THE BLACK HAND FORUM

by B. » Sat Aug 01, 2020 3:59 pm

The only ceremony I'm aware of that Joe Bonanno presided over was the induction of CI Frank "Fauney" D'Angelo. All of the identified attendees were of Castellammarese heritage, so it's possible Bonanno gave this ceremony extra attention for that reason or it's a coincidence.

by **johnny_scootch** » Mon Jul 27, 2020 5:29 am

chubby wrote: ↑Fri Jul 24, 2020 3:36 pm Haha I would be fucking so disappointed if I got made in one of these on the fly , hackjob , condensed version...

The Bonanno and DeCavalcante families while being very Sicilian compared to other families did away with all the props so if the ceremony got raided they could say it was just a meeting. I wonder if they knew about each other or they just made the same decision for the same reason unbeknownst to one another?

Speaking of hack job ceremonies besides Baldy Mike getting straightened out in a prison bathroom I think the ceremony for Mike Rizzitello has to be the worst. Frattiano, Dragna, Bompensiero and Rizzi pull over on the side of the road and do it in the car. No gun no knife no burning saint but they did prick his finger. Frattiano had explained the rules to Rizzi beforehand because as he said 'you ain't going to understand a word Bomp says anyway'!

by **TallGuy19** » Sun Jul 26, 2020 10:12 pm

chubby wrote: ↑Fri Jul 24, 2020 3:36 pm
axx wrote: ↑Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:40 pm Doing a "quickie" kinda destroys the whole purpose of the ceremony, that is to create a loyalty for a family making a soldier less likely to flip. Also I always imagined early bosses more involved in politics and steering the ship in the right direction while letting the underboss take care of day to day operations within the family including making new members. Especially with the large influx of new members.
Haha I would be fucking so disappointed if I got made in one of these on the fly , hackjob , condensed version... it’s crazy to think fusco and tranghese from Springfield had the whole crew present when they got made... cause it’s not like they got made in the 70’s or 80’s, it was pretty recent talking mafia times.... Michael franzese claimed that literally the whole administration and like every captain was present at his induction... that took place at like a catering hall basement or something. That’s crazy you’re talking over a dozen guys easy including the few getting made....
I love reading the audio of the Boston ceremony that was fully caught on tape... again there was basically everyone who counted in the family there that day in Medford.. there was like 9 or 10 peiple present, including then boss patriarca jr... 4 people were made that day including Bobby deluca... that was a very thorough ceremony... like they really took the time to explain everything ..
The surveillance photo of mercurio and patriarca jr. walking on the sidewalk to the house is almost creepy.. mercurio is starting straight at the agents and knows exactly what he’s doing, and patriarca jr. is walking without a clue...

It makes sense to have quite a few made guys at the ceremony so that you can be formally introduced to them as a made member, and they can subsequently introduce you to other members as needed.

by **chubby** » Fri Jul 24, 2020 3:36 pm

axx wrote: ↑Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:40 pm Doing a "quickie" kinda destroys the whole purpose of the ceremony, that is to create a loyalty for a family making a soldier less likely to flip. Also I always imagined early bosses more involved in politics and steering the ship in the right direction while letting the underboss take care of day to day operations within the family including making new members. Especially with the large influx of new members.

Haha I would be fucking so disappointed if I got made in one of these on the fly , hackjob , condensed version... it’s crazy to think fusco and tranghese from Springfield had the whole crew present when they got made... cause it’s not like they got made in the 70’s or 80’s, it was pretty recent talking mafia times.... Michael franzese claimed that literally the whole administration and like every captain was present at his induction... that took place at like a catering hall basement or something. That’s crazy you’re talking over a dozen guys easy including the few getting made....
I love reading the audio of the Boston ceremony that was fully caught on tape... again there was basically everyone who counted in the family there that day in Medford.. there was like 9 or 10 peiple present, including then boss patriarca jr... 4 people were made that day including Bobby deluca... that was a very thorough ceremony... like they really took the time to explain everything ..
The surveillance photo of mercurio and patriarca jr. walking on the sidewalk to the house is almost creepy.. mercurio is starting straight at the agents and knows exactly what he’s doing, and patriarca jr. is walking without a clue...

by **JeremyTheJew** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 6:10 pm

Both Frattiano and Gravano opened there books w them being made.

by **furiofromnaples** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 3:03 pm

I think that is the fact of be a part of a secret society,an élite that was the force of Cosa Nostra respect the other oc groups in America.
Ant the fact that they believed in Cosa Nostra that give the courage to the oldest mobsters to face long sentences,now is different, the wiseguys are criminals like the others and put the money behind all. There are no "Cosa Nostra till I die" mentality and in this situation a formal ceremony with knife,gun and burning saint is useless.

by **Chopper** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 2:25 pm

I recently read a book that describes Brusca's making ceremony.

