Empire of Sin (59 page)

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Authors: Gary Krist

Tags: #History, #United States, #State & Local, #South (AL; AR; FL; GA; KY; LA; MS; NC; SC; TN; VA; WV), #True Crime, #Murder, #Serial Killers, #Social Science, #Sociology, #Urban

BOOK: Empire of Sin
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8
his supposed accomplice in the Seina murders …
 Reid,
Mafia
, 177–79, is best for Di Christina/Marchese.
  
9
One day in early May 1902 …
 The conflict with the Lucianos was reported in the NODI of June 12, 1902.
10
a brutal interfamily mob war …
 For the murder of Salvatore Luciano, see Kendall, “Blood on the Banquette,” 22–23, and the NODI of June 12, 1902.
11
“I am satisfied …”
is quoted in Kendall, “Blood on the Banquette,” 823. For this scene, see also Reid,
Mafia
, 179, and the NODI of June 13, 1902.
12
Espare calmly took a revolver
 … For the killing of Antonio Luciano, see Kendall, “Blood on the Banquette,” 824–25; Reid,
Mafia
, 181–82; and the
Chicago Tribune
of August 10, 1903. For Espare’s jump onto the Arlington Restaurant’s roof, see the NODI of June 16, 1907.
13
the first time in the city’s history …
 The first execution of an Italian for killing another Italian as per Kendall, “Blood on the Banquette,” 826.
14
the city’s Italian underworld was reawakening …
Chicago Tribune
of June 13, 1902.
15
a marked increase in so-called Mafia activity …
 A good general source on the Black Hand is Pitkin and Cordasco,
The Black Hand
. For the uptick in activity following Genova’s arrival, see the
Washington Post
of May 6, 1906.
16
“prosperous and worthy”
The NODP called Lamana this in an editorial of June 11, 1907.
17
“The people of New Orleans are easy-going …”
The mass meeting at the Union Française Hall as reported in the NODP of June 13, 1907.
18
“From now on, the Italians will be resolved …”
was quoted in the NODP of June 13, 1907.
19
“There were also loud calls …”
and the Wickliffe quote are also as reported in the NODP of June 13, 1907.
20
“make more history for Congo Square”
and the quote on vigilantism are from the NODP of June 13, 1907.
21
two schoolboys who admitted having seen …
 For the search and discovery of the boy witnesses, see the NODI of June 13, 1907, and Tallant,
Ready to Hang
, 100.
22
a strange Italian had recently purchased a covered wagon …
 The NODI of June 14, 1907, reported on the Campisciano rumors.
23
“With tears in my eyes …”
The text of the Thursday letter is from the NODP of June 14, 1907. [NB: I have changed “Harvey’s Canal” to the more accurate “Harvey Canal.”]
24
police had by Friday arrested ten suspects …
 as per the NODI of June 14, 1907, and Tallant,
Ready to Hang
, 103.
25
Capt. Thomas Capo, the inconveniently named officer in charge …
 See Tallant,
Ready to Hang
, 106.
26
police were forced to release all except Tony Costa …
 The release of prisoners as per the NODI of June 15, 1907.
27
persistent rumors that the boy had been killed …
 as reported in the daily newspapers throughout the search.
28
searched with a team of bloodhounds …
 For the search, with Campisciano looking on, see Tallant,
Ready to Hang
, 107.
29
tensions began to surface …
 as noted frequently in the newspaper coverage (see especially the NODI of June 17, 1907).
30
“That is the man who wrote it!”
is quoted in Tallant,
Ready to Hang
, 107.
31
Patorno sent some detectives out to Pecan Grove …
 The search for Gendusa’s mistress as per Tallant,
Ready to Hang
, 108.
32
soon began to turn up some suggestive connections …
 Tallant,
Ready to Hang
, 108–09, recounts Patorno’s success in tying together connections among the suspects Gendusa, Luchesi, and Gebbia.
33
police staged a raid on the Gebbia home …
 For the raid and Leonardo Gebbia’s confession, Tallant,
Ready to Hang
, 109, is best.
34
the confession of Gebbia’s sister, Nicolina …
 Tallant,
Ready to Hang
, 110, reports her confession.
35
“We put out the headlight …”
The interview with Mooney (and all quotes) was apparently printed in an issue of the NODP missing from the online database. Fortunately, the entire interview was reprinted in the
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
of June 30, 1907 (and, more briefly, in the
New York Times
of June 24 of that year). Some specifics of Campisciano’s confession are from the NODI of June 24, 1907.
36
This last macabre detail …
 Coverage of the discovery of the boy’s corpse (with the detail about the detached head) was especially thorough in, among others, the
New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Atlanta Constitution
, and
Washington Post
of June 24, 1907.
37
“The mob thronged the yard …”
The scene at the morgue is from the NODP of June 24, 1907.
38
other information was emerging from interrogations …
 For the details at Campisciano’s farm, see the NODI of June 24, 1907, and Tallant,
Ready to Hang
, 112–13.
39
Angelo Incarcaterra—allegedly on the order of Leonardo Gebbia …
 For Incarcaterra as the murderer, see the NODP of July 17, 1909. [NB: His name was spelled several different ways in different papers.]
40
“tall man named Joe” …
 as mentioned in the NODI of June 24, 1907. Mrs. Monfre’s testimony as per
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
of June 30, 1907. “Mr. Cristina” is mentioned in the NODI of June 15, 1907.
41
“The reign of the Black Hand is over …”
is from the NOTD of June 25, 1907.
42
sending detectives to Kansas …
 For the posse sent to look for Monfre, see the NODI of June 29, 1907.
43
“Guilty …”
Trial proceedings as per wide newspaper coverage. See also Tallant,
Ready to Hang
, 130–31. Jurors’ explanation was reported in the NODI of July 19, 1907.
44
“We want the Dagos!” …
 For the unrest after the trial, see especially the NODI of July 19, 1907.
45
“A real verdict …”
was in the NODI of July 22, 1907.
46
Friday, July 16, 1909 …
 For Gebbia’s execution, see the
New York Times
of July 17, 1909.
47
“just deserts” …
 Lamana’s gratitude is from the
Atlanta Constitution
of July 18, 1909, and Tallant,
Ready to Hang
, 135.
48
a death sentence for anyone convicted of kidnapping a child …
 See the NOTP of January 4, 1917.

