Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

[JoelTurner]

Illinois gangster Tommy Abbott may have been NJ-Lucchese capo Joseph Abate.

- Abbott was born ~1901. An article, though it calls him Frank, identifies him as being 26 in Oct 1927. The address, 1130 Wrightwood Ave, is a match. Abate was born in 1902.



- Tommy Abbott and Joseph Abate had ties to Samuzzo "Samoots" Ammatuna. Abbott was mentioned in an article as his driver in 1925. Abate, under the alias of “Pino Massei” was arrested with him in 1925.

- Abbott’s wife was generally named as “Irene”. In the 1930 census, in Atlantic City, there’s a Joseph Abbott with a wife named Irene. This Joseph’s age matches both Tommy Abbott and Joe Abate. Also, he listed himself as being born in Italy.

(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X489-WX5)

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Tommy Abbott was last seen in 1930 and was presumed dead. His wife claimed she didn’t know where he went.

Joseph Abate claims that he moved to New Jersey in 1934; his first arrest there was on March 13 1934 for liquor.

Abbott, before disappearing, was wanted in connection to Joseph Giovingo murder in Rockford, IL. He was seated in a car with Giovingo standing outside when he was gunned down. Vincenzo Troia and his group were likely behind the shooting; moving to New Jersey shortly after this.

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Tommy Abbott’s wife’s brother was a Sam Scarfidi .



My guess is that this was a corruption of Scafidi. If this was the case and there was a connection to Vineland Scafidi family, Abate settling in South Jersey makes more sense.

Abate claimed that he moved from Chicago to Atlantic City because he heard that the coast was similar to Sicily.

[cavita]

Illinois gangster Tommy Abbott may have been NJ-Lucchese capo Joseph Abate.

- Abbott was born ~1901. An article, though it calls him Frank, identifies him as being 26 in Oct 1927. The address, 1130 Wrightwood Ave, is a match. Abate was born in 1902.



- Tommy Abbott and Joseph Abate had ties to Samuzzo "Samoots" Ammatuna. Abbott was mentioned in an article as his driver in 1925. Abate, under the alias of “Pino Massei” was arrested with him in 1925.

- Abbott’s wife was generally named as “Irene”. In the 1930 census, in Atlantic City, there’s a Joseph Abbott with a wife named Irene. This Joseph’s age matches both Tommy Abbott and Joe Abate. Also, he listed himself as being born in Italy.

(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X489-WX5)

——————————

Tommy Abbott was last seen in 1930 and was presumed dead. His wife claimed she didn’t know where he went.

Joseph Abate claims that he moved to New Jersey in 1934; his first arrest there was on March 13 1934 for liquor.

Abbott, before disappearing, was wanted in connection to Joseph Giovingo murder in Rockford, IL. He was seated in a car with Giovingo standing outside when he was gunned down. Vincenzo Troia and his group were likely behind the shooting; moving to New Jersey shortly after this.

——————————

Tommy Abbott’s wife’s brother was a Sam Scarfidi .



My guess is that this was a corruption of Scafidi. If this was the case and there was a connection to Vineland Scafidi family, Abate settling in South Jersey makes more sense.

Abate claimed that he moved from Chicago to Atlantic City because he heard that the coast was similar to Sicily.

Hot damn this is good info! It appears then that Abbott never died but simply "disappeared" to the East Coast. If there could be a corroborating photo that would solidify it!

[JoelTurner]

I don’t have any photos of Tommy Abbott but here are a couple of Joe Abate:



(Abate on the right)



It would be important to keep in mind that these photos are from the late ‘70s, roughly 48-50 years after Abbott was last seen.

[cavita]

I guess Abate's 1934 New Jersey mugshot would clinch it.

[PolackTony]

Illinois gangster Tommy Abbott may have been NJ-Lucchese capo Joseph Abate.

- Abbott was born ~1901. An article, though it calls him Frank, identifies him as being 26 in Oct 1927. The address, 1130 Wrightwood Ave, is a match. Abate was born in 1902.



- Tommy Abbott and Joseph Abate had ties to Samuzzo "Samoots" Ammatuna. Abbott was mentioned in an article as his driver in 1925. Abate, under the alias of “Pino Massei” was arrested with him in 1925.

