Raffaele Palizzolo, the Deputy of mafia

 If we know that the Sicilian Mafia had reached every level of society on the island, the most striking example remains the case of Raffaele Palizzolo. He was a 19th-century politician who served as a deputy and was an influential member of Palermo’s upper class. He is a figure I find intriguing because, throughout his life, he openly associated with various Mafia networks. This article aims to describe the enigmatic biography of Palizzolo and his influence within the underworld of the Mafia

Don Raffaele Palizzolo

Birth and Education:

Raffaele Palizzolo was born on January 14, 1843, in Termini Imerese to a father originally from Caccamo. Very little is known about his childhood, except that he studied in Palermo and was barely 18 years old at the time of the Revolution in Sicily. However, Palizzolo later claimed that he received a medal from Garibaldi’s 1860 campaign.

Some sources state that his uncle was Lieutenant Colonel Mario Palizzolo, who fought alongside Giuseppe Garibaldi. Mario spent a period in exile in Genoa and joined Garibaldi in the Expedition of the Thousand. At Talamone, he was assigned to the 4th Company and arrived in Sicily aboard the ship Lombardo. He commanded a unit that notably fought at Calatafimi (province of Trapani). Mario was wounded in the leg during the battle and was evacuated to Alcamo. On September 12, 1861, he was awarded the title of Knight of the Military Order of Savoy by royal decree for his involvement in the revolution.

Mario Palizzolo

During his youth, Raffaele Palizzolo aspired to become a writer and poet. He earned the nickname “Cignu” because when he spoke, he moved his arms, his eyes, and every feature of his face. His first major work was a serialized novel titled Elvira Trezzi, which was also published in booklet form in the newspaper Giornale di Sicilia. He became engaged at a very young age to his first cousin, Mathilde, but they never married, as Palizzolo preferred that people regard Mathilde as his “confidante” rather than his partner.

Although literature seemed to be Palizzolo’s primary passion, he drastically changed direction by turning to politics. He joined the Palermo city council thanks to his wide network of friends and continued to rise within Palermo’s high society. Palizzolo moved between the Left and the Moderates while cultivating useful friendships with the Right. In particular, he was a follower of the ideas of Agostino Depretis, a member of the Historical Left.

Context of Insecurity:

Let us now turn to the political situation in Sicily. The very first report to inform the government about criminal activity was written between 1873 and 1875 by the Minister of the Interior, Girolamo Cantelli. He notably compiled statistical data on the number of murders per inhabitants in most Italian regions for the year 1873. Unsurprisingly, Sicily ranked first, with one murder for every 3,194 inhabitants. At the time, the island had approximately 2,500,000 residents. A quick calculation suggests that there were roughly 800 murders per year, which was far above the standards of other European countries.

In the same table, Lombardy recorded one murder for every 44,674 inhabitants, with a population of 3,288,000. This amounted to about 74 murders per year. The contrast between the North and the South was therefore colossal. Cantelli even noted that 1873 had been calmer in Sicily than the previous year. Emanuele Notarbartolo, whom I will mention later in this article, was mayor of Palermo in 1873 and had to make drastic decisions regarding public insecurity.

Cantelli therefore took measures suited to the situation in Sicily. In 1874, he asked the prefects of the provinces of Palermo, Trapani, Agrigento, and Caltanissetta to meet in order to discuss and study possible ways to combat this phenomenon. Each of them had already written a report that described the Mafia in considerable detail, using precise terminology. For example, influential members were referred to as “Capoccioni,” while lower-ranking members were called “Sparaglioni.” They also cited numerous Mafia strongholds such as Corleone, Palermo, Termini Imerese, Monreale, Cefalù, Prizzi, and others.

As a historical anecdote, the prefect of Palermo who authored one of the four reports was Gioacchino Rasponi, whose mother was the granddaughter of Caroline Bonaparte (sister of Napoleon Bonaparte, who married Joachim Murat, whom Napoleon made King of Italy).

Prefect Gioacchino Rasponi

The situation continued to worsen day by day, and the government kept receiving complaints about crime on the island. Even the provinces of Catania and Messina, which had been among the most peaceful, began experiencing a rise in brigandage, notably due to the Cuncinotta–Papalia gang. One particularly striking incident was the kidnapping of a man in Messina by the gang after he had reported one of their crimes. The man was tied to a tree and beaten throughout the entire night.

Cignu’s First Controversy:

It was in this context, during the years 1873–1874, that Palizzolo emerged in politics. His hometown of Termini Imerese was no exception to the waves of brigandage, and Palizzolo showed no hesitation in associating with them. Among the principal criminals was the Vincenzo Rocca–Angelo Rinaldi gang, both originally from San Mauro Castelverde. They had found allies in several villages east of Palermo. The gang stood out for its large number of members and the strictness of its organization. They controlled a clearly defined territory and regularly recruited members from other gangs.

The founding member was a certain Biaggio Valvo, originally from Montemaggiore. In May 1873, he was pursued by mounted officers from Termini Imerese. A violent shootout broke out, during which the officer Vincenzo Bonomo was shot and died in the arms of his father, who commanded the unit.

For Valvo, this murder became his own death sentence. Bonomo’s father and his men hunted him down, and a month later he was located near Alia. The mounted officers from Termini surrounded his hideout, and Valvo was killed along with an accomplice. Bonomo’s father was still not satisfied; he tied Valvo’s body to his horse and slowly rode through the criminal’s native village. It was meant to show the families what it meant to attack mounted carabinieri — and possibly the son of an honest father. It was after Valvo’s death that Vincenzo Rocca and Angelo Rinaldi took over the gang and associated themselves with Raffaele Palizzolo.

In March 1874, they were responsible for the kidnapping of Baron Giulio Sgadari while he was walking on his estate. The operation involved up to 22 bandits divided into three groups. The unit that directly confronted Sgadari was led by Antonino Leone, a fierce bandit from Ventimiglia. It was in a forest near his native village that he hid Sgadari and sent a ransom demand for 127,000 lire.

In the meantime, however, Leone quarreled with his accomplice Gioacchino Di Pasquale, who attempted to kill him after reaching an agreement with Sgadari. Di Pasquale tried to shoot Leone several times, but Leone managed to dodge the shots. He then leapt on his accomplice and stabbed him 13 times. He cut off his bearded head and placed it on the window of the sub-prefecture of Termini Imerese. The police later reassembled Di Pasquale’s body in order to photograph it.

Gioacchino Di Pasquale, killed by Leone

Termini Imerese was therefore not a very respectable town at that time, largely because of these brigands. Palizzolo did not hide his association with them, with whom he maintained good relations through the intermediary of his brother, Eugenio Palizzolo. In November 1876, the parliamentary elections took place, and Palizzolo was determined to run in order to represent Caccamo, a town in which he had significant interests, as he was a provincial councilor and the owner of an estate there.

Palizzolo traveled to several small towns strongly influenced by the Mafia in an effort to secure his election, including Ventimiglia, Leone’s native town. Upon his arrival, he was escorted by around fifty mounted men led by Domenico Nuccio, an associate of Leone who was wanted for kidnapping. Interestingly, Nuccio would later flee Sicily and migrate to New York because of the warrant issued against him; I imagine he likely became involved with the local Mafia there.

Despite the efforts made by Palizzolo, including asking bandits to intimidate towns east of Palermo, he was defeated by his rival, the lawyer Giuseppe Torina. Torina held a significant advantage over Palizzolo: he was the protector of the Mafia in Caccamo and the most valuable ally of Antonio Leone. He had already hidden Leone several times on his properties to prevent him from being captured by the carabinieri. Ironically, during the election period, Torina’s home was searched, which made the headlines of local newspapers. Torina and his brother were considered the leaders of the “High Mafia” of Caccamo. Palizzolo reportedly received death threats from Leone demanding that he withdraw his candidacy, which he ultimately did.

mafioso Giuseppe Torina of Caccamo

However, the elections in Caccamo drew the attention of Giovanni Nicotera, the Minister of the Interior, following numerous complaints. He decided to annul Torina’s appointment and to hold new elections. Nicotera was a man who understood the importance of the Mafia, especially after the kidnapping of the young English aristocrat John Forester Rose in November 1876.

He and his family owned a company in Lercara Friddi called Gardner Rose & Co., which operated sulfur mines. Because they were English and aristocratic, the family became targets for local brigands. John Forester was followed by four mounted bandits at the entrance to Lercara Friddi. He attempted to flee across a field but was fired upon. In order to avoid further risk, he chose to stop and was kidnapped by the brigand Giuseppe “Esposito” Randazzo (some sources claim that Leone was with him).

Legend has it that Esposito cut off both of Forester’s ears because his family had not paid the ransom. His wife, deeply shocked, eventually pressured her in-laws, and the demanded sum was finally sent. The following year, Esposito was accused of orchestrating the murder of Giuseppe Guccione, the mayor of Alia. In 1871, Esposito had worked for him, supervising laborers in his fields.

He was now a highly wanted fugitive, and thanks to an informant, the police located him in Termini Imerese. He was reportedly wounded in the leg and staying with an associate. Esposito was tried in September 1878 before the court of Palermo and sent to prison. His record listed him as born in Alia on an unknown date to unknown parents; however, he was 31 years old at the time of the events.

