Emanuele Bonsignore first appears in the Painesville, Ohio, area in 1919. In America, he was known as Neli Bonsignore.
Emanuele Bonsignore was as born on February 10, 1882, at Licata, Italy. He married Angela Schembri sometime before 1906 in Sicily. He first immigrated to the United States on March 23, 1906, at age 24, travelling to New York City.
Emanuele Bonsignore is shown as re-entering the United States on March 28, 1909. He was traveling to Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. According to the ship manifest, he was previously in Cleveland from 1907 to 1908. He is also shown re-entering the United States on May 3, 1912, travelling to Cleveland, Ohio. He was previously in Cleveland from 1908 to 1911. Emanuele registered for the military draft for World War One on September 12, 1918, living at 2544 East 22nd Street, Cleveland, Ohio. He was employed by the Cleveland Rail Way Company. Neli Boncignore was enumerated for the 1920 Census of the United States, on January 13, 1920, living at 219 Storrs Street, Painesville City, Lake County, Ohio, as a boarder of Thomas Messina. He was employed in the mill room at Diamond Alkali Company.
On Sunday, January 23, 1921, Joe Nasca held a christening party for his daughter at their North State Street home. Some thirty guests were in attendance. During the party four men were shot, one fatally: “Shortly before ten o’clock Antonio Fontana entered the room and spoke to Frank Sapienza. They stepped outside and as they did so they were followed by Emanuel Bonsignore and Joe Educato. It is alleged that the latter two commenced shooting and Fontana and Sapienza were both victims. Others at the party rushed out of the house and in the shooting affray Mariano DiLisio and Giuseppe Giaconia were wounded.” Antonio Fontana died of his wounds. Neither shooter was ever found.
