Rockford LCN Roots - Aragona

[Angelo Santino]

Tarantola's parents Domenico and Angela, both of Camporeale, were listed in Cheyenne, Wyoming in the 1920 census. Do you mean WY?

What is there that connected Musso to everyone else? Given his background it seems odd that he would be a boss over Aragonese with an Aragonese rival. Do you have anymore info on this Rosario Chiarelli?

[cavita]

Tarantola's parents Domenico and Angela, both of Camporeale, were listed in Cheyenne, Wyoming in the 1920 census. Do you mean WY?

What is there that connected Musso to everyone else? Given his background it seems odd that he would be a boss over Aragonese with an Aragonese rival. Do you have anymore info on this Rosario Chiarelli?

Well Tarantola's obit stated he came to Rockford in 1915 from Boone, Iowa. Musso had many connections in St. Louis and after moving to Madison I think that's where he hooked up with Vincenzo Troia and the two became close. I had three theories why Musso was picked as first boss of Rockford:

-Because of his closeness to Troia and Troia's national recognition, he made it posssible for Musso to become boss.
-Due to Musso's sister-in-law being married to Tony Lombardo and because Musso's gang supplied Al Capone with booze, he was approved as boss by Capone.
-Because fellow paesano Francesco "Three Fingers" Coppola was also from Partinico and nationally recognized AND because Coppola was part of a northern illinois kidnap ring and spent some time in Rockford, Coppola went to bat for Musso and recommended him as boss.

Also, Musso's father-in-law was Vincenzo Piro, an early New Orleans mafia member that relocated to Los Angeles. Musso had very good connections that probably enabled him to ascend to the boss position in Rockford.

As for Rosario Chiarelli he was born in Aragona in 1888 and was in Rockford by 1916 when he got married. He was very very active in early bootlegging in Rockford, even being mentioned in The Wickersham Report as being a huge bootlegger and newspapers said he was a rival to Tony Musso.

I can't quite figure out the early days of Rockford though. Of course there were SIcilians active in organized crime but there were also the Capriola family members from Naples and there was a very early Italian criminal involved in bootlegging named William "Big Bill" D'Agostin who was from Ferentino, Italy. He was also mentioned in the Wickersham Report as being a huge bootlegger even being good friends with the Chief of Police and going so far as taking trips with him to the spa baths in Waukesha, Wisconsin. D'Agostin even allegedly carried a police star that was given to him which caused a scandal. Rockford's early Italian criminals came from all over in SIcly- Siculiana, Sambuca, Aragona, Roccamena, San Giuseppe Iato, Camporeale, etc.

[Angelo Santino]

But was Musso the first boss? I'm learning alot from you, I'm stumbling onto names like Caltagerone and Piro that I had no idea, they were just names to me. Seems like this Musso was a very interesting figure. But activity in Rockford seems to predate 1931. I sent you the articles.
-1911 a Gaetano Zammuto killed by Silvestro Salamone, his brother "Colonna" was sought for questioning.

-1919 Phillip Salamone and Frank Schafer were arrested and discharged for bringing stolen meat from Chicago to Rockford.

-1924 Sam Salamone, of the Salamone Meat Market firm got into a pop bottle battle with people from the meat cutters union, a warrant was sought for his arrest.
-1924 Salamone and Son's Meat Market of 614 West State St, Rockford had a bomb go off over what was suspected to be a union issue.
-1924 Following the bomb, the judge put a hold on union picketing at the Meat Market.

Scratch this. This Joe Salamone was from Alcamo. John Olivieri was from Corleone. Interesting though.
-1928 in Chicago a Joseph Salamone, John Reggi and John 'Bowlegs" Olivieri were murdered. One article said Olivieri deserted Aiello for Capone. Another calls him a gang leader and Salamone working for him who received a modest funeral compared to Oliveri's more elaborate one.

[cavita]

But was Musso the first boss? I'm learning alot from you, I'm stumbling onto names like Caltagerone and Piro that I had no idea, they were just names to me. Seems like this Musso was a very interesting figure. But activity in Rockford seems to predate 1931. I sent you the articles.
-1911 a Gaetano Zammuto killed by Silvestro Salamone, his brother "Colonna" was sought for questioning.

-1919 Phillip Salamone and Frank Schafer were arrested and discharged for bringing stolen meat from Chicago to Rockford.

