All language subtitles for American.Lawmen.S01E02_English

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.