- Abbott’s wife was generally named as “Irene”. In the 1930 census, in Atlantic City, there’s a Joseph Abbott with a wife named Irene. This Joseph’s age matches both Tommy Abbott and Joe Abate. Also, he listed himself as being born in Italy.

(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X489-WX5)

——————————

Tommy Abbott was last seen in 1930 and was presumed dead. His wife claimed she didn’t know where he went.

Joseph Abate claims that he moved to New Jersey in 1934; his first arrest there was on March 13 1934 for liquor.

Abbott, before disappearing, was wanted in connection to Joseph Giovingo murder in Rockford, IL. He was seated in a car with Giovingo standing outside when he was gunned down. Vincenzo Troia and his group were likely behind the shooting; moving to New Jersey shortly after this.

——————————

Tommy Abbott’s wife’s brother was a Sam Scarfidi .



My guess is that this was a corruption of Scafidi. If this was the case and there was a connection to Vineland Scafidi family, Abate settling in South Jersey makes more sense.

Abate claimed that he moved from Chicago to Atlantic City because he heard that the coast was similar to Sicily.

Hot damn this is good info! It appears then that Abbott never died but simply "disappeared" to the East Coast. If there could be a corroborating photo that would solidify it!

Agreed, great work Joel. Cavita and I have tried confirming "Tommy Abbott's" identity for some time. I had previously speculated that he may have indeed been Joe Abate, and I do think that the potential connection to NJ via Troia is a very interesting consideration, given that "Abbott" was alleged to have been involved in the Joe Giovingo hit and disappeared thereafter. What do you know about Joe Abate's wife Irene? I note that in 1945 Joe Abate remarried Caroline Fiore, who was from AC and born in Philly in 1917.

These posts remind me of Chicago gangster Tommy Abbott who opposed Capone and was a northsider. I have seen newspapers state his name was possibly Abbate or Abbatini. Research into him has confounded me simply because I can't find his real name. I don't even know if his first name is really Tommaso or Gaetano. He disappeared in the Fall of 1930 most likely murdered. Some reports said he was living a life of luxury in Mexico and another stated he was at the bottom of a water filled quarry in Summit, Illinois. I would find it very interesting if his last name was Abbate.

You know, we went back and forth a while back when I was also trying to figure out WTF this “Tommy Abbott” was, and I was never able to really get anywhere with him either. Thanks for bringing him back up again in this light, because I think that I may have a couple of clues now. In 1913, a Gaetano Abate, born in 1872 in Villarosa, arrived in Chicago, where he stated that his brother Filippo Abate was living near Taylor and Blue Island. Gaetano’s wife back in Villarosa was a Giacoma Solami. I’m thinking that this guy was too old to be “Tommy Abbott”, but it may also be clue as to why Filippo Gnolfo used the “Abbate” alias.

As you note, the papers stated that “Abbott’s” real name was Abbate, Abbotini, etc etc (even his wife they variously referred to as Lillian or Irene). Investigators also seemed to have been confused as to his true allegiances; while in 1930 they stated that he was known to be linked to the Aiello-Moran group, in 1929 it was also reported that “Tommy Abbott” was suspected of being the guy who put the victims of the SVD Massacre “on the spot” to get whacked. Later called a Northside gangster, in 1928 he was referred to as a “Westside racketeer”. In that light, it was also noted in 1929 that “Abbott’s” arrest record claimed that he had been Samuzzo Amatuna’s driver in 1925. Now, we know that later Lucchese NJ capodecina Giuseppe Abate had worked under Amatuna in 1925 and was arrested with Amatuna that same year under the alias “Pino Massei”. Abate later told investigators that he moved to Atlantic City in 1934. Was “Tommy Abbott” actually Giuseppe Abate, and instead of being killed fled Chicago for NJ? If not, given that they both apparently worked for Amatuna, they would’ve known each other well.

Another candidate for "Tommy Abbott" can be identified, however, so I'm thinking that he probably wasn't Joe Abate.