-1924 Sam Salamone, of the Salamone Meat Market firm got into a pop bottle battle with people from the meat cutters union, a warrant was sought for his arrest.
-1924 Salamone and Son's Meat Market of 614 West State St, Rockford had a bomb go off over what was suspected to be a union issue.
-1924 Following the bomb, the judge put a hold on union picketing at the Meat Market.

Scratch this. This Joe Salamone was from Alcamo. John Olivieri was from Corleone. Interesting though.
-1928 in Chicago a Joseph Salamone, John Reggi and John 'Bowlegs" Olivieri were murdered. One article said Olivieri deserted Aiello for Capone. Another calls him a gang leader and Salamone working for him who received a modest funeral compared to Oliveri's more elaborate one.

I started with Musso as being boss from 1928/1929 as that's when he was firmly established. From that point I always worked forward because there was more information. I'm only now reaching into the period before 1928 and researching the "Black Hand" element of which there seems to be plenty. There was a 1907 article in the Rockford newspaper that stated "Mafia Appears Present Here." Hopefully with the articles you sent I can flesh out some more early OC in Rockford.

[Angelo Santino]

I started with Musso as being boss from 1928/1929 as that's when he was firmly established. From that point I always worked forward because there was more information. I'm only now reaching into the period before 1928 and researching the "Black Hand" element of which there seems to be plenty. There was a 1907 article in the Rockford newspaper that stated "Mafia Appears Present Here." Hopefully with the articles you sent I can flesh out some more early OC in Rockford.

Yeah for some reason before and after 1930 are worlds apart in terms of information. I really do not know why that is. You seem to be doing quite well with this and I'm sure you'll continue to. So I don't want to sound like I'm talking down to you about a city you clearly know more about than me. I'll say, from my own experience with the early period I specialize in:
1 Hometown affiliations matter. If two guys from the same town are having it out its likely an internal dispute rather than two separate gangs.
2 If people from Aragona and Camporeale factor into the later mafia then it stands to reason that they were involved since its inception. We see evidence of post-1931 members involved in crime as far back as 1917 as well having national connections. We might not be able to identity a boss or even who was officially a member, but we can identify the tracks they traveled on. With areas with little information, such as Birmingham, it's the best we can do.
3 1900 and 1910 is where you'll find clusters of guys on the same street (good for making connections), 1920 is when upward mobility because more of a factor and people began moving about.
4 This early on, not every crime these members engaged in was listed as mafia, black hand or linked to OC. The 1924 Salamone Meat Union strike is interesting. On the surface it doesn't raise much eyebrows but we know it was supplied with stolen meat, pop rockets were shot at the Meat Cutters Union members by a family member involved there, followed by an explosion and lastly with a judge ruling in the Salamone's favor that people could protest at the store.
5 In your opinion, post 1930's, how "east coast" was Rockford? Would you say the Rockford Family operated more "like an army" or was a fraternal mutual aid society among its members?
6 Is there a source that describes Musso as the boss?
7 I missed that 1907 article. If you have anything of interest and willing to share I'd be interested in seeing it.

[cavita]

I started with Musso as being boss from 1928/1929 as that's when he was firmly established. From that point I always worked forward because there was more information. I'm only now reaching into the period before 1928 and researching the "Black Hand" element of which there seems to be plenty. There was a 1907 article in the Rockford newspaper that stated "Mafia Appears Present Here." Hopefully with the articles you sent I can flesh out some more early OC in Rockford.

Yeah for some reason before and after 1930 are worlds apart in terms of information. I really do not know why that is. You seem to be doing quite well with this and I'm sure you'll continue to. So I don't want to sound like I'm talking down to you about a city you clearly know more about than me. I'll say, from my own experience with the early period I specialize in:
1 Hometown affiliations matter. If two guys from the same town are having it out its likely an internal dispute rather than two separate gangs.
2 If people from Aragona and Camporeale factor into the later mafia then it stands to reason that they were involved since its inception. We see evidence of post-1931 members involved in crime as far back as 1917 as well having national connections. We might not be able to identity a boss or even who was officially a member, but we can identify the tracks they traveled on. With areas with little information, such as Birmingham, it's the best we can do.
3 1900 and 1910 is where you'll find clusters of guys on the same street (good for making connections), 1920 is when upward mobility because more of a factor and people began moving about.
4 This early on, not every crime these members engaged in was listed as mafia, black hand or linked to OC. The 1924 Salamone Meat Union strike is interesting. On the surface it doesn't raise much eyebrows but we know it was supplied with stolen meat, pop rockets were shot at the Meat Cutters Union members by a family member involved there, followed by an explosion and lastly with a judge ruling in the Salamone's favor that people could protest at the store.
5 In your opinion, post 1930's, how "east coast" was Rockford? Would you say the Rockford Family operated more "like an army" or was a fraternal mutual aid society among its members?
6 Is there a source that describes Musso as the boss?
7 I missed that 1907 article. If you have anything of interest and willing to share I'd be interested in seeing it.

