Mafia Boss Stefano Magaddino and his crime organization first made their money through bootlegging during the Prohibition era of the 1920’s and 1930’s, then expanded into loan sharking, gambling, extortion, hijacking, drug trafficking and labor racketeering.

Magaddino had survived a couple of murder attempts over the years.

Mafia insider Joseph Valachi IN 1963, testifying before a Senate Permanent Investigations Subcommittee in Washington said Crime Boss Stefano Magaddino was marked for extermination in a gangland war in the 1930s. 

On May 19,1936, a bomb intended for Magaddino exploded at the house of his sister and brother-in-law at 1651 Whitney Ave., Niagra Falls, NY, The sister Arcangela Longo, was killed and her three young daughters injured in the blast.

In 1958 another murder attempt was made when a grenade hurled through a window into his kitchen, of his home at Dana Drive in Lewiston, NY, but failed to explode.  

Stefano Magaddino

Some believe the murder attempt was made by angry mobsters who wanted revenge for the disastrous Apalachin Mafia meeting in 1957 that Magaddino organized. Due to that meeting, numerous arrest of Mafiosi were made and newspaper headlines introduced the Mafia to the public.  

BOMBING KILLS WOMAN HERE

Blast Wrecks Falls Home, Fatally Injures Woman; Daughters Hurt

MOTHER IS DEAD, THREE DAUGHTERS INJURED IN BLAST

Niagara Falls, NY, MAY 19, 1936, - Wide Area Rocked As Terrific Explosion Tears One House Apart and Damages two Others; Woman Dies in Hospital.

A woman was injured and burned fatally and her three daughters were injured in an explosion which this morning shortly after 5 o'clock damaged three houses, almost demolishing one, and rocked the Whitney avenue section of the city between Fifteenth and Eighteenth streets.

The woman fatally injured was Mrs. Arcangela Longo, 42 years old, wife of Nicholas Longo, 1651 Whitney avenue. The injured are her daughters, Josephine, 17, Rose, 14, and Lena, 11. The two younger girls are in Mount St. Mary's hospital.

Neither is believed to be in serious condition.

Firemen and police who answered calls to the neighborhood sent in by panic-stricken residents reported that evidence pointed to a bomb as the cause of the explosion.

The seat of the explosion was In the home of Nicholas Longo 43 years old, 1651 Whitney avenue and the blast, which tore away a large front sun porch and almost completely wrecked the upper rear section of the Imposing brick 2 1/2 story dwelling, damaged the homes of Peter Battaglia, at 1649 Whitney avenue, and Stephen Magaddino, 1653 Whitney avenue.

Fire Chief James H O'Neill estimated the total damage due to the explosion and fire which followed it at $15,800. The Longo home was damaged to the extent of $15,000, the Magaddlno home to the extent of $500 and the Battaglia home $300.

Awakened Before Blasts

Awakened Just before the explosion rocked and rent their home, Mrs. Arcangela Longo, 42, and her three daughters, Josephine 16, Rose 14 and Lena, 11, were hurled from their feet and injured.

Mrs. Longo was seriously burned and she suffered cuts and bruises as well. She and the two younger girls were taken to Mount St. Mary's hospital by police in an ambulance.

The mother died there at 12:20 p.m. Her daughters are said to be only slightly burned and injured and are suffering mostly from shock.

Josephine, the oldest of the three girls, suffered cuts on the head and chest. She was given first aid treatment by neighbors and was not sent to the hospital.

Wide Area Rocked

The blast rocked houses in an area of four blocks and many residents of the locality were pitched from their beds. Windows in the Magaddino and Battagila homes were shattered and sections of the walls and roofs ware dislodged.

Awakened by the explosion, residents of the neighborhood rushed to the Longo home and rendered first aid and assistance to the members of the Longo family.

Mr. Longo was reported to be in New York City on business and was not at home when the explosion occurred.

Police Capt Patrick J. Carmody and Lieut. William Downs assumed charge of the early investigation of the case. They were assisted by Patrolmen Homer Davis and Harley Sheldrick.

