DeCavalcante Admin Succession

[B.]

Wasn't sure where else to put this, but since Bacino was a point of discussion earlier, does anyone have any info on Joe Bacino? He shows up on one of the FBI's dead lists along with Phil Bacino and Bacino's wife. Joe Bacino's DOB is listed as 10/20/1893 and there is a note identifying him as a "cousin of Phil Bacino, LCN". It's not a clear indication that Joe Bacino was involved in the life, but it does seem to suggest that. I wasn't able to track down any other information on him, using both Joseph and Giuseppe as first names.

[Frank]

Does anyone know who the current Official Boss is since Riggi died?? Also the rest of the Administration.

[B.]

Wasn't sure where else to put this, but since Bacino was a point of discussion earlier, does anyone have any info on Joe Bacino? He shows up on one of the FBI's dead lists along with Phil Bacino and Bacino's wife. Joe Bacino's DOB is listed as 10/20/1893 and there is a note identifying him as a "cousin of Phil Bacino, LCN". It's not a clear indication that Joe Bacino was involved in the life, but it does seem to suggest that. I wasn't able to track down any other information on him, using both Joseph and Giuseppe as first names.

To follow this up, I wanted to add I haven't even been able to find any records of a Giuseppe Bacino from Ribera; most Giuseppe Bacinos I've found are overwhelmingly from Burgio, which can't be ruled out as it is very close to Ribera. It's entirely possible a cousin of Phil Bacino was from Burgio, as there have been a number of guys from Caltabelotta (which is between Ribera and Burgio) closely involved with the Ribera guys and Burgio, as a larger town, may have drawn some people from neighboring villages.

One potential lead I've found is a Joseph Bacino (b.1898) living with his parents and siblings in Manhattan in 1920. Also living with them were his cousins, who are listed as two girls with the last name Colletti. Wouldn't be surprising if there was a Bacino / Colletti relation on top of all the other incestuousness. The Colletti family tree crosses over with many familiar names.

[Frank]

Was Phil Bacino a member of Chicago when he left Jersey?

[Angelo Santino]

Very interesting and enlightening. I learn something new every time B. posts.

[Frank]

Didn't DArco and others state the the DeCavalcante Family was were the Lucchese originated and some say all the Families . Why is there no history of them before 1920. Sometimes the more info we get the more confusing it gets. Sometimes it seems like the rats are either making up stuff or someone gave them the wrong information. Then again maybe the Feds need to ask more in depth follow up questions like when family started and by whom for example. They get info from these rats but don't follow with further info.

[Antiliar]

I think either D'Arco got his information confused or whoever told him that got it wrong. D'Arco claimed it was the original Family, and there is absolutely no evidence to support that. New Orleans was the first Family.

[johnny_scootch]

This type of history is passed down orally and so it gets exaggerated and distorted from generation to generation.

[Frank]

Yes thank you. I had read awhile back about New Orleans was the first Family,but this is the first I heard about New Jersey. Just trying to cross reference this info. Personally now that you guys have stated that there is no evidence of Jersey being the beginning, I believe that it went from New Orleans to Alabama than on the way to N.Y. New Jersey area.

[B.]

I do think there was at least one Sicilian mafia group operating in North Jersey earlier than is documented/known, but whether they were a family, a crew, or just some random members of other group(s) is another question. Riberesi with strong mob bloodlines were in not just New Jersey, but specifically the Peterstown section of Elizabeth shortly after the turn of the 20th century. No proof that they were full-fledged mafiosi, but it's likely they were. Specifically talking about the Riggi, Caterinicchio, and Merlo families, with several others like the Giaccobes and Collettis, etc. close behind.

D'Arco's info is strange because it is so specific and he was told by Joe Schiavo, a longtime member who was a business partner and close associate of Tommy Lucchese. I don't think what he said is accurate, and at age 80+ recalling a random story he was told (among countless other stories), he may have distorted it. There is reason to speculate that the Lucchese NJ crew traces directly to the Newark family when it was disbanded, so my thinking is that he somehow confused this information or got his wires crossed. Still, he is so damn specific about the Lucchese family coming from New Jersey and being called "la Chiesa" I can't completely let it go. If he was a Jersey guy, I might just chock it up to him trying to make NJ seem more important than it was, but because he's a Brooklyn guy who hung out in the heart of Little Italy with many old timers it's especially confusing. Then as I'm sure we discussed to death earlier in this thread, there is the recording of Stango saying the five families split off from the DeCavalcantes (whether you want to trust a guy who says "attackness" is another story), and Rotondo saying they were one of the earliest families in the US.

Though I don't consider these "facts" at all, I like to bring them up whenever this comes up because three high-ranking members made these statements and there could be some percentage of what they're saying that's true, but similar to what Scootch said, the oral history of a secret society filled with liars and criminals is bound to get distorted, especially when you figure that the earlier history was known only by guys who spoke a completely different language. Many things could have been lost in translation -- literally -- as new members came in who were not as fluent in Sicilian dialect or even the Italian language itself. Even Joe Valachi could barely understand basic Italian and though his knowledge of the neighborhood he grew up in was really sharp, same with events that happened during his time, for a guy who hung out with Maranzano regularly and must have met countless old timers, his actual knowledge of the organization's history is really fuckin' thin. But once again he may not have been asked all of the right questions.

One thing I do believe, though, is that mafiosi who were already members or would become future members of the DeCavalcantes were active in New York, New Jersey, and possibly elsewhere (Alabama being a good guess thanks to Rick) before the 1920s. Whether they were officially affiliated with the Newark family, a New York family (most likely Gambinos though could have been Morello, too), or a Sicilian cell from Ribera is a complete guess. When the Newark family got established is another total guess though a few of us speculated that they may have been created for the Corleonese Badami (which lends itself to the idea that the Newark family had ties to the Morello/Reina families), who must have already been a significant Sicilian mafia member when he came here in the late 1920s.

Screw it, let's just say San Jose was the first family and call it a day.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Great info and posts gents. B especially your contributions are always enjoyed.