Assignment details: Compare and contrast the history and culture of the American Mafia and organized crime groups that exist in Italy. How is the American Mafia similar to Italian organized crime groups? How is it different?
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CHAPTER THREE
The American Mafia
Abadinsky, Organized Crime 10th ed.
Early in the morning of January 20, 1910, FBI agents and other law enforcement officers arrested nearly 130 members and associates of the American Mafia, including members of New York’s five Families, the DeCavalcante Family of New Jersey, and the Patriarca Family of New England.
While the power and influence of the American Mafia has declined, it remains a dangerous entity in the northeast and Chicago, two areas that will be examined in this chapter.
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THE MAFIA IN NEW YORK
The American Mafia is unique. No other criminal organization has controlled labor unions, organized employer cartels, operated as a rationalizing force in major industries, and functioned as a bridge between the upperworld and the underworld.
Between 1891 and 1920, 4 million Italians entered the U.S., the majority coming from the Mezzogiorno.
Every important Italian American OC crime figure has had cultural roots in the Mezzogiorno.
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ITALIAN IMMIGRANT LIFE
Italian immigration made fortunes for speculators and landlords, but changed neighborhoods into human ant heaps of suffering, crime, ignorance, and filth.
Anglo-Protestant society was hostile to Mezzogiorno culture and practices. Some were illegal.
Immigrants’ patrimonial form of military organization could protect their old-country practices.
Mafia groups served important social and financial functions.
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CASTELLAMMARESE WAR
The old Sicilian “moustaches” used to get together in the back of the club and they called it Unione Siciliana.
BY 1930, there were 2 Mafia factions in NY: Masseria’s in Little Italy, and Maranzano’s in Manhattan.
Both men died violently. Lucky Luciano was involved in both murders. The new guys had defeated the “moustaches.”
Luciano became the most important Italian Mafia figure in NY.
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THE STRUCTURE OF THE AMERICAN MAFIA: THE NEW YORK MODEL
After the Castellammarese War, 5 Mafia Families emerged in NY: Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, Lucchese.
The boss is at the center (paterfamilias), assisted by an underboss (sottocapo) and counselor (consigliere).
The boss is surrounded by clients, e.g., captains (caporegime), to whom he acts as a patron.
The captains are surrounded by members or soldiers (soldati), to whom they act as patrons.
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THE COMMISSION
Crime bosses are linked in an arrangement known as the “commission.” The commission’s role:
Regulate and facilitate relationships between Families.
Promote and facilitate joint ventures between Families.
Resolve actual and potential disputes between Families.
Regulate the criminal activities of the Families.
Extend formal recognition to newly chosen bosses and resolve leadership disputes within families.
Authorize the execution of family members.
Approve the initiation of new members into the Families.
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ANALYSIS OF THE STRUCTURE (NY)
The structure of NY Mafia Families is only loosely coupled to its criminal activities.
Much illegal activity is ad hoc deals and projects.
Crews are intermittently in several businesses.
Formal organizational structure differs from economic structure. Clear hierarchy in the Family; income- generating activity is independent entrepreneurs.
Pass a percentage of their income up as taxes in return for government-type services: dispute resolution, territory allocation, enforcement and corruption services.
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THE AMERICAN MAFIA IN CHICAGO
Intense, longtime connection between politics and OC.
Transportation hub brought immigration:
1836:Lake Michigan-Illinois River Canal groundbreaking.
1855: terminus of 10 Rail trunk lines, 11 branch lines.
Attracted adventurers, gamblers, pimps, prostitutes and other undesirables.
Civil War brought prosperity and soldiers on leave.
“The Outfit” is distinctive in its ethnic diversity.
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MIKE MCDONALD
Origin of OC in Chicago was the 1873 mayor election. Mike McDonald, gambling boss of Chicago, backed the
winning candidate. Mike had welded the gamblers, liquor interests, and
brothels into a formidable political power. From then, until his death in 1907, Mike controlled
mayors, congressmen, and senators. He owned the Globe newspaper and the elevated
railroad line in Chicago. Mont Tennes inherited his gambling empire.
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“HINKY DINK” AND “THE BATH”
“Hinky Dink” Kenna and “Bathhouse” Coughlin inherited Mike’s political empire.
As “Lords of the Levee,” they organized the vice entrepreneurs of he First Ward.
Majorities in the First Ward were so overwhelming they could affect city, county, and state elections.
