Patrick Downey - Gangster City. The History of the New York Underworld 1900 - 1935

I would like to thank the following people and institutions that helped make Gangster City possible: The New York Public Library, there would be no book without it. Both Jeff Love and Chris Keating, for their ideas and enthusiasm for the project, as well as their technical support.

Kenneth Cobb, Director of the New York City Municipal Archives for showing me the treasure trove. Lauren Gurgiolo and Eric Beggs of the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas for their generosity with obtaining photos. The Library of Congress, Bill Heneage at Findagrave.com, Alana Atterbury for her eagle eye and Rose Keefe.

After the Harrington shooting, Kelly never returned to Lower Manhattan, choosing instead to stay in Harlem. Also, realizing that there was too much publicity in being Paul Kelly, he reverted back to his original Italian name of Paolo Vaccarelli and began a prosperous career in the lucrative union rackets by organizing the Garbage Scow Trimmers union. The garbage scows would carry trash far out to sea and dump it. This vocation proved favorable during Prohibition when scows would go out, dump their loads, and return with liquor after a rendezvous with a rumrunner.

From there, Kelly expanded into the dockworkers union and became vice president of the longshoremans association. In this role, he established the Loyal Labor Legion during the turbulent years of the First World War and was able to prevent a strike and smoke out any German influences, in addition to getting the dock-workers a raise. In 1923 he became the business agent for the Musical Mutual Protective Union, which protected a number of the citys musicians. He left the organization after a strike.

The one-time gang leader bought former benefactor Big Tim Sullivans house in the Bronx where he became involved in real estate and insurance. Unlike Monk Eastman, who remained a criminal his whole life and died as a result, with his nice home and legitimate business enterprises, Vaccarelli lived his final years as a respectable citizen and was remembered as such after he died of pneumonia on April 3, 1936.

After killing William Harrington at the Little Naples nightclub on November 23, 1905, Biff Ellison went on the lam for more than five years, returning to New York City in the spring of 1911. He made the rounds for a few months with his gangster pals before police found out he was back and arrested him.

His trial began on June 6, and a number of underworld characters were called in as witnesses. Of course, none would admit to either seeing or knowing that Ellison was the gunman. Razor Riley and Jim Kelly were called in as was Paul Kelly When the court tried to deliver Paul Kellys subpoena, they were told he had left the city One of his gang members, Rough House Hogan, was placed in the witness chair, but he, too, refused to incriminate Ellison, saying only, I seen the gun up against Kellys vest buttons. I seen Kelly jump. I heard the shot, and I seen Harrington fade away, and thats all I know about it. But he didnt say he actually saw Ellison shoot him.

Even Harringtons friend, George Wetzel, refused to name Ellison as the killer. In fact, he went so far as to say that Ellison wasnt the shooter, stating that the killer was taller, darker, and stouter than Ellison.

Although gangland lied on his behalf, Ellison was still found guilty of manslaughter and shipped off to Sing Sing to serve out his term.

Even though Ciro was officially retired in 1935 after the murder of Dutch Schultz, the arrest-on-sight campaign inaugurated by the NYPD continued into 1936 when he was spotted on January 4 driving in the Bronx and arrested for vagrancy. Once again he was placed in a police lineup and questioned by a Captain Curtayne who did his best to humiliate the former gang leader.

Curtayne: Where do you live?

Terranova: 989 Peace Street. Pelham Manor.

Curtayne: (Firing off questions without giving Ciro a chance to answer) Why dont you stay there? Why do you come to New York? You know you are not wanted here. Why dont you go west and grow up with the place?

Terranova: I have to come here sometimes.

Curtayne: Youre supposed to be a big-shot racketeer. Youre just a cheap pushcart peddler. Thats your speed.

Terranova: (Angrily) I never was a pushcart peddler.

Curtayne: When was the last time you were pushing a pushcart on First Avenue?

Terranova: I never did.

Ciro posted bail and left with his wife. Outside he begged photographers not to take pictures of him with his spouse. Since they got a number of shots of him inside the courtroom, they obliged.

The remaining Terranova stayed out of police hands until the following August 3 when he was spotted again driving in the Bronx. This time he was charged with driving without a license as well as vagrancy. Since he yelled at the cops when they pulled him over, they threw disorderly conduct in, as well. Once again he went under the klieg lights in a police lineup, answering the familiar questions. He stated he was in the bakery business and that, yes, he was aware of Mayor La Guardias order to stay out of the city, but added, I have to come to the city. I cant help it.

By 1937 Ciro was broke and lost his beloved mansion in Pelham Manor. At this time, authorities determined that the onetime Mafioso was, criminally, financially, and physically out of the underworld picture. His exile was lifted, and because of money woes, he was forced to return to 116th Street in Harlem where it all began for the Morello-Terranova clan four decades earlier. It was here that he suffered a debilitating stroke in February 1938. He was taken to the hospital where he died on the nineteenth at the relatively young age of forty-nine, bringing down the curtain on New Yorks first family of crime.

As the first mob turncoat, Daniello cleared a number of murders that took place in 1916 off the police blotters. Here are some that were solved.

On July 19, four gunmen appeared at Joseph De Marcos gambling den in Lower Manhattan. De Marco was sentenced to death because he did not cut the Terranova Brothers and Brooklyns Navy Street gang in on his business. At about 5:00 P.M. three men entered the establishment while another stayed outside as a look out. Inside there were a handful of men gambling. First, Charles Lombardi was shot due to mistaken identity. The other gunmen realized the mistake and fulfilled the contract by filling De Marco full of holes.

The next murder cleared up was that of Nicholas Avronounfortunately none of the details were handed out to the press other than that Avrono lived in Brooklyn and was lured to a Manhattan corner on July 22 by a phone call from a woman. When he arrived, instead of the woman waiting for him, there was a gunman who killed him on the spot.

Another murder solved was the October 6 slaying of gambler Giuseppi Verrazano. Daniello didnt take part in the murder. It was carried out by another low-level thug, Antonio Notaro, and a second unnamed killer. Notaro, who in turn turned states evidence, was put on the job the day of the murder by Staten Island saloon keeper and Mafioso Angelo Giordano. At first Notaro refused, saying that he wanted to check with his Navy Street gang bosses before going ahead with the contract, but, Giordano told us that Verrazano had to be killed that night, Notaro said in court. When I said I did not want to kill a man without orders from my boss, Giordano said he would do the job himself, but that I would die the next day for refusing. I then changed my mind.

That night Giordano led Notaro and the other man to a restaurant in Lower Manhattan and pointed out Verrazano to the two gunmen, who went in and killed him.