Giovanni Nicotera strongly insisted that justice convict him as quickly as possible, as the British government had placed pressure on him over the Forester case. Yet, thanks to his connections, Esposito escaped from a prison van while being transported once again to the court in Palermo for another matter. He migrated to the United States under a false name, settled in New Orleans, and took control of the local Mafia. However, Esposito was eventually betrayed by associates and arrested by detectives. He was then formally identified as Giuseppe “Esposito” Randazzo by around ten witnesses, including the warden of the Palermo prison, prison guards, the Forester brothers, and carabinieri from Alia.

Mafioso Giuseppe “Esposito” Randazzo

All these stories of kidnapping and political corruption made Antonio Leone one of the most feared criminals in Sicily. He had become the leader of the Maurina gang after the death of Vincenzo Rocca in a confrontation with the police in January 1875 (it is unclear whether Rocca was killed or took his own life).

From that point on, however, Antonio Leone lived as a constantly hunted prey. The prefects formed a unit of mounted officers dedicated to his capture, and they learned that he was hiding near Montemaggiore with two accomplices. The police surrounded the location, and a violent shootout broke out. Leone and his companions had no chance. They were ultimately killed, such was their tragic fate.

The officers photographed Leone’s body, which they had tied to a chair in order to prove his death, as he was so greatly feared. Minister Nicotera was so pleased that he offered a rifle to King Vittorio Emanuele II.

Capo-brigante, Antonino Leone

A New Step Toward Becoming a Deputy:

Palizzolo’s first attempt in his political career ended in a resounding failure. He even chose to abstain from the reorganization of the elections in the spring of 1877 following the fraud. Above all, Palizzolo wanted to avoid any direct confrontation with the government, and particularly with Nicotera. Like many other opponents of the Minister of the Interior, he sent letters of complaint denouncing the methods of Nicotera and his ally, the Prefect of Palermo, Antonio Malusardi.

This Sicilian aristocracy, closely linked to the Mafia, was also close to Francesco Crispi (who would later become Prime Minister of Italy). Crispi was born in Ribera, Sicily, a village already deeply influenced by the Mafia, from which some migrants would later form a Mafia group in New Jersey in the United States. Crispi was the principal shareholder of the Sicilian newspaper Il Precursore and asked its editors to publish a wave of discriminatory speeches against Prefect Malusardi.

Nicotera also faced pressure from certain members of the government such as Crispi and the Minister of Agriculture, the Sicilian baron Majorana Catalabianco. They demanded that Nicotera take action against the brigands but stop at the doors of the “High Mafia.” Men such as Palizzolo, Torina, and Antonio Li Destri Ventimiglia (Baron of the Madonie, who appeared on Malusardi’s list) were very pleased with this development. Moreover, Malusardi’s reputation suffered greatly, and he was forced to resign in 1878.

Palizzolo therefore continued his pursuit of becoming a deputy. The next election would take place in 1882, with the arrival of Agostino Depretis as Prime Minister. However, Depretis passed a law requiring 8 to 10% of the popular vote to be elected as a deputy, whereas previously only 2% had been sufficient. Depretis was the pioneer of the movement known as “transformism” and sought a “more modern” government with representatives who were educated and popular among the different social classes.

Palizzolo was the ideal profile to represent Sicily. He liked to portray himself as a highly cultivated man who scribbled poetry in his spare time. Depretis’ “Reformist” movement significantly contributed to the development of clientelist networks (support in exchange for favors), which Palizzolo fully exploited with the criminals of the island. Clientelism was not considered a major issue at the time, although it was synonymous with numerous abuses of power and corruption. There are concrete examples of Palizzolo granting firearms permits to dangerous individuals.

It was thanks to this extensive clientelist network that Palizzolo succeeded in winning the support of the Sicilians, as well as through his image as a distinguished and patriotic man. He was even recommended by the Prefect of Palermo who had replaced the honest Malusardi. Yet even at that time, Palizzolo was brought before the court in a murder trial, from which he emerged acquitted due to “lack of evidence” (Source: I Padrini by Giuseppe Carlo Marino). It was also with the support of Francesco Crispi that Palizzolo was elected deputy at the end of 1882.

Young Raffaele Palizzolo

The kidnapping of Marquis Emanuele Notarbartolo:

Raffaele Palizzolo achieved his goal of being elected deputy in 1882, which coincided exactly with the kidnapping of Marquis Emanuele Notarbartolo. He was a very important figure on the island who was accustomed to traveling through the rural areas of the province. Notarbartolo owned land near Sciara, where he had a vineyard estate, and on April 12, 1882, he went there accompanied by the Randazzo brothers, who managed the property.

At the end of the day, Notarbartolo, still accompanied by the Randazzo brothers, decided to go to Sciara to take the train to Palermo. On the way, they were surrounded by a patrol of carabinieri who immediately asked the three men for their firearms permits. Like most peasants of the time, the Randazzo brothers were not carrying their papers, as the carabinieri usually knew the local inhabitants of the countryside very well. However, these carabinieri were not from the area and ordered the Randazzo brothers and Notarbartolo to follow them to the police station in Caccamo.

Emanuele Notarbartolo found this absurd and assured them that the Randazzo brothers did have permits, but nothing would change their decision. They were therefore escorted by the carabinieri, and after some time Salvatore Randazzo noticed that they were not heading toward Caccamo and said so aloud. The corporal of the carabinieri replied sharply, “If you speak, you are dead.” At that precise moment, Notarbartolo and the Randazzo brothers understood that these were not real carabinieri, even though they wore the uniform and carried official rifles.

The group stopped in a clearing and ordered the captives to climb up. One of the brigands approached Notarbartolo and said, “Your Excellency, please forgive us, but you will only be released if you pay us 77,000 lire.”

Illustration of Notarbartolo's kidnapping

Notarbartolo replied that he did not have such a sum, but one of the brigands intervened, saying, “Are you not the director of the Banco di Sicilia?” Notarbartolo explained that he could not obtain that amount of money and negotiated it down to 14,000 lire. Salvatore Randazzo was sent to Palermo that very evening by the brigands to gather the money.

Meanwhile, Notarbartolo continued walking blindfolded until he reached a cave where the brigands intended to hide while waiting. Randazzo arrived in Palermo in the middle of the night at Notarbartolo’s home, where the family was already worried about Emanuele’s delay. He explained that they had been captured by criminals and that a ransom had to be paid for Emanuele’s release. His family complied without hesitation, and Randazzo rejoined the brigands on April 14. However, the criminal leader Pietro Rini now demanded 52,000 lire, and Randazzo immediately returned to Palermo.

On the morning of April 15, he once again rejoined the brigands after crossing the countryside during the night on a mule, his pockets filled with money. At the same time, the Prefect of Palermo, Cesare Bardesono, learned of Notarbartolo’s disappearance. He did not appear inclined to send the Palermo army to rescue him. To be honest, Bardesono was a supporter of Raffaele Palizzolo and had even recommended him during the parliamentary elections. However, several prominent figures close to Notarbartolo pressured the prefect, notably the Prince of Scalea and General Emilio Pallavicini (who had confronted the men of the famous brigand Carmine Crocco).

Under this pressure, Bardesono agreed to send the army, with Pallavicini at its head. One of the brigands’ scouts spotted soldiers searching the countryside and informed them. The gang abandoned Notarbartolo, having obtained the money they wanted, and fled. The family was greatly relieved, and many people from Palermo gathered to welcome him back.

An investigation was then opened to identify the kidnappers, led by Major Ilardi. His men searched the countryside around Palermo for clues, and one of them found a letter near the railway line at Mendolilla. It stated that a certain Guida had supplied the brigands’ uniforms. Interestingly, Guida was a close associate of Palizzolo, to whom he owed many favors. The police arrested him at his home and found a stack of banknotes matching those given to the brigands as ransom.

Further investigation revealed that the brigands were Pietro Rini (the leader, from Caccamo), Pirajno (from Casteldaccia), Rotini (from Bagheria), and Barone (from Altavilla). Guida was taken to the Palermo police station and beaten by the carabinieri, yet he said nothing.

An important coincidence is that in 1876 a certain Pietro Rini from Caccamo had been the caretaker of Palizzolo’s lands in that same town. He was sentenced to house arrest for a crime, and it was Palizzolo who used his influence to have the ruling lifted, stating:

“I have entrusted many of my lands to Rini, and if he must leave, I would hardly know to whom I could assign them.”

Guida was only one of Palizzolo’s many links, as he had supplied only the uniforms, while the weapons and hideouts remained unaccounted for. Moreover, the Rini gang was far from being as efficient as Antonino Leone’s had been in the past. They were hesitant in their decisions and were immediately frightened by the arrival of the army. A few days after Guida’s arrest, Pietro Rini was found dead near Caccamo. It seems almost certain that he was part of the Mafia of Caccamo, to which Palizzolo was close, and that they decided together to eliminate him out of fear that he might collaborate.

During the month of May, the police received anonymous information that the other bandits were hiding in the Villa Colluzio in Villabate. Notably, Palizzolo owned property adjacent to that villa, whose owner was never present. On May 29, the police, led by Major Pietro Ilardi, surrounded the building and forced open the ground-floor door. There was not a sound. Ilardi went upstairs with his revolver in hand, but as soon as he reached the corridor, he was killed in a burst of gunfire.