Chapter 12: A Reawakening

For background on reform efforts against vice and prostitution, I have relied most heavily on (in addition to the indispensible Four L’s of Long, Landau, Leathem, and Levy) Ruth Rosen’s
Lost Sisterhood
, Thomas C. Mackey’s
Red Lights Out
, and Mark T. Connelly’s
The Response to Prostitution in the Progressive Era
.

  
1
part of a speaking tour throughout the American South …
 The details of Carrie Nation’s visit to New Orleans come principally from contemporary news reports.
  
2
“New Orleans is too tough a place …”
is from the NODP of December 12, 1907.
  
3
“I believe in being everlastingly on the warpath …”
as per the NODP of December 19, 1907.
  
4
“I am nothing but a lump of mud …”
as per the NODP of December 20, 1907.
  
5
“President [Theodore] Roosevelt is a bag of wind …”
as per the NODP of December 20, 1907.
  
6
she made sure to investigate Storyville …
 The visits to Emma Johnson’s and Josie Arlington’s brothels were reported in the NODP of December 22, 1907.
  
7
“as soon as [I get] a little richer”
 … as per the NODP of December 22, 1907.
  
8
“Welcome, Mrs. Nation …”
The scene at Tom Anderson’s, with quotes, is from the NODP of December 22, 1907, as well as a latter-day report in the NOTP of October 19, 1958.
  
9
an audience of eight hundred at the local YMCA …
 as per the NOTP of February 15, 1987.
10
The mayor’s response is unrecorded …
 Nation’s parting interview with Behrman—NODP of December 23, 1907.
11
rise of the Social Hygiene and other Progressive Era movements … The shift from
Victorian to Progressive notions of prostitution is discussed in Rosen,
Lost Sisterhood
, 61.
12
“Frisco depot” …
 The opening of the depot as per Landau, “Spectacular Wickedness,” 204.
13
a gorgeous neoclassical pile …
 The description of the depot is from the NODI of June 1, 1908.
14
so-called lighthouses …
 See Rosen,
Lost Sisterhood
, 82.
15
unsuspecting young women wandering off …
 For waving prostitutes and wandering women passengers, see the NODI of December 16, 1909.
16
“We have no doubt that every person …”
is quoted in the NODI of August 12, 1908.
17
“The restricted district was already unfortunately located …”
per the NODI of August 12, 1908.

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