Giosue Gallucci

Giosue Gallucci

Born in Naples on the 10th of December 1864, Giosue Gallucci emigrated to New York in March 1892. His wife, Assunta Gallucci (née Liotta – b c.1873) followed two months later.¹ 

Two of Gallucci’s brothers also emigrated from Naples around this time. Francesco (b.1853) arrived in 1888 and lived on Mulberry Street with his wife Raphaella. The couple later moved to Grand Street and finally to Hester Street.² Vincenzo (b. c.1855) emigrated in 1891 and also lived on Mulberry Street. He was married soon after his arrival and the couple had a daughter in 1894 but she died the following year.³ 

In 1894, Gallucci’s sister, Barbara Russomano (b.1870) arrived with her husband Raffael (b.1858) and two sons, Gennaro (b.1889) and Nicola (b.1890). The family lived on Mott Street and later at 109 Mulberry Street above a lively Vaudeville theatre named “Villa Umberto”.⁴

Gallucci and Assunta had their first child, Mary, in January 1895. She was born in the family home at 334 E109th Street but did not survive. Assunta travelled back to Italy in the following year.⁵ 

In June 1895, Gallucci escaped arrest after stabbing a man during a fight at Worth and Mulberry Streets.⁶ He was arrested again in April 1898 for the murder of 24-year-old Giuseppina Anselmi at 108 Mulberry Street. Witnesses had seen Gallucci visiting her apartment, but he had an alibi for his whereabouts at the time of the murder. The press described Gallucci as a fruit peddler from Mott Street, but the fruit stand belonged to his brother-in-law and Gallucci was living in East Harlem. The NYPD received a report detailing Gallucci’s criminal history from the Prefect of Police in Naples: ⁷

“Galluccl Giosue of Luca, 34 years. He is a dangerous criminal, belonging to the category of blackmailers, and for his very bad character was put under special police surveillance and confined to prison. He was charged several times with theft and association with delinquents, and was condemned nine times for theft, outrages, blackmail, and transgressions of the special police surveillance. Emigrated July 24, 1896. From information received, the wife of the said individual is of bad character.” 

In July 1898, Assunta returned from Italy with her one-year-old son, Luca. It was around this time that Gallucci moved his family from 334 to 339 E109th Street. It was also the location of his cigar manufacturing business.⁸ Family descendants suggest that some of his female employees may have also worked as prostitutes under his control. He ran a brothel at the junction of E109th and Second Avenue which was described as a cheap Italian resort of the “lowest possible description.”⁹ Some of the men who worked as ‘runners’ in Gallucci’s policy shops were also caught trafficking women into the city’s vice trade.¹⁰ 

Francesco Gallucci was arrested for assault in October 1898. He was detained following a complaint made by Annie Cappucci who lived opposite his Mulberry Street home. His brother Vincenzo paid his bail and he was eventually discharged.¹¹

A month later, Vincenzo Gallucci was shot on Canal Street. The press reported his murder as the result of a gambling disagreement. Luigi La Rosa and Francesco D’Angelo, both from Roosevelt Street, were convicted for the murder and sent to Sing Sing prison.¹²  

By 1902, the Russomano family had left Mulberry Street and relocated to closer to Gallucci. They lived at 347 E109th Street, adjacent to Pasqua Musone who would later run the infamous “Murder Stables”.¹³

Michael Fiaschetti, a detective in the NYPD’s “Italian Squad” published an article about Gallucci in 1929. Although exaggerated, it’s worth recalling due to Fiaschetti’s unique position on the police force. He wrote, 

“in the Italian underworld King Gallucci was the big boss and reigning sovereign. He ruled by force and terror, and the very sound of his name was like mentioning tombstones. What I remember him for especially was that he had the stool-pigeon system stopped cold, tips held up, and a silencer on information […] The terror of the Lottery King was enough to paralyze any squealer.” ¹⁴

Fiaschetti went on describe how Gallucci gained control of the policy games, 

“The mob that started the lottery hired gangsters to protect them and one of the gang leaders they employed was Gallucci. […] He protected them for a little while, pulled off a couple of murders for them, and then ran them out, and a couple of them got hurt while being run out. And with that he became King of the Lottery.” ¹⁵

