Philip Testa

[willychichi]

Anybody know what Testa's relationship was with New York? Was it with the Genovese or Gambino's and did he need their approval to take the top spot?

[Angelo Santino]

Good question. Scarfo's connections with the Genoveses are well documented but Testa's not so much. Be curious if there's any information out there.

One interesting thing, I don't believe to be true, is that in Mobfather by GA, it states Testa was so fed up with Bruno's leadership that in 1977 or 1979 he asked permission if he could start a new family "and Bruno did nothing." He's the son of a made member and was made in the same ceremony or year as Bruno I believe. From the information I seen it appears to me that he was Bruno's lieutenant since the 1950's, first as his captain and then underboss. But others know this era better than I.

[Pogo The Clown]

Freselone did say that Testa and Bruno had not spoken for like 2 or 3 years before Bruno was killed even though he was the UnderBoss. So there does seem to have been some kind of split between the two. If that was the case then there could have been two factions developing by then. So there could be some truth to Testa wanting to form his own group,


If I remember correctly Leonetti did say that Testa was put in as Boss by NY via the Genovsese. So maybe his connections where with the Genoveses?


Pogo

[willychichi]

Good question. Scarfo's connections with the Genoveses are well documented but Testa's not so much. Be curious if there's any information out there.

One interesting thing, I don't believe to be true, is that in Mobfather by GA, it states Testa was so fed up with Bruno's leadership that in 1977 or 1979 he asked permission if he could start a new family "and Bruno did nothing." He's the son of a made member and was made in the same ceremony or year as Bruno I believe. From the information I seen it appears to me that he was Bruno's lieutenant since the 1950's, first as his captain and then underboss. But others know this era better than I.

Thanks Chris, I didn't know that they were both made around the same time and that Testa had a leadership position since the 50's, good info as always.

[willychichi]

Freselone did say that Testa and Bruno had not spoken for like 2 or 3 years before Bruno was killed even though he was the UnderBoss. So there does seem to have been some kind of split between the two. If that was the case then there could have been two factions developing by then. So there could be some truth to Testa wanting to form his own group,


If I remember correctly Leonetti did say that Testa was put in as Boss by NY via the Genovsese. So maybe his connections where with the Genoveses?


Pogo

Thanks Pogo, it makes sense and along with the Genovese playing Caponigro the way they did to take out Bruno followed by Caponigro getting wacked for not having the Commission's go ahead which led to Testa taking over as boss. Do either of you guys know when the Gambino's started exerting their influence in Philly, was that with the Scarfo reign or later with Stanfa or Merlino?

[Pogo The Clown]

The Gambinos influence over Philly started back with Giuseppe Traina back in the 1910s and it seems to have lasted up till Bruno was killed. Then it seems that the Genovese family took over that role during the 80s. After the Scarfo era it seems that the Gambinos took it back when they put in Stanfa as Boss. After Stanfa went down it seems to have shifted back to the Genovese with their support of Natale. After Natale it gets murky. Seems there was a period after that where Merlino-Ligambi were not recognized by NY but that seems to have changed by the mid/late 2000s. Not sure who has more influence now since the Philly guys have had documented meetings with several top guys in both the Gambinos and Genovese families.


Pogo

[Wiseguy]

If I remember right, after the Bruno murder the Genovese wanted to put Scarfo in as boss but he felt Testa should be boss and was willing to be the consigliere. So the Genovese went along with that.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Who killed testa (I’m only aware he was killed via a bomb under his porch) and why? Where there repercussions against that party.

I have it in my head it was possibly a union dispute?

[Pogo The Clown]

Who killed testa (I’m only aware he was killed via a bomb under his porch) and why? Where there repercussions against that party.

It was a coup by his UnderBoss Pete Casella and Capo Frank Narducci Sr. Casella supposedly wanted to take over because he wasn't make any money as UnderBoss and Narducci was pissed that he wasn't promoted to Underboss when Testa became Boss. Capo John Capello may have been backing the as well. Not sue on that.


They couldn't get NY support to take over though so the plot failed. As a result Casella was shelved and fled Philly as did his Soldier brother Anthony. Narducci was demoted and killed soon after. Associate Rocco Marinucci, the bomb maker and planter, was also killed soon after. Capello was also demoted but I'm not sure if it was related to his role in the plot (if he indeed had one).


