Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: MADVAY, J. EDWARD
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 4/10/59
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

5/28/201

AGENCY :

RECORD NUMBER :

RECORD SERIES :

FBI

124-10283-10098

HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: CR 100-42303-534

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FBI

FROM:

MADVAY, J. EDWARD

TO:

DIRECTOR, FBI.

TITLE:

DATE: 04/10/1959

PAGES: 45

SUBJECTS:

SMO, ASSOC, MAFIA, BKG, ORGANIZATIONAL SETUP AND

LEADERSHIP, MEMBERSHIP, CRIMINAL ACT

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: 4

. CURRENT STATUS :

Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 05/19/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS :

N9.1

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F6 94-363

INFORMANTS

PG I-I IS OLIVER FRANCHI, PCI, Gallatin, Pa.,

contacted by SA GENE H. STUDEBAKER.

PG I-2 is PG -533-C, contacted by SA ROBERT A. COOK.

PG T-3 is PCI CHARLES RUSSELL BURDETTE, R.D. #1,

Sycamore, Pa., formerly employed by REPEPI.

PG T-4 is PCI RAYMOND CARL BROOK, Monessen, Pa.

PG T-5 is PCI ELI JOSEPH ARNAL, Canonsburg, Pa.

PG I-6 is PCI MILLER N. ABRAHAM, Greensburg, Pa.

PG T-7 1S PCI ROCCO STASIO, Latrobe,

Pa.

PG T-8 1s HAROLD W. HOUVER, Investigator, INS, Pittsburgh,

who requested his identity be confidential.

PG T-9 iS FRED HOPE, Uniontown, Pa., being developed as a

PCI.

PG I-10 is Mrs. ROSE ROGALIANSKI, Republic, Pa. (Requested)

PG T-1l is PG-561-C.

PG I-12 iS PCI GUS FRANCIS, Brownsville, Pa.

PG I-13 IS Former PCI DON CRAWFORD (Request), Brownsville,

PG T-14 1s HUBERT I. TEITELBAUM, USA, Pittsburgh. (Protect -

Government employee)

PG T-15 is Legat, Rome, who by letter dated 9/3/58 from

advised that it had

PG T-16 is Former PCI GEORGE FAZE NICHOLAS, Pittsburgh, Pa.,

contacted by SA THOMAS G. FORSYTH, III.

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PG: 94-363

PA I-17 IS PCI RUDY SOKOL, Pittsburgh, Pa., contacted by

SA JOHN S. PORTELLA.

PG T-18 is HERMAN ISRAEL, Pittsburgh businessman,

contacted by SA JOHN S. PORTELLA. (Request)

PG I-19 is GEBHARD "BOOTS" REABE, Captain, Braddock Police

Department, contacted by SA THOMAS G. FORSYTH, III. (Request)

PG T-20 is PATRICK J. HAMIL, politician and member, School

Board, Braddock, Pa., contacted by SA THOMAS G. FORSYTH, III.

(Requested)

contacted by SA THOMAS

PG T-22. 1s JACK METZ, owner, Malleys Store, Braddock. (Request)

PO T

PG I-23 IS EDWARD F. "NACKY" MC DONOUGH, Justice of the

Peace, Braddock, Pa., contacted by SA THOMAS G. FORSYTH, III.

(Request)

PG T-24 is VINCENT A. ROSELLA, owner.

• Gull Service Station,

Larimer Avenue, Pittsburgh. (Request)

PG I-26 is PCI PHIL PETRULLI, contacted by SA JOHN S. PORTELLA.

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lamarias

PG: 94-363

B. ORGANIZATIONAL SETUP AND LEADERSHIP

During general investigations into criminal type matters

and from general public sources, the name SEBASTIAN JOHN

LA ROCCA, commonly known as JOHNLA ROCCA, Of Pittsburgh,

has frequently been mentioned as synonomous with

. the

Pittsburgh area leader of the Marla. Huie

On May 11, 1953, during an interview with JOHN LA ROCCA

in connection with an official matter, the subject of

the Mafia came up and LA ROCCA advised SA JOHN S. PORTELLA

as follows:

He denied current or past existence in the United States

of any organization known as the Black Hand or Mafia.

He said Sicilians who had come to the United States had

congregated in certain communities in the same fashion as

had Irish and other nationality groups, because of similarities

of interests and backgrounds.

These communities had

naturally given rise to social, fraternal and civic groups

and members of such groups as a matter of course assisted

other members who were in ay sort of trouble.

The tactics

used in some instances to achieve the ends desired by some

of these groups were not always according to the letter of

the

law, but they were generally more effective. In any group

there are those who refuse to work for a living and sometimes

resort to extorting a livelihood from anyone who could be

frightened or terrorized.

