop the alienation that his guy's were feeling towards him.


Pogo

I'm going to say that Bruno knew very well that he was surrounded by so-called brokesters due to drugs, alcohol, women and prison then utilized it to his advantage. It seems that he forgot he was also surrounded by killers and hungry gangsters, the same as Paul Castellano. Bruno should have took a backseat and enjoyed that house in Ventor a bit more. Maybe he would have died of old age.

Pogo The Clown wrote:From the looks of it Philly was always a violent family. The only difference after Bruno was killed was that a lot more made guy's got killed as opposssed to just Associates and hanger ons.


Pogo

The hits under Bruno weren't as high profile as what came after him with the Testa/Scarfo years. That's where this "Gentle" or "Docile" Don slogan came from. No one called him that during his actual tenure.

Philly members, alot of them were opium addicts and alcoholics. They were a street level operation from the beginning. They never had any long term union connections and Atlantic City was poorly mismanaged. Scarfo made some grounds there but it all came crashing down when they went to prison. Pretty much after Scarfo most of the people left were 80+ years old and semi-retired. But extorsion, gambling and the street tax doesn't require alot to get started and that's what they've been engaged in ever since.

As Pogo said, most of the crew today comes from Merlino. So it's no wonder these released Scarfo veterans don't see eye to eye and probably don't want to recognize them. The wiseguy mentality of the 80's and the mentality today is very different. They still can kill people but the brazen 80's are over.

From the looks of it Philly was always a violent family. The only difference after Bruno was killed was that a lot more made guy's got killed as opposssed to just Associates and hanger ons.


Pogo

Speaking of really "docile" dons, do you think Carlo Caputo from Madison ever ordered anybody killed?

B. wrote:and was a suspect in at least 4 hits when he was an associate/soldier.

Wow, I didn't know that. I thought he only took part in the one where he and Testa blew away some guy.

Do you have any info about the 4 hits that Bruno took part in? (victims, Bruno's role, reason for the hit, etc.)

much obliged

I think the name is true in the sense that he did try to mediate problems before ordering murders, but he wasn't a pushover either. The reputation originally comes from him making peace with Pollina instead of trying to hurt him, but the myth grew from there making him out to be some kind of harmless grandpa. He was your pretty average mob boss when it all comes down to it. Would another boss order more murders than he did? Maybe or maybe not, but Bruno wasn't against having people killed by any means and was a suspect in at least 4 hits when he was an associate/soldier.

BTW thanks for the great list Pogo, B., and Chucky.

I would not be surprised if there were hits on other low-level associates that we don't know about.

dixiemafia wrote:Ivan who is that in your avatar? Dude looks familiar but I suck putting faces to names half the time.

John Scalish when he was really young. I'm from Ohio originally, so I decided to "represent" by using Scalish as my avatar.

I agree with the "not so docile" don remark too. He killed more than people think, I just think he was better at keeping it under the radar instead of planting bombs under folks porches.

He's no Amuso or Scarfo, but as far as murders go the "Gentle Don" was about the same as any boss who isn't a homicidal maniac.

Bruno's docile body count seems to be gently on par with bosses like John Gotti.

Ivan who is that in your avatar? Dude looks familiar but I suck putting faces to names half the time.

I agree with the "not so docile" don remark too. He killed more than people think, I just think he was better at keeping it under the radar instead of planting bombs under folks porches.

Here is a list of the murders that occured during Bruno's reign that I posted a few weeks ago. B. and Chuky added to it.

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Dominick “Reds” Caruso/1962 (Body Not Found) - The hit was carried out by Nicky Scarfo, Salvatore Merlino, Santo Idone, Santo Romeo and Anthony Casella. Soldier Anthony “King Kong” Parella was also involved in the hit. Scarfo dumped the body and had then 9 year old Phil Leonetti ride with him so it wouldn’t look suspicious.

William Dugan/1963 – This was the longshoreman who was stabbed to death by Nicky Scarfo. The hit that got him banished to AC. Not Mob Related

Ferdinand Iacono/1963 – Associate

Robert DeGeorge/1969 – Associate – Killed by Joseph “Chickie” Ciancaglini. Frank Sheeran was also involved.

George Feeney/1970 – Associate - Killed by Ralph Natale.

?????/1970 – Killed by Nicholas “Nick the Blade” Virgilio. It was the stepfather of the girl he was dating. Not mob related. This was the hit that Judge Edward Helfant screwed him on.

Pasquale “Jimmy Ross” Procopio/1972 – Associate

FNU “Chicago Louie” Matteo/1972 - Associate

Joseph “Joey” McGreal/1973 – Associate – Killed by Ralph Natale

Alvin Feldman/1974 – Associate (Body Not Found) – The hit was carried out by Frank “Chickie” Narducci, Santo Idone, Joseph “Chickie” Ciancaglini and Joseph Scalleat.

Edward “Butchie” Snee/1975 – Associate – The hit was carried out by Peter “Pete the Crumb” Caprio and Fulvio “Anthony/Tony" Capozzi.

Louis DeMarco/1976 – Associate - The hit was carried out by Philip “Crazy Phil” Leonetti and Vincent Falcone

Guiseppe “Pepe” Leva/1977 – Associate – Killed by Alfredo Ferraro

Michael “Mikey CoCo” Cifelli/1978 – Associate – Killed by Salvatore Merlino and Salvatore “Salvy” Testa.

Edwin Helfant/1978 – Associate- The hit was carried out by Nicholas “Nick the Blade” Virgilio and Nicky Scarfo

?????/1978 – Killed by Joseph “Joe Crutch” Curro. This was his wife’s boyfriend. Not Mob Related.

Vincent Falcone/1979 – Associate – The hit was carried out by Nicky Scarfo, Philip “Crazy Phil” Leonetti, Lawrence “Larry/Yogi” Merlino and Joseph Salerno. This one may not have been ordered by Bruno.

Anyone got a complete list of the people who's deaths he ordered or sanctioned? Also, anyone know who it was that him and Phil Testa personally gunned down?

thanks in advance