Pogo

[willychichi]

The Gambinos influence over Philly started back with Giuseppe Traina back in the 1910s and it seems to have lasted up till Bruno was killed. Then it seems that the Genovese family took over that role during the 80s. After the Scarfo era it seems that the Gambinos took it back when they put in Stanfa as Boss. After Stanfa went down it seems to have shifted back to the Genovese with their support of Natale. After Natale it gets murky. Seems there was a period after that where Merlino-Ligambi were not recognized by NY but that seems to have changed by the mid/late 2000s. Not sure who has more influence now since the Philly guys have had documented meetings with several top guys in both the Gambinos and Genovese families.


Pogo

Thanks Pogo great info, I didn't know the Gambino's influence dated back to the 1910's.

[Angelo Santino]

Freselone did say that Testa and Bruno had not spoken for like 2 or 3 years before Bruno was killed even though he was the UnderBoss. So there does seem to have been some kind of split between the two. If that was the case then there could have been two factions developing by then. So there could be some truth to Testa wanting to form his own group,


If I remember correctly Leonetti did say that Testa was put in as Boss by NY via the Genovsese. So maybe his connections where with the Genoveses?


Pogo

There could be but I doubt it. Imagine the precedent it would set for a boss to allow a dissatisfied underboss to "form" his own independent group. The closest examples we have are Rochester, San Jose and the Colombo and Lucchese families pre-1930 but they vary in degrees of similarity. For instance, when you look at the Buffalo membership in contrast with the Rochester membership you see that the former is spread out across upstate NY from Erie to Troy whereas the former was an entirely local phenomenon confined to the Rochester area. I can't disprove Testa but I'd be curious the source because I notice Anastasia didn't use that very important part in his Blood and Honor book a year later.

Aside from that, Testa was Bruno's Robin (the 60's version not that gay Schumacher one starring Clooney) for 30 years. Enough has surfaced about both men that we know Testa's father was amico nos and Bruno was "brought in" by Mike Maggio. Despite being Messinesi, Testa's family has history and Bruno came in the old fashioned way, sponsored by M. Maggio (a former boss if Morello is correct), both were made in the 1950's and essentially came up together. From what I read Bruno began using capo Testa as the de facto under after a dispute with official under DeNaro.

And I'm speculating but what did Bruno do to hold Testa or anyone else back? He was fine with Riccobene being independent, Scarfo was able to do what he wanted in AC so... Everything I've heard thus far makes little sense. Lefty told Pistone Bruno was killed for trying to keep AC all to himself, other sources say he was killed for doing the exact opposite and not requiring more. Testa was 15 years Bruno's jr so probably had some more energy in him but seems like Testa was Bruno's protector.

Has anything ever come out regarding the Testa-Caponigro relationship? Did he ever try and reach out to Testa afterwards? I don't recall ever reading about it.

[yatescj7781]

Nicky scarfo was Phil Testas NY connection. Leonetti says that Test really didn't know any NY guys so Scarfo went to NY on his behalf. NY said Testa was boss but to make Scarfo either underboss or consigliere. Testa made him consigliere and casella the UB. Big mistake that was.

[johnny_scootch]

Despite being Messinesi, Testa's family has history

Chris do you know where in Messina? I remember in Men of Dishonor Calederone said Testa's family came from Calatabiano in Catania. Could be another inaccuracy as the book has many.

[Angelo Santino]

I have his family being from Giardini Naxos which is 5 miles east from Calatabiano. It's possible they moved around and lived in GN last before emigrating? Either way it's less than 5 miles away, not very far at all.

Bruno was from Villaba in Calt, which is NOT eastern Sicily, (I had that in my head for some reason as well as Abruzzi being in the Bari region a few days back so if I ever sound off do check as I may be wrong). I think one of the reasons I thought this was because of Calderone's Angelo Bruno story I put him and Catania together. I need to go reread what B. posted on his cousin Sinatra/Sinagra. But do you recall the details of what Calderone said about Bruno?

Anyways, back to Testa. I'll be going through some stuff on him later on this week if I come across anything I'll post it. (From Morello's books 2 and 3, nothing amazing.)

[willychichi]

Who killed testa (I’m only aware he was killed via a bomb under his porch) and why? Where there repercussions against that party.

I have it in my head it was possibly a union dispute?

Sonny here's a little bit on the Bruno and Testa hits from the Chin's trial
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/new ... e-1.765220