They “licensed” businesses in the First Ward.
Backed winner “Big Bill” Thompson for mayor in 1915. Spoils system swept over the city.
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What are “boodles?”
JIM COLOSIMO
Brought to the U.S. from Calabria at 10 years old. He married a brothel keeper, and helped organized a
gang of white slavers.” (1910 Mann Act was a result.) Politically powerful during Thompson’s mayoralty. “‘Diamond Jim’ wore a diamond ring on every finger,
diamond studs gleamed in his shirt front, a huge diamond horseshoe was pinned to his vest, diamond links joined the cuffs, and his belt and suspender buckles were set with diamonds.”
He brought Johnny Torrio to Chicago for protection from Black Hand that targeted wealthy Italians.
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JOHNNY TORRIO
In Chicago, Torrio lured 3 Black Handers into an ambush, where gunmen shot them dead.
Born in Naples 1882. Raised in NY. Leader of James Street Boys, affiliated with the Five Points Gang.
Oversaw brothels and gambling operations for Colosimo.
Torrio’s partner in NY, Frankie Yale, sent out-of-control Al Capone to Chicago to get him out of NY.
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TORRIO THE BUSINESSMAN
Smart, non-drinker, non-smoker, not a womanizer.
Kissed his wife in the morning, then motored to his office where he bought and sold women, etc.
He excelled as a master strategist and organizer and quickly built a wealthy, powerful, influential empire.
With the onset of Prohibition, the personnel of organized vice took the lead in the systematic organization of this new and profitable field of exploitation.
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TORRIO-CAPONE ORGANIZATION
Colosimo wanted to stay out of bootlegging. Torrio and Capone disagreed. Staying out would deny access to wealth and would enrich and empower competitors.
May 11, 1920, Diamond Jim was shot to death in the vestibule of his upscale Colosimo’s Cafe.
Torrio succeeded him to the First Ward based Italian ‘syndicate’ throne.
Late summer 1920: Torrio persuaded the major Cook Co. gang leaders to abandon predatory crime in favor of Prohibition-related activities.
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THE CHICAGO WARS
Torrio had divided the city and county into spheres with a chieftain, subchiefs, and allocated markets.
1923 election of a reform mayor destabilized Chicago and encouraged competitive moves by ganglords.
War! Torrio-Capone syndicate v. O’Banion forces.
1925: Torrio left the Chicago organization to Capone.
1926 truce: “Gang wars are bad for business.”
Ended in 1929 with the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.
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AL CAPONE’S CHICAGO
Thanks to Prohibition, Capone was now the most powerful person in Chicago.
The Depression reduced the Capone organization’s income.
He took over the rackets in Chicago–small business associations and union–using extreme violence.
Capone’s downfall was the 1927 U.S. Supreme Court decision (U.S. v. Sullivan) that upheld the IRS contention that unlawful income was subject to taxation.
Tried (1931), convicted, sentenced to 11 years, served 6.
“Brought down with a pencil” for tax evasion.
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THE OUTFIT
Structured as a 4-man senior partnership: Al Capone, Ralph Capone, Nitti, Jake Guzik. Each received 1/6, remainder was for maintenance of the headquarters.
After Prohibition, the Capone syndicate–the Outfit– had a monopoly on OC in Chicago, maintained with minimal force and a great deal of political influence.
Chicago Crime Commission: the Outfit is unique in its willingness to grant responsibility to non-Italians.
In 1955, turned the operation over to Sam Giancana.
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SAM GIANCANA
Since Prohibition, blacks had dominated the numbers business in Chicago.
Serving time with Eddie Jones, a wealthy black numbers operator, GIancana learned the value of Jones’ operation and violently took it over in 1952.
Lived a high-profile life. Served time for refusing to testify to federal grand jury, despite immunity.
Fled to Mexico in 1965. In 1974, Mexican immigration agents dragged him to the border into waiting arms of FBI.
Shot at home in 1975. Interesting legacy of connection with federal government.
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AMERICAN MAFIA: THE CHICAGO MODEL AND “FAMILY SECRETS”
Chicago differs from NY in that the Outfit has always been a cooperative venture with other groups.
The Outfit is led by a CEO-type boss responsible to am informal small board of directors. 3 area bosses are responsible for a particular part of “Chicagoland.”
Street crews are geographically based, but act independently.
The thug side of the Outfit led in 2004 to an important federal case, “Operation Family Secrets
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