Now, as you note, there was an article from the Rockford Sunday Star in 1930 that stated that "Sam Scarfidi" [sic] was a brother-in-law of "Tommy Abbott", though it claimed that he was the brother of "Abbott's" wife (whose name was given variously by the papers as "Irene" or "Lillian", which may have both been the same woman, or "Abbott" could have remarried), though they might have gotten the exact relation wrong. The only marriage that I've found between a Scafidi and anyone named Abate or Abbott in IL was a 1914 marriage between Salvatore "Sam" Scafidi (who was Palermitano, though it's unclear if he was from Palermo City or another comune in the province), born in 1891, and an Anna Abbott, born in Louisiana in 1897. Was this "Tommy Abbott's" sister, given that it seems like quite a coincidence otherwise? That this was the same "Sam Scarfidi" mentioned in the papers as "Abbott's" BIL is demonstrated by the fact that Sam and Anna Abbott Scafidi lived on the 1100 block of W Wrightwood in 1930, the address in the Northside Lakeview neighborhood where "Abbott" was said to have been living.

When Anna Abbott Scafidi died in 1934 in Chicago, her death record stated that she was born in NOLA in 1897 to "Tony Abbate" and Stella Gullotta -- his birthplace was given as Palermo and hers as just "Sicily". I'd bet that she was from Sambuca, however, and this likely indicates a potential link to Rockford as well. Now, in 1930, "Anton and Stella Abbott", both born in Italy, were living in the building next door to Sam and Anna Scafidi on W Wrightwood. In fact, this was the same building at 1130 W Wrightwood where "Frank Abbott" was said to have lived in 1927. The Abbates had previously lived in Little Sicily. In 1920, they had a son named 'Tom Abbott", born about 1902 in IL, living with them -- in 1910 he was recorded as 'Tony Abbott" (they had no records for a son named "Frank", so it seems clear that this was an alias). This would be the "Tommy Abbott" that we're looking for, I'd think. If so, then he was apparently born in Chicago to a Palermitano father (possibly from Altavilla, as there were Abbates from Altavilla in Little Sicily, though it is of course a common surname) and a mother probably from Sambuca. I don't have the time to look into this further at the moment to confirm and provide further detail but will do so when I can.

Regarding BIL Sam Scafidi in Chicago indicating a possible connection to the Scafidis in Vineland, I would personally think that this was unlikely (though not impossible, of course). There were a ton of Scafidis in Chicago, but they were mainly from Altavilla Milicia rather than Belmonte Mezzagno like the Scafidis of Vineland (likely Riberese Chicago member Nicola Diana was married to one of these Miliciuttu Scafidis, for example). And I think that the same Sam Scafidi who married Anna Abbott in 1914 had previously been married to a Giovenco from Altavilla (another common Miliciuttu surname in Chicago). I think the most likely connections point to Altavilla, though obviously, this isn't conclusive (the Giovingos in Rockford, BTW, were Sambucesi, however, and not related to the Giovencos from Altavilla even though it's a spelling variation of the same surname).

[cavita]

I also wonder if Joe Scafidi, who was murdered in Chicago in 1936 was related as well. I have an FBI file that stated he was murdered because he was raiding some alcohol stills in Wisconsin that were run by Rockford guys.

[cavita]

I also wonder if Joe Scafidi, who was murdered in Chicago in 1936 was related as well. I have an FBI file that stated he was murdered because he was raiding some alcohol stills in Wisconsin that were run by Rockford guys.

[PolackTony]

I also wonder if Joe Scafidi, who was murdered in Chicago in 1936 was related as well. I have an FBI file that stated he was murdered because he was raiding some alcohol stills in Wisconsin that were run by Rockford guys.

Interesting find. Joe Scaffidi was a Milwaukee guy and clearly did something to piss someone off in Chicago. Raiding stills in Rockford could definitely have been his one-way ticket.

I doubt that he was related to the Chicago Scafidis from Altavilla, as he was from Santo Stefano di Camastra, Messina (Gambino member Cosmo Franco's family was also from there; SSdC is near Mistretta, which was interestingly one of the only areas in Messina province recorded as having a mafia presence around 1900). He arrived as a kid to Marion, OH, and then later moved with his parents to Milwaukee.

[cavita]

I also wonder if Joe Scafidi, who was murdered in Chicago in 1936 was related as well. I have an FBI file that stated he was murdered because he was raiding some alcohol stills in Wisconsin that were run by Rockford guys.

