PolackTony wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 10:45 am
This has been literally the only substantive reply here relevant to the original theme of this thread. Thanks. And what you address here speaks to the difficulties of parsing common origins vs. parallel or convergent evolution. I think it's reasonable to hypothesize that both were at play to some degree. My own framework is that the particular opportunities and challenges presented by the American context worked to select some strategies as more useful and others less. To be clear, history is not all "structural" in this way, and a lot of stochasticity or randomness enters into things due to the idiosyncrasies of individuals and their actions. But even so, these are still embedded within the set of incentives and disincentives at play. This is to say that while we can assume that the regional background of early Oufit architects like Ricca likely contributed some influence on the structures and practices of the organization, the process of Americanization was the dominant dynamic, and whatever else was at play happened within that context. The same process was at play in shaping the more Sicilian modeled families of course, and it's a misreading of history to simply assume that these were traditional Sicilian institutions transplanted whole cloth to the American context. In this sense all American CN families are Americanized, regardless of how closely they adhered to what have been taken as "traditional" Sicilian models both organizationally and operationally.
Sociologist Roberto Lombardo takes a similar approach in his analyses of the Outfit, characterizing the "foreign conspiracy model" of the American mafia as ahistorical, and positing instead that the Oufit is best understood as a fully American phenomenon shaped around broadly "Southern Italian organized principles".
Robert Lombardo did a lot of good research on the 42 Gang and his book on the Outfit is the first to detail the street crews, but he's wrong on the Alien Conspiracy Theory (ACT). It was developed by Marxist scholars Dwight C. Smith and Joseph L. Albini. The idea was that the idea of the Mafia was essentially a right-wing xenophobic conspiracy theory similar to the "Red Scare" and McCarthyism. This was despite the revelations of Joe Valachi and Nick Gentile ten years earlier. The fact is that the American Mafia started out as an "alien conspiracy" that gradually adapted to its surroundings. Al Capone grew up connected to the Five Points Gang in New York before joining Jim Colosimo and John Torrio in Chicago. Colosimo's group had an Italian core but worked with a lot of non-Italians, such as Ike Bloom. Under Torrio even more non-Italians joined and the Outfit became a big business organization (and a corrupting criminal empire). Torrio and Colosimo both maintained good relations with the Chicago Mafia bosses, although they were independent of each other. Capone, however, maintained a relationship with Frank Yale and Joe Masseria, which enabled him to become Torrio's top lieutenant and his successor (not to mention his leadership qualities).
Thanks for providing the context to Lombardo's citation of the "ACT". I haven't read his book in a while and plan to revisit it and follow up on his argument again. If Smith and Albini's argument was framing the notion of the Mafia as akin to McCarthyism, then it of course doesn't square up with the empirical evidence and is one of many examples of politics leading historiography.
Out of curiosity, what are your thoughts on the question of Neapolitan influences vis a vis Americanization here?
"Hey, hey, hey — this is America, baby! Survival of the fittest.”
The Neapolitan element wasn't large, but maybe you want to include Napoli and the region of Campania, which includes Salerno, Caserta, Benevento and Avellino. Many like Al Capone and the Fischetti brothers were American born, and others like Ralph Capone and Frank Nitto arrived as children. So I think for them the Campanian influence was trivial. Paul Ricca may have been in the Camorra before arriving in the U.S., but once in Chicago he was under Joe Esposito's influence, who in turn was answerable to the Chicago Mafia. Esposito was trying to be legitimate and had a lot of political pull, and I'm sure Ricca learned from that. Capone's mentor John Torrio may have been Camorra connected and was definitely part of the Five Points Gang, but he left all that to manage boxing champion Kid Murphy before joining the Joe Colosimo organization. Colosimo came from Cosenza in Calabria and created what became the Outfit, which as I wrote had an Italian core but with many non-Italians in it. So overall I think the Neapolitan influence was minimal. Capone saw himself as an American of Italian heritage and was open to most ethnicities (obviously there were no black or Hispanic members). When he was made a member under Masseria he had to follow the more traditional Mafia model, but when he became a recognized boss he put his own Americanized Chicago spin on it.
Antiliar wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 8:08 pm
Paul Ricca may have been in the Camorra before arriving in the U.S., but once in Chicago he was under Joe Esposito's influence, who in turn was answerable to the Chicago Mafia. Esposito was trying to be legitimate and had a lot of political pull, and I'm sure Ricca learned from that.
Thanks again bud.
Do we know something about the individual who welcomed Ricca in NY and went by the name of Gennaro Calabrese? He was allegedly a close friend of the DeLucia family and Ricca took an occupation as a restaurant manager at a joint which was owned by the Gennaro family, but i dont have the location...
Do not be deceived, neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God - Corinthians 6:9-10
There was a Gennaro Calabrese who was a wine merchant, but no address given. There was someone by that name who was involved in St. Michael's Church in BK - the same church the Capones attended. Might be the importer born in 1879.
Antiliar wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 12:38 am
There was a Gennaro Calabrese who was a wine merchant, but no address given. There was someone by that name who was involved in St. Michael's Church in BK - the same church the Capones attended. Might be the importer born in 1879.
Thanks a lot. The BK Church thing makes the situation plausible since Capone and Ricca were "related" but theres not enough additional info out there...speaking for myself
Do not be deceived, neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God - Corinthians 6:9-10
If you notice on the passenger manifest is that it says Gennaro Calabrese lives in Coney Island, but the address is hard to read. The Calabrese that I found who could be a match lived at 6918 Fort Hamilton Ave, which is near Bay Ridge, about 5 miles/8 km from Coney Island. He was born March, 25, 1878 in Naples.