In an Italian community these

few would naturally be referred to as the Black Hand or

Mafia because of the history of similar activities on the

part of the Mafia in Sicily.

BamkMannarino

During interviews under various investigative programs,

Gabriel

Kelly

part, been based on rumor, self-analysis

or hearsay.

PG I-I, who has furnishedreliable information in the past,

advised on september 28, "Black Hand"

prior to world war 1

the Mafia,

known as the

did actually exist

in the United States. (PG I-I said that he personally knew

the "Black Hand" dealt with his father-in-law (deceased)

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PG: 94-363

(for when the latter was living he told him that he had

received a letter from the "Black Hand" demanding money

with a threat to burn his store.

He said that this was

in about 1930 or 31 and that his father-in-law operated

a small produce store.

Further,

that his father-in-law

paid the "Black Hand"

over a period of years for

protection. PG T-l said that his father-in-law never

mentioned names and that he, PG I-1, could not furnish

the identities of the

"Black Hand"

members who dealt

with his father-in-law.)

PG T-l further advised that he learned from his father-

in-law and other sources, names unreca lea, that the

"Black Hand"

contacted Itallans owning small stores in

Monongahela, Pa., and vicinity and demanded "protection

with

the

threat of bodily narm.

Later, the "Black

members would deliver produce

such as bananas,

cabbage,

apples and the like to the Italian store owners

and even though the produce or fruit was spoiled, nor ordered

and of no value to the store owner, the owners were forced

to accept the produce.

IG 1-1 added that the price of the

produce was extremely high; 'however, the small Italian

store owner always paid because he knew this was a practice

of the

"Black Hand."

PG T-l said that he did not know. of

any specific store owner who could verify the foregoing

information.

PG T-l stated that it was his belief that TONY RIPEPI

based his

opinion

on the fact that both RIPEPI and

ANZALONE "gre big"

after starting out as "bootleggers."

He said that he felt that neither RIPEPI nor ANZALONE

would have gained their present power in the rackets had they

not been members of the Mafia. PG T-l further stated that

he could offer no additional sources to verify his beliers.

PG T-I said that in the late 1920's and early 1930's he

recalled "talk" among the Italian element, names unrecalled,

that JOE CANCELLIERE (deceased) who lived in Pittsburgh,

was the

"head" of the Mafia and that JOHN LA ROCCA waS

high in this organization.

He said that he had no proof' of

this and could not furnish any source for his information.

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PG 94-363

ROSA left the room

and about a week later GIANNI was shot to death.

TONY RIPEPI

on January 3, 1958, PGIT-liadvised that he has known TONY

RIPEPI for about 45 years and associated with him closely

until about 1950:

During a discussion of the GARROW-EVANS murder in Pittsburgh

in 1926, PG T-I commented that he did not have specific

information which would link TONY RIPEPI with the GARROW

EVANS murder but. commented that he did not want to discuss

this matter adding,

"If word gets back to TONY that I have

talked to you, he will have my place blown up, and that I

don't want."

On January 20, 1958, PG T-2, who has furnished reliable

information in the past, advised. that in about tys, toNy

RIPEPI, DOMINICK ANZATONE and CHARLES ZIMMARO of Monasse, Pa.

the latter an associate of RIPEPI, who was involved in the

numbers games, started nethe numbers business in a poolroom

believed to have been leased by ZIMMARO at Monessen.

The

informant said that ANZALONE and RIPEPI wanted him, informant,

to use his influence to secure control of the numbers operations

in Washington County, Pa,, which at that time were being

operated by HARRS MILLER"

of Donora, Pa.

PG T-2 said that he talked to TOM WHITE, who was then Chief

of Police in California, Pa., and also ROBERT COWELL, deceased,

who was then a Constable of around Roscoe, Pa., but that

individuals refused to allow ANZALONE and RIPEPI to operate

the numbers in Washington County. PG I-2 said that WHITE and

COWELL, told him that HARRY MILLER was treating them all right

and that they had no intention of permitting anyone else to

operate numbers in Washington County.

Informant. stated that

he told this to TONY RIPEPI and RIPEPI said something to the

Informant

explained that PROTON, who is deceased, worked for MILLER at

that time.

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PG 94-363

The informant said that after RIPEPI told him about "bumping

MILIER off" he decided he did not want any further association

with RIPEPI or ANZALONE and he gradually broke away from

this association.

He stated that to his knowledge, neither

RIPEPI nOr ANZALONE took any physical action against MILLER

or PROTON; however, RIPEPI and ANZALONE eventually gained

control of the numbers racket in Washington County, forcing

MILLER out.

