Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

In the past, I have posted stories of the evidence of Mafia activities of this medium. Some were assumed to have been possible and others there was no doubt whatsoever. One that I am referring to be a double assassination of a Mafia family boss, Big Pauly and his driver, and you can read this by going to SEARCH and typing in A Mob Assassination. Another which was more obtuse and remote is Sports and Fishing Show, New Orleans, LA.

More to the point and a gruesome aspect, here is an example of how near to everyone’s lives their activities can be. Ron Barnell was my co-partner and fellow sales training coordinator. Besides our classroom duties we often were assigned to travel to different cities meet with our fellow salesmen at company meetings. This was to make sure that clear and open communications were maintained both to the field sales force and back management in New York.

Since our laboratory offices were about 40 miles from the major airports, I would drive in and leave my car in the parking lot. Since Ron only had one car, he would rent and drop off the car at either LaGuardia or J.F.K. airports. On returning, he would rent another car to drop off the next day after he got home. Since he was from New York he was always sent to other sections of the country. Since I was from Texas, I was always directed to either the Midwest or the North East regions.

After one of these trips, I had already arrived at the office and got a call from Ron to meet him in the company parking lot, he wanted to show me something. So, I wait for about 20 minutes and the go out to the parking lot and met him there. He got out of the rent car, held the door open and said, “look at that!” There in the middle of the front seat was a large, very large amount of clotted blood! Someone had been shot in the head and bled out, had died in that rental car very recently. Why the service personnel had not cleaned it up was baffling to both of us. Perhaps it had been overlooked, or they simply had an aversion to dealing with such. May have had to wait for a police investigation and rented the vehicle out by mistake. Now, keep in mind there is nothing to make this a Mafia hit, or not.

However, there is no question that the Mafia is alive and well and doing business in several major cities. When I later moved to New Orleans, I heard over my car radio that the Louisiana Senate was going to do a thorough investigation into Mafia’s activities in that state. Well, four years later they reported that the Mafia’s activities were harmless and were no different than a civic club, like Rotary, Lion Club, or Kiwanas civic clubs. I was certainly relieved to find that out! Also, that they are forward thinking enough to recruit college graduates!

My buddy Ron’s last name had been Barnello, but he had it changed to Barnell. I would not have mentioned him for safety reasons, but he is no longer living so is safe from any reprisals. Just Sayin…RJS

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Yeah right! If anyone believes the Mafia is as harmless and no different than any other civic club, I've got a bridge for sale you might be interested in.

Whitey Loc: Southeast ohio

Lmfao 😁

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Well, at that time the La senate could be and was bought! Just Sayin... RjS

ripogenu Loc: norfolk, MA

you guys watch too many movies. the Mafia (cosa nostra, ma familia. wh**ever) disintegrated in the 70's Patriarcha, Gambino, Bulger, extricated themselves from the drug and prostitute trade. yes small local gangs still exist but they are very local and have very little influence in the political arena. locally called "street thugs" they are mostly types like the M13 Mexican gangs. There is no longer a centralized crime organization. If you fear anyone you need to fear individuals, not any organized group.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Yes, here in Texas it is the drug cartels in Mexico that are the most dangerous!! They think nothing in k*****g everybody! Just Sayin...RjS

FixorFish Loc: SW Oregon

And that's exactly what "they" are elated that you believe.
I grew up in KC, went to H.S. with many buddies whose name ended in a vowel. Many whose father's and grandfathers were well-known and the object of quite a few "investigations". The RICO laws got a few of them, my good friend's father, known as "Willie the Rat" (not because he was a 'snitch'...it was because he put his victims in the sewer so that ID'ing them would be harder....sewer rats are always ravenous !)went to Leavenworth. Most just wiggled out of prosecution with good lawyers and a few "greased wheels".
The public personas have faded..... the pursuits of the families have not. Liquor biz, construction biz, trucking biz, nightclub biz, gambling biz.....all dominated to this day by folks who can trace their lineage to Sicily.
You just keep thinking it's only in the movies or only "a few pockets, here and there".......makes a lot of my buddies happy that their family name isn't in the news with any regularity now.

DC Loc: Washington state

[quote=FixorFish]And that's exactly what "they" are elated that you believe.

I am not really versed on mofia activity but I seem to hear a lot more about the Russian mafia, or china mofia than Italian mafia just curious have they kind of taken over or do they just operate in different turfs?

ripogenu Loc: norfolk, MA

you don't know my last name...

DC Loc: Washington state

just a guess is it "An-lo" or "Mikhailov" by any chance??? don't worry we will keep it a secret here in the attic and know one else will know

Katriniagirl Loc: Jensen Beach Florida

Ya well my maiden name is Susanj family ties to…..

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

It is interesting that many of us had our names changed as time and geography dictated. My surname was not Samples a long time ago. My foreparents around 1050 were living in France, when William the Conqurer decided to recapture the part of his kingdom in England, he recruited an army and invated. He was successful in capturing the country and o*******w the monarchy and established his own royalty. Among some of which were enobled were in Scotland. To this day, Jamie, Lord Semple XXi, is a lord and sits on the Scotish House of Lords in parliment. Whether I am kin or not, it makes for a good story. Oh! We think Samples came from a misprouncement of Saint Paul, a region in France! Just Sayin...RJS