While the identity of the culprits behind these murders that follow is difficult to ascertain, the beneficiaries are not. It was the North End Mafia. The following group of murders occur during the time where the control of the North End criminal element was shifting from the old timers into the hands of the new generation. In 1963, the Boston Police attempted to determine who comprised the original founders of the Mafia in Boston. The police reported that the North End Mafia was formed after the murders of the two members of the Gustin gang by Joe Lombardo. After those murders, five Italian gangsters had a meeting. The five gangsters included Lombardo aka, Lombardi, Anthony Sandrelli, who was called “Tony Canadian,” Henry Selvitelli alias Henry Noyes, Theodore Fuccillo and Frank Cucchiara.
The five agreed to divide up the territory under Genaro “Jerry” Angiulo and his family. As the newly ordained leader of the Boston Mafia, Angiulo and his brothers sought to gain control over illegal gambling, shylocking, and loan sharking in the greater Boston area. Boston Police Intelligence Chief, John T. Howland said gangland murders after Angiulo took control were performed as disciplinary measures for breaking the rules of the criminal enterprise rather than any struggle for power.
In late April 1960. Treasury Agents, referred to in the newspaper as “T Men” conducted a raid on eleven places and did 65 “inspections” on other locations. The chief of the T Men said that the evidence uncovered showed that as many as 500 people were involved in the Angiulo network. Notebooks taken listed “scores of persons apparently deeply involved in the operation of the syndicate . . ..”
Asked about the raids, Attorney General Edward J. McCormack, Jr. noted that gunmen hired by Angiulo gambling syndicates were responsible for eight murders in Massachusetts since December 1957. No convictions occurred relating to these eight murders. He went on to say, “The main source of underworld power is money which is derived from illegal gaming.” He listed the people murdered: Thomas Sullivan, Paul Affanato, John F. Buccelli, Vincent Vazza, Philip Goldstein, Joseph DeMarco, Gaetano DiNicola and Edward Rothstein. We have already looked at the first three; now we can examine the last five murders along with two additional murders.
Thank you. My Uncle Mark “Sonny” Ledwell was a very close life long friend with Howie Winter. Howie was actually best man at his second wedding around 1974. At that wedding my cousin David Murphy was recruited. David and I were very close as kids but traveled different paths. Was just curious. Cheers.
Just curious if the story will address folks in the 1970’s and 1980’s. One of my cousins was mobbed up back then.
The story will address the gangster murders up until the middle of 1976. A second book that discusses the Whitey myth takes over from there but it is not a breakdown of the murders like the Boston Gang Wars. Thanks for reading.