Testa - Bruno - Philly circa 1970's

[Angelo Santino]

This is an excerpt from Mobfather by George Anastasia, probably the least known of his books; it covers the stories of Bobby and Tommy Del Jr and their experiences with their father, Tommy Del, as he climbed the mob ladder from the 70's when he was working with Frankie Flowers to the 80's when he flipped and was playing golf with FBI agents. It's a good read.

Page 91

"The unrest that had been simmering in the underworld since 1976 (when AC casinos went through and Bruno's reluctance to stake a larger claim) began to surface in 1979 and early 1980. One FBI informant, a mob hit man named Charlie Allen, told authorities a remarkable table about how he had been ordered by Bruno to stockpile weapons in anticipation of a potential mob war. According to Allen, Bruno was concerned about his underboss, Philip Testa. Other sources said that Testa had boldly asked Bruno's permission to start a new family. While New York had five mob families, no other city in America had more than one. Testa's request was insulting if not seditious.

"Right then Testa should have been whacked," said another informant familiar with the maneuverings that were taking place at the time. But Bruno, perhaps out of a sense of loyalty to the man who had served him for nearly 20 years, hesitated. Antonio Caponigro, Bruno's Consigliere, was ready to move on Testa. All that he wanted was Don Angelo's okay. Instead Bruno took off for a vacation in Italy. And when he returned, he appeared even more indecisive."



Tommy Del's a creep and a shithead but he is a great narrator:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS2VzAHKrbc

[Angelo Santino]

I'm not sure if I believe it myself (Testa asking to start a separate family). I could see it being taking out of context "Look Ange, if you don't want to do anything anymore, let me start my own thing then and we'll move on it." Such a sarcastic reference would get reported back as "Testa asked to form separate family." But that's just my opinion. B. will be all over this.

[Chucky]

In Leonetti's book it goes into Bruno and Testa's falling out, but I think it had to do with Local 54, I may have to re-read it. Anyway in the book Leonetti says Bruno wanted Scarfo to side with him against Testa and Scarfo turned him down.

[Cheech]

thats best 10 minute mob clip ever

[Angelo Santino]

Something to note: there's conflicting arguments of John Stanfa's involvement in Bruno's murder.

This book- Mob father- says that Stanfa lowered the window while someone came up with a shotgun. George Fresolone in Blood Oath, claims Bruno liked to ride with his hand out the window as well as smoke and that the car didn't have power windows but roll-downs... That would be interesting to thing to confirm... Both Fresolone and this book seem to imply Caponigro was the shooter.

Page 93-94:
Despite an intense investigation, no one has ever been charged with the Bruno killing. There is little doubt in the underworld or withing the law enforcement community, however, that Caponigro set the assassination in motion. And there are those who say that he was the man with the shotgun.

"Tony would never ask you to do something he wouldn't do himself," said one longtime friend." Plus, in this case, there weren't many people he could trust or who even knew what was going on."

"He was a stone cold killer," said another. "The last of the real gangsters."

[Rocco]

Whatever the real story was there. Bruno should have retired to Italy because there was clearly unrest in the family to the degree where he couldn't do anything to settle it besides step down.

[Angelo Santino]

In Leonetti's book it goes into Bruno and Testa's falling out, but I think it had to do with Local 54, I may have to re-read it. Anyway in the book Leonetti says Bruno wanted Scarfo to side with him against Testa and Scarfo turned him down.

Seems like there were a variety of reasons then.

[Angelo Santino]

Whatever the real story was there. Bruno should have retired to Italy because there was clearly unrest in the family to the degree where he couldn't do anything to settle it besides step down.

Bruno wasn't liked or respected by many in the Philly Mafia even prior to becoming boss, a role he was installed into by Carlo Gambino in 1959. When the commission was strong that carried significant influence, that influence waned and after Gambino died, Bruno was left without any protection. But as B and I discussed, that was not outside the norm, most Philly bosses were not liked, they were out-of-reach NY cronies while it's members committed petty crime. This family never had a NY operation... until Scarfo.

[B.]

