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If you've a real interest in New England Organized Crime and landed on this page by following a browser link and haven't seen the homepage you should check it out here. There are two videos with info on the current state of the family here. It'll give you an idea of whats happening and who's who. Really worth watching.

 

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1900:

New York, US: Barrel murder victim is discovered at 11th Street and Avenue A

1901:

New York, US: Vito Cascio Ferro arrives in New York aboard La Champagne from Havre, France. The highly regarded Sicilian Mafioso previously lived in New York as a child and moved back to Sicily. He frequently ventured into other countries to escape prosecution and establish international contacts. At this time, his New York contacts appear to be the Morello family.

Vito Cascio Ferro

 

New York, US: The U.S. Secret Service began investigating rumors of an anarchist plot to kill President William McKinley and asked New York police detective Joseph Petrosino to aid in the investigation. During the course of the investigation Petrosino and the Secret Service stumbled onto the so-called Murder Stable, a property located in Italian Harlem at 323 East 107th Street. Digging up the premises, they found the remains of approximately 60 murder victims. The property was owned by Ignazio "Lupo the Wolf." Saietta. When it became apparent the victims had been killed as part of an effort to consolidate Italian control of the waterfront, the Secret Service dropped out of the investigation. It was left to local officials to contain Lupo and the notorious Morello gang he worked with. Lupo successfully insisted he was just the landlord and knew nothing.

1902:

Grodno, Poland: Maier Suchowljansky is born (a.k.a. Meyer Lansky.)

New York, US: Ignazio Lupo is regarded as the leader of the Upper Manhattan Mafiosi. Giuseppe Morello, owner of a cafe at 220 Elizabeth Street and half-brother of Ciro Terranova, is considered a top lieutenant. Authorities believe Lupos and Morellos are blood relations but that may be due to confusion over a translation of the "Zu" (uncle) term of affection and respect given to Mafia leaders at the time.

Brooklyn, US: Joe Catania's corpse is discovered packed in a potato sack linked with floor mats at 73rd Street at the bay. His throat had been cut and some bones broken (presumably after the killing in order to fit the corpse into the sack). Some boys heading into the bay for an early evening swim discover the sack in some tall grass. Giuseppe Morello is believed to have participated in the killing. Catania, 40, was a Brooklyn green grocer who allegedly worked with Lupo-Morello organization on the import of counterfeit American currency manufactured in Sicily. Catania is believed to have violated the secrecy of the group.

1903:

New York, US: Lower East Side, According to some sources, Benedetto Madonia, related to a Mafia clan in Buffalo, began moving into Ignazio Lupo’s territory on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The sources claim that Madonia  coerced Lupo-protected merchants into passing Madonia's counterfeit currency to their customers.

New York, US: Benedetto Madonia's remains are found at 11th Street and Avenue D. The corpse, bearing more than a dozen stab wounds, is mostly buried in a barrel full of sawdust. Madonia's genitals had been cut from his body and stuffed into his mouth. His throat had been cut from ear to ear. This is generally the full treatment given by Mafiosi attempting to make an example of a squealer. In this case, it appears that Madonia was punished so severely for having a brother-in-law, Giuseppe DiPrimo, who was a police informant while serving time for a counterfeiting conviction.

New York, US: Giuseppe Masseria arrives in New York from Sicily. Masseria, about 24 was a Mafia enforcer.

New York, US: The New York Herald reports that Annuziato Cappiello leads a group of Black Hand extortionists in the city.

New York, US: Lt. Joe Petrosino arrests Ignazio " Lupo the Wolf." Saietta, Giuseppe Morello and six others for the barrel murder of Benedetto Madonia. None are convicted. Some sources trace the murder to Vito Cascio Ferro, who fled the country back to Sicily at about the time of the police investigation.

1905:

New York, US: Giuseppe DiPrimo is released from prison. He has sworn to avenge the "barrel murder" of his brother-in-law Benedetto Madonia.

