Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: DOUCE, RICHARD GORDON
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 06/24/1958
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

5/28/201

AGENCY.:

RECORD NUMBER :

FBI

124-10214-10225

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

92-2918-49

I kened under the John

Assassination Records

collection det of 1992

144 USC 2107 Notel.

Case#:NW 45854 Date:

11-17-2017

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM: DOUCE, RICHARD GORDON

TO :

DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE :

DATE: 06/24/1958

PAGES:

85

SUBJECTS :

SMO, GM, TOP HOODLUMS, BKG, REL, ASSOC, GAMBLING

CASINO, B/F INT

DOCUMENT TYPE :

PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION:

Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: 4; 11(a)

CURRENT STATUS: Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 01/29/1999

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE, APPROVAL OF IRS

COMMENTS: TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 2a, INDEX PAGES 76-83

v9.1

HH 45854

DocId: 32294949

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PG 92-228

T-10, who has been acquainted with HAZIDAKIS for over 20

years stated that HAZIDAKIS has become a very wealthy man

by reason of his association with the MANNARINO brothers

and during the past several years has made a number of trips

to his home town in ferlas,

Greece near the port of Athens.

T-10 explained that HAZIDAKIS has been investing his money

in apartment and office buildings in Perias, Greece and that

one piece of property in Perias brings a rental of $1,150

a month.

T-10, on February 24, 1958, pointed out that for the past 12

to 15 years, HAZIDAKIS has been a trusted lieutenant of the

MANNARINO organization directly responsible to GABRIEL

MANNARINO.

T-10 went on to say that at the present time

HAZIDAKIS and FONTANA are supervising the Triangle Billiards

Gambling Casino in New Kensington and that HAZIDAKIS has

the responsibility of holding large amounts of cash and making

a final accounting of the proceeds to the MANNARINO brothers.

I-10 stated that during 1957, he visited his wife and son

in Athens, Greece, and indicatedto T-10 before leaving that

he might remain in Greece, permanently. T-1O pointed out that

several months later after HAZIDAKIS returned from Greece,

he gathered from conversations with him that GABRIEL MANNARINO

either ordered HAZIDAKIS back to the United States or sent

someone over to Greece to bring him back.

T-10 expressed

the opinion that HAZIDAKIS is terrified of GABRIEL MANNARINÓ

and only remains in the United States for fear of winding up

with a bullet: in his head if he refuses to follow GABRIEL

MANNARINO's orders.

Records of the U. S. Clerk of Courts, Naturalization Bureau,

Western District

from Athens, Greece.

Records disclosed that HAZIDAKIS filed

Declaration of Intention in United States District Court,

Pittsburgh, January 19, 1923, and was admitted to citizenship

on January 1, 1925. (Certificate of Naturalization #2212298).

Records of

the U. S. Clerk of Courts, Western District of

Pennsylvania, Criminal Docket, Volume 35, page 385, reviewed

February 25,

1958, in the case entitled the United

States vs.

MIKE GEORGE HAZIDAKIS and ANDY KALUMBAS Indicated that defendants

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were indicted for giving false testimony in a naturalization

proceeding on November 15, 1932 (Section 23 of the Naturalization

Act of June 29, 1906) .

The case was tried on february Il, 1933,

and HAZIDAKIS was found guilty on all counts of the indictment

while defendant KALUMBAS was acquitted by direction of the court.

HAZIDAKIS was sentenced on June 9, 1933 to be imprisoned

for a period of two months and paid court costs of $51.

W. R. HOHN, Warden of the Westmoreland County Jail, Greensburg,

Pa.,

on February 24, 1958, advised SA THOMAS G. FORSYTH, III

that MIKE GEORGE HAZIDAKIS was committed to the Westmoreland

County Jail on June 14, 1933, after conviction in U. S. District

court,

Pittsburgh, for violation of Section 23, Naturalization

Act of June 29, 1906, and was released after serving two months.

Records of the Pittsburgh Police Department, Identification

Division, Pittsburgh, Pa., reviewed February 26, 1958, and the

files of

the Allegheny County Detective Bureau,

Identification

Division, Pittsburgh, reviewed February 28, 1958, disclosed

no criminal history identifiable with MIKE GEORGE HAZIDAKIS.

