DeStefano - Gangland New York: the places and faces of mob history

Doing research for Gangland New York was often a solitary task. Much of the work was done by mining online newspaper archives, principally those available through the Library of Congress digital newspaper collection. The New York Public Library microfilm section, as well as the City Hall library in New York City, was also useful in making available newspapers and books about the old days of crime in the city.

Five former FBI agentsPat Marshall, Phil Scala, Bruce Mouw, Joaquin Jack Garcia, and Charles Rooneyhave been helpful over the years, and I want to acknowledge them here. At the US Attorneys Office in Manhattan, chief spokesman Jim Margolin provided help in my research of many of the cases in this book when he was a spokesman for the FBI. The same holds true for Robert Nardoza, retired spokesman for the US Attorneys Office in the Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn), and office paralegal Samantha Ward. Also providing information about some notable federal drug prosecutions were Jim Hunt and Erin McKenzie-Mulvey of the New York office of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

From the defense attorney side, Murray Richman was again a treasure trove of old stories, particularly about the Bronx. Attorney James Kousouris of Manhattan provided research assistance for the cases dealing with Albanian crime. Theresa LaBianca was also helpful in some critical areas of research about the legendary William Poole. Queens attorney Andrew Fatos was generous with his time in giving perspective about the Greek community. Robert Holden of the Juniper Park Civic Association, Inc., and Pepper Salter Edmiston, granddaughter of Mike Salter, and her family also provided important photographs.

Journalists whose articles and/or books I consulted include Russ Baker, Meyer Berger, Bill Berkeley, Howard Blum, Ralph Blumenthal, Celestine Bohlen, Brendan Browne, Leonard Buder, Edward C. Burks, Jerry Capeci, Alfred E. Clark, John Darton, Norman Davies, Robert C. Doty, Joseph P. Fried, Nicholas Gage, Cindy Galli, Charles Grutzner, Joseph O. Haff, Anemona Hartacollis, Marlene Jensen, Peter Kihss, Francis X. Klines, Arnold H. Lubasch, Leslie Maitland, John Marzulli, Alexandra Kathryn Mosca, Michael Norman, Rocco Parascandola, Emanuel Perlmutter, Julia Preston, Selwyn Raab, Edward Ranzal, William Rashbaum, Christina Santucci, Greg Smith, Gay Talese, Joseph B. Treaster, Juan M. Vasquez, and Murray Weiss. I also have to tip my hat to the many unsung writers who toiled away in anonymity and without bylines in the many early New York City newspapers. Their work really did bring many of these stories to life.

Newsday editor Deborah Henley and assistant managing editor Maryann Skinner are again to be thanked for getting me approval to write this book, and in helping me to obtain archival photographs that ran in Newsday. Monica Quintanilla, my immediate Newsday editor, also deserves thanks for putting up with my requests for time off. Cathy Mahon, Newsdays permissions coordinator, was instrumental in securing me a number of historic photographs.

Of course, I want to thank my agent, Jill Marsal, and my Lyons Press editors Lauren Brancato, James Jayo, Holly Rubino, and Keith Wallman for seeing something special in this wide-ranging, historical look at New York City crime.

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