Steven La Torre
Steven La Torre | |
|---|---|
| Born | Stefano La Torre March 12, 1886 Montedoro, Sicily, Kingdom of Italy |
| Died | July 5, 1984 (aged 98) Pittston, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Resting place | Memorial Shrine Cemetery, Carverton, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Occupation | Crime boss |
| Spouse | Rose Lucchino |
| Children | 4 |
| Allegiance | Bufalino crime family |
Steven Joseph La Torre[1] (born Stefano La Torre; Italian: [ˈsteːfano la ˈtorre]; March 12, 1886 – July 5, 1984) was an Italian-American crime boss of the Bufalino crime family. He founded what would become the Bufalino crime family, which he ran from 1903 to 1908.
Early life
[edit]La Torre was born on March 12, 1886, in Montedoro, Sicily, to Giuseppe La Torre and Maria Marranca.[2] He entered the United States in May 1903,[3] settling in Pittston, Pennsylvania.[1] He set up a criminal empire in Pittston-Scranton-Wilkes-barre areas of Pennsylvania. La Torre paid for the passage of Mafia boss Santo Volpe to Pennsylvania in 1906. They formed "the men from Montedoro".[4] In April 1907, La Torre was arrested with Santo Volpe, Charles Bufalino, uncle of future crime boss Russell Bufalino,[1] and twenty other men for a protection racket against mine workers in the region.[5]
La Torre married Rose Lucchino, and had two sons, Joseph and Samuel and two daughters, Mary and Lena.[6]
Criminal career
[edit]In 1908, La Torre stepped down as boss of Pittston, but remained connected to the Mafia. Volpe became the new crime boss.[7] In 1955, La Torre was called to a meeting with Joe Barbara where he refused to have a possible rat in the Pittston crime organization killed. Barbara became angry with La Torre and reduced his influence in the Mafia. La Torre remained a consultant to Russell Bufalino until his death in 1984.
Death
[edit]La Torre died of natural causes on July 5, 1984, at the age of 98. He is buried in Memorial Shrine Cemetery, Carverton, Pennsylvania.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Federal Bureau of Investigation (May 12, 1967). "No Title". Mary Ferrell Foundation. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
STEVEN JOSEPH LA TORRE was born on 3/11/86 in Montedoro, Sicily, immigrated to the United States in 1903 and had always resided in Pittsaton, Pa., area. [...] It is to be noted the CHARLES C. BUFALINO, is the uncle of RUSSELL A. BUFALINO [...] Since 4/20/67, SA WAYNE D. SMITH of the Wilkes-Bare RA has been contacting SAMUEL STEVEN LA TORRE (PH 872-PC), subject of Philadelphia File 137-4887.
- ^ "Immagine 22". Antenati (in Italian). Retrieved July 1, 2020.
L'anno milleottocentottantasei, addì quattordici di Marzo [...] è comparso La Torre Giuseppe di Stefano, [...] il quale mi ha dichiarato che alle ore [...] del dì dodici del corrente mese [...] da Marranca Maria, sua moglie, [...] è nato un bambino di sesso maschile che egli mi presenta, e a cui dà il nome di Stefano.
- ^ Passenger Manifest for the S.S. Sicilian Prince, May 16, 1903, available at Ellis Island: The Statue of Liberty.
- ^ Fox, Stephen R. (1989). Blood and Power: Organized Crime in Twentieth-Century America. Morrow. ISBN 978-0-688-04350-6.
- ^ Birkbeck, Matt (2013). The Quiet Don: The Untold Story of Mafia Kingpin Russell Bufalino. Berkley Books. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-425-26685-4.
That changed on April 22, 1907, when Volpe, LaTorre and Charles Bufalino were arrested, along with twenty other men for terrorizing the mining communities.
- ^ a b "Stephen LaTorre". Times Leader. July 6, 1984. p. 15. Retrieved July 1, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
His wife, Rose, died in 1973. Surviving are his sons, Joseph, Jenkins Township; Samuel, Exeter; daughters, Mrs. Mary Parrino, Pittston; Mrs. Lena Lipparini, Jenkins Township; [...] Interment will be in a family plot in Memorial Shrine Cemetery, Carverton.
- ^ Newton, Michael (April 6, 2012). The Mafia at Apalachin, 1957. McFarland. p. 22. ISBN 978-0-7864-8986-2.
