Garment Trade

In the 1940s and 1950s, the garment trade began expanding from New York City into Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties in Pennsylvania, a region that had been dominated by the coal industry. As the country's use of coal for heating lessened, the residents of northeastern Pennsylvania needed to find other jobs. A number of small garment companies sprang up in the area. Most of the companies would cut patterns from bolts of cloth trucked in from New York City's garment center, after which the material would be sent to a garment factory for sewing and finishing and then returned to New York.
According to federal authorities, Harry "Lefty" Strasser opened the Nuremberg Dress Co. in Nuremberg, Pennsylvania and later hired Gioacchino "Dandy Jack" Parisi as a production mananger. U.S. Senate hearings revealed that Parisi had, in fact, come to Pennsylvania in 1939 to hide out when New York police began hunting him for his alleged involvement in two murders.s Joseph Scalleat Sr., a crime family member, secreted Parisi in a specially designed hideout in Hazleton. Parisi later became a member of the Bufalino crime family.

In 1948, Albert Anastasia and Strasser also began the Madison Dress Co. in Hazleton. Parisi became its manager and expediter. When the Madison later closed, Parisi, Anastasia and Strasser formed the Irene Dress Co. in Hazleton. Anastasia was the head of the notorious Murder Inc., for which Parisi had worked as a triggerman. After Anastasia and Strasser died, Parisi continued the business until its dissolution in 1970.

It was also reported that Strasser was listed as the owner of the Mount Carmel Garment Co., Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania; the Bobby Dress Co. in Dickson City, Pennsylvania; and the Interstate Dress Transportation Co. Other New York people with organized crime ties opened garment businesses in Pennsylvania. In 1948, the Wyoming Frocks Co. opened in Wyoming. The officers and stockholders were Catherine Gambino (wife of New York organized crime boss Carlo Gambino); Rose Ruggieri, of Pittston; and Joseph Constantino of Brooklyn, New York.
Louis Stromberg, a brother of Harry "Nig Rosen" Stromberg, a Philadelphia crime figure, opened up S & C Clothing Co. in West Pittston.

Information received by New York state authorities indicated that in 1957 another associate of New York organized crime figures began doing business in Pennsylvania. Thomas Gambino, son of the late Carlo Gambino, began operating the Peggy Ann Dress Co. in Peckville, which had been incorporated in 1947.
The information also revealed that Gambino, who was the son-in-law of the late New York City crime boss Thomas "Three Fingers Brown" Lucchese, was also the vice president of Amy-Deb Fashions in New York. At the time of its charter in 1958, Amy-Deb's officers included Robert F. Lucchese, Thomas Lucchese's son.

Thomas Gambino also held an interest in Sano Textiles Inc. of New York City and was vice president of Linda Ann Fashions, also of New York. According to New York authorities, prior to his death, Thomas Lucchese owned various Pennsylvania women's garment manufacturing businesses through Vincent Siracusano and Thomas Gambino. Although many of these garment businesses were operated by New York-based organized crime figures, northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New York state crime figures also became involved in the industry. The Acting Commissioner of Investigation for the State of New York, Arthur Reuter, made public a report in April of 1958 which included the influence of organized crime figures on the garment industry in northeastern Pennsylvania. In discussing the high level organized crime meeting in 1957 in Apalachin, New York, he said: "A significant portion of the Apalachin participants are engaged in what appears on the surface to be legitimate activities connected with the garment industry, namely, as manufacturing wholesalers, contractors, truckers, labor consultants, and union officials.
"They are the key figures in the non-union garment industry existing in Pittston, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania sweat shops, muscle-protected trucking bosses and double-dealing officials have collaborated to undercut the legitimate unionized garment industry of New York City."

The man credited for arranging and attending the Apalachin meeting, Russell Bufalino, has been active in the garment trade for many years. He has been associated with the following garment businesses: Fairfrox Inc., New York City, ABS Contracting Company, Pittston, Jane Hogan Inc., Pittston, Bonnie Stewart Dress Co., New York City., Penn Drape and Curtain Co., Pittston, A & M Manufacturing, Hawley Bufalino has also been associated with Nicholas Benfonte, of Pittston, who headed the Anthracite Needle Workers Association of Luzerne County, founded in 1946. This organization, according to federal sources, opposed the International Ladies Garment Workers Union and fomented labor agitation. In addition to Russell Bufalino, a dozen members of his organized crime family have been associated with garment industry businesses in Pennsylvania and New York.

Angelo "Sandy" Sciandra, an organized crime figure, is a former officer of Ann Lee Frocks, Pittston and Dallas Township. He has also been affiliated with the Bonnie Stewart Dress Co. in New York City and Jane Hogan Inc., Pittston. Also, officers of Ann Lee Frocks were Bernard "Dino" Malacco and his wife, Eleanor. Eleanor Malacco is owner of the Lyndwood Dress Co., Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Her husband manages the Lyndwood. "Dino" Malacco attended a private 1977 birthday party for Russell Bufalino at the Saber Room in Wilkes-Barre and a vehicle registered to Malacco has been seen at Bufalino's residence on numerous occasions.

