The CHAIRMAN. Do you solemnly swear the testimony you shall give before this Senate select committee shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Mr. GENOVESE. I do. TESTIMONY OF MICHAEL GENOVESE, ACCOMPANIED BY The CHAIRMAN. State your name, your place of residence, and your business or occupation. Mr. GENOVESE. Michael Genovese, R.D. No. 2, Gibsonia, Pa. At the present time I am not doing anything. The CHAIRMAN. At the present time you are not employed? Mr. GENOVESE. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Do you have counsel ? Mr. GENOVESE. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Identify yourself. Mr. CASEY. Vincent M. Casey, 720 Grant Building, Pittsburgh, Pa. The CHAIRMAN. You may proceed. Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Genovese, the records that we have show that you and Mr. John Sebastian LaRocca were partners in the L. & G. Amusement Co., which distributes coin machines in Pittsburgh. Is that correct? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground that it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. John LaRocca attended the meeting at Apalachin, did he not? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground that it may tend to lead to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. Isn't it correct that you also attended the meeting at Apalachin? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground that it may tend to lead to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. Isn't it correct that Mr. Barbara, Junior, had reserved a three-room suite for you at the Arlington Hotel, in Binghamton, N.Y., and that it was charged to the Canada Dry Bottling Co.? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground it may tend to lead to incriminate me. Mr. KENNNEDY. Isn't it correct that on November 13, 1957, you and John LaRocca registered at the hotel and left the hotel on November 14, the day of the meeting? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground it may tend to lead to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. And isn't it correct that you were apprehended with John Asticcio, from New Kensington, Pa., John Sciandra, from Pittston, Pa., and Gabriel Mannarino, from New Kensington, Pa.? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground that it may tend to lead to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. And isn't it correct that John LaRocca was one of those who was never apprehended at the meeting? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground my answer may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. We have been looking for Mr. LaRocca for a period of approximately a year, and I understand other Government bodies have also been looking for him. Could you tell us what happened to Mr. LaRocca? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground my answer may tend to incriminate me. The CHAIRMAN. Do you know whether he is still alive or not? Proceed. Mr. KENNEDY. Now you knew Mr. Peter Valente of Rochester, N.Y., who attended the Apalachin meeting with Frank Valente? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground it may tend to lead to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. Could you tell us why you have been in touch with them? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground it may tend to lead to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. Do you know anything about the operation of the Club 30 outside of Pittsburgh? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground it may tend to lead to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. That is not outside of Pittsburgh; it is in Chester, W. Va. Do you have an interest in that, the Club 30, in Chester, W. Va.? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground it may tend to lead to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. And you are an associate of Ralph "Foots" Arcadia, Albert "Boots" Bellini, Daniel Bellini, and Thomas Henry "Moon" Mullins; is that right? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. Richard Ambrose? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. You are one of the primary figures in the control of the numbers racket in the East Liberty and Homewood districts of Pittsburgh? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. You were a close associate of Sam Mannarino; is that right? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline. Mr. KENNEDY. The guns that were being flown to Cuba recently, when the plane was apprehended, guns that had been stolen from an armory in Ohio, those guns were being sent by Mr. Mannarino, were they not? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer. Mr. KENNEDY. They were being sent in connection with the revolution in Cuba. Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer. Mr. KENNEDY. Do you know anything about that? (Witness conferred with his counsel.) Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer. Mr. KENNEDY. Were you questioned in connection with that? Mr. KENNEDY. Were you questioned in connection with it? Mr. KENNEDY. Is it not correct that you owned a farm near the airport from where the guns were placed on the plane? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer. Mr. KENNEDY. Have any of your employees in this coin-machine business that you are in, are any of your employees members of any labor union? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer. Mr. KENNEDY. Could you tell us why you went into the coinoperating machine business? