What do We Know about the Newark Family?

[PolackTony]

Anthony Riela, in 1957, lived at 7 Benvenue Ave, West Orange, NJ. I don’t know if he used to live in Jersey City at some point though.

No evidence that I've seen that Riela ever lived specifically in JC. He entered the US in 1923 at NYC under the assumed identity of Pietro Riela of Terranova, stating that he was bound for Utica. In 10/1930, as Antonino Pietro Riela, he put in his Declaration of Intention in Springfield, IL. I believe that he had been living in Rockford prior to that, as the Rockford papers reported on 08/17/1930 that Tony Riela had been rooming at the home of Anne DeMarco with a guy they named as Tony LaTuma, who was said to have been the son of major bootlegger Lorenzo Salvatore, when Salvatore was murdered at the home (reportedly in retaliation for the prior murder of Joe Giovingo). Then in 1933, Riela put in his Petition for Naturalization in NYC, stating at that time that he lived at 1148 Belmont Ave in Cypress Hills/ENY, Brooklyn (his witnesses were Antonino Falletta and John Joseph Kenny, both of BK, and occupied as "business agents", so probably union officials). At this time, Riela stated that he had lived in BK since 12/30, so two months after he filed his Declaration in Illinois.

The next record for him that I have, as Anthony Pietro Riela, was his WW2 draft card, which has him in Orange, NJ, where he was still in 1950. He seems to have lived in East Orange then from the 50s on to his death in 1992.

[B.]

I don't want to distract too much with the DeCavalcante rabbit hole, but the earlier succession of bosses is largely a mystery and we don't know when Phil Amari became boss so there are a lot of holes. For all we know the earliest bosses were Riberesi who only show up in genealogical records.

With Newark, what stands out is Stefano Badami is the only known Corleonese in the Family. He was no doubt a mafioso in Sicily and maybe Tunis if he spent significant time there and his stature in New Jersey may have come from his relationship to Gagliano/the Corleonesi and Sicily. I point this out because his underboss definitely had compaesani around him in NJ from Vita, while Badami appaears to be a lone Corleonese based on what we currently know.

[B.]

Anthony Riela, in 1957, lived at 7 Benvenue Ave, West Orange, NJ. I don’t know if he used to live in Jersey City at some point though.

No evidence that I've seen that Riela ever lived specifically in JC. He entered the US in 1923 at NYC under the assumed identity of Pietro Riela of Terranova, stating that he was bound for Utica. In 10/1930, as Antonino Pietro Riela, he put in his Declaration of Intention in Springfield, IL. I believe that he had been living in Rockford prior to that, as the Rockford papers reported on 08/17/1930 that Tony Riela had been rooming at the home of Anne DeMarco with a guy they named as Tony LaTuma, who was said to have been the son of major bootlegger Lorenzo Salvatore, when Salvatore was murdered at the home (reportedly in retaliation for the prior murder of Joe Giovingo). Then in 1933, Riela put in his Petition for Naturalization in NYC, stating at that time that he lived at 1148 Belmont Ave in Cypress Hills/ENY, Brooklyn (his witnesses were Antonino Falletta and John Joseph Kenny, both of BK, and occupied as "business agents", so probably union officials). At this time, Riela stated that he had lived in BK since 12/30, so two months after he filed his Declaration in Illinois.

The next record for him that I have, as Anthony Pietro Riela, was his WW2 draft card, which has him in Orange, NJ, where he was still in 1950. He seems to have lived in East Orange then from the 50s on to his death in 1992.

The FBI learned Riela actually came to the US illegally in 1926, he just used Pietro Riela's 1923 immigration data. There's no evidence Tony Riela went to Utica though there was a San Giuseppe colony in nearby Frankfort where his associate Frank Longo lived before Illinois. There was also a ruthless mafioso named Salvatore Polizzi in Frankfort and as mentioned Riela's mother was a Polizzi. One of Riela's uncles on Staten Island was a Salvatore Polizzi but no evidence it's the same guy or that he was a mafiosi. Frank Polizzi's father was also Salvatore Polizzi, probably a different one from these two.

