About this episode

This episode explores the murder of Emanuele Notarbartolo, a pivotal case in the history of the Sicilian Mafia.

In 1893, Sicilian banker and former mayor Emanuele Notarbartolo was murdered on a train traveling along the northern coast of Sicily. What followed was a case that moved through multiple trials, convictions, and acquittals, raising questions about political influence, financial power, and the limits of the legal system. Source materials John Dickie, Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia (Hodder & Stoughton, 2004) https://www.hodder.co.uk/titles/john-dickie/cosa nostra/9780340935262/ Salvatore Lupo, History of the Mafia (Columbia University Press, 2009) https://cup.columbia.edu/book/history-of-the mafia/9780231131346 “Raffaele Palizzolo Describes the Mafia,” The New YorkTimes , July 12, 1908 https://www.nytimes.com/1908/07/12/archives/raffaele-palizzolo-describes-the-mafia-the-noted-sicilian.html “Emanuele Notarbartolo: Banker and Politician,” Italy OnThis Day https://www.italyonthisday.com/2023/02/emanuele-notarbartolo-banker-and.html Chelsea Queen, “Emanuele Notarbartolo: The Sicilian Mafia’sFirst Victim in 1893,” Medium , December 31, 2024 https://medium.com/@chelseaqueen/emanuele-notarbartolo-the-sicilian-mafias-first-victim-in-1893

People in this episode

Host: Lizzie

Topics covered

• Mafia history
• true crime
• political influence
• legal system
• Sicilian history

Keywords

• Emanuele Notarbartolo
• Mafia
• Sicily
• true crime
• legal trials
• political influence
• financial power

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cosa Nostra, Hodder & Stoughton, Columbia University Press, The New York Times, Italy On This Day

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