Original subtitles

Narrator: AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY,

THE FIRST BLOODY WAVE OF ITALIAN MAFIA

SET THEIR SIGHTS ON AMERICA.

-MOBSTERS WERE RUTHLESS... -THINK OF MY WIFE.

...WERE EVIL.

YOU ARE ALL UNDER ARREST.

Narrator: ONE LAW MAN, JOE PETROSINO,

IS WILLING TO RISK EVERYTHING...

-GIVE ME A NAME. -...FACING EVIL

AND FIGHTING FOR THE HEART OF NEW YORK CITY.

HE WAS A ONE-MAN SQUAD BASICALLY.

JOE PETROSINO WAS FEARLESS.

A BRILLIANT AND BOLD DETECTIVE

WHO LAUNCHES A CRUSADE AGAINST A BRUTAL EPIDEMIC OF CRIME.

IF WE DON'T STOP THESE GUYS NOW, THEY'RE GONNA KILL THE CITY.

BUT THE WORLD WAS VERY DANGEROUS.

MARTHA!

**

AS AMERICA RISES AS A NATION...

VIOLENCE REIGNS.

A FEW BRAVE SOULS FACE THE DANGER,

FIGHTING TO CREATE JUSTICE FROM CHAOS.

THESE ARE THE STORIES OF "AMERICAN LAWMEN."

-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

[ HORSE WHINNIES ]

JOE PETROSINO BECAME THE FIRST ITALIAN DETECTIVE...

-HEY! -...IN NEW YORK CITY.

HE WAS DESCRIBED AS A BULLDOG,

KNOCKING OUT MORE TEETH THAN A DENTIST.

[ GRUNTING ]

HE HAD THE BALLS TO GO OUT AND DO WHAT HE HAD TO DO.

YOU CAN'T GET TO THAT GOAL BY PLAYING THE GAME BY RULES.

I WANT YOU AND EVERYBODY LIKE YOU OUTTA MY CITY.

HE CAME TO AMERICA, LIKE MOST ITALIANS,

LOOKING FOR A BETTER LIFE.

AND WHEN HE FOUND THAT THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT

HAD COME ALONG WITH HIM, HE WAS ANGRY

AND HE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

Zarocostas: AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY,

THERE'S A MASSIVE WAVE OF ITALIAN IMMIGRANTS.

NEW YORK IS BECOMING A LARGE ITALIAN POPULATION,

I MEAN, ALMOST AS BIG AS NAPOLI.

Scelsa: NOBODY LEAVES THEIR FAMILY

WITHOUT REALLY BEING IN DESPERATE STRAITS.

IT WAS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT

FOR THEM TO GET INTO A PLACE

WHERE, IF YOU WORKED HARD, YOU COULD MAKE IT.

Zarocostas: THE VAST MAJORITY WERE PEACEABLE.

THEY WERE HARDWORKING.

THEY JUST WANTED, UH, TO MAKE A LIFE

FOR THEIR FAMILIES IN THE NEW --

IN THE NEW WORLD.

THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT ALWAYS TOOK THE POSITION

THAT THEY WOULD NEVER ALLOW CRIMINALS

TO EMIGRATE TO THE UNITED STATES.

BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT

WAS PROBABLY HAPPY TO ALLOW

SORT OF WHAT THEY CONSIDERED THE DREGS OF SOCIETY

TO LEAVE THEIR COUNTRY AND LET IT BECOME AMERICA'S PROBLEM.

Scelsa: THERE WAS AN ORGANIZED MAFIA

IN SICILY THAT WAS SENDING PEOPLE TO AMERICA.

THEY LOOKED AT IT AS A GLOBALIZATION OF CRIME.

Pistone: BASICALLY THEY PREYED ON OTHER ITALIANS.

THAT'S WHAT IT CAME DOWN TO, UH, EXTORTION FROM OTHER --

OTHER ITALIANS.

Man: DEAREST SIR, I BEGGED YOU WARMLY

TO PUT $100 IN BILLS

UPON YOUR DOOR WITHIN 4 DAYS.

THEY WOULD DRAFT A LETTER.

THEY WOULD PUT AN IMPRINT OF A BLACK HAND

AND DRAW SKULLS AND KNIVES ON IT AND DEMAND THE MONEY.

Man: IF NOT, I SWEAR TO YOU, MY DEAR FRIEND,

NOT EVEN THE DUST

OF YOUR FAMIGLIA WILL EXIST.

Scelsa: ALMOST EVERY ITALIAN FAMILY PAID EXTORTION.

IN MY CASE, IT WAS GRANDMOTHER'S FAMILY.

THEY HAD A -- THEY HAD A BUSINESS.

SO THEY SENT THEM AN ANONYMOUS LETTER.

-I GIVE YOU A COUPLE -- [ DOOR BELL DINGS ]

WHERE'S THE MONEY?

-WHERE'S THE MONEY? -I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.

WISE UP. HAND ME THE MONEY.

OPEN IT UP.

NOW LISTEN, DON'T FORGET NEXT WEEK.

THEY DID KIDNAP YOUR CHILDREN.

AND THEY DID KILL PEOPLE.

Zarocostas: AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY,

YOU COULD GET AWAY WITH CRIME ON THE EAST SIDE

IF YOU WERE AN ITALIAN BECAUSE THE NYPD

WAS PRIMARILY AN IRISH POLICE FORCE.

I MEAN, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF CRIMINAL GANGS

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OTHER ITALIANS

KNOWING THAT THEY WOULDN'T GO TO THE POLICE.

