People thought Coffey done it as kind of a joke and/or to make the pictures better but I think I read that the autopsy proved that he did in fact die smoking a cigar.

Coffey talked about it on Greatest Hits I think.

Galante looks so bad ass in that picture. One eye, cigar in his mouth and a smirk on his face.

All the pain and suffering he unleashed and he looks like he died before he knew what was happening.

Ironic..

Joe never accepted Carlo as his equal. Gambino conspired with Three Finger Brown and Vito to have Albert dispatched. He also didn't like the fact that Tommy and Carlo were so close seeing how the liberal wing of the Commission now held major sway. There are a host of reasons but it really boils down to Old World traditions in sharp contrast to New World customs.

Don Carlo was a legend. So was Don Peppino. But let's be frank here, Gambino died in 76 and Bonanno "retired" in the 60s...they never had to face Rico. Rico was created in 1970 but wasn't used on a Cosa Nostra member until Funzi. So I don't care how careful Carlo Gambino was in regards to talking and being discreet he would have died in prison if he made it to the 1980s. But I am not trying to diminish either at all. Bonanno is a pure legend, a founding member of the commission and a Don of a powerful family at the age of 26. Not to mention, the Bonanno family were the last family to ever have a member turn informant and they went ~65+ years until they had someone flip. That is what I find so ironic. First ever Cosa Nostra member to ever flip was a Genovese. The Bonannos were the last one to have someone flip and also went 30 years since Valachi flipped for it to happen. And now look, the Genovese are the cream of the crop and the Bonannos are decimated due to informers and actually had a sitting boss turn rat.

For shame.

Actually, Joe Valachi was not the first made member to talk to the law, only the first one to speak openly after he was looking at more time, and feared for his life. There were associates that talked and for the Bonanno family, no one started to really talk until the first war. Salvatore "Bill" Bonanno was informing to the F.B.I during the Bonanno war, as well as another unknown Bonanno soldier in Florida who was verified by a few other members who were talking to the law.

I love Galante's ignorant quote about someone whacking him........."No one would ever dare!"

Well partially true, 1 individual never had the guts to take him out by themselves BUT, 3 had the audacity to show him that NO ONE is above the Commission.

I also wonder how much he was paying Amato and Bonventre? If I had to guess, it definitely was not enough. Maybe $200,000 a year.

Also surprised that how when they got Bonventre and Amato to go along with the plot, why is it that only Bonventre was elevated to Capo?
Amato remained a soldier if I am correct.

Was this also around the extremely brief time that Bonventre's superior took over as acting boss? His inability to speak proper English doomed his reign though.