A shootout followed throughout the rest of the night, but the bandits eventually surrendered after threats to burn down the villa. The bandits were sentenced to life imprisonment, though there was a fifth accomplice who had apparently migrated to the United States.

Newspapers about Pietro Illardi's death

It is clear that the criminals linked to the Mafia of Caccamo benefited from Palizzolo’s help in hiding on lands in Villabate. Each cosca controlled its own territory; the Villabatesi would not have risked sheltering criminals wanted for the kidnapping of the famous Notarbartolo, especially in a villa belonging to a noble neighbor of Palizzolo. It was through his connection to the cosca of Villabate, as well as his influence in Caccamo, that Palizzolo made this possible.

Yet where could this anonymous source revealing the criminals’ location have come from? Deputy Crispino De Luca Aprile wrote a very interesting passage on the matter:

“The prefect Bardesono, pressured by public indignation, would have shown his teeth to Palizzolo, obtaining with his collaboration the resolution of the case. What the Notarbartolo family will never know is that the most important supporter of the Rini gang was Giuseppe (Di Rosario) Fontana, the cousin of his namesake Giuseppe (Di Vincenzo) Fontana, responsible for the murder of Notarbartolo.”

The bandits were therefore allegedly betrayed either by Palizzolo himself or by Giuseppe Fontana, also a member of the Mafia of Villabate, whose grandmother was a Zarcone.

An Unprecedented Rivalry:

The rivalry between Notarbartolo and Palizzolo existed long before 1882. As previously mentioned, Notarbartolo was a very well-known figure among Sicilians. He began as a young soldier in 1859 when he enlisted in the Piedmont region alongside his friend Francesco Di Scalea. The two men were supposed to fight in Austria, but Emanuele Notarbartolo resigned from the Piedmontese army in order to join Garibaldi in Sicily.

He boarded a ship on May 9, 1860, with other men ready to fight for Sicily. There were 900 men on board, composed of individuals from all social classes, according to the marquis (which confirms that Garibaldi made use of criminals). Meanwhile, two of Emanuele’s brothers were arrested at their residence in Palermo and were awaiting execution for their involvement in the revolution.

Emanuele fought at Milazzo for Garibaldi and later returned to Messina to help liberate the city as a unit commander. According to Notarbartolo, many regiments under Garibaldi’s command were completely disorganized. He remained in the Italian army for several years after the end of the revolution and was transferred to Milan. In 1864, he resigned in order to return to Sicily and marry the woman he had met in Messina during the revolution.

Emanuele Notarbartolo after the Revolution

When Antonio Di Rudinì was appointed mayor of Palermo in 1863, Notarbartolo entered the city council and became one of his close collaborators. Rudinì was a mayor full of enthusiasm after the revolution, but a series of events disrupted his mandate.

A severe famine struck during the winter of 1865 and persisted for much of the following year. The municipality had to create its own bakeries to prevent “private bakeries” from inflating the price of bread. This famine led to riots and growing unpopularity for the new government, which became as hated as the former Neapolitan one. The Mafia had helped Garibaldi, but it had also gained advantages from doing so, and when it realized that the law was just as strict as it had been under the Neapolitans, it quickly moved to ignite a revolution on the island.

The prefect of Palermo, Luigi Torelli, had recently arrived and described Sicily as a wild country in the heart of Africa.

This brief revolution of 1866 ultimately led nowhere, as it lacked a true leader; it was merely a maneuver by the Mafia, which took advantage of the government’s fragility. Palermo then experienced a political crisis for several years. This is what pushed Notarbartolo to run in the 1873 legislative elections, as he was among the longest-serving members of the city council. Many streets of the capital had not been restored since the revolution. Notably, Notarbartolo discovered that the city’s last financial report had not been voted on since 1865. This meant that municipal funds were coming from unknown sources and, more importantly, that the city’s expenditures had not been properly recorded for years.

Portrait of Mayor Emanuele Notarbartolo.

Notarbartolo undertook considerable public works in Palermo and also took very seriously the corruption among customs officers and carabinieri, who were poorly paid due to the city’s deficit. For this reason, Notarbartolo decided to grant bonuses based on the number of fines issued. This significantly contributed to reducing the city’s deficit, thanks to the large quantity of contraband that was confiscated.

It was during his term as mayor that he met Raffaele Palizzolo, who was new but already influential on the city council. This is rarely mentioned, but I discovered that one of Palizzolo’s sisters was married to a certain Pietro Notarbartolo, Duke of Villarosa, who was a cousin of Emanuele. The two men may have been close for a time, but this did not last long.

La Banco Di Sicilia :

Raffaele Palizzolo also sat on the board of the Banco di Sicilia, an institution dating back to 1572 that had for many years been the island’s only public discount bank. It was administered by two civil servant directors directly appointed by the State, along with other members designated by those same directors. This formed a staff of around fifty individuals who had the power to put banknotes and gold into circulation.

In November 1875, a scandal broke out within the Banco di Sicilia. The government discovered that the board had falsified a financial report by one and a half million lire in order to conceal irregularities (likely embezzlement). The management was dissolved, and Notarbartolo was elected Director General of the new administration.

Indeed, Notarbartolo no longer wished to remain mayor after his term; he sought a position that would be less mentally demanding. However, becoming the head of such an important institution during a financial crisis was not the best decision. Notarbartolo was forced to raise loan interest rates because the bank was fragile at the time of his appointment. Several provinces on the island were very dissatisfied, particularly Catania. Moreover, the new Minister of Agriculture was originally from Catania and pressured the Bank to make money circulate more easily within his province.

Minister of Agriculture, Salvatore Majorana

Notarbartolo was not the kind of man to be intimidated, and he wrote to the government: “Tell the Minister of Agriculture that I do not tolerate intimidation and that he would do better to advise his friends.” The director forced most of the bankers in Catania into retirement, notably Director Mac Donald, who was accused of fraud along with around ten accomplices. Notarbartolo did the same in Girgenti when he learned that a cashier named Dell’Aira was advancing funds for illicit purposes. The branch director, a certain Mr. Segrebondio, was also dismissed for complicity. He did not leave empty-handed, as he took a large sum of money from the city, leaving a significant deficit before fleeing to Rome.

A second major event occurred in 1880, when the director uncovered a new fraud in Rome. It involved an accountant named Melani, who had already received warnings for suspicious behavior. When Melani’s actions came to light, Notarbartolo, furious, ordered the capital’s police to arrest him. Melani was tried and sentenced to 17 years in prison. He held a strategic role, serving as a liaison between the Banca Romana and the Banco di Sicilia. However, Melani’s superior was Deputy Borruso. Notarbartolo attempted to dismiss him as he had done with the other corrupt individuals, but to no avail, Borruso was untouchable because of his status. He was nevertheless transferred to the Sicilian city of Trapani, though he remained influential within the banking institution.

The year 1880 was extremely tense for the director. The government regarded him as “a king who refuses all political cooperation.” Within the bank’s council, there was a growing desire for upheaval, fueled by Borruso and his allies, including Raffaele Palizzolo. They almost certainly managed to corrupt a minister, as one of the government-appointed members of the Bank’s board was forced into retirement and replaced by Borruso, who thereby gained greater influence within the institution. The replaced adviser was Nicastro, a close friend of Notarbartolo, who was transferred to Trapani in Borruso’s place.

The man behind this move was the controversial minister Luigi Miceli, who justified it by saying: “Nicastro belongs to the Bourbon family; he was related to the infamous Salvatore Maniscalco, director and head of the Bourbon police in Palermo before the revolution.”

Minister Miceli and director Salvatore Maniscalco

At the Banco di Sicilia, the opposition was so strong that most decisions were blocked by the board; every day there were pointless debates fueled by internal conflict. This opposition was led by Palizzolo “he was the man who drove my father mad”, recalled Leopoldo Notarbartolo.

However, it should be noted that Borruso suffered from health problems and died in 1884. After his death, Notarbartolo finally believed he could bring back his right-hand man, Nicastro, but in vain. Minister Bernardino Grimaldi was approached by the opposition and, under pressure, accepted that Palumbo Cardella take the position. Cardella came from a disreputable family in Girgenti and was a fervent supporter of Francesco Crispi. Palumbo’s uncle was the very man dismissed from the Girgenti bank by Notarbartolo for embezzling 50,000 lire. Upon learning of his appointment, Notarbartolo drafted his resignation letter. However, Prime Minister Depretis convinced him to remain and to use his influence to remove Bernardino Grimaldi instead.

Notarbartolo therefore continued as head of the Banco di Sicilia despite increasingly difficult years. Meanwhile, Raffaele Palizzolo was appointed censor of the Bishopric of Palermo. The bank’s opposition numbered more than twenty individuals, including protectors of mafiosi and, worse still, proven thieves (such as a certain Chiara, who would later flee Italy to avoid prison). There was also a man named Figlia, said to be linked to the Palermo Mafia; I wonder whether he had origins in Villabate.