Scelsa: JOE JUST, UH, FELT THAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY

WAS HIS FAMILY.

AND HE APPOINTED HIMSELF TO BE THIS SAVIOR

THAT WAS GOING TO COME IN AND SAVE THE ITALIAN COMMUNITY

FROM WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO IT.

JOE PETROSINO, FROM THE DAY HE BECAME A COP,

HE WAS A PIONEER.

Scelsa: ON ANY DAY, YOU MIGHT NOT RECOGNIZE JOE PETROSINO

BECAUSE JOE PETROSINO USED DISGUISES...

TO MOVE WITHIN THE SOCIETY.

HE WOULD BE A BEGGAR ONE TIME

OR SOME OTHER FORM OF CAMOUFLAGE.

HEY, COUPLE MINUTES, GUYS.

WHEN I WAS, UH, TRYIN' TO INFILTRATE THE --

THE, UH, THE BAD GUYS,

I WOULD TRY TO FREQUENT PLACES

THAT THEY HUNG OUT AND GET TO KNOW THEM.

YOU KNOW, IN -- IN UNDERCOVER YOU CAN'T GO UP

AND SAY "HEY, I'M DONNIE BRASCO

AND I WANNA BECOME A MEMBER OF YOUR CREW," YOU KNOW?

UH, IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.

YOUR WHOLE FOCUS IS TO ABSORB AS MUCH INFORMATION

YOU CAN ABOUT THE ILLEGAL ACTIVITY.

KNOWIN' HOW YOU TALK, KNOWIN' THE RULES.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE RULES, YOU KNOW,

IF YOU'RE NOT FROM AN ITALIAN BACKGROUND.

Scelsa: COUNTERFEITING IS ALWAYS A PROBLEM.

THERE ARE COUNTLESS STORIES OF THE IMMIGRANTS

THAT CAME TO AMERICA THAT WERE MET AT THE BOATS

BY THESE MAFIA TYPE PEOPLE

WHO WOULD ACTUALLY OFFER

TO EXCHANGE THEIR MONEY FOR AMERICAN DOLLARS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT MONEY WAS NOTHING MORE THAN PAPER.

Coffey: I THINK I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT DROVE HIM.

-HE FELT OFFENDED... -HEY!

...BY WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS PEOPLE.

AND HE KNEW THE CAUSE OF THAT PROBLEM

WAS THE THUGS THAT CAME HERE TO SHAKE THESE PEOPLE DOWN.

[ GRUNTING ]

HE HAD THE CHUTZPAH, TO USE THE JEWISH TERM.

AND HE HAD THE BALLS, TO USE A LOWER EAST SIDE TERM,

TO DO WHAT HE DID.

IT WASN'T ME. IT WAS PETROSINO.

Coffey: THESE MOB GUYS FOR THE MOST PART ARE MORONS.

-PETROSINO? -YEAH.

BUT YOU RUN ACROSS A FEW THAT ARE PRETTY SMART.

THEY'RE THE ONES WHO SURVIVE.

COME ON, GUYS, IT'S NOT MY FAULT. IT WAS --

[ SPEAKING ITALIAN ]

Scelsa: JOE PETROSINO KNEW THAT THE SICILIAN MAFIA

WOULD HAVE A CONNECTION IN NEW YORK.

AND THE CONNECTION WOULD BE THE MORELLO GANG.

THIS IS GOOD.

Zarocostas: MORELLO WAS THE LEADER OF THE GANG.

HE WAS BORN WITH A BIRTH DEFECT. HE WAS MISSING PART OF HIS ARM.

HE ONLY HAD TWO FINGERS ON HIS RIGHT ARM.

UM, HIS NICKNAME WAS THE CLUTCH HAND.

UH, BEHIND HIS BACK, PEOPLE CALLED HIM LITTLE FINGER.

THE GUY WAS COLD AND CALCULATING.

HE HAD ALL THE WARMTH AND CHARM OF AN EEL.

NO, THIS -- THIS NEEDS TO BE CLEANED.

-OH, DEAR. -HIS PARTNER

WAS A GUY NAMED IGNAZIO LUPO.

AND HE WAS SORTA THE OPPOSITE OF MORELLO.

HE WAS EXTROVERTED.

HE WOULD MAKE THREATS OPENLY.

IF HE KILLED SOMEONE, HE WOULD SHOW UP AT THE FUNERAL

AND SAY OUT LOUD, "ANOTHER DOG GONE TO HELL."

THE MORELLO GANG WAS WILLING TO DO

WHATEVER IT TOOK TO KEEP THEIR OPERATIONS INTACT.

[ SPEAKS ITALIAN ]

MANGIA! MANGIA!

MMM.

THE MORELLO GANG WILL GO DOWN IN --

IN HISTORY AS THE FIRST EVIDENCE

OF THE MAFIA BEING TRANSPLANTED INTO THE UNITED STATES.

YOU'RE LOYAL, EH?

OF COURSE. THEY ACTUALLY HAD CONNECTIONS

RIGHT BACK TO SICILY AND TO THE MAFIA.

THAT MADE THEM DIFFERENT.

LOYAL TO THE DON?

OF COURSE.

VITO CASCIO FERRO WAS PROBABLY

THE CAPO DI TUTTI CAPI IN SICILY AT THE TIME.

HE WAS THE BOSS OF ALL BOSSES.

UM, HE WAS THE PUPPETMASTER PULLING THE STRINGS.

