Blog - 'A Sicilan Message'

[nash143]

Very quickly this has become one of the best resources.

Excellent article on Casella. I was also unaware of the Traina relation although I knew of the close friendship. This clan made virtually all of their male relatives so whether this Antonino or the murdered one was the one on the deceased member list, it's probable to me they were both members.

The Bryan colony indeed was heavily connected to the mafia and we have speculated before that it was either an early branch of what became the Dallas Family or perhaps its own group in the early days when there were more Families. This is the first I've heard of Belmontesi living there but the Poggioreale connection fits what we know of Texas mafiosi, neighboring Salaparuta playing a big role in the Dallas Family. I knew the Casellas spent time in St. Louis though I'm unaware of any mafiosi from Belmonte Mezzagno in or around the local Family.

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Did you look into the "Manzello" and Badalamenti involved in the incident with Polizzi? Manzella and Badalamenti are of course big Cinesensi names and Cinisi played a big role in Detroit, the Badalamentis there being related to Gaetano Badalamenti and various Manzellas around the US also connecting to the Cinisi Family.

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The DeMarco and Saraceno articles also hit all the notes that interest me.

Thanks for the comments B. Even when you think a piece has been thoroughly researched, there's always more to dig into.

Tony Badalamenti was born Antonino, 1893 in Cinisi. He was an Uncle to Detroit member(?) Ceasar Badalamenti, whilst newspapers stated he was a nephew of Boss John Vitale. I have read that Antonino was an uncle to Gaetano (and therefore brothers Vito and Emanuel), but I can only identify him as a second cousin, once removed.

I haven't found much in terms of connections re Giuseppe Manzello/Manzella.

[B.]

Re: Polizzi article, in addition to no doubt knowing each other in Sicily, it looks like the Melis and Polizzis overlapped in Dunmore early on.

Angelo Meli first arrived to the Sancataldese colony in Dunmore when he came to the US in 1913, the same year you noted two of the Polizzi brothers arrived there. By 1918 he's living in Pittsburgh but by the end of the year he's in Detroit. Not sure how long he spent in Dunmore or Pittsburgh but there were strong colonies from Caltanissetta in both places. Though Meli was born in San Cataldo, he said his father was born in Canicatti, Agrigento, which borders Caltanissetta province.

Brother Francesco Meli, also a Detroit member, arrived to Dunmore in 1911 and looks to have returned to Sicily at some point, coming back in 1921 and heading to brother Salvatore in Pittston. By 1923 he's joined his brother Angelo in Detroit but in 1929 he's inexplicably living in Brooklyn, NY. Not only that, he files for naturalization in Brooklyn and his witnesses are two major names:



The address for Charles Dongarra is the same address the FBN used for Rosario "Charlie Brush" Dongarra and though I don't recall Joe Biondo living in Brooklyn (Bath Beach in this case), his close association with Charlie Dongarra all but confirms it is him as well. Very intriguing that Frank Meli, who was possibly already a member by this time, was tapped in with future Gambino heavyweights during his time in New York City. By 1935 he's apparently living in Scranton before eventually winding up back in Detroit by 1940. Very likely Frank Meli transferred between multiple Families much like Angelo Polizzi going between Detroit and Dunmore.

[Eline2015]

When Mike Polizzi relocated to Detroit?