After several years of strain, Notarbartolo decided in April 1889 to write a series of confidential documents to the government proposing a law aimed at reducing the power of members of the Italian banks. Initially, the government expressed its support. However, in a still mysterious manner, the reports were leaked, and the members of the Banco di Sicilia were warned. The most plausible theory is that Palizzolo was alerted, as he was staying in Rome during the same period.

On April 24, 1889, Notarbartolo’s documents disappeared from the ministers’ offices in Rome before they were even read. They were sent to Palermo and handed to Palizzolo, who took pleasure in reading them aloud before all the members of the Banco di Sicilia’s board. Following this incident, the members turned against the government, denouncing the documents as defamatory. Most of them maintained ties with Francesco Crispi, who in February 1890 issued a decree removing Notarbartolo from his position.

Prime Minister Francesco Crispi

It was on February 16 that Notarbartolo was forced into retirement and replaced by Commander Nervo. This decision was deeply painful for him, as he had devoted 14 years of his life to the Bank in order to make it an institution free of corruption. However, the former director remained on good terms with certain members, such as Nervo, who granted him a pension in recognition of his years of loyal service.

Nervo did not remain director for long, as he was replaced the following year by Giulio Benso De Verdura, also known as “the mayor of the barricades” (since he had been appointed mayor of Palermo by Garibaldi during the siege of the city). Upon his appointment, he decided to stop paying Notarbartolo’s pension, claiming that the bank was in financial crisis. Naturally, the former director did not accept this and initiated legal proceedings.

Notarbartolo was even more surprised when he learned from members of the board that Raffaele Palizzolo had diverted funds for his political campaign in November 1892.

At that time, Palizzolo was in a complex situation. He sought to become deputy for the Palermo constituency, but he faced a formidable opponent in Antonio Marinuzzi. Marinuzzi was supported by Giovanni Giolitti, who deployed all his financial resources on his behalf. As for Palizzolo, he had no party affiliation and therefore turned to the Right in order to secure financial backing. He could rely only on his Mafia allies for his campaign.

Palizzolo also sought to improve public opinion about him, as during that period he was accused of having killed Francesco Miceli on his property in Mezzo Monreale. Palizzolo wanted to acquire the estate, but Miceli refused to sell it to him. One evening, as Miceli was returning home in a carriage, two gunshots killed him. His young wife accused Palizzolo and two mafiosi of taking part in the assassination. Unfortunately, this case was ultimately abandoned, like many other Mafia-related murders of that time.

Francesco Miceli, Palizzolo's victim

Palizzolo won the election against Marinuzzi, but less favorable news soon followed. Notarbartolo had taken the Bank to court for failing to continue paying him the pension that was owed to him, and he won the case in October 1892. He was also due to receive a significant amount in compensation on February 3, 1893 but, as you will see, fate would decide otherwise.

The Notarbartolo's murder :

In the late afternoon of February 1, 1893, Emanuele Notarbartolo boarded a train in Sciara bound for Palermo. He settled at the rear of the last carriage, which was the most luxurious but also isolated. However, Notarbartolo never stepped off the train in Palermo. His family, who were waiting for him, immediately sensed that something was wrong — especially since it was the final stop. And yes, this was Sicily, and he was a politician little appreciated by the Mafia; the worst could easily be imagined.

Meanwhile, another passenger named Santa Sorge got off earlier at the Trabia station. It was already night. Santa had gone shopping in Termini Imerese and was walking along the railway tracks toward her home. In the darkness, she stumbled and nearly fell. A carabiniere caught her just in time before she collapsed. The man introduced himself as Carabiniere Sanfilippo and told her she had nothing to fear. He then uttered a chilling sentence:

“Now go home without turning around. He who sees nothing knows nothing.”

Probably because he had been discovered, Sanfilippo quickly fled after sounding the horn of the rural guards. Two men responded by raising the alarm as well and rushed toward the railway line. In the faint light, they saw what appeared to be a body and initially thought it had likely fallen from a moving train. About half an hour later, the real authorities gathered at the scene, among them the mayor of Trabia. The body was lying face down, so one of the carabinieri turned it over and discovered the horror. His hands were covered in blood, as the victim had been stabbed around ten times. It was only by the light of their lantern that the men saw a face distorted by wide-open eyes and a gaping mouth, which must have expressed intense pain.

A jacket was also found a short distance away, but nothing allowed the body to be identified except for a handkerchief bearing the initial “N.” The body was left at the scene under guard by several officers. However, the mayor went home to sleep after the event and forgot to inform the police commissioner. Meanwhile, Notarbartolo’s brother-in-law asked the Palermo station master for permission to use the telegraph to inquire at all stations between Termini and Palermo whether Notarbartolo had been seen getting off the train. All responses were negative. Ironically, it was later discovered that the Palermo station master had received a telegram reporting a body near the tracks at Trabia, yet had not informed the brother-in-law.

Location of the murder and sketch of the assassination

Notarbartolo’s brother-in-law, Giuseppe Merlo, went to report his disappearance at the Palermo police headquarters and met Commissioner Eugenio Ballabio, who was still in his office late at night. Merlo explained the situation, and Ballabio recalled Notarbartolo’s kidnapping eleven years earlier. Together, they returned to the station to inspect the carriage Notarbartolo had used. As previously mentioned, it was the most isolated compartment, and when they opened the door, they found significant disorder and blood all over the cushions.

Ballabio demanded that the train conductor be woken up for questioning. It was Giuseppe Carollo, 35 years old, originally from Bagheria. According to an investigation, he came from a family of brigands. He stated that he had seen Notarbartolo board the train in Sciara and head toward the first-class carriage. Two other men had also entered the same carriage when the train stopped at Termini Imerese. Carollo insisted that his role was merely to check tickets and that he could not identify the two individuals nor say where they had disembarked. Ballabio replied that it was also his duty to inspect the carriages and that he had made no mention of the bloodstains and disorder in the last one. Carollo appeared embarrassed and claimed he had not examined the carriage because he was very tired from his day. Ballabio, visibly irritated, dismissed him, remarking that it was “typical Mafia behavior.”

All the authorities then returned home without the telegram reporting a body ever being communicated. It was only the following day that the Notarbartolo family was informed and that the body was formally identified at the cemetery of Trabia as that of Emanuele. The family confronted the chief carabiniere of Trabia, who was also present, stating that it was undoubtedly the work of Raffaele Palizzolo and his hired killers from Villabate.

During the autopsy, it was discovered that Notarbartolo had been stabbed eleven times with two different blades. One of the daggers had pierced his lungs and struck his heart three times. These were not amateurs. The police also determined that Notarbartolo had most likely been killed while the train was passing through the tunnel between Termini and Trabia in order to muffle the sounds and cries. He had apparently put up strong resistance, attempting to retrieve his rifle and even one of his attackers’ daggers. Once the train exited the tunnel, his body was thrown from it, which fractured his neck.

The body was transported to Palermo, and a brief ceremony took place at the Church of Sant’Antonio before a massive crowd of residents. Among them was Palizzolo, trying to make his way toward the coffin. He was immediately recognized by Emanuele’s relatives, who asked the carabinieri to remove him “for reasons of public order.” It is hard to imagine the audacity Palizzolo must have had to present himself to the family at the funeral of his victim. Typical Mafia behavior, as Ballabio would have said.

During the ceremony, Emanuele’s son, Leopoldo, who was only 22 at the time of this tragic event, addressed the crowd. He swore that he would find his father’s assassins, even if it meant resigning from the navy in order to have the necessary time. 

Leopoldo Notarbartolo

The Investigation into His Father’s Murder:

The first investigation began by focusing on identifying the two individuals who had boarded the first-class carriage with Notarbartolo. The investigators soon discovered that only one first-class ticket had been sold for that compartment in addition to Notarbartolo’s, it belonged to a certain Raineri, an arms trafficker.

Giuseppe Carollo was therefore questioned again, as he had claimed to have checked the tickets of the two individuals who were supposed to be in first class. The commissioner asked him how he could have checked tickets that did not exist. Carollo insisted that their tickets had been valid. However, when confronted with the evidence, he began changing his version of events, stating that he had not in fact checked the tickets in the last carriage because he had been at the front of the train.

The investigators then questioned Raineri, who stated that Carollo had indeed checked his first-class ticket and that he had been stationed at the rear of the train. Carollo denied this, but unfortunately for him, Raineri’s ticket bore Carollo’s stamp.

Overwhelmed by the evidence, he appeared completely disoriented. When asked what he had done between Termini Imerese and Palermo, he claimed he had remained in the baggage compartment, a statement that was once again disproven.

Finally, five days after the crime, Carollo was imprisoned pending trial. Yet he would ultimately die in prison in Bologna without ever revealing his secret.

Sketch of Giuseppe Carollo

The next on the list was, of course, Carabiniere Sanfilippo, who had been the first person seen near Notarbartolo’s body. Here is a brief excerpt from his testimony:

“That evening I was on duty at my post in Altavilla, and I left my station to go to Trabia (12 km away) to buy supplies. While walking along the tracks, I noticed a shadow on the ground. I feared an ambush and took up my rifle. Staying on guard, I then encountered Santa Sorge.”

