Colagero Morello

The son of US Mafia boss Giuseppe Morello.

East Harlem

Colagero Morello

Calogero “Charles” Morello was born in Corleone in November 1892. The son of Giuseppe Morello and his first wife, Maria Rosa Marsalisi.1

On April 17, 1912, witnesses reported seeing a heated discussion between Calogero, Joe Polizzo, and Charles “Baker” Cangro in a saloon at 3rd Ave and E114th Street. The trio apparently spilled out into the street and several shots were fired. Calogero ran towards E114th Street and Lexington, where the police found him collapsed on a stoop and took him back to the crime scene. All three men were taken to Harlem Hospital where Calogero passed away, and both Polizzo and Cangro were “in a grave condition.” 2

Colagero Morello death certificate
Colagero Morello death certificate

Newspapers claimed the fight between the Joe Baker and Morello gangs was due to the Morellos robbing Joe Baker’s brother. Other papers stated they were at odds over the division of loot and for handing information to the police leading to Polizzo’s arrest.3 (Polizzo had recently been released on $2,000 bail for burglary.4)

The Baker gang was named after Joe “Baker” Cangro, a relation of Charles.5 He started out as a boxer in Harlem, where his followers – “The Joe Baker Association” had a clubhouse at 422 E108th. They hosted illegal boxing fights that were refereed by gangster Paul Kelly.6 The group were allies of the powerful Giosue Gallucci.7 In 1908, the police arrested a Joe Baker who lived at 322 East 109th, one door down from Gallucci’s home.8

Joe Baker was described as “the most dangerous gun man in Harlem” and an associate of Harry “Gyp the Blood” Horowitz. His followers, who were based around East 114th and Lexington Avenue, made most of their money from prostitution. Many of his group were wealthy enough to own automobiles, which the press described as a “fleet of murder cars” that the gang used to flee their crimes.9

Some papers described the Baker gang as allies of the Morello’s, while others said they were sworn enemies. 

Deadliest rivals of the Joe Bakers are the men who follow “Joe” Morello. His region is the heart of what the police call the crime belt and extends from East 110th to 115th street along Second avenue. Some of the territory overlaps with that of the “Joe” Bakers and the one result, murder, frequently happens. Life is a small thing there.10 

Colagero’s uncle, Nick Terranova, met with his brothers Vincent and Ciro and told them he knew who was responsible and “would butcher every one of them.”11 His first act of revenge was not picked up by the press. He was seen reading the newspapers to try learn if the murder had been reported. He remarked that “last night he killed the first one and will kill the rest.”12

The Terranova brothers discovered that a nephew of Benedetto Madonia, who had been killed in 1903, was involved in Colagero’s murder. They rented a room opposite his home with a plan to ambush him, but he’d already left to speak with an aunt in the hope she could broker a peace deal. The Terranovas presumed that he had fled to Italy and planned to send a “commission” to deal with him.13

Rocco Cusano death certificate / Joe Baker
Rocco Cusano death certificate / Joe Baker

On the June 4th, Nick Terranova killed another of the Baker gang. He drove to the Bronx with Tom Lomonte and two others. The group exited their car on 150th Street near Morris Avenue where a local detective recognized them as members of the “Lupo-Morello gang” and quickly telephoned for backup. Moments later, four shots were fired killing Rocco Cusano. The Terranova’s fled in their waiting vehicle.14 When Nick Terranova arrived back in E106th Street he called on friends to arrange his alibi as he was expecting to be arrested for the murder.15

Born in the commune of Benevento, Campagnia in 1891,16 Cusano was a prize-winning dancer, known as the “Beau Brummell of the Bronx”.17 He had been involved with previous disagreements with the Morellos. They had threatened him at a dancehall on more than one occasion, leading to him being slashed across the face.18

A Secret Service informant explained Nick Terranova’s reasons for killing Cusano. He said that on the night of Colagero’s murder, Cusano had spotted him walking up Third Avenue. So, Cusano ran ahead to warn the Baker gang who set up an ambush.19

The last known attack by the Morellos was in November. They had been lying in wait to shoot Charles Cangro on W137th Street, but they mistakenly shot the wrong man. Their target was likely with his relative, Joe “Baker” Cangro, who actually lived on an adjacent block.20

Both Joe and Charles Cangro survived until at least the mid-twenties.21

Letter sent from the Morello family to Atlanta Penitentiary
Home / Biographies / Colagero Morello
  1. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Morello-41 (Managed by Justin Cascio) Accessed 08-07-22[↩]
  2. New York Herald. Apr 17, 1912. p.11
    New York Herald. July 21, 1912. p.4
    New York Evening Call. Apr 18, 1912. p.4
    Barles vs. Baker name: The Evening World. Nov 1, 1912 [↩]
  3. New York Times. Apr 17, 1912. p.24[↩]
  4. New York Herald. July 21, 1912. p.4
    New York Times. Apr 17, 1912. p.24[↩]
  5. The Evening Post. New York. Jul 26, 1904. p.3
    US Population census. 1920. New York City. ED: 964. (205 West 133rd St) [↩]
  6. The Evening World. Dec 1, 1904. p.15
    The Daily Standard Union. Jul 26, 1904. p.8
    The Police Gazette. New York City. Jul, 104. p.15[↩]
  7. The Sunday Star. Washington. Oct 12, 1930 [↩]
  8. The Sun. New York. Feb 14, 1908. “A John Doe Bribery Case”[↩]
  9. New York Herald. Jul 21, 1912. p.4
    New York Herald. Aug 7, 1912. p.5[↩]
  10. New York Herald. Aug 7, 1912. p.5[↩]
  11. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (hereafter referred to as NARA), RG 87, Daily Reports of Agents, (hereafter referred to as DRA). William Flynn. Vol. 35. Page# 206[↩]
  12. NARA. DRA. William Flynn. Vol. 35. Page# 258-259[↩]
  13. NARA. DRA. William Flynn. Vol. 35. May 22, 1912 [↩]
  14. Middlebury Register (Vermont) Jun 14, 1912.  p.4
    The Sun. New York. Jun 5, 1912. p.2[↩]
  15. NARA. DRA. William Flynn. Vol. 35. Jun 17, 1912[↩]
  16. Information posted by Cusanos to Ancestry.com in 2002. Accessed in 2022[↩]
  17. The Sun. New York. Jun 5, 1912. p.2[↩]
  18. The Evening World. Jun 5, 1912. “A Woman’s Smiles Lure Harlem Gangster to Death by Bullets”[↩]
  19. NARA. DRA. William Flynn. Vol. 35. Jun 6, 1912. 
    New York Times. Apr 17, 1912. p.24[↩]
  20. US census. 1915. New York City. AD: 23. (189 West 136th St) [↩]
  21. US Population census. 1920. New York City. ED: 964. (205 West 133rd St)
    Marriage Certificate #33204 (Manhattan) Charles Cangro – Sep 19, 1923
    US census. 1925. New York City. ED:28. AD: 13. p.22. Joseph Cangro (2429 8th Avenue) [↩]