Browntown, PA, US: Giuseppe DiPrimo catches up with Tomaso "El Toro" Potto, who was believed to have had a role in the Benedetto Madonia barrel murder. (Potto was found to have a pawn ticket for Madonia's watch when he was arrested for the murder.) Potto the Bull had moved to the Wilkes-Barre, Pa., area and changed his name to Lucanio Parenno. But that didn't save him from DiPrimo.

New York, US: Lieutenant Giuseppe Petrosino, who was the NYPD's first Italian-American detective, arrests Neapolitan “Tony” Strolle and succeeds in having him deported. Petrosino starts the "Italian Branch" an elite corps of Italian-American undercover cops who reduced crime against Italian-Americans by half. He also founded the first bomb squad in the U.S. to counter the Black Hands, a loosely knit criminal organization that extorted money from Italian immigrants.

1906:

New York, US: Ignazio Lupo is arrested in connection with the kidnapping of Tony Bonzuffi, son of an East Side banker.

1907:

New York, US: Salvatore Lucania (Luciano) arrives at age 9 with his family in New York. They settle in Lower East Side, on First Avenue near 14th Street, in a neighborhood generally populated by Jews and Eastern Europeans.

New York, US: The first known Camorra group in New York appeared in Brooklyn and was instigated by Neapolitan extortionist Alessandro Vollero. New York detective Joseph Petrosino discovered that the New York Camorra was hiding Enrico Alfano, a Camorrista and a wanted fugitive in his native Naples. Alfano had entered the US illegally. Petrosino arrests Enrico Alfano who was believed to be the leader of the city's Camorra groups and begins the process of having him deported. Petrosino's success at arresting and deporting Italian/Sicilian criminals in the city is noted. He is particularly successful against the Neapolitan Camorra members.

New York, US: Giuseppe Masseria is arrested and received a suspended sentence for burglary and extortion. Masseria may have been working with Giosue Gallucci who was racket king of Italian East Harlem at this time.

New York, US: Nicola Gentile visits from Sicily to New York, possibly part of ongoing communication/cooperation between Mafiosi in the two locations.

1908:

New York, US: Ignazio Lupo is believed to be operating out of a headquarters at 210 Mott Street. His influence has spread throughout the Sicilian-Italian communities in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx.

New York, US: Ignazio Lupo vanishes from his bankrupt wholesale grocery leaving huge amount of unpaid debts. According to one estimate, Lupo's business debts total $700,000.

New York, US: Fleeing Sicilian authorities and a murder charge, Raffaele Palizzolo sails to New York. He is given a hero's welcome by much of the Sicilian-American community. Lt. Joe Petrosino begins to move against him, but Palizzolo leaves the city on his own.

New York, US: Vito Cascio Ferro visits Ignazio Lupo and Morellos in New York City, possibly to discuss a resolution of the Petrosino problem. Cascio Ferro may have returned to Sicily via New Orleans (to coordinate operations with Mafiosi there).
Lupo reportedly promises to eliminate Petrosino. Makes a trip to Sicily.

Chicago, US: Johnny Torrio leaves the Five Points gang with his partner Francesco Ioele, aka Frankie Uale, aka Frankie Yale and relocates across the East river to the Brooklyn area. They set up their base of operations at the Harvard Inn and Uale became "Yale", it was here that a teenager named Al Capone first worked as a waiter. They began engaging in Black Hand extortion activities and ran a string of brothels. By the end of World War I Yale dominated Italian organized crime in Brooklyn.

Frankie Yale

 

Worcester, Massachusetts, US: Raymond Salvatore Loreda Patriarca was born on St. Patrick’s Day.

1909:

New York, US: Ignazio Lupo, Giuseppe Morello and 13 Italian associates are arrested for counterfeiting after police raid their printing plant, a stone house in Highland, NY. Morello is arrested at his home and is found to be in possession of Black Hand correspondence with victims in New Orleans. One associate, Pasqual Vasi, is apprehended with 1,200 phony bills on him. The Secret Service says it recovered counterfeit American and Canadian currency in the raid. Gang's printing specialist, Comito, agrees to testify against the other counterfeiters.

