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Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's #762689
02/08/14 11:14 PM
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Midtown Offline OP
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I am a new member. I have joined this forum in order to do some research for some stuff I am writing about the mob and crime in the 1950's (which for me covers 1945-1964). I have already found some good stuff browsing here, thanks to all.

At the moment, I am trying to learn about Youngstown and the whole Steel Valley area (incl Steubenville, Wheeling, W Va pandhandle, E Liverpool, etc) during the 50's. I have been reading Allan May's excellent books about the region, and while he has a wealth of information it isn't always clear to me how it fits together. I gather that much of the area was considered 'open,' with at least 4 big mobs having pieces of the action: Cleveland, Detroit, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh. Tony DelSanter and and James Licavoli represented Cleveland and DiCarlo was the man from Buffalo, with Cammarata the Detroit man. But who was the key local man (men) for Pittsburgh during that era? Just who were Vince DeNiro, John Schuller, the Farah Brothers, Dom Moio, Dom Mallamo, Sandy Naples, Moosey Caputo, Fats Aiello, and Charlie Cavallaro aligned with? What was all the violence in the late 50's and early 60's really about, anyway? Was it competition between the four mobs, discipline within them, or what? Great as May's books are, they haven't answered those questions for me. My thanks to anyone who can help with this.

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #762712
02/09/14 11:44 AM
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Originally Posted By: Midtown
I am a new member. I have joined this forum in order to do some research for some stuff I am writing about the mob and crime in the 1950's (which for me covers 1945-1964). I have already found some good stuff browsing here, thanks to all.

At the moment, I am trying to learn about Youngstown and the whole Steel Valley area (incl Steubenville, Wheeling, W Va pandhandle, E Liverpool, etc) during the 50's. I have been reading Allan May's excellent books about the region, and while he has a wealth of information it isn't always clear to me how it fits together. I gather that much of the area was considered 'open,' with at least 4 big mobs having pieces of the action: Cleveland, Detroit, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh. Tony DelSanter and and James Licavoli represented Cleveland and DiCarlo was the man from Buffalo, with Cammarata the Detroit man. But who was the key local man (men) for Pittsburgh during that era? Just who were Vince DeNiro, John Schuller, the Farah Brothers, Dom Moio, Dom Mallamo, Sandy Naples, Moosey Caputo, Fats Aiello, and Charlie Cavallaro aligned with? What was all the violence in the late 50's and early 60's really about, anyway? Was it competition between the four mobs, discipline within them, or what? Great as May's books are, they haven't answered those questions for me. My thanks to anyone who can help with this.


Although I have some knowledge of post Big Dom's tenure, JCB is a much better historian. I'm sure he can fill you in regarding his Uncle Dom, from beginning to end. He also has really good knowledge of most that has occurred since.


"Never walk in a room that you don't know how to get out of"- Henry Zottola
Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #762719
02/09/14 01:43 PM
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Allan's book Crimetown USA part 2 will answer all your questions...you'll have to wait for it's release. Are you from Youngstown? If not, it will be difficult to explain the overall crime scene and mentality of true Youngstowners. Good luck with your project.

I will tell you that Big Dom Mallamo's nephew, Vincenzo "Brier Hill Jimmy" Prato was the Pittsburgh representative in that time frame as well as Pittsburgh Consigliere, Charles "Charlie Murgie" Imburgia, who resided in Warren, OH and Pasquale "Patsy" Feruccio who was from Canton, OH but did a lot of business in neighboring Youngstown.

If you don't know who Vince DeNiro or any of the Naples brothers (Sandy, Billy, Jimmy & Joey) were, you will have a truly difficult time with the project unless you are spending a large amount of time in Youngstown.

Last edited by JCB1977; 02/09/14 01:49 PM.
Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: JCB1977] #762727
02/09/14 02:10 PM
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Many thanks for chiming in, JCB, I have learned a lot from your previous posts about the Steel Valley. I have been reading Welcome to the Tiger Inn and Crimetown USA (both great books) so I certainly do know who these guys were. Aiello, Sandy Naples, and DeNiro were frequently cited as among the most important mobsters in the area, but even after reading May I am stll unclear on which mobs many of these figures stood with. So, May will make things clearer in his next book? I think I heard that will deal with the 70's-90's, is that correct? Kind of frustrating to have to wait for that when I am looking for info that will clarify the 50's relationships and causes of the violence then, but c'est la vie. Thanks for your info about Mallamo, Prato, and their Pittsburgh connections, that certainly helps.
I have lots of other Steel Valley questions, should I put them on this thread or start others?