-HE CAME OVER TO NEW YORK. -HOW'S THE BUSINESS?

IT COULD BE BETTER.

AH. HMM.

TOMASSO PETTO, THE OX, IS REALLY THE MUSCLE INVOLVED.

Pistone: THE GANGSTERS, IF THEY THINK

THEY'RE GONNA GO TO THE COPS,

THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS KILLIN'

AN INFORMANT STRAIGHT UP.

LISTEN, DON'T. GIUSEPPE...

NO.

THINK OF MY WIFE, MY BOY.

SILENZIO.

THAT'S YOUR PROBLEM.

RIGHT TO THE GRAVE, YOU STILL TALK.

[ SPITS ] HEY, GET THE BARREL.

THEY DISPLAYED A LEVEL OF VICIOUSNESS

THAT HADN'T BEEN SEEN BEFORE, EVEN IN NEW YORK CITY.

AAH!

AAH!

**

Zarocostas: THE BARREL MURDER OF 1903

WAS ONE OF THE MOST SENSATIONAL AND GRUESOME KILLINGS

OF THE TURN OF THE CENTURY IN NEW YORK.

EVEN FOR NEW YORK, BY ITS VIOLENT STANDARDS.

OH! OH!

THE BODY IS CRUMPLED IN HALF.

THE HEAD IS NEARLY DECAPITATED.

AND THERE ARE 18 STAB WOUNDS TO THE NECK AND THE BODY.

Hendley: THE BARREL WAS DELIBERATELY PUT

IN THE STREET AS SORT OF A WARNING,

LIKE THEY WANTED PEOPLE TO SEE THIS.

Zarocostas: NOT ONLY WAS THE MAN PUT ON DISPLAY,

BUT HIS GENITALIA WAS SEVERED AND STUFFED IN HIS MOUTH.

[ RETCHING ] IT'S A GESTURE BY THE MAFIA

IN SICILY FOR PEOPLE WHO'VE TALKED TOO MUCH.

I THINK THE CHIEF INSPECTOR

PINNED HIS HOPES ON PETROSINO SOLVING IT.

THERE'S A NOTE IN HERE. IT'S IN ITALIAN.

IT SAYS, UH, "COME AT ONCE."

IN THE BARREL ITSELF THERE WAS SAWDUST,

THERE WERE CIGARS, CIGARETTE BUTTS.

AND THERE WAS A W AND T STAMPED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BARREL.

AND THAT WAS, UH, WALLACE AND THOMPSON.

THEY WERE CONFECTIONERS.

THEY SUPPLIED A LOT OF THE SALOONS, UH,

IN THE EAST SIDE WITH, UH, SWEETS AND SUGAR.

[ SPEAKING INAUDIBLY ]

[ SPEAKS ITALIAN ]

HE FOUND THE EXACT SAME SAWDUST WITH,

YOU KNOW, SIMILAR CIGARS.

AND SURE ENOUGH, THE STAR OF ITALY

HAD FIVE WALLACE AND THOMPSON BARRELS,

ONE EXTRA LID

AND NO BARREL FOR THAT.

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

[ GRUNTING ]

AH!

GENTLEMEN, YOU ARE ALL UNDER ARREST!

TODAY, IT'S TAKEN FOR GRANTED

THAT ALL THE TECHNIQUES THAT WERE -- WERE --

WERE USED BY PETROSINO.

BUT FOR HIS DAY, THAT WAS REMARKABLE.

BY EXAMINING THE EVIDENCE

TO BE ABLE TO LINK IT TO THE CRIME,

TO -- TO MORELLO.

GIVE ME A NAME.

GIVE ME A NAME.

GIVE ME A NAME.

-GIVE ME A NAME. -GO TO HELL.

THE METHODS THAT THEY USED WERE PRETTY BRUTAL.

NAH.

THEY WOULD LITERALLY PUT SUSPECTS IN,

UH, A ROOM

WITH A COAL-FIRED STOVE,

HEAT IT UP AS HOT AS IT COULD GO.

[ DISTORTED VOICE SPEAKING ]

HOW 'BOUT IT, LUPO?

[ SPEAKING ITALIAN ]

HE WAS RELENTLESS.

WHEN HE WAS DISAPPOINTED, HE BECAME MORE RELENTLESS.

THERE'S SOMEBODY HERE I -- I THINK YOU KNOW.

[ GRUNTING ]

-[ LAUGHS ] RECOGNIZE HIM? -NO.

BUT YOUR FRIEND HERE SMELLS PRETTY BAD, HUH?

I THINK HE NEEDS A DOCTOR. [ GRUNTS ]

THIS IS YOU.

I KNOW THIS WAS YOU.

[ CELL DOOR CLOSING ]

Zarocostas: THE MORELLO GANG WITHSTOOD

ALL THE INTERROGATIONS.

THE MORELLO GANG ACTUALLY SENT OUT GANG MEMBERS

THROUGH THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE "DONATIONS."

AND THEY PAID THEIR BOND IN CASH.

SO THEY -- THEY WERE RELEASED.

JUST 3 MONTHS PRIOR, GIUSEPPE DE PRIMO

WAS PASSING COUNTERFEIT.

HE'S SORT OF ON THE FRINGE OF THE MORELLO GANG.

-WHO'S THAT? -WHO'S WHO?

WHO'S THAT?

[ SIGHS ]

THAT'S MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, BENEDETTO MADONIA.