When questioned, he claimed that he had not touched the body. However, Santa Sorge stated that she had arrived well after Sanfilippo, who had been standing very close to the corpse. In fact, her sudden arrival startled him so much that he let out a small cry of surprise. Leopoldo Notarbartolo seriously doubted his testimony. Why would Sanfilippo have walked 12 km to shop, a journey of several hours, when Altavilla had stores and was even his hometown? Moreover, at the hour he claimed to have arrived in Trabia, most shops were already closed. It made no sense.

What was even more incomprehensible was that the body had been found less than 20 centimeters from the rails. Notarbartolo’s train had not been the last of the day, and at that distance, the body should have been crushed, as one of his hands was touching the rails. Especially since the body had been thrown from a moving train, which caused his neck fracture, it would have been impossible for it to land at that precise distance without having been moved afterward. The jacket had also been removed from the body and found laid out flat some distance away.

Sanfilippo took part in the assassination. He followed the train, waiting for Notarbartolo to be thrown from it, and was tasked with either burying him in the nearby ditches or placing him on the tracks so that the next train would reduce the body to pulp. He chose the rails because the body was likely too heavy to drag for several dozen meters. But the plan was disrupted by Santa Sorge’s arrival, which unsettled Sanfilippo. Yet he was never seriously troubled over the crime, and by the time the trial was held in Milan, Sanfilippo had already left Sicily.

This was more or less where Commissioner Ballabio’s investigation came to an end. He no longer seemed ambitious, as he had only a few months left before retirement. It was later learned that Ballabio had met an oil merchant named Angelo Troia, who had seen Vincenzo Fontana in Altavilla the day after the murder. When Ballabio realized that this mafioso was a protégé of Palizzolo, he abruptly halted his inquiry.

Ballabio had also learned from a young man who had been traveling on the train that railway worker Pancrazio Garufi had shouted at him when he leaned over the terrace of the second-to-last carriage to look toward Notarbartolo’s. The young man was forcibly taken away by Garufi, who, strangely enough, had pulled the train’s handbrake while it was passing through the tunnel between Termini and Trabia. This was not normal. Garufi did so to give the killers extra time to ensure that Notarbartolo was dead. Ballabio dismissed the matter, saying he did not wish to waste the prosecutor’s time with the nonsense of a little boy. Yet two months later, Garufi was imprisoned along with Carollo after the boy recounted the story to other carabinieri.

Pancrazio Garufi

Ballabio therefore preferred to bury the case during the short time he had left before retirement. Yet Leopoldo Notarbartolo pressed the commissioner daily to know whether the investigation was progressing. Ballabio constantly replied, “It is confidential.”

However, Leopoldo did not rely on the police. He received his father’s friends and informants at his home every day. In any case, he had noticed that whenever Palizzolo’s name was mentioned, it seemed to chill the blood of the judicial authorities to the point of paralyzing any action.

On the morning of March 30, 1893, sensational news shook Palermo. Duke Giulio Della Verdura, who had replaced Notarbartolo as Director of the Banco di Sicilia (the one known as “the mayor of the barricades”), was removed from office due to irregular operations carried out with the Bank’s funds. The duke took full responsibility and cleared Palizzolo’s name, even though Palizzolo had also appeared in the transactions.

The following day, a large number of people were seen at Raffaele Palizzolo’s residence in Villabate (his property adjoining that of the brigands involved in the 1882 kidnapping of Notarbartolo). These were not just anyone; they were members of the local cosca, and Giuseppe Fontana was among those observed. Palizzolo was not present, but he was known to lend his house to “men he trusted.” What were they celebrating? Some have suggested that it marked the 60th day since Notarbartolo’s murder, though this remains unproven, they held meals at Palizzolo’s residence on a regular basis.

Duc Giulio Della Verdura

Giuseppe Fontana and Leopoldo Notarbartolo:

Months passed with no new developments in the investigation, and Commissioner Eugenio Ballabio retired with a clear conscience. The winter of 1893 was particularly turbulent in Sicily, marked by a widespread uprising across the island led by the Fasci dei Lavoratori, who were demanding a more decent life. This revolt was fueled by the Mafia, which supported the small peasants in their struggle. Tensions escalated in several places, such as in Castelvetrano (Trapani), where peasants and mafiosi stormed the courthouse and destroyed toll booths.

The Italian government also changed during this period, as Giovanni Giolitti resigned following his involvement in the Banca Romana scandal (another bank implicated in embezzlement).

The new head of government was the famous Francesco Crispi, who ordered a military dictatorship over Sicily. General Morra di Lavriano was tasked with ridding the island of “anarchists, agitators, and criminals.” Morra imprisoned a large number of individuals involved in the revolt, including the mafiosi of Villabate, among them Giuseppe Fontana.

This was a golden opportunity for Leopoldo Notarbartolo, who pleaded with the investigating judge to have Fontana questioned before a court in connection with his father’s murder. His request was granted, and a few days later Giuseppe Fontana stood before a judge for the first time in the case. He displayed arrogant confidence and even asked whether he could sit down and smoke.

During the interrogation, Fontana provided what appeared to be an unassailable alibi. From the autumn of 1892 to the spring of 1893, he claimed to have been working in Tunisia, in the city of Hammamet, and named three associates who could confirm it. He stated that he had left the city only once, on February 8, 1893, returning on March 1. Consequently, he asserted that he had not been in Sicily on the day of the murder.

Fontana told the judge that he would provide all the necessary proof the following day. An avalanche of documents supported his claim: the accounts of Fontana’s company in Tunisia through March, testimonies from his associates and workers (around a dozen), letters sent to relatives from Tunisia after the murder, and banking records from Hammamet in Fontana’s name on the day of and the day after the crime. In short, an entire collection of evidence assembled within a single day, as if Fontana had anticipated that he might one day have to present it in connection with this murder.

Yet it should be remembered that a merchant had seen Fontana in Altavilla the day before the murder, but that testimony was never brought forward.

Giuseppe Fontana, member of the Villabate mafia

With so much evidence, Judge Carlo Trasselli removed Fontana from the list of suspects in the case. The news did not seem to discourage Leopoldo and his lawyer, who told him:

“If this man’s alibi is true, so much the better for him. If we can prove that it is false, he is certainly guilty — otherwise, he would not have gathered so much evidence!”

The new commissioner of Palermo was the competent Michele Lucchesi, who was far more attentive to the case than Ballabio had been. He met Salvatore Diletti, the station master of Termini Imerese, who had seen a man in Notarbartolo’s carriage and described him in detail. The day after Fontana’s interrogation, Lucchesi encountered him in the corridors of the courthouse and noticed a strong resemblance to Diletti’s description. Lucchesi informed Judge Trasselli and asked him to have the murder suspects appear before Diletti. The judge listened, but did not summon Fontana back, since he was no longer on the list of suspects.

The months went by, and the investigation stalled. During the summer of 1894, the mafiosi of Villabate were released from prison, including Fontana, with Trasselli’s approval. The judge lived in the notorious district of Mezzo Monreale in Palermo, not far from Palizzolo’s stronghold, the Villa Gentile. This was the very house that had once belonged to Francesco Miceli, which Palizzolo had eventually taken over after allegedly having Miceli killed, as mentioned earlier.

On the evening of Fontana’s release, Trasselli was at home as usual. He remained late in his living room while his wife and daughter were asleep. The judge had left the French doors open, and suddenly Giuseppe Fontana appeared in the room. Trasselli began to tremble, but Fontana behaved humbly. He explained that he did not wish to go to bed without thanking him for having freed him by recognizing his innocence. He then immediately left the house and climbed over the judge’s wall. Feeling unsafe, Trasselli requested a transfer at the first available opportunity “for family reasons.”

Meanwhile, Leopoldo Notarbartolo decided to contact the Italian Consul General in Tunisia, Machiavelli, whom he knew personally, as both men had served in the navy. The consul replied by telegraph that he would do everything possible and began investigating in Hammamet. Relations between France (as Tunisia was under French control at the time) and Italy were very tense. France had outmaneuvered Italy in taking possession of the territory, which Italy had also coveted (Crispi, at that time, had his sights set on Ethiopia). Machiavelli did not wish to deal with the French authorities and preferred to travel to the city himself to meet informants.

At the same time, Leopoldo approached General Giuseppe Mirri, whom the government had appointed chief of all Sicilian law enforcement forces to maintain order on the island. Mirri had fought alongside Emanuele Notarbartolo under Garibaldi and was known for his incorruptibility. He understood that to bring down Raffaele Palizzolo, a confession from one of the killers would be necessary. The general had broad authority and assigned Leopoldo an experienced investigator, as well as a Tunisian secret agent named Beshir Launi, along with access to any request through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Thus, Leopoldo was finally able to investigate Fontana with significant resources at his disposal.

Giuseppe Mirri, head of public security in Sicily

From the end of April 1895, Leopoldo, his investigator, and the secret agent/interpreter traveled to Tunis to monitor boat traffic. Each of them began questioning Sicilian and Tunisian sailors about Giuseppe Fontana’s presence. A Franciscan priest from a town slightly south of Hammamet told them that Fontana had made two or three trips aboard a sailboat used for the lemon trade. This statement, which he later put in writing, directly contradicted Fontana’s alibi, in which he claimed to have left Tunisia only once and aboard a vessel linking Palermo to Tunis.