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #762766
02/09/14 09:26 PM
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PM me is you have some questions.

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #762791
02/10/14 08:50 AM
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By the way, the other book that Allan wrote is called "Wecome to the Jungle Inn." The Jungle Inn was one of the biggest illegal casinos in the Midwest.

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #762792
02/10/14 08:51 AM
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Crimetown USA part two will start at 1964-present day

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #762800
02/10/14 09:54 AM
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FYI- Buffalo & Detroit had no part of Youngstown by 1960, as it was split strictly between Pittsburgh & Cleveland. Pittsburgh had all of Youngstown Mahoning County (except Struthers, OH as Struthers was considered territory of Ronnie & Charlie Carabbia) and everything South as Cleveland had Trumbull County and everything North. Sandy Naples was affiliated with Buffalo but his younger brother Joey was inducted into Pittsburgh by 1987 along with Lenine "Lenny" Strollo. Dom Mallamo was made over in Italy in Reggio, Calabria and when he came to NY before he settled in Youngstown, he was made by Joe Profaci. Big Dom & Paul Romeo ran the Calabrese Organization for 50 years, which was affiliated with Tony & Frank Milano of Cleveland. Mallamo was a liaison between Cleveland & Pittsburgh, as he was close to Antonio Ripepi, Kelly Mannarino and Charlie Imburgia of the Pittsburgh family. His oldest sister by 20 years had a son named Vincenzo Prato, as he was Mallamo's right hand man and a high ranking member of Pittsburgh. Caputo, Mallamo & Romeo ran the entire numbers operation in Youngstown and were all made in Italy by the N'Drangheta in Calabria before emigrating to the U.S.

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #762984
02/11/14 12:22 PM
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I thought you had many questions?

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #762985
02/11/14 12:30 PM
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In the timeframe you are looking at, Youngstown was considered wide open territory, hence they had representatives from Buffalo (185 miles away), Detroit (200 miles away), Cleveland (60 miles away) and Pittsburgh (50 miles away). Vince DeNiro and Cadillac Charlie Cavallaro were both connected to Cleveland, but Vince DeNiro was truly an independent numbers boss, hence why they blew him up in a car bomb known as a "Youngstown Tune Up" because he wasn't kicking up to any of the families who were demanding a piece of his numbers business.

Last edited by JCB1977; 02/11/14 12:30 PM.
Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: JCB1977] #762988
02/11/14 12:37 PM
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Originally Posted By: JCB1977
In the timeframe you are looking at, Youngstown was considered wide open territory, hence they had representatives from Buffalo (185 miles away), Detroit (200 miles away), Cleveland (60 miles away) and Pittsburgh (50 miles away). Vince DeNiro and Cadillac Charlie Cavallaro were both connected to Cleveland, but Vince DeNiro was truly an independent numbers boss, hence why they blew him up in a car bomb known as a "Youngstown Tune Up" because he wasn't kicking up to any of the families who were demanding a piece of his numbers business.

I have reason to believe that Vince was working for or at least with the then existing Mahoning County Democratic Chairman in the numbers business.


"Never walk in a room that you don't know how to get out of"- Henry Zottola
Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: JCB1977] #762989
02/11/14 12:38 PM
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Yes, JCB, I do have some more questions. I just have been busy with other stuff, I will put them together and post them here. I do appreciate your responses, I don't think many people are so well-informed about the Steel Valley and Pittsburgh.

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: JCB1977] #762991
02/11/14 12:45 PM
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Originally Posted By: JCB1977
Vince DeNiro and Cadillac Charlie Cavallaro were both connected to Cleveland, but Vince DeNiro was truly an independent numbers boss, hence why they blew him up in a car bomb known as a "Youngstown Tune Up" because he wasn't kicking up to any of the families who were demanding a piece of his numbers business.


That's interesting. DeNiro had been on the Youngstown scene for quite a few years before he was knocked off. If he was connected to Cleveland as you say, then he surely must have had some kind of working agreement with them if he survived for all that time. His murder would indicate that any agreement had broken down. (Did Cleveland want a bigger cut?) I can't understand why Cavallaro was killed, because by May's account he had declined in importance and was nearly broke.

