What do We Know about the Newark Family?

[JoelTurner]

Does anyone know anything about Anthony Scoma?

(https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... PageId=230)

He was listed as a Gambino member in New Jersey by NY T-88

(https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... lPageId=17&)

NK T-21 confirms this

(https://www.newspapers.com/image/527005 ... to&match=1)

He was married to a Filippa “Fay” Noto; this was Dr. Phil Noto’s sister.

(https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8573967 ... incenzina/)

He attended Dr. Noto’s engagement party.

He was born in 1905, so from an age standpoint, he was old enough to be a Newark member

[B.]

Great find, never heard of him. All of the Scomas I found were from western Agrigento, mainly Sciacca. Fits with the Gambino Family as well as the relation to the Notos.

We see guys from Agrigento in the Bonanno NJ group and at least Dr. Noto in the Genovese but not many NJ Agrigentini outside of the DeCavalcantes. Nobody definitively linked to the Newark Family was from Agrigento but all of this goes back to the mystery of how/why the Newark and DeCavalcantes formed and whether there was crossover between them.

One thing we do see is geography played a significant role in affiliation in NJ. The majority of the NJ DeCavalcantes were based in Elizabeth and neighboring parts of Union County but had few if any in Newark at least earlier on. With the exception of Joe Stassi members of NYC Families also didn't live and operate in Elizabeth, with Ray DeCarlo commenting Elizabeth was the only part in NJ that was off limits as it belonged to the DeCavalcantes. Stassi's family was from Palermo province and he had a major stake in Elizabeth gambling operations with the DeCavalcantes but appears to have been given a special status not available to everyone.

The confirmed/suspected Newark Family members were, to our knowledge, centered in Newark proper and it stayed this way when they joined NYC Families. In addition to hometown heritage it looks like certain neighborhoods of Newark tended to feed into specific Families which makes sense even though NYC Families had no jurisdictional boundaries in NJ.

With the Agrigento guys we're seeing with other Families in NJ, we know the Bonanno ones were extremely close to the DeCavalcantes and that Philip Noto was the liaison between the Genovese Family and DeCavalcantes, even being the one to introduce Sam DeCavalcante to the Catenas as the new boss. You'd think these guys would have joined their friends the DeCavalcantes but maybe geography or other factors played a role. We know it wasn't off the table completely, as Philip Noto's brother Danny transferred membership from the Genovese to DeCavalcante.

[JoelTurner]

We see guys from Agrigento in the Bonanno NJ group and at least Dr. Noto in the Genovese but not many NJ Agrigentini outside of the DeCavalcantes.

Was Dr. Noto from Agrigento? His information says that he was born in February 1903 in Monreale. His father and mother, both of whom are listed too, were from Santa Maria Nuova and Prizzi respectively. Of course, the info may not be accurate, but their family tree seems to be well mapped out.
(https://www.familysearch.org/tree/perso ... s/LB14-JF2)

The confirmed/suspected Newark Family members were, to our knowledge, centered in Newark proper and it stayed this way when they joined NYC Families.

It's funny though. At the end of the day, I couldn't find a single connection between Dr. Noto and any of the ex-Newark people.

Another thing I was thinking about is that 4/5 families crews in New Jersey came out of the Newark family, the Genovese were the exception. Maybe Noto simply joined them. It just feels so bizarre though, a Sicilian Mafia doctor screams traditional while NJ Genovese were the furthest thing from it. They did have some Sicilians, Joseph Bongiorno and Angelo LaPadura come to mind, maybe he got hooked up through one of them.

[JoelTurner]

Here’s an Antonio Paterno crew member: Peter Sorce

(https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... lPageId=19)

NK T-11 identified Sorce as a member of Paterno’s crew

“Sorce is the oldest of Paterno’s button men, having been made a button man by Paterno’s father.” [P.16]

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(https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8284506 ... e-aged-80/)

I think this is his obituary. From an age standpoint, he was old enough to be a Newark Family member. He would have been 47 at the time of the breakup. Also, he was from Mussomeli in Sicily.

[B.]

You're right about Noto -- had him confused with another one the same age with the same father's name who came from AG but I see now the mother is different. So he was Palermitan.

[B.]

If the Notos were from Monreale, it brings up the Rizzo DeCavalcantes. It's been said for years and even published they came from Monreale but I haven't been able to confirm -- all records I've seen just say "Palermo". Maybe one of you can confirm if they were specifically from Monreale. Be interesting if both the Notos and Rizzo DeCavalcantes were from Monreale as they both appear to be from the upper classes -- Rizzo DeCavalcantes are confirmed nobility (Frank was a marquis) and Noto went to medical school in Italy before coming to the US.

As for the Rizzo DeCavalcantes' affiliation in an otherwise Agrigento-dominated group, all I can figure is geography played a role like I was talking about above. The Rizzo DeCavalcantes lived in Westfield outside of Elizabeth so maybe that was a factor unless there are other connections we're unaware of. I haven't seen anything that would indicate Frank DeCavalcante was with the Newark Family and Sam refers to him presiding over the inductions of DeCavalcante Family old timers presumably decades earlier.

[JoelTurner]

Be interesting if both the Notos and Rizzo DeCavalcantes were from Monreale as they both appear to be from the upper classes

They certainly looked classier than most of the other gangsters, especially Sam.

