Revisiting Philadelphia 1963

[Angelo Santino]

Louis Campbell is an interesting figure. Born 10/17/1897 in Philadelphia to William Campbell and Jessie Cianfrana and married a Lenore Duturo. I can't locate William Campbell at all, but there's a few hits for Giuseppina Cianfrana which implies the name came from Monteroduni, Isernia, Molise. There was a family tree made listing that name married to a Gasparino and another to Bob CIanfrana. It's confusing.

[B.]

- Already gave you info on Simone above. Parents Michael and Phyllis from Villalba.

- Nino Marino = Nino Sciglitano, Marino was his nickname. The Sciglitanos were from Seminara, Reggio Calabria.

- Carmine Battaglia was from Enna but not a Philly member. Genovese member close to the Philly Family.

- Anthony Perella -- have had trouble confirming his origins but he was part of the Belmonte colony in Vineland/Bridgeton and was Joe Scafidi's bro-in-law. When Rocco Scafidi cooperated he pronounced Cheech Barrale's name "Berella", which makes me wonder if the Perellas branched off from the Barrales and took on a phonetic name. Joe Scafidi was related by marriage to both the Barrales and Perellas so could be a connection. Jimmy Gioe (from Belmonte) was also said to be a bro-in-law of Perella but haven't confirmed it.

Yeah, thank you but I'm still not able to locate him and I'm not seeing a Florence, PA, there's a Florence, NJ and but no hits there either.

Florence is/was a small mining community outside of Pittsburgh. They also lived in Young Township and DeLancey in Western PA.

John Simone was born to Michele Mastrosimone and Felicia DeVita, both born in Villalba. They moved from Western PA to Niagara Falls, his father died when John was young, and the Simones split their time between Niagara Falls and South Florida. John Simone was visiting his compaesani in Trenton for 20 years before he moved there.

100% confirmed, have looked into him extensively.

[B.]

Still not sure what to make of Vincent Villone. Morello seemed convinced by him but his story is wacky to me.

- Says he first became involved in gambling for the Lanzettis when he was 6-years-old (~1937) and that he knew John Avena (murdered 1936, when Villone was five).
- Claims he was made when he was 16 (~1947) and later his half-brother Sammy Tamburrino was made. Says there were a number of members never ID'd.
- Close to the Riccobene faction like his half-brother, who was killed in 1983.
- Apparently worked a legitimate union job the rest of his life. Decided to give Celeste Morello an interview when he found out she interviewed Riccobene.

Morello takes everything he says as fact. I don't know if she got any kind of support/corroboration for his statements from other people in the neighborhood, but I'm skeptical. Comes across to me like an ex-gambler inflating his importance to a young woman.

Was able to confirm he was Sammy Tamburrino's brother, but nobody has ever said Tamburrino was made aside from this guy. Tamburrino is always ID'd as a Riccobene associate killed during the war. The Family made teenagers through the 1920s, so I guess it's not impossible they would make one in the 1940s, but Villone didn't come from a mafia pedigree like Riccobene and Casella. No idea why Joe Ida would make a random 16-year-old gambler in 1947.

There were def some sleepers like Puppo and Vince Catania, probably a few whose names we don't know, but those guys were from the old Sicilian paesani groups. They were also ID'd as members by other people, not claiming it themselves. That's the problem with Villone -- he's the only source for his claim.

[B.]

Any luck for Michele "New York Mike" Macaluso? He's one that has always eluded me.

[B.]

