You could swap locations and every part of this would be identical with NYC. Same language, "amico nostra", captain/capo, being put "on the shelf", introduction rules, same ceremony, etc. Says there was no "similar status" for non-Italians.
If it's true they spent decades without some of the traditions, they picked everything back up down to the letter.
Salvatore D'Amico said the same things, he was initiated in 1871 in the Ucciardone prison and made a member of the so called 'Stuppagghieri sect' of Monreale
Not trying to open up a can of worms here but do we know if there was a making ceremony again anytime after the one he mentioned that went down after his? The one in 88 or 89 or whenever it was?
Really interesting to see that even if a capo / crew boss wasn't inducting anyone of their own, they were still expected to be present at the ceremony - yet at the same time no one was there for Grand Ave crew because that boss was in prison? What sense does that make?
This making ceremony was talked about in the book but it's cool to see the actual transcript and not paraphrasing. I like how LaPietra said "you have a little insurance now, but not much " what a mean old fuck
newera_212 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 29, 2022 1:49 pm
Not trying to open up a can of worms here but do we know if there was a making ceremony again anytime after the one he mentioned that went down after his? The one in 88 or 89 or whenever it was?
Really interesting to see that even if a capo / crew boss wasn't inducting anyone of their own, they were still expected to be present at the ceremony - yet at the same time no one was there for Grand Ave crew because that boss was in prison? What sense does that make?
This making ceremony was talked about in the book but it's cool to see the actual transcript and not paraphrasing. I like how LaPietra said "you have a little insurance now, but not much " what a mean old fuck
There was one in 1988 that included at least Peter DiFronzo, Rudy Fratto, James DiForti, Gerald Scarpelli, and Anthony Chiaramonti. Fratto is the only one still alive.
Salvatore DeLaurentis was inducted in 1989, presumably in a separate ceremony.
A couple of notes about the 1983 ceremony. The Frank "Belmonte" mentioned is probably Frank DeMonte (1927-1992). Nick "Gazino" is actually Nicholas Guzzino, who is still alive.
B. wrote: ↑Sat Jan 29, 2022 1:03 am
If it's true they spent decades without some of the traditions, they picked everything back up down to the letter.
Yes, truly impressive how they managed to do that. Particularly how they happened to do it just in time for a guy who would later go on to be the only Chicago member to testify.
To be clear, this is a bit of irony on my part. It remains unclear to me how firm of a conclusion we can draw about any of these things in the past, given that we never had a made member actually questioned on the stand about these things for the public record. All that we can say with absolute certainty is that with the one guy who did testify, his account is fully comparable to LCN anywhere else, as you note. Having said that, it strikes me as very unlikely that Aiuppa pieced all of this together in the 1980s on his own accord after alleged decades of non-adherence.
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