As for the Rizzo DeCavalcantes' affiliation in an otherwise Agrigento-dominated group, all I can figure is geography played a role like I was talking about above. The Rizzo DeCavalcantes lived in Westfield outside of Elizabeth

1) I don’t think that Nicky Delmore or the Majuris were from Agrigento. It mustn’t have been that big a deal seeing as they were able to become important members anyways.

2) Weren’t the Rizzo DeCavalcantes from Trenton, NJ? I’ve seen a lot of references to Sam being from there.

I haven't seen anything that would indicate Frank DeCavalcante was with the Newark Family and Sam refers to him presiding over the inductions of DeCavalcante Family old timers presumably decades earlier.

I really don’t think there was any connection between the Newark family and the Elizabeth family. The way I see it, they were doing their own thing almost like they were in a bubble. Even in the ‘60s, it was mentioned that other wise guys didn’t really know their members

I think a chunk of their membership would have been sleepers- civilians who weren’t active criminals. Some guys from Ribera working a union job, hanging out at their club, who never show up on any government report.

[JoelTurner]

Dr. Philip Noto was more involved than I previously thought. He had a great work/community/crime balance.

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(https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... lPageId=29)

Gene Catena told Thomas Pecora that Dr. Noto tried to use for on something he wanted done

He also said that “they have mustaches from ear to ear”. From the photos I’ve seen, the Noto brothers appear to be clean shaven. This could be metaphorical.

————————-

(https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... lPageId=14)

Gene Catena gave Dr. Noto the task of scouting a Vincent Pellechia to see if he’ll do business.

————————-

(https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... elPageId=7)

Dr. Noto tells Gene Catena that Sam DeCavalcante has been acting as boss because Nick Delmore was sick and that he’ll likely be the next boss.

He also says that Jerry Catena doesn’t need to bother coming up from Florida for the funeral.

—————————

[B.]

1) I don’t think that Nicky Delmore or the Majuris were from Agrigento. It mustn’t have been that big a deal seeing as they were able to become important members anyways.

2) Weren’t the Rizzo DeCavalcantes from Trenton, NJ? I’ve seen a lot of references to Sam being from there.

- Delmore was from Nicosia in Enna (historically Caltanissetta) and Frank Majuri's parents were from Corleone but he married a woman from Ribera. Despite having so many members from Ribera between 1957 to the mid-1970s most of the admin were non-Riberesi. My guess is the Ribera guys wanted little to do with NYC politics and were happy to maintain their own close connections (Bonanno NJ group, Gambino Arcuri crew, etc.) without the larger obligations. Being from outside Agrigento wasn't a barrier but it likely played a role in the formation of the Family.

- The DeCavalcantes lived in Westfield then moved to Trenton but kept the house in Westfield. Both houses were big and the census shows they had a live-in servant. Sam even said on the tapes his family had 7 servants when he was growing up. Frank's office before moving to Trenton was in Manhattan.

He also said that “they have mustaches from ear to ear”. From the photos I’ve seen, the Noto brothers appear to be clean shaven. This could be metaphorical.

The mustaches thing refers to guys who are still ultra Sicilian. On the DeCavalcante tapes Sam talks about Pietro Colletti visiting him in relation to loaning out money and says he is one of the "old mustaches".

[JoelTurner]

The DeCavalcantes lived in Westfield then moved to Trenton but kept the house in Westfield. Both houses were big and the census shows they had a live-in servant. Sam even said on the tapes his family had 7 servants when he was growing up. Frank's office before moving to Trenton was in Manhattan.

What did his father work as officially? That's super luxurious even compared to some of the bosses.

(https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... elPageId=8)

It's funny, DeCarlo teases Sam DeCavalcante saying that he's the brokest of all the bosses but he says he isn't in it for the money. This makes sense if he grew up wealthy.

Rega also points out that Frank DeCavalcante was a capo. They also say that the Elizabeth family has no hustlers with them.

------------

The mustaches thing refers to guys who are still ultra Sicilian.

That's what I figured too. A mafioso doctor who came to the US as an adult is exactly the type of person who would be old-school. I could see him seeming like a "Greaseball" especially in contrast to people like Catena who were born and raised in the US

[B.]

Frank Rizzo DeCavalante was a fruit importer.

[PolackTony]

- Delmore was from Nicosia in Enna

I didn't know this. You already know where I'm going with this, I'm sure.

Was Delmore the original spelling of the surname?

[B.]

Original name was apparently Amoruso.

[PolackTony]

Original name was apparently Amoruso.

Ancestry family trees have his father as Luigi Amoruso, from Nicosia, and his mother as Providenza Rizzo, from Palma di Montechiaro, AG. I have no idea if these genealogies are valid, as they have no supporting documents. I will say, however, that Amoruso is definitely a surname in Nicosia, as is Rizzo. There were, of course, Amorusos from Nicosia in Chicago, including a Luigi Amoruso. Could indicate the same paternal lineage as Delmore. Other Amorusos in Chicago have the same grandparents as Delmore in their family trees.

Is there any substance to the claim that Delmore was Sam DeCavalcante's "uncle"? Even if Delmore's mother was indeed named Rizzo, it doesn't seem likely that there was any connection to the Rizzo De Cavalcantes. Maybe this was just a typical fictive kinship, call an older friend of the family "ziu" kind of thing?

[Pogo The Clown]

Don't know if it was mentioned in this thread but here was the discussion of a document that mentions a Tony LNU as Boss of the Newark family.


viewtopic.php?f=29&t=6825&p=172012&hilit=Newark#p172012