Interesting find. Joe Scaffidi was a Milwaukee guy and clearly did something to piss someone off in Chicago. Raiding stills in Rockford could definitely have been his one-way ticket.

I doubt that he was related to the Chicago Scafidis from Altavilla, as he was from Santo Stefano di Camastra, Messina (Gambino member Cosmo Franco's family was also from there; SSdC is near Mistretta, which was interestingly one of the only areas in Messina province recorded as having a mafia presence around 1900). He arrived as a kid to Marion, OH, and then later moved with his parents to Milwaukee.

Interesting. I didn't know what the genealogy of the Milwaukee Scaffidi was- thanks for clearing that up!

[cavita]

I also wonder the following-
August 14, 1930 Joe Giovingo was murdered in Rockford. He was in the company of Paul Picchioni and Tommy Abbott. Abbott, a Chicago northside gangster and rival of Al Capone, was said to have partnered with the Giovingo faction in Rockford.

August 16, 1930 Abbott attends the Giovingo funeral.

August 16, 1930 the rooming house in which Vincenzo Troia was living at in Rockford was shot up in retaliation for the Giovingo murder. Also present in the rooming house was Tony Riela and Tony LaPuma.

August 17, 1930 Vincenzo Troia and Tony Riela flee Rockford for Springfield and both eventually settle in New Jersey.

August 26, 1930 was the last date Abbott was verified to have been seen- he disappears and was never seen again.

Now, if Abbott, who is really Joe Abbate, flees the Chicago area and settles in New Jersey he is really putting himself in danger by settling close to Troia and Riela who were also in New Jersey and became powerhouses in their own right. Could the bad blood between them have been put aside?

[JoelTurner]

This would be the "Tommy Abbott" that we're looking for, I'd think.

This makes sense. Was there anything on him or Irene/Lillian post 1930?

Joe Abate was from Marsala and immigrated illegally in 1923 so he was a separate person from this Tommy Abbott

The Italian-born Joseph Abbott with a wife named Irene in the 1930 Atlantic City census still bothers me. It feels like too much to be a coincidence.

[Frank]

Calogero Joseph "Charlie" Nicosia was born in 1916 in River Forest to Salvatore Nicosia and Carmella Bartolotta, both of Canicattì, Agrigento. Charlie's parents had previously lived in Pittston and Berwick, PA, and Buffalo (recall that the Canicatessi linked to the major 1930 Chicago/WI bootlegging ring under Toto LoVerde, the Argentos, and Giuseppe Almanza -- which included some Nicosia relatives -- had close ties to Buffalo and Pittston as well) before arriving in Chicago around 1908, living first on Gault Ct in Little Sicily and then relocating to Forest Park and later Oak Park. Salvatore worked his way up from carpenter to owning a construction contracting firm.

I'm not sure if the FBI carried Charlie Nicosia officially as a Chicago member, but he has clearly been identified as such by Joe Fosco, who has stated that Nicosia was like a surrogate father to him. Nicosia worked as a securities expert in the IL States Attorney's office, and along with Romie Nappi was considered a close partner of Pat Marcy in the 1st Ward Democractic organization and a key political fixer for the outfit for years. Fosco has claimed that Nicosia would engage in high-level meetings with the outfit's leadership, and his counsel was valued by men such as Accardo. In the 1950s, Charlie Nicosia, along with his likely cousin Sam Nicosia, Jr, of Berrien county, MI, was named as a member of the Committee of the Italo-American National Union (the "Unione") under President Joe Imburgio Bulger. In 1965, Charlie Nicosia was held by police and questioned in STL regarding an alleged meeting between "hoodlum" leaders in Chicago and STL (theorized by investigators to be related to Giancana's sudden departure from the US and Buster Wortman's failing health). Nicosia was in the company of Pat Marcy, Tony Tisci (former assistant to mobbed-up Chicago Congressman Frank Annunzio) and Tony Esposito (secretary of Vince Solano's LIUNA Local 1001 and brother of labor bigwig Frank "Frankie X" Esposito, who the Chicago outfit attempted to execute via car bomb in Miami in 1962); they had recently attended the Governor's Ball at the IL State Capitol in Springfield and then drove to STL. In 1968, the FBI stated that Marcy, Nicosia, and Tony Esposito were meeting with Johnny Roselli at a Palm Springs hotel. Mobbed-up Williow Spring PD Chief Michael Corbitt later claimed in his book that Nicosia was a major political corruption operative for the outfit, and that Corbitt used to make payment drops to Nicosia in the early 80s. Older brother Giuseppe "Joe" Nicosia seems to have also been connected, with FBI documents in the 1960s pointing to links to both Pat Marcy and Tony Pinelli.

