SMALL TOWN MAFIA WARS

[FriendofHenry]

You make it easy for me to offer a complete and truthful answer

[JeremyTheJew]

Being a Small Town guy myself I'm not sure what a Big Town Mafia War is. Does the Cleveland/Pittsburgh War over Youngstown count?

This is one that I know next to nothing about. Is that Naples and Lenny strollo ???

I wouldn't call Joey and Lenny really being at war, more like two bosses in the same small town, never a good thing.
The real "war" was between Cleveland and Pittsburgh starting with Cleveland clipping/bombing the Naples family and some of their constituents and finally ending with Charlie Carabbia disappearing, for good

Do we have a actual thread breaking this down??? I'd start one but some ppl complain if we mistakenly make a duplicate lol.

Between you and JCB we should be able to have a decent thread of info.

I know next to nothing

Reach out for JCB as he's the research expert on all things Pittsburgh. Remember I only have my personal relationships and experience to go on

Henry, I appreciate your stance on not doing any research but am sort of confused on how anyone can simply state that there has been no making ceremonies in the 2000s and that when Ciancutti died stating he was the last member unless they know the underlying workings on a first hand basis. Meaning you were told directly by Genovese or Cinacutti that no one was made. Are you firm on there being no possibility there was any ceremonies based on your personal relationships or are you assuming based on other reasons?

FOH .... Is.... The last made member bro ...

Based on what? Were you told by membership that was the case? Just to say it, unless you are admitting to first hand knowledge is like anybody else making claims they know something no one else does. So who told you? FOH?...no need to get dismissive because its something you feel so strongly about.

I was pulling your leg.

FoH has never said anything of the sort. I was joking really.

But believe it or not.... We have had SEVERAL ppl try and claim they were there true last mafiosos

[Newyorkempire]

You make it easy for me to offer a complete and truthful answer

I get it. I just Don t think any of us, whether we claim some inside connection or just based off assumption truly know. Even on the more publicized ceremonies in NYC I think we are still in the dark to quite a degree.

[FriendofHenry]

I guess I always got it because of all the personal time I spent with as high as it got in the LaRocca era, including an introduction to John. Never and I mean NEVER did I ever hear of anyone being made let alone a "ceremonie". When you consider almost a month every year for almost 20 years being under the same roof with Michael Genovese, Jo Jo Pecora and Charlie Murgie having breakfast, lunch, cocktails, dinner, pinochle games, Sunday Steelers games on TV plus hours in the woods, mainly with Charlie plus years with several hours in a black "Duce and a quarter" with Henry at the wheel were the words: "Made Man" ever spoken except when Henry would tell me: "I'll never be one 'cause those fuckin' Feds will really be on my ass. Additionally no one ever talked "the business" in my presence. The only exception was pretty open conversation about the "joints in" West Virginia plus when I got of reasonable age, I would go with Henry to pick up the monthly Tribute from Morry Levine, second generation big time Jewish BM. Also an occasional trip to Wheeling with a 12lb. paper bag full of Dead Presidents to meet with Paul Hankish. Other than triviale chat about whatever, again, never business. Oh yah, the paper bag that Henry always gave to me to give to Paul - Once again: None of my business. Sometimes the less you know the better

[Newyorkempire]

I guess I always got it because of all the personal time I spent with as high as it got in the LaRocca era, including an introduction to John. Never and I mean NEVER did I ever hear of anyone being made let alone a "ceremonie". When you consider almost a month every year for almost 20 years being under the same roof with Michael Genovese, Jo Jo Pecora and Charlie Murgie having breakfast, lunch, cocktails, dinner, pinochle games, Sunday Steelers games on TV plus hours in the woods, mainly with Charlie plus years with several hours in a black "Duce and a quarter" with Henry at the wheel were the words: "Made Man" ever spoken except when Henry would tell me: "I'll never be one 'cause those fuckin' Feds will really be on my ass. Additionally no one ever talked "the business" in my presence. The only exception was pretty open conversation about the "joints in" West Virginia plus when I got of reasonable age, I would go with Henry to pick up the monthly Tribute from Morry Levine, second generation big time Jewish BM. Also an occasional trip to Wheeling with a 12lb. paper bag full of Dead Presidents to meet with Paul Hankish. Other than triviale chat about whatever, again, never business. Oh yah, the paper bag that Henry always gave to me to give to Paul - Once again: None of my business. Sometimes the less you know the better

Interesting stuff.....speaking of Wheeling, nowadays....holy shit, that place is depressing as goes the same with Stuebenville

[FriendofHenry]

I'll bet...Is Ernie's Esquires still open in Wheeling? We would meet Paul there. Same big table every time. He would be sitting on one side with two baby dolls on either side and we sat across from him. He was the perfect host: Dinner, drinks, with the dolls for dessert

[Newyorkempire]

I'll bet...Is Ernie's Esquires still open in Wheeling? We would meet Paul there. Same big table every time. He would be sitting on one side with two baby dolls on either side and we sat across from him. He was the perfect host: Dinner, drinks, with the dolls for dessert

No idea about Ernies, sounds fun though. We went to the dog track once. I have a good friend in Weirton that owns a dog kennel. Straight off the boat, Angelo, great guy. I use to work throughout the area in 14-17

[Newyorkempire]

I'll bet...Is Ernie's Esquires still open in Wheeling? We would meet Paul there. Same big table every time. He would be sitting on one side with two baby dolls on either side and we sat across from him. He was the perfect host: Dinner, drinks, with the dolls for dessert

