Morello crime family
Encyclopedia
The Morello crime family is the direct ancestor of the Genovese crime family
, the oldest of New York City's Five Families
.
, Sicily
. In 1865, Calogero Morello married Angelina Piazza who gave birth to two children: Giuseppe Morello
(born May 2, 1867) and Maria Morello-Lima (born about 1869). Calogero Morello died in 1872 and one year later Piazza remarried to Bernardo Terranova. The new marriage produced five children: three sons Vincenzo
(born 1886), Ciro
(born 1988) and Nicolo
(born 1890) and two daughters Lucia (born 1877) and Salvatrice (born 1880). Critchley mentions a possible third sister of the Terranovas, Rosalia Lomonte (born 1892 - died October 14, 1915).
In 1892, Giuseppe Morello emigrated to the United States. On March 8, 1893, Giuseppe's family arrived in New York: his wife Maria Rosa Marvalisi, his mother Angelina Piazza, his stepfather Bernardo Terranova, his stepbrothers Ciro, Nicolo, Vincenzo and stepsister Rosalia. The Morello-Terranova family lived in New York for a while before moving to Louisiana then Texas and by 1896 the family was back in New York City.
. On December 23, 1903, Lupo married Salvatrice Terranova who was Giuseppe Morello's half sister.
The Morello-Lupo alliance continued to prosper in 1903 the group began a major counterfeiting ring with powerful Sicilian mafioso Don Vito Cascio Ferro
, printing $5 dollar bills in Sicily
and smuggling
them into the United States
. Many of the later "barrel murder
s", particularly that of Giuseppe "Joe" Catania Sr. (whose body was found in July 1902), were thought to have been committed by the Morellos, who employed a large number of members of the counterfeiting operation.
On April 13, 1903 the body of Benedetto Madonia, brother-in-law to police informant Giuseppe DiPrimo (de Priemo), was found in a barrel after being brutally tortured. A United States Secret Service
detective, who had been investigating the counterfeiting ring, traced the man to a restaurant where he was seen with Morello crime family Boss, Ignazio Lupo along with associate and hitman, Tommaso "The Ox" Petto. New York detective Joseph Petrosino later confirmed Madonia's identity after visiting DiPrimo at Sing Sing Prison. A letter by Madonia seeking to leave the organization was found in a search of Madonia's house. With this evidence several mafiosi were arrested including Morello, Lupo, Petto, and restaurant owner Pietro Inzarillo
as well as several other members. However the charges are later dropped after witnesses changed their statements.
The Morello family had consolidated their hold on Upper Manhattan however on November 15, 1909 New York police raided a building in Highland, New York
the Morellos were using as a front for their counterfeiting operation. After letters were found by Black Hand victims from New Orleans, fifteen members of the Morellos, including Giuseppe Morello
and Ignazio Lupo, were arrested. Recovering a large amount of both American and Canadian counterfeit bills, including Morello member Pasquale Vasi in possession of $1,200 worth of counterfeit money.
Beginning on January 26, 1910 the trial ended on February 19 with all members involved convicted, including Giuseppe Morello
and Ignazio Lupo, who were sentenced to thirty and twenty-five years respectively at Atlanta Federal Prison.
's and Lupo's conviction, Nicholas "Nick" Terranova
, with Vincenzo and Ciro Terranova, took control of the Morello crime family. At this time the Morellos' power was at its height, controlling Manhattan's criminal activities from East Harlem to Greenwich Village
. Soon after opening the Venezia Restaurant, the club became a popular hangout for the city's underworld.
Nick's efforts to unify the Italian criminal organizations of New York, particularly the Sicilian Mafiosi and the Neapolitan Camorristi, during the early 1910s were unsuccessful despite his best efforts.
During this time the Morellos had allied with Don Giosue Gallucci, a prominent East Harlem businessman and Camorrista with local political connections and the Lamonti Brothers who where also powerful East Harlem businessmen and Camorristi. Gaetano "Thomas" Lamonti and brother Fortunato "Charles" Lamonti were known as friends of the Morellos who owned a feed store down the street from the famous Murder Stable owned by Ignazio Lupo. After the 1914 murder of Lamonti brother Charles and the 1915 murder of Gallucci, the alliance between the Morellos and the East Harlem Camorristi ended as the Brooklyn Camorristi planned to eliminate the Mafiosi from Manhattan.