Police investigation disclosed that Mrs. Longo and her three daughters were in bedrooms on the upper floor of the house when they were awakened by the smashing of glass on the lower floor at the east side of the house. Mrs. Longo arose and started down a stairway. She had reached the grade entrance of the house on the east side when the explosion occurred.

Blast Terrific

The blast was terrific. The explosive is believed to have been thrown through a window of the lower floor near the grade entrance. Mrs. Longo was thrown from her feet, enveloped in flame

and missiles of torn plaster, woodwork and possibly fragments of the death-dealing contraption struck her, tearing and bruising her flesh.

Her three daughters were on the upper floor grouped about the stairway, about, to follow their

mother to the lower floor, police investigators said a large section of the east wall of the building was torn out and a large chair was carried from the dining-room of the Longo home, hurled through the opening in the east wall of the building and fell on the lawn of the Magaddino home next door.

Think Dynamite Used

Fire investigators believe that the destructive missile hurled into the house had dynamite as its principal ingredient. The blast tore upward and downward, twisting heavy timbers of the building and dislodging the house from its foundation. Windows were shattered like eggshells the roof was raised and then fell with a resounding roar, plaster was cracked and crumpled, falling to the floors of many of the rooms. Furniture was lifted from its place and hurled against the walls and ceilings, failing to the floor in pieces.

Sun Parlor Demolished

Sections of the large front sun-parlor were demolished, brick and stucco piers were torn away

and following the blast the house, which has three outside walls, one of wood, another of stucco and a third of brick, appeared to be on the point of collapse. Police today prohibited anyone from entering it.

In arriving at his estimate of $15,000 damage to the Longo home, Fire Chief O’Neill today took

into consideration the costly furnishings of the dwelling as well as the damage to the building.

Much of the furniture is completely wrecked. Little fire followed the blast and practically all the damage to the three buildings was from the explosive.

Seek Motive

Police Supt. John A. Curry and Chief, of Detectives George H. Callinan took active charge of the investigation early today. They sought a motive for the attack on the home and the Longo family but admitted at press time that they had made little headway in establishing the reason for the outrage. They awaited the return from New York of Mr. Longo to question him as to possible enemies.

Mrs. Longo was a sister of Mr. Magaddino, who lives with his family next door to the Longo home. He and other relatives and friends of the Longo's conferred with Supt. Curry and Chief Callinan but could offer little that would establish a motive for the outrage.

May Be Beer War

In their investigation police took into consideration the fact that Mr. Magaddino Is allied with

brewery interests and heads the Power City Distributing company, whose headquarters are in LaSalle avenue near Eleventh street but they could see no connection with his affiliations and

Longo's interests.

Every angle of the case was being considered by the police as they strove to get to the bottom of the situation.

Police Supt. Curry offered the suggestion that the outrage might have been perpetrated by an outside gang of terrorists who bore some grudge against Mr. Longo. However, the police theorized that such an element usually knows where the object of its attack is at the time the attack is made and they were puzzled that the wife and daughters of Mr. Longo should be made the victims of any outrage intended for him.

"If they had anything against Nick, why take it out on his wife and children?" one close friend of the Longo family asked, as he was quizzed by police.

Feeling High In Neighborhood

Resentment against perpetrators of the outrage ran high in Whitney avenue, Ashland avenue, Elmwood avenue and throughout the Nineteenth street, Eighteenth and Pine avenue sections today.

The Longo family was popular with residents of the district and the anger of their friends biased against those who had caused them injury and resulted in the death of the mother of the family.

In their investigation of the outrage police today were checking movements of persons in the neighborhood and trying to determine it any strange men were seen in the neighborhood of the Longo home before the explosion occurred.

They started a systematic checkup of the activities of members of the city's underworld element in the hope that they would uncover some clue that would lead to the arrest and punishment of the bombers.