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer. Mr. KENNEDY. Could you tell us what arrangements you have as far as the union is concerned? Mr. GENOVESE. I decline to answer. Mr. KENNEDY. Is it correct that any union that exists does not help or assist any of the employees but helps only the employers? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer. Mr. KENNEDY. You have been arrested a number of times, and been convicted of robbery, is that correct, in 1936? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer. Mr. KENNEDY. Could you tell us if the coin-operating machine business was discussed at the meeting at Apalachin? Mr. GENOVESE. I respectfully decline to answer. The CHAIRMAN. Are there any questions? Senator CHURCH. No, Mr. Chairman, I have no questions. The CHAIRMAN. Stand aside, and call the next witness. Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Joseph Salardino. The CHAIRMAN. You do solemnly swear that the evidence you shall give before this Senate select committee shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Mr. SALARDINO. I do. TESTIMONY OF JOSEPH SALARDINO, ACCOMPANIED BY COUNSEL, ALAN Y. COLE The CHAIRMAN. State your name, your place of residence, and your business or occupation. Mr. SALARDINO. Joe Salardino, 2430 West 41st, Denver, Colo. The CHAIRMAN. Are you retired? Mr. SALARDINO. On advice of counsel I take the fifth amendment and stand on my constitutional rights and decline to answer any questions. The CHAIRMAN. Have you ever been employed? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer. The CHAIRMAN. I believe you have counsel present. Counsel, identify yourself. Mr. COLE. Alan Y. Cole, 815 15th Street NW., Washington, D.C. The CHAIRMAN. All right, Mr. Kennedy. Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Salardino, could you tell us where you were born and on what date? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. The information we have is you were born in Monroe, La., on July 5, 1905; is that correct? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. The CHAIRMAN. Would the fact you were born in Louisiana, you think, tend to incriminate you, or born in this country? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. The CHAIRMAN. Proceed. Mr. KENNEDY. According to the information that we have, you became involved in the coin-operating machine business in January of 1956; is that right? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. At that time you entered into a partnership with Clarence Michael "Chauncey" Smaldone; is that right? Mr. SALARDINO. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. As well as Paul Clyde Dilano; is that right? Mr. SALARDINO. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. Who is a nephew of Mr. Smaldone; is that right? Mr. SALARDINO. I respectfully decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. That was a vending machine company known as the J. C. & P. Vending Co.; is that right? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. Was it located at 4101 Dejune Street, Denver, Colo. ? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. You started in the cigarette machine business, expanded into the jukebox business, and ultimately into the pinball machine field; is that right? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. And at the beginning employed the services of Frank "Blackie" Mazza; is that right? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. And the purpose of Mr. Mazza was because of his connections to place machines in businesses where other vending companies already had machines? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. Now you have been friendly with the Smaldone brothers for a long period of time? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. There was Clyde George, "Flip-Flop" Smaldone, one of the brothers you were friendly with; is that right? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. And Eugene "Checkers" Smaldone? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. As well as Chauncey Smaldone whom you went in business with? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. Now, they are reputed to be the most notorious racketeers in the Colorado area; are they not? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. "Checkers" and "Flip-Flop" are now serving 12year terms in the Federal penitentiary at Leavenworth. Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. And you have also been friendly with other underworld figures in the United States, have you not? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. You attended the wedding of Carmela Profaci to Anthony Joseph Tocco? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. And present also at that meeting were Mrs. Angelo Palessi, as well as John Ormento. Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. You stayed in room 640; is that right? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. And you went there with your brother Gus; is that right? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. You also have been friendly with James Coletti, of Pueblo, Colo. Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. He was one of those who attended the gangland meeting at Apalachin. Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. And you are frequently in contact with him; is that right? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. Mr. KENNEDY. And to show the close connection that you have with these individuals, isn't it corect that the Frank "Blackie" Mazza, who originally worked for your coin-operating machine business, has for a long time been the enforcer for the Smaldone organization? Mr. SALARDINO. I decline to answer on the ground it may tend to incriminate me. |