The New York Herald stated that Gallucci was “the head of several political organizations […] and during campaigns was exceptionally active. His enemies said that his political activities gave him a certain measure of immunity from police interference.”¹⁶

Tammany Hall’s leader in East Harlem was Nicholas Hayes who was accused of involvement with gangsters and brothels in the area.¹⁷ In 1904, both Hayes and Gallucci were delegates at the Thirty-Third Assembly District Convention where they voted to elect delegates for the Democratic State Convention.¹⁸

Two other delegates present at the convention were Diodato Villamena (b.1860 in Potenza) and Abraham Levy. Villamena worked as the Italian interpreter for the New York Court of General Sessions and was the witness to Gallucci’s naturalization and passport applications. He was also the interpreter for Gallucci’s court appearance in 1914. Abraham Levy was the defence attorney at the same trial.¹⁹

In 1906, Gallucci purchased the six-story tenement at 318 E109th Street for $30,000. The first floor was used as a bakery store with a small café at the rear and ovens situated in the basement. His family lived on the second floor above the shop.²⁰ The Deputy Assistant District Attorney claimed the bakery was a legitimate business used to hide other criminal activities. He wrote, 

“Giosue Gallucci conducts his bakery in an effort to establish the fact that he is a businessman, but that, as a matter of fact, he has far greater sources of income derived from his control of the policy playing in Harlem, various gambling houses and houses of prostitution.”²¹

In December 1908, the fourth Gallucci brother, Gennaro (b. 1857), escaped from an Italian prison after serving part of a 23-year sentence for a double-murder. He made his way to New York via Liverpool and Philadelphia. The police received numerous complaints against him and extradition proceedings were started after his arrest on E109th Street. He spent the following weeks living at his brother’s bakery where he survived an attempted assassination. However, he later died in the bakery after being shot by an unknown gunman. The NYPD were informed of his death by Antonio Paladino, a Harlem undertaker who claimed he had learned of the murder via an anonymous phone call.²² 

In 1914, when John (Gennaro) Russomano was questioned in court, it was suggested that he had killed his own uncle in the bakery. Gallucci’s descendants also believe that, under Gallucci’s instruction, Russomano killed Gennaro for bringing unwanted attention to the family business.²³ 

One of Gallucci’s confidants was contractor and saloon keeper, Jospeh Streppone (b. c.1879). Streppone was partners with Paul (Paolo Vacccarelli) Kelly in a café and had once paid Kelly’s bail following his arrest for assault. They were rumored to be supplying information to the police to help break-up criminal bands in order to protect prominent Italians. In July 1910, Streppone was shot and killed in his café on Second Avenue whilst meeting with detectives. One newspaper claimed he died protecting Gallucci from a bullet.²⁴ 

An article about East Harlem’s underworld said Streppone had been the “King of that Little Italy” up until his murder when Gallucci promptly filled the position. Although the journalist offered no sources for the statement, it’s worth repeating as many of the article’s other claims are accurate. The writer went on to say that Gallucci “shook friendly hands in public with District Attorneys, Mayors and Governors” and “had a mysterious potency to free himself and others from entanglements with police and courts.” ²⁵ 

Harlem gangster, Aniello Prisco, was was fatally shot by John Russomano in Gallucci’s bakery in December 1912. On his lawyer’s advice, Gallucci took Russomano to the coroner’s office where he confessed to the killing. He claimed the shooting was in self-defense after Prisco had attempted to rob Gallucci at gun point. Russomano was charged with homicide and his $5,000 bail was speedily furnished by a Harlem real estate dealer. Five days later the killing was deemed justifiable homicide, and he was discharged.²⁶ 

The District Attorney, and New York press, told a different version of events leading up to Prisco’s death. They claimed Prisco had gone to Gallucci to demand more money, “You have not been giving me anything of what you have been getting for some time, I am down and out, I am now a bum.” The pair then agreed to reconvene their meeting the following day. However, Gallucci feigned illness and sent one of his men to locate Prisco with instructions to meet back at his bakery where Prisco was then murdered.²⁷

