INTRODUCTION TO SITE CASTIGLIA-COSTELLO

[Noel Castiglia]

Excerpt from http://www.remigioraimondi.blogspot.com/ 

 

"Through this Blog I intend to rehabilitee the figure of Francesco Castiglia, born in Lauropoli, a borough of Cassano Ionio on Jan 26, 1891, son of Luigi and Maria Saveria Aloise Castigla, and died in NY Feb 18, 1973, known to all the world as Frank Costello -- Prime Minister of the Underworld -- a personality who has always fascinated me not as a schemer of crime but as a man intelligent and shrewd who rose from a poor son of emigrant Calabrese to become the uncontested King of NY. Who knows who many times in his long life that he remembered with nostalgia the very first years of his infancy spent under the sun of Calabria, a land that belonged to him and surely that he never forget, confirming what the Jesuits say: 'Give me your son for the first five years of life and he will always be ours." Why do I rehabilitate him? Because his eventual crimes were nothing in comparison with those committed today with proven indifference. The Underworld of the time of Prohibition appears today like an association of Boy Scouts!"

 

Senor Raimondi lives in Italy.  He has a an interesting view of rehabilitation..even with an English section.  Most of us do not have many positive stories but we must consider Lauropoli has him characterized as their Robin Hood since he helped so many with their educations, businesses and special family events. Even using the Copacabana to raise money for the Salvation Army in 1942 was buying influence as many do today but was a "good works". Are today's political and foundation contributions much different??? His Tamany Hall connections made many Judges and even a Mayor..As we see one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist so one country's crook is another's hero.  I do believe Senor Raimondi has an interesting point. 

 

This site can also serve as a means for us to link up to cousins and relatives here in the US or in Argentina or Italy.   Any ideas..??  Or stories to share?? Noel

[Noel5]

Remigio Raimondi created the above BLOG to collect good stories about Frank Costello.

[Noel Castiglia]

THIS CAME FROM WEB SITE IN ITALY.. WHICH SHOWS THE ROBIN HOOD

ASPECT OF COSTELLO AS AN IMAGE IN ITALY .. NOEL