Various documents give Christopher Leonetti as born in either NY or PA, sometime around 1900. His parents were Pasquale Leonetti and Antonia Calvano. Antonia seems to have been from Benevento province, so it's possible that Pasquale was from there also. 1900 the family was living in Amsterdam, Montgomery County, NY, where they remained closely tied. Sometime in the 1920s, Christopher moved to Philly. In 1931, Christopher and younger brother Harry Leonetti (born 1909 in Amsterdam) were implicated in the killing of a guy by the surname of Guglielmo in Philadelphia. Several papers reported that he was a brother-in-law of the Leonetti brothers and that there had been a feud between the two families that involved a kidnapping; Christopher confessed and took the rap and was imprisoned in PA in 1931. According to the papers, he was later freed and was shot and killed in 1935. Christopher's wife, and mother of Phil Leonetti's father Pasquale Charles "Pat" Leonetti, was Virginia Williams, born ~1904 in PA. I had initially thought she was Anglo (several of the Leonetti siblings did marry Anglos) but turns out it was just an Americanization of Guglielmo. The other Leonetti siblings seem to have all remained in NY state. Not sure where the Guglielmos were from.

Here is what Morello said about him:



She published that in 2001 so may not have known it was Phil's grandfather at the time. I knew I'd seen the name before but totally blanked on it until rereading what Phil said.

Looks like Christopher Leonetti had some level of connection to the local mafia. Assuming it's true the double murder of McCabe / Corrado he confessed to was linked to Avena, that's a pretty big connection right there.

[Angelo Santino]

It's part of a larger pattern. She focused mainly on the Sicilians based on the notion that before 1931 none of the mainlanders mattered because they couldn't be members until 1931 which we know is not the case. Calabrese John Scoppelliti was likely Underboss during Sabella's tenure.

[PolackTony]

Various documents give Christopher Leonetti as born in either NY or PA, sometime around 1900. His parents were Pasquale Leonetti and Antonia Calvano. Antonia seems to have been from Benevento province, so it's possible that Pasquale was from there also. 1900 the family was living in Amsterdam, Montgomery County, NY, where they remained closely tied. Sometime in the 1920s, Christopher moved to Philly. In 1931, Christopher and younger brother Harry Leonetti (born 1909 in Amsterdam) were implicated in the killing of a guy by the surname of Guglielmo in Philadelphia. Several papers reported that he was a brother-in-law of the Leonetti brothers and that there had been a feud between the two families that involved a kidnapping; Christopher confessed and took the rap and was imprisoned in PA in 1931. According to the papers, he was later freed and was shot and killed in 1935. Christopher's wife, and mother of Phil Leonetti's father Pasquale Charles "Pat" Leonetti, was Virginia Williams, born ~1904 in PA. I had initially thought she was Anglo (several of the Leonetti siblings did marry Anglos) but turns out it was just an Americanization of Guglielmo. The other Leonetti siblings seem to have all remained in NY state. Not sure where the Guglielmos were from.

Here is what Morello said about him:



She published that in 2001 so may not have known it was Phil's grandfather at the time. I knew I'd seen the name before but totally blanked on it until rereading what Phil said.

Looks like Christopher Leonetti had some level of connection to the local mafia. Assuming it's true the double murder of McCabe / Corrado he confessed to was linked to Avena, that's a pretty big connection right there.

Interesting. FWIW, she’s wrong about Cristopher not being arrested for the Guglielmo murder. The papers reported that he confessed to the crime and there is a 1931 document showing his prison entry.

Also, after looking into it further, pretty sure that Dominick Guglielmo/Williams was Abruzzes’.

[B.]

- Fuscis of Philly were from Caccamo, so I think Morello was right to group them in with that colony.

- The Girgentis might be from Caccamo too but still can't say for sure. A Giuseppe Girgenti (b. ~1899) from Caccamo arrived to his brother Giorgio in Philadelphia in 1916. By WWI he was working as a baker and living at 531 Washington Ave. Looks like these Girgentis were related to the name Macaluso, which brings to mind New York Mike.

- I still have confusion over which Girgentis were involved. There was the Giuseppe Girgenti involved with Toto Sabella in the 1920s, then John Girgenti (ID'd as a deceased member by the mid-1960s), John's son Joseph "the Gent" who was a member, then I thought there was yet another John. Lorenzo D'Amore couldn't be made because he'd been a cop in Calabria but told the FBI Joe Girgenti tried to propose him for membership.

Not positive the Girgentis are the Caccamese ones but it's a lead.