Two months after Prisco’s assassination his allies retaliated. On February 18th, 1913, John Russomano left his saloon named “Café Gallucci” at the corner of E116th Street and First Avenue. He travelled back to E109th with his bodyguard, Antonio Vivolo. The pair, along with Gallucci were ambushed outside of 329 E109th Street. They were shot with a rifle equipped with a Maxim silencer; a new device that had been developed in Connecticut. Vivolo died instantly and Gallucci escaped serious injury when a bullet passed through his coat sleeve. Russomano was wounded and sent to Bellevue Hospital. Following his release he moved into his uncle’s bakery. His parents also relocated around this time, moving closer to the bakery from 337 to 310 E109th Street.²⁸

In July 1913, the Assistant District Attorney decided the most successful way to break up New York’s vice rings would be to arrest the leaders for gambling violations. After weeks of planning, twenty-five detectives raided policy shops in Harlem and Mulberry Street. Among the forty arrests were Gallucci, John Russomano, and Gallucci’s bodyguard, Generoso “Joe Chuck” Nazzaro. They were all held for carrying concealed weapons. Gallucci’s bail was paid by his wife and two men that had previously purchased real estate from him. Russomano was bailed by Gallucci and was later sentenced to six years at Sing Sing prison. Nazzaro faced a series court hearings over the next 12 months. An application was made to reduce his bail but was then withdrawn. Nazzaro then changed his plea to guilty and was sentenced to a year at Blackwell’s Island Penitentiary.²⁹  

The district attorney received two anonymous letters describing Gallucci as responsible for over a dozen murders and as “the head of Italian lottery. He is the man who gives the order to his men to kill.”³⁰ 

On last Saturday a big number of the worst men belong to the worst gang of the world were arrested. The head of this gang that was also arrested the name is Gesule Lugariello, alias Gallucci. He is the head of the Italian Lottery. He is the man who gives the order to his men to kill.

Last Saturday night or Sunday morning the Italian Squad succeeded in arresting one of the worst criminals of our day, and the charge against him is carrying concealed weapons. The name of this man is Gesue Gallucci, held in $5000 bail for the Grand Jury. He is an ex-convict in Italy and is responsible for over a dozen murders. He killed his own brother in his place of business at 318 East 109th Street’.

Gallucci continued to expand his property portfolio. In 1914, plans for an extension and ovens were made for 2064 First Avenue, the property had been purchased in 1909 under his wife’s name.³¹ A store that once belonged to Pasqua Musone was also purchased.³² Gallucci also acquired a café on E109th which he gifted to his son. 

The killing of Aniello Prisco had started a tit-for-tat war in East Harlem and had created many enemies for Gallucci. 

On Monday May 17, 1915, Gallucci and his son Luca were ambushed and shot by gunmen inside the café at 336 E109th. They were both taken to Bellevue hospital where Luca died 48-hours later and Gallucci succumbed to his injuries on the night of the 21st.³³

Luca’s funeral was held on May 20th. Mourners passed through the family bakery before a procession of carriages made their way to the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on E115th Street. Luca was then interred at the Calvary Cemetery in Queens. Gallucci’s funeral was held on May 25th, a little over a week past the shooting. Assunta was guarded by a group of detectives who had learned of a possible assassination attempt. Mafiosi Joe Valachi, who grew up in the area, later recalled Gallucci’s funeral and described it as “one of the biggest of all the ones I saw around this time.” The roofs, fire escapes and doorways along the processions route were teeming with curious onlookers.³⁴ 

Gallucci’s brother-in-law, Raphael Russomano, passed away in August the same year.³⁵  

It was later revealed that Gallucci had been killed by the Brooklyn Camorra. A loose combination of two Neapolitan groups based in Navy Street and Coney Island. The two gunmen were Andrea Ricci from Navy Street and Tony Romano. The pair were aided by Joseph Nazzaro, the ex-Gallucci bodyguard. In 1918, Navy Street gang leader, Leopoldo Lauritano, gave a statement to the Assistant District Attorney explaining the reason behind the murder.³⁶

Joe “Chuck” Nazzaro was arrested eleven days after Gallucci’s murder. He was detained as suspect in the shooting of Carmelo Mollico who had run Nazzaro’s café during his incarceration. Stories about Nazzaro’s hatred towards Gallucci appeared in the press. Captain Jones of the Fifth Branch Detective Bureau said that following Nazzaro’s release from the penitentiary he had “organized a gang to wrest from Gallucci control of Italian gangdom.”³⁷ Although Nazzaro escaped any charges, he was killed two years later by the Camorra when they suspected him of double-crossing them.³⁸