Leopoldo returned to Palermo and rushed to Judge Antonio Nigro (who had replaced Carlo Trasselli) to show him the priest’s testimony. However, it was not sufficient, as Fontana had produced evidence showing that he had cashed a check in Hammamet a few days before the murder. Judge Nigro ultimately filed the Notarbartolo murder away in the archives, effectively closing the case. The railway workers Garufi and Carollo (still alive at that time) were released from prison. The file joined the same drawer as the murder of Francesco Miceli by Palizzolo. Leopoldo was devastated, especially since the station master from Termini had still never been confronted with Fontana to determine whether he was the man seen in Notarbartolo’s carriage.

Leopoldo was at his lowest point, and his efforts seemed to have reached rock bottom. Yet a stroke of fortune dramatically changed the situation. Prime Minister Francesco Crispi resigned following the Italian army’s defeat in Ethiopia in March 1896. He was 77 years old and lived another five years before dying poor and forgotten. One Sicilian left the political stage, and another replaced him: Antonio Starabba, who was born in Palermo. He became the new Prime Minister and wished to show his fellow Sicilians that he would not repeat all of Crispi’s past mistakes. Starabba lifted the military dictatorship on the island and replaced General Mirri with a civil commissioner.

A new prime minister meant a new beginning. Starabba instructed investigating judges to intensify their efforts, and suddenly, for Judge Nigro, there was now sufficient evidence to reopen the investigation. Starabba appointed Giovanni Codronchi as Civil Commissioner of Sicily. This did not entirely please Notarbartolo, as Codronchi had been seen several times riding in a carriage with Palizzolo. Nevertheless, this did not call Codronchi’s competence into question, and Leopoldo requested an audience with him. Upon arriving, he waited in the building, as Codronchi was occupied with an important visitor. Shortly afterward, the man exited, it was Raffaele Palizzolo.

Leopoldo openly declared that Palizzolo was the instigator of his father’s murder, which shocked Codronchi. In reality, Codronchi was as capable as Mirri and saw in Leopoldo a double opportunity: to prove that Crispi had been linked to the Mafia and to maintain leverage over Palizzolo through potential blackmail. The investigation was reopened. Garufi and Carollo were once again imprisoned, while Fontana remained free, as long as his alibi held. Free? Not for much longer.

During the summer of 1896, several counterfeiters (almost all Sicilians) were arrested in Venice and imprisoned. Among them was a man named Bartolini, who became an informant in exchange for a reduced sentence. He told the police that the counterfeit bills had been sent by Giuseppe Fontana, “the mafioso who killed Marquis Notarbartolo.”

This was the ideal moment for Commissioner Michele Lucchesi to confront the station master of Termini with Giuseppe Fontana, who had been transferred back to the prison in Palermo. The witness Diletti had seen the suspect three years earlier, and it was crucial that he had not been corrupted by the Mafia in the meantime. Lucchesi had to proceed with extreme caution, and Diletti was escorted by a police officer to an isolated location. The two men met, and Lucchesi told Diletti that he had in custody the man who had allegedly murdered Emanuele Notarbartolo.

Diletti had always cooperated as a good citizen and agreed to go to the prison. He looked into about ten cells through the peephole so as not to be seen by the prisoners. When he reached Fontana’s cell, he immediately recognized the man. Lucchesi was overjoyed but had not prepared Diletti for what would follow. He would now have to testify in court, face to face with Fontana, in order to secure a conviction. Diletti categorically refused, saying he had a wife and children. Unfortunately, Fontana escaped once again, protected by his fearsome reputation. Lucchesi was left in despair.

Commissioner Michele Lucchesi

First Major Trial of the Case in Milan:

The case was therefore reopened, and a major trial took place in Milan on November 11, 1899. The Attorney General of Palermo, a certain Vincenzo Cosenza, had sent only the files concerning the two railway workers, Carollo and Garufi, so that the trial would remain limited in scope and avoid touching upon the Mafia. However, Cosenza had not anticipated that Italians were expecting much from this trial, which allowed them to become aware of the existence of the Mafia. The two railway workers were questioned and gave rather vague statements, much like they had done with the Palermo police.

The trial, however, proved to be lengthy, as many witnesses were called to testify, no fewer than 283 Sicilians traveled to Milan. Unfortunately, it was winter, and most of them had never experienced such cold weather. The city was also far more expensive than Sicily, and the court had to arrange for an establishment to provide them with food and lodging.

Witnesses at the Notarbartolo trial in Milan

It was then Leopoldo Notarbartolo’s turn to testify before the jury. A huge crowd gathered in front of the courthouse, as many knew that his speech would be the most compelling. Leopoldo laid out all his findings, explaining that Palizzolo had been his father’s sworn enemy. In 1882, his father had been kidnapped by brigands who turned out to be associates of Palizzolo, who had also provided them with a hideout. He stated that Notarbartolo had repeatedly reprimanded Palizzolo for dubious transactions at the Banco di Sicilia, and that his confidential report had been stolen in Rome and later found in Palizzolo’s hands. With the backing of Crispi, Palizzolo had ultimately succeeded in having Notarbartolo removed from his position as Director of the Bank.

Leopoldo declared that the killer was most likely Giuseppe Fontana, a leading member of the Mafia of Villabate. He had been seen on several occasions at Palizzolo’s property in Villabate. Leopoldo also presented a police report dated April 1899 by the Prefect of Palermo, Sangiorgi. It stated that Palizzolo had hosted a banquet at his residence attended by members of the Villabate Mafia, and several names were mentioned:

• Luciano Ania, described as the head of the Villabate Mafia alongside Fontana. His mother was a D’Agati, a ruling family in the town, some of whose members later migrated and formed the Porfaci family in New York.

• Giuseppe Fontana, son of Vincenzo and co-leader of the Villabate Mafia with Ania. He was linked by marriage to the Zarcone family and possibly to the Magliocco family (Joe Magliocco, who became underboss to Joe Profaci in New York, had Fontana ancestors from Villabate).

• Giuseppe Fontana, son of Rosario and cousin of his namesake. He was described as an important member of the Villabate Mafia and close to the brigands who had kidnapped Notarbartolo in 1882.

• Ignazio Proface, uncle of the future New York boss Giuseppe Profaci. Ignazio also migrated, settling in Schenectady, and lived for a time in Brooklyn.

• Filippo Lo Cicero, whose grandmother was a Fontana and whose wife was a Magliocco

Leopoldo Notarbartolo on the right, on his way to the trial

Palizzolo in the Crosshairs of Justice:

The name of Deputy Raffaele Palizzolo had become known throughout Europe because of the case. In order to express his position, he published a letter stating that he had always maintained good relations with Notarbartolo between 1873 and 1890. He claimed that their dispute concerning the Banco had been purely professional and that Leopoldo’s speeches were fueled only by the grief of a young son over the murder of his father. He emphasized that he had never been indicted for the murder of Francesco Miceli in 1892 and that Italian justice was doing exemplary work.

However, his name resurfaced repeatedly during the trial, particularly through the testimony of a Palermo police officer, who shed light on Palizzolo’s influence over the very Italian justice system he had described as exemplary.

The Commissioner of Messina, Carlo Peruzy, had investigated the murder and was the one who requested Carollo’s arrest. He testified at the trial that he had sent reports to Palermo suspecting Palizzolo of being the instigator of the murder due to political rivalry. Peruzy identified his contact as the Palermo inspector Alfredo Cervis. He also stated that Palizzolo had allies within the Palermo police, including a certain Di Blasio, whom he had saved from a transfer following disciplinary issues.

Alfredo Cervis was called to testify because no reports accusing Palizzolo appeared in the records of the Sicilian capital’s police headquarters. The judge went straight to the point, asking whether he had indeed sent the reports to his superior, Commissioner Ballabio. Cervis confirmed that he had, and the judge questioned him as to why they were absent from the investigation files. Cervis then took a piece of paper from his pocket and read aloud:

“I had been in Palermo since 1891. The following year, I was tasked with investigating the Banco di Sicilia and discovered that a veritable band of criminals reigned there. I gathered incriminating information accusing Palizzolo. Also in 1892, the market magnate Miceli was assassinated, and I learned that the victim, in his final breaths, had declared that he had been killed on Palizzolo’s orders due to a rivalry over the purchase of a villa. I had to interrupt my investigations because I was transferred in place of Di Blasio, who, curiously, instead of taking up his new post, remained in Palermo.”

“In the course of my duties, I became a target of Palizzolo, who was furious with me. I had reprimanded several of his allies within the Palermo police. In order to discredit me, Palizzolo attributed numerous crimes to me in one of his newspapers, hoping to secure my transfer. It was clear that he protected members of the Mafia when certain criminals I had arrested would present themselves at my office, hat on their heads, threatening to appeal to ‘Don Raffaele.’ That name was thrown in my face daily as that of someone who would make me regret my actions.”

Alfredo Cervis

The retired commissioner Eugenio Ballabio was called to testify opposite Cervis. At first, he denied having received any reports implicating Palizzolo. Then, faced with Cervis’s arguments, he admitted that he no longer remembered. Ballabio stated that the reports must have been in the police archives, yet they had long since disappeared, as Commissioner Lucchesi had found none. The confrontation between the two officers exposed the corruption within the Palermo police and, once again, Palizzolo’s control over it.

