Vito Cascio Ferro interview - 1909

[Antiliar]

Vito Cascio Ferro is interviewed by a reporter in Palermo following the murder of Joe Petrosino:

G: Journalist

V: Vito Cascio Ferro

G - Questore Ceola, in charge of the investigations in Palermo, in a detailed report sent to the president of the Palermo Prosecution Section notes a series of anonymous letters also from New York that accuse him of being the instigator of the murder together with other offenders all arrested and then acquitted for lack of evidence in the preliminary investigation. Among these there is a very unique one. Here it is “New York March 14, 1909. Most illustrious Quaestor. The responsibility for the murder of poor Petrosino falls on you, because you, knowing his high mission, would never have your employees accompany him. Thus such an immense catastrophe would have been avoided. In any case, what is headed by; I just want to tell you that the organizers of this assassination were: Giuseppe Morello, Mafia leader and head of the Black Hand today in New York; Giuseppe Fontana Mafia leader and author of the assassination of Notarbartolo; Ignazio Milone Mafia leader; Pietro Inzerillo Mafia leader; Giovanni Pecoraro mafia leader; the Terranova brothers, half-brothers of Giuseppe Morello also today in New York and all very dangerous. The assignment was given to their colleague Vito Cascio Ferro from Bisacquino, whom Petrosino was eager to arrest and always wore his photograph. This is what I can tell you. Secrecy and nothing else. An honest Sicilian ”As you can see, this is someone who knows her well it seems.

V - You cannot give credit to an anonymous letter. You know, because of my position, I have many enemies in the United States too, people who want to avenge themselves, because perhaps they have not received the favors that they expected. You must understand that enemies and detractors are not excluded in my vast circle of friendships and acquaintances.

G - Yet the anonymous insists writing to the commissioner another letter full of details, in which many of the suspects are named and his name is repeated. 'New York March 18, 1909. Mr Quaestor, I confirm my registered letter a few days ago I am. Note that the conspiracy to assassinate poor Petrosino was held in New York and the task of assassinating him was sent to Vito Cascio Ferro of Bisacquino and Ignazio Lupo from Palermo, well known to the New York Police. These two criminals were Petrosino's relentless enemies and were the terror of New York. Nobody left here, be sure. The plot was hatched in New York and by the main criminals. These two criminals were implacable enemies of Petrosino and were the terror of New York "

V - We must not give credit to anonymous letters, I repeat, they are always deceptive and dangerous. Anyone could write something to take revenge, revenge is an ugly beast that sometimes creates irreparable damage. I refuse to answer such baseless allegations.

G - Did you know Petrosino?

V - Yes I had met him in America. About the Madonia crime, which caused a sensation in New York.
[...]

Italian original:

G: Giornalista

V:Vito Cascio Ferro

G – Il Questore Ceola, responsabile delle indagini a Palermo, in un resoconto dettagliato inviato al presidente della Sezione di Accusa di Palermo annota una serie di lettere anonime provenienti anche da New York che lo accusano di essere il mandante dell’omicidio assieme ad altri pregiudicati tutti arrestati e poi assolti per insufficienza di prove in istruttoria. Tra queste ve ne è una molto singolare. Eccola “New York 14 marzo 1909. Illustrissimo Signor Questore. Su voi cade la responsabilità dell’assassinio del povero Petrosino, perchè voi sapendo la sua alta missione, non lo faceste mai accompagnare dai vostri dipendenti. Così si sarebbe evitato una così immensa catastrofe. In ogni modo cosa fatta capo a; solo voglio dirvi che organizzatori di tale assassinio furono: Giuseppe Morello, capo mafia e capo della Mano Nera oggi a New York; Giuseppe Fontana capo mafia ed autore dell’assassinio di Notarbartolo; Ignazio Milone capo mafia; Pietro Inzerillo capo mafia; Giovanni Pecoraro capo mafia; i fratelli Terranova, fratellastri di Giuseppe Morello pure oggi a New York e tutti pericolosissimi. L’incarico fu dato al loro collega Vito Cascio Ferro di Bisacquino che il Petrosino era desideroso arrestare e ne portava sempre addosso la fotografia. Ciò è quanto posso dirvi. Segretezza e non altro. Un onesto Siciliano” Come può constatare si tratta di qualcuno che la conosce bene a quanto sembra.

V – Non si può dare credito ad una lettera anonima. Sa, per la mia posizione, io ho tanti nemici anche negli Stati Uniti, gente che si vuole vendicare, perché forse non ha ricevuto i favori che si aspettava. Lei deve comprendere che nella mia vasta cerchia di amicizie e conoscenze non si escludono nemici e detrattori.