New York, US: New York police decide that information held by Italian and Sicilian police would be helpful in pursuing immigrant criminals. Lt. Joe Petrosino is chosen to make a trip to Europe. NY Police Commissioner Bingham is on record publicly discussing Lt. Joe Petrosino's "secret" mission to Italy and Sicily.

Rome, Italy: Joe Petrosino arrives in Italy and begins his research. Reportedly being followed. February 28, Petrosino arrives in Sicily. Begins touring countryside.

This video details some of the important aspects of Cascio Ferro and Joe Petrosino's investigations into Ferro and his followers. There is some misinformation eg: describing the Black Hand as a group of extortionists when in fact the Black Hand was a means of extortion practiced by many different criminal elements, but there is some great historical footage worth seeing. The video is narrated in Italian with English subtitles.

 

Palermo, Sicily: Joe Petrosino, touring the Mafia capital alone, is shot and killed by unknown persons. Murder is believed to have been arranged by Cascio Ferro and Lupo and performed by enforcers from New Orleans. Cascio Ferro, who was in the area at the time of the killing, is believed by some to have administered the coup de grace shot to Petrosino's face.

1910:

New York, US: Counterfeiting trial of Lupo, Morello and six others begins in the Federal Building in New York City (A handful of others who participated in the counterfeiting operation – including government informant Comito – are to go to trial separately). Judge George W. Ray presides over the U.S. Court for the Southern District of New York. Assistant District Attorney Abel I. Smith is the prosecutor. U.S. government considers deporting Lupo back to Italy, where he faces a lengthy sentence for murder, but decides to hold him here.

New York, US: February 19, Judge Ray announces the counterfeiting sentences: Ignazio Lupo , 30 years, $1,000 fine: Giuseppe Morello, 25 years, $1,000: Giuseppe Calicchio, 17 years, $600: Giuseppe Palermo, 18 years, $1,000: Nicola Sylvestro, Antonio Cecala, Vincenzo Giglio and Salvatore Cina, 15 years, $1,000. Lupo and Morello begin sentences of hard labor at Atlanta Federal Prison.

New York, US: With the two most powerful Morello Mob personalities jailed, leadership of the gang falls to Nicholas Morello, about 45, Vincent Terranova (who goes by the name "Morello"), 23, and Ciro Terranova, 21.

1911:

Providence, RI, US: The Patriarca family moved to Providence where the father operated a liquor store.

1912:

New York, US: Conflict erupts between Sicilians and Neapolitans in the city. Asbury reports that five men are killed in a gun battle at 114th Street and Third Avenue.

1913:

New York, US: Vito Genovese arrived in New York at the age of 16.

New York, US: Giuseppe Masseria, 34 and an emerging figure in Terranova's Harlem operations, is arrested and sentenced to 4.5 years after a failed burglary of a pawn shop at 164 Bowery.

1914:

New York, US: Charles Lamonti is gunned down at 116th Street and 1st Avenue. Lamonti was a trusted ally of Ciro Terranova. Chandler believes the murder was the work of Giuseppe Masseria as he broke with Terranova. Other sources feel it was the result of competition with Neapolitans or the opportunistic actions of a splinter Sicilian group led by Umberto Valenti.

New York, US: Owney "the Killer" Madden, leader of the Gophers gang, is shot five times by members of the Hudson Dusters gang while relaxing at the Arbor Dance Hall, Seventh Avenue and 52nd Street. Madden survives. He refuses to cooperate with police, choosing to handle the matter himself.

New York, US: Owney Madden, believed to be responsible for ordering the killing of Hudson Duster William Moore. Moore is killed by Gopher gangsters in a saloon on Eighth Avenue and 41st Street.

1915:

New York, US: The "King" of the East Harlem underworld is shot to death along with his son Luca at his coffeehouse, 336 E. 109th Street. Giosue Gallucci, a Neapolitan, had previously led a band of Sicilian and Neapolitan racketeers in East Harlem. The Lamonti brothers and the Terranova-Morello clan were believed to have served as his lieutenants. The murders of Charles Lamonti (1914) and Gallucci seems to indicate that the Sicilian and Neapolitan factions have split.

