Most "stylish" gangster deaths

[Dwalin2014]

Gangsters can die a "normal" death (of natural causes, in their beds), a "shameful" one (like the fictional character Philip Tattaglia shot while naked in bed with his mistress; or John Gilligan, wounded while using the toilet); but there are also more "stylish" or impressive ways to die, that would be considered "heroic" by the underworld. Which gangsters died with more style in your opinion?

I can think of 4 examples:

1) Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll: not only died of bullets like a true gangster, but did perform his "duties" to the last: while he was shot at, he was extorting money from Owney Madden via phone by threatening to kidnap his brother-in-law. Really, dying with last words like "cough up your money, you sucker!" or whatever he really said.

2) Michele "The Cobra" Cavataio (Palermo, Sicily, 1969): defended himself to the end while assaulted by a hit team dressed as police officers, sent by the commission and managed even to kill the leading hitman Calogero Bagarella before being killed by Bernardo Provenzano.

3) Santo Inzerillo (Palermo): when cornered with Mimmo Teresi by the Riina hitmen, Teresi started crying and Santo said: "stop crying and tell those "cornuti" (horned ones, cuckolds) to hurry up".

4) Joe Barboza (granted, this one was a rat, and a lying/perjuring one as well, but still shouted "You fuckers!" at his killers when they aimed at him; no cries or beggings for mercy)

[Chucky]

[B.]

The two that still stand out for me:

- When Sonny Black Napolitano told his shooters, "Hit me one more time and make it good."

- Johnny Simone hanging out with Gravano's hit squad after they kidnapped him and talking casually, knowing full well that they would most likely kill him. When they finally took him out of the van to take care of it, he kicked at one of the guys for trying to help him out and said something like, "Let me go like a man." He also asked that it be a made guy who pulls the trigger and for them to remove his shoes.

[toto]

When Franco Mafara was begging and crying for his life to Filippo Marchese and Nino Grado who was tied with incaprettamento and they thought he was already dead suddenly opened his eyes and said "be a man of honor and ignore these bastards."

[Lupara]

Interesting thread.

I'll add Joe Di Maulo. The guy must have known that his life was in danger when Rizzuto was back in town yet he carried himself like it was business as usual instead of hiding out or using bodyguards. It seems like he had already accepted his fate, a true mafioso.

[Dwalin2014]

Interesting thread.

I'll add Joe Di Maulo. The guy must have known that his life was in danger when Rizzuto was back in town yet he carried himself like it was business as usual instead of hiding out or using bodyguards. It seems like he had already accepted his fate, a true mafioso.

But why no attempt to whack Rizzuto? Why simply waiting for death? Did he feel guilty for slaughtering his relatives (just joking) or didn't he have enough manpower? It's strange, they had almost won, why give up only because of Vito's return, the only flaw in the plan was the falling-out between Desjardins and Montagna.

[toto]

3) Santo Inzerillo (Palermo): when cornered with Mimmo Teresi by the Riina hitmen, Teresi started crying and Santo said: "stop crying and tell those "cornuti" (horned ones, cuckolds) to hurry up".

This one is difficult to believe. I'm trying to find in Contorno's testimony who was called that day to Nino Sorci's farm. From my memory I'm sure it was all Villagrazia family guys and Santo Inzerillo wasn't one of them. It could still be possible but I don't think Contorno mentioned the day Teresi and the others disappeared.

[Dwalin2014]

3) Santo Inzerillo (Palermo): when cornered with Mimmo Teresi by the Riina hitmen, Teresi started crying and Santo said: "stop crying and tell those "cornuti" (horned ones, cuckolds) to hurry up".

This one is difficult to believe. I'm trying to find in Contorno's testimony who was called that day to Nino Sorci's farm. From my memory I'm sure it was all Villagrazia family guys and Santo Inzerillo wasn't one of them. It could still be possible but I don't think Contorno mentioned the day Teresi and the others disappeared.

I saw that quote in "Cose di Cosa Nostra" by Giovanni Falcone. Maybe even Falcone got a name wrong and it was some other mafioso. But I didn't make it up, that's for sure, I only quote what I see in books.

[Teflon john]

Yeah Sonny Black showed real balls saying what he said knowing he was getting whacked,hell he showed real balls going to the meeting when he was called and not running to the Feds like most would nowadays.

[toto]

3) Santo Inzerillo (Palermo): when cornered with Mimmo Teresi by the Riina hitmen, Teresi started crying and Santo said: "stop crying and tell those "cornuti" (horned ones, cuckolds) to hurry up".

This one is difficult to believe. I'm trying to find in Contorno's testimony who was called that day to Nino Sorci's farm. From my memory I'm sure it was all Villagrazia family guys and Santo Inzerillo wasn't one of them. It could still be possible but I don't think Contorno mentioned the day Teresi and the others disappeared.

I saw that quote in "Cose di Cosa Nostra" by Giovanni Falcone. Maybe even Falcone got a name wrong and it was some other mafioso. But I didn't make it up, that's for sure, I only quote what I see in books.

Sorry. I didn't mean to say anything to you. I knew you were just mentioning the quote from Cose di Cosa Nostra. I was just examining the quote and context. I think Santo Inzerillo was strangled by Nino Rotolo so it was probably one of the others with Mimmo Teresi who said it.

[Dwalin2014]

Sorry. I didn't mean to say anything to you. I knew you were just mentioning the quote from Cose di Cosa Nostra. I was just examining the quote and context. I think Santo Inzerillo was strangled by Nino Rotolo so it was probably one of the others with Mimmo Teresi who said it.

No need to be sorry, it's ok If the information from books I quote is incorrect, you are right to point it out. Sources often contradict each other, even experts disagree. For example, I was stunned when I read journalist's Pippo Fava's book where he said he thought Michele Navarra didn't order the murder of Placido Rizzotto and it was all Luciano Leggio's initiative, while most writers agree Navarra gave the order, as far as I know.

[bronx]

it was inzerillo's uncle who was pleading, and santo said don't give them the satisfaction

[Lupara]

Interesting thread.

I'll add Joe Di Maulo. The guy must have known that his life was in danger when Rizzuto was back in town yet he carried himself like it was business as usual instead of hiding out or using bodyguards. It seems like he had already accepted his fate, a true mafioso.

But why no attempt to whack Rizzuto? Why simply waiting for death? Did he feel guilty for slaughtering his relatives (just joking) or didn't he have enough manpower? It's strange, they had almost won, why give up only because of Vito's return, the only flaw in the plan was the falling-out between Desjardins and Montagna.

By the time Rizzuto returned to Montreal the organized crime landscape was in disarray and Di Maulo was apparantly not in a position to do anything about it. They had their change and fucked up. People on the sidelines had seen that they were incapable to rule and were eager to switch back to Rizzuto (my speculation). After Desjardins was imprisoned Di Maulo was basically on his own and now it was Rizzuto's turn to strike back. It was always a onesided conflict.

Verstuurd vanaf mijn D2005 met Tapatalk

[toto]

it was inzerillo's uncle who was pleading, and santo said don't give them the satisfaction

The people present for the murder of Santo Inzerillo were Pino Marchese, Nino Rotolo, Ciccio Davi, Toto Scaglione, Falu Ganci. Rotolo strangled him and the others held him.

[rayray]

I could have this wrong, but a bunch, maybe the Chicago's wild bunch killed some guy by beating him to death while Strangers of the Night was playing on the juke box.

Thought this came from Nick Calabrese during the Family Secrets trial or his debriefing.