Tough call. Both died peacefully in their own beds, at relatively ripe ages (67 Tommy, 76 Carlo). Both had only one prison term for relatively short time (13 months Tommy, 22 months Carlo). Neither filed tax returns but both appeared to be wealthy and had successful families, relatively peaceful during their long reigns (nearly 20 years for each). BUT:Joe Bonnano, in his autobiography, tells a fascinating story which, if true, diminishes Lucchese:

Bonanno says that, early in the Fifties, Frank Costello found out about a plot that Tommy and Vito Genovese were cooking up to whack Albert Anastasia, who was Uncle Frank's chief ally and protector. He called a meeting of the Commission to confront Tommy, with Vito in attendance. According to Don Peppino (in a highly self-laudatory telling), Tommy refused to confirm or deny, stating: "I am a man of honor--I have nothing to say." He kept this up until Bonanno took him aside, explained the gravity of the situation, and counseled Tommy to "place himself at the mercy of Anastasia." Bonanno says Lucchese faced Anastasia, apologized and said, "You, Albert, only you have the right to say if I should die." It worked: Don Umberto replied: "Albert Anastasia does not kill people who beg for his mercy."

Bonnano, who earlier referred to Lucchese as "a weasel" and "a sneak," said he "acted like a man of honor that day." I can't imagine a "man of honor" crawling like that before his fellow "men of honor."