Sour Grapes (Michael “Mike” Gallo)

Michael J. “Mike” Gallo (1886-1977) was allegedly believe to be the head of the Camorra in San Francisco. Michael (born Michelo) was born on May 18, 1886 in Cuneo, Italy. According to newspaper articles it states that both Michael and his brother Giuseppe “Joseph” Gallo decide to immigrate to America to get out from under the thumb of their stern father. They both fetched up to Oakland.

Michael , a born scam artist, became a flashy operator across the bay on the barbary coast, the kind of hood who favored big cars, pinkie rings, and flashy women. A bootlegger during prohibition, he did lots of time behind bars, including one five year hitch in San Quentin.

According to newspaper articles it stated that Mike was a member of a pickpocket / Italian bunco ring that operated in San Jose, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, but that there headquarters were in San Francisco.

Mike was involved in a big bunco scandal during his trail in 1913 when he confess that he made payments to several policemen where Mike would directly or indirectly paid money for “protection” to assure the operation of the bunko men unhampered by police activity.

Mike and his brother Joseph Gallo (1882-1933), who married two sisters named Bianco started the Gallo Wine Co. in 1906. In 1933 Mike brother Joseph died who had begin mumbling to himself and showing other signs of mental illness killed his wife (Assunta “Susie” Bianco) and then killed himself. This such of behavior seemed to run in the family. Michael also tried to kill his wife (Tersilla Bianco), stabbing her repeatedly in the back as she ran for her life. He did more time in jail for that.

Mike had three nephews; Ernest and Julio Gallo who started E. & J. Gallo Winery, which today is the largest exporter of California wines. A third brother, Joseph, was a rancher, cheese maker, and founder of Joseph Gallo Farms which produces dairy products including a variety of cheeses and is one of the largest family-owned dairy operations in the world.

Michael died on November, 1977 in Las Vegas, Nevada and is laid to rest at the Bunkers Memory Gardens Cemetery in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada

Source:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/92054435

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallo_family

https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2%3A142051F45F422A02%40GB3NEWS-165270F62263159A%402449059-164FE3D74A8B42E7%4032-164FE3D74A8B42E7%40?h=2&fname=Michael%20Gallo&lname=&fullname=&kwinc=&kwexc=&rgfromDate=&rgtoDate=&formDate=&formDateFlex=exact&dateType=range&processingtime=&addedFrom=&addedTo=

https://www.ancestry.com

http://mafiamembershipcharts.blogspot.com/search/label/Article

https://www.newspapers.com/

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/106529752

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10385465