by Gary Krist
15 a marked increase in so-called Mafia activity … A good general source on the Black Hand is Pitkin and Cordasco, The Black Hand. For the uptick in activity following Genova’s arrival, see the Washington Post of May 6, 1906.
16 “prosperous and worthy” The NODP called Lamana this in an editorial of June 11, 1907.
17 “The people of New Orleans are easy-going …” The mass meeting at the Union Française Hall as reported in the NODP of June 13, 1907.
18 “From now on, the Italians will be resolved …” was quoted in the NODP of June 13, 1907.
19 “There were also loud calls …” and the Wickliffe quote are also as reported in the NODP of June 13, 1907.
20 “make more history for Congo Square” and the quote on vigilantism are from the NODP of June 13, 1907.
21 two schoolboys who admitted having seen … For the search and discovery of the boy witnesses, see the NODI of June 13, 1907, and Tallant, Ready to Hang, 100.
22 a strange Italian had recently purchased a covered wagon … The NODI of June 14, 1907, reported on the Campisciano rumors.
23 “With tears in my eyes …” The text of the Thursday letter is from the NODP of June 14, 1907. [NB: I have changed “Harvey’s Canal” to the more accurate “Harvey Canal.”]
24 police had by Friday arrested ten suspects … as per the NODI of June 14, 1907, and Tallant, Ready to Hang, 103.
25 Capt. Thomas Capo, the inconveniently named officer in charge … See Tallant, Ready to Hang, 106.
26 police were forced to release all except Tony Costa … The release of prisoners as per the NODI of June 15, 1907.
27 persistent rumors that the boy had been killed … as reported in the daily newspapers throughout the search.
28 searched with a team of bloodhounds … For the search, with Campisciano looking on, see Tallant, Ready to Hang, 107.
29 tensions began to surface … as noted frequently in the newspaper coverage (see especially the NODI of June 17, 1907).
30 “That is the man who wrote it!” is quoted in Tallant, Ready to Hang, 107.
31 Patorno sent some detectives out to Pecan Grove … The search for Gendusa’s mistress as per Tallant, Ready to Hang, 108.
32 soon began to turn up some suggestive connections … Tallant, Ready to Hang, 108–09, recounts Patorno’s success in tying together connections among the suspects Gendusa, Luchesi, and Gebbia.
33 police staged a raid on the Gebbia home … For the raid and Leonardo Gebbia’s confession, Tallant, Ready to Hang, 109, is best.
34 the confession of Gebbia’s sister, Nicolina … Tallant, Ready to Hang, 110, reports her confession.
35 “We put out the headlight …” The interview with Mooney (and all quotes) was apparently printed in an issue of the NODP missing from the online database. Fortunately, the entire interview was reprinted in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of June 30, 1907 (and, more briefly, in the New York Times of June 24 of that year). Some specifics of Campisciano’s confession are from the NODI of June 24, 1907.
36 This last macabre detail … Coverage of the discovery of the boy’s corpse (with the detail about the detached head) was especially thorough in, among others, the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Atlanta Constitution, and Washington Post of June 24, 1907.
37 “The mob thronged the yard …” The scene at the morgue is from the NODP of June 24, 1907.
38 other information was emerging from interrogations … For the details at Campisciano’s farm, see the NODI of June 24, 1907, and Tallant, Ready to Hang, 112–13.
39 Angelo Incarcaterra—allegedly on the order of Leonardo Gebbia … For Incarcaterra as the murderer, see the NODP of July 17, 1909. [NB: His name was spelled several different ways in different papers.]
40 “tall man named Joe” … as mentioned in the NODI of June 24, 1907. Mrs. Monfre’s testimony as per St. Louis Post-Dispatch of June 30, 1907. “Mr. Cristina” is mentioned in the NODI of June 15, 1907.
41 “The reign of the Black Hand is over …” is from the NOTD of June 25, 1907.
42 sending detectives to Kansas … For the posse sent to look for Monfre, see the NODI of June 29, 1907.
43 “Guilty …” Trial proceedings as per wide newspaper coverage. See also Tallant, Ready to Hang, 130–31. Jurors’ explanation was reported in the NODI of July 19, 1907.
44 “We want the Dagos!” … For the unrest after the trial, see especially the NODI of July 19, 1907.
45 “A real verdict …” was in the NODI of July 22, 1907.
46 Friday, July 16, 1909 … For Gebbia’s execution, see the New York Times of July 17, 1909.
47 “just deserts” … Lamana’s gratitude is from the Atlanta Constitution of July 18, 1909, and Tallant, Ready to Hang, 135.
