Angie folds

Known as “Angie the controller” twenty-nine year old Angelo Pezzulo worked in the policy racket as a foreman over a staff of number runners and was described by the police as a “petty operator”. Chances are, since Angelo was operating in the Bronx/Harlem territory, he was either working for Dutch Schultz or Ciro Terranova and ripped them off or, if a renegade was visited a few times by ambassadors of the Dutchman and/or Terranova and told that if he knew what was good for him he would turn over his policy business or pay for protection. Either way it appears that Pezzulo didn’t know what was good for him and paid the ultimate price.

The end for “Angie” came on this date back in 1934 in the rear of his brother Fred's candy store. Just before 6:00 am Angelo, brothers Fred and Dominick and two other men were playing their last hand of an all night poker game when two men, one of whom had a gun, entered. “Line up and face the wall.” barked the gunman.  Assuming it was a run of the mill robbery the men dropped their cards and did as they were told. After the men put their noses to the wall the gunman walked the line pulling back each head to inspect the face. When he got to Angelo he fired into the back of his head and his back. When Pezzulo hit the floor the gunman took another look at him, then, satisfied with his work, placed the gun in his pocket and he and his partner walked out.