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #763013
02/11/14 02:34 PM
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Again, Youngstown was considered wide open until the early 60's. DeNiro had "friends" in Cleveland but was not a member. He was a competitor of the Naples brothers as well as the Youngstown Calabrese organization who called all the shots in Youngstown, run by Paul Romeo & Dominic Mallamo. Wars over the numbers racket happened quite often, as it was all about greed.

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: JCB1977] #763025
02/11/14 03:54 PM
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Originally Posted By: JCB1977
Again, Youngstown was considered wide open until the early 60's. DeNiro had "friends" in Cleveland but was not a member. He was a competitor of the Naples brothers as well as the Youngstown Calabrese organization who called all the shots in Youngstown, run by Paul Romeo & Dominic Mallamo. Wars over the numbers racket happened quite often, as it was all about greed.


You mentioned that Sandy Naples was affiliated with Buffalo at some point, which I gather means Joe DiCarlo. DiCarlo was out of Youngstown by the late 50's, but I think May says that the papers reported at that time that DiCarlo was trying to get re-established in Youngstown. If that was so, then Sandy would be a logical ally for him, and also a target for anyone who did not want DiCarlo back. May also says Sandy was using junk, at least part of the time, which I imagine would make other mobsters distrustful of him. That gives at least two reasons for hitting Sandy, but does anybody know or guess who ordered the job?

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: JCB1977] #763026
02/11/14 04:05 PM
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Originally Posted By: JCB1977
FYI- Buffalo & Detroit had no part of Youngstown by 1960


Wasnt DiCarlo a member of the Buffalo mob?


He who can never endure the bad will never see the good
Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #763032
02/11/14 04:15 PM
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According to Dominic Mallamo's FBI report, a meeting was held at the house of Paul Romeo on March 8, 1960 and six Italians, including Jimmy Prato and Charles Cavallaro put a vote to kill Sandy Naples because he was not kicking up tribute to them for his numbers operations. Keep in mind, Mallamo and Romeo had ALL the power and clout. Mallamo and Romeo had the backing of Tony & Frank Milano in Cleveland as well as Kelly Mannarino, Frank Amato Sr., John LaRocca as well as Charles Imburgia in Pittsburgh.

FYI-Do you have any of the FBI files from any of these characters? The Sandy Naples murder will never be solved, as all the players involved are long dead. Where are you from? Why the interest in Youngstown?



http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=87915&relPageId=1 (Romeo & Mallamo start on page 13-Information on Naples shooting on page 20)

Last edited by JCB1977; 02/11/14 05:09 PM.
Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: JCB1977] #763048
02/11/14 05:14 PM
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Originally Posted By: JCB1977
The Sandy Naples murder will never be solved, as all the players involved are long dead. Where are you from? Why the interest in Youngstown?


Thanks very much for the FBI link. I am now in Boston, but from New York originally. I have always been interested in the mob and know a fair amount about the NY scene from the 20's through 60's. I am writing something about the 1950's now, and as part of this I am investigating the nationwide crime scene at that time. I am especially interested in the lesser-known areas and the mobs in them, like Reading PA, Dallas-Ft Worth, downstate Illinois, and of course the Youngstown-Steel Valley-W Va Panhandle area. If you're a New Yorker like me, you may get the idea that the classic syndicate was just a big city thing, but I am learning that was very far from the case.

I am also interested in Youngstown and area because it seems to have been a particularly crazy, brazen, and violent scene, far from what you'd expect for the 1950's. I think Allan May likened it to Hammett's Personville. I am surprised that no one has written a novel or made a movie about it all. (Yes, there is Kill the Irishman, but that is Cleveland.)

Last edited by Midtown; 02/11/14 05:18 PM.
Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #763050
02/11/14 05:21 PM
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I live outside of Boston as well. I have over 20,000 files on Youngstown/Pittsburgh/Cleveland. Youngstown was nicknamed "Little Chicago," Bombtown USA and Murdertown USA by the Saturday Evening Post. If Youngstown is the focus, I would recommend talking to some of the older locals and visiting there to see how much it has declined from a once bustling city. Because of its proximity to Pitt/Cleve and because jobs were plentiful, it was a major illegal gambling hub.

