Charles Binaggio (1909 - 1950)

Born 12 Jan 1909 in Beaumont, Jefferson, Texas, United States

Husband of Cecelia Marie (Bondon) Bates — married 30 Sep 1939 (to 5 Apr 1950) in Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri, United States

Died 5 Apr 1950 at age 41 in Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri, United States

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Biography

Charles Binaggio is Notable.

Binaggio's biography is detailed in the book "The Two Charlies," available on Amazon and elsewhere.[1]

Charles Binaggio was a gangster who fought his way to the top of the underworld heap more through politics than crime. He was a lieutenant in the political machine of Tom Pendergast and had close ties to crime boss Johnny Lazia.

When Pendergast fell from power in 1939 and his organization started to unravel, Binaggio emerged as the new leader of the city's underworld and ran much of Kansas City in the 1940s. Binaggio wanted to reopen Kansas City to widespread vice, especially gambling, which was a hallmark of the Pendergast era.

A high-profile murder of a known gambler in Kansas City then caused a crack down on the sport, and a grand jury investigation into organized crime put pressure on Binaggio. This focused a great deal of bad national publicity on him.

On April 6, 1950, Charles Binaggio and Charles Gargotta, both well-known local crime figures, were found dead inside the First Ward Democratic Club on Truman Road in Kansas City , MO. They had been shot to death at close range in a gangland-style execution. Binaggio's murder stunned the city and its shock waves reached Washington, D.C., where Congress appointed a special committee to investigate organized crime.

Despite investigations by five law enforcement agencies, the murders of Binaggio and Gargotta were never solved. Some people theorized that Binaggio and Gargotta were murdered by St. Louis gunmen; others said the hitmen came from Chicago. However, it is most likely that the two mob bosses were killed by members of their own crime family under orders from the Mafia Commission in New York. The probable organizer of the hit was Gizzo, who no doubt received the leadership of the Kansas City family as a reward. In any case, the murderers were never found.

Over 1,200 mourners attended Binaggio's funeral service at Holy Rosary Church and 10,000 people watched the funeral procession to the cemetery. Binaggio was buried in Mount Saint Mary's Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri.

Sources

• "Missouri, County Marriage, Naturalization, and Court Records, 1800-1991," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2ZR-J554 : 18 September 2021), Charles Binaggio and Cecelia Marie Bondon, 30 Sep 1939; citing Marriage, Jackson, Missouri, United States, Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City; FHL microfilm 007067127.

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RCM-FF8?cc=1810731&wc=QZFQ-6KQ%3A649530101%2C649101701%2C650148701%2C1589282340 : 8 December 2015), Missouri > Jackson > Kansas City > ED 12 > image 28 of 36; citing NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002).

• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K747-29C : 17 December 2019), Charles Benaggio in household of Anthony Bondon, Ward 8, Kansas City, Kaw Township, Jackson, Missouri, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 116-173, sheet 3A, line 20, family 47, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 2172.

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21438/charles-binaggio : accessed 25 February 2022), memorial page for Charles Binaggio (12 Jan 1909–6 Apr 1950), Find a Grave Memorial ID 21438, citing Mount Saint Mary Catholic Cemetery, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, USA ; Maintained by Anthony Bondon (contributor 49694459) .

See also -

• Wikipedia: Charles Binaggio"

• Wikidata: Item Q5075617, en:Wikipedia "