THE BLACK HAND FORUM

by **antimafia** » Fri Jan 10, 2025 4:43 pm

Article to which I've linked below was published online today. As a side note, the Silvestros based in Ontario, Canada had ties to Sault Ste. Marie and Timmins, both of which are in Northern Ontario.

Sault man describing family’s history as bootleggers
https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/sau ... s-10049587

by B. » Thu Nov 09, 2023 10:52 pm

From Dickie:

- The part from Marino Mannoia reflects what US sources like Gentile and Magaddino said about Families being dissolved and captains stepping down until a new boss is elected. Also confirms consigliere was an elected position in his Family much as it was in many US Families. It is pluralized here so it's possible he was referring to a consiglio, as Calderone and Buscetta confirmed that existed in larger Sicilian Families. He also says it is the captains who collect the votes which we've seen in US mafia elections.

- What Leonardo Messina said about the consigliere matches Magaddino's comments and much of what I've said about the consigliere over the years. Messina says the consigliere is "the man responsible for controlling the head (capofamiglia / boss)". He says in San Cataldo the consigliere was also supposed to prevent the boss and captains from taking more money than is due to them. Magaddino said he didn't want a consigliere as it created a voice equal to the boss and he felt if a boss was elected unanimously there shouldn't be a need for consigliere. Also fits the function of the consigliere in many US Families. See here: viewtopic.php?t=7031

by **PolackTony** » Thu Oct 19, 2023 5:10 pm

B. wrote: ↑Thu Oct 19, 2023 1:08 pm Yeah Cecala is very common there which is why I thought Nino was from Caccamo. Don't know how common it is in Baucina but seems like more than a coincidence two Cecalas ran Empire Yeast at that time even though the two were from different nearby villages.

FWIW, Cecala is not at all common in Baucina. Outside of Caccamo, it appears with much lower frequency in Vicari and Ventimiglia. From what I have, Nino Cecale’s paternal grandfather, Antonino Cecala (b. 1805), was from Ventimiglia, which makes sense. Based on the distribution of the surname, my assumption has been that it originated in Caccamo and that the families with it in neighboring comuni ultimately trace their lineage back there, though this could be in the distant past in some cases. At least in this case, I didn’t see any indication of direct relation to any Cecalas from Caccamo in this family going back to the late 18th century, but Ventimiglia of course borders Caccamo, so who knows if the families of these two Cecalas had ties or contact with each other. As you say, it would seem to be quite the coincidence that two Cecalas just happened to have both been in charge of Empire Yeast.

by B. » Thu Oct 19, 2023 1:08 pm

Yeah Cecala is very common there which is why I thought Nino was from Caccamo. Don't know how common it is in Baucina but seems like more than a coincidence two Cecalas ran Empire Yeast at that time even though the two were from different nearby villages.

by **PolackTony** » Thu Oct 19, 2023 1:01 pm

B. wrote: ↑Thu Oct 19, 2023 11:54 am With Ignazio Cecala coming from Caccamo, his name brings to mind the Pollinas of Philly who had a direct relation to the Cecala name. That surname has also continued to show up around the mafia in Caccamo later. Seems likely Ignazio was a mafioso like the other Empire executives Traina and Paterno.

Along with Scimeca, Cecala is one of the single most common surnames in Caccamo (and is also distributed in other comuni in that area, as we see with the Cecalas from Baucina), so some of these Cecalas may have no immediate relation to each other.

There were a number of Caccamese Cecalas in Chicago who were also connected to the mafia. The mother of *presumed* Chicago boss Mariano Zagone was a Cecala. Then there was the Nicasio Cecala who was murdered in 1919. His brother Serafino “Sam” Cecala was a jeweler and bakery owner who was involved in bootleg alcohol distribution until his death in 1936 and *may* well have been a member.

by B. » Thu Oct 19, 2023 11:54 am

Haha

It is most likely to me that Nino Cecala was a Morello member that joined the Luccheses but you never know with those outlying Palermo comuni. Even though the Gambinos ended up controlling Empire Yeast you still had s Lucchese presence via the Dioguardis who came from Baucina like Nino Cecala. Mario Traina was even best man at Tommy Dioguardi's wedding.

With Ignazio Cecala coming from Caccamo, his name brings to mind the Pollinas of Philly who had a direct relation to the Cecala name. That surname has also continued to show up around the mafia in Caccamo later. Seems likely Ignazio was a mafioso like the other Empire executives Traina and Paterno.

by **chin_gigante** » Thu Oct 19, 2023 1:05 am

B. wrote: ↑Wed Oct 18, 2023 6:35 pm Correction to "Morello counterfeiting organization"

I of course meant operation. Big typo for a diehard a adherent of org vs. op.