I've been slowly trying to go backwards and research more on the Black Hand activities which was very prevalent in Rockford in the early 1900s with bombings, threatening letters, murders, etc. trying to find connections to familial towns.
To answer number 5, Rockford was "east coast" involved due to their connection to Tony Riela in New Jersey. He kept in constant contact with Rockford consigliere Joe Zito most likely to them being from San Giuseppe Iato. Of course Riela lived in Rockford briefly and made visits there into the 1940s even. I think with boss Zammuto and underboss Buscemi having relatives in Massachusetts helped as well. Their connection with Chicago seemed to be the strongest however.
For number 6 Augie Maniaci stated to the FBI that Musso had been boss as long as he could remember, going back to at least the early 1940s but he also stated that it was Caltagerone who was acting boss for Musso while Musso was in prison. Musso only served one stint in prison and this was from February 1931 to September 1932 so that right there pegs Musso as boss since at least that time. There was a newspaper article from 1928 speaking on various bootlegging murders and police exclusively called Musso into a meeting with them and told him, "there are to be no more murders here," which also lends support that he was the main man in Rockford then. I would have to look for it, but another newspaper article around 1930 described Vincenzo Troia as a "lieutenant" to Musso, however you want to interpret that.
I'll try and dig up that 1907 article for you...
One other item, it seems Rockford's connections to Aragona grew stronger in the 1960s because of underboss Frank Buscemi. Since he personally sponsored many Sicilian immigrants into the 1970s that was a huge factor. He did for some reason sponsor men from Marsala as well which I find interesting. There was at least one big family from Ribera that came over during that time as well. Of course most all these men were set up in the pizzeria business which conveniently imported and distributed narcotics.

[Angelo Santino]

I've been slowly trying to go backwards and research more on the Black Hand activities which was very prevalent in Rockford in the early 1900s with bombings, threatening letters, murders, etc. trying to find connections to familial towns.
To answer number 5, Rockford was "east coast" involved due to their connection to Tony Riela in New Jersey. He kept in constant contact with Rockford consigliere Joe Zito most likely to them being from San Giuseppe Iato. Of course Riela lived in Rockford briefly and made visits there into the 1940s even. I think with boss Zammuto and underboss Buscemi having relatives in Massachusetts helped as well. Their connection with Chicago seemed to be the strongest however.
For number 6 Augie Maniaci stated to the FBI that Musso had been boss as long as he could remember, going back to at least the early 1940s but he also stated that it was Caltagerone who was acting boss for Musso while Musso was in prison. Musso only served one stint in prison and this was from February 1931 to September 1932 so that right there pegs Musso as boss since at least that time. There was a newspaper article from 1928 speaking on various bootlegging murders and police exclusively called Musso into a meeting with them and told him, "there are to be no more murders here," which also lends support that he was the main man in Rockford then. I would have to look for it, but another newspaper article around 1930 described Vincenzo Troia as a "lieutenant" to Musso, however you want to interpret that.
I'll try and dig up that 1907 article for you...
One other item, it seems Rockford's connections to Aragona grew stronger in the 1960s because of underboss Frank Buscemi. Since he personally sponsored many Sicilian immigrants into the 1970s that was a huge factor. He did for some reason sponsor men from Marsala as well which I find interesting. There was at least one big family from Ribera that came over during that time as well. Of course most all these men were set up in the pizzeria business which conveniently imported and distributed narcotics.

Can you provide me a list of earlier names as well as origin, DOB or DOD? I'll look them up and continue to add to the excel. If I come across anything I'll sent it your way. I gotta ask though, what do you plan on doing with this? Are you writing a project or is this just for fun? Depending, if you want me to keep whatever findings quiet, I have no problem sending them to you. There's nothing that I need in Rockford but if the event ever arose, I'd be willing credit you.

