- We know it goes back further than the turn of the century in the US. Interesting they linked early NYC's origins to Mulberry/Mott but not surprising.
- The mafia exploited people and committed crimes in Sicily long before this, but the early Sicilian and US mafia had many more ostensibly legitimate members, professionals, etc. Italian authorities reported how there was an "alta mafia" and "basso mafia" (who together formed the whole of the organization), the former having upper class mafiosi and the latter having bandits and street criminals. This report plays into the idea that the mafia became more of a "basso mafia" over later generations in the US, recruiting more from the criminal factions as the "alta mafia" element declined. This would have made the organization appear more outwardly criminal even though it always included crime.
- Stands out that the early US mafia may not have allowed even American-born Sicilians to join, later relenting to allow them. Reminded again of Giuseppe Morello saying Cascio Ferro and Enea broke a rule by not contacting a proposed member's compaesani / hometown in the early 1900s. The process of Americanization appears to have roughly gone: Inducted in Sicily -> Sicilian-born -> American-born Sicilian -> Calabrian / Neapolitan (could well have happened at the same time, though there are indications Calabrians were initially preferred) -> Italian-Americans (any heritage).
- Stands out too it was felt a decina was once strictly kept at ten members. Indicates it was named a "decina" not as a generality but because they were explicitly referring to 10 members under the captain. The Sicilian mafia also required new Families to have 10 members in order to qualify for recognition as a Family, so maybe the same was true for crews.
^ This comes from Augie Maniaci I believe unless there was another Milwaukee member informing(?). He had incredible knowledge on the hierarchy going back to the early 1900s but seems he knew it went back further.
- Not sure the source. This one confirms members had to be Sicilian (not exactly new insight), but claims "birth or heritage" unlike the source who felt early membership had to be born in Sicily itself.
- They definitely made non-Sicilians before the 1920s but it at least tells us the source understood this was a later development. Wording indicates they didn't simply open the doors to all Italian-Americans, but it first expanded to include another specific Italian ethnicity at first (Neapolitan in this example).
- This comes from Joe Valachi's FBI interviews. Very interesting Valachi thought the books had been closed between 1909-1929. There is good reason to doubt this but we don't have a lot of info on inductions during that period either. I personally don't believe Valachi 100% invented this idea, as he must have heard something, but like a lot of info he may have gotten it slightly wrong or it got distorted.
- While membership may not have been closed for 20 continuous years before 1929, it tells us the later trends of long-term book closing has a long history. This would roughly coincide with the Morello/Lupo case which was a disaster both in terms of publicity and internal politics. We see the books were closed in 1931 after the Castellammarese War and an influx of new members, and then in 1957 after Apalachin, high-profile powerplays, and a huge influx of new members. Stands to reason that pre-1909 there was a huge influx of members coming from Sicily as well as making new members, so this combined with Lupo/Morello coul have led to a similar decision. Joe Bonanno wasn't made until around 1929 too.
- The last part about members made in other cities to get around the books is important too. Valachi left the streets and reported this close to a decade before Allie Persico was sent to another city to get made and then transferred to the Colombos. He says this was rare but it must have happened 1931-1945 given Valachi knew of it happening.
- This is Dr. Melchiorre Allegra recalling how the structure was explained to him when he was made into the Pagliarelli Family around WWI, so 1910s.
- Makes sense smaller Families didn't have capodecina given we know entire Families could be as small as ten men (or less through attrition).
- Plays into the informant who said the mafia used to be strict about having ten members per decina. Sounds like Allegra is saying something similar. Also interesting he called it "capo della decina", as the 1870s and 1880s investigations showed they used the term "capo di decina".
- Refers to Families in Marseilles, Tunisia, and possibly others on the European continent.
- Explicitly says the consigliere ("advisor") would stand in as acting boss. We have other indications of this in Sicily and the US.