ATTILO

DE-FELICE.

T-10, on February 24, 1958, stated that DE FELICE has confided

to him on many occasions that he acts in the capacity of a

supervisor in charge of basketball, football, horse and fight

betting for the MANNARINO organization, working under the

direct supervision of WILLIE SAMS•

According to T-10,

DE FELICE supervises the sport betting from the Laetus Club

in New Kensington between the hours of 9:00 AM and 1:30 PM

daily accepting bets over telephone number Edison 9-9219, Edison

9-9382 and Edison 9-9209.

T-10 added that in conversation with DE FELICE within the past

two weeks he learned thatthe MANNARINO organization makes

approximately eight to ten thousand dollars a day from sport

betting and that DE FELICE has instructions before accepting

the odds for the particular sporting event of the day.

Records of the Pittsburgh Police Department, Identification

Division, reviewed March 3, 1958, and the files of the

Allegheny County Detective

Bureau, Identification Division,

reviewed February 28, 1958, disclosed no criminal history

identifiable with ATTILO DE FELICE.

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ROCCO G

BUFFONE

_FBI #875794

I-11, on November 21, 1956, stated that ROCCO G. BUFFONE,

a cousin of SAMUEL and GABRIEL, MANNARINO, is fronting the

operation of a construction company in New Kensington for

the MANNARINO brothers.

Records of the prothonotamy for vestmoreland Counts, lossburg,

JR. on January

for the purpose of entering the business of owning, buying,

selling and leasing real estate.

The party in interest was

Identified as ROCCO G. BUFFONE of 350 Charles Avenue,...

insincinidi

Records of the Prothonotary for westmoreland County, Greensburg,

reviewed February 3, 1950, by sA KLeBE (Volume 7, page

• Manufacturing Company filed certificate

#E4863 on June 15, 1949 for the purpose of doing business in

connection with the manufacture and installation of wood

cabinets with offices at 912 Constitution Boulevard, New

Kensington,

Parties in interest were recorded as ROCCO G.

BUFFONE, RALPH J. BUFFONE, SAMUEL A. BUFFONE and JAMES V...

BRUNO.

T-13, who has requested that his identity remain confidential

and who stated he will not testify at any future Federal

or state proceedings on March 7, 1958, stated that in 1953

he had a quarter interest in the Bachelor's Club in the

East Liberty Section of Pittsburgh with ROCCO G. BUFFONE,

a cousin of the MANNARINO brothers, HYMIE MARTIN and CHARLES

TEEMER.

T-13 observed that many years ago BUFFONE, whom

he described as a real

estate dealer and contractor, was

connected with the rackets but no longer has any racket

connections and is a legitimate businessman.

The identification record of ROCCO G. BUFFONE discloses

a total of six arrests by the Pennsylvania State Police,

Greensburg, Pa., for gambling and bookmaking during the period

1934-46.

In January, 1935, BUFFONE was convicted of operating

a gambling house and

was sentenced to the Allegheny County

Work House for a period of one to two years.

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T-14, who has requested that his identity remain confidential

and who stated he will not testify at any future Federal

or state proceedings, on December 11, 195%, stated that

RALPH BUFFONE, aka

"Jimmy"

the constable of the First Ward

In New Kensington, and brother of ROCCO G. BUFFONE, 1s an

associate of GABRIEL MANNARINO and controls the First Ward

for the MANNARINO organization.

EARLVFTELDS

FBI #4152032

at 12th and Fourth Avenues, New Kensington, Pa e

reportedly

controls numbers writers and the colored vote in New Kensington

for the MANNARINO organization.

The Identification record of EARL FIELDS, FBI #4152032,

consists of three arrests by the Pennsylvania State Police,

Greensburg, Pa,, for operating a lottery during the period

1939-45.

FIELDS was convicted in connection with each

arrest and paid fines and court costs.

CARL NOLI

FBI #968588-

Cerl truIng

"NoLL

T-10, on December 9, 1957, stated that the MANNARINO brothers

are

very friendly with CARL NOLL, a recent arrival in

New Kensington from New Orleans, Louisiana.

T-10 explained that

the MANNARINOs set up NOLL in a small newsstand business

In downtown New Kensington, from which he is running a card

game.