48 a death sentence for anyone convicted of kidnapping a child … See the NOTP of January 4, 1917.
Chapter 12: A Reawakening
For background on reform efforts against vice and prostitution, I have relied most heavily on (in addition to the indispensible Four L’s of Long, Landau, Leathem, and Levy) Ruth Rosen’s Lost Sisterhood, Thomas C. Mackey’s Red Lights Out, and Mark T. Connelly’s The Response to Prostitution in the Progressive Era.
1 part of a speaking tour throughout the American South … The details of Carrie Nation’s visit to New Orleans come principally from contemporary news reports.
2 “New Orleans is too tough a place …” is from the NODP of December 12, 1907.
3 “I believe in being everlastingly on the warpath …” as per the NODP of December 19, 1907.
4 “I am nothing but a lump of mud …” as per the NODP of December 20, 1907.
5 “President [Theodore] Roosevelt is a bag of wind …” as per the NODP of December 20, 1907.
6 she made sure to investigate Storyville … The visits to Emma Johnson’s and Josie Arlington’s brothels were reported in the NODP of December 22, 1907.
7 “as soon as [I get] a little richer” … as per the NODP of December 22, 1907.
8 “Welcome, Mrs. Nation …” The scene at Tom Anderson’s, with quotes, is from the NODP of December 22, 1907, as well as a latter-day report in the NOTP of October 19, 1958.
9 an audience of eight hundred at the local YMCA … as per the NOTP of February 15, 1987.
10 The mayor’s response is unrecorded … Nation’s parting interview with Behrman—NODP of December 23, 1907.
11 rise of the Social Hygiene and other Progressive Era movements … The shift from Victorian to Progressive notions of prostitution is discussed in Rosen, Lost Sisterhood, 61.
12 “Frisco depot” … The opening of the depot as per Landau, “Spectacular Wickedness,” 204.
13 a gorgeous neoclassical pile … The description of the depot is from the NODI of June 1, 1908.
14 so-called lighthouses … See Rosen, Lost Sisterhood, 82.
15 unsuspecting young women wandering off … For waving prostitutes and wandering women passengers, see the NODI of December 16, 1909.
16 “We have no doubt that every person …” is quoted in the NODI of August 12, 1908.
17 “The restricted district was already unfortunately located …” per the NODI of August 12, 1908.
18 the classic Southern anthem … The publication of “Dixie” per Stanonis, “Woman,” 8.
19 a blueblood through and through … For Philip Werlein’s biography, see American Biography: A New Cyclopedia.
20 Werlein proposed to erect a wooden screen … Werlein’s screening proposal was described in the NODI of January 27, 1910.
21 the aldermen ended up defeating it soundly … The vote on screening in the city council per the NODI of February 1, 1910.
22 the so-called Gay-Shattuck Bill … The best source for Gay-Shattuck is Long, Babylon, 181ff.; see also the NODI of July 16, 1908.
23 barrooms in New Orleans would be forced into bankruptcy … Item’s prediction of about half of the barrooms going bankrupt per the NODI of June 16, 1908.
24 �
�the saloon-men and divekeepers …” is from the NODP of January 7, 1909.
25 “antique sandwich” … For the exploitation of loopholes in Gay-Shattuck, see Leathem, “Carnival,” 226; Landau, “Spectacular Wickedness,” 202; and the NODI of January 5, 1909.
26 a new enterprise—Liberty Oil … Founding of Liberty Oil as per Levy, “Bards and Bawds,” 130.
27 Olive Anderson had become sick … as per the NODP of December 28, 1907.
28 they had another ceremony performed … The marriage of Tom and Olive as per Succession of Anderson.
29 Two days later, the funeral was held … Attendees at Olive’s funeral per the NODI of December 29, 1907.
30 “If an absolutely truthful man …” Quotes from Collins and Smith per the NODP of March 2, 1908.
31 conducting his own undercover investigation … For the investigation of Anderson launched by Reverend Lawrence, see various editions of the NODP from June 28 to September 13, 1910.
32 no judge or prosecutor … For difficulty finding anyone willing to try the case, see Levy, “Bards and Bawds,” 128.
33 a large sign outside the establishment … The issue of the sign listing Anderson as proprietor per the NODI of August 8, 1910.
34 lacking a valid address for the saloon … Problem in the affidavits per the NODP of August 16, 1910.