[PolackTony]

Various documents give Christopher Leonetti as born in either NY or PA, sometime around 1900. His parents were Pasquale Leonetti and Antonia Calvano. Antonia seems to have been from Benevento province, so it's possible that Pasquale was from there also. 1900 the family was living in Amsterdam, Montgomery County, NY, where they remained closely tied. Sometime in the 1920s, Christopher moved to Philly. In 1931, Christopher and younger brother Harry Leonetti (born 1909 in Amsterdam) were implicated in the killing of a guy by the surname of Guglielmo in Philadelphia. Several papers reported that he was a brother-in-law of the Leonetti brothers and that there had been a feud between the two families that involved a kidnapping; Christopher confessed and took the rap and was imprisoned in PA in 1931. According to the papers, he was later freed and was shot and killed in 1935. Christopher's wife, and mother of Phil Leonetti's father Pasquale Charles "Pat" Leonetti, was Virginia Williams, born ~1904 in PA. I had initially thought she was Anglo (several of the Leonetti siblings did marry Anglos) but turns out it was just an Americanization of Guglielmo. The other Leonetti siblings seem to have all remained in NY state. Not sure where the Guglielmos were from.

Here is what Morello said about him:



She published that in 2001 so may not have known it was Phil's grandfather at the time. I knew I'd seen the name before but totally blanked on it until rereading what Phil said.

Looks like Christopher Leonetti had some level of connection to the local mafia. Assuming it's true the double murder of McCabe / Corrado he confessed to was linked to Avena, that's a pretty big connection right there.

Interesting. FWIW, she’s wrong about Cristopher not being arrested for the Guglielmo murder. The papers reported that he confessed to the crime and there is a 1931 document showing his prison entry.

Also, after looking into it further, pretty sure that Dominick Guglielmo/Williams was Abruzzes’.

To follow up, this is how the papers in Philly and Albany reported the story. Dominic DiGuglielmo, aka Thomas Williams, was killed in his family's home in South Philly 09/01/1930. Brother-in-law Chris Leonetti initially told police that Williams was shot by a group of bandits who entered the home, but investigators didn't believe him and charged him with the murder the following day, though they also believed younger brother Harry Leonetti was involved and issued a manhunt for him as well. Christopher was convicted for the murder and sentenced to 9-18 years (records confirm that he entered Eastern Penitentiary in PA on 02/06/1931). Following an 8-month manhunt, Harry Leonetti (presumably hiding out back in the Leonettis' hometown of Amsterdam, NY) turned himself in to the Philly police in April 1931 and confessed to the murder, taking sole responsibility. Christoper was subsequently freed and Harry convicted. By 1940 at the latest, Harry had been freed as well and was back living in Amsterdam, where he went on to become a successful businessman and died in 1967.

Local papers in Albany and Schenectady covered Christopher's murder. After being freed from prison in PA, Christopher returned to Amsterdam, NY. On October 22nd, 1935, Christopher was found shot to death at a restaurant in Amsterdam owned by Dominick Marino, who went on the lam following the murder. Over the course of the investigation, police wound up taking several people into custody and questioning them, including restaurant porter William Walendziak and bartender Floyd DeSylvester (and his wife) as well as alleged restaurant patrons from the evening the murder took place including brothers Peter and Frank Gallo and a teenage girl named Connie Dean, and a criminal named Patrick Ryan. Dean had fled to Grosse Point, MI, while the Gallo brothers were taken into custody in Long Branch, NJ. All of those questioned stated that they had not witnessed the murder and were released. Restuarant proprietor Marino was apprehended in 1936 in Rochester and brought back to Amsterdam for questioning. Doesn't seem that he was charged either and the story was no longer covered in the local papers after that.

Dominic and Virginia Williams were both born in Philly to Donato "Daniel" Di Guglielmo and Maria Di Martino of Chieti province, Abruzzo. After Christopher's slaying, Virginia remained in Amsterdam with their two kids, Christopher Jr and Pat (Phil Leonetii's father), and remarried a Charles Brangiel. Chris Jr stayed in Amsterdam, where he died in 1978, while Pat, obviously, moved to Philly at some point, where his aunt Mary Leonetti lived with her husband Nicodemo "Nick" Piccolo.

