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| Cottone 1955 |
William 'Willie' Cottone was a member of the Gambino Family's Rava - Dellacroce crew active in Lower Manhattan.
Born William Cottone on April 14, 1915 at 56 Monroe St in Manhattan to Frank (31y) and Josephine Murgo (25y). Father born in Palermo and mother born in Siracusa, Sicily. Father worked as a tailor.
By October 1940 he resided at 174 Madison St. At the time he claimed employment at Heflin's Blue Room located at 111 Cherry St.
On November 12, 1946 Cottone was one of 12 men arrested for stealing 176 bolts of wool from the Textile Transfer Co. 159 W 18th St.
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| Cottone, left, and Guarnieri. |
On May 30, 1955 Cottone was arrested for assaulting Joseph Porus (28y) following a traffic incident on Grand St. in Manhattan. Arrested with Cottone was John Guarnieri (51y).
Following the car incident, Porus said Cottone and Guarineri began hitting him with their fists, and when Porus' wife intervened they punched her as well.
Cottone's passenger, John 'Red Egan' Guarnieri, of 98 Bayard St., had been arrested in 1930 for the murder of bootlegger Vincent Sabatino.
By 1950 Cottone resided at 10 Elizabeth St.
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| B. Ruggiero |
On March 13, 1954 Cottone was stabbed in a bar at 407 Pearl St in Manhattan. Initially Cottone was in critical condition. Arrested for the assault was Matthew Galemmo, Jr (1928-2012) and future Bonanno Soldier Benjamin 'Lefty' Ruggiero (1926-1994). Charges likely dropped.
On March 28, 1958 he was sentenced to six years in prison for the armed robbery of the home of Henry Cohn in West Orange, NJ on October 27, 1955. Cottone and two others bound the maid with venetian blind cords and stole cash, furs and jewelry. Cottone was arrested after an anonymous tip to the police. His accomplices escaped.
By the late-1950s he was an inducted member of the Gambino Family.
On January 10 through 13, 1966 an FBI CI advised that: "COTTONE is probably under "Mr. O'Neill" who is ANIELLO DELLACROCE. On April 5 and 6, 1966, [Informant] advised that COTTONE is definitely a "made guy" in the GAMBINO "family" and is under either ANIELLO DELLA CROCE also known as. "Mr. O'Neill or JOE GENNARO alse known as "Joe The Wop". He stated that COTTONE used to be under TOMMY RAVA when RAVA was alive. He stated that COTTONE is not known to associate with anyone with any degree of regularity and is known as "loner"."
On April 5, 6, 1966 an FBI CI advised that: "WILLIE COTTONE has always been known as a shakedown artist and an extortionist as far as labor unions were concerned. He stated that COTTONE became involved in labor union matters merely for the purpose of having his hand in the organizing of these unions for the express purpose of extorting and misappropriating union funds at a later date."
On April 5, 6, 1966 an FBI CI advised that: "[Cottone] hangs out in the vicinity of Mott, Elizabeth and Mulberry Streets between Clinton and Houston Streets in New York City."
On June 1, 1966 the New York City Police Department: "advised that the [Cottone] has been seen a number of times in a bar on Bayard Street, between Baxter and Mulberry Streets. The former name of the bar was Carmine's Bar. It was determined on June 1, 1966. that the only one in the immediate vicinity has New York State Liquor Authority License Number 77235 and is located at 104 Bayard Street.
On June 13, 1966, it was noted that the new name) the bar at 104 Bayard Street is "Happy's". On June 1, 1966. [Informant] stated that the subject also frequents the "Limehouse" on Mots and Bayard Streets. On June 13, 1966, it was determined that the "Limehouse" had changed its name to the Chinatown Seafood House and is located at 74 Bayard Street."
On July 5, 1966 an FBI CI advised: "Information received that [Cottone] has an apartment in Brooklyn as well as one in Manhattan. Current employment unknown to NYPD and informants. He was associated with GUIDO and EDWARD DE CURTIS, ANIELLO DELLA CROCE and JOSEPH GENNARO. Informant states [Cottone] is in the GAMBINO "family" of La Cosa Nostra under either DELLA CROCE or GENNARO. [Cottone] frequents bars on Bayard St., NYC. There is no record of him travelling outside the country."
He died February 1985 in Brooklyn, NY.
