THE BLACK HAND FORUM

To make it more confusing, during the 1960s when there was a beef over gambling territory between Gyp DeCarlo and Tony Caponigro, Carmine Battaglia is alleged to have represented Caponigro at a sitdown.

Bill's site is great and I saw that, but he's not always 100% right. He likely is, but I just thought I'd see what people on here might know.

Born in Castle Ferrato, in Enna Province, Sicily. Came to America in 1902, as a child. The family settled in Newark, New Jersey and he may have first joined the local Newark Family. His FBI file suggests he was sponsored by Pietro Campisi, and that he later returned the compliment by sponsoring Pietro’s sons into Cosa Nostra. By that time [ the 1950’s ], he had moved onto the Genovese Family after the dissolution of Newark. Naturalized in 1940, he specialized in Gambling and Union rackets. Believed to have become a Capo in the New Jersey faction of the Family by the 1950’s. Sometimes listed as a Philadelphia member, but NARA records prove this is wrong. Also named in the book To Drop a Dime, as a Genovese Capo. Seems to have retired at some time in the 1960’s, and died in 1983.

Book: To Drop a Dime
http://www.amazon.com/To-Drop-Dime-Paul-Hoffman/dp/0399117695

There is a Carmine Battaglia who has been listed as a North Jersey member of both the Philly and Genovese families. He was from Enna, Sicily, where at least a couple of early Philly members were from. On one doc, he is even listed as a Philly capo in New Jersey.

Were there two Carmine Battaglias in Newark, one in the Philly family and another in the Genovese? Or was there just one and the feds had a hard time nailing down his family affiliation?