Charles (Charlie Brush) Dongarra

Charlie Brush Dongarra was one of the original members of the old Mangano crime family of New York. He also served under the regimes of Francesco (Don Cheech) Scalice and Albert (The Executioner) Anastasia.

Rosario (Charlie Brush) Dongarra - aka Charles Dongarra, Charles Dongarro, and Rosario Dongana - was born in Palermo, Sicily, before the turn of the century, on March 20, 1896.

He immigrated to the United States through New York's Ellis Island in June 1907. After arriving, he first settled in Manhattan’s Lower Eastside area, where he resided in a small apartment at 200 First Avenue.

Charlie Brush Dongarra

Dongarra was granted citizenship to the United States on June 21, 1927.

By 1930, Dongarra had relocated his family to the more open spaces of Brooklyn. He and his wife Candida purchased a two-family residence at 884 54th Street. This address would become the house he’d reside in for the remainder of his life.

An Original Member

By the 1940s, Dongarra partnered with a friend named Antonio Maltese to purchase a sprawling 113-acre property in Upstate Windham, New York (Catskills Region).

Named the “Twin Maple Farm,” this property boasted a large private residence with ten bedrooms and a working farm. It became the family’s compound and second home when away from home.

Charlie and Candida, together with their two daughters and their husbands and children, would spend entire summers upstate enjoying the bucolic countryside.

It was a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of daily life in the New York underworld.

Charlie Dongarra was one of the original members of the old Mangano crime family of New York. He also served under the regimes of Francesco (Don Cheech) Scalice and Albert (The Executioner) Anastasia.

With Carlo Gambino’s ascension to boss after the sensational assassination of Anastasia in the barber chair in 1957, Dongarra reportedly became one of the men Carlo decided to elevate to serve as a “capodecina” within his new family administration.

This appointment was one of 24 such slots the borgata had and a position that Charlie would hold for the remainder of his life.

By all accounts, Dongarra was always viewed as a highly respected mafioso. As he aged, Charlie moved into an advisory position, whose advice and counsel were often sought by other family members.

FBI #321506, NYCPD #B-56635, Jersey City-PD #4298, INS #72519

A Deadly Mafioso

Charles Dongarra only stood about 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighed in at a mere 145 pounds soaking wet. With dark brown hair and eyes, he was not a very imposing presence.

Yet, Dongarra had the reputation as a deadly mafioso who had been utilized as a mafia assassin in his younger days. “Charlie Brush,” as he was commonly known on the streets, also had a very limited but very serious criminal record:

1921 - possession of a concealed weapon, a loaded .32 caliber revolver (sentenced to 60 days in jail)

1922 - homicide (dismissed)

1930 - possession of a concealed weapon (no true bill returned, dismissed)

From 1930 forward, “Charlie Brush” would continually draw the attention of both local and federal law enforcement over the years.

Mob songbird Joe Valachi also named him in 1963 during his testimony before a U.S. Senate Committee. The Committee also officially listed Dongarra on its “Gambino Family Chart.”

Through the years he was invested in at least five garment firms that authorities were aware of.

These were the D. & L. Coat Contracting Company of 100 White Street, the J. & C. Coat Company of 972 Flushing Avenue, the D. & P. Coat & Suit Company of 347 Lorimer Street, the Troutman Dress Company, and the Terry Coat Company of 328 Boerum Street. Each of these garment factories was located in Kings County.

Over the years, Dongarra also reported steady income on his tax returns from several funeral homes he was connected with.

He allegedly received a split of all revenue produced when he referred families of deceased relatives and friends to these funeral homes to hold the wake or funeral.

The two funeral parlors involved were reportedly Adam Macagna & Sons Funeral Parlor and A. Mazzarella & Sons Funeral Home, located at 427 and 444 E. 12th Street, respectively.

Hangouts and Rackets

Dongarra's primary haunt was always Lower Manhattan along First Avenue between 10th and 13th Streets.

