Giuseppe “Joe the Boss” Masseria And The Night He Dined On Bullets
The life and assassination of Giuseppe “Joe the Boss” Masseria on April 15, 1931, has become one of the most compelling narratives in the history of organised crime. Over the decades, the tale has grown in infamy, retold so many times that it is often difficult to separate fact from folklore. What remains certain is that we weren’t there, and we may never fully untangle the intricate web of betrayal, collusion, and ambition that led to his violent end. However, through law enforcement reports, newspaper accounts, and the testimony of Mafia insider Nicola Gentile, we can piece together a detailed picture of the man, his rise to power, and the events that culminated in his death.
Early Life and Criminal Beginnings
Born in 1886 in Menfi, Agrigento Province, Sicily, Giuseppe Masseria was immersed in a world of crime from a young age. His criminal activities in Sicily marked him as a man destined for a life outside the law. Seeking opportunity—and perhaps escape—he emigrated to the United States in 1903, arriving in the bustling, volatile streets of New York City. Here, Masseria quickly found his place within the burgeoning Italian-American underworld, a chaotic and often violent arena where only the most ruthless thrived.
By the 1920s, Masseria had established himself as a dominant force in organised crime. From his base in Manhattan, he controlled a vast empire of rackets, collecting payments from vendors, overseeing gambling operations, and expanding his influence into counterfeiting and other illicit enterprises. His power and ambition earned him the moniker “Joe the Boss.”
The Castellammarese War: A Struggle for Supremacy
Masseria’s reign coincided with a period of profound change in the American Mafia. By the late 1920s, tensions between the traditionalist “old guard” and a younger, more progressive generation of mobsters had reached a boiling point. These tensions came to a head in 1930 with the outbreak of the Castellammarese War, a brutal conflict named for the Sicilian town of Castellammare del Golfo, the hometown of Masseria’s rival, Salvatore Maranzano.
Masseria, an adherent to old-school Mafia principles, was resistant to the evolving nature of organised crime. His conservative mindset put him at odds with younger mobsters like Charles “Lucky” Luciano, who sought to modernise the organisation by building alliances across ethnic lines. Despite claims that Masseria opposed partnerships with non-Italians, evidence suggests otherwise. For instance, in 1930, Masseria was arrested in a Miami gambling bust alongside Jewish gangsters such as Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel and Harry Brown. Nonetheless, his inability to adapt to the changing dynamics of the underworld left him vulnerable.
The Path to Betrayal
The Castellammarese War was marked by relentless violence, with tit-for-tat killings that destabilised the Mafia hierarchy. Efforts to broker peace repeatedly failed, as Maranzano manipulated negotiations to his advantage. Meanwhile, Masseria’s own men began to turn against him, frustrated by his inflexible leadership and outdated ideals. According to Nicola Gentile, the breaking point came when Masseria, under pressure from the police, issued an order for his men to disarm. The directive was met with widespread discontent among his subordinates, who saw it as a dangerous concession.
In secret meetings, Masseria’s closest allies, including Luciano, Vito Genovese, Albert Anastasia, Joe Biondo, and Vincent Mangano, conspired to eliminate him. Even Chicago’s Al Capone, whose organisation was aligned with Masseria, supported the plot. According to Gentile’s account, Luciano and Genovese reached out to Maranzano to strike a deal. Maranzano reportedly told them, “I’m looking forward to a peaceful Easter,” signalling his approval of their plan.
The Assassination of Joe the Boss
After months of planning, the conspirators set their trap. On April 15, 1931, they arranged for Masseria to meet at the Nuova Villa Tammaro restaurant in Coney Island, a favourite haunt of mobsters. Masseria arrived in his armoured car, accompanied by two bodyguards, and was seated at a table in the back. Joining him were Luciano and a few others. The group ordered a modest meal of bread, wine, and coffee, before settling into a game of pinochle.
Around 3 p.m., the carefully laid plan unfolded. Gerardo Scarpato, the restaurant’s owner, excused himself and left the premises, instructing his mother-in-law to remain in the kitchen. Moments later, gunmen burst into the dining room. Masseria, engrossed in his game, was taken by surprise. He was shot five times—four bullets struck his back, and one hit his head. His body collapsed onto the table, then to the floor.
The assassins, including Luciano according to some accounts, fled the scene, leaving behind hats, overcoats, and a stolen car. Witnesses were scarce, and the media’s dramatic embellishments only muddied the waters. Law enforcement, while suspecting an “inside job,” struggled to piece together the full story.
Aftermath and Fallout
The murder of Giuseppe Masseria marked a turning point in the history of organised crime. With Masseria out of the way, Luciano and his allies turned their attention to Maranzano, who was eliminated just months later. Luciano’s subsequent restructuring of the Mafia, including the establishment of the Commission, ushered in a new era of cooperation and efficiency.
Masseria’s funeral was as lavish as his life, featuring a $15,000 bronze casket and a service held in his Manhattan penthouse at 15 West 81st Street. Tragically, his death was followed by another blow to his family: several weeks later, his 19-year-old daughter, Vinitia, died of illness. The press, ever eager for a sensational angle, attributed her death to a “broken heart.”
The fallout extended to others involved in the assassination plot. Gerardo Scarpato, the restaurateur who facilitated the hit, fled to Europe after the killing but returned in 1932. In September of that year, his body was discovered in a burlap sack, a victim of a gruesome Mafia execution method involving strangulation and punctures, perfected by the notorious Murder Inc.
A Legacy Written in Blood
Giuseppe Masseria’s life and death encapsulate the tumultuous world of early 20th-century organised crime. His rise to power, marked by ambition and ruthlessness, was ultimately undone by his inability to adapt to the changing dynamics of the Mafia. His assassination, orchestrated by those he trusted most, stands as a stark reminder of the fragility of loyalty in a world driven by power and profit.