Michael Fiaschetti
Encyclopedia
Michael Fiaschetti was a prominent New York detective and succeeded Lt. Joseph Petrosino as head of the NYPD's "Italian Squad". He would later describe his career and the history of the Italian Squad in his autobiography The Man They Couldn't Escape (1928) and You Gotta Be Rough: The Adventures of Detective Fiaschetti of the Italian Squad (1930), the latter based on a series of articles by John Prosper for Liberty Magazine
between April and July 1929 http://users.ev1.net/%5C~homeville/fictionmag/d208.htm.
, he immigrated with his parents to the United States in 1896 and was raised in North Adams, Massachusetts
before eventually joining the New York Police Department at the age of 22. He was one of those hand picked by Petrosino to join the then five man unit known as the "Italian Squad" soon after joining in 1908.
Following the death of Petrosino in 1909, the unit remained inactive as police officials were hesitant to risk another assassination of the high profile group. However, while remaining on regular precinct duty, the group continued to work together from time to time on specific cases involving Italian-Americans and Black Hand bombings and extortion.
officially reformed the Italian Squad with Fiaschetti as commander. He was also assigned a partner, Irving O'Hara, who served as his bodyguard from a possible assassination attempt.
In 1921, like Petrosino had before him, Fiaschetti travelled to Naples
in pursuit of a camorrista
fugitive and, while in the Neapolitan underworld, attempt to gain information on the individual who had ordered Petrosino's death. However, while the Italian government assigned numerous detective to follow Fiaschetti, the New York detective instead went undercover posing as Don Pasquale. Although he had found evidence that Don Vito Cascio Ferro
may have not been responsible, he was forced to leave when he had been in attendance at a meeting in which Camorra leaders had been informed of Fiaschetti's presence and were attempting to get a description of him.
Although a protege of Petrosino, his own methods differed from his predecessors including his preference in working with a network of police informants in favor of undercover surveillance and other standard investigative procedures. He also professed a low opinion of the criminal underworld code of omertà
, disregarding the reluctance of criminals to a deathbed confession both out of uselessness as well as retribution to family members. However, he had stated to have had much more success with police informant when given a choice between prison and protecting an accomplice.
During his career, Fiaschetti frequently dealt with the Black Hand
as well as other organized crime figures and criminals in New York's Little Italy and throughout the city such as the Black hand kidnap-murder of five-year-old Giuseppe Varotta on May 21, 1921 http://members.tripod.com/Fighting9th/History15.htm. One particular criminal figure he would often battle throughout his career was Giosue Gallucci, the dominant racketeer of Italian East Harlem, as well helping convict Cleveland mobster Rosario Borgio
(receiving two gold medals from the Mayor for his efforts) before Fiaschetti's retirement from the New York police force in 1922, resulting in the permanent disbanding of the Italian Squad.
In 1938, he returned to private detective work following the elimination of his position and continued lecturing on organized crime throughout the country as well as taking part in training programs for the Army Reserve
until his death at Brooklyn's Veterans Administration Hospital
on July 29, 1960.
Liberty Magazine
Liberty is a magazine published by the Seventh-day Adventist Church that covers issues involving separation of church and state, and current events in politics...
between April and July 1929 http://users.ev1.net/%5C~homeville/fictionmag/d208.htm.
Early career
Born in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, he immigrated with his parents to the United States in 1896 and was raised in North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,708 as of the 2010 census, making it the least populous city in the state...
before eventually joining the New York Police Department at the age of 22. He was one of those hand picked by Petrosino to join the then five man unit known as the "Italian Squad" soon after joining in 1908.
Following the death of Petrosino in 1909, the unit remained inactive as police officials were hesitant to risk another assassination of the high profile group. However, while remaining on regular precinct duty, the group continued to work together from time to time on specific cases involving Italian-Americans and Black Hand bombings and extortion.
Head of the Italian Squad
In 1918, New York Police Commissioner Arthur WoodsArthur Woods
Colonel Arthur Hale Woods was an American educator, journalist, military and law enforcement officer. One of the most prominent police reformers during the early 20th century, he served as deputy New York City Police Commissioner from 1907 to 1909 and later became New York City Police Commissioner...
officially reformed the Italian Squad with Fiaschetti as commander. He was also assigned a partner, Irving O'Hara, who served as his bodyguard from a possible assassination attempt.
