Murder of 'Joe Baker' Catania - Feb 3, 1931

[THunt]

The autobiography of Mafia informant Joseph Valachi sheds light on numerous events in underworld history, particularly those relating to the Castellammarese War of 1930-31. Valachi had an active role in and wrote a detailed account of the February 3, 1931, Bronx murder of Joseph "Joe the Baker" Catania. That killing had been ordered by Salvatore Maranzano, war leader of a rebel Castellammarese faction in New York.



See Valachi's discussion beginning on Page 316:
https://mafiahistory.us/a023/therealthing2.html#316

Catania, a key figure in the organization of Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria and a nephew of East Harlem bigshot Ciro "the Artichoke King" Terranova, was shot on Belmont Avenue from the windows of an apartment across the narrow street. His killers included Sebastiano "Buster" Domingo, Salvatore "Sally" Shillitani, Nick Capuzzi and Valachi, who drove the getaway car. The gunmen did a thorough job. Catania died of his wounds at Fordham Hospital the next morning. The Mob gave him an extravagant funeral a few days later.



See "'Joe Baker' gunned down on Belmont Ave.," (Writers of Wrongs):
https://www.writersofwrongs.com/2020/02 ... t-ave.html

See also "Stroke takes the 'Artichoke King,'" (Writers of Wrongs):
https://www.writersofwrongs.com/2019/02 ... -king.html