-HE LOOKS SICK. -HE'S NOT SICK.

-IS HE OKAY? -YOUR BROTHER-IN-LAW IS DEAD.

DE PRIMO CLAIMED THAT HIS SHARE OF THEIR COUNTERFEITING SPOILS

WAS SOMETHING LIKE $20,000.

AND THE MORELLO GANG DOUBLE-CROSSED HIM

AND LEFT HIM IN SING SING TO ROT.

AND THEN HE ASKED HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW TO GO AND ASK

FOR HIS MONEY.

[ CRYING ]

I'M SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS, MRS. MADONIA.

BUT I WAS HOPING YOU COULD SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS NOTE

WE, UH, WE FOUND WITH YOUR HUSBAND.

I WROTE THIS NOTE TO BENEDETTO.

WHY DID YOU WRITE, "COME AT ONCE?"

I WANTED HIM TO COME HOME.

HE WENT TO NEW YORK TO MEET SOME VERY DANGEROUS MEN.

WHO WAS HE GOING TO MEET, MRS. MADONIA?

WHO WERE THESE MEN?

GIUSEPPE MORELLO.

[ SOBS ]

SO NOW WE HAVE SUSPECTS.

WE HAVE A MURDER VICTIM. WE HAVE A MOTIVE.

THE CASE IS BUILDING.

Scelsa: IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE LAW,

YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL EVENTUALLY GET YOUR MAN.

AND I THINK PETROSINO BELIEVED IN THE RULE OF LAW.

AND THAT ULTIMATELY, THAT IS THE RULE THAT MUST SURVIVE,

MUST PREVAIL.

[ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY, GAVEL BANGS ]

THE MORELLO FAMILY, THEY WOULD NEVER HURT BENEDETTO.

THEY WAS FRIENDS.

IT'S EASIER TO TELL THE POLICE THE STORY

WHEN YOU ARE MILES AWAY IN BUFFALO.

[ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ]

WHEN YOU'RE FACE TO FACE WITH THE MORELLO GANG...

I, UM...

AND YOU'RE LOOKING INTO THE EYES OF GIUSEPPE MORELLO...

I...

MY HUSBAND HAD NO PLANS TO MEET WITH MR. MORELLO.

[ SPECTATORS MURMURING, GAVEL BANGING ]

THE TRIAL WENT OFF THE RAILS,

THOUGH IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT MORELLO WAS THE GUY

BEHIND IT.

THEY PROBABLY FELT LIKE THEY WERE ALMOST INVINCIBLE.

IT WAS A BIG DEAL FOR PETROSINO TO

NOT BE ABLE TO CLOSE THE CASE

AND AT LEAST GET A CONVICTION OUT OF IT.

Coffey: THEY HAD ALL THE EVIDENCE.

ACQUITTED.

DEVASTATING.

HE HAD A DRIVE THAT SAID TO HIM,

THIS IS NOT GONNA STAND.

I'M GONNA STOP THIS.

**

Zarocostas: LUPO AND MORELLO WOULD CONSTANTLY BE ARRESTED

AND GET OUT OF GET OF IT.

AND SO PEOPLE IN THE ITALIAN COMMUNITY,

ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE,

THEY VIEWED THESE GUYS ALMOST AS DEMIGODS.

THE MORELLO GANG HAD BECOME LESS CONSPICUOUS.

AND THEY HAD EVEN TRIED TO PUT UP FRONTS

AND LEGITIMIZE THEIR BUSINESSES.

THEY FORMED A COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION.

SO IT WAS A REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT FUND.

THEY WERE ESSENTIALLY OPERATING A PONZI SCHEME.

THEY WERE NEVER GONNA PAY THEIR INVESTORS BACK.

MAFIOSO, BAD GUYS, COMPETITORS.

THE MAFIA IN NEW YORK CITY WAS, I MEAN, STRONG.

IT HAD STRANGLEHOLD ON THE CITY.

Scelsa: JOE PETROSINO KNEW

THAT SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY HAD TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS.

Zarocostas: HE'S HAVING PROBLEMS GOING UNDERCOVER AT THIS POINT

BECAUSE HE'S A RECOGNIZABLE FACE.

HIS NAME IS VERY CLOSE TO AN ITALIAN WORD.

AND IT MEANS PARSLEY.

PARSLEY. FINE PARSLEY.

IT WAS A SIGNAL TO THE OTHER CRIMINALS ON THE STREET --

"PETROSINO'S ON THE JOB, AND YOU BETTER WATCH OUT."

I THINK THE FIRST THING ON HIS MIND IS, "I'VE GOTTA

HAVE MY OWN GANG OF PLAIN-CLOTHES ITALIAN COPS

BECAUSE I'M OUTNUMBERED.

AND THESE GUYS KEEP BEATING THE SYSTEM."

GIUSEPPE MORELLO AND THE MORELLO GANG.

EXTORTION, COUNTERFEITING, MURDER.

IF WE DON'T STOP THESE GUYS NOW, THEY'RE GONNA KILL THIS CITY.

Zarocostas: ALL OF HIS MEN ARE IN PLAIN CLOTHES.

AND HE OPERATES OUT OF AN APARTMENT

ON WAVERLY PLACE.

WE'RE NOT GONNA LOOK LIKE COPS.

FROM NOW ON, WE START HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT.

WE ARE GONNA BLEND IN.

THESE DISGUISES ARE OUR GREATEST WEAPON.

AND THEY'RE GONNA HELP US PUT THESE GUYS IN JAIL.