MYSTERY VEILS MOTIVE FOR FALLS BOMBING OUTRAGE AS POLICE STUDY THEORIES IN HUNT FOR SOME CLUE

“Hoping for Break,” District Attorney Says After Questioning Husband of Slain Woman; Deny G-Men to Be Called in; Reprisals Feared

Niagara Falls, MAY 20, 1936, - District Attorney Raymond A. Knowles took personal charge of the investigation of the Nicholas Longo home bomb outrage today. Accompanied by Clarence W. Greenwald, Assistant District Attorney, and George H. Callinan, Chief of Detectives, Mr. Knowles questioned Longo, but following the Interview announced that nothing had been divulged that would provide a clue to the motive for the attack on the home which caused the death of Mrs. Longo and Injuries to her three daughters.

Hoping for Break

"All I can say is that we are working on the case and hope for a break," Mr. Knowles said this morning.

The questioning of Longo took place in the home of his brother-in-law, Stephen Magaddino, 1659 Whitney Avenue.

Magaddino is a brother of Mrs. Longo, victim of the outrage.

Following his return from New York last night Nicholas Longo was requested to appear today at Chief Callinan's office at police headquarters, where it was planned to question him. Shaken by grief and suffering from shock, Longo asked If the interview might take place in the home of his brother-in-law and because of his bereavement his request was granted.

Consider Three Theories

Three theories are being considered by the authorities In their Investigation of the case.

One is that the attack on the Longo home was connected with a bookmakers' war between Falls and Buffalo bookmakers, another is that it was in connection with a beer distributors' war and the third that it was due to a personal enmity that some persons, at present unknown to the police, held against Longo.

A fourth theory that the bombing of the house and the murder of Mrs. Longo might have been in connection with an attempt at extortion, with Longo as the victim, has been practically rejected by the authorities, they intimated today.

Think Killing Intended

The feature of the case that puzzles the authorities is that the attack was made on the home when Longo was not in It. Underworld agents make few mistake in an attempt to "get" a victim. Longo left this city several days  ago for New York, where he was called, his friends and relatives and he says, because of the serious illness of his sister.

If those who bombed his home wanted to end his life they would have made sure that he was in  it when the attack was made, authorities point out.

The suggestion has been made that the perpetrators intended the bombing of the house as a warning and did not realize that it would end in tragedy believing that the house would be

damaged and not intending that inmates would suffer injury or death.

This theory is discredited, however, because of the brutality displayed by the perpetrators in using two bombs, instead of one.

Suspect Outside Interests

Police Superintendent John A. Curry and Chief Callinan both said today that Longo has no police record here.

The former inclines to the opinion that the bombers were from outside the city and that whatever the enmity against Longo it was held by some outside element.

Police today admitted, however, that they had not been able to unravel the situation and that the motive for the attack on the home was still shrouded in mystery.

Police officials said that there was no evidence, direct or indirect, to substantiate the report that the bombing was the result of a gang war between Falls and Buffalo underworld elements.

No Racket Connections

"Longo was not connected with any rackets as far as we now know." Chief Callinan said In discussing the case.

"He had a love for gambling but he operated no games and his gambling activities were restricted to participation himself in the game of chance," the chief continued.

Reprisals Expected

A Buffalo record shows that Longo was arrested by government men last November in connection with the alleged transportation of alcohol. There is no record of a final disposition of the case.

Falls police are not reticent in admitting that they look for reprisals because of the bombing  outrage but they said today that they were in the dark as to where the reprisals would break out or In what element.

Daughters Recovering

Dr. Joseph V. Farugia, coroner, said Mrs. Longo died, from burns and shock.

Investigation showed that she undoubtedly walked directly into the scene of danger when she descended the stairway of her home after having been awakened by some noise and sought to investigate its cause.

She was clothed only in her nightdress and as she reached the lower floor of her home and made for one of the doors leading outside the explosion occurred.

Her nightdress was burned from her body and she was completely seared by flames. Blood was found by Investigators in the front entrance of the house and in other places indicating that she

had groped her way about after being caught by the blast.