In early 1916 Camorra Boss Pellegrino Morano
, with lieutenant Vincenzo Paragallo, began moving into the Morello crime family's territory. After six months of fighting, however, Morano offered a truce to end the stalemate. Mafia Boss, Nick Morello agreed as a meeting was arranged at a Navy Street café owned by Camorrista, Alessandro Vollero
. However upon arriving, Morello was ambushed by five members of the Brooklyn Camorra group and killed along with bodyguard, Charles Ubriaco on September 7, 1916. While the loss of the Morello crime family's senior leader was a blow to the Mafia, Camorra Boss, Pellegrino Morano
was quickly charged with Nick Morello's murder after two members of the Camorra group, Tony Notoro and Ralph Daniello
, contacted New York police implicating Pellegrino Morano
and Alessandro Vollero
, revealing the war between the Sicilian and Neapolitan gangs. Both Morano and Vollero, after being denied help from New York detective Michael Mealli, were convicted of murder and imprisoned, as were the remaining leaders of the Camorristi, effectively ending the Mafia-Camorra War.
and Ciro
kept control of family. Many former Brooklyn Camorra members joined the Morello family, Umberto Valenti was one of new members. One year early in 1916, Joseph Masseria was released from prison after serving 3 years for burglary of a Bowery pawnshop and became a top members in the family. In 1918, Ciro Terranova was tried for the murders of gambling bosses, Charles Lombardi and Joe DiMarco, the case was later dismissed. In 1920, both Giuseppe Morello and Ignazio Lupo were released from prison and Brooklyn Mafia Boss Salvatore D'Aquila
ordered their murders.
This is when Joseph Masseria and Rocco Valenti began to fight for control of the Morello family. On December 29, 1920 Masseria's men murderd Valenti's ally, Salvatore Muaro on Christie Street. Then Valenti had Vincent Terranova murdered on May 8, 1922, while Terranova was in front of his home at 116th Street and 2nd Avenue he was shot by a gunmen from a moving car. Masseria ordered his men to murder Valenti and his bodyguard Silva Tagliagamba
, they ambushed Valenti and Tagliabamba at Grande and Mulberry Streets in Manhattan shooting Tagliabamba but Valenti escaped. On August 11, 1922, Masseria's men murdered Valenti ending the conflict. Masseria became the boss of the Morello family, and Giuseppe Morello became his underboss.
Genovese crime family
The Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
, the oldest of New York City's Five Families
Five Families
The Five Families are the five original Italian-American Mafia crime families which have dominated organized crime in America since 1931. The Five Families in New York remain as the powerhouse of the Italian Mafia in the United States.-History:...
.
From Corleone to America
The Morello family traces back to CorleoneCorleone
Corleone is a small town and comune of approximately 12,000 inhabitants in the Province of Palermo in Sicily, Italy....
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. In 1865, Calogero Morello married Angelina Piazza who gave birth to two children: Giuseppe Morello
Giuseppe Morello
Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello , also known as "The Old Fox", was the first boss of the Morello crime family and later top adviser to Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria. He was known as Piddu and his rivals the Castellammarese knew him as Peter Morello...
(born May 2, 1867) and Maria Morello-Lima (born about 1869). Calogero Morello died in 1872 and one year later Piazza remarried to Bernardo Terranova. The new marriage produced five children: three sons Vincenzo
Vincenzo Terranova
Vincenzo "Vincent" Terranova was a gangster and an early Italian-American organized crime figure in the United States. He served as boss and underboss of the Morello crime family, today known as the Genovese crime family, the oldest of the Five Families in New York City.Terranova was born in...
(born 1886), Ciro
Ciro Terranova
Ciro "The Artichoke King" Terranova was a New York City gangster and one time underboss of the Morello crime family.-Early life:Ciro Terranova was born in the town of Corleone, Sicily...
(born 1988) and Nicolo
Nicholas Morello
Nicolo Terranova , also known as Nicholas "Nick" Morello, was one of the first Italian-American organized crime figures in New York City...
(born 1890) and two daughters Lucia (born 1877) and Salvatrice (born 1880). Critchley mentions a possible third sister of the Terranovas, Rosalia Lomonte (born 1892 - died October 14, 1915).
In 1892, Giuseppe Morello emigrated to the United States. On March 8, 1893, Giuseppe's family arrived in New York: his wife Maria Rosa Marvalisi, his mother Angelina Piazza, his stepfather Bernardo Terranova, his stepbrothers Ciro, Nicolo, Vincenzo and stepsister Rosalia. The Morello-Terranova family lived in New York for a while before moving to Louisiana then Texas and by 1896 the family was back in New York City.