In 1937, Charlie Nicosia married Frances Trubiano (i.e., Tropiano; born in Chicago to parents from Teggiano, Salerno). In the 1940s and 50s, Charlie and Frances lived on Princeton Ave on the Southside, and Charlie stated that he worked as an employee of Cook County (not sure if he was already in the SA's office by then). The Nicosias later moved to Elmwood Park. Charlie Nicosia died in 1990.

Interestingly, Fosco has claimed that Charlie Nicosia and Sam Carlisi were cousins. I wasn't able to confirm any familial or marriage link thus far, but they were both Canicatessi and thus may well have considered themselves "cugini" even if there was no direct tie.

Nice info on Nicosia, Tony. I remember Fosco talking about Him. Never heard of him before that.

[PolackTony]

Calogero Joseph "Charlie" Nicosia was born in 1916 in River Forest to Salvatore Nicosia and Carmella Bartolotta, both of Canicattì, Agrigento. Charlie's parents had previously lived in Pittston and Berwick, PA, and Buffalo (recall that the Canicatessi linked to the major 1930 Chicago/WI bootlegging ring under Toto LoVerde, the Argentos, and Giuseppe Almanza -- which included some Nicosia relatives -- had close ties to Buffalo and Pittston as well) before arriving in Chicago around 1908, living first on Gault Ct in Little Sicily and then relocating to Forest Park and later Oak Park. Salvatore worked his way up from carpenter to owning a construction contracting firm.

I'm not sure if the FBI carried Charlie Nicosia officially as a Chicago member, but he has clearly been identified as such by Joe Fosco, who has stated that Nicosia was like a surrogate father to him. Nicosia worked as a securities expert in the IL States Attorney's office, and along with Romie Nappi was considered a close partner of Pat Marcy in the 1st Ward Democractic organization and a key political fixer for the outfit for years. Fosco has claimed that Nicosia would engage in high-level meetings with the outfit's leadership, and his counsel was valued by men such as Accardo. In the 1950s, Charlie Nicosia, along with his likely cousin Sam Nicosia, Jr, of Berrien county, MI, was named as a member of the Committee of the Italo-American National Union (the "Unione") under President Joe Imburgio Bulger. In 1965, Charlie Nicosia was held by police and questioned in STL regarding an alleged meeting between "hoodlum" leaders in Chicago and STL (theorized by investigators to be related to Giancana's sudden departure from the US and Buster Wortman's failing health). Nicosia was in the company of Pat Marcy, Tony Tisci (former assistant to mobbed-up Chicago Congressman Frank Annunzio) and Tony Esposito (secretary of Vince Solano's LIUNA Local 1001 and brother of labor bigwig Frank "Frankie X" Esposito, who the Chicago outfit attempted to execute via car bomb in Miami in 1962); they had recently attended the Governor's Ball at the IL State Capitol in Springfield and then drove to STL. In 1968, the FBI stated that Marcy, Nicosia, and Tony Esposito were meeting with Johnny Roselli at a Palm Springs hotel. Mobbed-up Williow Spring PD Chief Michael Corbitt later claimed in his book that Nicosia was a major political corruption operative for the outfit, and that Corbitt used to make payment drops to Nicosia in the early 80s. Older brother Giuseppe "Joe" Nicosia seems to have also been connected, with FBI documents in the 1960s pointing to links to both Pat Marcy and Tony Pinelli.

In 1937, Charlie Nicosia married Frances Trubiano (i.e., Tropiano; born in Chicago to parents from Teggiano, Salerno). In the 1940s and 50s, Charlie and Frances lived on Princeton Ave on the Southside, and Charlie stated that he worked as an employee of Cook County (not sure if he was already in the SA's office by then). The Nicosias later moved to Elmwood Park. Charlie Nicosia died in 1990.

