Pa 924226 \ The informant advised. that the girlfriend of "BIG JOHN" LA: ROCCA -whose name is not recalled, died approximately ten years. ago ifrom an illness which LA ROCCA tried to cure by securing the — best medical aid money could obtain. Informant. advised that .. MIKE GENOVESE is a quiet individual who does not date openly but. forces his common-law wife ALICE to remain home alone constantly in a house "in the middle of nowhere." Informant... -advised that none of the wives of the racket men accompany: them at. their hangouts and seem to be reconciled to remaining in the- background while their husbands date and. support other women. openly. | GEORGE "MOON" MESSER, a. well-known and self-admitted Pittsburgh numbers writer. who is now sixty-three years of age, was. inter- viewed at his residence, 124 Elysian Street, Pittsburgh (Emerson 1-6684 or Emerson 1-5332) by SA VOEGE on February. 27, 1958. He advised that he began his numbers activity during "the olduclearing: house days of 1928". and is still active in ‘this regard. He said that most of Pittsburgh's. present day ™~ big. racket men once depended on him solely for protection purposes since. he knew local and state police figures and recalled that JOHN LA ROCCA was. one of these racketeers. MESSER stated. that LA ROCCA became acquainted with him-in about 1941 or 1942.when LA ROCCA was handling all the numbers . activity in the East Liberty. section of Pittsburgh and had set himself up | as ‘A."little God." .When LA ROCCA became. dissatisfied with his financial gains he left Pittsburgh on a trip to. Chicago to.see. friends about paste reel machines with which he felt he could ; make more money. MESSER said a paste reel was similar to a "one-armed bandit" with the exception that.a small paper-wrapped mint was dispensed after the coin was placed in. the slot and the play was registered. -~ Its Chicago manufacturers got around the "strictly for gambling purposes" phraseology in the law in. that “manner, | he explained. While. LA ROCCA was. in Chicago. MESSER | ‘moved into ‘East Liberty and took over the entire numbers operation. He turned in to - GEORGE CHRISTY ‘(now deceased) in Pittsburgh. When.LA ROCCA > returned he. became angry at the MESSER move and had.a car run over’ MESSER one night. when he was.crossing a street. When | _ MESSER got out of the hospital he found his automobile had - numerous bullet holes in it. Because he thought he'd make money MESSER stayed in .East Liberty and actually forced LA: ROCCA out. of the. numbers business. MESSER recalled that SAM.LEVINE,. a ‘ . a a _? -29- . SMW 56792 Docld:32333121 Page ?f ¥ fa Rep aR to aerate ee ae: marta aN OS eA
PG. 92=226 Pitssburgh top hoodlum, turned in to him during the early numbers days but said that he has not seen LEVINE in years, although he) is familiar with his McKees Rocks book. He said he was. friendly with LEVINE's brother RALPH, a promising dentist. who is a United States Army officer at present. MESSER advised that he and LA ROCCA became friendly following their feud and that in approximately 1943 LA ROCCA invited him to sharé equally in the ownership of the. Coin Machine Distributing Company which later set up offices at 5746 Baum Boulevard ‘in Pittsburgh. He recalled. that LA ROCCA was completely bankrupt . ‘because af numbers setbacks bub managed to raise enough money to put up his share. He personally visited Chicago. to arrange for the purchase of the machines and made a verbal agreement with ART ROONEY, who allowed him to place bhe machines throughout. the East Liberty, Homewood and Garfield sections and in other areas NEY was not operating. According to MESSER, ROONEY, who +4 owner of the Pittsburgh § Steelers professional - foosbali sLub, was the only: man who could. ge oaste reels before LBA ROCCA Gried, and cc lied the entire Pistsburgh vicinity in this regard.” MESSER said the Government placed $100 taxon each machine and that.the city pus a $50 tax sbamp on each machine. He said the other owners of she cowpany ‘in addition to himself ana LA ROCCA, were FRANK AMATO, a Pittsburgh ton hoodlum, BARNEY MG CINLEY, SAM MANNARINO, a Pisosburgn Lop ‘oodium, and F.. We ZOGG fr com Chicago, MESSER advised that the company was doing well financially