HE WAS THE ROLE MODEL FOR THEM. I MEAN, HE MADE THE MOLD.

SO EVERYTHING THAT HE WAS DOING, HE WAS TEACHING THEM TO DO.

Coffey: AND THAT GAVE PETROSINO THE INFORMATION

THAT HE NEEDED COMING FROM THE COMMUNITY.

IRONICALLY SOME 65 YEARS LATER, I FORMED THE SAME UNIT

AT A TIME

WHEN WE HAD 15 MAFIA HITS

IN 6 WEEKS IN 1978.

AND THAT'S WHEN THEY HAD CALLED ME IN

TO FORM A UNIT TO DO WHAT HE DID.

KNOW YOUR ENEMY.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU'LL DEFEAT YOUR ENEMY,

IS BY KNOWIN' 'EM.

THE IMMIGRATION ACT, IT WAS INTENDED TO HELP

LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPORT IMMIGRANTS

WHO WERE ACTUALLY CRIMINALS BACK IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES.

IGNAZIO, THIS COP, THIS PETROSINO!

ALL THEY HAD TO SHOW WERE TWO SIMPLE THINGS.

ONE, THEY HAD A CRIMINAL RECORD

IN THEIR -- IN THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.

AND TWO, THEY HAD BEEN IN THE UNITED STATES

LESS THAN 3 YEARS.

IF THEY COULD PROVE BOTH OF THOSE THINGS,

THEY COULD EJECT THESE GUYS FROM THE CITY

WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH A CRIMINAL TRIAL.

HE'S TAKING MY MEN. HE'S TAKING MY MONEY!

HE WAS TRYIN' TO TAKE DOWN THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION.

[ SHOUTS IN ITALIAN ]

EVEN IF CAN'T CUT OFF THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE,

YOU CAN SERIOUSLY LIMIT THEIR OPERATIONS

IF THEY DON'T HAVE FOOT SOLDIERS.

THE TAKES, LOOK AT THESE TAKES.

THE TAKES ARE GETTING MUCH SMALLER!

AND IN SOME CASES, HE WOULD PUT A GANG MEMBER ON A BOAT.

HE WOULD TAKE 'EM TO THE DOCK AND SAY, "DON'T COME BACK."

THE LEGEND HAS IT THAT HE ACTUALLY DID THAT

WITH DON VITO CASCIO FERRO.

HE COULDN'T CONNECT HIM TO THE BARREL MURDER.

SO IN HIS USUAL PETROSINO FASHION,

HE SORT OF TOOK THE LAW INTO HIS OWN HANDS

AND JUST SAID,

"GET ON THE NEXT BOAT AND GO BACK TO ITALY.

AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO COME BACK TO NEW YORK."

IN 1907, THE ECONOMY WAS NOT GREAT.

ONE OF THE BANKS HAD FAILED.

AND A LOT OF INVESTORS IN GENERAL

BECAME PANICKED AND STARTED DEMANDING THEIR MONEY BACK

AND PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE OF MORELLO AND LUPO.

SO THEY BEGAN TO FEEL THE HEAT.

YOU SHOULD BE OUT THERE MAKING ME MONEY!

THE GANG STARTS GOING BACK TO ITS OLD TACTICS.

ALL RIGHT, GIVE ME THE MONEY.

-OPEN THE CHEST. -MY FAMILY...

-OPEN IT UP! -I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO GIVE.

LOOK, NOTHING.

I TOLD YOU, YOU TOOK ALL THE MONEY.

SO THINGS BECAME WORSE.

BUT MIND YOU, THEY WOULDN'T TARGET PEOPLE

WHO WEREN'T ITALIAN.

THEY ONLY TARGETED PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTOOD

THAT YOU DON'T GO TO THE COPS.

[ DOOR BELL RINGS ]

[ DOOR BELL RINGS ]

Scelsa: THOSE WERE TERRORISTS.

THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY TERRORISTS. THEY WOULD TERRORIZE YOU

BY THREATENING TO BLOW UP YOUR BUSINESS.

AND THEY DID.

ALMOST EVERY DAY IN LITTLE ITALY,

YOU COULD HEAR A BOMB GOING OFF

FOR SOMEBODY WHO STOOD UP TO THEM.

THE ITALIAN PEOPLE BEING ABUSED BY THE ITALIAN PEOPLE.

I THINK THAT OUTRAGED THEM.

Zarocostas: PETROSINO, AT THAT POINT,

WAS WILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO ARREST THE MORELLO GANG.

**

YOU WOULD HEAR A BOMB. AND YOU KNEW WHAT IT WAS.

SOMEBODY HAD REFUSED TO PAY THE EXTORTION MONEY,

AND THEIR BUILDING WAS BEING -- THEIR --

WAS BEING BLOWN UP.

AND THIS WAS VERY COMMON.

BECAUSE THERE WERE BOMB FACTORIES.

THEY WEREN'T SOPHISTICATED BOMBS.

THEY WERE BASICALLY STICKS OF DYNAMITE.

Zarocostas: DYNAMITE WAS USED ORIGINALLY

FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

IT BECAME MUCH MORE EASY TO STEAL A PIECE OF DYNAMITE.

AND OF COURSE, THEN YOU COMBINE THAT WITH THE FACT

THAT MOST OF THE MANUAL LABORERS

DOING THOSE PROJECTS ARE ITALIAN IMMIGRANTS.