He was made by Toto Riina himself, featuring the gun, the knive, the saint, the blood pricking and all the same questions that are used in the USA by the local families.

The same ceremony that was used in the 1890's and is still going on today. It's part of their criminal tradition like Wiseguy said and its definitly a big part of why they are still around.

by **Pogo The Clown** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 2:11 pm

From the show Wiseguy. Speaking about Vinny Terranova.

Don Joey Baglia: He should be brought into La Familia.

Sonny Steelgrave: Ah, he already made his bones, Joey.

Don Joey Baglia: He should be brought in by the Council. The ceremony should be performed.

Sonny Steelgrave: On, no you mean that bit with the guns and the knives? Joey, this is the 20th century.

Don Joey Baglia: And you know what's wrong with America in the 20th century? No sense of tradition. Don't you want to keep your roots alive?

Sonny Steelgrave: My gardener keeps my roots alive.

Then when they did the ceremony with the Commission present 2 bosses argue over whether they should just do the finger pricking or just the Saint burning. Philly Boss No Money Mahoney talks about how he "bleeds his guys".

Pogo

by **Wiseguy** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 1:48 pm

Chopper wrote: ↑Tue Jul 21, 2020 12:28 pm I think the ceremonies and rituals are the one thing that sets them apart and has kept LCN together for the last 120+ years.

Sure there's been lots of rats, but there's a durability to it that can't be denied.

The criminal tradition (of which the ceremony is a part) supported by a self-perpetuating organizational structure.

by **Chopper** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 12:28 pm

I think the ceremonies and rituals are the one thing that sets them apart and has kept LCN together for the last 120+ years.

Sure there's been lots of rats, but there's a durability to it that can't be denied.

by **furiofromnaples** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:44 am

JeremyTheJew wrote: ↑Tue Jul 21, 2020 12:58 am In the last known Bonanno ceremony, where the guy was a CW he was made by his CAPO only.

And the capo just layed out like the basics. I think he said who admin was. And it was like nothing. Which would suck i would think.

Asaro was made in a fuckin masoleum....

Massino made that guy while happy fuckin b day was playing....

Casso made a guy in prison (is that offical??)

Yes. Casso inducted bald mike spinelli in prison in 1992 with a toilet paper to burn and the smell of shit. But bald mike doesnt flip and is still in prison.

by **Pogo The Clown** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 8:42 am

bluehouse wrote: ↑Tue Jul 21, 2020 5:43 am
axx wrote: ↑Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:40 pm Doing a "quickie" kinda destroys the whole purpose of the ceremony, that is to create a loyalty for a family making a soldier less likely to flip.
i really dont think a guy whos facing 50 years and is thinking of flipping is going to be loyal and take those 50 years because during his making ceremony they used props

Pretty much. If a guy is loyal than a ceremony is not necessary. If he is not loyal than no amount of ceremonies will make him so.

Pogo

by **thekiduknow** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 7:28 am

johnny_scootch wrote: ↑Mon Jul 20, 2020 5:22 pm
JMAN723 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 20, 2020 5:14 pm
johnny_scootch wrote: ↑Mon Jul 20, 2020 4:22 pm
Fughedaboutit wrote: ↑Mon Jul 20, 2020 4:05 pm
I got ya...so the ceremony without the props
Basically yes, it's also worth mentioning that the Bonanno's would sometimes mention to the inductees that there was supposed to be a gun and knife present at the ceremony but 'because of the way things are now' we don't have them. 'The way things are' meaning law enforcement pressure.

True. I think they were doing that all the way back in 77. I know Frank Lino said that they said “Pretend there is a gun and knife on the table because we can’t take a chance the cops might bust us on a weapons charge”
Some people might use Joe Bonanno's description of his initiation as evidence they used short ceremonies all the way back in the 1920's but I am of the opinion he purposefully left that info out for whatever reason. There is absolutely no reason I can think of that would make them want or need to do a quick ceremony in those days.

I agree, especially since Valachi went through a traditional ceremony which Bonanno attended.

by **axx** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 6:21 am

Guy facing 50 no, but guy facing 5 maybe. Some take the sacred thing seriously.

by **bluehouse** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 5:43 am

axx wrote: ↑Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:40 pm Doing a "quickie" kinda destroys the whole purpose of the ceremony, that is to create a loyalty for a family making a soldier less likely to flip.

i really dont think a guy whos facing 50 years and is thinking of flipping is going to be loyal and take those 50 years because during his making ceremony they used props

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