Thanks, Vacari.
Have any info on Francesco Lanza's (James's father), who was the first boss of SF? There's hardly anything on the web about him. The book written a few years ago just cobbled together some public records that didn't reveal much. He had to have been connected to someone back east for him and his family to be recognized in the early 30s.
How about Scioritino and Cerrito in San Jose?
I know Dragna in LA had Lucchesse. Roselli always seemed to be in his corner, too.
Frank Lanza was connected to the Palermitani of New York City, which most members split into the Gambino and Profaci crime family. Vincenzo Mangano and Frank Scalise were early members and both would later join the Gambino family, with Frank being the boss for a short time, before Vincenzo officially become the boss of the family and Scalise becoming a Capo before he was bumped up to Underboss by Albert Anastasia. He may also be related to the Lanza of the Gambino crime family. The Genovese crime family represented S.F. on the commission from 1932 to 1936, Lanza was close to the Catania brothers, the LaPadura brothers, and the Terranova family in the Genovese. The boss position was still in dispute til 1932 until Malvese was killed. More than likely cause of the war in New York that spread across the county, Luciano and the Genovese crime family took it upon themselves to insure peace which makes a lot a sense in that regard.
The Sciortino Brothers were also under Charles Salvatore in East Harlem with the Dragna brothers. They too fled when Angelo Gagliano, cousin to Geatano Gagliano flipped. Vito and Tony settled in San Jose Goosetown with Tom Dragna for a while, which was San Jose's little Italy. Vito stayed, while the other brothers moved to S.F. and L.A. Vito's son Onofrio would become San Jose boss.
Joe Cerrito was made in the Profaci family after New Years day to end 1931. He was sponsored by Vincenzo Figlia who was also a made member of the Profaci family. He moved to San Jose in the early 1940s. His brother Salvatore would also be made into the Profaci family in 1952, sponsored by Salvatore Profaci brother Joe Profaci.