Cervis’s testimony was a serious blow to Palizzolo, who then disappeared from the city of Palermo. He even missed a municipal council meeting — something that never happened. In reality, he locked himself away for a week in one of his properties with his lawyers to prepare his defense. Meanwhile, the Minister of Justice ordered the reopening of the investigation into the murder of Francesco Miceli.

On Friday, December 8, 1899, Raffaele Palizzolo was arrested at his home and taken to prison in the civilian quarters. The time between the arrest warrant and the actual arrest was only four hours, as Prime Minister Luigi Pelloux (whose parents were both French) acted swiftly to prevent Palizzolo from fleeing. He also ordered all telegraphic communications on the island to be cut off.

The arrest of Palizzolo at his sisters’ home

That same day, another police unit went to Villabate to arrest Giuseppe Fontana. After forcing open his door, the officers realized he was not at home. According to informants, he had taken refuge with Baron Pietro Mirto Seggio in Palermo. The police went there and questioned Pietro, who claimed not to know Fontana’s whereabouts but said he would inform him to present himself at the police station.

A few days later, Giuseppe Fontana presented himself voluntarily to Prefect Ermano Sangiorgi, accompanied by his two lawyers. Fontana stated that he hoped to finally put an end to the matter, as he wished to live a discreet life and pursue an honest profession. Sangiorgi was a highly competent prefect who had written the first comprehensive report on the Mafia, identifying the territories of Mafia organizations along with the names of their members (including Villabate).

Fontana was then taken to the Palermo prison in the sumptuous carriage of Pietro Mirto Seggio, adorned with gold ribbons. He was placed in a cell just a few meters away from Palizzolo’s.

Ermano Sangiorgi

The Final Trial in Bologna :

Because of its length, the trial in Milan was halted in order to be redefined in another court. The Sicilian witnesses had been held there for two consecutive months and were forced to remain through Christmas and New Year’s. The Milan prosecutor’s office therefore referred the case to the court of Palermo. What a splendid idea, considering that Palizzolo had many friends there and that the Mafia could exert its influence by intimidating participants.

The investigating judge was Nigro, who had previously shelved the case in 1895 and had blocked the arrest warrant against Fontana. The Attorney General was Vincenzo Cosenza, who had met Palizzolo several times during the Milan trial and had minimized testimony against Fontana so that the case would focus only on Carollo and Garufi.

In a wave of desperation, Leopoldo Notarbartolo asked the new mayor of Palermo to meet King Vittorio Emanuele III in order to pressure Cosenza to ensure a fair trial. Leopoldo could not go himself, especially since the King had been difficult to approach following the assassination of his father that same year. The King received the mayor and, after discussion, instructed him to see the Minister of Justice on his behalf. The minister eventually sent a telegram to Cosenza demanding the conviction of Fontana and Palizzolo.

However, out of cowardice, Cosenza transferred the trial to the court of Bologna. It was in that city that the two men would finally be judged.

Vincenzo Cosenza

The trial lasted eleven months and was almost an exact replica of the one in Milan, with the same participants (Lucchesi, Cervis, Diletti, and others). Palizzolo attempted to defend himself by speaking for three consecutive days, constantly staging a theatrical performance. To avoid repeating what has already been said, we will now focus on the portion of the trial devoted to the murder of Francesco Miceli.

Several sources state that Francesco Miceli was the son of Salvatore “Turi” Miceli, described as the head of the Mafia of Monreale both before and after the Italian Revolution. Turi had led several armed bands during the uprisings between 1840 and 1860. In 1866, he joined the insurrections in Palermo and stormed the prison with a group of brigands. However, he was struck by automatic rifle fire, and his legs were shattered. He died shortly afterward in the prison courtyard, after his men had carried him to safety.

Assault on the Palermo prison, 1866

Francesco Miceli therefore came from a Mafia family in the village of Monreale and worked in Palermo at the Villa Gentile for an aristocratic family. This villa was on Palizzolo’s radar, as the heirs wanted to sell it, but Miceli encouraged them to keep the property. Palizzolo declared that he was not afraid of the “Miceli Mafia” and that he would bring in men to take control of the estate.

Palizzolo formed an alliance with the Mafia of Altarello di Baida, which at the time was led by Malusardi, who sent two of his best men. The first was Nicolò Trapani, a disreputable figure described as an important member of the Mafia. The second was Filippo Vitale, from a deeply rooted Mafia family that later became wealthy and who was an ancestor of the future pentito Leonardo Vitale. The two men intimidated Miceli on several occasions and had previously attempted to kill him, though a bullet had only grazed his head.

The next attempt proved successful. The two men hid behind the wall of the church opposite the property and killed Miceli as he was returning late in the evening in his carriage. Villa Gentile was then taken over by Palizzolo and entrusted to Nicolò Trapani along with the Vitale cousins. Another mafioso named Tommaso Bruno joined the operation; he appeared to be affiliated with the Mafia of Villabate, which also had interests in the villa.

The property was subsequently transformed into a hub for tobacco trafficking and cattle theft. The police had already recovered stolen livestock from Sciara at Villa Gentile. A young woman had also been kidnapped and taken to the property, and it was Palizzolo himself who allegedly asked the mafiosi to release her.

Mafiosi Fontana, Tommaso Bruno, Filippo Vitale and Nicolo Trapani

After numerous hearings, the verdict was delivered on the evening of July 31, 1902:

“Acquittal of Pancrazio Garufi, Francesco and Filippo Vitale, and Tommaso Bruno.”

“Conviction of Nicolò Trapani for the murder of Miceli and Giuseppe Fontana for the murder of Emanuele Notarbartolo. Raffaele Palizzolo found doubly guilty of having incited others to commit both crimes.”

The Appeal to the Court of Cassation:

The four men who were acquitted immediately went to pray at a church in Bologna, while Palizzolo returned to prison that same evening. However, his imprisonment caused a major uproar in Sicily, where many viewed him as the victim of a conspiracy. Palizzolo’s lawyers filed for annulment of the trial on around ten grounds of varying validity. After review, the Supreme Court of Cassation in Rome overturned the verdict, and the case was referred to the Court of Assizes in Florence.

The trial in Florence began on September 5, 1903. Palizzolo appeared to have aged prematurely, his hands bandaged because of arthritis; Trapani looked weak and emaciated, while Fontana still appeared solid and silent. The defendants had waited more than a year for the new trial in the prisons of Rome. Ironically, during that time Palizzolo had to testify in connection with another murder case.

While detained in Rome in May 1903, Palizzolo reportedly had difficulty sleeping following the arrival of a new prisoner named Giacomo D’Angelo, a sailor from Castellammare del Golfo. D’Angelo had a rather tragic story. He had been traveling aboard the vessel Emilia Galante, which had docked in Rome. After running some errands, the ship’s captain dismissed him without reason. When D’Angelo insisted on boarding again, the captain had him arrested for anarchism, and he was sent to prison in Rome at the beginning of May.

D’Angelo resisted and was placed in a high-security cell due to his uncontrollable outbursts of anger. However, on the morning of May 5, he was found dead in his cell. The prison doctor noted marks around his neck and concluded that he had died of asphyxiation. The doctor also observed that he had been in good health upon arrival but that, according to the autopsy, he had not eaten or drunk for several days.

Sketch of Giacomo D'Angelo

The newspaper Il Messaggero reported that D’Angelo had been the cell neighbor of former deputy Raffaele Palizzolo, who was awaiting his trial in Florence. Palizzolo had allegedly complained to a guard, saying that D’Angelo kept shouting and prevented him from sleeping. The guard reassured Palizzolo, explaining that it was his colleague’s fault for giving D’Angelo water and that from then on he would no longer receive any, which would prevent him from screaming.

The following day, the guard entered D’Angelo’s cell and placed a damp cloth in his mouth so he could no longer be heard. He was also beaten. This would explain his premature death, which was partly attributed to Palizzolo’s demands. However, the matter went no further, and Palizzolo claimed he could not attend the proceedings, which were taking place at the same time as his own trial in Florence.

Returning to the final trial, the Court of Florence hosted the last proceedings, which lasted ten months and proved extremely long for the jurors. The verdict was delivered on July 23, 1904: all the accused were acquitted for lack of evidence. Tommaso Bruno jumped for joy, Palizzolo collapsed onto a guard (once again playing his theatrical role), and Fontana hurried to address the press:

“During my detention, my wife, my mother, and my first daughter died. I now have five children left. If I had been convicted again, I would have said that innocent people can perish in a shipwreck without being responsible for it , just as I would have perished in prison.”

Illustration of the verdict with Bruno, with Fontana and Palizzolo behind him.

Raffaele Palizzolo was welcomed as a hero in Sicily when he arrived in Palermo on August 2 aboard a steamship. More than 500 soldiers had been mobilized to control the crowd of thousands of Sicilians. Hundreds followed him, running behind his carriage as he returned home. Several buildings in the capital displayed banners reading, “Long live the Virgin and long live Palizzolo.”

