Joseph (Giuseppe) DiFiore Kidnapping (1912)

On April 5, 1912, Joseph DiFiore (Giuseppe) DiFiore (son of Cosimo and Rosario DiFiore) was kidnapped and held for ransom by the Black Hand organization. He was held for 13 days before he was found. It would not be until 1914 that his kidnappers were caught and brought to trial for the kidnapping of Joseph DiFiore and Frank Longo, Jr. The family believed that Joseph was kidnapped because his father, Cosimo, would pay "protection money" to the Black Hand (predecessor to the Mafia) for his Bakery. The ransom was $3,500, though the newspapers speculated whether or not Cosimo paid the randsom, family legend says he did not. Cosimo would testify at the criminal trial in 1914. The trial was halted in order to find an interpreter for his testimony; during the break in testimony, the defendants made threatening gestures to Cosimo. The judge ordered the defendants removed during Cosimo's testimony.

A variety of New York newspaper articles memorialize the event. (copies of the articles are available from Jim DiFiore)

• The Sun (April 5, 1912

• The Evening World (April 5, 1912)

• The Sun (April 18, 1912)

• New York Tribune (April 18, 1912)