King of the Mountain: The Bruno Family Story

In the late 1800’s, life in Southern Italy was hard for many people so two brothers decided to risk everything and make the difficult journey to America. They had to leave behind all that was familiar to them. Their family, their way of life and their tiny village in Calabria. They walked from their mountain village to Napoli, then sailed across the ocean to New York City. The brothers had wild dreams of beginning a new life in America. They were determined to gain fame and fortune in America and were prepared to work hard to get it. Eventually the brothers settled in a small town in the mountains of Pennsylvania where work in and around the coal mines started them on their way to realizing their dreams. They worked long hours and the work was difficult. They had children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Their families were close-knit and the family members supported one another without question. Who could know that from such a humble beginning would come riches, power, political position, gambling, brothels, shame and imprisonment?

Bruce Boyd writes his families side of the story surrounding the so called Kelayres Massacre.