Henry, not to keep pushing on you but how about Hankish's son, Peter. Saw a while back he got nailed pretty big with a shit ton of charges. Legit guy or reckless nut job? If you know. Thanks

[FriendofHenry]

I'll bet...Is Ernie's Esquires still open in Wheeling? We would meet Paul there. Same big table every time. He would be sitting on one side with two baby dolls on either side and we sat across from him. He was the perfect host: Dinner, drinks, with the dolls for dessert

Henry, not to keep pushing on you but how about Hankish's son, Peter. Saw a while back he got nailed pretty big with a shit ton of charges. Legit guy or reckless nut job? If you know. Thanks

Morning...Never met him and know nothing about him. I met Paul's wife when we went to his house one time. Henry told me not to even look at his wife. Paul met us at the door on a "mechanic's roller", like you'd find in a car repair shop. Da, No Legs Paul. We went through his living room that had those museum type display tables with overhead light that were full of stamps and coins and plenty of artwork hanging on the walls. The real art work was his wife. I snuck a peak...She was wearing fluffy FMPs and some little nighty. Now I know why I was told not to look. Paul and Henry talked then we left.

[Newyorkempire]

I'll bet...Is Ernie's Esquires still open in Wheeling? We would meet Paul there. Same big table every time. He would be sitting on one side with two baby dolls on either side and we sat across from him. He was the perfect host: Dinner, drinks, with the dolls for dessert

Henry, not to keep pushing on you but how about Hankish's son, Peter. Saw a while back he got nailed pretty big with a shit ton of charges. Legit guy or reckless nut job? If you know. Thanks

Morning...Never met him and know nothing about him. I met Paul's wife when we went to his house one time. Henry told me not to even look at his wife. Paul met us at the door on a "mechanic's roller", like you'd find in a car repair shop. Da, No Legs Paul. We went through his living room that had those museum type display tables with overhead light that were full of stamps and coins and plenty of artwork hanging on the walls. The real art work was his wife. I snuck a peak...She was wearing fluffy FMPs and some little nighty. Now I know why I was told not to look. Paul and Henry talked then we left.

"I snuck a peak"...lol. You dog. Thanks for the response.

[FriendofHenry]

Bow-Wow

[sdeitche]

Tampa had two distinct wars- though often grouped together as The Era of Blood.

1928-1940 - war between Mafia and Charlie Wall for control of bolita and other rackets. There were also Cubans and Spaniards involved on both sides.

1950-late 1950s (though most hits were in the early 1950s) - internal war between factions of the Mafia for control of Tampa rackets. I'd also throw in the killing of Jimmy Velasco in 1948 as part of this.

Thanks Scott. Question...Any significant Italian cultural influence in Ybor City current day?

The Italian Club is still there and has frequent events as well as the big Italian Day festival in April. https://italian-club.org/

La Gaceta is still published in Ybor- the only trilingual newspaper in the US (English/Spanish/Italian)

Tony's restaurant - around sine 1929. Owned by the Scaglione family.

There's a restaurant that recently opened in a restored 1925 macaroni factory in Ybor - Casa Santo Stefano. it's owned by the Gonzmart family, who also own the Columbia (oldest restaurant in Florida and an Ybor staple). Super authentic Tampa/Sicilian style restaurant- really outstanding.

A few other places of note - Carmine's restaurant, which serves Italian/Cuban/Spanish food, Bernini's - in the old Ybor bank building, The L'union Italiana Cemetary, just outside YBor (https://italian-club.org/cemetery/)

[Newyorkempire]

Tampa had two distinct wars- though often grouped together as The Era of Blood.

1928-1940 - war between Mafia and Charlie Wall for control of bolita and other rackets. There were also Cubans and Spaniards involved on both sides.

1950-late 1950s (though most hits were in the early 1950s) - internal war between factions of the Mafia for control of Tampa rackets. I'd also throw in the killing of Jimmy Velasco in 1948 as part of this.

Thanks Scott. Question...Any significant Italian cultural influence in Ybor City current day?

The Italian Club is still there and has frequent events as well as the big Italian Day festival in April. https://italian-club.org/

La Gaceta is still published in Ybor- the only trilingual newspaper in the US (English/Spanish/Italian)

Tony's restaurant - around sine 1929. Owned by the Scaglione family.

There's a restaurant that recently opened in a restored 1925 macaroni factory in Ybor - Casa Santo Stefano. it's owned by the Gonzmart family, who also own the Columbia (oldest restaurant in Florida and an Ybor staple). Super authentic Tampa/Sicilian style restaurant- really outstanding.

A few other places of note - Carmine's restaurant, which serves Italian/Cuban/Spanish food, Bernini's - in the old Ybor bank building, The L'union Italiana Cemetary, just outside YBor (https://italian-club.org/cemetery/)

Great Scott. Thanks for that. Impressed with existence of La Gaceta, and surprised.

[furiofromnaples]

Tampa Mob against Wall Organization
Los Angeles Mafia vs Cohen mafia in the 1950s/1960s
The Rebellion against Magaddino in end of 1960s
The Cleveland Mob against Nardi/Greene crew
Philly Mob against Riccobene crew
Stanfa against Merlino's Young Turks
The ABC War Rochester

[Newyorkempire]

Tampa Mob against Wall Organization
Los Angeles Mafia vs Cohen mafia in the 1950s/1960s
The Rebellion against Magaddino in end of 1960s
The Cleveland Mob against Nardi/Greene crew
Philly Mob against Riccobene crew
Stanfa against Merlino's Young Turks
The ABC War Rochester

A Rebellion and a War are vastly different. No War happened in Buffalo.