T-10 was of the opinion that NOLL had served some

time In New Orleans.

I-10, on March 10, 1950, stated that NOLL recently sold

his interest in the newsstand in downtown New Kensingtor

and rented a restaurant on Third Avenue in New Kensington

where he is planning to organize a card game, baseball

pool and numbers operation with the sanction of the MANNARINO

I-10 pointed out that NOLL mentioned to him

In recent conversation that he had served time in the

Penitentiary and Indicated that his friend, SAM MANNARINO,

would take good care of him because he had something on

MANNARINO.

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years as a political contact man and "paymaster" to Chief

Westmoreland County Detective ARTHUR "BUDDY" TURNER to insure

protection for the organization on the county level.

T-10 said

that in his opinion TANNAS has also paid off Representative

JOHN DENT, now serving in the United States House of

Representatives, Washington, D. C.j

and who, according to T-10,

is a close associate of Governor GEORGE LEADER of Pennsylvania.

T-10 stated that in his opinion payments were made to

DENT in order that the organization's gambling interests will

not be disturbed by the Pennsylvania State Police operating

in Westmoreland County, Pa.

T-10, on March 10, 1950, stated that Captain JAMES MARONEY,

Commander of the Pennsylvania State Police at Greensburg, Pa.,

told him that he wound like to crack down on the MANNARINO

organization but had virtually no power to do so. According

to T-10, MARONEY implied that in order to arrange his transfer

to the Pennsylvania State Police post in Greensburg several

years ago through JOHN DENT, he had to promise TANNAS that

he would take no action in line with his official duties to

disturb MANNARINO gambling Interests in New Kensington,

without first clearing with the District Attorney for

Westmoreland County.

T-10, on May 19, 1958, stated that in his opinion, the MANNARINO

brothers of New. Kensington are the most well organized and

Influential hoodlums in the State of Pennsylvania today.

T-10, on June 3, 1958, stated he learned in conversation with

MIKE

HAZIDAKIS that GABRIEL MANNARINO was in New Kensington,

Pa., on Saturday, May 31, 1958, and Instructed JOHN FONTANA

and HAZIDAKIS to close the Triangle Billiards Gambling

Casino because of newspaper exposes in the

"New Kensington

Dispatch" and the "pittsburgh Post-Gazette" regarding the

operation of the casino.

T-10 pointed out that according

to HAZIDAKIS, MANNARINO

instructed Captain JOHN BORDINARO

of the New Kensington Police Department to contact all

numbers operators operating in New Kensington with MANNARINO

protection and warn

them to be extremely discreet because

of the likellhood of raids by the Internal Revenue Service

as a result of recent newspaper publicity.

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Alleged Political Influence -

Westmoreland county, Pa.

T-27, on December 12, 1957, stated that Governor GEORGE LEADER

of Pennsylvania was a house guest of Mayor RAYMOND GARDLOCK

of New Kensington during Mr. LEADER'S 1955 gubernatorial

campaign. T-27 stated that when Mr. LEADER arrived at the

GARDLOCK

residence, he was greeted by GABRIEL MANNARINO, who

paid the bill for a party honoring Mr. LEADER's presence.

T-14, on March 25, 1955, stated that WILLIE CAMPBELL, a Negro

resident of New Kensington, recently filed his intention to

run for constable of the First Ward, but dropped out of the

! "JIMMY" BUFFONE, the Constable, and other

MANNARINO confederates, paid him $150. T-14 stated that it was

the common belief in the First Ward at the time that CAMPBELL

could have won the election because of his popularity.

T-29, who has

requested that his identity remain confidential

and who stated he will not testify at any future Federal or

state proceedings, on March 26, 1958, stated that the MANNARINO

brothers control the city of New Kensington, give orders to

Mayor RAYMOND GARDLOCK, and completely dominated the New

Kensington Police Department and Chief of Police DANIEL ZELOYLE.

T-29 pointed out that Chief ZELOYLE has publicly advocated

gambling and houses of prostitution as a determent to crimes

of violence.

of GABRIEL MANNARINO's mother, he personally observed Mayor

DAVID LAWRENCE of Pittsburgh enter GABRIEL MANNARINO's home

on Charles Avenue in New Kensington to pay his respects.