It isn't clear what Phil Testa was looking to do or what his actual arrangement with Bruno was by 1980, but on 1977 wiretaps he is being encouraged by Scarfo, Riccobene, and Narducci to take over the family and he dismisses it. What is clear is that he was operating with a great deal of independence by then and something had changed since the 1960's when he was Bruno's man. Whatever it was, it happened after 1970 when Bruno promoted him to underboss. Like Chucky mentioned, one of the problems may have been that they were backing different reps in Local 54. Testa and Scarfo wanted to be more aggressive with the unions while Bruno was laid back.

I think the one final thing you can say about any problem between Bruno / Testa is that Phil Testa was not part of the conspiracy to kill his boss even though he had every opportunity to do it and a serious group of killers directly loyal to him. That speaks volumes to me. Scarfo and Testa might have been ruthless in their own right, but they were loyal members under Bruno for 20 years.

Mobfather has some really good mob info even though a lot of it is about Tommy Del's wife and sons. Some of the info even conflicts with Blood and Honor and GA's other writing, but that isn't a bad thing in this case... it shows that he didn't have a set agenda to push which is really fucking good considering he is the king of Philly mob journalism and his ego could have colored everything if he had let it. I have serious respect for George.

I don't believe John Stanfa knowingly participated in the Bruno murder. Bruno was his lifeline in the Philly family and he was an outsider in South Philly. I have no idea how anyone would know John Stanfa lowered the window himself, and that's assuming he even had automatic windows. We've covered this plenty in the Tony Caponigro topic here:
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=130

[B.]

A period I want to know more about is the time when Bruno was in Yardville. I'm not sure if Phil Testa was acting boss but I can't imagine anyone else in the spot except maybe Rugnetta. I think this is when the seeds were really planted against Bruno, as various people got a taste of life without him.

[Angelo Santino]

A period I want to know more about is the time when Bruno was in Yardville. I'm not sure if Phil Testa was acting boss but I can't imagine anyone else in the spot except maybe Rugnetta. I think this is when the seeds were really planted against Bruno, as various people got a taste of life without him.

But what was bad with him at the helm? He was a very hands off boss, allowed people to do whatever save for a few rules... Not to ask a BB question but who would you rather be under, working for, and answerable to? Bruno or Scarfo?

[joeycigars]

A period I want to know more about is the time when Bruno was in Yardville. I'm not sure if Phil Testa was acting boss but I can't imagine anyone else in the spot except maybe Rugnetta. I think this is when the seeds were really planted against Bruno, as various people got a taste of life without him.

But what was bad with him at the helm? He was a very hands off boss, allowed people to do whatever save for a few rules... Not to ask a BB question but who would you rather be under, working for, and answerable to? Bruno or Scarfo?

You had a better chance of being rich under Scarfo at a young age ,
It would be cool if Nicky walks out at 103 years old in 18 years , He looks great in his last picture ...Rare but it happens


108-Year-Old Prisoner Freed After Serving 24 Years In Prison

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/2 ... 80568.html

[B.]

A period I want to know more about is the time when Bruno was in Yardville. I'm not sure if Phil Testa was acting boss but I can't imagine anyone else in the spot except maybe Rugnetta. I think this is when the seeds were really planted against Bruno, as various people got a taste of life without him.

But what was bad with him at the helm? He was a very hands off boss, allowed people to do whatever save for a few rules... Not to ask a BB question but who would you rather be under, working for, and answerable to? Bruno or Scarfo?

I know football season's officially over, but Scarfo was what they'd call a "player's coach". They may have feared his wrath, but he was popular with the soldiers and even the ones who flipped seemed to genuinely like him. He also let his guys branch out into new ventures and earn money as long as they kicked up. The only really questionable murder by mob standards was the Testa hit and a lot of that had to do with what his trusted guys were telling him. If anything, his greatest mistake was delegating Merlino to run South Philly for him and not keeping a better eye on what was happening up there.

I can't say what specifically was bad with Bruno at the helm, but from the start he was heavily criticized by many of his ranking members. His own cousin (Simone) helped plot his murder with one of Bruno's closest associates (Sindone), and they sided with a guy who had been wanting to kill Bruno for 20 years (Caponigro). His underboss, Testa, who had come up in the family with Bruno, participated in murders with him, and was ultimately named underboss by him, grew indifferent to him and distanced himself. Frank Narducci, a Bruno capo, is on tape talking about how the boss doesn't keep him in the loop on anything. Whether these guys had legit grievances or not is up for debate but the evidence is clear that his guys did not like working for him, even the people he put in place.