The true history of a great cop

Harrisburg, Pa.: My very diligent cousin, Dominica McGowan, who is an avid reader and longtime reader of The Daily News, as was my dad and every other member of my family, sent me clippings from your Voice of the People section concerning distant members of the Petrosino family searching for information about Lt. Joe Petrosino of the NYPD, who was assassinated in the line of duty on March 12, 1909, in Palermo, Sicily.

I am the great-nephew of the good lieutenant. My father, Prospero Petrosino, was his eldest nephew by his only full-blooded brother, Vincenzo Petrosino. I encourage all family members to read the definitive biography of the lieutenant just published this past April and written by Stephan Talty, who previously wrote the book entitled “Captain Phillips,” which became a movie starring Tom Hanks.

This book is entitled “The Black Hand” and traces the detective’s history more accurately than any other publication. I was fortunate enough to be a consultant on this book and can attest to its accuracy. The author also used data and information supplied by my daughter, Courteney Michelle, who visited the hometown of Padula, Italy, and interviewed family members still living there.

The lieutenant was born August 30, 1860 in Padula in the Province of Salerno. He was the oldest child of Prospero Petrosino, known as “the tailor” after his profession and Giusseppina Arato, his first wife.

This marriage produced two other children: my grandfather, Vincenzo and a daughter, Catarina. The tailor married a second time after the death of his first wife, to Giusseppina Mugno. That union produced three more children, a daughter, Josephine, and two more sons, Michael and Anthony.

I suspect that your previous writers, Voicers Mike and Bob Petrosino come from the family of Anthony Petrosino. I know my dad was proud of the fact that two of his first cousins were members of the NYPD. The lieutenant himself married late in life to Adelina Saulino, had one daughter, Adelina whose daughter, Susan, was his only grandchild. I hope this gives family members more information to go on.

Vincent Joseph Petrosino car as she went to Christmas Eve Mass at her Long Island church. Such traffic tragedies deserve major media coverage. Somehow, older victims don’t seem to matter that much. And shouldn’t faith groups be actively concerned about tragedies that take the lives or critically injure their members? My deepest sympathy to the loved ones of Barbara Rizzi. When they are able, may they work against the traffic crimes so often to blame for such tragedies. Jamaica: It was obvious that the woman who painted the penis on the side of the building put a lot of effort, and her soul, into that project. Hopefully she has inspired other women to put their souls and efforts into the men behind the penis. Woodside: To Voicer John Calcarterra: Please take a moment to look into the mirror and say hello to the hate-filled, racist person you see in the reflection. And the Daily News really should be ashamed of itself for printing such a juvenile, hatefilled, racist letter about “whitey.” Would you have printed another racist letter where the targeted groups were blacks, Hispanics or Asians? I certainly hope not! Staten Island: David Bloomfield continues to perpetuate misinformation about the education yeshivas provide and argues ridiculously that the mayor and other city officials could face arrest over the issue (“A mayor’s school negligence,” Op-Ed, Dec. 27). Reasonable people may disagree about the appropriate role of the city and state in religious schools, but Bloomfield disqualifies himself from membership in that group with his rhetoric. As a former yeshiva principal, I know firsthand that the community is enormously proud of the education our yeshivas provide. We have invested a great deal of time and money into a Common Corealigned math and English curriculum, complete with textbooks, lesson plans and teacher training. Ultimately, parents must have the right to choose how their children are educated — not the government, and not misguided critics like Bloomfield. Brooklyn: Bloomfield, as others who have expressed similar anti-yeshiva sentiments, frankly has no idea what he’s talking about. I teach secular subjects at a Borough Park yeshiva, and although the class is “only” in the afternoon, these kids have a better grasp of reading and math than do most public school kids. Why? Because they spend the morning learning how to think critically and analytically by studying the Torah and its intricate commentaries. I doubt that Bloomfield has ever set foot in a yeshiva, because it would take only a short visit to see this. Walden, N.Y.: I’m a woman, and I dress for me! No one else. I love to look nice when I’m going out, and I love it when I feel good! When my husband says, “Gee, you look nice,” that’s a wonderful compliment that I love to receive! But please, Voicer Robert Adams, don’t say all women dress for men. We have minds of our own, and just love to look good for our own egos. East Meadow, L.I.: The Daily News is off-base in blaming Mayor de Blasio for problems at NYCHA, and attacking him for his trip to Iowa. The problems with lead paint exposure didn’t just pop up when he became mayor. Lead paint was banned in 1978. Why was the Daily News silent about NYCHA’s lack of action during the Koch, Dinkins, Giuliani and Bloomberg administrations? Why were you silent whenever Bloomberg jetted to the Caribbean every weekend? Peoria, Ariz.: Why is there a reference to Mayor de Blasio’s political party affiliation in this article about a terrible tragedy about the death of 12 innocent people, many of whom are small children (“Building owner ‘shocked’ by deadly Bronx fire,” Dec. 29)? Of what relevance is that? Sounds like a reporter is attempting to incite conflict. Shame, shame on you!