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| July 1965 |
Vincenzo James Caruso was a member of the Madison Family.
Born January 7, 1894 in Palermo, Sicily. (Family Tree on Ancestry claims Torretta.)
In October 1908 arrived at Ellis Island destined for Madison, Wisconsin.
By summer 1917 resided at 522 South Park St in Madison's Greenbush section. Listed occupation as clerk. (Greenbush, commonly referred as the Bush, was the city's Italian enclave.)
On January 22, 1926 filed Declaration of Intention No. 3912 in Circuit Court of Dane County.
He was then residing at 736 West Washington Ave and working as a department store clerk.
In May 1928 filed Petition for Naturalization No. 3912. Witnesses were Charles Allen (Barber) and Charles Elsener (Garage Man).
Caruso, then owner of a clothing store, was naturalized that September.
The following year married Caroline Messina (21y) from the Passo di Rigano neighborhood of Palermo.
Within a year he operated the White Front Grocery at 612 Mound St in Greenbush.
In December 1933 one Vincent Caruso was elected President of the local Societa Mutuo Soccorso Bersaglieri. At various times the group counted among its officers Benedetto DiSalvo, an early power in the Madison Family, and Salvatore Buscemi, father to future member Sam Paul. (It's not certain this Vincent Caruso and the Madison Member are one and the same. Vincenzo Caruso's 1969 obituary does confirm his involvement with the society, however, four years after his death another individual of the same name was elected President. The Madison Member may be identical with the James Caruso elected an officer of the Society alongside the aforementioned DiSalvo and Buscemi in early 1940.)
As of April 1942 the grocery had moved a couple of doors over at 610 Mound St, where the Caruso family also resided.
In July 1962 the location was purchased as part of a redevelopment initiative by the City of Madison.
That same month Vincenzo purchased Supreme Food Shop at 32 North Bassett St for $34,000 (about $335,000 today). White Front Grocery re-opened in its place and the family took up residence above the business.
By 1964 Vincenzo's son Alphonse 'Al' Caruso was President of Grande Cheese Company headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Its General Manager at the time was Bonanno Member John DiBella.
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| Left: John DiBella (1961) Right: Vincenzo's son Al Caruso at DiBella's Wake (1964) |
On June 8, 1964 Carlo Caputo's twenty-one-year old son Bernard was
killed in a car crash. The wake was held two days later in Madison.
Attendees included Madison Underboss Joseph Aiello, Milwaukee Soldier Salvatore 'Sam'
Ferrara, Madison Soldiers James Vincent Caruso, Matthew Pellitteri and Vincent Troia and
Possible Madison Member James 'Little Jimmy' Schiavo. (Schiavo was
described as 'recently made' in Fall 1965.)
On September 15, 1964 one of the FBI's Member Sources in Milwaukee provided information on the Family in Madison. The CI identified 'Joseph' Caruso as a made member who 'used to run a grocery store'.
By that time the Family was headed by Carlo Caputo and Joseph Aiello as Boss and Underboss respectively. The Consigliere position was vacant and there were no Captains. The entirety of its membership was Palermitan and numbered less than a dozen, Caruso included. Most of the members were occupied with legitimate interests and little to no criminal activity on their behalf was reported.
On November 19, 1964 the FBI briefly questioned Caruso: "[Caruso] was interviewed re [Joseph Bonanno kidnapping]. He said, among other things, that although Bonanno was unknown to him, [Caruso's son Alphonse is President of] Grande Cheese Company operated by John DiBella. As the Bureau knows, Bonanno is financially interested in the Grande Cheese Company. Caruso also said that there was no Joseph Caruso in the whole city of Madison."
On the same date Agents contacted the Madison PD for information on Caruso: "[Detective], who is well acquainted in the Italian community in Madison, advised he is well acquainted with James Caruso, who has operated the White Front Grocery Store at a location on Mound Street and more recently on Bassett Street, for many years. [Detective] stated to the best of his knowledge James Caruso was a law abiding citizen who has not made any money through illegal means and who has no hoodlum connections. [Detective] stated he felt certain that he would be aware of any illegal activity on the part of James Caruso inasmuch as members of the Italian community are constantly coming to him with real and imaginative wrongs perpetrated by members of their group and none has ever complained of James Caruso. [Detective] stated he is aware that James Caruso's [son Al] has been connected with the [Grande Cheese] formerly operated by John DiBella and believed [Al] is still connected with this concern but would not know whether he would be engaged in illicit enterprise."