The DeRobertis Pastry Shop & Cafe at First Ave. and 11th Street and a barbershop the next block over were his two main hangouts. Charlie allegedly conducted most of his criminal activities from these places.

Dongarro’s racket operations were said to include his control over various gambling games, such as dice and card games. These included a popular Italian card game called Ziganette, horse bookmaking, policy numbers, and shylocking.

The Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) strongly suspected him of being deep into the international narcotics traffic as both a financier and smuggler. He reportedly supplied local peddlers with wholesale quantities (kilos) of heroin.

These activities were typically run on a day-to-day basis by members and associates of his personal “crew,” which was thought to include approximately 30 to 35 “made” soldiers and numerous associate members.

The Crew

Numbered among his crew were many known or convicted drug peddlers.

Among his closest personal friends and business associates within Cosa Nostra itself included such Mafia luminaries as Salvatore (Charlie Lucky) Luciano himself and boss Carlo Gambino.

Other top mafioso Dongarra associated with included Gambino’s onetime underboss Joseph (Joe Bandy) Biondo and his consigliere Joseph (Staten Island Joe) Riccobono

Others included varied Gambino capodecina such as Stephen (14th Street Steve) Armone, Giuseppe (Joe) Traina, Domenico (Mike) Arcuri, Giuseppe (Joe) Arcuri, and future consigliere Joseph N. Gallo .

Charlie was also said to be a close personal friend of Luciano/Genovese capo Gaetano (Tommy Palmer) Greco.

At the height of his power, Dongarra’s personal crew reportedly consisted of dozens of key soldiers. These included such well-known names as the aforementioned Joe N. Gallo, Joseph (Joe Piney) Armone, Andrew Alberti, Pasquale (Patsy) Crapanzano, Liborio (Bobby Red) Crapanzano, Alfredo (Freddy the Sidge) Santantonio, Luigi (Louie) Como, Anthony (Tony) Leggio, Frank (Frankie the Wop) Gagliardi , Joseph (Jojo) Manfredi, Frank (Frankie Miller) Luciano, and Vincent (Gigalee) Cestaro.

A Hard-Headed Hoodlum

Unfortunately, since at least the 1950s, Charlie started suffering from increasing health problems.

These health issues included a worsening heart condition from a coronary infarction, very bad diabetes, which required him to have daily insulin injections, and serious vision problems, which later led to cataract surgery in both eyes.

Dongarra lost approximately 75% of his total eyesight from damage to optic nerves.

By the mid-late 1960s, these growing health issues began to hobble his ability to conduct mob business.In his later years, he appointed several of his regime’s soldiers to act in his stead as “acting capos” to maintain their underworld operations.

Charlie could be a very hard-headed hoodlum who steadily visited his doctors as his health situation required. Yet, he would largely then ignore his physician's dietary advice and lifestyle changes to better maintain his health.

A Devastating Surgery

By 1971 or so, Dongarra was notified that his diabetes was out of control. His sugar levels had worsened to the point that doctors informed him one of his legs needed to be amputated in order to save his life.

This surgery was eventually performed successfully but it devastated both his life and lifestyle thereafter. He had to convalesce at home while bedridden for months on end. Charlie was also now in near-constant pain or discomfort.

Losing a limb had seriously affected both his mental outlook and enthusiasm and physical abilities to continue to run around New York City the way he had all his life. The last two years of his life were largely spent away from the streets. He spent the majority of his time at his Brooklyn residence.

On occasion, he was brought upstate to his summer home to change the scenery a bit. But as his health worsened, even that trip became too arduous for the frail old man.

Rosario (Charlie Brush) Dongarra was believed to have died in 1973. After his death, his crew was formally passed on to Joe N. Gallo, who was elevated to serve as its caporegime.

Until next time…”The Other Guy!”

Charles (Charlie Brush) Dongarra

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