So by 1930, Rockford was fully formed with more than one single origin comprising it? Tony Musso sounds interesting, I'm familiar with the name Sam Finazzo but its been so long that I only recall the name.

Did Detroit do that as well import people to work at restaurants as well do you know?

[Angelo Santino]

I haven't gone through these yet but Lennert is as best as they come.
http://mafiamembershipcharts.blogspot.c ... -list.html

http://mafiamembershipcharts.blogspot.c ... -1960.html

[Angelo Santino]

What are your thoughts on Frank "Gumba" Saladino (December 1945- 2005) being the last boss? This was mentioned in the Family Secrets case I believe.

[cavita]

I've been slowly trying to go backwards and research more on the Black Hand activities which was very prevalent in Rockford in the early 1900s with bombings, threatening letters, murders, etc. trying to find connections to familial towns.
To answer number 5, Rockford was "east coast" involved due to their connection to Tony Riela in New Jersey. He kept in constant contact with Rockford consigliere Joe Zito most likely to them being from San Giuseppe Iato. Of course Riela lived in Rockford briefly and made visits there into the 1940s even. I think with boss Zammuto and underboss Buscemi having relatives in Massachusetts helped as well. Their connection with Chicago seemed to be the strongest however.
For number 6 Augie Maniaci stated to the FBI that Musso had been boss as long as he could remember, going back to at least the early 1940s but he also stated that it was Caltagerone who was acting boss for Musso while Musso was in prison. Musso only served one stint in prison and this was from February 1931 to September 1932 so that right there pegs Musso as boss since at least that time. There was a newspaper article from 1928 speaking on various bootlegging murders and police exclusively called Musso into a meeting with them and told him, "there are to be no more murders here," which also lends support that he was the main man in Rockford then. I would have to look for it, but another newspaper article around 1930 described Vincenzo Troia as a "lieutenant" to Musso, however you want to interpret that.
I'll try and dig up that 1907 article for you...
One other item, it seems Rockford's connections to Aragona grew stronger in the 1960s because of underboss Frank Buscemi. Since he personally sponsored many Sicilian immigrants into the 1970s that was a huge factor. He did for some reason sponsor men from Marsala as well which I find interesting. There was at least one big family from Ribera that came over during that time as well. Of course most all these men were set up in the pizzeria business which conveniently imported and distributed narcotics.

Can you provide me a list of earlier names as well as origin, DOB or DOD? I'll look them up and continue to add to the excel. If I come across anything I'll sent it your way. I gotta ask though, what do you plan on doing with this? Are you writing a project or is this just for fun? Depending, if you want me to keep whatever findings quiet, I have no problem sending them to you. There's nothing that I need in Rockford but if the event ever arose, I'd be willing credit you.

So by 1930, Rockford was fully formed with more than one single origin comprising it? Tony Musso sounds interesting, I'm familiar with the name Sam Finazzo but its been so long that I only recall the name.

Did Detroit do that as well import people to work at restaurants as well do you know?

Give me little time and I'll get some of the names of early Italian criminals. It's still a work in progress for me too- for now this is just for fun but I definitely have enough for a good sized book but there are always new things I'm find and more FBI files to request.

For sure by 1930 they were a single entity for the most part. There was still one faction challenging Musso for the top spot and that was led by Paul Giovingo. Giovingo's brother had been killed by Musso men in 1930 and Paul and a few others were the last holdouts. Musso finally got to Paul and had him killed in 1933. All those that supported Giovingo either fell under Musso or "retired."

I don't know enough about Detroit, Michigan to make a guess but I believe during the PIzza Connection there was I think a Palozzolo that was busted from Temperance, Michigan.

[cavita]

What are your thoughts on Frank "Gumba" Saladino (December 1945- 2005) being the last boss? This was mentioned in the Family Secrets case I believe.