WELL, THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A STEADY SUPPLY

OF SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN USE TO THREATEN SOMEONE ON A --

ON A GREAT SCALE.

[ DOOR BURSTS OPEN ]

[ SHOUTING, GRUNTING ]

[ GRUNTING ]

PETROSINO IS BEING CREDITED WITH HAVING,

UH, HE'S ESTABLISHED THE FIRST BOMB SQUAD.

HE ACTUALLY THOUGHT, "IF WE COULD TRACE THE COMPONENTS

BACK TO WHERE THE SOURCE WAS, WHERE THEY WERE PURCHASED,

WHATEVER MINE THAT THEY WERE FROM,

MAYBE WE'LL BE ABLE TO CATCH THE SUSPECTS."

AND NO ONE HAD THOUGHT OF THAT BEFORE.

THAT GUY, HE'S NOTHING, THAT GUY, YOU KNOW?

[ SPEAKS ITALIAN ]

PETROSINO BY 1907 HAS SUCH A DETAILED NETWORK OF INFORMANTS.

IT'S A VAST ARRAY OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HIS STOOL PIGEONS.

ONE OF THEM TELLS HIM,

"LUPO IS SAYING THAT HE'S GONNA KILL YOU."

I'M GONNA CUT HIM IN PIECES. [ SPEAKS ITALIAN ]

SO PETROSINO, EVEN THOUGH AT THIS POINT

HE'S GOT A LARGER ITALIAN SQUAD AND HE CAN BRING AS MANY --

HE CAN BRING AN ARMY IF HE WANTED TO.

PETROSINO MARCHES DOWN BY HIMSELF.

HIS WHOLE FAMILY. EVERYTHING.

HUH?

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL. PETRO-- [ GRUNTS ]

[ GRUNTING ]

Pistone: AS AN ITALIAN-AMERICAN, YOU HAVE TO EARN RESPECT.

AND ONCE YOU EARN IT, YOU -- YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT.

[ GRUNTING CONTINUES ]

[ GROANING ]

LUPO, KEEP IN MIND, IS REGARDED AS SORT OF A DEMIGOD.

LIKE, HE PUTS THE FEAR OF GOD INTO EVERYONE ON THE EAST SIDE.

-THE GUY WAS FEARLESS. -[ GRUNTING ]

Zarocostas: IF YOU'RE 5 FOOT 4, 185 POUNDS

AND YOU'RE BASICALLY TAKING ON THUGS IN THE STREET,

YOU GOTTA BE A PRETTY -- PRETTY TOUGH GUY.

THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE AFRAID OF?

PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO QUESTION, YOU KNOW, THE --

THE DEITY STATUS OF THESE GUYS.

SO THAT'S OBVIOUSLY BAD FOR THEIR BUSINESS.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY BAD FOR KEEPING

PEOPLE SILENT ABOUT THEIR OPERATIONS.

AND SO THEY REALIZE PETROSINO'S A THREAT IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.

[ SHOUTING IN ITALIAN ]

-[ SPEAKS ITALIAN ] -LOOK WHAT HE DID TO ME!

LOOK! AND YOU DID NOTH -- NOTHING.

MAMA DE LUPO.

-[ SHOUTING IN ITALIAN ] -MAMA DE LUPO.

[ CONTINUES IN ITALIAN ]

FROM THAT MOMENT ON, MORELLO AND LUPO, I THINK,

AGREED THAT THEY HAD TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT PETROSINO.

I WANT HIM DEAD.

[ SPEAKS ITALIAN ]

[ SHOUTING IN ITALIAN ]

[ SHOUTS IN ITALIAN ]

PETROSINO WILL DIE, EH?

I PROMISE. PETROSINO WILL DIE.

PETROSINO HAD DEVELOPED A PLAN

TO USE THE IMMIGRATION ACT TO GO INTO ITALY,

FIND THE CRIMINAL CERTIFICATES OF DEPORTABLE ALIENS,

BRING THEM BACK AND -- AND START THE PROCESS

TO TRY AND GET RID OF A LOT OF CRIMINALS

IN THE CITY.

Coffey: NOBODY EVER TRIED TO KILL HIM HERE.

BECAUSE THEY KNEW THE WRATH OF GOD

WOULD COME DOWN ON 'EM.

IF IT HAPPENED IN ITALY, IT'S NOT OUR FAULT.

Scelsa: JOE PETROSINO REALIZED WE NEEDED DRASTIC MEASURES

TO RESOLVE THIS TERRIBLE PROBLEM

THAT WAS STARTING TO SPILL OVER FROM THE ITALIAN COMMUNITY

TO THE LARGER AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

AND HE FELT THAT THIS WAS A SURE WAY OF DOING IT.

BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, PETROSINO

HAS SO MUCH MORE TO LOSE.

-DON'T GO. -ADELINA.

A YEAR BEFORE PETROSINO HAD MARRIED ADELINA.

SHE FAIRLY QUICKLY BECAME PREGNANT

WITH THEIR DAUGHTER, WHO THEY ALSO NAMED ADELINA.

I KNOW THIS IS YOUR LIFE'S WORK.

NO.

OUR LIFE'S WORK IS RAISING OUR DAUGHTER.

BUT I DON'T WANNA DO IT IN NEW YORK

WITH GIUSEPPE MORELLO, OKAY?

[ BABY CRYING, FUSSING ]

IT'S EASY TO FIGHT THE MAFIA WHEN YOU'RE A SINGLE MAN

AND THE ONLY LIFE YOU'RE RISKING IS YOUR OWN.