Interestingly, Fosco has claimed that Charlie Nicosia and Sam Carlisi were cousins. I wasn't able to confirm any familial or marriage link thus far, but they were both Canicatessi and thus may well have considered themselves "cugini" even if there was no direct tie.

Nice info on Nicosia, Tony. I remember Fosco talking about Him. Never heard of him before that.

Hey man, glad that you enjoyed it. Nicosia was an interesting guy, because, as you say, apart from Fosco no one really mentions him, but the Feds were well aware of his LCN ties. While I haven't seen anything myself where the FBI had any sources identifying Nicosia as a member or suspected member, Fosco believes that he was. If he was actually made, Nicosia fits the Chicago "alta mafia" profile: involved in public sector corruption and the leadership stratum of the Chicago-Italian social institution networks. Also, interesting that Fosco has claimed that Nicosia and Carlisi were cousins. We can see that, even if they weren't actually related, they were in fact paesani.

[PolackTony]

Another interesting Phil Bacino fact. The first address that I have for him in Chicago was when he filed his naturalization petition in 1928. He was living with a Filippo Cusumano (also a witness, very likely a paesan') at 2321 W Ohio, in the Grand Ave Patch. This was the next block over from the building where Joey Andriacchi's family (Roti, Spina, etc), who were relatives of the Chinatown Rotis; the same building that Lombardo lived in most of his life after marrying Andriacchi's cousin Marion Nigro. I might start telling people that Phil Bacino was the original founder of the C-Notes.

When Phil Bacino was naturalized in Chicago in 1931, one of the witnesses was Fillipo Cusumano (who I believe was a paesan' of Bacino from Ribera), as noted above. The other witness was a guy named Peter Lavorata, who pretty clearly was the same Peter Lavoarata living on the 1800 block of N Winchester, in the immediate vicinity of Patsy LoLordo's home and social club at North Ave and Winchester. He was born Pietro Lavorato in 1893 in Piane Crati, Cosenza province (the hometown also of Rocky Infelise's parents), and had arrived in Chicago in 1910 with his family. By 1917, they were living near Winchester and North Ave, where Peter Lavorata remained until he moved farther out in the 1950s. Lavorata was the longtime clerk of the Cook County Grand Jury and a Democratic precinct captain in the 32nd Ward for over 50 years, running for several offices and being actively involved in helping to run the campaigns of others. Lavorata and his wife, Josephine Anzalone, were noted for decades as also being highly active in Chicago's important Italian social institutions, with Lavorata a member of the Advisory Board of Villa Scalabrini, and a member of the Ferra Lodge of the IANU (the "Unione Siciliana"), UNICO, The Sons of Italy, and The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. When the FBI was looking into Bacino's background in 1966 (following the identification of him as a member when the Feds captured discussion of Bacino via their bug in Sam DeCavalcante's office), they noted that Peter Lavorata had been on the executive committee of The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans, serving as a representative for the Vicari Society of Chicago. While this might seem strange for a Calabrese, Lavorata's wife was Giuseppa Anzalone Lucchese, of Vicari (her first husband was a Giuseppe Lucchese, also apparently from Vicari). Peter Lavorata died in 1977.

Interesting to note that Bacino seems to have been connected with a Mainlander (one who was clearly plugged in with local political and social institutions) basically from his arrival in Chicago. I'd very much suspect that, given the close neighborhood proximity, Lavorata already had ties to men like LoLordo (who had his own Italian-American Social Club, of course), DeGeorge, and Nick Diana.

[PolackTony]

To revisit Pietro Catalanotto of Villafranca Sicula, the “Silver King” of Little Sicily and possibly capo or acting capo of Chicago following Rosario Dispenza’s death.