Her three daughters, Josephine. 16. Rose, 14, and Lena, 11, who were to the house when the explosion occurred and who were injured, were reported out of danger today.

Rose and Lena were taken to Mount S t Mary's Hospital with their mother. The former was to be discharged from the hospital today and the latter was said to be recovering satisfactorily.

Police Supt John A. Curry' said today that a report that federal authorities bad been appealed to or would be appealed to for aid in solving the mystery was news to him. He said that such a move had not even been considered by him.

LONGO FUNERAL

Services for Bombing Victim to Be Held Saturday Morning

Funeral services for Mrs. Arcaagela Longo, 43 years old, wife of Nicholas Longo, 1651 Whitney Avenue who was fatally burned yesterday when a bomb was exploded in her home, will be held

Saturday at 8:30 a.m. from the home of hat brother, Stephen Magaddino, 1655 Whitney Avenue, and at 9 o'clock from St. Joseph's church. Interment will be in St. Joseph's cemetery.

Mrs. Longo was born In Italy and had lived in this country for the past 21 years, coming hare from Brooklyn 16 years ago. Besides her husband, she is survived by three daughters, Rose, Josephine and Lena Longo, all of this city, three brothers, Stephen, Casper and Anthony Magaddino, of this city, two sisters, Mrs. Josephine Genna and Miss. Rosario Magaddino, both of Brooklyn, and her mother, Mrs. Joseph Magaddino, of Italy.

Huge Throngs Attend Last Rites for Falls Bombing Victim Today

St. Joseph's Church Unable to Hold Crowds That Gathered for Funeral of Mrs. Nicholas Longo

Niagara Falls, NY, MAY 23, 1936, - Mrs. Nicholas Longo. victim of a bomb that early Tuesday morning shattered the Longo home, 1681 Whitney avenue, was buried today at a ceremony that attracted huge throngs of mourners, friends and associates of the victim's husband and additional hundreds of the Idly curious who Jammed the streets adjacent to the home of Mrs. Longo's brother and St. Joseph's church, where the services were held.

2000 In Crowd

The Immense crowd, estimated at nearly 2,000 persons, started gathering early this morning at the home of Stephen Maggadino, 1653 Whitney avenue, the brother. The large Maggadino

home was soon filled with the close friends of the Longo family and other hundreds overflowed into the yard and street nearby, where foot large trucks and two automobiles had been piled with floral offerings of every description.

Police In Crowd

Following the services at the home, the mourners carried in over 400 automobiles, moved to St. Joseph's church, which also proved too small to accommodate the crowds of persons from every walk of life.

Detectives and police who are still seeking the perpetrators of the outrage that resulted in Mrs. Longo's death, mingled with the crowd outside the church, checking up on underworld characters in attendance. A solemn requiem mass was celebrated at the church by the Key.

Mrs. Nicholas Longo, whose, death, caused by: injuries suffered when a bomb wrecked her Niagara Falls, Whitney avenue home on May 19, is not being investigated by G-men, according to Detective Chief George H. Callinan.

Mrs. Nicholas Longo

Say No G-Men at Work on Bombing

Local Police Still Seek Motive, Clue in Outrage

Niagara Falls, NY., May 29, 1936 - Police Superintendent John A, Curry and Chief of Detectives George H. Callinan today declared that they have no Information that federal G-men are working on the solution of the Longo home explosion and the slaying of Mrs. Arcangela Longo, wife of Nicholas Longo, despite rumors to that effect and accounts published in Buffalo newspapers

Chief Callinan explained today that the party of men in whose company he had dinner In a First street restaurant last night and who were identified as G-men today by a Buffalo morning newspaper, were, in. reality, old friends who are here attending the Knights of Columbus convention

Some were police officials and a few were members of the Past Grand Knights organization of the K. of C

The Longo case was not discussed officially, at least at the dinner at which Chief Callinan was host, said today.

No request for federal assistance has been made by local police officials for federal aid In the Longo case.