35 “No good excuse …” is from the NODI of August 22, 1910.
36 Anderson agreed to plead … Outcome of the trials per the NODPs of September 12 and 13 and October 18, 1910.
37 Josie Arlington had retired … See Long, Babylon, 182, and Succession of Deubler.
38 “Josie Arlington solved the problem …” The arrest of respectable women at Anderson’s ball is recounted in Rose, Storyville, 64.
39 increasingly morbid and religious … Characterization of Josie per Succession of Deubler.
40 an elaborate red-marble tomb … See Harris, “Whatever Became of Josie Arlington,” 45, and Rose, Storyville, 49.
41 “I am living only for Anna” … is per Succession of Deubler.
42 “Because men are dogs” … is per Succession of Deubler.
43 “The one thing that all Southerners agree upon …” is quoted in the NODI of February 1, 1910.
44 One pair of brothers from New York … For the arrival of the Sapir or Parker brothers, see Levy, “Bards and Bawds,” 147, and Rose, Storyville, 67.
Chapter 13: An Incident on Franklin Street
Much has been written by and about Louis Armstrong. For the account in this chapter, I have relied most heavily on his own Satchmo: My Life in New Orleans, and his collected occasional writings in the book In His Own Words. [NB: Armstrong’s Swing That Music was ghostwritten, and apparently in a way that gives doubt to its accuracy, so I have generally not used it.] Numerous biographies exist, but I have drawn on three in particular—Teachout’s Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong, Bergreen’s Louis Armstrong: An Extravagant Life, and Brothers’s Louis Armstrong’s New Orleans.
1 A dance craze had been sweeping the country … See the NODP of March 30, 1913.
2 numerous dance halls and cabarets had opened … Levy, “Bards and Bawds,” 170–74, gives a good list of the establishments operating in the District in 1910.
3 Their first target was John “Peg” Anstedt … For the incident with Anstedt, see Levy, “Bards and Bawds,” 148, and Rose, Storyville, 67–8, 72, 92.
4 Phillips renovated the building and reopened it … The opening of the 102 Ranch is from Rose, Storyville, 68–70. (For Tom Anderson’s occasional retreats to the Ranch, see Rose, Storyville, 152.)
5 they opened the Tuxedo … Details about the Tuxedo as per Rose, Storyville, 95–96; the NODP of March 24, 1913, and Charters, “Storyville,” 3.
6 “I worked at my trade all week …” is from Lomax, Mister Jelly Roll, 91.
7 “a noisy, brawling barn of a place …” For Pete Lala’s, see Rose, Storyville, 88.
8 “Pete Lala’s was the headquarters …” is quoted in Shapiro and Hentoff, Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya, 12.
9 “all the big-time pimps and hustlers …” is from Hear Me Talkin’to Ya, 5.
10 “the most famous nightspot …” as per Rose, Storyville, 94.
11 “My first job was in Billy Phillips’ place …” quoted in Shapiro and Hentoff, Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya, 41.
12 “After Buddy died …” Bechet, Treat It Gentle, 84.
13 Cornetist Joe Oliver … For details on Oliver, see Rose, Storyville, 119.
14 “How he could make it talk!” … For Oliver’s “freak” style, see Shapiro and Hentoff, Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya, 41–42.
15 “Something got into Joe …” is quoted in Ramsey and Smith, Jazzmen, 62–63 (Rose says the incident was at Abadie’s, not Aberdeeen’s).
16 Hoping to discipline their wild child … For Bechet’s childhood years, see Chilton, Bechet, 12–14.
17 “I’d always catch hell …” Bechet, Treat It Gentle, 78.
18 “We could never keep our hands on that Sidney …” Chilton, Bechet, 16.
19 pouring Musterol ointment … Bechet, Treat It Gentle, 73.
20 “I’m sure I can support a wife …” Bechet, Treat It Gentle, 75.
21 “One night we ended up in jail …” Chilton, Bechet, 18–19.
22 “more assertive than ever before” … See Mitchell, All on a Mardi Gras Day, 126.
23 a melee on Burgundy Street … For the 1908 Carnival incident, see Mitchell, Mardi Gras Day, 113.
24 “The objectionable feature …” Mitchell, Mardi Gras Day, 126–27.
25 “I went carefully up one side …” is quoted in Leathem, “Carnival,” 216 (also the NODP of March 6, 1911).
26 Born on August 4, 1901 … Armstrong discovered late in life that his birthday was not, as he always believed, July 4, 1900. His Battlefield birth per Teachout, Pops, 29.