before Allegheny County authorities raided establishments where the machines had been placed and forsed it ous of business. He recalled that. although each of the six owned an equal share:in. the company MANNARING and LA ROCCA seemed to run everything. and held meetings at. which important subjects were discussed in Italian. AMATO and several other Italians attended these meetings but. MESSER did not understand Italian. He advised that he realized that LA. ROCCA was only using him for his proven protection methods and did not mind’as long as.he got his cut out of the profits. He said his chief protection was the then Superintendent. of Police SCOTT., oo MESSER recalled that during 1946 or 1947 MIKE GENOVESE came on the scene. MIKE had been a pickup man for LA ROCCA and was a tough | kid. who, according to MESSER, "was almost begging. ' to 80 to jail..' =30.- HW 56792 DBocld:32333121 Page 6
PG 92226 \ a 7 . ow MESSER, who admittedly ran "moon and numbers joints" in the. . early thirties and was well acquainted with "Big Mike" SPINELLI, who killed ARTHUR, JIMMY and JOHNNY VOLPE, advised that there is absolutely no numbers: organization in the metropolitan | Pittsburgh area. He said that there are numerous independent. books which are well distributed and that there are no con= cessions or defined areas. MESSER stated that anyone with money can operate as he pleases and that the police. prefer it. this way. because they can collect protection. money easier. He. said” the police will not allow any organization now. MESSER advised that at one time he saw "Monkeyface Joe" ROSA, “FRANK -VALENTI and. TONY RIPEPI, all top hoodlums, daily, but. ‘that he has gotten away from the Italian element now with . _ the exception of the GENOVESES and NELSON. He recalled that VALENTI and RIPEPI visited. the offices of the Coin Machine Distributing Company regularly. and always took orders. from MANNARINO. and LA: ROCCA, He said RIPEPI was a more important racket man than VALENTI and that LA ROCCA seemed to be the key man. in the > Pittsburgh | area. MESSER: would place LA ROCCA and | _ MANNARINO as. the two men who control the rackets in Western Pennsylvania and he .sees MIKE GENOVESE as the togical successor to. the ‘op position. MESSER, who drives i 1955, blue and white Oldsmobile sedan, 1957) Pennsylvania license. E3914, recalled that in about. 1947 labor leader NICK STIRONE. visited the company ‘offices ‘to- Visit... his | close friends, LA-ROCGA and MANNARINO. He asked SAM. MANNARINO to get. "gorillas" to handle some men who were giving STIRONE. labor trouble. on.a highway being built in the Monroeville section ,and more.specifically to give the dissenters’a “going: over" while upsetting their equipment. ‘The job was done for STIRONE. by MANNARINO | who became incensed when. he learmed his gorillas © had hurt. some older Italian men. MESSER said MANNARINO was. under-r; the impression that the men who had defied. STIRONE. were young ‘punks and he. 1%, STIRONE. know what he thought of him int front; oF" HESSERY E. LEGITIMATE ENTERPRISES ms 5 advised’ on: March, 43: 1958: that? his: bankmade. a loan to: thevsnrbdject an. the- Nain. JOHN. S.LA “ROCA, for. $825 46 000 on. a-mortgage! for are a ~31 = ; : / HW 56792 DBocld:32333121 Page 9 ee ee
PG. 922226 ° p. 3 advised that MIKE GENOVESE had left. ‘town during. ‘he early. portion of February, ostensibly with his wife, and that: he: — eared from other racketeers that: GENOVESE and LA ROCCA went _to Florida and were there during the months of February and: Mareh, 1958... It was his opinion. that they might remain there | until. after a Pittsburgh Grand Jury to. investigate rackets has. finished its deliberations. It should be noted that. MIKE. GENOVESE. and his wife ‘returned to the Pittsburgh area during the first week of March, 1958 and that T-7 subsequently advised that. it was rumored among the Pittsburgh vracketeers ‘that they had been in Cuba as well as Florida.. On March - on, 1958,.