MAFIA IN APALACHIN? (con't.)    

"Mafia In Apalachin?"  |  1  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6  |  7  | 8  |

            With Anastasia out of the picture, Vito Genovese took control of the Luciano organization from Frank Costello and had about half of New York City under his authority.  All that Vito Genovese needed was official recognition by the Commission; a large body of various chiefs from across the country.  The Commission decided to meet in Apalachin, at the home of Joseph Barbara to talk about the power shift in New York City.  (Purpose #1)
       “The Commission was once the national governing body of nearly thirty mob families spread out across the United States.  It had been formed in 1931 as an attempt to end the seemingly endless bloodshed that made being a boss a hazardous occupation.  All the mob bosses from across the U.S. had been invited to Chicago where they approved this attempt at a more formal method of governing themselves.  It was decided that the original Commission would have seven members, the five bosses from New York, the leader of Buffalo, and the head man from Chicago.  The bosses also agreed to all gather in another National Convention in five years at which time they would revisit the Commission issue and select its membership.  These National Conventions were held in: 1931 (Chicago), 1936 (unknown), 1941 (unknown), 1946 (probably Havana or Florida), 1951 (unknown), 1956 (Apalachin), and 1957 (Apalachin).  Obviously the 1957 Apalachin meeting was out of sequence and basically an "emergency" gathering.  At the 1956 National Convention in Apalachin, the gathered mob bosses agreed to expand the Commission to nine members.  A feeling had developed amongst some families that the same seven families were dominating the Commission and by adding the leaders of Detroit and Philadelphia, the power would be spread wider.  This expansion would not go into effect until 1961, however.” (excerpt from Andy)
               The Barbara Family, (commonly called the Bufalino Family since the 1960s, probably had around 50 members at it's height plus lots of associates. Santo Volpe was the first known boss of this family, which was centered at Pittston, Pennsylvania.  He reigned from approximately 1908 to 1933.  Through a variety of means, Volpe gained control over a number of mines in this rich coal region.  He then leveraged his power and political connections into a seat on the State Coal Commission, which set the tonnage each coal mine could produce. In such a position, the possibilities for kickbacks and extortion were evident.

            From this position of power he simultaneously gained control of various locals of the United Mine Workers.  Combined with his interests and control of mines, Volpe now had leverage over the entire system.  He would be able to ensure his connected mines were allowed to produce as much tonnage as they wanted, he could arrange "sweetheart" contracts with the union so his mines would be able to operate at less labor costs than competitors.
            Around 1933 Volpe gave way to John Sciandra.  Like Volpe, Sciandra had coal company interests and assumed control over Volpe's rackets including his union scams.  Unlike Volpe, Sciandra’s story did not play out to a happy ending.  He was murdered and replaced by Joseph Barbara in 1940.  It is unclear who ordered the killing. The fact that Sciandra's son continued to be a power in the family might suggest that it was not Barbara behind the hit.
            Joseph Barbara, like so many others, was a bootlegger during prohibition and was convicted as such.  He probably continued to run stills long after prohibition although it was not nearly as lucrative.  It was still a money maker since he had the equipment, connections and knowledge.  Originally Barbara called Scranton, PA his home base but later moved to Binghamton, New York.  Soon afterwards, he moved to the Apalachin, NY estate.  The main house had been constructed back in the late 1800’s so it is known that he did not construct the original building.  (Looking at a picture of today’s building, you can make out the original house at the front with the gable roof running parallel to the road.  It appears that Barbara ran an extension, at right angles to the original home. He also probably added the garage, the summer home and some of the outbuildings.)
            Joseph Barbara was born in 1905 in Castellammare, Sicily, and came to the United States as a teenager in 1921.  He moved to Endicott, New York and worked in one of its shoe factories.  Not too long afterwards he moved to Old Forge, PA and became active in bootlegging.  His ancestry would have allowed him access to other Sicilians and entry into the Volpe circle.  In the early thirties he had

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