Tony even used the same arrival contacts as Pietro despite there being no connection between the men, so somehow Tony was able to get ahold of Pietro's immigration documents and used every detail to falsify his own background. Be interesting to know how he got the info.

Lorenzo Salvatore was an alias used by Vincenzo Troia. When the FBI interviewed people in the midwest about Riela they knew Troia as "Big Vince" and Riela as "Mr. Tony". Very shadowy guys.

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Speaking of background confusion, the FBN's info for Gambino leader Giuseppe Traina is actually for Vincenzo Troia's cousin Giuseppe Traina from San Giuseppe Jato. The brothers Giuseppe and Vincenzo Traina were mafiosi in San Giuseppe Jato when their cousin Troia was active there and when Troia was in the US he and Tony Riela were involved with a Troia relative named Vincenzo Traina who came to the US but I'm not sure if it's the same cousin who was active with the mafia in San Giuseppe Jato or another one.

Because the mafia is such a headache, the Gambino Family's Giuseppe Traina and Vincenzo Troia were both on the peace committee together during the Castellammarese War.

[B.]

A mysterious early NJ guy is Vincenzo Piazza. We've discussed him before but worth bringing him up.

- An informant Louis Ferrini told the FBI he walked in on Piazza in late 1956 performing a mafia-style prison induction ceremony in Trenton where Ralph Rosania was being inducted with George Insinnia witnessing. Rosania was a criminal associate of current NJ Genovese captain Silvio DeVita who was convicted with DeVita, hence being in prison with Piazza. Rosania died in New Jersey some years back but was never identified as a member.

- Fellow inmate Harold Konigsberg told Ferrini that Vincenzo Piazza headed a "powerful organization" in the prison and was known as Don Vincenzo (Ferrini said "Don Vincennes"). The books were still open at the time but my guess is he was performing his own rogue inductions, sort of a prison "Family". It indicates that Piazza himself was a Cosa Nostra member, though.

- Piazza was an extremely vicious killer who, if I remember right, murdered his own daughter for an indiscretion. In 1920 he was in prison in Georgia, listing his DOB as 1881. I believe he's the same Vincenzo Piazza who died in 1961 with his profession listed as "bootlegger", though the obituary has his DOB as 1883. The obituary listing cites Jersey City.

I haven't narrowed down the exact guy, but the candidates I've found show he was likely from Caltanissetta or Enna province. He was probably a Newark member but my guess is he may have ended up with the Genovese Family. I don't know if Ralph Rosania was a Genovese associate like his friend Silvio DeVita, but a Caltanissetta connection with Vincenzo Piazza would bring to mind JD's recent article about Angelo Lapadura (b. 1891) who was an NJ Genovese member from Caltanissetta who had others from the province among his criminal associates.

Guys like Piazza and Lapadura open up the possibility that an element from Caltanissetta may have been part of the Newark Family. Carmine Battaglia was from Enna, which was historically part of Caltanissetta, and he may have been made in the Newark Family before joining the Genovese Family too.

[PolackTony]

Anthony Riela, in 1957, lived at 7 Benvenue Ave, West Orange, NJ. I don’t know if he used to live in Jersey City at some point though.

No evidence that I've seen that Riela ever lived specifically in JC. He entered the US in 1923 at NYC under the assumed identity of Pietro Riela of Terranova, stating that he was bound for Utica. In 10/1930, as Antonino Pietro Riela, he put in his Declaration of Intention in Springfield, IL. I believe that he had been living in Rockford prior to that, as the Rockford papers reported on 08/17/1930 that Tony Riela had been rooming at the home of Anne DeMarco with a guy they named as Tony LaTuma, who was said to have been the son of major bootlegger Lorenzo Salvatore, when Salvatore was murdered at the home (reportedly in retaliation for the prior murder of Joe Giovingo). Then in 1933, Riela put in his Petition for Naturalization in NYC, stating at that time that he lived at 1148 Belmont Ave in Cypress Hills/ENY, Brooklyn (his witnesses were Antonino Falletta and John Joseph Kenny, both of BK, and occupied as "business agents", so probably union officials). At this time, Riela stated that he had lived in BK since 12/30, so two months after he filed his Declaration in Illinois.

