Mustache Pete
Encyclopedia
Mustache Petes was the name given to members of the Sicilian Mafia
who came to the United States
(particularly New York City
) as adults in the early 1900s.
", the old guard Mustache Petes had usually committed their first killings in Italy. The most prominent members of this group were Joe "the Boss" Masseria
and Salvatore Maranzano
. Many of them also had connections with the Sicilian Mafia
.
The Mustache Petes wanted to maintain Sicilian
criminal traditions in their new country, and were more interested in working with and exploiting their fellow Italians
rather than the public at large. To that end, they opposed their younger members' desire to work with the powerful Jewish and Irish gangs. They wanted to branch out realizing the numerous other ways in which to make their fortunes, but were stifled by the Mustache Petes. This rankled younger caporegime
s, such as Lucky Luciano
, and Vito Genovese
.
Luciano and other "Young Turks" in the New York Mafia soon concluded that the Mustache Petes were too set in their ways to see the millions of dollars that working with non-Italian gangsters could bring. During the Castellammarese War
, Luciano built a network of younger Mafiosi in both the Masseria and Maranzano camps and secretly intended to assassinate one of them, then bide their time before killing the other. They eventually decided to kill Masseria, and feigned loyalty to Maranzano until they got a chance to eliminate him as well.
Following this, the newer generation of Italian mobsters reorganized the National Crime Syndicate and founded The Commission
, becoming closer to the modern American Mafia
known today. It is widely believed that following these events, a purge
of older Mafiosi, known as the "Night of the Sicilian Vespers," took place across the country, in which most the remaining Mustache Petes were eliminated. However, there is not any concrete evidence that this happened.
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
who came to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(particularly New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) as adults in the early 1900s.
History
Unlike the younger Sicilian-Americans known as the "Young TurksYoung Turks
The Young Turks , from French: Les Jeunes Turcs) were a coalition of various groups favouring reformation of the administration of the Ottoman Empire. The movement was against the absolute monarchy of the Ottoman Sultan and favoured a re-installation of the short-lived Kanûn-ı Esâsî constitution...
", the old guard Mustache Petes had usually committed their first killings in Italy. The most prominent members of this group were Joe "the Boss" Masseria
Joe Masseria
Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria was an early Mafia don in the United States. He was boss of what is now called the Genovese crime family, one of the New York Mafia's Five Families, from 1922 to 1931.-Early days:...
and Salvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano was an organized crime figure from the town of Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, and an early Cosa Nostra boss in the United States. He instigated the Castellammarese War to seize control of the American Mafia operations, and briefly became the Mafia's "Boss of Bosses"...
. Many of them also had connections with the Sicilian Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
.
The Mustache Petes wanted to maintain Sicilian
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,...
criminal traditions in their new country, and were more interested in working with and exploiting their fellow Italians
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
rather than the public at large. To that end, they opposed their younger members' desire to work with the powerful Jewish and Irish gangs. They wanted to branch out realizing the numerous other ways in which to make their fortunes, but were stifled by the Mustache Petes. This rankled younger caporegime
Caporegime
A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
s, such as Lucky Luciano
Lucky Luciano
Charlie "Lucky" Luciano was an Italian mobster born in Sicily. Luciano is considered the father of modern organized crime in the United States for splitting New York City into five different Mafia crime families and the establishment of the first commission...
, and Vito Genovese
Vito Genovese
Vito "Don Vito" Genovese was an Italian mafioso who rose to power in America during the Castellammarese War to later become leader of the Genovese crime family. Genovese served as mentor to future mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante...
.
Luciano and other "Young Turks" in the New York Mafia soon concluded that the Mustache Petes were too set in their ways to see the millions of dollars that working with non-Italian gangsters could bring. During the Castellammarese War
Castellammarese War
The Castellammarese War was a bloody power struggle for control of the Italian-American Mafia between partisans of Joe "The Boss" Masseria and those of Salvatore Maranzano. It was so called because Maranzano was based in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily...
, Luciano built a network of younger Mafiosi in both the Masseria and Maranzano camps and secretly intended to assassinate one of them, then bide their time before killing the other. They eventually decided to kill Masseria, and feigned loyalty to Maranzano until they got a chance to eliminate him as well.
Following this, the newer generation of Italian mobsters reorganized the National Crime Syndicate and founded The Commission
The Commission (mafia)
The Commission is the governing body of the American Mafia. Formed in 1931, the Commission replaced the "Boss of all Bosses" title, with a ruling committee, consisting of the New York Five Families bosses and the boss of the Chicago Outfit...
, becoming closer to the modern American Mafia
American Mafia
The American Mafia , is an Italian-American criminal society. Much like the Sicilian Mafia, the American Mafia has no formal name and is a secret criminal society. Its members usually refer to it as Cosa Nostra or by its English translation "our thing"...
known today. It is widely believed that following these events, a purge
Purge
In history, religion, and political science, a purge is the removal of people who are considered undesirable by those in power from a government, from another organization, or from society as a whole. Purges can be peaceful or violent; many will end with the imprisonment or exile of those purged,...
of older Mafiosi, known as the "Night of the Sicilian Vespers," took place across the country, in which most the remaining Mustache Petes were eliminated. However, there is not any concrete evidence that this happened.
Further reading
- Raab, Selwyn. Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2005. ISBN 0-312-30094-8