107th Street Mob
The brothers returned to New York and became known as the 107th Street Mob (sometimes called the Morello Gang) dominating East Harlem, Manhattan and parts of the Bronx. Giuseppe Morello's strongest allie was Ignazio Lupo, a mobster who controlled Little Italy, ManhattanLittle Italy, Manhattan
Little Italy is a neighborhood in lower Manhattan, New York City, once known for its large population of Italians. Today the neighborhood of Little Italy consists of Italian stores and restaurants.-Historical area:...
. On December 23, 1903, Lupo married Salvatrice Terranova who was Giuseppe Morello's half sister.
The Morello-Lupo alliance continued to prosper in 1903 the group began a major counterfeiting ring with powerful Sicilian mafioso 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...
, printing $5 dollar bills in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
them into the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Many of the later "barrel murder
Barrel murder
A barrel murder was a method of execution used by early American mafiosi since the 1870s, although the earliest recorded barrel murders in New York were reported in 1895 and 1900....
s", particularly that of Giuseppe "Joe" Catania Sr. (whose body was found in July 1902), were thought to have been committed by the Morellos, who employed a large number of members of the counterfeiting operation.
On April 13, 1903 the body of Benedetto Madonia, brother-in-law to police informant Giuseppe DiPrimo (de Priemo), was found in a barrel after being brutally tortured. A United States Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
detective, who had been investigating the counterfeiting ring, traced the man to a restaurant where he was seen with Morello crime family Boss, Ignazio Lupo along with associate and hitman, Tommaso "The Ox" Petto. New York detective Joseph Petrosino later confirmed Madonia's identity after visiting DiPrimo at Sing Sing Prison. A letter by Madonia seeking to leave the organization was found in a search of Madonia's house. With this evidence several mafiosi were arrested including Morello, Lupo, Petto, and restaurant owner Pietro Inzarillo
Pietro Inzarillo
Pietro Inzarillo or Inzerillo was a New York underworld figure and a member of the Morello crime family.-Early years:Inzarillo immigrated to the United States from the Marineo area of Palermo, Sicily with his wife and five children and settled in New York City. In the early 1900s, he became...
as well as several other members. However the charges are later dropped after witnesses changed their statements.
The Morello family had consolidated their hold on Upper Manhattan however on November 15, 1909 New York police raided a building in Highland, New York
Highland, New York
Highland is the name of two places in the U.S. state of New York:*Highland, Sullivan County, New York, a town*Highland, Ulster County, New York, an unincorporated hamlet...
the Morellos were using as a front for their counterfeiting operation. After letters were found by Black Hand victims from New Orleans, fifteen members of the Morellos, including Giuseppe Morello
Giuseppe Morello
Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello , also known as "The Old Fox", was the first boss of the Morello crime family and later top adviser to Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria. He was known as Piddu and his rivals the Castellammarese knew him as Peter Morello...
and Ignazio Lupo, were arrested. Recovering a large amount of both American and Canadian counterfeit bills, including Morello member Pasquale Vasi in possession of $1,200 worth of counterfeit money.
Beginning on January 26, 1910 the trial ended on February 19 with all members involved convicted, including Giuseppe Morello
Giuseppe Morello
Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello , also known as "The Old Fox", was the first boss of the Morello crime family and later top adviser to Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria. He was known as Piddu and his rivals the Castellammarese knew him as Peter Morello...
and Ignazio Lupo, who were sentenced to thirty and twenty-five years respectively at Atlanta Federal Prison.
Mafia-Camorra war
With Giuseppe MorelloGiuseppe Morello
Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello , also known as "The Old Fox", was the first boss of the Morello crime family and later top adviser to Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria. He was known as Piddu and his rivals the Castellammarese knew him as Peter Morello...
's and Lupo's conviction, Nicholas "Nick" Terranova
Nicholas Morello
Nicolo Terranova , also known as Nicholas "Nick" Morello, was one of the first Italian-American organized crime figures in New York City...
, with Vincenzo and Ciro Terranova, took control of the Morello crime family. At this time the Morellos' power was at its height, controlling Manhattan's criminal activities from East Harlem to Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
. Soon after opening the Venezia Restaurant, the club became a popular hangout for the city's underworld.
Nick's efforts to unify the Italian criminal organizations of New York, particularly the Sicilian Mafiosi and the Neapolitan Camorristi, during the early 1910s were unsuccessful despite his best efforts.