27 “pimps, thieves, [and] prostitutes” … Armstrong, Satchmo, 8.
28 “I seen everything …” Teachout, Pops, 14.
29 quite likely she worked as a prostitute … For Mayann as prostitute, see Teachout, Pops, 29.
30 “busy chasing chippies” … Teachout, Pops, 28.
31 “It was my first experience with Jim Crow …” Armstrong, Satchmo, 14.
32 “disgustingly segregated …” Teachout, Pops, 15.
33 “I realize I have not done what I should …” Armstrong, Satchmo, 16.
34 natural laxatives … On Armstrong’s love of laxatives, see, for instance, Armstrong, Satchmo, 20–21.
35 one even struck her in the face … Mayann knocked into old Basin Canal per Armstrong, Satchmo, 26.
36 selling newspapers, running errands … Armstrong, In His Own Words, 9.
37 “I got to be a pretty slick player” … Armstrong, Satchmo, 25.
38 fearlessness, generosity, and respect … For his handling of neighborhood bullies, see Armstrong, Satchmo, 30.
39 “In those days …” Armstrong, Satchmo, 11.
40 like a second family … For the relationship with the Karnofskys, see especially Armstrong, In His Own Words, 11ff.
41 he formed a vocal quartet … Singing for coins in Storyville per Armstrong, Satchmo, 32.
42 The trumpeter liked their sound … The Bunk Johnson incident is per Brothers, Armstrong’s New Orleans, 95.
43 “I got to like Louis a whole lot …” This and following quotes are from Bechet, Treat It Gentle, 91–92.
44 “the Mafia moved in on Storyville” … For the Italians in Storyville, see Hersch, Subversive Sounds, 112; Boulard, “Blacks, Italians, and the Making of New Orleans Jazz,” 56; and Morris, Wait Until Dark, 91–92.
45 finding refuge in the bastion of the vice lords … Boulard, “Blacks, Italians, and the Making of New Orleans Jazz,” 63, has interesting perspectives on the friendship between black musicians and Italian underworld club owners.
46 regarded by police as the principal figure … For Genova as capo, see Dash, First Family, 165.
&nbs
p; 47 Paul Di Christina was now in charge … Much of the literature disagrees about who was actually in charge of the New Orleans Mafia at this time. See Chandler, Brothers in Blood, 97; Critchley, Origin of Organized Crime; and Kendall, “Blood on the Banquette.”
48 the Boss of Bosses traveled to New Orleans … For Morello’s trip, see the New York Times of April 3, 1910 and the Washington Post of April 26, 1914.
49 “Mafia death sign” … For Morello’s red handkerchief, see Dash, First Family, 166.
50 “Dear Friend …” For the letter from Morello to Moreci, see Pitkin and Cordasco, Black Hand, 132–33. (I have altered some of the diction in the original letter for clarity’s sake.)
51 a native of Termini Imerese … For Moreci’s background, see the NODS of March 12, 1910; “banana-checker” as per the Police Homicide Report for Di Martini.
52 “an Italian of the better class” … as per the NODP of August 26, 1913.
53 But there was more to Moreci … A good roundup of the subsequent killings was in the NODS of May 15, 1921; see also Warner.
54 Moreci was walking down Poydras Street … For the assassination attempt on Moreci, see the NODS of March 12, 1910, and the NODI of March 13, 1910.
55 Di Christina was shot and killed … Details of the Di Christina killing are from the Police Homicide Report of the incident and the NOTD and NODI of April 14, 1910.
56 Giuseppe Di Martini was also fatally shot … For the Di Martini killing, see the Police Homicide Report and the NODP of June 7, 1910.
57 “I’m glad I killed him …” Manzella shooting details per the NODI and NODS of July 13, 1910. (Josephine Manzella was quoted in the NODI article.)
58 a series of more mysterious murders … Crutti, Davi killings per the NODI of May 17, 1912.
59 at two A.M. on the morning of May 16 … Schiambra (sometimes spelled Sciambra) killing per the NODS of May 16, 1912, and the NODI of May 17, 1912.
60 “of the latest and most stylish shape” … The shoe quote is from the NODS of May 16, 1912.
61 “Good morning, Mrs. Tony …” The two visitors to the Schiambra grocery per the NODS of May 16, 1912, and the NODP of May 17, 1912.
62 strangely uncooperative … Mrs. Schiambra’s attitude toward the DA per the NODI of May 17, 1912.