G – Eppure l’anonimo insiste scrivendo ancora al questore un’altra lettera ricca di particolari, dove vengono nominati molti degli inquisiti e il suo nome viene ripetuto.‘New York 18 marzo 1909. Signor Questore, Vi confermo la mia raccomandata di giorni or sono. Badate che la congiura di assassinare il povero Petrosino fu tenuta a New York e fu mandato l’incarico di assassinarlo a Vito Cascio Ferro di Bisacquino ed ad Ignazio Lupo di Palermo, molto conosciuto dalla Polizia di New York. Questi due delinquenti erano implacabili nemici di Petrosino e furono il terrore di New York. Nessuno partì da qui, statene per certo. Il complotto fu ordito a New York e dai principali delinquenti. Questi due delinquenti erano implacabili nemici di Petrosino e furono il terrore di New York”

V – Non bisogna dare credito alle lettere anonime, ripeto, sono sempre ingannevoli e pericolose. Chiunque potrebbe scrivere qualcosa per vendicarsi, la vendetta è una brutta bestia che a volte crea danni irreparabili. Mi rifiuto di rispondere su simili illazioni senza fondamento.

G – Lei conosceva Petrosino?

V – Sì lo avevo conosciuto in America. A proposito del delitto Madonia, che fece molto scalpore a New York.
[…]

[Dwalin2014]

Thanks for the information!

But in your opinion, was Cascio Ferro involved in the Petrosino murder after all or wasn't he? In Pino Arlacchi's book it's said the shooter was Giuseppe Palmigiano, but as far as Cascio Ferro's involvement, was it a "false trail" or did he help with setting up the hit?

I understand we can't know for sure 100%, just asking for opinions. Many books say Cascio Ferro was likely involved, but Buscetta in Arlacchi's book states he wasn't and even his importance in the Cosa Nostra was greatly exaggerated.

[Antiliar]

Thanks for the information!

But in your opinion, was Cascio Ferro involved in the Petrosino murder after all or wasn't he? In Pino Arlacchi's book it's said the shooter was Giuseppe Palmigiano, but as far as Cascio Ferro's involvement, was it a "false trail" or did he help with setting up the hit?

I understand we can't know for sure 100%, just asking for opinions. Many books say Cascio Ferro was likely involved, but Buscetta in Arlacchi's book states he wasn't and even his importance in the Cosa Nostra was greatly exaggerated.

I think a lot of people were involved on both the American and the Sicilian side. It was a large conspiracy, and it's very possible that Cascio Ferro played a role in it. I doubt that he was the shooter. He could have directed those who were keeping watch of Petrosino's movements. If I recall correctly, Buscetta said that the Porto Nuova or Palermo Centro borgata in charge of the hit and the shooter was Palmigiano, and Cascio Ferro was not only uninvolved, he was a nobody. To me it seems that Buscetta had a personal grudge against Cascio Ferro to diminish his stature. We can only speculate on his role, but he definitely wasn't a nobody. We know from Secret Service files that Cascio Ferro was a man of importance when he first came to the U.S., and headed a borgata after he returned to Sicily. Arrigo Petacco's book on Petrosino goes into his importance before he left Sicily for America. Petacco also suggested that Carlo Costantino and Antonino Passananti, both of Partinico and both probably part of the Paolo Orlando/Sebastiano/DiGaetano borgata in Brooklyn, may have been involved in the shooting. Whoever did the shooting, I'm have no doubt that a hit team was involved and not a single shooter. This was an important killing for the Mafia and they wanted Petrosino dead.

[Sullycantwell]

Great find! How powerful was he in Sicily? Of course it’s hard to quantify power, but is there a specific example of how powerful he was?

[Antiliar]

He could outrace Chuck Norris and the Flash, then leap over tall buildings. Maybe that's someone else.

[DonPeppino386]

Vito Cascio Ferro is interviewed by a reporter in Palermo following the murder of Joe Petrosino:

G: Journalist

V: Vito Cascio Ferro

G - Questore Ceola, in charge of the investigations in Palermo, in a detailed report sent to the president of the Palermo Prosecution Section notes a series of anonymous letters also from New York that accuse him of being the instigator of the murder together with other offenders all arrested and then acquitted for lack of evidence in the preliminary investigation. Among these there is a very unique one. Here it is “New York March 14, 1909. Most illustrious Quaestor. The responsibility for the murder of poor Petrosino falls on you, because you, knowing his high mission, would never have your employees accompany him. Thus such an immense catastrophe would have been avoided. In any case, what is headed by; I just want to tell you that the organizers of this assassination were: Giuseppe Morello, Mafia leader and head of the Black Hand today in New York; Giuseppe Fontana Mafia leader and author of the assassination of Notarbartolo; Ignazio Milone Mafia leader; Pietro Inzerillo Mafia leader; Giovanni Pecoraro mafia leader; the Terranova brothers, half-brothers of Giuseppe Morello also today in New York and all very dangerous. The assignment was given to their colleague Vito Cascio Ferro from Bisacquino, whom Petrosino was eager to arrest and always wore his photograph. This is what I can tell you. Secrecy and nothing else. An honest Sicilian ”As you can see, this is someone who knows her well it seems.

