THE BLACK HAND FORUM

Great job with that. I'm curious about Mario Balistrieri of SF, too, but wasn't able to connect him directly when I looked into it.

I've done some research into the family links between the Balistrieris of Milwaukee and Kansas City and created this family tree. Interesting, you can tie both families back to one set of parents from the 1810s.

I wanted to research the Milwaukee Aliotos as well, but arrived at a lot of dead ends.

Any suggestions to expand/edits appreciated.

[quote=nash143 post_id=146274 time=1586267238 user_id=865]
Have recently looked at some Frank Balistrieri files from late 50s; here is some of the info I found interesting. Hopefully it's not all info that's been posted previously.

1958:
Informant advised that Frank Balistrieri is a nephew of “Big Jim” Balistrieri (Balestrere) of Kansas City. Later this information is stated as being ‘alleged'. - I know there was info on this on another thread, this is not definite in the slightest.

A daily newspaper in Milwaukee, carrying a ‘green sheet’ story dated May 18th 1957, reflected that, a Frank Balistrieri who came from Palermo in 1906 got into the hauling business and held the contract for garbage hauling in the city of Milwaukee. He had seven sons and as each one of them matured, he took them into business with him. All the sons of the elder Frank Balistrieri continue to operate a business known as ‘Balistrieri Brothers and Milwaukee Cinder Company’. Three of these sons now live in San Diego (more on them later), whilst the remaining live in Milwaukee (including Joseph, father of THE Frank Balistrieri.) All of the seven sons of the original Frank Balistrieri (born 1906) named their first son Frank.

Peter Balistrieri married Marie Zarcone (sister – I think, of former Consigliere Charles Zarcone) on April 15th 1939.

The Organisation has a meeting approx. once a year and it will not allow anyone be a member who has a criminal record.
Informant stated Arcardo attends yearly meeting of the Milwaukee organization.

At this time Frank Balistrieri is Alioto’s ‘lieutenant’ and handles a great many “fixes” with the Milwaukee police department and the local DA’s office.
Buster and Vito Balistrieri (spelling incorrect) (both members of KC) handle a good deal of the contact work for their cousin (Frank Balistrieri). This is the first time I’ve seen Buster named as a Milwaukee associate/member this early.

Frank Balistrieri’s uncle, Frank Balistrieri is the head of the Italian organization in San Diego and is described as an associate of Frank Bompensiero. Another Uncle, Peter (also previously of Milwaukee) is a leader in that city.
There is also a Thomas Angelo Balistrieri living in San Diego at this time presumably a brother of this Frank and Peter.

One informant stated that Frank Balistrieri is second in command to John Alioto and that August Maniaci is next in command.

1959:
One informant stated that it was difficult to determine who was leader of the Milwaukee Italian-American Hoodlum element but it appears John Alioto or Frank Balistrieri and/or Frank La Galbo is the leader. Informant felt John Alioto was probably no longer leader.

1960:
Frank Balistrieri is still the right hand man of John Alioto. Due to age, Joe Alioto (John’s son) is making a great many of the decisions, but where a large decision is involved, John gives the final word.

On Nov 29th 1960 (earlier than I have read in other FBI files), an informant advised that he had learned that John Alioto had stepped down as the Milwaukee Leader in favour of Frank Balistrieri. Informant advised he did not like to see Frank Balistrieri move into a policy making position as his judgment is not good- due to the arranged killing of Izzy Pogrob. Later in the file it states that Accardo/Chicago didn’t agree with the killing.

The same informant advised that August Maniaci who was once seen as a ‘near top leader’ was now Frank Balistrieri’s first lieutenant (maybe another reason why Maniaci was dissident and became an infomer). At this time, Frank Balistrieri and Maniaci had as their enforcers, John Aiello, Buster Balestrere and Steve Di Salvo. These five make up the ‘Round table’. Round Table meeting currently are held at Gallagher’s, Frank Balistrieri’s nightclub.
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Good additions for sure.

It's not clear what the exact relation is, but there are a number of sources (including a relative's obituary in KC) that confirm the Milwaukee Balistrieris are related to the KC Balistrieri/Balestreres. Buster was the nephew of KC leader Girolamo "Jim" Balistrieri. An ancestor of the KC Balistrieris was married to an Alioto, so these families were all intertwined over multiple generations in Bagheria / Santa Flavia / Porticello.

Frank Bompensiero talked about the older Frank and Peter Balistrieri living in San Diego. Bompensiero himself was from Milwaukee and his family came from the same part of Sicily as the Balistrieris and most of the Milwaukee family. I haven't seen that much of his cooperation about the Milwaukee family but there could be some great information in there.

Didn't know Maniaci was part of the inner circle early in Balistrieri's regime. Sheds light on his cooperation, where it's clear things are no longer going well and he's part of an anti-Balistrieri faction within the family in addition to providing the FBI with info.

Awesome stuff B.

Good info...I always enjoy reading things on Milwaukee!