The next record for him that I have, as Anthony Pietro Riela, was his WW2 draft card, which has him in Orange, NJ, where he was still in 1950. He seems to have lived in East Orange then from the 50s on to his death in 1992.

The FBI learned Riela actually came to the US illegally in 1926, he just used Pietro Riela's 1923 immigration data. There's no evidence Tony Riela went to Utica though there was a San Giuseppe colony in nearby Frankfort where his associate Frank Longo lived before Illinois. There was also a ruthless mafioso named Salvatore Polizzi in Frankfort and as mentioned Riela's mother was a Polizzi. One of Riela's uncles on Staten Island was a Salvatore Polizzi but no evidence it's the same guy or that he was a mafiosi. Frank Polizzi's father was also Salvatore Polizzi, probably a different one from these two.

Tony even used the same arrival contacts as Pietro despite there being no connection between the men, so somehow Tony was able to get ahold of Pietro's immigration documents and used every detail to falsify his own background. Be interesting to know how he got the info.

Lorenzo Salvatore was an alias used by Vincenzo Troia. When the FBI interviewed people in the midwest about Riela they knew Troia as "Big Vince" and Riela as "Mr. Tony". Very shadowy guys.

--

Speaking of background confusion, the FBN's info for Gambino leader Giuseppe Traina is actually for Vincenzo Troia's cousin Giuseppe Traina from San Giuseppe Jato. The brothers Giuseppe and Vincenzo Traina were mafiosi in San Giuseppe Jato when their cousin Troia was active there and when Troia was in the US he and Tony Riela were involved with a Troia relative named Vincenzo Traina who came to the US but I'm not sure if it's the same cousin who was active with the mafia in San Giuseppe Jato or another one.

Because the mafia is such a headache, the Gambino Family's Giuseppe Traina and Vincenzo Troia were both on the peace committee together during the Castellammarese War.

Thanks for clarifying regarding Riela's entry to the US. I had thought that he had simply used Pietro Riela's info upon arrival. Has it been confirmed that he went straight to Illinois when he arrived in 1926?

I had forgotten that "Lorenzo Salvatore" was Troia's pseudonym; I had seen the "Big Vince" nickname in the Rockford papers and had wondered. If I have the correct info, Troia may have had a son named Anthony; if so, that could be the Tony "La Tuma" (La Puma?) that one of the Rockford papers claimed was his son. Any info there?

[B.]

Joseph Troia (some sources say Vincenzo's stepson, others just say son) was with Vincenzo in the midwest before Newark, so it's possible Tony LaTuma was him. I'd have to go back through the Italian documents but I don't believe Vincenzo's father was named Giuseppe Troia (his brother, a doctor who became San Giuseppe boss post-WWII was named Giuseppe) which could point to it being stepson unless he had an older son named for the father. Side note, but I'm pretty sure Vincenzo Troia's father was a mafioso in San Giuseppe as he sat on the town council which was comprised almost 100% of local mafiosi and the father was involved in municipal corruption along with a third Troia brother who was active with the mafia.

Tony Riela bounced around a lot in the 1920s and given his illegal immigration I'm not sure where he went first. Troia and Riela were also active in Beloit, Wisconsin near Rockford.

[B.]

- Sam Monaco's uncle Benedetto Monaco was apparently stabbed to death in Newark in 1918 at age 51. Could have been a result of hot-blooded Sicilian anger or a sign the older Monacos were connected to something.

