What was the Combaneesh?

[JoelTurner]

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.

I don't think that makes sense though.

This Combaneesh seemed to have a far wider scope both in terms of time and place. It's mentioned as being around in the early '30s which was well after Masseria's conflict with D'Aquila and being in areas where the Masseria family wasn't active.

Plus, DeCarlo seems to imply that Genovese was sneaked into the mafia from the Combaneesh.

Guys like Boiardo and DeCarlo didn't get in until the mid-40s too. If they had been a part of Masseria's faction, that wouldn't make sense.

[JoelTurner]

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

Same here, but another user (Moscone65) had a credible explanation on the word

[B.]

DeCarlo was definitely aware of Tommy Tato when he was coming up under Boiardo and likely personally knew him so I've considered the reference is to him, but I think it's more likely a reference to Toddo DelDuca. DelDuca is referenced on a number of DeCarlo tapes where Toddo is always transcribed as "Tato".

[PolackTony]

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

Same here, but another user (Moscone65) had a credible explanation on the word

Also, in the transcript the guy “Benny” on the tape asks if they’re saying “combination” and DeCarlo makes it clear that they’re not.

[JoelTurner]

Here’s another reference to the Combaneesh.

In a conversation between Anthony “Monk” Marrone and Ralph “Rafferty” Greco, both Ray DeCarlo associates, they mention that a Kazeech (ph) is an old-time Combaneesh guy.

Bobby Manna is mentioned too. At the time, he would have been a young member in the Greenwich Village crew.

[B.]

This thread from 2019 has more discussion of it starting on page 2:

viewtopic.php?t=5365&hilit=combaneesh

[JoelTurner]

Does anyone what organization this is? Barney Miranda described an organization similar to the Combaneesh:

- Called it the AGABOOSH (ph)

- Said that they kept books which identified members by name & picture which they then shared with prison wardens to get preferential treatment while incarcerated

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I've never heard of criminal organizations keeping formal "yearbooks", this sounds pretty wild

[Eline2015]

The more I try to delve into this topic, the more I realize that what we consider the Camorra in the USA had nothing to do with the honorable society in Naples. The American Camorra, like the American Cosa Nostra, was a system that united gangsters from all parts of mainland Italy. Each faction of the American Camorra had its own ceremonial or name, like the Calabrian Societa Camorra de Lucre in White Plains.

[motorfab]

The more I try to delve into this topic, the more I realize that what we consider the Camorra in the USA had nothing to do with the honorable society in Naples. The American Camorra, like the American Cosa Nostra, was a system that united gangsters from all parts of mainland Italy. Each faction of the American Camorra had its own ceremonial or name, like the Calabrian Societa Camorra de Lucre in White Plains.

It depends on the case, but yes I quite agree.

I don't think the Navy Street Gang had people from elsewhere of the province of Naples, but if you take the "Combaneesh" or even the Calabrian Societies of White Plains or Hillsville there were Calabrian elements & Neapolitans. + in Chicago and NY people like Torrio from Basilicata or Ricci from Puglia could be considered Camorristi (or at least well connected to some Camorristi).

In addition to Naples, the Camorra had branches in Calabria, Abruzzo, Puglia or even in Sicily, so ultimately it is not too surprising that a mix of organizations in America was formed.

Speaking of Sicily and the Società Camorra de Lucre, I read an article a few years ago that a cop named Giovanni Leopoldo from NY was inducted in Palermo into this Camorra Society. His mission was cut short when he received a note warning him that his identity had been discovered, but the fact that he was inducted into a Camorrist society in Palermo intrigued me when I read it. The article appeared in several newspapers in 1915

For those who want to read it here is a link to the image https://zupimages.net/up/24/06/aftg.jpg

[PolackTony]

Great post, Fab. One thing to note is that Torrio was not really Lucano, his family was actually Barese and he just happened to be born in Basilicata because his father was working on a railroad there at the time.

[B.]

Yes, great post Fabien. You definitely understand.

Should mention too, the 1920s Birmingham informant who killed himself was Eastern Sicilian and identified himself as a member of the "Camorra", saying the org had "degrees" and a series of "initiation fees". The only other member publicly identified was from Gibellina in Trapani. On one hand I'm reluctant to believe Birmingham had a true Camorra society in addition to their mafia Family but on the other hand the reference to degrees and fees is distinctly Camorra-like and not like the mafia system. It would be fascinating if Alabama Sicilians did actually join the Camorra in addition to there being a Cosa Nostra Family as the area was overwhelmingly Sicilian and I haven't seen anything to suggest there was a solid mainland infrastructure in the area. One likely Birmingham member was arrested for writing Black Hand letters with a Calabrian, though, so maybe there was an element I'm unaware of.

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I've posted about the "Agabush" (ph) some years back and I'm confident Barney Miranda was referring to the Camorra, especially since he was from Naples and the group he mentioned was influential in prison. I don't know what the word was that he was using but agents often butchered Italian words on those transcripts.

[PolackTony]

The Birmingham thing also may not have been a one-off. We also have the “Society of the Banana and Faithful Friends” in OH, which also referred to itself as “The Black Hand Society”. All of its affiliates that we know of were Palermitani, apart from one Messinese, and its leadership was found to be keeping minutes of their meetings in a book of Camorra frieni (statutes). During the trial of the “Banana Society” it was reported that they had counterparts in PA, Chicago, and NY State.

On the subject of the Camorra in Palermo itself. There were references to a “Malavita” organization that controlled the Vicaria prison and extorted prisoners as far back as the 1840s. Though details about it or scant, I very much believe that this was Camorra.

[motorfab]

Thanks for the background of John Torrio, I had no idea (and for the rest obviously)

Indeed the "Banana Socitey" is also a very stange organization in term of affiliation. My understanding is they were mainly an independant gang, but I really don't know.

[Ivan]

This "Combaneesh" thing kind of reminds me of the "Calabrian Organization" in Youngstown.

[B.]

Some of the Banana Society guys were definitely affiliated with Cosa Nostra as Lima relatives were already members of Cosa Nostra in Trabia along with later being identified as members of multiple US Families. There could have been dual affiliation or some other arrangement.

The first thing I thought of when the Birmingham informant identified Sicilians as members of the "Camorra" in Alabama was the Banana Society. Big difference though is Western PA and Ohio were ripe (no pun intended) with networks of mainlanders whereas Birmingham wasn't, at least not relative to the Italian population. The informant said the Camorra was international in scope with HQ in Italy and that members were called "Brother Mayflier" and "Dear Friend".

I've posted before that Tony Lima went on to induct an unidentified Camorrista into the SF Family when he was boss then shelved him shortly thereafter which is interesting given his family's history with the Banana Society.