Check out a few of these:

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/politics/crimetown-usa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZgrXAzH4t0

http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/end-of-the-line/Content?oid=1472059

**Also, check out Oleans, NY and Bradford, PA as it was a hub of OC figures around the 20's-30's. Also, the big names in Wheeling, WV connected to the LaRocca Crime Family of Pittsburgh were Bill Lias and Paul "No Legs" Hankish. Right across the border in Steubenville, OH were Silvio "Birdy" Pinciaro, James Vincent Tripodi as well as Cosmo Quattrone.

Last edited by JCB1977; 02/11/14 05:24 PM.
Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: JCB1977] #763061
02/11/14 05:39 PM
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Thanks for the stuff, JCB. I will definitely check it out.

Alas, I don't have the time or money to visit the region myself, so I am restricted to online and print resources. I have read enough to know that the Steel Valley was once a vital industrial center and is now one of the most poverty-stricken sections of the Rust Belt. After checking some local news pages and blogs out there and seeing the then-and-now pictures, I got sad and angry about what has happened. The mob of course was a huge curse to the area, extorting money, corrupting labor, corrupting politics, and so on. Part of my father's family are Scotch-Irish from Pittsburgh, by the way.

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #763062
02/11/14 05:42 PM
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Currently, there is a movie being made called Youngstown Boys centered around Jimmy & Amil Dinsio, two of the country's most notorious bank robbers who knocked over the Laguna Nigel, CA bank back in 1972.

http://www.upcoming-movies.com/Articles/...re#.UvqY6q-x5IB



Ray Mancini made a low budget mob movie filmed in Youngstown called Turn of Faith. All scenes were shot in Youngstown.

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Toodoped] #763064
02/11/14 05:50 PM
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DiCarlo was originally a part of Buffalo but fled to Youngstown and became pretty big there until he was chased out of town.

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: JCB1977] #763103
02/11/14 10:34 PM
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Originally Posted By: JCB1977
Currently, there is a movie being made called Youngstown Boys centered around Jimmy & Amil Dinsio, two of the country's most notorious bank robbers who knocked over the Laguna Nigel, CA bank back in 1972.

http://www.upcoming-movies.com/Articles/...re#.UvqY6q-x5IB



Ray Mancini made a low budget mob movie filmed in Youngstown
called Turn of Faith. All scenes were shot in Youngstown.

Try this...However it takes about an hour and a half to view, but very interesting and real. Needless to say I knew all of these locals. In fact Ed O'Neil was a dinner guest in my home before I was a star. He and Boom Boom are really for real!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZgrXAzH4t0 (Preview)

Last edited by Friend_of_Henry; 02/11/14 10:36 PM.

"Never walk in a room that you don't know how to get out of"- Henry Zottola
Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #763314
02/13/14 12:56 AM
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Originally Posted By: Midtown
Thanks for the stuff, JCB. I will definitely check it out.

Alas, I don't have the time or money to visit the region myself, so I am restricted to online and print resources. I have read enough to know that the Steel Valley was once a vital industrial center and is now one of the most poverty-stricken sections of the Rust Belt. After checking some local news pages and blogs out there and seeing the then-and-now pictures, I got sad and angry about what has happened. The mob of course was a huge curse to the area, extorting money, corrupting labor, corrupting politics, and so on. Part of my father's family are Scotch-Irish from Pittsburgh, by the way.


The mafia had little do with the economic condition of Youngstown. When large companies that employ tens of thousands of people declare bankruptcy and close its doors, it is tough to blame that on the mafia. To say that labor and politics was corrupted by the mafia ignores the fact that it takes two to tango. Greed is part of human nature, not just a trait specific to some Italian-Americans.

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: newcastlepa] #763383
02/13/14 01:27 PM
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Originally Posted By: newcastlepa
The mafia had little do with the economic condition of Youngstown. When large companies that employ tens of thousands of people declare bankruptcy and close its doors, it is tough to blame that on the mafia. To say that labor and politics was corrupted by the mafia ignores the fact that it takes two to tango. Greed is part of human nature, not just a trait specific to some Italian-Americans.