The Investigation is being handled locally and authorities are still hoping a break that will disclose a motive

for the outrage.

Fatal Bombing Here Recalled

Niagara Falls, NY, October 2, 1963

Stefano Magaddino of Dana Drive, Lewiston, who Joseph Valachi said was marked for extermination in a gangland war in the 1930s, lived next door to a home here that was hit by a bomb in 1936. Magaddino's sister was killed in the bombing.  

Valachi, testifying before a Senate Permanent Investigations

Joseph Valachi

Subcommittee in Washington, D.C., said Maggadino was fingered for murder because he came from the village of Castel Mare in Sicily.

In a struggle for control of a Cosa Nostra gang, a force headed by Joe Massaria had condemned to death all persons who came from Castel Mare, including Magaddino, Valachi said.

On May 19. 1936, a bomb was thrown at the home of Nicholas Longo at 1651 Whitney Ave. The home of Magaddino next door at 1653 Whitney Ave. was damaged.

The blast rocked the Whitney Avenue section between 15th and 18th Streets at 5 a.m., and Mrs. Arcangcla Longo, wife of Nicholas, died in hospital at 12:20 p.m. Three daughters were injured.

Also damaged was the home of Peter Battaglia at 1649 Whitney Ave. Mr. Longo was in New York City at the time.

Mrs. Longo was a sister of Mr. Magaddino.

Niagara Falls police at the time thought that the bombing might have been perpetrate by an outside gang which bore a grudge against Longo.

However, they could not understand why the bomb was thrown while Longo was out of town and why Mrs. Long and the three children should have been the victims of the attack.

Reputed Mafia Strongman Dies at 82

July 19, 1974

LEWISTON, N.Y. (AP)—A man once listed as a member of the national governing body of the Mafia, Stefano Magaddino, has died of a heart attack at the age of 82.

Magaddino had been suffering from heart ailments for several years and was admitted to Mount St. Mary's Hospital here by his family Friday afternoon.

Hospital officials said he died of heart failure about four hours later Friday.

In1963, Magaddino was identified in a U.S. Senate hearing as the "irrefutable lord paramount" of organized crime in Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Toronto.

In 1970, the U.S. attorney general's office released a list of six, leading La Cosa Nostra "commission members." Magaddino's name was among them.

Federal investigators said they believed the "commission" was the governing body of the Mafia in this country.

He was also identified by the New York State Crime Commission as a Mafia leader.

He was born Oct. 10,1891, in Castellamare del Golfo, Trapani, Sicily, and became U.S. citizen in1924.

He said he arrived in this country in 1902 at the age of 12.

In 1921, Magaddino was picked up by police in New York City as a fugitive from a homicide investigation in New Jersey. He was later cleared of any involvement in the case.

He was first hospitalized with heart troubles in 1960. Five years later, he was subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury investigating a New York City kidnapping.

In 1965, he was called to testify before the New York State Investigations Commission.

He was hospitalized in each of those years and never testified in either of the proceedings.

In 1968, he was among 10 men arrested in raids in the" Niagara Falls area by the FBI, State Police and local police from Niagara Falls, N.Y., Niagara Falls, Ont., Buffalo, North Tonawanda, Toronto and the Province of Ontario.

All 10 men were charged with conspiracy and aiding racketeering.

Among those arrested with Magaddino was his son, Peter.

Bedridden with heart problems at the time, Magaddino was arraigned on the charges in his bedroom.

Delays caused by his ill health kept the case from going to trial.

In 1973, the charges against him were dismissed when the FBI refused to divulge the identity of the informant they used in gathering the information that led to the arrests.

After the 1968 arrests, the Mafia "commission" reportedly forced him out; placing his operations under its control.

Federal investigators say there is still a power struggle going on within Magaddino's reputed Mafia family to gain control.

Funeral arrangements were incomplete. They were being handled by the Magaddino Memorial Chapel in Niagara Falls, N.Y., the funeral home he owned.

His son, Peter, now manages the business.