- JUDD MECHLING., Chief Deputy. U.S. Marshal, . Pittsburgh, : advised that when Deputy Marshal RAY ECHEMENT tried. to serve a subpoena onthe subject at his residence on . that date, he. was informed that the subject’ was "vacationing. down south and would definitely ‘be home for the Easter season. He. advised chat:. ECHEMENT contacted Mrs. JOHN LA- ROCCA in this. regard and was treated very cordially, although he was not - allowed to. enter the house. On. this. same. date SA ROBERT A. VOEGE ‘observed the 1957 cream colored: Cadillac belonging to. the subject.parked in his garage : and it. still bore 1957 Pennsylvania license 11FM1. The Albany. office advised on March 15, 1958 that TROY WILLIAMS, Manager of ‘the. Arlington Hotel at Binghamton, N. ¥., had advised _SA- PATRICK A. MUNLEY on February 21, 1958 that all records pertaining» to. the subject had -been taken by an investigating committee but hé recalled the fact that the subject and (FNU) GENOVESE were. at ‘the: hotel on November 14, 1957,. the date of ‘the . Apalachin meeting, : ‘and had two: bedrooms. and a living room — by. the: subject and that-.call was to, Pittsburgh telephone Forest 4-5296; which’ is the home telephone of the subject. ‘stated that he had located a duplicate telephone ticket which HW 56792 Which would call. for-a rate of $22.00. He stated that the, rooms were:paid for in cash and were. not charged to Canada Dry . Bottling Company of Endicott, N. Y. He related. further that — there was only one telephone eall placed from the rooms occupied - "He Shows the call was made on November 13, 1957 but he advised that ‘the telephone operator evidently was in error in view of the fact that the subject registered at 8:58 AM on November 14, 1957. 83 7 - GP GVO ~[7 Docld: 323331271 Page 10
PG 92-226 ‘  @,._ MISCELLANEOUS JUDD MECHLING, Chief Deputy U. S. Marshal.for the Western District “Fiveevidence Mr PEearo sO athe aiteged: VWiSlgtiongpiaSectren 37167 e— } o.Title 18, U. S. Code. He stated that although the appearance was of Pennsylvania at Pittsburgh, Pa., advised on March 25, 1958-that holds a_subpoena for the subject to-appear be. ote _ scheduled for February 13, 1958 he has not been able to serve _ this subpoena and will have to obtain a ruling on a new date. The New York office advised on March 20, 1958 that on that date _ _it was. confidentially learned from WILLIAM S. LYNCH, Assistant U.S. “Attorney for the Southern District of New York at New York City, - that on .March. 19, 1958 VINCENT CASEY of Pittsburgh, Pa., an “attorney for the subject whose telephone is Pittsburgh GRant 1-4453, -4,. telephonically. advised LYNCH that he was unable to contact LA ROCCA > relative to his scheduled appearance before the Federal Grand Jury in the Southern District of New York. CASEY advised LYNCH that - he expected to be in contact. with the subject: during the week of ‘March 23, 1958 rélative to the subject's Grand Jury appearance. © IN VIEW OF THE SUBJECT'S CONVICTION FOR ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO HW 5679 MY. LYNCH: advased that. He was seriously considering the issuance °°- of a subpoena for the appearance of CASEY before the Grand Jury in this matter contingent upon LA ROCCA's appearance before that body during the week of March 23.1958. . “He MAY BE ARMED -35- G2 2000 19 2 Docld:3233351271 Page 11 ney
(PG 92-226 INDEX... MARIANELLI, SUSIE . MARIANELLT ,. THERESA MARTIN, HYMIE Mc. GINIEY BARNEY Medico Electrig company | Merry-Go-Round Restaurant MESSER, GEORGE "Moon" MOFFITT, MARTIN Motor Freight and racking Company . NELSON, ARCHIE North. star Cement Block Company PASQUALE, STASHIE D. MRS. PECORA., "IO so" "PEPPER". Pittsburgh. Steelers.  POLIZZ1, ‘MICHAEL SANTO .Premo Marianelli Construction Company PULGI, “ANTHONY RAGNO,, LITTLE JOE" REGINO, ‘JOSEPH REGINO, MARTO_ INDEX HW 56792 Docld: 32333121 Page 13 Page Numbers : 21 125 _ 22 27,28 30. a 29-31 ra 22 28, 31,32 6,16 wo. mg? 17-19 - 13 23 23,24 23.
“PG 92-226 INDEX MARIANELLI, SUSIE MARIANELLI,. THERESA | MARTIN, HYMIE 7 : . MC. GINIEY,, _BARNEY oe “Medico Eleetrig ‘Company Merry-Go-Round Restaurant MESSER, ’ GEORGE "MOON" MOFFITT, MARTIN Motor, Freight and Trucking Company NELSON, ARCHIE — North Star Cement Block Company PASQUALE, ‘STASHIE D, MRS . PECORA, "IO Jo" "PEPPER" | raseabnagy Steelers PULCL, "ANTHONY _ RAGNO,, "LITTLE son" REGINO, JOSEPH - REGINO, MARTO. INDEX <Hl= | Ae Docld: 323331271 Page 14 Fage Numbers 21 125 e200 CO 4 30. 29-31 22. aan 28,31,32 | 6,16 we. a8 28 30 2 ay-19 13