In 1921, like Petrosino had before him, Fiaschetti travelled to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
in pursuit of a camorrista
Camorra
The Camorra is a Mafia-type criminal organization, or secret society, originating in the region of Campania and its capital Naples in Italy. It is one of the oldest and largest criminal organizations in Italy, dating to the 18th century.-Background:...
fugitive and, while in the Neapolitan underworld, attempt to gain information on the individual who had ordered Petrosino's death. However, while the Italian government assigned numerous detective to follow Fiaschetti, the New York detective instead went undercover posing as Don Pasquale. Although he had found evidence that Don Vito Cascio Ferro
Vito Cascio Ferro
Vito Cascioferro or Vito Cascio Ferro , also known as Don Vito, was a prominent member of the Sicilian Mafia. He also operated for several years in the United States...
may have not been responsible, he was forced to leave when he had been in attendance at a meeting in which Camorra leaders had been informed of Fiaschetti's presence and were attempting to get a description of him.
Although a protege of Petrosino, his own methods differed from his predecessors including his preference in working with a network of police informants in favor of undercover surveillance and other standard investigative procedures. He also professed a low opinion of the criminal underworld code of omertà
Omertà
Omertà is a popular attitude and code of honour and a common definition is the "code of silence". It is common in areas of southern Italy, such as Sicily, Apulia, Calabria, and Campania, where criminal organizations defined as Mafia such as the Cosa Nostra, 'Ndrangheta, Sacra Corona Unita, and...
, disregarding the reluctance of criminals to a deathbed confession both out of uselessness as well as retribution to family members. However, he had stated to have had much more success with police informant when given a choice between prison and protecting an accomplice.
During his career, Fiaschetti frequently dealt with the Black Hand
Black Hand (blackmail)
Black Hand was a type of extortion racket. It was a method of extortion, not a criminal organization as such, though gangsters of Camorra and the Mafia practiced it.-Origins:...
as well as other organized crime figures and criminals in New York's Little Italy and throughout the city such as the Black hand kidnap-murder of five-year-old Giuseppe Varotta on May 21, 1921 http://members.tripod.com/Fighting9th/History15.htm. One particular criminal figure he would often battle throughout his career was Giosue Gallucci, the dominant racketeer of Italian East Harlem, as well helping convict Cleveland mobster Rosario Borgio
Rosario Borgio
Rosario Giuseppe Borgio was an early Italian-American mobster establishing one of the first organized crime operations in the Midwest during the early 20th century.-Black Hand:...
(receiving two gold medals from the Mayor for his efforts) before Fiaschetti's retirement from the New York police force in 1922, resulting in the permanent disbanding of the Italian Squad.
Later years
Although he had been forced into retirement after having a lawyer-politician removed from the premises after interrupting an interrogation, he was brought back by reform Mayor Fiorello La Guardia in the early 1930s as deputy commissioner of the Department of Markets in an attempt to investigate racketeering in New York's produce industry.In 1938, he returned to private detective work following the elimination of his position and continued lecturing on organized crime throughout the country as well as taking part in training programs for the Army Reserve
Army Reserve
Army Reserve may refer to:*Military Reserve Force*Army Reserve *United States Army Reserve...
until his death at Brooklyn's Veterans Administration Hospital
Veterans Administration Hospital
Veterans Administration Hospital or Veterans Administration Medical Center is a term used to refer to one of the medical facilities operated by the Veterans Health Administration, a division of the U.S...
on July 29, 1960.
Further reading
- James Lardner and Thomas Reppetto. NYPD: A City and Its Police. New York: Henry Holt & Co., 2000. ISBN 0-8050-6737-X
- Johnson, Marilynn S. Street Justice: A History of Police Violence in New York City. Boston: Beacon Press, 2003. ISBN 0-8070-5023-7
- Nadelmann, Ethan Avram. Cops Across Borders: Internationalization of U.S. Criminal Law Enforcement. University Park, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State Press, 2003. ISBN 0-271-01095-9
- Reppetto, Thomas A. American Mafia: A History of Its Rise to Power. New York: Henry Holt & Co., 2004. ISBN 0-8050-7798-7
- "Michael Fiaschetti Dies at 74; Ex Detective Led Italian Squad". New York Times. 31 Jul 1960