I know it came out in Family Secrets that Gumba was boss according to Nick Calabrese but I feel this is what they were led to believe. To me, he never rose higher than a gambling street boss and was always a collector/enforcer. When Jeff Coen wrote about Gumba in his book he stated Nick Calabrese indicated there was a rift in the Rockford/Chinatown partnership and a sitdown in Rockford was needed to clear it up. As far as Nick knew, the sitdown comprised of Sam Carlisi, Angelo LaPietra and Jimmy Marcello for Chicago and Gumba, Joe Saladino and Frank Geraci on the Rockford side. This had to have been 1986 or before as LaPietra had gone to prison for the Vegas skimming. In 1986 Joe Zammuto was still the boss in Rockford and Frank Buscemi was the underboss. I have FBI files confirming both men's positions. Both men had strong connections to Chicago so they had to be present at this sitdown I feel and it makes sense. At any rate, according to Coen, Nick said things didn't go Chinatown's way and it was decided that the Rockford guys would stay with Rockford because that's where they belonged. To my knowledge Gumba never hooked back up with the Chinatown group so it's interesting that Nick had labeled him as boss. Perhaps when he started informing for the FBI in the 1990s he assumed that Gumba was the top guy.

[Angelo Santino]

If you decide to do a book I'll support your project in whatever capacity I can, including charts.

It would make sense for them to follow suit in the 1920's with almost the rest of the Families: internal warfare. Most cases seem to be localized but they fit a larger trend and given the links between Chicago, St Louis, Rockford, Detroit and others it wouldn't surprise me if there's other connections.

If a made member of Chicago identified Saladino as boss that gives it some weight, doesn't it? Unless he was speaking in the context as the guy to see down there. I don't know either way but that would be interesting to investigate further. Even if there's a lack of organization under them, it didn't stop Joe Loose or Buffalino from being mafia bosses over their own respective areas. Rochester's another example. And a NJ acting boss extorted a pizza parlor meaning they don't always fit a high-level or white collar MO. You know this already. And I was just curious.

You do great research!

[cavita]

If you decide to do a book I'll support your project in whatever capacity I can, including charts.

It would make sense for them to follow suit in the 1920's with almost the rest of the Families: internal warfare. Most cases seem to be localized but they fit a larger trend and given the links between Chicago, St Louis, Rockford, Detroit and others it wouldn't surprise me if there's other connections.

If a made member of Chicago identified Saladino as boss that gives it some weight, doesn't it? Unless he was speaking in the context as the guy to see down there. I don't know either way but that would be interesting to investigate further. Even if there's a lack of organization under them, it didn't stop Joe Loose or Buffalino from being mafia bosses over their own respective areas. Rochester's another example. And a NJ acting boss extorted a pizza parlor meaning they don't always fit a high-level or white collar MO. You know this already. And I was just curious.

You do great research!

Yeah I can't speak as to why Nick Calabrese supplied that info as he did. I'm guessing it was more along the lines of he was the man to see there as far as gambling went. I remember years ago ( in the early 80s ) when I was living in Rockford everyone not in the know said that Sebastian "Knobby" Gulotta was "the man" which most people took to mean he was the boss which he clearly was not. He never rose higher than the capo position. With Calabrese's information I have to be mindful there were guys in his own organization where he didn't know who they were- for example at the murder of the Spilotros he said I believe there were two people he had no idea who they were so it's not surprising he may have assumed Saladino was boss or even accepted that from hearsay. I do remember the FBI file that stated to the effect that "information has been obtained which indicates that Saladino is the boss of the Rockford family." This to me was supposition as I never saw a following FBI file stating he was confirmed as the boss.

[Angelo Santino]

Good assessment. Do you think theres any activity left or is it over?

[B.]

The San Giuseppe Iato and Partinico mandamenti were combined into one mandamento at some point, so politically and geographically those mafia groups have close ties that could explain Musso's relationship to the Troia crowd. Musso may have known Troia by reputation given that Troia was boss of neighboring San Giuseppe Iato and a well-known figure. Interesting too that Troia was close to Maranzano, as San Giuseppe Iato is right next to the Camporeale, Partinico, and Castellammare triangle that formed the early Bonanno family and both Troia and Maranzano were Sicilian bosses at the same time.

Troia's close associate Antonio Riela from SGI would be under Musso in Rockford, follow Troia to NJ, then join the Bonanno family. I always thought it was strange Riela joined Bonanno given no other Newark members landed there, but it makes more sense when you look at where SGI is located and Troia's connection to the Castellammarese. Troia continued to be involved in Illinois after moving to NJ, but I'd be curious what his interactions were with the Bonanno family in NYC after Maranzano died and how much impact that had on Riela's membership and business parternship with Joe Bonanno.

Cavita --
What are your thoughts on Troia being called an underling of Musso?