Not sure where Morello got that Christopher Leonetti was never convicted for the Williams murder, or that this was evidence for his protection by the local mafia. It was clearly reported in several papers that he was convicted/sentenced and was only freed after his brother took the rap. Certainly possible that the guys that he was involved with when he was killed were Mafiosi (Amsterdam is between Schenectady and Gloversville, and we know that the latter had a significant colony of Agrigentini), but I'm not positive that they were even Sicilian, as both Marino and Gallo could be from anywhere in Italy. Wasn't able to nail down who these guys were, as there are few records matching these names in Montgomery County. With Upstate NY, though, these guys could've been bouncing around, so it can be hard to pin them down.

[B.]

Philly must have had one of the bigger Abruzzo colonies. Al Martino / Johnny Fontaine from the Godfather is an Abruzzese from Philly.

The members themselves constantly talked about "Sicilian vs. Calabrian", but you don't see them mention Abruzzo even though those guys were way overrepresented in leadership.

Some of these should be cross-checked since it's been years, but pretty sure Reginelli, Massi, DeTullio, and Carfagno were all Abruzzesi who ranked as captain or higher. Oliveto wasn't from Abruzzo but was a Camden mainlander with the Abruzzesi. Ciancaglini I think is a later one. Angelo Bruno married an Abruzzese and had a baptismal relationship with Pat Massi. Massi almost became the boss after Ida left.

At one point the boss was Calabrian (Ida), underboss Abruzzese (Reginelli), and consigliere Potenza (Oliveto). The Sicilians were still very powerful at this time, as there were three separate captains from Belmonte Mezzagno alone who had some of the closest ties to NYC, but kind of crazy there were no Sicilians on the admin for a time given how much these guys talked about the rivalry.

[B.]

More John Simone Background

- Born February 25th 1911 to Michele Mastrosimone and Felicia "Phyllis" DeVita

- Trenton Evening Times obituary says John was born in Florence, Hanover Township, Pennsylvania. All census records later show a Pennsylvania birth.

- Sister Jessie was also born in Florence, PA years earlier. Another sibling was born in another Western PA town.

- Parents born in Villalba:


- Immigration records confirm parents' Villalba origins.

- Family moved to Niagara Falls by 1920s, father died there in 1927.

- John, his mother, a sister, and bro-in-law began splitting time between Western NY and West Palm Beach FL by late 1930s.

- Active with Buffalo Family and suspected of WNY murders. Criminal associates in WNY included Simone in-laws the Riggis from Villalba.

- Involved in fatal 1934 car accident in Trenton with future crew members and paesani Carl Ippolito and Michael Cammarata, Cammarata's brother Sam, and Sam Scozzari (who died).

- Arrested with Buffalo member Sam Rangatore near Scranton in 1934. Rangatore's family was from Trabia but his mother-in-law was from Villalba and Rangatore told the FBI she was related to Angelo Bruno.

- Suspected of George Meranto murder in WNY in 1943.

- Married Theresa Wible (b. 1925) in Wilmington, Delaware, in 1948.

- Moved to Trenton by early 1950s. Identified by Riccobene as a Philly member circa 1952.

- Promoted to captain 1958/59 by Domenico Pollina. In late 1950s and early 1960s his compaesani in Trenton like Carl Ippolito, Michael Tramontana, Michael Cammarata, and Michael Amico are made and assigned to Simone. Charles Costello and son Joseph are other paesani in the crew.

- By early 1960s, Simone crew has members in Trenton, Bristol, Newark, and South Florida. Simone spends much of his time living/operating in North Bay Village / Miami Beach.

