The Hungry Gangsters

Gangsters deported from the U.S. to Italy usually suffer from acute nostalgia for the old easygoing, easy-taking American ways. Last week a deported Chicago hoodlum named Frank Frigenti remembered enough of his American education to organize a sort of Neapolitan public-relations campaign. Frigenti was once condemned to the electric chair for murdering his mother-in-law, but his sentence was changed to life imprisonment, ending in deportation.

"What are we supposed to do?" asked aggrieved expatriate Frigenti. "Form another mobsters' syndicate--or eat each other?" Instead, he offered to lead 500 gangster exiles in a 140-mile hunger march from Naples to Rome for a demonstration before the U.S. embassy to seek re-entry into the U.S. "In America," Frigenti proclaimed, "these people were used to handling thousands and thousands of dollars. They drove in powerful automobiles.

Here, they are authentically hungry."

Hungry hoodlums, homesick for the U.S.A., rallied around from Palermo, Messina, Genoa and even the island of Elba. "I wish I had been left in an American jail," one explained. "At least there I could eat and sleep at Government expense."

Then word came from Lucky Luciano, No. 1 exiled racketeer, who has plenty of money but also plenty of problems created by Italian police: he has to report every Sunday, observe a dusk-to-dawn curfew and stay away from bad company. Luciano announced: "I absolutely refuse to be in any way involved in this affair. It is not my business. I am very happy in Italy. I lead a disciplined life."

Last week the hunger march took place --but not exactly as scheduled. Only 27 exported ex-hoodlums showed up in Rome, and they never even bothered to demonstrate. But fat Charles Carrolla, former liquor racketeer and boss of Kansas City's North Side, lamented along with other exiles. "I hope President Eisenhower will pardon me and let me back into the U.S.," he cried. "Here, I am always followed around by police agents. Besides, Italy is a poor country."

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