Nicholas Morello (1855/1866-September 7/November 6, 1916) was one of the first New York organized crime figures founding the Morello crime family and was later one of the participants in the Mafia-Camorra War of 1916.

Born Nicolo Morello in Corleone, Sicily in 1866, Morello immigrated with his family, including his brothers Antonio Morello and Giuseppe Morello and half brothers Ciro and Vincenzo Terrinova from Sicily arriving in New York in 1892 joining "Lupo the Wolf" Ignazio Saietta 's Black Hand organization. In 1910 when Saietta and Giuseppe, were arrested for counterfeiting Morello, with half brothers Ciro and Vincent, became leader of the organization. When rival Brooklyn leader Don Pelligrino Morano began moving in on Morello's Manhatten territory of East Harlem and Greenwich Village in 1916 members of Morello's Black Hand killed Morano member Nick Del Guido . Soon after a peace conference was called between the two however Morano refused Morello's offer and a brief but violent gang war began. The war continued for over six months until Morello was killed by Morano's men on November 6, 1916 with underboss Charles Umbriaco outside Vollero's Cafe , a local Navy St. restaurant, while meeting Morano for a truce. Morano however was later arrested and convicted of Morello's murder despite payoffs to New York detective Michael Meali who refused to help. With Morano and top members of the Camorra sentenced to life imprisonment the gang war ended weeks later.

Further reading

• Jay Robert Nash, Encyclopedia of World Crime (K-R) Vol. III, CrimeBooks Inc., Wilmette, 1990

External links

• GangRule: Nicolo Morello
• American Organized Crime: New York's Black Hand