What was the Combaneesh?

[JoelTurner]

The Combaneesh (or Combonish) is an organization mentioned twice on the DeCarlo wiretaps.

Here are transcripts:

10/17/61





10/29/62




———-

What can be understood?

-It existed at least from 1923-32
-It existed in NYC, North Jersey, Upstate New York, and Reno, NV
-Membership didn’t necessarily mean membership in the mafia
-There was a code with higher-ups knowing more phrases
-There was a hierarchy among recruits with different levels
-Members were called “a Combonish”
-It had the same rituals as the mafia
-The term “Un Batura” was used to mean a bad guy
-The term “Boccia” was used to mean boss &/ underboss (Latin word for boss is bottia)

Who was a member?

Vito Genovese - from Risigliano, Tufino, Italy - made in 1923

Richie Boiardo - from Naples, Italy - made in Dec 1943

Willie Moretti - Bari, Puglia, Italy - likely made in the 1920s

Angelo DeCarlo - family from Salerno, Campania, Italy - made in June 1944 (May have been an associate)

Al Amigi (ph)

Tato (ph)

Dominick “Swats” Ciaffone - not identified as a member but knew a lot about it - family from Muro Lucano, Potenza, Basilicata, Italy

———————————

These are the only references that I've found, please add whatever information you have relating to the Combaneesh.

[PolackTony]

Tangential, but I was not aware that Ciaffone was from Muro Lucano. That’s a big deal, as that was a major Chicago cumune and the hometown of the Cerones, Tony Capezio, and Smokes Aloisio. Naturally, there were also Ciaffones from Muro in Chicago. Also, now there is a clear context for Ciaffone apparently having detailed insight into Chicago when the subject came up on one of the DeCarlo tapes (he also made it clear that he knew one of the Fischettis). Corky Vastola’s mother has been stated to have been a cousin of Ciaffone; I’m not sure what her surname was, but she would presumably also have been Mures’.

[PolackTony]

-The term “Boccia” was used to mean boss &/ underboss

I’m not sure the exact point that he’s trying to make, but DeCarlo isn’t calling the boss/underboss “boccia”. He’s referring to the ball game “bocce” (bocce is the plural for “boccia” — ball/bowl), which he’s invoking to illustrate something about the boss and underboss.

Also, I suspect that what was given phonetically as “batura” may have been “battuto”, the past participle of “battere” (to beat). Given that it signified a “bad man”, the reference to beating would make sense. In Napolitan’, battuto would be pronounced something like “battuduh”, and in Southern dialects the “r” and “d” sounds are often switched in intervocalic (between two vowels) positions, which could very likely yield a phonetic pronunciation close to “batturuh”.

[chin_gigante]

I always interpreted the combaneesh/ combanish as possibly being a reference to the camorra

[scagghiuni]

so Vito Genovese was a member of the camorra before?

[cavita]

I'm guessing "Tato" was really "Toto," a diminutive of Salvatore and the agents misheard it.

[Eline2015]

Tato is a Salvatore Taranto, probably a Capone cousin, who was a peace mediator between Boiardo and Abner Zwillman

[Moscone65]

Probably some dialect form and or Americanization of the term Compagni, meaning literally companion, but could be used for close friend, or a dialect form of compagnia (companisc’) meaning company, society.

[JoelTurner]

Also, I suspect that what was given phonetically as “batura” may have been “battuto”, the past participle of “battere” (to beat). Given that it signified a “bad man”, the reference to beating would make sense. In Napolitan’, battuto would be pronounced something like “battuduh”, and in Southern dialects the “r” and “d” sounds are often switched in intervocalic (between two vowels) positions, which could very likely yield a phonetic pronunciation close to “batturuh”.

Thanks! I had googled it and wasn’t getting any relevant results. These phonetic prononciations were trippy.

[JoelTurner]

I always interpreted the combaneesh/ combanish as possibly being a reference to the camorra

That was what I was thinking too.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Camorra have multiple ranks which is what they describe in the wire tap? Like a hierarchy similar to the masons with different degrees.

I have no idea if there was ever a Camorra presence in Upstate New York or Reno, NV

[JoelTurner]

so Vito Genovese was a member of the camorra before?

I've seen him mentioned as a former Camorra member on other threads. There's also a story about how he visited a Camorra member who was imprisoned but I don't know the details on that.

[JoelTurner]

Tato is a Salvatore Taranto, probably a Capone cousin, who was a peace mediator between Boiardo and Abner Zwillman

Wasn't Al Capone's cousin, who mediated the peace in Newark, named Thomas Tato ?

[Eline2015]

Tato is a Salvatore Taranto, probably a Capone cousin, who was a peace mediator between Boiardo and Abner Zwillman

Wasn't Al Capone's cousin, who mediated the peace in Newark, named Thomas Tato ?

Yeah, it's him

[johnny_scootch]

I always thought the Combaneesh was a reference to the renegade Cosa Nostra faction led by Joe Masseria during the period he fought against Toto D’Aquila.

[Cheech]

when I first read it I just thought it was a mangled way of saying the Combination.