Ciro Terranova
Named in the 1963 Senate hearings by staff counsel as on Masseria's side in the 1930–31 war, and by Valachi, from what he was told, as one of the men at the Coney Island restaurant where Masseria was killed.
- Aliases
- Ciro Morello, the Artichoke King
- Rights
- Biography on this page is limited to what the cited federal records state.
On the record
- 1 October 1963 — Asked who Terranova was, Valachi said (printed p. 155): "He was known as Ciro Terranova and Ciro Morello," and agreed he was also known as "the Artichoke King," explaining "he would buy all the artichokes that came into New York." Testimony.
- 1 October 1963 — Staff counsel Duffy, presenting Exhibit 8 (printed p. 162): "there was Ciro Terranova, Dutch Schultz, a number of others, such as Vito Genovese, Al Capone. They are all on the side of Joseph Masseria during the gangland war." Counsel's statement.
- 1 October 1963 — Valachi named "Ciro Terranova" among the five or six men Masseria still had close to him near the end (printed p. 199). Testimony.
- 2 October 1963 — Valachi testified (printed p. 211): "I wasn't there, but I was told Ciro was there, Vito was there, Charley was there, a fellow named Cheech was there, and Joe Stretch was there," and repeated a story that Terranova was so shaky at the car "that they threw him off the wheel," after which "his power was being taken away from him." Testimony, from hearsay.
The aliases are those Valachi gave and agreed to at printed page 155 of the hearing. No record opened gives Terranova’s birth or death. No role or family is set: counsel’s list of men “on the side of Joseph Masseria” is a description of a staff chart, and Valachi’s account is hearsay. No one was charged with Masseria’s killing in this record.
Records
itemTestimony of Joseph Valachi, October 1, 1963: the initiation ceremonyValachi described the ceremony at which he said he was made a member, with Salvatore Maranzano speaking. The same day, staff presented Exhibit 8, the Masseria-Maranzano war chart.
itemExhibit No. 8: "Masseria-Maranzano War and Evolution of Gang Control—1930 to Present"Staff fold-out chart presented on October 1, 1963: the 1930 to 1931 war in three key-coded groups and the lines of succession drawn from it to five 1963 bosses. Several name boxes are illegible in the scan.
itemHearing of October 1, 1963, pp. 198–199: Masseria's offer of peace, Maranzano's refusal, and the men Valachi said "set him up"Valachi testified that Masseria "offered himself to be a plain soldier" and that Maranzano refused, that Maranzano's side had grown to about 600, and that Masseria's own men set him up at a Coney Island restaurant. Testimony from hearsay; Valachi was not there.
itemHearing of October 2, 1963, pp. 210–213: Valachi's account of the killing of Joseph Masseria, and the police record of April 15, 1931 at 2715 West 15th Street, Coney IslandValachi testified from hearsay that Masseria's own men took him to a Coney Island restaurant and killed him. Sgt. Ralph Salerno read the police record: at 3:30 p.m. on April 15, 1931, "Giuseppi Massaria, alias Joe the Boss," was shot in the back and head in a restaurant at 2715 West 15th Street by unknown persons who escaped.
itemExhibit No. 8: "Masseria-Maranzano War and Evolution of Gang Control—1930 to Present"Staff fold-out chart presented on October 1, 1963: the 1930 to 1931 war in three key-coded groups and the lines of succession drawn from it to five 1963 bosses. Several name boxes are illegible in the scan.itemHearing of October 1, 1963, pp. 198–199: Masseria's offer of peace, Maranzano's refusal, and the men Valachi said "set him up"Valachi testified that Masseria "offered himself to be a plain soldier" and that Maranzano refused, that Maranzano's side had grown to about 600, and that Masseria's own men set him up at a Coney Island restaurant. Testimony from hearsay; Valachi was not there.itemHearing of October 2, 1963, pp. 210–213: Valachi's account of the killing of Joseph Masseria, and the police record of April 15, 1931 at 2715 West 15th Street, Coney IslandValachi testified from hearsay that Masseria's own men took him to a Coney Island restaurant and killed him. Sgt. Ralph Salerno read the police record: at 3:30 p.m. on April 15, 1931, "Giuseppi Massaria, alias Joe the Boss," was shot in the back and head in a restaurant at 2715 West 15th Street by unknown persons who escaped.