[chin_gigante]

Obviously not definitive but this is what I can find on all the members listed in Mafia: The Government's Secret File on Organized Crime

Angelo Bruno
@ Ange Bruno, Angelo Annaloro
DOB: 05/21/1910
POB: Villalba, Sicily
Residence: 934 Snyder Avenue, Phila., PA
Father: Michael Bruno Annaloro
Mother: Vincenzina Cumella
Spouse: Sue Maranca
FBI: 1045098
Phila. PD: 85869

Giuseppe Rugnetta
@ Joseph Rugnetta, Joe the Boss
DOB: 03/16/1896
POB: Sinopoli, Calabria
Residence: 703 Annin St., Phila., PA
Father: Rocco Rugnetta
Mother: Maria
Spouse: Lina Latorre (deceased)
Phila. PD: 35894

Dominick Oliveto
@ Domenick Olivetto, James DeMarco, Big Dominick
DOB: 01/06/1907
POB: Camden, NJ
Residence: 1157 Magnolia Ave., Camden, NJ
Father: Antonio Oliveto (deceased)
Mother: Maria Sanzone (deceased)
Spouse: Marie Del Ficco
FBI: 2935549
Camden PD: 694

Felix John DeTullio
@ Felice Detulio, John Campo, Skinny Razor, Louis Newman, George Williams
DOB: 08/07/1907
POB: Phila., PA
Residence: 2367 Baird Blvd., Camden, NJ
Spouse: Hildegard
FBI: 928463
Phila. PD: 68570

Pasquale Massi
@ Pat
DOB: 11/07/1903
POB: Mosciano Sant’Angelo, Abruzzi
Residence: 1420 Park Blvd., Camden, NJ
Father: Pangrazio Massi (deceased)
Mother: Concetta Battestini (deceased)
Spouse: Laura Filipkoski
FBI: 336243
NJ State Police: 24345

Antonio Calio
@ Nino
DOB: 04/14/1889
POB: Castrogiovanni, Sicily
Residence: 6628 Torresdale Ave., Phila., PA
Father: Joseph Calio
Mother: Barbara
Spouse: Mary

Peter Casella
@ Pete Casella
DOB: 08/28/1907
DOB: St Louis, MO
Residence: 105 S. Dorset Ave., Ventnor, NJ
Spouse: Julia Greenjack
FBI: 894604
Phila. PD: 74700

Peter Maggio
Father: Mike Maggio
Spouse: Lena Annaloro/ Bruno

Dominick Pollino
@ Nick Pollino. Antonio Pollina, Dominick Pollina
DOB: 09/20/1892
POB: Caccamo, Sicily
Residence: 2515 S. 21st St, Phila., PA
Father: Francesco Pollino
Mother: Giovanna Cecala
Spouse: Mary Rodia
FBI: 1672301
Phila. PD: 74786

Harry Riccobene
@ Anthony DeMarco, Little Harry, Hunchback Harry
DOB: 07/27/1909
POB: Enna, Sicily
Residence: 728 Carpenter St., Phila., PA
Father: Mario Riccobene (deceased)
Mother: Anna Cimmarri (deceased)
Spouse: Evelyn (separated)
FBI: 470924
Phila. PD: 89592

Frank Palermo
@ Blinky Palermo
DOB: 01/26/1905
POB: Phila., PA
Residence: 800 N. 64th St., Phila., PA
FBI: 626755
Phila. PD: 241909

Gioacchino Parisi
@ Jack Parisi, Jack Parise, Jackina Parisi, Dandy Jack
DOB: 03/19/1899
POB: Bagnara, Calabria
Residence: 672 Monges St., Hazelton, PA
Father: Francesco Parisi
Mother: Rosa
Spouse: Theresa Alampi
FBI: 244372
NYC PD: 124301

Louis Edward Campbell
@ Louis D. Campbell, George Williams
DOB: 10/17/1897
POB: Phila., PA
Residence: 639 Randolph St., Camden, NJ
Father: William
Mother: Jessie Cianfrana
Spouse: Lenore Deturo
FBI: 340330
Phila. PD: 76932

Antonio Rocco Caponigro
@ Tony Bananas, Tony Biase, Tony Caponigro
DOB: 06/22/1912
POB: Chicago, IL
Residence: 124 Silver Spring Rd., Short Hills, NJ
Father: Rocco Caponigro
Mother: Rosina Guerrazza
Spouse: Kathleen Cox
FBI: 389561
Newark PD: 13923

[Angelo Santino]

Thanks for posting that. I guess the next question is can Philadelphia members be broken down into crews, is that information available?