V - You cannot give credit to an anonymous letter. You know, because of my position, I have many enemies in the United States too, people who want to avenge themselves, because perhaps they have not received the favors that they expected. You must understand that enemies and detractors are not excluded in my vast circle of friendships and acquaintances.

G - Yet the anonymous insists writing to the commissioner another letter full of details, in which many of the suspects are named and his name is repeated. 'New York March 18, 1909. Mr Quaestor, I confirm my registered letter a few days ago I am. Note that the conspiracy to assassinate poor Petrosino was held in New York and the task of assassinating him was sent to Vito Cascio Ferro of Bisacquino and Ignazio Lupo from Palermo, well known to the New York Police. These two criminals were Petrosino's relentless enemies and were the terror of New York. Nobody left here, be sure. The plot was hatched in New York and by the main criminals. These two criminals were implacable enemies of Petrosino and were the terror of New York "

V - We must not give credit to anonymous letters, I repeat, they are always deceptive and dangerous. Anyone could write something to take revenge, revenge is an ugly beast that sometimes creates irreparable damage. I refuse to answer such baseless allegations.

G - Did you know Petrosino?

V - Yes I had met him in America. About the Madonia crime, which caused a sensation in New York.
[...]

Italian original:

G: Giornalista

V:Vito Cascio Ferro

G – Il Questore Ceola, responsabile delle indagini a Palermo, in un resoconto dettagliato inviato al presidente della Sezione di Accusa di Palermo annota una serie di lettere anonime provenienti anche da New York che lo accusano di essere il mandante dell’omicidio assieme ad altri pregiudicati tutti arrestati e poi assolti per insufficienza di prove in istruttoria. Tra queste ve ne è una molto singolare. Eccola “New York 14 marzo 1909. Illustrissimo Signor Questore. Su voi cade la responsabilità dell’assassinio del povero Petrosino, perchè voi sapendo la sua alta missione, non lo faceste mai accompagnare dai vostri dipendenti. Così si sarebbe evitato una così immensa catastrofe. In ogni modo cosa fatta capo a; solo voglio dirvi che organizzatori di tale assassinio furono: Giuseppe Morello, capo mafia e capo della Mano Nera oggi a New York; Giuseppe Fontana capo mafia ed autore dell’assassinio di Notarbartolo; Ignazio Milone capo mafia; Pietro Inzerillo capo mafia; Giovanni Pecoraro capo mafia; i fratelli Terranova, fratellastri di Giuseppe Morello pure oggi a New York e tutti pericolosissimi. L’incarico fu dato al loro collega Vito Cascio Ferro di Bisacquino che il Petrosino era desideroso arrestare e ne portava sempre addosso la fotografia. Ciò è quanto posso dirvi. Segretezza e non altro. Un onesto Siciliano” Come può constatare si tratta di qualcuno che la conosce bene a quanto sembra.

V – Non si può dare credito ad una lettera anonima. Sa, per la mia posizione, io ho tanti nemici anche negli Stati Uniti, gente che si vuole vendicare, perché forse non ha ricevuto i favori che si aspettava. Lei deve comprendere che nella mia vasta cerchia di amicizie e conoscenze non si escludono nemici e detrattori.

G – Eppure l’anonimo insiste scrivendo ancora al questore un’altra lettera ricca di particolari, dove vengono nominati molti degli inquisiti e il suo nome viene ripetuto.‘New York 18 marzo 1909. Signor Questore, Vi confermo la mia raccomandata di giorni or sono. Badate che la congiura di assassinare il povero Petrosino fu tenuta a New York e fu mandato l’incarico di assassinarlo a Vito Cascio Ferro di Bisacquino ed ad Ignazio Lupo di Palermo, molto conosciuto dalla Polizia di New York. Questi due delinquenti erano implacabili nemici di Petrosino e furono il terrore di New York. Nessuno partì da qui, statene per certo. Il complotto fu ordito a New York e dai principali delinquenti. Questi due delinquenti erano implacabili nemici di Petrosino e furono il terrore di New York”

V – Non bisogna dare credito alle lettere anonime, ripeto, sono sempre ingannevoli e pericolose. Chiunque potrebbe scrivere qualcosa per vendicarsi, la vendetta è una brutta bestia che a volte crea danni irreparabili. Mi rifiuto di rispondere su simili illazioni senza fondamento.

G – Lei conosceva Petrosino?

V – Sì lo avevo conosciuto in America. A proposito del delitto Madonia, che fece molto scalpore a New York.
[…]

Amazing find! Thank you for posting.

[motorfab]

He could outrace Chuck Norris and the Flash, then leap over tall buildings. Maybe that's someone else.

Great post Antiliar

[bronx]

very important find hats off

[aleksandrored]

Thanks for the interview!!