During this time the Morellos had allied with Don Giosue Gallucci, a prominent East Harlem businessman and Camorrista with local political connections and the Lamonti Brothers who where also powerful East Harlem businessmen and Camorristi. Gaetano "Thomas" Lamonti and brother Fortunato "Charles" Lamonti were known as friends of the Morellos who owned a feed store down the street from the famous Murder Stable owned by Ignazio Lupo. After the 1914 murder of Lamonti brother Charles and the 1915 murder of Gallucci, the alliance between the Morellos and the East Harlem Camorristi ended as the Brooklyn Camorristi planned to eliminate the Mafiosi from Manhattan.
In early 1916 Camorra Boss Pellegrino Morano
Pellegrino Morano
Pellegrino Morano was a leader of the Neapolitan Camorra gangs in Brooklyn, New York. He operated from his Coney Island gang and is considered the American "Grand Master" from roughly 1907-1917.-Background:...
, with lieutenant Vincenzo Paragallo, began moving into the Morello crime family's territory. After six months of fighting, however, Morano offered a truce to end the stalemate. Mafia Boss, Nick Morello agreed as a meeting was arranged at a Navy Street café owned by Camorrista, Alessandro Vollero
Alessandro Vollero
Alessandro Vollero was a New York mobster and a high ranking member of the Brooklyn Camorra crime organization. Vollero served as a lieutenant to gang boss Pellegrino Morano during the Mafia-Camorra War of 1916....
. However upon arriving, Morello was ambushed by five members of the Brooklyn Camorra group and killed along with bodyguard, Charles Ubriaco on September 7, 1916. While the loss of the Morello crime family's senior leader was a blow to the Mafia, Camorra Boss, Pellegrino Morano
Pellegrino Morano
Pellegrino Morano was a leader of the Neapolitan Camorra gangs in Brooklyn, New York. He operated from his Coney Island gang and is considered the American "Grand Master" from roughly 1907-1917.-Background:...
was quickly charged with Nick Morello's murder after two members of the Camorra group, Tony Notoro and Ralph Daniello
Ralph Daniello
Ralph "The Barber" Daniello was a New York criminal who belonged to the Brooklyn Navy Street Gang and participated in a major gang slaying. Daniello eventually became an informant and helped destroy the Camorra crime organization in Brooklyn....
, contacted New York police implicating Pellegrino Morano
Pellegrino Morano
Pellegrino Morano was a leader of the Neapolitan Camorra gangs in Brooklyn, New York. He operated from his Coney Island gang and is considered the American "Grand Master" from roughly 1907-1917.-Background:...
and Alessandro Vollero
Alessandro Vollero
Alessandro Vollero was a New York mobster and a high ranking member of the Brooklyn Camorra crime organization. Vollero served as a lieutenant to gang boss Pellegrino Morano during the Mafia-Camorra War of 1916....
, revealing the war between the Sicilian and Neapolitan gangs. Both Morano and Vollero, after being denied help from New York detective Michael Mealli, were convicted of murder and imprisoned, as were the remaining leaders of the Camorristi, effectively ending the Mafia-Camorra War.
Morello family war
The Mafia-Camorra war ended in 1917, and Terranova brothers VincenzoVincenzo Terranova
Vincenzo "Vincent" Terranova was a gangster and an early Italian-American organized crime figure in the United States. He served as boss and underboss of the Morello crime family, today known as the Genovese crime family, the oldest of the Five Families in New York City.Terranova was born in...
and Ciro
Ciro Terranova
Ciro "The Artichoke King" Terranova was a New York City gangster and one time underboss of the Morello crime family.-Early life:Ciro Terranova was born in the town of Corleone, Sicily...
kept control of family. Many former Brooklyn Camorra members joined the Morello family, Umberto Valenti was one of new members. One year early in 1916, Joseph Masseria was released from prison after serving 3 years for burglary of a Bowery pawnshop and became a top members in the family. In 1918, Ciro Terranova was tried for the murders of gambling bosses, Charles Lombardi and Joe DiMarco, the case was later dismissed. In 1920, both Giuseppe Morello and Ignazio Lupo were released from prison and Brooklyn Mafia Boss Salvatore D'Aquila
Salvatore D'Aquila
Salvatore "Toto" D'Aquila was a New York City mobster from the Mustache Pete-era and the first boss of the Gambino crime family....
ordered their murders.