Here's who I have as soldiers-

Francesco Altadonna Frank
Vincenzo Amato Upstate Jimmy
William Averone Willie
Carmine Battaglia Little Carmine
Antonio Calio Nino

Carmelo Eduardo Caminiti Edward
Louis Campbell
Antonio caponigro Tony Bananas
Peter Casella
Angelo Chirico Skutchie

Charles Costello Pinky
Rocco Cresta Jammes Christy
Lorenzo D’Amore
Frank Damiano Don Cheech
Joe De Bella

Rocco Di Condina DON ROCCO
Albert Esposito LULU
Domenico Vincenzo Festa Dominick
Joseph V Fusci
James Gatto Lefty

Vincenzo Gioia James
John Girgenti
Joseph Girgenti Joe The Gent
Frank Greco
Alfred Iezzi

Carmelo Ippolito Carl
Joseph Lagana Sparky
Federico Lagana
Giuseppe Lanciano Joseph
Joseph Lazzaro Joe Gibbons

Peter Maggio
Joseph Maggio
Mario Maggio
Alphonse Marconi Funzi
Frank Monte

Frank Narducci
Leonardo Niccoletti
Frank Nicoletti
John Orafallo
Frank Palermo Blinky

Anthony Parella
Gioacchino Parisi Jack
Ernesto Mario Perricone Ernie
Joseph Piccolo Joey Buck
Mike Piccolo Mikey Buck

Fillipo Pollina
Sam Pungitore
Luigi Quaranta
Harry Riccobene
Santo Romeo Sam

Paul Savarese
Rocco Scafidi
Salvatore Scafidi Sam
Nicodemo Scarfo Nicky
Giuseppe Sciglitano Joseph

Michael Tramantana Daylight
Vincenzo Turco Jimmie
Louis Volpe

[chin_gigante]

B has a good thread on the Simone crew around this time: viewtopic.php?p=56589#p56589

Monte and Narducci were under Testa.

[B.]

From the email I sent you last week. Looks like you missed it.

Missing members (confirmed):
Samuel Scafidi (Vineland/Bridgeton, son of Joe)
Peter Casella (the cousin, Antonio's son)
Anthony Piccolo
Guerino Marconi
Angelo Turco (brother of Vincenzo)
Michael Amico (Trenton)
Alfred "Freddy Franco" Felice (Florida)
Angelo Cherico
Francesco DiBella
Ignazio "Thomas" DiGirolamo (Bristol/Trenton)
Leonard Galante
Joseph Garro
Dominick LePore
Dominic "Louie" Luciano (Newark)
Salvatore "Sam" Passalacqua (South Jersey)
Giuseppe "Joe Booza" Sabato (Enna/Castrogiovanni)
George Scimeca (Caccamo)
James Trombetta
Frank Zirpoli
Dominick "Mickey Diamond" DeVito
Raffaele/Ralph "Blackie" Napoli
Anthony Narcisi
Joseph Scalleat (Hazleton)
Antonio "Nino Marino" Sciglitano
Orlando Puppo
Vincent Catania

Not members:
Mario Maggio (confirmed as associate via FBI bug)
Carmine Battaglia (Genovese member)
Lorenzo D'Amore (Riccobene said he wasn't, and Ed Valin thinks D'Amore is the Calabrian informant who couldn't be made because he was an ex-cop)

All of the above confirmed by the FBI or other reliable sources.

I think Anthony Sciglitano (cousin of Joseph + Antonio) was made by this time but not positive.

A few small mistakes but this list is overall solid for reference:
https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... lPageId=20