New York, US: Joe Lamonti, brother of the murdered Charles Lamonti (1914), is also killed. He is shot at the corner of 116th Street and First Avenue.

Chicago,US: Johnny Torrio goes to Chicago and leaves the Brooklyn rackets to his partner Frankie Yale. He helps James "Big Jim" Colosimo with problems he's having with a Black Hand gang.

Johnny Torrio

1916:

New York, US: Salvatore "Lucky Luciano" Lucania at 19 is sentenced to a year behind bars for dealing in narcotics. Serves six months.

Coney Island, N.Y: US: Camorra families existed in other Eastern US cities and at this time were in a position to compete with the Mafia’s most powerful New York family. Antonio Notaro is quickly initiated into the Brooklyn Camorra as the group plans an attack on the Morello mob leadership.

New York, US: As a possible retribution for the Lamonti killings, Giuseppe DiMarco, who ran a gambling establishment at 54 James St. is killed. Ciro Terranova is believed to have ordered the hit.

Brooklyn, US: The leadership of the Brooklyn Camorra decides to attack directly against the leadership of the Manhattan Mafia (Morellos Mob). The Camorra is led by Pelligrino Morano, with Vincenzo Paragallo serving as his lieutenant. Alessandro Vollero appears to have run an affiliated gang. The Camorra assigns Tony Notaro, from out of town and Ralph Daniello to a group of assassins.

Brooklyn, US: Nicholas Morello, probably about 51 and acting boss of the Morello Mob, and his bodyguard, 42-year-old Charles Ubriaco, are lured to Brooklyn for peace talks with the Neapolitans. They are ambushed and killed on Johnson Street between Fleet Place and Hudson Avenue. Ciro and Vincent Terranova are the remaining leadership of the Morello Mob.

New York, US: Police find the remains of Salvatore DiMarco, Neapolitan and brother of murdered Giuseppe DiMarco, under the Manhattan side of the Queensboro Bridge.

New York, US: Tony Notaro and Ralph Daniello assist police. They claim to have been abandoned by the Neapolitan gang leadership after the hit on Nicholas Morello and Charles Ubriaco. Police learn that a state of war has existed between the Sicilians based in Manhattan and the Neapolitans based in Brooklyn for several years. Pelligrino Morano and Allesandro Vollero are jailed for the Morello-Ubriaco killings. It is interesting that Vollero’s cellmate in Sing-Sing prison was Joseph Valachi, a member of the Mafia and one of history’s most celebrated mob informants.

Boston, Mass: One of the earliest crime figures in New England's history Charles “King” Solomon controlled the majority of illegal gambling before expanding into bootlegging during Prohibition. Soloman was a member of the "Big Seven."  Gaspare Messina brings Mafia members to Boston and ruled a small, insignificant organization from 1916-1924. The real criminal power in the city was a South Boston Irishman named Frankie Wallace, leader of the Gustin Gang. Messina is the earliest known Italian Organized crime boss of Massachusetts who was named by Joseph Bonanno as a capo consigliere (chief advisor to all the bosses), after Salvatore D'Aquila. He had been given this position reluctantly in 1931 during the waning power of Giuseppe Masseria and gave it up to Salvatore Maranzano after Masseria's murder.

1917:

New York, US: New York police announce to the media that Sicilian and Neapolitan criminal organizations in the city appear to be combining forces.

Providence, RI: Frank “Butsey” Morelli and his brother Joseph moved to Providence R.I. from Brooklyn N.Y. and became involved in bootlegging, speakeasies, loan sharking, illegal gambling and extortion. Besides these crimes the Morelli gang also engaged in numerous burglaries and robberies throughout New England. By 1917 Frank Morelli was seen as the Organized Crime boss of Providence, RI. Morelli's criminal enterprise encompassed much of Rhode Island, parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. Prior to this the New York City crime families oversaw the city of Providence before the leadership came from Boston.

Frank "Butsey" Morelli

1918:

Brooklyn, US: Frank Uale oversees Mafia interests in Brooklyn and rises to position of national president of the Unione Siciliana.