During the investigation of TONY RIPEPI in 1958, the following

sources were specifically questioned for information which

they might have relating to the so-called Mafia, syndicate or

organized crime in which RIPEPI and ANZALONE were associated.

These sources said there was no indication that RIPEPI was

a member or connected with a state or nationwide syndicate

and that they never heard RIPEPI'S or ANZALONE's names

mentioned in connection with the Mafia:

PG T-1

PG T-2

PG T-3

PG T-4

PG T-5

PG I-6

PG T-7

PG T-8

PG I-9

PG I-10

who said he has been acquainted with RIPEPI for

over 40 years.

who is familiar with criminal activity in

Washington County, Pa:

who said he was personally acquainted with RIPEPI

for many years.

who was formerly associated with RIPEPI's numbers

operation in Monessen, Pa.

a former numbers operator in Donora, Pa.

who stated he has been familiar with criminal

activity in Westmoreland County, Pa.

who stated he has been familiar with criminal

activity in Westmoreland County, Pa.

a representative of another Government agency.

who is presently a pick-up man in the numbers

racket controlled by RIPEPI and DOMINICK ANZALONE.

who is familiar with numbers operations in

Fayette County, Pa.

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PG 94-363

which could pull strings from one point and control crime or

gambling in another section of the country.

He said that in

spite of all these statements he knew that

the FBI and other

governmental agencies would not believe him; however, there was

no way that he could prove his statements.

It is noted that JOHN LA ROCCA was recently interviewed by

SA ROBERT A. VOEGE regarding his connection with the MAFIA.

The results of this interview were reported previously in this

report.

GEORGE "MOON

area and took over the entire numbers operation.

When LARROCCA

returned from Chicago, he became angry with MESSER and had a

car run over him one night when he was crossing the street.

When MESSER got out of the hospital he said he found his

automobile had numerous bullet holes in it.

MESSER said that later he and LA ROCCA ended their feud and in

approximately 1943, LA ROCCA invited him to share equally in

the ownership of the Coin Machine Distributing company,

5746 Baum Boulevard in Pittsburgh.

MESSER advised that this

company did well financially until the Allegheny County

authorities raided the establishments where the coin machines

were located.

NESSER advised that in about 1947, labor leader NICK STIRONE

visited the company office to talk to LA ROCCA and SAM MANNARINO.

STIRONE asked SAM MANNARINO to get some

"gorillas" to handle

some men who were giving STIRONE labor trouble on a hignway

being built in the Monroeville, Pa.,

section and more specifically

to give the dissenters a "going over" while upsetting their

equipment. MESSER said the job was done for STIRONE by

MANNARINO who became incensed when he learned his gorillas had

hurt some older Italian men. MESSER said MANNARINO was under

the impression that the men who had defied STIRONE were "young

punks "*

and he let STIRONE know what he thought of him in front

Of MESSER.

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PG 94-363

exceeding $200.

She had only $20 in cash. At that time

Mrs. ADRAGNA advised Customs that her son, GEORGE ADRAGNA,

was

• in Rome, Italy, staying at a hotel.

On September 3, 1958, PG I-15, a confidential source abroad, :

advised as follows:

GEORGE ADRAGNA, U. S. citizen, arrived at Palermo, Italy, on

July 18, 1958.

He took lodging at the Jolly Hotel until

July 21, 1958, at which time he departed by automobile for

and

mas accompanied return ther CrUSE. surin

his stay at the Jolly Hotel in Palermo ADRAGNA received visitors

from the City of Alcama, however, nothing happened which was

considered suspect from

the behavior or appearance of the

visitors.

where he stayed at the Hotel Principe Piemonte from August 21,

1958 to August 23, 1958.

observed during ADRAGNA's stay in Turin.

On September 15, 1958, the New York Office advised that GEORGE

ADRAGNA arrived

at New York aboard the

"SS SATURNIA."

executed customs baggage clearance and his five pieces of,

luggage were examined by agents with negative results. ADRAGNA

was also given a personal search by customs and the search was

unproductive.

His 1958 Ford Skyliner which accompanied him

on this trip to Europe was thoroughly searched with negative

results.

G. INDICATED VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL OR STATE LAWS

No information developed to date.

H. PENETRATION OF MAFIA GROUPS

No information developed to date.

The second phase of this investigation pertains to the review

of matters investigated during the early 1930's wherein the

MAFIA or Black Hand or similar type name was an integral part

of the investigation.

The

results of this review and supplemental investigation is

as follows:

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380"

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