Gallucci had been on amiable terms with the Morello clan before his death. Thomas Lo Monte, the brother of Morello clan leader Fortunato, was reported to be a bodyguard for Gallucci and the Lo Monte’s horse feed business was said to have Gallucci as silent partner.³⁹ It was also reported that after Gallucci had taken control of Giuseppe De Marco’s gambling den at 149 Mulberry Street he had placed Thomas Lo Monte in charge.⁴⁰ Gallucci’s nephew, John Russomano managed “Café Gallucci” at 2257 First Avenue on the southwest corner with E116th Street. Lo Monte had frequented the saloon for many years before he was gunned down by its entrance in 1914.⁴¹

The Camorra’s assassination of Gallucci was born from personal vendettas as well as a desire to take control of his criminal empire. Similarly, the reason the Morellos turned against Gallucci was to expand their control of gambling in New York. This was evident when Thomas Lo Monte became the first person to run Gallucci’s policy game after his death.⁴² Also, when the Morellos continued working with the Camorra to kill gambler Joe Demarco, witnesses recalled Nick Morello (Terranova) saying, “we must kill him [Demarco] and after we kill him, we will control everything in New York City and Brooklyn.⁴³” 

Gallucci had made his will from his death bed in Bellevue Hospital. He left all his assets to his wife Assunta, “I advisedly leave nothing to my brother, sisters or any relatives because I have full confidence that my beloved wife will do all she thinks is necessary for any of them.”⁴⁴ Estimates of his estate in the press ranged from $250,000 to $1,000,000, but property records show a smaller portfolio. Either Gallucci’s wealth was greatly exaggerated, or his assets were held under other names. 

The witnesses to Gallucci’s will were: 

• John Thomas, a real estate dealer from E115th Street. Likely the same John Thomas who was a delegate at the Thirty-Third Assembly District Convention with Gallucci in 1904⁴⁵; 
• Robert G. Peters, who studied law at New York University and incorporated many businesses including the “Crompton Building Corporation” involved in realty and construction;⁴⁶ 
• Anthony Paladino, the Harlem undertaker who had informed the police of Gennaro Gallucci’s murder in 1909. He also ran the Paladino Contracting Company.⁴⁷

Assunta faced a prolonged battle with Francesco Gallucci over her husband’s will. Eventually, all of Gallucci’s real estate was assigned to her, some of which she mortgaged to the Russomanos.⁴⁸ The E109th Street bakery was converted to a candy store which employed a young Nicola Russomano.⁴⁹ Assunta remained living in the family home with her mother and in 1917 she conveyed the property to the Citizen’s Savings Bank at a value of $30,500.⁵⁰ 

By 1917, the apartment adjacent to Francesco Gallucci at 164 Hester Street was occupied by Antonio “Tony Cheese” Sanutulli, a gunman for the Navy Street Gang who was later involved in a counterfeiting scheme with Giuseppe Masseria.⁵¹

In 1918, Assunta married Michele Morales, an old friend of Gallucci who had been in the bakery store at the time of Aniello Prico’s murder. The couple lived together in the Bronx and Assunta was recorded in 1927 as still owning a small property in Harlem. She later remarried in 1936 after Morales died from natural causes.⁵² In 1950, 73-year-old Assunta was living in Yonkers with her third husband, Assalonne Ranghelli.⁵³

Gallucci’s nephew, John Russomano was released from prison in September 1920. In 1923, he was living at 2199 First Avenue when he purchased the four-storey tenement at 325 E109th Street.⁵⁴ He also reconnected with the saloon he used to run at 2257 First Avenue. Joe Valachi recalled visiting the premises in his memoir,

“This place where the boys hung around was a very large pool room and cafe. It was so big that it could hold about 75 men. It was owned by an old timer of the old days and as I said, there were very few that survived from the old days and this was one of them. He was the nephew of one of the old timers which was a big boss of the Naples gang. His name was Curley [Curley was a nickname used for John Russomano]. Everyone used to say and wonder how did he ever live through it, but he was a nice fellow.”⁵⁵

John Russomano passed away in 1956. ⁵⁶