The following week the Milwaukee source was re-contacted: "[CI] advised that the party he had previously mentioned as being Joseph Caruso who ran a grocery store in Madison [is] in fact James Caruso. He stated that James Caruso had been a member of the LCN Madison Family for a long time. He did not know anything about Caruso's current sympathies or activities."
On January 21, 1965 Caruso was re-interviewed: "Caruso stated that his name was really Vincenzo Caruso, but he had acquired the nickname of Jim and consequently the name of James after his arrival in this country. He said that he was known as James V. Caruso, except when he signed documents, which he signs Vincent James Caruso. Caruso said that he came directly to Madison upon arrival in this country and he was naturalized in the court of Judge Hoffman of Dane County many years ago. Caruso said that he had heard nothing about the whereabouts of Joseph Bonanno nor did he know anything about Bonanno's interest in [Grande Cheese]. He stated that there was nothing he could say about the organization called the Mafia. Caruso stated [he] had heard nothing through [his son Al at Grande Cheese] that would have any bearing on Bonanno's interest or his present situation or his whereabouts."
The FBI interviewed Caruso for a third time on April 21, 1965: "Caruso said that he had heard nothing at all about Joseph Bonanno's whereabouts. He also said that he had not seen Carlo Caputo for some time...Caruso said that he was approached two or three years ago by Caputo with an offer to sell Caputo's store. Caruso was then at a different location and was interested in a different place of business, but he did not want one that required him to work until ten or eleven at night. He, therefore, declined Caputo's offer. Caruso said that a year or more ago one of Caputo's nephews or cousins relieved Caputo of part of his business responsibility by taking over the pizza place in the 400 block on State Street. Another nephew or cousin took over another pizza restaurant and these brothers now seem to run all of the pizza business that Caputo had. Their family name is [Redacted] but Caruso said that he had not met them as yet."
During another contact at his grocery store in July 1965, Caruso was surreptitiously photographed while being questioned by Agents.
As of Fall 1965 the Madison Family consisted of eight confirmed members:
- 1. Carlo Caputo (Boss; 62y)
- 2. Joseph Aiello (Underboss; 64y)
- 3. Filippi 'Phil' Candela (Soldier; 74y)
- 4. James Vincent Caruso (Soldier; 71y)
- 5. Cosimo DiSalvo (Soldier; 60y)
- 6. Matthew Pellitteri (Soldier; 55y)
- 7. James 'Little Jimmy Schiavo (Soldier; 42y)
- 8. Vincent Troia (Soldier; 69y)
He was interviewed for the fourth and final time on November 18 of that year: "[Caruso] was contacted in his grocery store. (The object of the contact was not a regular interview, but rather an attempt to become better acquainted with the subject). Caruso said that his wife had been invited to attend a shower for the daughter of [Milwaukee Member] Nick Fucarino in Milwaukee...The shower took place on Sunday afternoon, 11/7/65. Caruso said that he was also invited to accompany his wife, but neither went. He said that they 'sent an envelope' instead, which is a way of saying he sent a gift of money...Caruso said that he keeps his store open on Sunday mornings, and after closing up and having dinner he didn't feel like making the trip."
By November 1965 Madison Soldier James Schiavo's son Anthony was engaged to a daughter of Milwaukee Soldier Nick Fucarino. The wedding was held December 6, 1965 in
Milwaukee. A reception at the Eagle Club was attended by representatives
from the Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago and Rockford Families, including James Caruso and most or all of the Madison members. (The one possible
exception was Madison Soldier Vincent Troia.)
On January 31, 1966 FBI reported: "Information developed in Milwaukee indicates James Vincent Caruso to be a member of the LCN which may be attempting to get in on the cheese business in Wisconsin."
On February 3, 1967 FBI CI reported: "[CI] advised that James Caruso is a member of the LCN, Madison...Caruso as an inactive LCN member and is one of the old timers. [CI] stated that James Caruso is not known by him to be engaged in criminal or otherwise questionable activities. Caruso has been in the grocery business and [CI] had no new information concerning him."
In May 1967 he was fined $18 for selling beer to a minor.
On January 6, 1969 Caruso died at his residence on North Wingra Drive in Bay Creek.
His wake was held the following day at Fitch - Lawrence Funeral Home at 626 University Ave.
Caruso's passing brought the Madison Family down to nine members.
Four years later the membership convened and voted to dissolve the Family, with a couple of the more active members electing to transfer into Families located in nearby cities.