As for Leopoldo Notarbartolo, he was deeply disappointed by the verdict in Florence. He had returned to Palermo a few days before Palizzolo aboard a modest merchant vessel. At the port, only a few family friends and a small crowd of supporters were there to greet him. A week later, he decided to rejoin the navy on a corvette bound for the Red Sea. He simply said that he wanted to forget but evidently he never did, as he later wrote several articles and books about this tragic event.

Emanuele Notarbartolo with Leopoldo in military uniform.

Fontana’s Future in New York:

One year after his acquittal, Giuseppe Fontana emigrated to New York with his four daughters to join his youngest child, Vincenzo, who was living in East Harlem. He quickly aligned himself with the local Mafia led by Giuseppe Morello and his Palermitan right-hand man, Ignazio Lupo. Less than a year after his arrival, Fontana was questioned in connection with the murder of Andrea Fendi.

Fendi, a native of Corleone, had arrived on June 1, 1906. He worked for his cousin Thomas Lucchesi at 226 East 106th Street. On June 26, he was kidnapped while on his way to work, and his body was later found in the woods near Yonkers. Near the scene, police discovered a notebook belonging to Fendi that contained the name of Ignazio Milone, a grocer at 340 East 105th Street.

Ignazio Milone was also from Corleone and an associate of Giuseppe Morello, allegedly having killed a doctor back in Corleone. Sergeant Petrosino went to Milone’s residence, but he had been missing for a week. According to his criminal record, he had belonged to the gang responsible for the 1903 Barrel Murder case — Morello’s organization. Milone was eventually arrested in front of his home, which had been under constant surveillance, on July 6. The trial began only days later.

One of the key witnesses was Jacob Schelepegrell, who lived near the woods where the body was found. He testified that he had discovered a wallet and a notebook, which he turned over to the Yonkers police. Inside were wine receipts in Milone’s name. Another witness was a train conductor who encountered three Italians on the Yonkers line on the evening the body was discovered. One of the three asked him where the Yonkers police station was located so he could view the body of the murdered man. The conductor identified Milone as one of the Italians in his carriage.

During his defense, Milone’s attorney admitted that he was engaged in a retail wine business at 340 East 105th Street together with Vincenzo and Giuseppe Fontana. The lawyer also stated that Milone suffered from health problems and frequently traveled to Danbury, Connecticut, to visit his friend Giovanni Zarcone. The authorities never made the connection, but Zarcone had been one of the members of the Morello gang arrested in 1903 in connection with the Barrel Murder case. He was also the nephew of Giuseppe Bufalo, who led a Bagherese counterfeiting gang linked to several Mafia figures murdered in 1902 (Giuseppe “Catania” Caruso and Salvatore Speciale).

Milone claimed he had been in Danbury between June 26 and 29, after which he visited several friends. He explained that his wallet had been found near the body because his home had been burglarized on June 25. He then stated that he had returned to the countryside until July 5 after visiting his mother and his friend Giuseppe Armato.

Following the trial, he was acquitted due to lack of evidence, largely based on testimony from his friends Giuseppe Fontana and Stefano Lasala. But if we look beyond the court’s findings, more interesting connections emerge. Milone was the son of Salvatore, whose sister had married Biaggio Pomilla, father of Nunzio Pomilla, a member of the Lucchese family and brother-in-law of boss Tommaso Gagliano (all originally from Corleone).

Nunzio Pomilla and the Los Angeles boss Jack Dragna.

He also claimed to have visited Giuseppe Armato, a native of Corleone whose residence was later used to store counterfeit money in 1909. Armato’s brother in law was Pasquale Vasi, whose sons were members of Morello’s Mafia and were likewise arrested and convicted for counterfeiting. His daughter also married Francesco Marsalisi, who was connected to the mafioso Mariano Marsalisi, a member of the Lucchese family and a significant drug trafficker. Armato’s brother in law was Domenico Milone, who served as president of a cooperative founded by Morello.

In 1909, the secret services and the judiciary in Palermo received anonymous letters revisiting the Fendi case shortly after the assassination of Detective Petrosino. The letters stated that Fendi had been killed on Morello’s orders because he had complained and begun speaking about the gang’s business. Those allegedly responsible were Gioacchino Lima, Morello’s brother in law, Ignazio Milone, described as one of the worst killers in New York, and possibly Giuseppe Fontana as the last Italian present on the train.

Giuseppe Fontana thus aligned himself with Morello’s mafiosi and resumed his activities of murder and intimidation. He may have led a Palermitan and Villabate faction in Brooklyn, and when Morello went to prison, Fontana, like many other Palermitans, allied himself with Salvatore D’Aquila. A power struggle erupted after Morello’s imprisonment, and Fontana became a target for the Corleonesi. He was shot in November 1913 and died without revealing the name of his assailant.

That same month, Giuseppe Fanaro was also killed. He appeared to be close to the Villabate faction, even though he was Palermitan. His brother Rosario was close to the Villabate mafioso Emanuele Figlia, who served as his best man at his wedding in 1913.

Another victim of the conflict was Luigi Virzi, son of Saverio Virzi, a capo under D’Aquila and Lupo. Luigi led a Black Hand gang and was suspected of murder and bombings. His father had previously been arrested in 1908 by Detective Petrosino for manufacturing bombs.

Giuseppe Fontana, Giuseppe Fontana and Luigi Virzi

The Final Years of Palizzolo:

After his acquittal, Raffaele Palizzolo returned to political life, though with far less success than in the past. Despite several attempts, he was never re elected as deputy. He resumed his passion for writing and published an autobiographical book titled My Prisons, highly romanticized as was his habit. He continued to take part in the Palermo city council and eventually planned a trip to New York to meet his Sicilian associates. He was welcomed by a pro Sicilian committee on June 8, 1908.

The leader of the committee was Dr. Giuseppe Antonio Purpura, who, according to the writer Salvatore Lupo, acted in the shadow of Fontana. Purpura was a Harlem physician originally from Termini Imerese, the same town as Palizzolo, and he even hosted him during his stay at 157 East 116th Street.

Another member was Marquis Enrico V. Pescia, who had been living in New York for several years. Police described him as a questionable character. He had previously been involved with the Ignatz Florio Society between 1904 and 1905. Pescia was also implicated in the disappearance of his own sister in January 1908, after she mysteriously vanished from her luxurious home, leaving behind a suicide note.

Palizzolo had come to speak about his convictions and to inform Sicilians that dangerous individuals had emigrated among them. According to him, they needed to protect themselves by forming their own system of justice. In doing so, Palizzolo was indirectly promoting the creation of a state within a state, which is essentially the definition of the Mafia. He encouraged the continuation of this culture of self administered justice and even referred to the concept of “virtuous mafiosity” as a form of protection against the Black Hand. He also declared that America was a difficult country where Sicilians were unfairly monitored and persecuted by disgraceful individuals, a clear allusion to Lieutenant Petrosino, whom he carefully avoided naming.

Palizzolo remained in New York for about twenty days and stayed in Harlem at Purpura’s residence. Each day, a line of Sicilians waited to meet him. Among these visitors were possibly members of Morello’s gang. In any case, the apartment was under surveillance by Petrosino, who ironically told the newspapers that it “gave him the privilege of being in the presence of the great man.” The police commissioner at the time was Theodore A. Bingham, known for his highly controversial policing methods. He was interviewed regarding Palizzolo’s visit to New York, and here is a brief excerpt:

I’m aware of Palizzolo. Lieutenant Petrosino has his criminal record, which is also known to Washington and to the immigration authorities. Normally, a foreigner with such a record could be arrested, questioned by the police, placed under surveillance, or even escorted to the border. But I have no authority to take such decisive action against a man like him. I’ve been told Palizzolo carries letters from high-ranking Italian figures."

During his final days in New York, Palizzolo’s committee organized a grand reception at the Astor Hotel. Over 100 Sicilian compatriots attended, and among the committee leadership was a certain F.C. LoMonte. It turns out this was Fortunato C. LoMonte, the cousin of boss Fortunato LoMonte, who succeeded Giuseppe Morello. Fortunato C.’s father was Francesco (born 1841), who migrated in 1897 along with his brother Alfonso, known to be an associate of boss Paolo Orlando in the "LoCurto & Co" company. The presence of Fortunato C. once again shows that Palizzolo was surrounded by members of the local Mafia. What is rather unusual is that it was Fortunato LoMonte who would order the murder of Giuseppe Fontana a few years later.

Raffaele Palizzolo, center

After his trip to New York, little is known about him apart from the mention of posters from his political campaign when Joe Petrosino was in Palermo in 1909. Palizzolo died on September 7, 1918, in relative obscurity. He had once been the protector of the cosche of Palermo and the surrounding towns. His story remains deeply striking because of his open association with the Mafia and the power he wielded at the time. He could demand the death of any troublesome individual without consequence, even though police commissioners were aware of his actions. His story, and all the efforts made by Leopoldo Notarbartolo, truly make this case something unique, slowly fading into oblivion yet reflecting the condition of Sicily over the centuries.

Sources:

• Il Delitto Notarbartolo, Gigi Speroni

• Il Caso Notarbartolo, Leopoldo Notarbartolo

• Mio Padre: Emanuele Notarbartolo, Leopoldo Notarbartolo