- Stefano Badami tried to visit Hamilton, Ontario in 1929 but wasn't allowed entry. This is when Salvatore Maranzano had property in Hamilton and spent time there... we know Badami was a Maranzano ally during the war a short time later. If Badami was a mafiosi of some significance in Sicily he may have been familiar with capoprovincia Maranzano in the 1920s before they both left.

- According to Justin Cascio, Stefano Badami's brother Angelo was married to a Riina. His other brother Giovanni Badami arrived to Chicago's Little Sicily in 1912 where his maternal uncle Francesco DiGiovanni was living. These DiGiovannis were in Corleone for generations so no obvious connection to the Chicago Family DiGiovannis / DeJohns from nearby Palazzo Adriano (sorry Tony, haha).

[Antiliar]

For those interested, I uploaded the confession of Dr. Melchiorre Allegra. A couple notes: It's in Italian. Often the names follow the surname, first name format. The FBI did a partial translation.

[B.]

This is one possibility for the murdered Luigi Russo but hard to confirm:



Note the hometown Maddaloni. Same hometown as Settimo Accardi's associate Aniello Santagata whose nickname was "O'Maddalonese" after his hometown. You don't typically see mainlanders nicknamed after their hometown like that, which makes me wonder if there was a significant colony from there or something.

If this is accurate with Russo and/or Santagata being Newark Family members from the mainland it opens up the possibility that some of the older mainlanders who ended up with the Genovese and Gambino Families were Newark members. The Colombo, Lucchese, and Bonanno guys suspected of being ex-Newark appear to be mostly Sicilian.

FindAGrave for Luigi Russo gives a different month/day and says he was from Salerno but both were born in 1892. We know months, days, and even years can be very inconsistent with records for these guys but his name is so generic it's difficult to gauge aside from the birth year, location, and possible shared hometown with Santagata being indicators.

There was another Luigi Russo in Newark born 1892 but his WWI draft reg gives a different month/day from FindAGrave as well. I don't know the source for the FindAGrave DOB or POB.

--

Question too why Monaco and Russo's murders were apparently so horrific. Valachi said one of them had a metal pipe hammered up his ass which if true is beyond obscene for a mafia political murder (i.e. they were Maranzano loyalists) unless someone used the Maranzano issue as an excuse to let out their personal... "frustration".

EDIT: I've considered whether Luigi was related to Ralph, John, and Anthony Russo (the latter two becoming Genovese members later) but there is a lot of info on the Russo brothers and I've never found anything indicating a connection + it's the most common surname. The Russo brothers were also with Boiardo who was fighting the Newark Family.

[Antiliar]

Links about Vincenzo Troia:

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... arch=Troia

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... arch=Troia

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... arch=Troia

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... arch=Troia

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... arch=Troia

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... arch=Troia

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... arch=Troia

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... o_Troia%22

[Antiliar]

Luigi Russo's death certificate:

Luigi Russo death.jpg

[B.]

Awesome, thanks man. Hard to read but looks like it just says "Italy" for the parents. Looks like the father's name was Antonio but not 100%.

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Articles linking Frank Monaco to the Badami murder and mentioning another attempt on Badami's life via shotgun a short time before:





- Not only was Frank Monaco found a quarter mile away with a switchblade, but someone tipped the police off via phone. The blade must not have been the murder weapon. Another knife was found deliberately hidden at the murder scene but was not used in the murder.

- Badami was stabbed 40 times. Note that in addition to being 66-years-old, Badami was in poor health and partially blind. Records show he had health issues as far back as the late 1920s. The number of wounds is savage for a sick old man.

- Badami was allegedly involved in the Italian lottery in the years leading up to his murder. His main focus seems to have been his garment business.

- Can't find it right now, but one article linked Badami's murder to the deportation proceedings against Sam Accardi. Could be speculative or maybe Accardi had been protecting Badami and someone saw this as an opportunity. Frank Monaco's alleged involvement could suggest he blamed Badami for his brother's murder and waited almost 25 years for vengeance but Monaco went on to live until the 1980s so if the murder was unsanctioned there was no retribution.