This is when Joseph Masseria and Rocco Valenti began to fight for control of the Morello family. On December 29, 1920 Masseria's men murderd Valenti's ally, Salvatore Muaro on Christie Street. Then Valenti had Vincent Terranova murdered on May 8, 1922, while Terranova was in front of his home at 116th Street and 2nd Avenue he was shot by a gunmen from a moving car. Masseria ordered his men to murder Valenti and his bodyguard Silva Tagliagamba
Silva Tagliagamba
Silva Tagliagamba was an early New York mobster and a member of the Morello crime family.Tagliagamba served as a bodyguard for mob boss Umberto Valenti during in the early 1920s. On May 8, 1922, Valenti allegedly murdered mobster Vincent Morello in Manhattan...
, they ambushed Valenti and Tagliabamba at Grande and Mulberry Streets in Manhattan shooting Tagliabamba but Valenti escaped. On August 11, 1922, Masseria's men murdered Valenti ending the conflict. Masseria became the boss of the Morello family, and Giuseppe Morello became his underboss.
Boss
- 1890s–1909 — Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" MorelloGiuseppe MorelloGiuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello , also known as "The Old Fox", was the first boss of the Morello crime family and later top adviser to Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria. He was known as Piddu and his rivals the Castellammarese knew him as Peter Morello...
— founded the 107th Street Mob; imprisoned 1909 - 1909–1916 — Nicholas "Nick Morello" TerranovaNicholas MorelloNicolo Terranova , also known as Nicholas "Nick" Morello, was one of the first Italian-American organized crime figures in New York City...
— killed in Mafia-Camorra war on September 7, 1916 - 1916–1920 — Vincenzo "Vincent" TerranovaVincenzo TerranovaVincenzo "Vincent" Terranova was a gangster and an early Italian-American organized crime figure in the United States. He served as boss and underboss of the Morello crime family, today known as the Genovese crime family, the oldest of the Five Families in New York City.Terranova was born in...
— stepped down becoming underboss - 1920–1922 — Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" MorelloGiuseppe MorelloGiuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello , also known as "The Old Fox", was the first boss of the Morello crime family and later top adviser to Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria. He was known as Piddu and his rivals the Castellammarese knew him as Peter Morello...
— stepped down becoming underboss - 1922–1931 — Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria — paroled in 1920, became boss in 1922
Underboss
- 1903–1909 — Ignazio "Lupo the Wolf" Lupo — imprisoned 1910
- 1909–1916 — Vincenzo "Vincent" TerranovaVincenzo TerranovaVincenzo "Vincent" Terranova was a gangster and an early Italian-American organized crime figure in the United States. He served as boss and underboss of the Morello crime family, today known as the Genovese crime family, the oldest of the Five Families in New York City.Terranova was born in...
— became boss - 1916–1920 — Ciro "The Artichoke King" TerranovaCiro TerranovaCiro "The Artichoke King" Terranova was a New York City gangster and one time underboss of the Morello crime family.-Early life:Ciro Terranova was born in the town of Corleone, Sicily...
— stepped down - 1920–1922 — Vincenzo "Vincent" TerranovaVincenzo TerranovaVincenzo "Vincent" Terranova was a gangster and an early Italian-American organized crime figure in the United States. He served as boss and underboss of the Morello crime family, today known as the Genovese crime family, the oldest of the Five Families in New York City.Terranova was born in...
— murdered on May 8, 1922 - 1922–1930 — Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" MorelloGiuseppe MorelloGiuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello , also known as "The Old Fox", was the first boss of the Morello crime family and later top adviser to Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria. He was known as Piddu and his rivals the Castellammarese knew him as Peter Morello...
— murdered on August 15, 1930
Former members
- Giuseppe Fanaro - was a member of the Morello family, who was involved in the Barrel murderBarrel murderA barrel murder was a method of execution used by early American mafiosi since the 1870s, although the earliest recorded barrel murders in New York were reported in 1895 and 1900....
of 1903. In November 1913, Fanaro was murdered by members of the Lomonte and Alfred MineoAlfred MineoAlfredo "Al Mineo" Manfredi was a Brooklyn based New York mobster, who headed a strong American Mafia crime family during the Castellammarese War. Mineo's organization would eventually become the present-day Gambino crime family....
's gangs. - Eugene "Charles" Ubriaco - was a member of the Morello family, he lived on East 114th Street. Ubriaco was arrested in June 1915 for carrying a revolver and was released on bail. On September 7, 1916 Ubriaco along with Nicholas MorelloNicholas MorelloNicolo Terranova , also known as Nicholas "Nick" Morello, was one of the first Italian-American organized crime figures in New York City...
meet with the Navy Street gang in Brooklyn and they both were shot to death on Johson Street in Brooklyn.
- Tommaso "The Ox" Petto