1919:

United States: Prohibition Era begins.

Chicago, US: Alphonse Capone, wanted for murder in New York, flees to Chicago to work with Johnny Torrio. Frank Uale, mentor to Capone and Torrio's former partner, reportedly made arrangements with Torrio. (As non-Sicilians, Torrio and Capone are viewed as allies but not members of the Mafia and the Unione Siciliana.)

1920:

Boston, Mass: Fillippo “Phillip Buccola” Bruccola arrives in Boston from Sicily.

Chicago, US: Unione Siciliana organizes home breweries/distilleries in Little Sicily’s. Torrio-Capone gang excluded from that supply of illicit alcohol.

Chicago, US: “Big Jim”Colosimo is ambushed and killed, probably because he was reluctant to allow Torrio-Capone to wholeheartedly enter the alcohol business. Frank Uale was believed to have traveled to Chicago to perform the killing.

New York, US: In addition to Sicilian home breweries/distilleries, Frank Uale organizes offshore transactions for imported liquor. Sells to organizations across the country, including Torrio-Capone.

New York, US: The bootleggers' curbside Liquor Exchange is established along Kenmare, Broome, Grand and Elizabeth Streets, a short distance from police headquarters. Tommy Pennochio, an ally of Joe Masseria, supervises the exchange. Bootleggers can swap or sell their surpluses out in the open. One of the first significant inter-gang cooperative ventures of the Prohibition Era.

New York, US: Giuseppe Masseria, 41, rises to prominence in the New York Mafia after his murder of Salvatore Mauro, a rival bootlegger, on Chrystie Street. Mauro may have been the final holdout in the Sicilian-Neapolitan feud. Masseria previously looked to be serving within Umberto Valenti organization, but now appears to be moving toward leadership role with support of Harlem's Ciro Terranova.

Giuseppe Masseria

Providence, RI, US: Raymond Patriarca served his apprenticeship in Providence, first as an associate and later as a member of the New York Mafia.

1921:

New York, US: Most sources agree that this is the earliest possible date for Salvatore Lucania (Luciano) involvement in the Masseria Mafia organization. Prior to this, his criminal activities were independent, in league with childhood allies or in cooperation with Arnold Rothstein and his associates.

Charles "Lucky" Luciano

1922:

New York, US: Vincent Terranova (Vincent Morello) murdered outside of his home at 116th Street and 2nd Avenue. Umberto Valenti believed responsible.

New York, US: Masseria, now known as "Joe the Boss," acts immediately to avenge the death of Vincent Morello. He personally sets up an ambush for Umberto Valenti and his bodyguard Silva Tagliagamba at the curbside liquor exchange, where bootleggers meet openly to swap their surpluses. Valenti escapes unharmed, but Tagliagamba is mortally wounded. Masseria is apprehended while fleeing from the scene. Police surprised to find he has a gun permit. Masseria is charged with the Tagliagamba killing but the case is never prosecuted.

New York, US: After a couple of years in Sicily, Ignazio Lupo, tries to re-enter the U.S. Immigration officials attempt to deport him. He is held three weeks on Ellis Island as the case is processed. Rather than deport him, the U.S. government orders that Lupo be readmitted.

New Orleans, US: Carlo Matranga decides to retire from the New Orleans Mafia. The organization is left in the control of Sam Carolla.

New York, US: Joe Masseria apparently ambushed outside of his home at 5th Street and 2nd Avenue. (Masseria's home address at the time is #80 Second Avenue.) He ducks into Heiney's Millinery and then ducks at least four bullets fired at close range, escaping unharmed but with bullet holes through a new straw hat. Umberto Valenti believed responsible for the attack.

New York, US: After attending what was supposed to have been a successful peace conference with Masseria men (Masseria said he would resign from his position as "boss"): Umberto Valenti was shot down in the street by Masseria forces. Sources state Valenti's murderer was Charlie Luciano, then a lieutenant under Masseria. The murder took place as Valenti was departing from a restaurant near #233 East 12th Street.

