Rocco Racco
Encyclopedia
Rocco Racco was a Calabrian born mafioso, who immigrated to the United States and settled in the Pennsylvania area in the 1890s. Racco was known as an early American Black Hand leader, extorting fellow Italian immigrants through the use of anonymous letters, which were covered in cryptic images such as black hand prints, skulls and daggers, and threatened the recipient, and in most cases his family with death if the extortion payment requested was denied. Racco and an associate were responsible for the 1906 murder of a Pennsylvania
Game Warden.
On April 24, 1906, the body of Pennsylvania State Game Warden Seely Houk was found in the Mahoning River
in the western part of the state. Examination showed that Houk, missing since March 6, had been killed by a shotgun blast to the head. Authorities suspected that local mafiosi poaching in the area killed the warden. An investigation by Detective Dimaio of the Pinkerton Detective Agency suggested that the murderer was most likely already in prison.
Investigators made little progress on the case until an inmate named Candido wrote to Dimaio claiming that the killers were local Calabrian Honored Society boss, Rocco Racco and his brother-in-law, Jim Murdocca. According to Candido, Houk had caught the two men hunting out of season. As a warning to them, Houk shot and killed Racco's favorite hunting dog. In retaliation, the two men killed Houk. By the time Dimaio had reached the prison to interview Candido, another mafiosi named Surace had threatened Candido. Surace refused to cooperate until Dimaio allegedly whispered a password of the Calabria
n "Societa Honorata" or Calabrese mafia. Surace immediately confessed that Racco had murdered Houk, which was corroborated by a second witness.
After acquiring the murder weapon from Racco's wife, Dimaio traveled to see the imprisoned suspect. Racco identified the murder weapon as his own and was indicted for murder. Moved to New Castle, Pennsylvania
, the trial gained national attention due to constant death threats against witnesses. Thanks to Surace's testimony, Racco was convicted of murder and hanged at the New Castle prison in late 1909.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
Game Warden.
On April 24, 1906, the body of Pennsylvania State Game Warden Seely Houk was found in the Mahoning River
Mahoning River
The Mahoning River is a river located in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. It joins the Shenango River to form the Beaver River and is part of the Ohio River watershed.- Physical properties :...
in the western part of the state. Examination showed that Houk, missing since March 6, had been killed by a shotgun blast to the head. Authorities suspected that local mafiosi poaching in the area killed the warden. An investigation by Detective Dimaio of the Pinkerton Detective Agency suggested that the murderer was most likely already in prison.
Investigators made little progress on the case until an inmate named Candido wrote to Dimaio claiming that the killers were local Calabrian Honored Society boss, Rocco Racco and his brother-in-law, Jim Murdocca. According to Candido, Houk had caught the two men hunting out of season. As a warning to them, Houk shot and killed Racco's favorite hunting dog. In retaliation, the two men killed Houk. By the time Dimaio had reached the prison to interview Candido, another mafiosi named Surace had threatened Candido. Surace refused to cooperate until Dimaio allegedly whispered a password of the Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
n "Societa Honorata" or Calabrese mafia. Surace immediately confessed that Racco had murdered Houk, which was corroborated by a second witness.
After acquiring the murder weapon from Racco's wife, Dimaio traveled to see the imprisoned suspect. Racco identified the murder weapon as his own and was indicted for murder. Moved to New Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, northwest of Pittsburgh and near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border just east of Youngstown, Ohio; in 1910, the total population was 36,280; in 1920, 44,938; and in 1940, 47,638. The population has fallen to 26,309 according to the...
, the trial gained national attention due to constant death threats against witnesses. Thanks to Surace's testimony, Racco was convicted of murder and hanged at the New Castle prison in late 1909.
Further reading
- Borsella, Cristogianni On Persecution, Identity & Activisim: Aspects of the Italian-American Experience from the Late 19th century to Today. Wellesley: Dante University Press, 2005. ISBN 0-937832-41-3
- Horan, James David and Howard Swiggett. The Pinkerton Story. New York: Putnam, 1951.
- Nicaso, Antonio and Lamothe, Lee. Global Mafia: The New World Order of Organized Crime. Toronto: Macmillan Canada, 1995. ISBN 0-7715-7311-1
- Reppetto, Thomas A. American Mafia: A History of Its Rise to Power. New York: Henry Holt & Co., 2004. ISBN 0-8050-7798-7
- Warren, Louis S. The Hunter's Game: Poachers and Conservationists in Twentieth-Century America. New York: Yale University Press, 1997. ISBN 0-300-08086-7
- Willis, Clint. (ed.) Wise Guys: Stories of Mobsters from Jersey to Vegas. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 2003. ISBN 1-56025-498-X