Mob FilesPublic-domain archive of American organized crime
Printed page 207 of the 1963 hearings, Part 1 (NCJRS PDF page 221): Senator Mundt asks about the declared and undeclared war, and Valachi answers "The undeclared war, I say, lasted a couple of months."
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Hearing of October 2, 1963, pp. 207–209: Senator Mundt asks how long the "undeclared" and "declared" war lasted

Questioned by Senator Karl Mundt, Valachi said the undeclared war lasted "a couple of months" and the declared war "about 8 months, 8 or 9 months," and that members spoke of having been "away 14 months." His own figures, which he said he never checked.

Date
1963-10-02
Kind
hearing
Source
National Criminal Justice Reference Service, scan of the printed hearings (NCJ 119303)
Retrieved
2026-10-12
Rights
A work of the United States Senate, printed by the Government Printing Office. Public domain in the United States. 17 U.S.C. § 105. The NCJRS cover sheet records reproduction permission as "Public Domain / U.S. Senate."

Printed pages 207 to 209 of Part 1 (NCJRS PDF pages 221 to 223), October 2, 1963. The day as a whole is filed as the hearing of October 2. Senator Karl E. Mundt said he was not clear “how long the undeclared part of the war lasted, and how long the declared part of the war lasted.”

Valachi answered: “The undeclared war, I say, lasted a couple of months.” Pressed, he said “Four or five months; a few months, anyway,” then “A couple of months.” Of the declared war he said: “Longer. I would say about 8 months, 8 or 9 months.” He explained the idea of the undeclared phase as “you get the jump on the other one,” and said the war became declared when the Masseria side learned, through the furniture in the Pelham Parkway apartment, who had killed Mineo and Ferrigno (pp. 168–174).

He said that when it was over the members spoke of having been “away 14 months,” and added: “I never checked myself whether it was 14 months or 10 months. I just got it and took it for granted.” Asked whether any soldiers had been killed, he looked at the chart and said: “The only soldier I see up there is Joe Baker” (printed page 208; pp. 188–192).

The figures are Valachi’s recollection, and he said so. They are a witness’s sworn answers, not findings, and this archive does not date the war from them. The police records read into the same hearing date the killings of this period from February 26, 1930 (Reina) to April 15, 1931 (Masseria).

Page images: printed p. 207 (stored above) and p. 209.

itemHearing of October 1, 1963, pp. 168–174: the watch on Steve Ferrigno's apartment at Pelham Parkway and the killing of Ferrigno and Alfred MineoValachi described renting an apartment across from Steve Ferrigno's on Pelham Parkway in the Bronx, seeing Masseria at the building, and the shooting of Ferrigno and Mineo, which he said happened while he was away. He gave the place as "750 Pelham Parkway." Testimony, not a finding.itemHearing of October 1, 1963, pp. 188–192: the "contract" on Joseph Catania ("Joe Baker") and the police record of his killing on February 3, 1931Valachi testified that Maranzano would not make peace until Joe Baker was killed, and described the watch from an apartment in the Bronx. Sgt. Ralph Salerno read the police record: Joseph Catania, alias Joe Baker, 29, shot six times 15 feet west of 647 Crescent Avenue on February 3, 1931, died in Fordham Hospital.itemHearing of October 2, 1963: Valachi's testimony and police recordsValachi continued his account of the 1930 to 1931 gang war. Police witnesses from Hartford and New York testified to records the subcommittee set beside his statements.