New York, US: Tommy Pennochio supervised the Liquor Exchange in lower Manhattan. It closes down in the fall. The exchange has been the site of much bloodshed.

1923:

Chicago (Cicero), US: Al Capone sets up headquarters at Hawthorne Inn, 4833 22nd Street in Cicero.

New York, US: Prison stay ends as Owney "The Killer" Madden is paroled. Madden becomes city's top bootlegger and runs Harlem nightclubs. While he has no formal relationship with the Mafia, Madden cooperates with the organization.

1924:

Brooklyn, US: Police report that 17 bullets were fired into Frank Uale's car as he returned home from a trip to Coney Island with friends. Uale was not injured.

Chicago, US: Chicago's longtime Unione Siciliana leader Mike Merlo dies of cancer. Funeral is attended by entire Chicago underworld and representatives of Sicilian communities across the country, including Uale from Brooklyn.

Chicago, US: Dion O'Bannion is killed, apparently on orders of Al Capone. The actual killing is often attributed to Brooklyn gangster Frank Uale. It occurred in O'Bannion's flower shop on North State Street.

Chicago, US: Angelo Genna becomes president of the Chicago Unione, with support of Uale. Capone is frustrated that he cannot control the Unione's bootleg liquor and is deprived the status of membership in the group. Capone-Uale relationship may be deteriorating.

Chicago, US: Authorities say they believe Frank Uale was one of the killer's of Chicago gang leader Dion O'Bannion.

1925:

Sicily: Benito Mussolini begins a crackdown on Mafia activities in Sicily. This led to further migration of mafia members from Italy and thus a rise in its members in America. A few Mafiosi side with the Fascists to ensure their safety. Vito Cascio Ferro organizes migration of key Mafiosi to America. He plans to relocate his operations there.

Benito Mussolini

Chicago, US: Johnny Torrio is shot at his home a short time before he was to begin a nine-month prison term in connection with the police raid on the Sieben Brewery (set up by North Side gangsters). During his hospital and prison stays, Torrio decides to retire. Capone takes over the gang.

Los Angeles, US: Carlo Matranga heads west from New Orleans and establishes a Mafia organization in Los Angeles area.

Chicago, US: Angelo Genna is killed in his car. Samuel Amatuna takes over leadership of Unione Siciliana, still keeping its assets and prestige away from Capone.

Brooklyn, US: Salvatore Maranzano, 39 and already a Mafia hero in his homeland, arrives in Brooklyn from Sicily. Begins working in bootlegging and other rackets with the cohesive Castellammarese organization in Brooklyn. Some sources indicate that Maranzano was not fleeing Sicily but deliberately preparing the way for Vito Cascio Ferro. Maranzano was to unite the traditional Mafiosi and wait for Cascio Ferro to arrive and take control of the group. These sources, however, also believe that Joe Bonanno was sent over as part of the preparation. In Bonanno's autobiography, he does not even mention Cascio Ferro.

Salvatore Maranzano

Philadelphia, US: Leo, oldest of the Lanzetti brothers, is shot by occupants of a passing car as he leaves his barber at Seventh and Bainbridge Streets. It is believed that the murder was Salvatore Sabella's way of countering incursions by the Lanzettis into Mafia territory.

Chicago, US: Samuel Amatuna is shot and dies three days later. Capone uses his influence to install his ally and gang consigliere Antonio Lombardo as Unione president.

Sicily: Ignazio Lupo visits Sicily. Authorities believe he is transferring his cash assets to that country.

Connecticut., US: Patriarca was arrested and convicted of breaking prohibition laws. Over the next 13 years his arrests included failing to stop for a policeman, breaking and entering, white slavery and masterminding a jail break in which a prison guard and a trusty were killed.

Raymond L.S. Patriarca

1926:

Chicago, US: Antonio Lombardo opens Unione membership to non-Sicilian Italians and changes the name of the group to the Italo-American National Union. These changes are offensive to traditional Sicilian membership and further strains Capone-Uale relationship. Some sources indicate that the Chicago Unione ceased making regular dues payments to Uale's national headquarters at this time.