Have recently looked at some Frank Balistrieri files from late 50s; here is some of the info I found interesting. Hopefully it's not all info that's been posted previously.

1958:
Informant advised that Frank Balistrieri is a nephew of “Big Jim” Balistrieri (Balestrere) of Kansas City. Later this information is stated as being ‘alleged'. - I know there was info on this on another thread, this is not definite in the slightest.

A daily newspaper in Milwaukee, carrying a ‘green sheet’ story dated May 18th 1957, reflected that, a Frank Balistrieri who came from Palermo in 1906 got into the hauling business and held the contract for garbage hauling in the city of Milwaukee. He had seven sons and as each one of them matured, he took them into business with him. All the sons of the elder Frank Balistrieri continue to operate a business known as ‘Balistrieri Brothers and Milwaukee Cinder Company’. Three of these sons now live in San Diego (more on them later), whilst the remaining live in Milwaukee (including Joseph, father of THE Frank Balistrieri.) All of the seven sons of the original Frank Balistrieri (born 1906) named their first son Frank.

Peter Balistrieri married Marie Zarcone (sister – I think, of former Consigliere Charles Zarcone) on April 15th 1939.

The Organisation has a meeting approx. once a year and it will not allow anyone be a member who has a criminal record.
Informant stated Arcardo attends yearly meeting of the Milwaukee organization.

At this time Frank Balistrieri is Alioto’s ‘lieutenant’ and handles a great many “fixes” with the Milwaukee police department and the local DA’s office.
Buster and Vito Balistrieri (spelling incorrect) (both members of KC) handle a good deal of the contact work for their cousin (Frank Balistrieri). This is the first time I’ve seen Buster named as a Milwaukee associate/member this early.

Frank Balistrieri’s uncle, Frank Balistrieri is the head of the Italian organization in San Diego and is described as an associate of Frank Bompensiero. Another Uncle, Peter (also previously of Milwaukee) is a leader in that city.
There is also a Thomas Angelo Balistrieri living in San Diego at this time presumably a brother of this Frank and Peter.

One informant stated that Frank Balistrieri is second in command to John Alioto and that August Maniaci is next in command.

1959:
One informant stated that it was difficult to determine who was leader of the Milwaukee Italian-American Hoodlum element but it appears John Alioto or Frank Balistrieri and/or Frank La Galbo is the leader. Informant felt John Alioto was probably no longer leader.

1960:
Frank Balistrieri is still the right hand man of John Alioto. Due to age, Joe Alioto (John’s son) is making a great many of the decisions, but where a large decision is involved, John gives the final word.

On Nov 29th 1960 (earlier than I have read in other FBI files), an informant advised that he had learned that John Alioto had stepped down as the Milwaukee Leader in favour of Frank Balistrieri. Informant advised he did not like to see Frank Balistrieri move into a policy making position as his judgment is not good- due to the arranged killing of Izzy Pogrob. Later in the file it states that Accardo/Chicago didn’t agree with the killing.

The same informant advised that August Maniaci who was once seen as a ‘near top leader’ was now Frank Balistrieri’s first lieutenant (maybe another reason why Maniaci was dissident and became an infomer). At this time, Frank Balistrieri and Maniaci had as their enforcers, John Aiello, Buster Balestrere and Steve Di Salvo. These five make up the ‘Round table’. Round Table meeting currently are held at Gallagher’s, Frank Balistrieri’s nightclub.

I love reading through these kinds of threads.

[quote=cavita post_id=50282 time=1492545954 user_id=72]
Does anybody know who owned Tony and Dotie's Bar in Milwaukee in the early 1960s? It was located at 2nd Street and Keefe Avenue.
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I just found this info today- In 1963 Tony and Dotie's was located at 3478 N. 2ns Street in Milwaukee and was owned by Tony Sciano.

[quote=santos post_id=50310 time=1492618042 user_id=2210]
[url]https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51LBTe1lJDL.jpg[/url]
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Theres Caifano and Martin Accardo on the front cover...Chicago guys

[url]https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51LBTe1lJDL.jpg[/url]

Does anybody know who owned Tony and Dotie's Bar in Milwaukee in the early 1960s? It was located at 2nd Street and Keefe Avenue.

Pepino's. but maybe that was Menomonee Falls.

Trying to think of the pizza place a couple of minutes away in Brookfield, actually a few locations, where the owner was often spoke of in these circles.

Haven't been there for 12 years, when I stopped going to Milwaukee. It was just in and out for dinner a couple of times, because I was staying at the hotel a couple of blocks down across from the mall. Veal was tough.

[quote=UTC post_id=50194 time=1492241777 user_id=5178]
That restaurant has been there for almost 100 years. It's outside Milwaukee in Wauwatosa though. Pretty mediocre when I went there.
[/quote]

Alioto's is a typical Midwest, old school "supper club" and dining hall. When you go in there nowadays, it feels like the 60's or 70's; some of the folks who ate there back then are still patrons, albeit on walkers and in wheel chairs. FYI: The bar is also old school and still pours stiff drinks.