Joseph Barbara (mobster)

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For the actor, Joseph (or Joe) Barbara, see Joseph Barbara (actor).

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Joseph "Joe the Barber" Barbara (1905-June 1959) was a New York mobster who became the boss of the Bufalino crime family and the host of the Apalachin Conference, the infamous mob gathering of the 1950s.

1 Early life
2 The Apalachin Conference
3 Aftermath and final years
4 External links

[edit] Early life

In 1921, Barbara immigrated to the United States from his native Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily. His lastname is pronounced (bar-BEAR-uh). He was soon working as a hitman for the Buffalo crime family in Buffalo, New York. Arrested in connection to several unsolved murders during the 1930s, including the 1933 death of rival bootlegger Sam Wichner, Barbara was never brought to trial.

After his conviction for illegally purchasing 300,000 pounds of sugar (intended for the manufacture of bootleg alcohol), Barbara entered the soft drink distribution business. In the post-Prohibition years, he gained control of the beer/soft drink distribution in the Binghamton, New York region. Operating in Upstate New York, he bought a 58 acre (24 hectare) estate in the rural town of Apalachin, New York. He is the father of Joseph Barbara Junior, who was named after his father.

[edit] The Apalachin Conference

After suffering a heart attack the previous year, the conference was held under the excuse that the members were visiting a sick friend. Police raided the gathering, arresting most of those present (a large minority of Mafiosi managed to escape through the woods surrounding the Barbara estate). Among those apprehended were guests such as Carlo Gambino, Vito Genovese, and Joseph Bonanno. For those Mafiosi that were apprehended, many of them told authorities that they were at Barbara's home to look in on him after his recent heart attack.

[edit] Aftermath and final years

After the police raid, Barbara gained national attention and was later ordered to testify before the New York State Investigation Committee however, at the time of the 1957 conference, Barbara had a severe heart condition that prevented him from traveling. Using this reasoning, his lawyers were able to delay his appearance. In June 1959, Joseph Barbara died of a heart attack.