New York, US: "Trigger Mike" Coppola, Joe Profaci, Vincent Mangano, Joe Magliocco All arrive in New York with a wave of immigrant Mafiosi.

Brooklyn, US: Probable attempt on Frank Uale's life. Police report that Uale's chauffer is killed while driving Uale's wife home from a wedding.

Chicago, US: Al Capone believed responsible for death of North Side mobster Earl "Hymie" Weiss. Weiss was shot by rifles as he passed by the old O'Bannion flower shop on North State Street.

1927:

Chicago, US: Joe Aiello family allies with the North Side Gang against Capone. Aiellos may have had the support of Uale and the traditional Sicilians in the Mafia for this move.

Brooklyn, US: Frank Uale is believed to be hijacking his own liquor shipments to Capone, forcing the Chicago gangster to repeatedly pay for liquor that does not arrive. (Compensation for failure to pay dues payments.)  Relationship between Uale and Capone becoming openly hostile.

New York, Philadelphia, Atlantic City US: Under the guidance of Johnny Torrio, a number of Italian and Jewish bootleggers combine forces in the Seven Group. The organization quickly expands into Boston, Cleveland and Florida, providing a steady stream of quality liquor, a minimum of violence and a maximum of profits. Charles “King” Solomon attends and is one of several leaders who helped negotiate territorial disputes and establish policies which would influence the later National Crime Syndicate in 1932. The Seven Group functions almost entirely independent of the Mafia groups, but Luciano is pressured to combine with the established Mafiosi in New York.

1928:

Chicago, US: Frank Uale, demands that Antonio Lombardo leave the Chicago Unione presidency, turning the role over to Joe Aiello. Lombardo, backed by Capone, stands his ground.

Chicago, US: Al Capone's main office is now Room 430 of Hotel Lexington.

Miami, FL, US: Capone meets with some of his top henchmen, including Charlie Fischetti, Jack Guzik and Dan Serritella, in Florida. The meeting may have been to set up a hit on Frank Uale. The Capone men appear to detour toward Brooklyn on their way back to Chicago.

Brooklyn, US: Frank Uale is killed in his car. Capone believed to have dispatched his old mentor. A Tommy gun is found at the scene but appears not to have been responsible for the wounds to Uale's body. Four men in a black sedan overtook Uale's Lincoln and shot through the car's side and rear window. Uale's body, his skull crushed by bullets and buckshot, was found on the stone steps of 923 44th Street.

Chicago, US: Antonio Lombardo is killed. Pasqualino Lolordo takes over Chicago Unione. Without Uale to support him, Joe Aiello appears hesitant to grab Unione top spot.

New York, US: Joey Noe, close business associate of Dutch Schultz, is shot in an ambush on West 54th Street in front of Chateau Madrid. Clings to life for more than a month at Bellevue Hospital. Dies Nov. 21. Jack "Legs" Diamond is believed responsible for Noe's death. Arnold Rothstein may have assisted Diamond.

New York, US: Arnold Rothstein is shot and killed about 10 p.m. at the servant's entrance of the Park Central Hotel on Seventh Avenue. Famous as a gambler and loan shark, Rothstein was also believed to have been the force behind the 1919 Black Sox scandal (probably untrue) and the early careers of Frank Costello, Charlie Luciano and Meyer Lansky (probably true). Police decide that Rothstein has been killed because of gambling debts. But the murder may also be the result of Dutch Schultz anger over a Rothstein role in Joey Noe's killing.

Cleveland, US: Joe Porello, eager for national recognition, hosts a gathering of national Unione Siciliana in Cleveland. Porello hopes to solidify his new position in the Unione. The Unione itself must regroup after loss of Uale and turmoil in Chicago. Police are alerted to convention and 23 arrests of known Mafiosi are made.

New York, US: Gambler George McManus and his associate Hyman Biller are indicted for the murder of Arnold Rothstein. State cannot make charges stick.

New York, US: Salvatore Lucania holds a conference with a number of his young associates and plans to unseat the old-line Mafiosi and take over the underworld.