Catalanotto was murdered in Little Sicily in June 1915. Several days later, Antonina LoCascio, née LoVerde, wife of Carlo LoCascio, was murdered in front of her home a couple of blocks away. Her murder was stated to have been revenge for Catalanotto, as her son Mariano “Michael” LoCascio was alleged to have slain the Silver King. Antonina was sitting outside with her 4-year-old grandson, Frank Ingo, when two gunmen opened fire on her and the kid. Frank Ingo was the son of Antonina’s daughter, Angelina LoCascio and Angelin’s deceased husband, Giuseppe Ingo of Lucca Sicula. Joe Ingo had himself been murdered in 1914 when two men opened fire on him with a sawed-off shotgun in an alley behind Hobbie and Milton in Little Sicily, a block from the LoCascio family home. A 12-year-old boy who witnessed the shooting identified Francesco Cannella as one of the assailants. Cannella, from Villafranca Sicula, was another LoCascio brother-in-law, as his wife was Giuseppina LoCascio, another child of Carlo LoCascio and Antonina LoVerde. Catalanotto’s sons, John and Phillip, and Vito Barone (probably from Ciminna and possible sotto capo under Catalanotto) were charged with Antonina’s murder but all were acquitted at trial. In November of 1916, John Catalanotto was shot to death on a streetcar at Belmont and Elston. It was believed that the murder was done by Michael LoCascio and his younger brother John; a witness said that he had never seen a look of hatred as strong on a man’s face as the expression of the man who killed John Catalanotto.

In 1923, Charles Carlino, younger brother of the infamous Pete and Sam Carlino who were engaged in a war for control of the Pueblo mafia with the Danna brothers, was murdered in Colorado. Killed alongside him was Domenico Ingo, stated in the CO papers to have been a Chicagoan. Domenico Ingo was indeed a younger brother of the Giuseppe Ingo killed in Chicago in 1914 (in relation to Pueblo, worth noting here also that their mother was a Colletti). Domenico’s wife was Vincenza “Jennie” Tortorici, also of Lucca Sicula (after Domenico’s murder, she remarried an Alfonso Tagliavore of Calamonaci in Chicago).

Their firstborn son was Frank Dominic Ingo, born around 1918 in Iowa (they apparently moved to Iowa after Giuseppe Ingo was murdered, and returned to Little Sicily by 1920). In 1939, Frank Ingo married Rose Glitta, born in 1917 in Chicago to Domenico Pasquale “Sharkey” Gliatto and Serafina Gliatto of Greci, Avellino; Rose was the elder sister of later Chicago member Mike Glitta. This marriage could well be part of the context behind how Mike Glitta, a mainlander from Taylor St, wound up affiliated with the Northside crew (though this is only part of the story, presumably, as Mike Glitta was said to have been the driver from Jimmy Allegretti, who was also from Taylor St).

Some other Glitta/Ingo family info.

Carlo Raymond Ingo, son of Giuseppe Ingo and Angelina LoCascio, was noted by the Tribune in the 1950s as a well-known “hoodlum” with a lengthy rap sheet employed by the Riviera Lounge in Niles, an outfit-run strip club and gambling parlor alleged to have been controlled by Giancana. In 1959, Carlo Ingo shot stripper Debbie Scavo to death at the Riviera; while Ingo claimed that it was an accident, LE had info that the two had a relationship and that Ingo killed her in a jealous rage.

Given that members of the Northside crew attended his funeral in 1972, it’s possible that Domenico “Sharkey” Gliatto was himself a connected guy. Several of his sons, at least, were involved at some level. In 1942, eldest son Daniel Glitta was busted for operating a gambling room at Roosevelt and Ashland with George Fanelli, brother of Rocco Fanelli and brother-in-law of Jimmy BelCastro. In the 1970s and 1980s, Marco Glitta was involved in the porn racket with his brother Mike. In 1986, Marco, then an employee of the Metropolitan Sanitary District, was arrested at his Elmwood Park home for purchasing remote-controlled bombs from an undercover ATF agent. Glitta had previously reached out to a sergeant in the MSD police force to say that he wanted to purchase bombs, and the sergeant then contacted the Feds. While he tried to argue that he only purchased the bombs to “tinker” with them, the ATF claimed that Glitta had stated that he wanted the bombs to target both a vehicle and a building, and he was convicted in 1987 and sentenced to 8 years. The ATF suspected that Marco Glitta intended to assassinate Paula Lawrence, a local “pornography mogul” who was a major competitor of Mike Glitta’s businesses, via car bomb and to additionally blow up one of her stores, noting also that two of Lawrence’s suburban properties had been damaged in suspected firebomb attacks in 1986.