You're slipping

by B. » Wed Oct 18, 2023 6:35 pm

Correction to "Morello counterfeiting organization"

I of course meant operation. Big typo for a diehard a adherent of org vs. op.

Sort of like my takes on Cascio Ferro, some of the figures from the counterfeiting operation like Cecala deserve a second look. There is a tendency to assume all of the members involved in the operation were Morello members but it was a partnership between Lupo, Morello, and Saracino so three Families were involved and other participants could have been from different Families. Can't recall if Comito provided info that clearly placed members like Cecala and Zu Vincenzo under Morello.

by B. » Wed Oct 18, 2023 2:06 pm

lennert wrote: ↑Mon Feb 14, 2022 1:29 am Cecala was born in Baucina, to Salvatore and Louise Badame…

As for LaGaipa, I see… Guess I misunderstood the reference that LaGaipa was controlled by D’Aguila through his brother-in-law SanFilippo (do we have a first name for him???)

Looking into Empire Yeast again, another early partner in addition to Antonino Cecala was an Ignazio Cecala who I assume was a relative of Nino. However, Ignazio was born in Caccamo and that was his last foreign residence before the US. Do you know of a relation between Antonino and Ignazio Cecala and whether Nino ever lived in Caccamo as well? Ignazio's father was named Nicasio, not Salvatore like Nino's.

Also when Giuseppe Traina took over the company in 1931, the president was Traina, vice president was Antonio Paterno, and treasurer was Ignazio Cecala. Traina and Paterno as we know were high-ranking Gambino members while this Cecala has never been linked to mafia membership in available records. However, Nino Cecala was obviously an important member involved with the Morello counterfeiting organization and told Comito the following:

"During the last three years I am getting along well in my line: that is, I am the head of a
band of incendiaries and earn a little money now and then."

Terminology is vague, but he may have been telling Comito he'd been promoted to capodecina three years earlier. If the original Italian used "capo" for "head" this is even more likely. It is often assumed Nino Cecala was a Morello member but I wouldn't rule out Lupo either. By the 1920s he could well have been with the Lucchese, Gambino, or Genovese Families but the involvement of Ignazio Cecala in the leadership of the company with two important Gambino figures could lend itself to Nino being with them when he died. Michael DiLeonardo was also told that his grandfather had a stake in the company at one point.

by **Sullycantwell** » Wed Mar 22, 2023 2:53 am

Angelo Santino wrote: ↑Fri Sep 16, 2022 7:08 am
B. wrote: ↑Fri Sep 16, 2022 5:05 am So the informant wasn't Clemente, good to know.
--

It's good to requestion things.

For Lupo
1 1902 "House of Lupo"
2 1908 "Saverio Virzi is a dear friend and confidant of Lupo..."
3 1908 Black Hand letter "Lupo is the Rappresentante..."
4 1923 "A meeting was held and it was decided to accept Lupo back but not Morello and his cohorts." <-Paraphrase, but something along those lines.
5 1924 An informant stated that all sides agreed to a peace.
6 1928 D'Aquila is murdered.

is it known who wrote the 1908 black hand letter?

by **Sullycantwell** » Mon Mar 20, 2023 4:46 pm

B. wrote: ↑Sun Feb 20, 2022 3:32 am Only Giovanni Comparetto I found (b. 1879) in NYC was from Naro, Agrigento and lived just down from Midtown Manhattan. Leans hard Gambino in that case and Naro could put him with that pre-Arcuri crowd. You're really uncovering the early Agrigento guys.

There also is a Giovanni Comparetto from Prizzi, Palermo born in October 14, 1879. either way, leans Gambino.

by B. » Sun Mar 19, 2023 9:13 pm

Yep -- I was thinking of the other one.

by **antimafia** » Sun Mar 19, 2023 10:03 am

^^^^
I was referring to the Giuseppe Musolino who made his way from Calabria to Toronto. He is said to be a cousin of the individual we know to be the more well-known figure born in Santo Stefano d’Aspromonte.

Were you referring to the latter? I recall that Rick wondered whether there was a tie between that Musolino and Stefano Zoccoli (“Steve”) of the San Jose Family — see viewtopic.php?f=29&t=9444&p=237033&hili ... ni#p237033.

