Giuseppe Morello | |
|---|---|
 Morello in 1902 | |
| Born | May 2, 1867 |
| Died | August 15, 1930 (aged 63) |
| Cause of death | Murdered |
| Other names | Joseph Morello, Peter Morello, The Clutch Hand, The Old Fox |
| Occupation | Crime boss |
| Successor | Nicholas Terranova |
| Relatives | Vincenzo Terranova (half brother), Ciro Terranova (half brother), Nicholas Morello (half-brother) |
| Allegiance | Morello crime family |
| Conviction(s) | Counterfeiting (1910) |
| Criminal penalty | 25 years' imprisonment |
Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello (Italian: [dʒuˈzɛppe moˈrɛllo]; May 2, 1867 – August 15, 1930), also known as "The Old Fox", was the first boss of the Morello crime family and later top adviser to Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria. He was known as Piddu (Sicilian diminutive form of Giuseppe) and his rivals the Castellammarese knew him as Peter Morello.[1] He was famous for having a one-fingered deformed right hand that resembled a claw.
In the 1890s, Giuseppe founded a gang known as the 107th Street Mob, which would later evolve into the Morello crime family. Today the Morello crime family is known as the Genovese crime family and is the oldest of the Five Families in New York City.