HE'S JUST HELL-BENT ON COMPLETING HIS MISSION.

AND HE KNOWS HE'S -- HE'S IN DANGEROUS WATERS.

Pistone: I THINK FOR PETROSINO TO GO BACK TO ITALY

AND TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION AGAINST THE MAFIA --

I MEAN, THE GUY HAD A LOTTA --

A LOTTA COJONES AS WE SAY.

THE GUY HAD A LOT OF NERVE.

Hendley: HE'S REALLY ENTERING THE LION'S DEN.

EVERYONE WHO'S IN CRIME IN SICILY WANTS HIM DEAD.

AND HE KNOWS THIS.

PETROSINO WOULD HAVE TO OBTAIN THE RECORDS

SHOWING THAT THEY HAD BEEN, UH,

CONVICTED OF A CRIME IN ITALY OR A FELONY.

HE WAS GONNA MATCH THEM UP WITH THE IMMIGRANT CRIMINALS

THAT HE KNEW OF.

AND THEN THOSE GUYS WOULD BE PUT ON A BOAT AND SENT BACK.

MOST OF MY UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS, UH, I WORKED ALONE.

THE SAYING GOES, TOO MANY CHEFS IN THE KITCHEN.

I DON'T WANT SOMEBODY ELSE

SCREWING SOMETHING UP WHERE I'M GONNA GET KILLED.

IF I'M GONNA SCREW IT UP, IT'S GONNA BE MYSELF.

THE NEW YORK PRESS SUSPECTS SOMETHING'S GOING ON.

UH, AT ONE POINT, THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, UH,

GAVE AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT THAT PETROSINO WAS ILL.

WHEN A "NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTER CORNERS BINGHAM,

THE POLICE COMMISSIONER SAYS,

"HE COULD BE GOING TO EUROPE RIGHT NOW FOR ALL I KNOW."

HE LITERALLY SAYS THAT TO THE REPORTER.

SO NOW EVERYONE KNOWS.

HE DOESN'T KNOW THAT THE PRESS KNOWS.

BUT EVERYONE IN ITALY KNOWS THAT HE'S PROBABLY THERE.

I'VE GOTTA THINK THAT MORELLO WAS INVOLVED,

LUPO AS WELL.

I THINK THAT THEY GOT BACK TO THE --

THE DON IN SICILY AND -- AND IT WAS SET UP

THAT HE WOULD BE ASSASSINATED UPON HIS ARRIVAL.

CASCIO FERRO WAS THE SICILIAN MAFIA.

HE WAS THE CAPO DI TUTTI CAPI.

THE HEAD OF THE -- THE HEAD OF THE SICILIAN MAFIA.

MORELLO WAS DIRECTLY IN -- IN COMMUNICATION WITH HIM.

I MEAN, HE RECEIVED TELEGRAMS.

THEY KNEW THAT PETROSINO WAS THERE.

THAT BASTARD PETROSINO DIES.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?

NO MISTAKES.

THIS WAS CASCIO FERRO'S WAY

OF ENSURING THE LOYALTY

OF HIS ASSOCIATES IN NEW YORK,

GETTING RID OF THEIR BIGGEST MENACE.

[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]

Pistone: THE AMERICAN-ITALIAN MAFIA ALWAYS HAD A RULE

AGAINST KILLING POLICE OFFICERS.

WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SICILY,

YOU'RE TALKIN' ABOUT A DIFFERENT BREED.

THESE GROUPS WOULD KILL ANYBODY.

**

THE MORELLO GANG, ONCE THEY BECAME AWARE

THAT PETROSINO WAS ON A MISSION IN SICILY --

THAT'S THEIR HOME COURT.

THEY THEN CONSPIRED WITH VITO CASCIO FERRO

TO HAVE PETROSINO ASSASSINATED.

HE ACTUALLY WENT TO THE TROUBLE OF RENTING

A REMINGTON TYPEWRITER

AND TYPING COPIES OF THE CRIMINAL CERTIFICATES

SO THAT HE COULD BRING THEM BACK HOME AND DEPORT THE CRIMINALS.

[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]

HEY, GOING SOMEWHERE, HUH?

PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT PART

OF HIS JOB IS NOT BEING CLOSE TO HIS FAMILY.

THE DAY AFTER, HE'S GONNA SAIL ON A STEAMSHIP BACK TO NEW YORK.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW,

THERE WAS A MONKEY WRENCH SORT OF THROWN INTO HIS PLAN.

SOMEONE CONTACTED HIM...

AND SAID, "I HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT DON VITO CASCIO FERRO.

MAYBE IT WILL HELP YOU ON YOUR MISSION."

SO HE TRUSTED THIS INFORMANT.

HE WENT ON AN ANONYMOUS TIP.

IF THAT HAPPENED TODAY, THERE'S NO WAY YOU'RE GOING.

Scelsa: AND YOUR OVER-CONFIDENCE CAN MAKE YOU CARELESS.

AND I THINK HE STARTED TO BELIEVE HIS OWN STORY

THAT HE WAS INVINCIBLE.

[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]

[ GUNSHOTS ]

AND THEY FIRED FOUR SHOTS.

FIRST SHOT MISSES.

SECOND SHOT IS IN HIS BACK.

THE NEXT SHOT HITS HIS NECK.

AND THEN THE LAST SHOT IS THE COUP DE GRACE.

THEY SHOT HIM IN THE SIDE OF HIS HEAD.