We know that the latter had previously attempted to kill a Vincenzo Zoccoli and later successfully killed a Stefano Zoccoli (said, in some places online, to be Vincenzo’s brother). I’ve also seen the surname spelled as “Zoccali.” Here’s a link to a September 2012 article about Musolino by Mike La Sorte, who incidentally doesn’t say that these 2 Zoccolis are brothers:

http://www.americanmafia.com/Feature_Articles_493.html

The Musolino from Toronto could very well have been related to Zoccolis/Zoccalis in the same comune.

by B. » Sat Mar 18, 2023 9:09 pm

antimafia wrote: ↑Fri Mar 17, 2023 1:53 pm Excerpt below is from Antonio Nicaso's 2004 book, Rocco Perri: the story of Canada's most notorious bootlegger, which I'm currently rereading. The context: Frank Griro, alias Rossaro, is a Calabrian in Toronto who was wanted for the July 30, 1911 murder of Frank Sciarrone, aka Frank Tarra, a loanshark connected to Joe Musolino, the well-known Calabrian criminal in Ontario. When Griro fled Toronto -- the police had issued a "Wanted" poster the very same day -- he travelled to Hamilton, then to Brantford (Ontario) (where he caught a train for Detroit), slept in a Detroit hotel for 3 nights, made his way to Toledo (Ohio), then Chicago, followed by St. Louis (Missouri), and finally returned to Toronto some 10 days later on August 10 -- 6 days earlier, just before he left Detroit, he wrote to Toronto's chief of police of his plans to turn himself in, which he did.

A few days later, Toronto police arrested Joe Musolino, the boss of Toronto's Picciotteria, a forerunner of the current 'Ndrangheta, the Calabrian-based Mafia. During a search of Giro's former restaurant, the police had found a weapon whose registration number had been filed off. Musolino, the new owner of the eatery, was unable to explain the origin of the firearm. Griro told Inspector Walter Duncan that Sciarrone had been a camorrista -- a high-ranking member of the Picciotteria -- who was working for Musolino.

At Giro's trial for the murder of Sciarrone, the defence lawyer, Thomas Cooper Robinette, asked his client,"Did [Sciarrone] tell you the name of the organization to (which] he belonged and to which you were supposed to be affiliated?"^6 [footnote]

"Yes," replied Griro. "They told me the Mafia was behind it." And to the judge who asked him if the Mafia and the Black Hand were the same thing, he explained, "They're all the same, the Black Hand, the underworld, the Mafia, the Camorra."

footnote
6. Peter Edwards and Antonio Nicaso, Deadly Silence: Canadian Mafia Murders. Toronto, Macmillan Canada, 1993, pages 13-26.

Great info. Giuseppe Musolino was likely a relative of ex-Pittsburgh member Stefano Zoccoli who became chairman of the San Jose consiglio. They were from the same comune and in addition to Zoccoli's mother being a Musolino, two of Giuseppe Musolino's closest associates were Zoccolis one of which was named Stefano.

by **antimafia** » Fri Mar 17, 2023 1:53 pm

Excerpt below is from Antonio Nicaso's 2004 book, Rocco Perri: the story of Canada's most notorious bootlegger, which I'm currently rereading. The context: Frank Griro, alias Rossaro, is a Calabrian in Toronto who was wanted for the July 30, 1911 murder of Frank Sciarrone, aka Frank Tarra, a loanshark connected to Joe Musolino, the well-known Calabrian criminal in Ontario. When Griro fled Toronto -- the police had issued a "Wanted" poster the very same day -- he travelled to Hamilton, then to Brantford (Ontario) (where he caught a train for Detroit), slept in a Detroit hotel for 3 nights, made his way to Toledo (Ohio), then Chicago, followed by St. Louis (Missouri), and finally returned to Toronto some 10 days later on August 10 -- 6 days earlier, just before he left Detroit, he wrote to Toronto's chief of police of his plans to turn himself in, which he did.

A few days later, Toronto police arrested Joe Musolino, the boss of Toronto's Picciotteria, a forerunner of the current 'Ndrangheta, the Calabrian-based Mafia. During a search of Giro's former restaurant, the police had found a weapon whose registration number had been filed off. Musolino, the new owner of the eatery, was unable to explain the origin of the firearm. Griro told Inspector Walter Duncan that Sciarrone had been a camorrista -- a high-ranking member of the Picciotteria -- who was working for Musolino.

At Giro's trial for the murder of Sciarrone, the defence lawyer, Thomas Cooper Robinette, asked his client,"Did [Sciarrone] tell you the name of the organization to (which] he belonged and to which you were supposed to be affiliated?"^6 [footnote]

"Yes," replied Griro. "They told me the Mafia was behind it." And to the judge who asked him if the Mafia and the Black Hand were the same thing, he explained, "They're all the same, the Black Hand, the underworld, the Mafia, the Camorra."

footnote
6. Peter Edwards and Antonio Nicaso, Deadly Silence: Canadian Mafia Murders. Toronto, Macmillan Canada, 1993, pages 13-26.

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