- The attempt on Badami's life a short time earlier via shotgun means it wasn't a one-off or heat of the moment dispute.

- Badami was described as rarely leaving his house so his appearance at the cafe may have been a set-up.

- Possible match for cafe owner Vito Oddo has him from Paceco, Trapani. While he was locked in a storage room by the attackers, hard to say if that was a ruse or if he truly was clueless.

- Valachi said when Maranzano listed off all of the guys he wanted to kill after the war he noticed that Frank Scalise, Tom Gagliano, and Stefano Badami were not on the hit list which led him to believe those three were conspiring with Maranzano in the plot. Given Badami was the Newark boss and believed by Valachi to be one of Maranzano's closest allies and co-conspirators, why were Monaco and Russo killed in 1931 and not Badami?

- Strange Joe Bonanno makes no reference to Badami given he was a major ally of the Castellammarese and Maranzano sent gunmen to assist him. What's interesting about that is Boiardo was also against Moretti and Masseria, so the Newark vs. Boiardo conflict was a separate war going on in NJ.

- Saverio Monaco's father Francesco was already living in Newark in 1906 when Saverio arrived at the age of 12 with his uncle Lorenzo Monaco. Francesco was living with Benedetto, the one murdered in 1918. So Sam Monaco was in the US for 25 years by 1931.

[sdeitche]

Some odd and end items related to the Newark family

[JoelTurner]

Adding to the likelihood that the Colombo NJ decina had roots in the Newark Family is that boss Gaspare D'Amico's brother John was a Colombo member. I've wondered if the murdered father Domenico D'Amico was a Newark member like his sons.

JD also discovered that Colombo member Tony Scianna hid out in San Juan, Puerto Rico where Gaspare D'Amico was living at the time, suggesting he may have provided aide. Strong possibility Gaspare D'Amico was formally a Colombo member based in Puerto Rico after the Newark Family disbanded.

As for Profaci's apparent authority over Gaspare D'Amico and role in his fall from grace, I'd wager Profaci was D'Amico's avugad on the Commission.

That seems crazy, why would you join the Profaci family after Joe Profaci tried to kill you and killed your father. Stranger things have happened, but still crazy.

Do you know what Gaspare did in Puerto Rico during his exile? Was he involved in any criminal activities?

[JoelTurner]

Anthony Riela, in 1957, lived at 7 Benvenue Ave, West Orange, NJ. I don’t know if he used to live in Jersey City at some point though.

No evidence that I've seen that Riela ever lived specifically in JC. He entered the US in 1923 at NYC under the assumed identity of Pietro Riela of Terranova, stating that he was bound for Utica. In 10/1930, as Antonino Pietro Riela, he put in his Declaration of Intention in Springfield, IL. I believe that he had been living in Rockford prior to that, as the Rockford papers reported on 08/17/1930 that Tony Riela had been rooming at the home of Anne DeMarco with a guy they named as Tony LaTuma, who was said to have been the son of major bootlegger Lorenzo Salvatore, when Salvatore was murdered at the home (reportedly in retaliation for the prior murder of Joe Giovingo). Then in 1933, Riela put in his Petition for Naturalization in NYC, stating at that time that he lived at 1148 Belmont Ave in Cypress Hills/ENY, Brooklyn (his witnesses were Antonino Falletta and John Joseph Kenny, both of BK, and occupied as "business agents", so probably union officials). At this time, Riela stated that he had lived in BK since 12/30, so two months after he filed his Declaration in Illinois.

The next record for him that I have, as Anthony Pietro Riela, was his WW2 draft card, which has him in Orange, NJ, where he was still in 1950. He seems to have lived in East Orange then from the 50s on to his death in 1992.

So he wasn’t really living in Jersey City for any significant amount of time.

Of course, it is possible that he lived there under a false name or at someone’s house.

I wonder who “Tony” was, especially since he referred to bosses in his previous sentences