Born Giuseppe Masseria on January 17, 1886, in the small town of Menfi, Sicily, the man who would later be known as “Joe the Boss” had a humble beginning. His father was a tailor, and the family later moved to Marsala, another Sicilian town. At the age of 16 or 17, Masseria fled to the United States to escape a murder charge in Italy. His arrival in New York City marked the start of a new chapter, one filled with crime, power, and ultimately, a violent end.
The Morello Connection – A Stepping Stone to Power
Upon his arrival in the United States, Masseria found work as an enforcer for the Morello crime family, one of the earliest Italian-American Mafia organizations in New York. Operating out of Harlem and parts of Little Italy, the Morello family was led by Giuseppe “the Clutch Hand” Morello. Masseria’s role was clear: to mete out violence against anyone who posed a threat to the family’s operations. His effectiveness in this role quickly propelled him up the ranks, setting the stage for his future ambitions.
The Formation of the Masseria Gang
The Morello family faced a period of decline when their leader, Giuseppe Morello, was imprisoned in 1910. Seizing the opportunity, Masseria, along with Gaetano Reina and Salvatore D’Aquila, broke away to form their own crime families. Each group aimed to control the territory once ruled by the Morellos. D’Aquila, who led a family based in East Harlem and the Bronx, emerged as a rival to Masseria, leading to a bloody power struggle that would define the early 1920s.
The Man Who Could Dodge Bullets – A Reputation Earned
In 1922, Masseria survived an assassination attempt that would have spelled the end for most. As he stepped out of his apartment building, two gunmen opened fire. Masseria sought refuge in a nearby store while the gunmen unleashed a hail of bullets. Miraculously, he survived, earning him the moniker “the man who could dodge bullets.” This event not only bolstered his reputation but also weakened D’Aquila’s standing, paving the way for Masseria’s rise to the top.
The Fall of D’Aquila and the Rise of Masseria
By 1928, Masseria had eliminated D’Aquila, his primary rival, and taken control of his family. He also aligned himself with Manfredi Mineo and Steve Ferrigno, who became his secret allies. With these moves, Masseria aimed to consolidate all Mafia families in New York under his leadership. His influence became so pervasive that even those who had not yet joined his empire, like Bronx Mafia boss Gaetano “Tom” Reina, began paying him tribute.
The Castellammarese War – A Battle for Control
The Castellammarese War, initiated in February 1930, was far more than a mere territorial dispute between Joe Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano. It was a seismic event that shook the very foundations of the American Mafia. Maranzano, a staunch traditionalist, held a vision of the Mafia rooted in the old ways of Sicily. He saw himself as a guardian of traditions, a keeper of the old codes. Masseria, on the other hand, was a pragmatist who understood the changing landscape of organized crime in America. He was willing to form alliances with Jewish and Irish gangsters, a move that Maranzano viewed as a betrayal of the Mafia’s Sicilian heritage.
This ideological divide between the two men was so profound that it split the Mafia into two warring factions. The war had a ripple effect, disrupting the operations of other Mafia families who were forced to choose sides. Neutral families found their businesses impacted as the war escalated, leading to a series of meetings aimed at brokering peace. These meetings, however, were futile. The ideological chasm was too wide to bridge, and both Masseria and Maranzano were too entrenched in their beliefs to compromise. The war became a zero-sum game, where the only outcome was the total defeat of one side by the other.
The Betrayal – The End of Joe the Boss
Joe Masseria’s life was a series of calculated risks and alliances, but it was an alliance that ultimately led to his downfall. Charles “Lucky” Luciano, one of Masseria’s most trusted aides, was the architect of his demise. On that fateful day of April 15, 1931, Masseria was at a Coney Island restaurant, seemingly at ease and engrossed in a card game. Luciano, ever the tactician, chose this moment to excuse himself, citing the need to visit the restroom. What followed was a carefully orchestrated assassination that would go down in Mafia history.
As Luciano stepped away, gunmen burst into the restaurant, their weapons aimed squarely at Masseria. Within moments, the man who had once dodged bullets found himself unable to escape his fate. Luciano had struck a secret deal with Maranzano, a pact sealed with Masseria’s blood. The murder was more than just the end of a man; it was the end of an era and the conclusion of the Castellammarese War. Luciano’s betrayal was not born out of personal animosity but strategic calculation. He saw a future that Masseria could not, a future where the old ways of the Mafia would have to adapt or die.
The Aftermath – A New Order Emerges
The death of Joe Masseria was a turning point that led to the reconfiguration of the American Mafia’s power dynamics. Salvatore Maranzano, quick to seize the moment, declared himself “Capo di tutti capi”, the boss of all bosses. He took control of Masseria’s assets and men, consolidating his power. But Maranzano was a man of the past, and his vision for the Mafia was not aligned with the realities of organized crime in a rapidly changing America.
Charles “Lucky” Luciano recognized this disconnect and acted swiftly. Just months after Masseria’s death, in September 1931, Maranzano was assassinated. The hit was orchestrated by Luciano and carried out by Jewish gangsters, a testament to Luciano’s vision of a more inclusive, more pragmatic Mafia. With Maranzano out of the picture, Luciano undertook the monumental task of restructuring the Mafia. He abolished the title of “boss of all bosses” and divided the Mafia into five distinct families, each governed by a boss and underboss. This new structure was more democratic, more American, and it laid the foundation for the Mafia as we understand it today.
Luciano’s restructuring was a watershed moment that modernized the Mafia, making it more resilient and adaptable. It was a far cry from the rigid, hierarchical organization that Maranzano had envisioned. Luciano understood that the Mafia needed to evolve to survive, and his actions set the stage for the golden era of organized crime in America. The Mafia became more sophisticated, engaging in a wider range of criminal activities and forming alliances with other ethnic crime groups. It was the end of the old world and the dawn of a new era, an era that would see the Mafia reach the height of its power and influence.
The Legacy – An Unforgettable Chapter in Mafia History
Joe Masseria’s life and death left an indelible mark on the history of organized crime in America. His rise from a young enforcer to one of the most powerful crime bosses of his time serves as a testament to his cunning, ambition, and ruthlessness. While he couldn’t dodge the bullet that ended his life, his impact on the American Mafia remains undeniable.