T-10, on May 7, 1958, stated that he learned from T-30, whose

availability as

a witness is not known at this time, that

T-30 received a telephone call from SAM MANNARINO on May 6,

office at the Ken Iron and Steel Company in New Kensington,

that day, to discuss the matter of financial contributions

the primary elections on May 20, 1958. According to T-10,

MANNARINO also told T-30 that during the meeting T-30

be told what candidates the MANNARINO organization would support

In the primary election and, further, that T-3º should come to

the meeting prepared to purchase a number of tickets for the

Westmoreland County Workers Committee's

$15 a plate dinner.

T-10 described the dinner as a Democratic Party sponsored affair

to be held at the Twin Coaches Restaurant at 6:30 p.m.,

May 12, 1958.

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E. LEGITIMATE ENTERPRISES

United States Savings Bonds

T-31, another Government agency whose records are available

following the issuance of a subpoena duces teeum, on February

10, 1958, advised that during the period 1941 to 1944, SAM

MANNARINO, ROSE MANNARINO, and/or MINNIE MANNARINO of

New Kensington, Pa., purchased a total of fifteen United

States Savings Bonds with face value of $3,070, all of which

were redeemed by ROSE MANNARINO on February 7 - 8, 1951,

before maturity through the Federal Reserve Bank, Cleveland,

Ohio.

T-31 pointed out that MINNIE CARLUCCI and VICTOR CARLUCCI

of New. Kensington, Pa., purchased during 1945, a total of

eight United States Savings Bonds with face value of $725,

all of which were redeemed on February 7, 1951, before

maturity by Mrs. MINNIE CARLUCCI, at the

First

National

Bank of New Kensington, Pa.

Coin Machine Distributing Company,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

T-32, who has requested that his identity remain confidential

and who will not testify at any future Federal or state

proceedings, on March 6, 1958, stated that 1n 1943, SEBASTIAN

JOHN LA ROCCA, FRANK AMATO, BARNEY MCGINLEY, F. W. ZOGG, SAMUEL

MANNARINO and GEORGE MESSER formed the Coin

Machine Distributing

Company, with offices at 5746 Baum Boulevard, Pittsburgh.

T-32 recalled that even though each of the above owners received.

an equal share of the company's profits, SAM MANNARINO and

JOHN LA ROCCA seemed to be the people in authority and held

various meetings in the offices at which time important topics

were discussed in the Italian language. T-32 stated that since :

he does not understand Italian, he was never able to determine

the topics of conversation entered into by MANNARINO, LA ROCCA

or AMATO.

T-32 recalled that FRANK VALENTI and ANTONIO RIPEPI

visited the offices of the Coin Machine Distributing Company

regularly and appeared to take orders from MANNARINO and

LA ROCCA.

I-32 said that the company was doing quite well

financially until 1946, when Allegheny County authorities

began raiding establishments where company machines were placed

and forced the company to go out of business.

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T-32 stated that he considered LA ROCCA and MANNARINO the

controlling racketeers in Western Pennsylvania with MIKE

GENOVESE being the logical successor to the top position.

T-32 recalled that on one occasion union leader NICK STIRONE

visited the offices of the coin Machine Distributing Company

and asked SAM MANNARINO to send some of his

"gorillas" to

work over some laborers who were giving STIRONE some trouble

in connection with the construction of a highway being built

in the Monroeville Section of Pittsburgh. According to

T-32, the job was done for STIRONE who later became very

angry when he learned that his "gorillas" had injured some

of the older Italian men working on the construction job.

National Filben Corporation

Chicago, Illinois

TOM TANNAS, City Clerk of Arnold, Pa., on January 31, 1950,

advised SA

WILLIAM J. MYERS that

he,

SAMUEL MANNARINO and

others not further identified, lost

a considerable amount

of money as a result of their investment in the Filben Corporation

and that the business had been entirely liquidated.

T-33, who has requested that his identity remain confidential

and who will not testify at any future Federal or state

proceedings,

on July 10, 1951, advised that the MANNARINO

brothers and CHARLES MARGIOTTI, former Attorney General of

Pennsylvania,.now deceased, and others not further identified,

suffered serious financial

reverses because of their investment

and loss of certain patent rights in a juke box manufacturing

concern in Chicago, Illinois.