I did not blame the decline of the region on the mob alone. The decline had many other causes, the problems of the steel industry being first among them. Most of steel's problems were due, in turn, to larger national and worldwide economic trends. Nonetheless, organized crime is a very serious economic drain. We are not talking about small change, but about millions and in some cases billions of dollars. One article I read online said that Mexico loses between 8 and 15% of GDP to organized crime; in 1967, a Presidential commission estimated that organized crime cost the United States more annually than all other forms of crime combined. More recent studies of several countries also show the severity of the economic drain. Now, when you are talking about an area that is economically marginal to begin with (Mexico, Southern Italy, and now the Steel Valley), the economic damage inflicted by organized crime will be even greater proportionately. It has to be factored in with everything else.

It is also true that it takes two to tango, as you say. The mob could only survive in the Steel Valley (as in New York, Boston, or anywhere) as long as public opinion was indifferent or actively tolerated it. But who is at greater fault here, the corrupted or the corrupter who tempts him? I will always have some sympathy for the sucker and none at all for the crook who exploits the sucker. I never suggested that greed was confined to Italian-Americans either; in its heyday the national mob consisted of men from many ethnic groups, including Protestants like Murray Humphreys and Benny Binion. Allan May points out in his Youngstown books that the local mob included Greeks, Syrians, Slavs, and others.

On another note, I am part Pennsylvanian and it is nice to hear from someone in New Castle. Are you aware of this site? http://smalltownnoir.com/

I find it quite interesting, though it does not touch on the mob.

Last edited by Midtown; 02/13/14 01:29 PM.
Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: JCB1977] #763617
02/14/14 10:36 AM
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Originally Posted By: JCB1977
Also, check out Oleans, NY and Bradford, PA as it was a hub of OC figures around the 20's-30's. Also, the big names in Wheeling, WV connected to the LaRocca Crime Family of Pittsburgh were Bill Lias and Paul "No Legs" Hankish. Right across the border in Steubenville, OH were Silvio "Birdy" Pinciaro, James Vincent Tripodi as well as Cosmo Quattrone.


Thanks again, JCB. Your earlier posts on this forum alerted me to Tripodi, Quattrone, Pinciaro, et. al. I would be glad to learn more about them.

I discovered Bill Lias elsewhere on the net. He was quite a character, there's somebody you could make a movie about. Am I correct in assuming that he operated in W Va with the approval/cooperation of the Pittsburgh mob?

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #763629
02/14/14 11:30 AM
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Originally Posted By: Midtown
Originally Posted By: JCB1977
Also, check out Oleans, NY and Bradford, PA as it was a hub of OC figures around the 20's-30's. Also, the big names in Wheeling, WV connected to the LaRocca Crime Family of Pittsburgh were Bill Lias and Paul "No Legs" Hankish. Right across the border in Steubenville, OH were Silvio "Birdy" Pinciaro, James Vincent Tripodi as well as Cosmo Quattrone.


Thanks again, JCB. Your earlier posts on this forum alerted me to Tripodi, Quattrone, Pinciaro, et. al. I would be glad to learn more about them.


I discovered Bill Lias elsewhere on the net. He was quite a character, there's somebody you could make a movie about. Am I correct in assuming that he operated in W Va with the approval/cooperation of the Pittsburgh mob?


Simple answer regarding Bill Lias: Yes he had Pittsburgh's approval. Why would he want to be known as Bill "No Legs" Elias?


"Never walk in a room that you don't know how to get out of"- Henry Zottola
Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Toodoped] #763639
02/14/14 12:07 PM
02/14/14 12:07 PM
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Midtown Offline OP
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Originally Posted By: Toodoped
Wasnt DiCarlo a member of the Buffalo mob?


He certainly was. From what I have found online he was very big in Buffalo for a while. There is a biography of him out there now, but I have not been able to get it.

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: Midtown] #763805
02/15/14 01:53 AM
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Originally Posted By: Midtown


I did not blame the decline of the region on the mob alone. The decline had many other causes, the problems of the steel industry being first among them. Most of steel's problems were due, in turn, to larger national and worldwide economic trends. Nonetheless, organized crime is a very serious economic drain. We are not talking about small change, but about millions and in some cases billions of dollars. One article I read online said that Mexico loses between 8 and 15% of GDP to organized crime; in 1967, a Presidential commission estimated that organized crime cost the United States more annually than all other forms of crime combined. More recent studies of several countries also show the severity of the economic drain. Now, when you are talking about an area that is economically marginal to begin with (Mexico, Southern Italy, and now the Steel Valley), the economic damage inflicted by organized crime will be even greater proportionately. It has to be factored in with everything else.

