Any good books on the pre-Casso era

[InCamelot]

of the Lucchese's ?

The administration for the Lucchese's is actually somewhat interesting.

Aniello Migliore was underboss way back in the 70s, resigned, and was back on a ruling panel in the 2000s, decades later.

Mac Macaluso was consigliere in the 70s, and was brought back by Casso (?) to be underboss for a brief stint? Although it says he was forced into retirement by Amuso. So maybe Ducks and Tom Mix had promoted him. Either way I can't find much on him in terms of background, but he was pretty high up and seemed out of prison and the limelight for the most part.

Vincent "Vinnie Beans" Foceri was consigliere for almost a decade? Can't find much on him either.

I had also read somewhere that Vincent Rao specialized in money laundering while apparently Stefano LaSalle was a real "old-school" guy who was big on rules, traditions, etc. Interesting that Tommy Lucchese may have intended for a balance in his administration there.

Anyway, does anyone have some good recommendations for books on the Lucchese's that does not have to do with the Amuso/Casso era? Thanks.

[Pogo The Clown]

Migliore wasn't made until 1980. Don't think Macaluso was Consiglieri during the 70s. The Consiglieri's during the 70s were Vincent Roa and Vinny Foceri with Tommy Papadio possibly serving between the two of them.


Pogo

[AlexfromSouth]

Migliore wasn't made until 1980. Don't think Macaluso was Consiglieri during the 70s. The Consiglieri's during the 70s were Vincent Roa and Vinny Foceri with Tommy Papadio possibly serving between the two of them.


Pogo

Pogo what is your opinion what was the size of the Lucchese fam in '80? Soldier numbers?

[Pogo The Clown]

According to Al D'Arco they had 125-140 members at any one time by 1990-1991. I imagine they were a bit smaller during the mid 80s before Amuso took over.


Pogo

[AlexfromSouth]

According to Al D'Arco they had 125-140 members at any one time by 1990-1991. I imagine they were a bit smaller during the mid 80s before Amuso took over.


Pogo

Why do you think that? Not enough recruits?

[Pogo The Clown]

From reports the Luccheses deliberatly kept their membersip down by not making as many members as they could have. That seems to have changed with Amuso as he made a lot of new members when he took over.


Pogo

[AlexfromSouth]

From reports the Luccheses deliberatly kept their membersip down by not making as many members as they could have. That seems to have changed with Amuso as he made a lot of new members when he took over.


Pogo

Interesting, Tony Ducks kept a close eye on everything.

[Pogo The Clown]

I remember JD posting how the family was down to 109 made members in 1976 before the books opened up again. So they didn't make as many new members as the other families did during this period.


Pogo

[AlexfromSouth]

I remember JD posting how the family was down to 109 made members in 1976 before the books opened up again. So they didn't make as many new members as the other families did during this period.


Pogo

But they were certainly very powerfull, more powerfull than the Colombo's and Bonanno's at that period, don't you agree?

[Pogo The Clown]

Most likely yes.


Pogo

[Hailbritain]

It was said quite a bit in the 80s that the lucchese was possibly the smallest family numbers wise but the 3rd most powerful

[Antiliar]

"Most powerful" is hard to define and is debatable. It's subjective. Number of members is objective. The way I look at it is there were two strong Families (Gambino and Genovese) and three weaker ones (weaker compared to the two strong ones). Beyond that it's a toss up.

[AlexfromSouth]

"Most powerful" is hard to define and is debatable. It's subjective. Number of members is objective. The way I look at it is there were two strong Families (Gambino and Genovese) and three weaker ones (weaker compared to the two strong ones). Beyond that it's a toss up.

Antliar you are not taking several thing into this. The lucchese fam until the mid to late 80s never had the inter familly war like the fist and the second colombo war, the banana war and the lukes never had their boss killed like Joe Colombo and carmine galante, donnie brasco thing that got the kicked out of the commision after all.
The lukes had a stabile leadership until the late 80s, so until the Amuso thing the lukes were the 3rd most powerfull fam. Not to mention the unions, etc.

[InCamelot]

What would you guys say were the traits of the Lucchese's that allowed them to have such power despite their numbers?

That Carlo book about Casso doesn''t seem to be the most reliable of sources, but I recall it did have Casso stating the Lucchese's unlike the Genovese, gave their members lots of freedom to pursue whichever rackets they wanted.

[gohnjotti]

"Most powerful" is hard to define and is debatable. It's subjective. Number of members is objective. The way I look at it is there were two strong Families (Gambino and Genovese) and three weaker ones (weaker compared to the two strong ones). Beyond that it's a toss up.

Where do you think the families stand now in terms of overall power? I'd say Genovese, Gambino, Lucchese, Bonanno, Colombo, in that order.