PG 92-599. | PG Ta22 is -§,: HUGHES, =~ | PG T=23 is EDWARD L. STEWART, | | PG T-24 is HARRY WILLIAM. CROON, | | PG T-25 is ALBERT E, KLEBE, JR. 7 PG T=26 is. ALBERT E. KLEBE, JR. HW 45339 - PG T-27 is “T, THOMPSON, so PG PG PG: PG PG: PG 603-C-TE, who was contacted by SA JOHN 826=PC, who was contacted by SA. 787-C-TE, who was contacted by SA 809=PC, who was contacted by SA 788-C=TE, who was contacted by SA 658-C, who was contacted by SA NORMAN - Dee “COVER PAGE DoclId: 3273052766 Page 2?
PG 92=599 intractable in relation to a lésser matter, LA ROCCA would not hesitate to. authorize a "hits " | . The idea held by LA ROCCA that greater’ mutual benefit and profit could result by peaceful arbitration gradually proved its soundness to other racketeers in the Pittsburgh area and the result is: that there have been fewer "mob killings” in the Pittsburgh district than in any other city of comparable population; ‘Another result came about because of this new LA ROCCA thinking. All of the members of La Cosa Nostra in the Pittsburgh area became "workers," The old policy of having stooges and outsiders control the operation of a gambling establishment—while the leader sat back and merely shared in the profits was abandoned. No ‘longer: would the leader pick up his business with a staff of "musclemen,” but these. musclemen: became actively engaged in : the: administration of the: numerous ‘gambling establishments themselves. This informant: stated that when he was a young man, | Win my early 20's," GIOVANNI? BAZZANO was very fond of him and ' frequently used him as a chauffeur, When BAZZANO was killed by numerous ice pick stabs in :New: York City, however, everyone knew he had it coming and: felt. no pity for him, BAZZANO is . buried in a cemetery in the New: Kensington, Pa,, area, according to this informant, ~~ = - PG Tek advised that in the late 1920's and early 1930's, the two top groups in the Mafia in the Pittsburgh area ‘were headed by JOHN CANCELLIERI (deceased) of the North Side, and the. VOLPE brothers. of Wilmerding, Pa., headed by’ JOHNNY ‘VOLPE (deceased), also known. as: “Prince Johnny." He stated that: JOHNNY VOLPE was shot’ down in July, 1932, on Wylie Avenue, Pittsburgh, with his brothers, JIMMY and ARTHUR. LOUIS: VOLPE and JOE VOLPE are the younger surviving: brothers. - JOHN CANCELLIERI died about: 1965, and left his Rosa Villa Restaurant at Sandusky and East General Robinson Streets to his grandsons, JOHN and SAM.” The father of these two boys, SAM, died in 1947, and was an active Mafia man. The informant _wWas..not.certain.of..the sons! affiliation .with La Cosa Nostra | >: byt. knows that meetings are held. at the Rosa Villa Restaurant ‘. between LA. ROCCA, the: MANNARINOs ° and TONY... RIPEPI: -periodically. He advised that in. 1957, he made a visit to Italy and learned that the Mafia members around Florence and Milan ‘* + - ,all- claim to be Sicilians, even if they are Italian born. . - He advised: further that there was..a gangland murder in the , Lo HW 45339 DBocld:323052766 Page 3
PG 92-599 produce yards in Florence while he was there, and the father and the brother of the victim witnessed the slaying, and “still would not ‘admit to the: ‘Carabiniert that they saw any- “thing. AP: Informant: advised: further regarding marriages that. formerly the members arranged the’ matches when. their children ‘> were still quite young.’ He stated a good example is the BAZZANO- 'RIPEPI marriage. He knows this "was arranged. as he has been a long-time associate and friend of TONY RIPEPI, He: further stated that the marriage of TONY RIPEPI'’s oldest: daughter to COSTANZA (STANLEY) VALENTI of*Rochester, Pa., was arranged in a like fashion, This VALENTI-is a brother of FRANK VALENTI, whom: RIPEPI sponsored: into La” Cosa: Nostra, He advised: further’ that: STANLEY VALENTI ‘refuses to ‘allow his wife to even visit‘her parents in Pittsburgh and that he does not know the reason’ for this, but knows that there is bad blood between them. The informant advised regarding the term La Cosa Nostra, that he first heard this *- used after the testimony of: JOSEPH VALACHI., ‘He advised he always..knew.of it locally .as “The Outfit." His interpretation '- of the phrase La Cosa Nostra: is. “our own home" or “our own well-being," with emphasis on | the "our own." PG T=5 has advised that when he was a boy in Pittsburgh, "the syndicate" bombed a grocery store owned by his: father on Clay Way in the lower Hill District because his father had refused to pay $10,000 which was demanded for the: protection of his property. — He said that the group of ‘specialized extortionists was known as the "Red Masks." He recalled that the group picked only on Italians and not. -- on native=born American: citizens’ because it was felt that ‘the Italians would not talk or report their troubles to the “police. He stated that this group would actually seek out ‘laborers. and hard-working people’ who were earning from $1,00 to $1.25 a day and extort their meager savings from them through threats. Their targets’ were carefully selected and.each was sent a letter containing a small red mask. They. obtained their name from’ this practice. ~ The aforementioned” informant recalled that the 's leader in the lower Hill District at the turn of the century was DOMINICK DE FARNANDO, who was also known as "Don" De Farnando, Following the bombing of his father’s business ‘establishment, the police picked up this individual and a \ . ~~ HW 45339 Docld: 32305266 Page 4