1929:

Chicago, US: Pasqualino Lolordo is murdered in his home. Capone rival Joseph Guinta takes over Unione and begins to draw some of Capone's Sicilian supporters from him. John Scalise and Albert Anselmi, Capone enforcers and prominent figures in the Unione, secretly join Guinta faction.

Chicago, US: Alphonse Capone has much of the North Side mob murdered in what has become known as the St. Valentine's Day massacre. Four men arrived at the SMC Cartage Company, a stronghold of Bugs Moran in two cars: a Cadillac sedan and a Peerless, both outfitted to look like detective sedans. Two of the shooters were dressed as Chicago police officers, and the others were dressed in long trench coats. Seven people, some being Moran's men were already inside the building. All seven were lined up against a wall and shot to death by the four assailants.  Moran was returning to the building when he saw the police car and decided to flee. Capone was in Florida at the time of the killings. The slaughter exceeded anything yet seen in the United States at that time.

Chicago, US: Capone invites the important members of his organization to a meeting/celebration at the Hawthorne Inn in Cicero, just outside Chicago. He then brutally beats and shoots to death Joseph Guinta, John Scalise and Albert Anselmi, the Sicilian defectors from his gang. His action puts an end to the Sicilian rebellion in his Chicago outfit but earns the disapproval of mob bosses in New York and elsewhere.

Atlantic City, US: What is known as "The Atlantic City Conference" Younger gangsters – the original Seven Group and its allies – from around the country gather in Atlantic City, Nucky Johnson's territory, to fine tune their working relationships, plan for the post-Prohibition Era and deal with the aftermath of Capone's recent actions. Frank Costello hosts the gathering, urges Capone to allow himself to be arrested and jailed for a while so public opinion can be calmed. Several prominent Sicilian-American Mafiosi take part in the meeting, but the group is separate from the Mafia. Some sources point to the President Hotel as the location of the meeting. Others say it occurred at the Breakers Hotel.

Philadelphia, US: Capone arranges to be arrested on a weapons charge in Philadelphia. He does one year (actually serves just 10 months) of easy jail time, continuing to run his Chicago mob through his brother Ralph. The arrest, conviction and imprisonment were apparently set up without the knowledge of the local Philadelphia Mafia, who as allies of New York's Salvatore Maranzano – viewed Capone as an unwelcome guest in their city.

Philadelphia, US: Salvatore Sabella and nine of his men (probably including some who were hastily initiated into the Philly Mafia) move to New York to assist the Brooklyn Castellammarese clan in its fight against Joe Masseria.

Chicago, US: With Capone temporarily out of the way, Joe Aiello steps to the presidency of the Chicago Unione.

New York, US: Salvatore Lucania (Luciano) is taken "for a ride" but survives. He is permanently scarred on the face from a stab wound. He refuses to cooperate with police, indicating he will handle the matter himself.

Bronx, US: A fundraiser dinner for magistrate Albert Vitale at Roman Gardens in the Bronx is crashed by several holdup men, who take jewelry, money and weapons from guards and one off-duty police officer. A few phone calls afterward and all items are returned. Public is outraged at the number of underworld characters (including Ciro Terranova, who, according to some accounts, hosted the event) at the dinner and at Vitale's connections to organized crime. Eventually, the press decides to accept a ludicrous explanation from the police that the holdup was staged by Terranova in order to rob one of his guests of incriminating evidence relating to the Uale murder.

Atlantic City, US: Police and press eager to question Ciro Terranova about the Dec. 7 Vitale dinner learn that he left after Christmas to rest a few days in Atlantic City. He might be getting up to speed on the convention of May 13-16 and pledging himself to the reforms of the younger Mafiosi. Terranova appears to be more closely allied to Luciano than to Masseria after this point.

Sicily: Vito Cascio Ferro plans to transplant his criminal network to the New World but is dealt a severe blow when he is arrested and convicted on trumped up charges. Maranzano appears to proceed from this point on his own initiative.

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Organized Crime moves toward New England 1900 - 1929, 7.0 out of 10 based on 3 ratings

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