Wondering if anyone has done some digging into NOLA at all. Not just Marcello but the Carollo's, Jimmy Campo, the Bonura's, Pecoraro's, Sal Domino, Sal Marciante, the Todaro's, Gallo's etc etc.

Check your private messages ledblimp

Whatever you find out post here! I'm interested as well.

Thanks Toodoped, will check it out.

Stubbs, check out my FB pages. Crescent City Mafia, Murder and Mysteries. Also Dead Mobsters (and other famous people too). I have one dealing with the David Hennessey incident and early NOLA Black Hand stuff, New Orleans:Whistles in the Night.

I'm pretty knowledgeable about the jfk assassination conspiracy that Jim garrison put out there and a few things mob related here and there. But to be honest, most people don't talk about it down here. Some old timers will of you ask to hear stories but that's about it

I've had a couple of descendants of people get on my page and have gotten great info from them but a majority that come on saying "Im related to" or "I know" (insert name) turn out to be flakes once you start asking questions. I don't cover the JFK thing myself too much except where there are direct connections to NOLA but there's one guy who's into it on my Crescent City page who is pretty knowledgeable on it if you wanna check it out.

The AHC documentary on Marcello was pretty good. Marcello was well liked in New York. He had something going on with Frank Costello involving slot machines. In the 1960's Marcello was probably as powerful as anyone in the mob. Many still believe he was involved with the JFK assassination. I think it's in the Casino DVD special features where Martin Scosese says the American mafia started in New Orleans.

I couldn't agree more Oak, In my opinion Marcello is one of the most obscure but immensely powerful godfathers in the entire history of the Mob. The amount of territory he controlled was huge. We're talking Louisiana, Mississippi and significant parts of Texas and Alabama.

He is.... but how did his empire just 'crumble' after his death. I mean going from one of the preeminent members of LCN hierarchy to zilch in a few years? Weird.

[quote=OakAsFan]The AHC documentary on Marcello was pretty good. Marcello was well liked in New York. He had something going on with Frank Costello involving slot machines. In the 1960's Marcello was probably as powerful as anyone in the mob. Many still believe he was involved with the JFK assassination. I think it's in the Casino DVD special features where Martin Scosese says the American mafia started in New Orleans.

The NOLA family has roots going back to the Civil War with the Agnello brothers, Raffaelle and Guiseppe. they were killed off by 1872 and that's when the Matranga family started the slow rise to the top. A few years after the David Hennessey incident Charles Matranga became what's considered the first modern GF of NOLA. He was running a Family when Lucky/Meyer/Costello etc weres till in short pants. Yeah, Costello moved his slots down here after LaGuardia ran him out of NY. He had THE biggest casino in the area, The Beverly Country Club, which opened in '45. Phil Kastel ran it and Lansky had a piece of it. Marcello was given a piece as well as reward for placing Costello's slots around town when he came in '36. That's when Marcello started to become a big player. After Sam Carollo, who had been running things since '44, got deported in '47 Marcello took top spot.

If it's possible to do and someone tells me how, I have a buttload of pics I could post.

I've read parts of Arkansas and Tennessee as well but have never really come across info to confirm it.

One of the thoughts on that is apparently Marcello never opened the books. I've only come across one name of a guy that was made during his time. By the time Marcello died in '93 all the "young" guys were pushing towards their 60's or so. From the little I've found even after his death there were'nt a whole lotta guys brought into it. After Marcello kicked off things seemed to be so bad that the new boss, Anthony Carollo, asked the Genovese and Gambino's to take part in a video poker skimming scam which they got busted on, further screwing things up. Estimates I've heard on things as they stand right now, as little as 6 made guys up to a dozen or so. Good info on'em is hard to come by but it definitely ain't what it used to be.

They're probably just independent sharks/bookies if anything. What crappy foresight on his part.

Is it available anywhere online? I have only the "Lords of the mafia" and the "Mobsters" episodes about Marcello, would be interesting to watch this other one too.

I have another question was this guy related to the Matrangas?

http://obits.nola.com/obituaries/nola/obituary.aspx?pid=172552088

What is the link to your page? Would like to check it out TIA

Could be but while not a wildly common Italian name here there were other Matranga's unrelated. Charlie Matranga's family spread out and after his involvement was done and it seems his family never went into that business. Have only run into the name of one guy that had any relation to them but it was so many times removed it might as well have been to Caesar it was so thin. Not sure how true it is but the current shitbag of a NOLA Mayor and his family, The Landreui's, are supposed to have some relation going back to the Matranga's.

If Marcello never opened the books during his reign, how is that there were still members in their fifties when he died? Were they made in their diapers before Marcello became boss?

Not sure about an online link, but I honestly think they might be the same thing. They rename a lot of those and it's the exact same program. They might change some graphics or whatever, but the footage and narration is the same. I have my DVR on comcast set to record all of the mob stuff on AHC. Marcello's pops up every few months or so and I watch it every time. It's one of the few that's interesting from beginning to end.

Their possible involvement with the Kennedy assassination. Notice how most of the south and west cost mobs were pretty much done after that. Even the midwest. Chicago, KC and Detroit were still in Vegas but that was about it. Bobby Kennedy destroyed the national syndicate.

I've heard that name "Matranga" in discussions about California mobs. Any relation?

Yes. don't have too many details but they were related to Charles in some way. Left NOLA for LA sometime Prior to 1905. Orsario Matranga led the family out there until 1917 when he was murdered, his brother Pietro took over and was killed 33 days later. There was another relation out there, Antonio, but not sure what happened with him. The late 19 teens and early 20's saw a few NOLA guys head out there, the next notable one being Vito Di Giorgio, cousin to Morello in NY, sometime prior to 1922. some consider him the first Boss of L.A. He was killed in a barber's chair, a La Anastasia, in Chicago in '22.

It was meant in a round about general way. Most of the younger guys were old men by the time he passed. He may have opened 'em here and there but I've only come across one specific instance. Best info I've got in an area where the info is either buried deep or non existant.

If there were verified members under 60 then that's proof that he did induct new members. What you often see is that a new boss brings in fresh blood to strenghten his position. I'm thinking that if Marcello closed the books he did that in later years.

Got to digging a little more on this subject. Have a good info source, ex NOLA cop that either knew some of these guys or knew their reputations. Got a few more names of guys that were made during Marcello's time. Added new blood but not nearly enough to match and replenish the ranks as the older members died off. Also found out that Marcello would occasionally bring Zips over for special jobs. Some of them would go back after, a few would stay.