PG 92=599 several of his associates but had to release them for lack of evidence, DE FARNANDO came’ to the father of the informant “and apologized to him and also ‘told him that he was not , responsible for the bombing.’ The following night, to the best vecollection of the informant, two Italian racketeers. from the. Sharpsburg, Pa., area, were found at the bottom of a steep ravine in Aspinwall. . They had” been knifed repeatedly. In relation to the“ VOLPE family of Wilmerding, Pa., the informant advised that he has known them for more than '50 years, and delivered groceries to their home as a boy. He described them as "class Italians” in their. day and ‘recalled that JOHN, also known. as "Prince Johnny," was the /° oldest son, who tried to mové ‘into the lower Hill District in the late 1920's and early 1930"s in order to supervise the | lucrative: booze business,. He recalled that every day without fail, JOHNNY went to a barber shop a few doors away from the Roma Coffee Shop on Wylie Avenue; for a facial and manicure, It was. at this coffee shop that the triple killing of the VOLPE brothers began. ARTHUR was hit first and JAMES was “killed at the counter, After being wounded, JOHNNY endeavored 'to reach his Cadillac parked in front of the store, but fell on the sidewalk and was shot° again, Accused of fingering the "hit" was GAETANO BAZZANO and’ MIKE SPINELLI was the actual hit man, Both were subsequently killed by mob action outside of Pittsburgh, b. General Observations Relating to the Initiation- Ceremony _ PG T-6 has: advised® that the code of the: organization in Pittsburgh, at the time of his initiation, was approximately , as follows: “Honor is stressed as the most sacred thing ‘ain the world, To! destroy another person must be for honor and not*money alone, A member is warned never to engage in an affair with the wives of other members, A member must never -engage in white slavery or narcotics, both crimes which are degrading to the name of the organization, A imember must obey: the complaints and instructions of his superior and is never to. take the life of a fellow member before presenting his. grievance to the Commission. A “member must: do nothing which would affect the organization without ‘first receiving permission. from a superior," ., a4 7 — HW 45339 DBocld:323052766 Page 5
‘Division. These a Taghelaccler aver bees: members “of La Cosa, “Nostra andthe bulk of the’ work’ was. to be. done by the i" | Internal Revenue Service | in relation to the reti “fil ‘been. held on a 1 ‘ disgussed were ‘was’ born either: in the state: New York City, and that he came '. small boy and attended the Altoona’ school | system. He ‘aid Co RELEASE IN FULL [2° RELEASE IN PART PG: 92~ 599 oO TOTAL DENIAL - aa PC T=22 has advised’ that. DAVID ROBERT STACOVERET to. Altoona when he ‘was a very that the father of TACOYETET “ALPERT and‘his mother cone maiden. name, te The aforementioned: informant: advised that ‘IACOYETTI, es ‘has: three brothers in Aitoona* ‘naméd GABRIEL, ANDREW. and. ! JOSEPH, and that all are engaged: in’ some. sort of business aveee ‘enterprise in the community and,*as far as he knows ,, are / legitimate: individuals, DAVID" “EACOVETTI left Altoona. + he is: x Con Host quite nae. on a, rumor, ‘organisation He stated that he has’ also: heard. hat IACOVETTI is a close ">: associate. of FRANK “SINATRA, ’ approximately 20 years ago: and went to Connecticut, He has: je ‘ not’ returned to Altoona except*for occasional visits. since | that time, but did marry a: second: or third. cousin of. Altoona!. ': Packeteer JACK VERILLA,» Her ihiden name was _ ALTIERO. po eo «He fas heard no additiona infor=« .. mation: indicating’ “that. ar group” headed by IACOVETTI. was: coming | 'f.. pack to’ Altoona, Pa, in an attempt to, take over the racket — oo . +i tyation <here»—and. no.. .furthereffort. -has..been: made in Sort MICHAEL’ JOHN TRAFICANTE: stial controls the glibeee on of the hig regard by the group. to purchase the Greenwood Supper — Club located in the. east. end:.of th the: pity | Investigation at A ona, Pas, ‘ingité numbers operation in the city}. “that he operates a pinball |: *smachine business and that: he: Sccasionally. backs a floating. — _CPap game: which norgigily: is Bie on Sunday: in Aeoonae (1 ae HW 45339 DoclId: 323052766 Page 6