Gaetano Gagliano

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Gaetano / Tommaso "Tommy" Gagliano

Gaetano "Tommy" Gagliano (* 1884 Sicily ; † probably February 16, 1951 New York City ) was an American mobster of the La Cosa Nostra and boss of the Lucchese family , as whose actual founder he can be considered. However, his maiden name may be Tommaso Gagliano .

Life

Early years

Gagliano was one of the most mysterious members of La Cosa Nostra ; little is known about him; especially about his youth in Sicily. In the 1920s, Gagliano came to New York City and became a member of a Sicilian gang in the Bronx , which was led by Gaetano "Tom" Reina . It was there that he met Tommy Lucchese .

Gagliano was a cousin of Thomas Eboli , who would later become the boss of the Genovese family . He had befriended Joe Valachi , with whom he committed numerous break-ins and armed robbery.

War of Castellammare

At the end of the 1920s the coming conflict between Joe Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano became apparent , which was then referred to as the War of Castellammare . Masseria had demanded more money from Gaetano Reina and his gang, whereupon the latter turned to Maranzano. In response to Reina's betrayal plans, Reina was murdered. As the new boss over his gang, he installed Joseph Pinzola . Neither Gagliano nor Lucchese were enthusiastic about this appointment from the outside, but officially continued to support Masseria. However, in September 1930 Pinzola was shot dead by unknown killers and Gagliano became the boss of the Reina gang. Even after the end of the “War of Castellammare”, Gagliano kept his position.

Five families

After the war in Castellammare, the "young turks" (English: Young Turks ) around Lucky Luciano had finally prevailed against the Mustache Petes . The existing balance of power was recognized and New York City was now ruled by five families . One of these was Reina's former gang, now led by Gaetano Gagliano and classified as the Lucchese family under his successor .

Gagliano became a member of the National Crime Syndicate commission . After Luciano was imprisoned in 1936, Vincent Mangano , Joseph Bonanno , Stefano Magaddino and Joe Profaci , bosses of the other four families , ruled the commission. As the boss of one of the smaller families, Gagliano had to be very careful not to find himself in a hopeless position. He was also very reserved in public, so that little was known about him from the 1940s and 1950s. Only his involvement in the evasion of gasoline rationing and in the black market for sugar during the Second World War became known.

One of the few public appearances in which Gagliano took part was the wedding of Joe Valachi on September 18, 1932. Tommy Lucchese was generally always present at the large meetings and conferences of La Cosa Nostra .

The end

Gagliano died of natural causes; the real date of death is still unknown. During his Senate hearing in 1951, Tommy Lucchese gave February 16, 1951 as the date of death. Many historians favor 1953, but there is no evidence of this. Gagliano was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Ralph Salerno, John S. Tompkins: The Crime Confederation: The Crime Confederation. The untold story of America's most successful industry. The strategies & techniques of the Cosa Nostra & allied operations in organized crime . Garden City, New York 1969. ISBN 978-0-385-09073-5

Web links

predecessor Office successor
Gaetano Reina Head of the " Lucchese family " of La Cosa Nostra
1931 - 1951 		Tommy Lucchese
personal data
SURNAME Gagliano, Gaetano
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Gagliano, Tommy
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Mafia boss in New York
DATE OF BIRTH 1884
PLACE OF BIRTH Sicily
DATE OF DEATH uncertain: February 16, 1951
Place of death New York City