Antiliar wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 11:59 am The Calabrese that I found who could be a match lived at 6918 Fort Hamilton Ave, which is near Bay Ridge, about 5 miles/8 km from Coney Island. He was born March, 25, 1878 in Naples.
Thanks again. Do you think he was connected and was there any possible connection to that DeLucia cousin also from NY, since the Calabrese fella was allegedly closely connected to the DeLucia fam (if you put a gun on my head right now, i still wont be able to tell you the source regarding my last claim since i dont remember it lol)?
Do not be deceived, neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God - Corinthians 6:9-10
Antiliar wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 8:08 pm
The Neapolitan element wasn't large, but maybe you want to include Napoli and the region of Campania, which includes Salerno, Caserta, Benevento and Avellino. Many like Al Capone and the Fischetti brothers were American born, and others like Ralph Capone and Frank Nitto arrived as children. So I think for them the Campanian influence was trivial. Paul Ricca may have been in the Camorra before arriving in the U.S., but once in Chicago he was under Joe Esposito's influence, who in turn was answerable to the Chicago Mafia. Esposito was trying to be legitimate and had a lot of political pull, and I'm sure Ricca learned from that. Capone's mentor John Torrio may have been Camorra connected and was definitely part of the Five Points Gang, but he left all that to manage boxing champion Kid Murphy before joining the Joe Colosimo organization. Colosimo came from Cosenza in Calabria and created what became the Outfit, which as I wrote had an Italian core but with many non-Italians in it. So overall I think the Neapolitan influence was minimal. Capone saw himself as an American of Italian heritage and was open to most ethnicities (obviously there were no black or Hispanic members). When he was made a member under Masseria he had to follow the more traditional Mafia model, but when he became a recognized boss he put his own Americanized Chicago spin on it.
I think the big mistake that some people make (not you) is that the American LCN was based mainly upon culture with crime attached to it. It's really the other way around. The American LCN was based mainly upon crime with SOME culture attached to it. The main driving force behind all of it was money, not culture. Culture only plays a minor role in it when you are talking about sociopaths. I mean, let's be honest, these guys cared more about power & money than they cared about Italian tradition, especially the Outfit.
Antiliar wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 11:59 am
If you notice on the passenger manifest is that it says Gennaro Calabrese lives in Coney Island, but the address is hard to read. The Calabrese that I found who could be a match lived at 6918 Fort Hamilton Ave, which is near Bay Ridge, about 5 miles/8 km from Coney Island. He was born March, 25, 1878 in Naples.
Not that it really matters much, but nowadays at least that's considered Dyker Heights.
"Hey, hey, hey — this is America, baby! Survival of the fittest.”
How does someone enter Camorra? is it like entering Cosa Nostra? and in the case of the Capone era?
From what I understood by reading here on the forum, Capone was the leader of the gang on the South Side, and between 1925 and 1931 he started to absorb the other two gangs and went to war with the North side, and in the end brought all the gangs together and so Outfit formed, was that it?
aleksandrored wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 5:19 pm
How does someone enter Camorra? is it like entering Cosa Nostra? and in the case of the Capone era?
Someone else can comment on internal Camorra protocol, but from the examples we have, Camorristi had to enter the US mafia the same way any associate would. Camorra was not recognized as "the same thing" as the mafia, so while Sicilian mafia members were recognized as "the same thing" and could be introduced to US mafia members (something that still happens, as evidenced by recent Italian investigations) and therefore transfer their membership, Camorristi had to go through a mafia induction the same way any associate would. Naturally their underworld experience as Camorristi could make them more deserving of induction than an average neighborhood Joe and the mafia would have known who these people were.
Former San Fran boss Tony Lima who turned CI commented on this, as he inducted a Camorrista into the San Francisco family while he was boss. There are similar examples in other cities, too and in each case the Camorristi joined the mafia rather than the other way around, at least by a certain point in history. Richie Boiardo's FBI file includes a report that says this began around 1915. Al Capone and other Masseria/Genovese members are referenced in the same report.
I'm aware of no known examples of Camorristi being recognized as members of the mafia in the US or Sicily based on their status as Camorristi alone, it is only after they have been inducted into the mafia / Cosa Nostra that they are recognized. Of course this is open to review if new info ever comes.
Antiliar wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 2:39 pm
If you want you can look over the vital records from Napoli to see if they really were cousins. I don't have time for it.
Cool and ill definitely let you know if i find something
Do not be deceived, neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God - Corinthians 6:9-10
aleksandrored wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 5:19 pm
How does someone enter Camorra? is it like entering Cosa Nostra? and in the case of the Capone era?
Someone else can comment on internal Camorra protocol, but from the examples we have, Camorristi had to enter the US mafia the same way any associate would. Camorra was not recognized as "the same thing" as the mafia, so while Sicilian mafia members were recognized as "the same thing" and could be introduced to US mafia members (something that still happens, as evidenced by recent Italian investigations) and therefore transfer their membership, Camorristi had to go through a mafia induction the same way any associate would. Naturally their underworld experience as Camorristi could make them more deserving of induction than an average neighborhood Joe and the mafia would have known who these people were.
Former San Fran boss Tony Lima who turned CI commented on this, as he inducted a Camorrista into the San Francisco family while he was boss. There are similar examples in other cities, too and in each case the Camorristi joined the mafia rather than the other way around, at least by a certain point in history. Richie Boiardo's FBI file includes a report that says this began around 1915. Al Capone and other Masseria/Genovese members are referenced in the same report.
I'm aware of no known examples of Camorristi being recognized as members of the mafia in the US or Sicily based on their status as Camorristi alone, it is only after they have been inducted into the mafia / Cosa Nostra that they are recognized. Of course this is open to review if new info ever comes.