THIS IS FROM NEW YORK.

HE HAD BEEN WRITING TO HIS WIFE ADELINA.

AND ALMOST IN AN OMINOUS FASHION HE WROTE,

"I MISS DEAR OLD NEW YORK.

AND IT FEELS LIKE A THOUSAND YEARS

BEFORE I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN."

AT THE TIME, THEIR DAUGHTER

WOULD'VE BEEN ONLY ABOUT 3 MONTHS OLD.

ONCE NEWS HITS NEW YORK, IT --

IT IS A GREAT TRAGEDY.

[ BABY CRYING IN BACKGROUND ]

PETROSINO'S BODY IS RETURNED TO THE CITY.

UM, HE IS WELCOMED AS A HERO.

Scelsa: THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF LITTLE ITALY WAS --

WAS IN MOURNING.

HIS FUNERAL WAS IN OLD ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL

IN THE HEART OF LITTLE ITALY ON MOTT STREET.

Zarocostas: IT WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST

FUNERAL PROCESSIONS IN NEW YORK CITY.

OVER 200,000 PEOPLE TURNED OUT FOR THE CORTEGE.

Coffey: IMAGINE THAT.

I WORKED ON COP KILLINGS, AND YOU'D HAVE 20,000.

BUT THIS WAS 200,000 PEOPLE.

THAT'S PHENOMENAL.

EVEN TEDDY ROOSEVELT ISSUED A STATEMENT.

AND HE SAID, "PETROSINO WAS A GREAT MAN.

AND HE DIDN'T KNOW THE NAME OF FEAR.

AND HIS LOSS WILL BE MOURNED GREATLY."

AFTER PETROSINO'S ASSASSINATION IN SICILY, UH,

THE U.S. GOVERNMENT PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE SICILIAN

AND ITALIAN GOVERNMENTS TO PURSUE THE PERPETRATORS.

ULTIMATELY, LUPO AND MORELLO,

AFTER PETROSINO'S ASSASSINATION,

ARE ARRESTED FOR COUNTERFEITING CHARGES.

AND FINALLY, THEY'RE SUCCESSFULLY CONVICTED.

MORELLO SERVED TIME UNTIL ABOUT 1920.

HE'S RELEASED. AND THEN HE'S --

HE ENDS UP BEING MURDERED

IN ANOTHER MAFIA WAR IN OR ABOUT 1920.

LUPO SERVES TIME.

HE ENDS UP JUST BEING IN PRISON

UNTIL THE END OF HIS LIFE FOR COUNTERFEITING.

THE, UH, PALERMO POLICE COMMISSIONER

FIRMLY BELIEVED VITO CASCIO FERRO WAS INVOLVED.

UM, AND THAT HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE PUPPETMASTER

PULLING THE STRINGS.

AND HE WANTED TO PURSUE A PROSECUTION.

BUT ULTIMATELY, AFTER A FEW MONTHS,

AND STRANGELY ENOUGH, HE WAS ASKED TO RESIGN.

THE MURDER CASE AGAINST CASCIO FERRO EVENTUALLY UNRAVELED.

AND CASCIO FERRO GOT OFF SCOT-FREE.

[ GRUNTING ]

Scelsa: I DON'T THINK YOU CAN UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE

OF JOE PETROSINO.

PETROSINO, YEAH, HE WAS A ONE-MAN SQUAD BASICALLY.

I THINK THE BEST LAWMEN

HAVE THIS IN THE BACK OF THEIR MIND,

JUST SORT OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE.

HE'S MORE THAN A HERO TO THE ITALIAN COMMUNITY.

HE'S REALLY A HERO TO EVERY POLICE DEPARTMENT

BECAUSE HE SHOWS THEM THE WAY.

IT WASN'T ENOUGH JUST TO BE A TOUGH GUY, A POLICE OFFICER.

YOU -- YOU ALSO HAD TO USE YOUR BRAINS.

AND YOU ALSO HAD TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

[ SIRENS WAILING ]

SURE, JOE WAS THE FIRST ITALIAN LIEUTENANT DETECTIVE

IN ANY POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

WE KNOW THAT. BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY MORE

THAT HAVE FOLLOWED IN HIS FOOTSTEPS.

SO MANY OTHER ITALIAN-AMERICANS

WENT INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS,

NOT ONLY IN NEW YORK, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

HE WAS THE ROLE MODEL FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS

THAT FOLLOWED HIM.

HE'S SO IMPORTANT

THAT HE'S BEING REMEMBERED AGAIN TODAY

IN A BIG WAY.

THERE WAS A PARK JUST RECENTLY RE-DEDICATED TO HIM IN --

RIGHT JUST A -- JUST A BLOCK AWAY FROM WHERE HE LIVED,

PETROSINO PARK.

AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS, EVERY YEAR,

A CEREMONY IN -- IN HIS HONOR.

Zarocostas: I THINK ONE OF HIS GREATEST LEGACIES

IS DEMONSTRATING BY EXAMPLE.

YOU KNOW, WHAT AN -- AN -- AN --

AN IMMIGRANT CAN BE AND CAN BECOME.

AND I THINK THAT'S HIS LASTING LEGACY

IS THAT HE WE ALWAYS BE LOYAL TO HIS COUNTRY,

WHICH IS THE UNITED STATES.

AND IN HIS CASE, YOU KNOW,

HE WENT FROM AN ITALIAN IMMIGRANT TO AN AMERICAN HERO.