T-33 commented that the

MANNARIN brothers, at that time, appeared to be very short

of ready cash and as a matter of

fact, had borrowed as much

as $25,000 recently from associates in New Kensington.

I-34, who has requested that his identity remain confidential

stated he will not testify at any future Federal or

state proceedings, on March 20, 1957, stated that CHARLES

MARGIOTTI, former

Attorney General of Pennsylvania, represented

the MANNARINO brothers of New Kensington and MURRY

GARSON, during

the period 1945-46, in connection with their attempt to successfully

form a juke

box manufacturing: concernlin Chicago, Illinois.

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Provided that the Corporation does

not intend to do the type

of business

regulated by the Act of April 8, 1937, P.L. 262

(Consumer Discount Company Act) or by

the Act of June 17, 1915,

P.L. 1012, as amended (Small Loans

Act)."

Authorized capital stock of said corporation is $500 divided

Into 50 shares of Common Stock with a par value of $10 per

share.

The application of the New Kensington Sales and Rental

Corporation is on file at the Corporation Bureau under

c. M. B. 54.31, film 995-998.

Real Estate Transactions

Westmoreland County, Pa.

T-11 on February 4, 1958, stated that as a result of recent

conversations with SAMUEL MANNARINO, he would estimate that

MANNARINO owns several hundred acres of land near Weinel's

Crossroads in Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County, Pa.?

representing a total investment of around $63,000.

T-11

said he believes MANNARINO is recording the property in

the

name of JENNIE MORENO, aka Genévieve Moreno, his private

secretary at the Ken Iron and Steel Company, or in the name

Of MORENO's daughter, KATHLEEN. T-Il said

that some of the

property might be recorded in favor of subject's wife, ROSE,

or their daughter, MINNIE, and her husband VICTOR CARLUCCI.

I-ll pointed out that MANNÁRINO recently told him that he

entered into a tentative agreement with the construction

firm of Murin and Fiorina of New Kensington for the purpose

of selling

that firm several acres of his land near Weinel's

Crossroads for $600 an acre in return for a partial interest

in a motel to be built on the site by the construction

company.

and his wife, ROSE:

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afternoon of January 29, 1950, and checked in at the Bismart

Hotel.

I-to pointed out that

MANNARINO and ZOGG made a tour

of local nightclubs on the evening of January 29, 1958,

accompanied by "JEKE" WOLF, owner of the Auto Bell Company,

2900 W. Kinzie St.,

Chicago, slot machine manufacturing

concern. T-48 stated that MANNARINO discussed with WOLF the

matter of obtaining used or rebuilt slot machines

• for a

Cuban operation.

Records of the Bismark Hotel in Chicago, reviewed by SA

HILL on January 30, 1958, revealed that MANNARINO and ZOGG

registered

on January 29,

1958, and were assigned Room 437

indicating

that they expected to remain at the hotel until

February 1, 1958.

On January 31, 1958, MANNARINO and ZOGG left Chicago en route

to Pittsburgh at 2:45 PM, via Capital Airlines Flight 244.

Records of the Passport Office, U. S. Department of State,

Washington, D. C., reviewed on

February 3, 1958, indicated

that SAMUEL MANNARINO has never applied for a passport

to leave the United States.

H. PERSONAL HABITS AND PECULIARITIES

T-11 on November

• 24, 1955, stated that SAMUEL MANNARINO 1S

a gun enthusiast and has an impressive collection of firearms.

I-ll on May 7, 1958, pointed out that while speaking with.

MANNARINO in his office at the Ken Iron and Steel Company,,

May 5, 1958, MANNARINO admitted that he had recently suffered

a "mild stroke" and was ordered

to bed by the family doctor

for a complete rest.

According

to T-11, MANNARINO confided

that he dsregarded the doctor's instructions and returned

to work after staying in bed only two days since he was

far too nervous to remain at home doing nothing.

MANNARINO

told I-ll that his doctor was quite upset that he did not

follow his instructions because of the apparent severity of

the stroke.

T-ll expressed the opinion that MANNARINO gives the appearance

of being an ill man and added that MANNARINO admitted to him

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