Giovanni (Johnny Burns) Morale

Johnny Burns Morale was Joe Bonanno's trusted ally, quietly rising to power as underboss during one of the family's most turbulent periods.

Operating in the shadows, he managed to stay out of the spotlight even as tensions erupted around him, making his eventual retreat from the mob world all the more curious.

Giovanni (Johnny Burns) Morale -- aka Johnny Morales -- was born in 1912 in NYC. He was raised and resided on the Lower East Side. He later moved to Brooklyn and later to 39-30 Glenwood Street in the Little Neck section of Queens.

He had a brother, Rosario, known as “Sally Burns,” who was also an inducted Bonanno member. He also has a nephew, “Sally Pens” Morale, who law enforcement says is a current Family member.

Johnny Burns Morale

Morale was believed to have been related to Joe Bonanno through marriage, having married the daughter of Family capo and Bonanno's uncle Vito Bonventre (on his maternal side).

His activities included gambling, shylocking, and strong-arm. He also operated several businesses with his brother Sally, including an Elizabeth Street social club, a gin mill, and a florist.

A little-known mob capo and later underboss for decades, Morale first came into law enforcement's view during the early 1960s while investigating Joe Bonanno. Morale was said to have been a one-time Bonanno driver and aide.

In the Thick of Things

By the late 1950s to early 1960s, Bonanno had entrusted Morale to act in his stead during Bonanno’s increasingly longer absences from New York City mob politics while traveling abroad and his extended stays in Arizona, elevating Morale to underboss-acting boss.

This would, unfortunately, put Johnny Burns in the thick of things and in a very untenable position as tensions arose among the membership, later leading to the Banana War.

Sally Burns Morale

Initially siding with the boss, Johnny, his brother Sally, and a contingent under them would later, as time passed, eventually take a “neutral” position, basically sitting on the fence, not choosing sides and trying their best to stay out of the fray of physical conflict that erupted!

A few others who stayed non-aligned included Moe Barbera, Anthony Cusenza, Vincent Curatola, and Michael Nido.

Under the Microscope

Little was known about Morale before he became a front-and-center mob figure under a federal microscope. Even today, there is scant evidence of his activities and personal life.

In 1966, shortly after the infamous “Troutman Street Shootout,” Bill Bonanno, Morale, and seven other Bonanno followers were each sentenced to 30 days in the city jail and fined $250 for “clamming up” before a Brooklyn County grand jury investigating the mob fracas.

In 1969, the nine were again indicted and jailed before the same Brooklyn grand jury a second time after they had served contempt sentences the previous summer.

This time, they were fined $500 each after pleading guilty to two counts of contempt.

Borgata members Vito Mule, John Morale, Pete Magaddino and Joe Bonanno.

The following day, they were brought before the investigative body again and threatened with prison for up to a year if they still refused to “chat!” That following day, some purged themselves of contempt, and some went to prison! There is no record of who went to prison.

In 1969, Johnny Burns was indicted on a federal contempt of court charge in the Southern District of Manhattan stemming from the Family’s civil war.

In 1970, he served a 30-day criminal contempt sentence in the Nassau County jail for refusing to answer questions about the mob.

In 1972, Johnny was one of many top “good fellows” central to a law enforcement probe into allegations of bribery and official corruption at the Nassau County Jail.

Allegations were that during 1970, while all were serving contempt of court sentences, Paul Vario and Johnny’s brother Sally led a bribery ring of jail guards to “buy” favors such as liquors, Cuban cigars, women, drugs, and gourmet specialty foods smuggled in to make life more enjoyable for the Mafiosi.

From the looks of it, it seems most of Morale’s law enforcement problems stemmed from contempt of court citations from authorities probing the gang war.

He ended up serving several short jail terms because of it.

Cast Out

With the advent of Joe and Bill Bonanno’s expulsion from New York City and being “officially cast out” of the Honored Society and subsequent “retiring” to Arizona, Morale, too, seemed to have been “cast out!!” If not by official decree, then at least by deed and actual function.

He quickly faded from the mob scene, and although he lived another 15-plus years, he never again involved himself in Family affairs. It was as though he became persona non grata, which is funny because his brother “Sally Burns” remained active on Elizabeth Street in Little Italy and with the Family in general.

I think Johnny’s departure may have been more of a self-imposed exile as opposed to any lingering bad blood, so to speak!

Giovanni (Johnny Burns) Morale died in 1984 at the relatively young age of 72. His kid brother, Sally Burns, outlived him by 10 years, dying in 1994.

Until next time...The Other Guy!

Giovanni (Johnny Burns) Morale

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Giovanni (Johnny Burns) Morale

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