top picture is:Anthony Colombo

bottom left:Bill Bonanno

bottom right:Thomas Gambino

While his father Vincenzo Troia was known for his escapades in the midwest and for his involvement on a peace committee to end the Castellammarese War, Joseph Troia seems to have been forgotten. Despite being murdered at only 24 years old, he led an intriguing life. Here's a better look at him:

Joseph Troia's Timeline

Jan 3 1911 - Born in San Giuseppe Jato, Palermo, Sicily to Vincenzo Troia & Rosaria Ruffino

Nov 17 1930 - Filed a certificate of arrival claiming to be Giuseppe Troia (born 1907 - Capaci, Sicly) who arrived in the US on Jan 6 1921

Dec 26 1930 - (Dec. Intention) Living at 1334 McCollum Ave, Los Angeles, CA. This was the home of bootlegger Salvatore Simonetti (from San Giuseppe Jato). In October 1930, Simonetti's naturalization was witnessed by LA member Frank Borgia

Sep 8 1931- Arrested in Passaic, NJ after a raid on a non-union garment factory. Also arrested were:
- Bufalino member Sam Costanzo
- Newark (future Lucchese) member Joseph Accardi
- Newark member Jack LoPiccolo
- Future Genovese member Thomas Campisi

Living at 29 Bloomfield Ave, Bloomfield, NJ. This was the home of Andrea Todaro, his son was Gambino member Vincent Todaro (1913-1969) & his daughter Dominica was married to Newark member Charles Matranga (1908-1990 - Camporeale). The Todaro family was from San Cipirello, a town adjacent to San Giuseppe Jato.

Jul 29 1932 - Arrested alongside Newark members Jack LoPiccolo (1898-1981) & Onofrio Sciortino (1896-1970) for the Jun 23 1932 slaying of William Schlegel, killed after being mistaken for Passaic gangsters Edmund "Whitey" Adamchesky & Harold Wilda.

Both LoPiccolo & Sciortino were from Monreale. The latter's wife was Frances Frisina from San Cipirello while the former was married to Mary Matranga, sister of Newark member Charles Matranga. LoPiccolo's naturalization was witnessed by Bonanno member Thomas Scardino.

Feb 16 1933 - Dropped from the Schlegel case after a witness suddenly "lost confidence"

Apr 17 1933 - Indicted for the April 12 1933 murder of Max Greenberg & Max Hassel, Jewish beer barons & Abner "Longie" Zwillman's rivals, following an anonymous phone tip. Years later, Genovese member Paul "Frankie" Carbo was arrested for this

Sep 23 1933 - Arrested under the name Joe Caiole in Springfield, IL alongside Springfield members Tony Campo, Pasquale "Patsy" Aiello, Vito Impastato, Charles "Fenello" Supino, and Frank Longo for the attempted kidnapping of Peoria banker Milton Newman.

Aug 22 1935 - Killed in Newark, NJ // Listed at 109 N 15th St, Bloomfield, NJ

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The Candy Store Massacre:

On Aug 22nd 1935 at 11 AM, two gunmen entered a candy store (317 South 6th Street, Newark, NJ) and opened fire. Vincenzo Troia and his bodyguard Frank Longo were killed immediately. Joseph Troia was severely wounded, managed to reach his car but passed out and died in the hospital. Two others, Jerome Bevinetto and Antonio Sunseri were wounded but recovered.

The police arrested Nicholas Gallicchio, who was inside the store but unharmed, as an inside man, along with his son Robert Gallicchio & Salvatore Barraco as shooters with Leonard Cipolla as the driver. They couldn't get the charges to stick.

Victims:

• Vincenzo Troia (1887-1935)
• Joseph Troia (1911-1935)
• Frank Longo (1898-1935): Born in San Giuseppe Jato, Palermo. Immigrated to Frankfort NY in 1921, not clear how long he was here but there was a colony of SGJ people here. Was involved in crime in the midwest before joining Troia's entourage as he went to the NYC area
• Girolamo "Jerome" Bevinetto (1893-1943): Born to Antonio Bevinetto & Caterina Rizzuto, family from Camporeale. He was Vincenzo Troia's lieutenant in charge of the lottery racket. His sister Anna Monaco was married to Newark underboss Sam Monaco (from Vita, Trapani) who was killed in 1931.
• Antonio Sunseri (1896-1961): Born in San Giuseppe Jato but filed false documents claiming to be a different person of the same name from Marineo. Was using an alias of Tony Cangelosi, from his wife's maiden name. Owned the candy store. Would later be involved in garment rackets.

Perpetrators:

• Nicholas "Big Nick" Gallicchio (1879-1955): From Vallata, Avellino. His wife Jennie Spatola's brother was Jerry Spatola, funeral home owner & prominent Newark Italian. He had been involved in previous crimes as well. His son Jerry "The Boot" Gallicchio (1913-2005) would become a longtime NJ narcotics figure.
• Robert Gallicchio (1909-1981): Son of Nicholas Gallicchio & Jennie Spatola. Would associate with the Campisi & DiNorscia families.
• Salvatore "Charles" Barracco (1890-1978): From Marsala, Trapani. Moved to NYC shortly after this incident. By April 1936, he was arrested as the "Policy King of Nassau" running a large lottery operation in the southern part of that county. Passed away in Sebastian, FL.
• Leonardo Cipolla (1883-1943): Born in Partinico, Palermo but married to a Marie Saladino from Camporeale. Unlike everyone else, he wasn't a NJ resident and was in NYC. Much bigger than his role as driver in this hit; he was a Bonnano member with close ties to boss Nicola Schiro and had likely been boss in New Orleans early on. Was murdered in 1943

The Press attributed it to a lottery feud while Nicola Gentile explained it as revenge for Troia killing Gaspare D'Amico to take power in Newark. Both explanations had large holes. D'Amico passed away in 1975 and the incident that removed him from power took place in February 1937 well after this affair.

Vincenzo Troia was likely a faction leader though it's unclear if he held any rank in Newark. His faction looks like an amalgamation of his entourage and a group that existed around underboss Sam Monaco. This candy store (317 South 6th Street, Newark, NJ) had been a coal company C. Mangiaracina & S. Monaco run by Sam Monaco & Calogero Mangiaracina (1880-1963 - Camporeale) before Troia took it over. While the reasons behind the hit aren't clear, the idea that boss Gaspare D'Amico would feel threatened by Troia who possessed an enormous amount of connections both nationwide and in Sicily makes sense.

Kinda interesting to listen to.