It is also true that it takes two to tango, as you say. The mob could only survive in the Steel Valley (as in New York, Boston, or anywhere) as long as public opinion was indifferent or actively tolerated it. But who is at greater fault here, the corrupted or the corrupter who tempts him? I will always have some sympathy for the sucker and none at all for the crook who exploits the sucker. I never suggested that greed was confined to Italian-Americans either; in its heyday the national mob consisted of men from many ethnic groups, including Protestants like Murray Humphreys and Benny Binion. Allan May points out in his Youngstown books that the local mob included Greeks, Syrians, Slavs, and others.

On another note, I am part Pennsylvanian and it is nice to hear from someone in New Castle. Are you aware of this site? http://smalltownnoir.com/

I find it quite interesting, though it does not touch on the mob.


I don't doubt that organized crime is a drain on some local economies. But I wouldn't say that is necessarily applicable to the story of Youngstown. Organized crime has been around the region since the Black Hand infiltrated Hillsville in the late 1800's. Conversely, the region was economically vibrant until the 1950's/1960's. I would attribute its downfall to (1.) putting all its eggs in one basket - steel, and (2.) the labor unions. Economic pressure forced management to make decisions and labor wouldn't budge. Unions figured they were calling management on a bluff. They were wrong. And it still occurs today in Youngstown. Check out this sad story about GE's Ohio Lamp Factory that has just announced it is closing:

http://www.vindy.com/news/2014/jan/24/lights-out-at-ge-lamp-plant-in-warren/

I didn't mean to imply that you were singling out Italian-Americans. My point was that all peoples are guilty of greed. And I would even, perhaps, go so far as to say that politicians are the pinnacle of organized crime.

Thanks for the link to smalltownnoir. I will definitely check that out. I enjoy all things associated with Western Pa/Youngstown.

Re: Youngstown area mob allegiances 40's-60's [Re: JCB1977] #764085
02/16/14 09:29 PM
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Originally Posted By: JCB1977
According to Dominic Mallamo's FBI report, a meeting was held at the house of Paul Romeo on March 8, 1960 and six Italians, including Jimmy Prato and Charles Cavallaro put a vote to kill Sandy Naples because he was not kicking up tribute to them for his numbers operations.
http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=87915&relPageId=1 (Romeo & Mallamo start on page 13-Information on Naples shooting on page 20)


That is a great link, JCB. I have been checking various names on that site, and the picture is becoming a little clearer to me. The FBI did a lot of digging after the Cavallaro bombing, and their informants came up with a lot of information--though nothing you build an indictment on, of course.

From what I have read so far, the rivalry between Sandy Naples and Vince DeNiro seems to have caused a lot of the trouble. They had worked together and been friends and I guess both of them were loosely affiliated with the Mallamo-Romeo Calabrese group, but Naples especially got out of hand. The informants said that DeNiro and Cavallaro were both killed by Naples' people. Dominic Moio, a free lance, was 'playing for both teams' in all this, until Cleveland caught up to his game.
I am not clear on Schuller's role yet, but he was blamed for bombing Sandy's house. Mike Farah was a separate matter. He had been fronting for Cleveland for a long time, but he apparently lost political influence in Trumbull County and became both "uncontrollable" and surplus, so DelSanter disposed of him. Frattiano confirmed this years later.

I was surprised to read that Cavallaro was important enough to sit in with Prato and the others and approve the Sandy Naples contract. From what May reports, Cavallaro was having trouble just making ends meet. I still haven't figured out just who Fats Aiello stood with between the 40's and 60's and what his role was. May says that jukeboxes were Frank Cammarata's main interest, but I wonder if Detroit had any other pieces of the Youngstown action in the 40's and 50's. I will keep digging, but I wish I didn't have to dig on a Kennedy-paranoia site.

I don't know if this was intentional or not, but the killings of 1960-62 removed a bunch of guys who had been very prominent on the local scene since the 40's. Naples, Farah, DeNiro, et. al. were favorite targets of law enforcement and the Vindicator, constantly getting hauled in for one thing or another. Mallamo, on the other hand, seems to have kept a much lower profile.

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