Dominic Alaimo, a Bufalino family member, has been involved in severa garment industry businesses. He was once associated with Bonnie Stewart Inc., with Russell Bufalino, and he was associated with Alaimo Dress Manufacturing in Pittston and Dixie Frocks in Wyoming, Pennsylvania.
Alaimo was also an officer in Jane Hogan Inc. with Russell Bufalino and Angelo Sciandra. His brother, William Alaimo, was also an officer of Jane Hogan. Dominic and William Alaimo were partners in the Old Boston Dress Co. in Pittston. Dominic Alaimo, trading as Old Boston Dress Co., went bankrupt in 1965. The company was sold to Anthony Mantione of Pittston. At the time of the bankruptcy, other sources of income given by Alaimo were Abbie Sportswear and Glen Alden Coal Co.

Angelo Bufalino, a relative of Russell and a member of the Bufalino crime family, was involved in ABS Contracting Co. with Russell Bufalino and others. In partnership with Peter Rizzo, Angelo operated Joanne Sportswear in Waymart, Wayne County and Debbie Sportswear in Lake Ariel, Wayne County.

Anthony "Guv" Guarnieri, a capo who travels between Pennsylvania and Florida, has been affiliated with the Endicott Discount Fabric Mart, Endicott, New York; Tri-Cities Dress Company, Binghamton, New York; and Owego Textile, Owego, New York. According to federal sources, three other Bufalino family members have been or are now associated with Tri-Cities Dress Co. in Binghamton. They are Louis Marconi, of Endwell, New York; Augustine Riolo, of Vestal, New York; and Frank Cannone of New York City. Marconi Is the owner of Tri-Cities and is also the former owner of Binghamton Dress Co., Binghamton, New York. Cannone is now employed by another garment business, Howard Wendy Inc.

Casper "Cappy" Guimento, Bufalino's sometimes-chauffeur, confidant and companion, was involved in Tri City Textile in Old Forge, Pennsylvania, with Morris Feinberg of Scranton, until 1972. He has also been employed by Margen Garment Cutting Inc., Dunmore, Pennsylvania. Despite his several business concerns, Guimento has testified that, from 1955 to 1975, he accompanied Russell Bufalino to New York City on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of each week and to Medico Industries, Plains Township, Pennsylvania on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of each week.

Joseph Scalleat Sr., mentioned before for his part in helping "Dandy Jack" Parisi elude the New York police, opened the Miss Tonie Dress Co. in Hazleton in 1962. He also began a subsidiary company, Anita's Fashions. In 1967, Scalleat added his son, Pasco, to the business registration of Miss Tonie and in 1978, Joseph Sr. sold his interest in Miss Tonie to his other son, Joseph Jr. Pasco and Joseph Scalleat Jr. also operated P.J. Sportswear, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, and are officers in S&S Apparel Inc., Hazleton.

Edward Sciandra, a capo, has been involved with two garment industry establishments. He was reportedly employed by the Uniform Pants Co., New York and by Caleb Smith & Sons Uniforms in Queens, New York.


Bufalino and Trucking

The Bufalino crime family has also been alleged to have been involved in the trucking industry which serves the northeastern Pennsylvania garment manufacturing companies. Friedman Trucking Co., Wilkes Barre, was a major carrier for the garment trade in northeast Pennsylvania for about 20 years prior to 1963. During that time, the Interstate Dress Carriers (IDC) became active in this area. According to federal authorities, in the early 1950s, Albert Anastasia, the head of Murder Inc., was reputed to have had an interest in IDC. The owners of record of the IDC were Abe Giddens and Jack Lieberman. Lieberman was president for a number of years, until his death in 1975. Abe Giddens had died much earlier and Robert Giddens was listed as vice president until his resignation in 1973. Prior to Lieberman's death, Russell Bufalino was reportedly seen with him in Florida.

Bufalino allegedly had some influence over the internal workings of the company. Pennsylvania law enforcement sources reported that on May 15, 1968, the workers at Interstate Dress Carriers in Wilkes Barre went out on strike. That same day, Russell Bufalino, Angelo Sciandra and William Alaimo were seen at the Wilkes Barre plant. On May 17, 1968, these three individuals were present at a meeting at the Host Inn, Wilkes-Barre. At that meeting, the strike was settled.
It has been alleged by federal authorities that the dress factories in the northeast receive six month contracts for the manufacture of dresses which are obtained through IDC. From 1964 on, IDC has been the major, and nearly exclusive, garment trucking operator in northeastern Pennsylvania.