Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

[PolackTony]

In 1933, Peter Terzo was apprehended after a shootout and chase with the police and fire marshalls in Chicago, after they attempted to pinch him on arson charges. The IL State Fire Marshall told the papers that Terzo was a suspect in over two dozen insurance arsons in multiple states, from IL to IA, and from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. He was born Pietro Terzo in Vallelunga Pratameno, Caltanissetta, to Lorenzo Terzo and Rosalia Cerami. The family immigrated to Chicago between 1905 and 1907, settling initially on Larabbee St in Little Sicily before subsequently moving further west into Humboldt Park. At the time of his arrest, Peter Terzo was living at Trumbull and Ohio, and over the years numerous relatives of the Terzo family lived in the area. Peter Terzo married Giuseppa DiBenedetto of Vicari (a Salvatore DiBenedetto from Vicari has been previously discussed by Cavita as an associate of Tony Musso in Rockford), and he died in the 1970s after retiring to CA.

In 1930, Grazia Maria Alessi, recently widowed mother of Chuckie Nicoletti (Chuckie had killed his dad Filippo Nicoletti in defense of his mother the prior year; both parents were from Santa Caterina Villarmosa, near Vallelunga), remarried Paul Terzo in Chicago. The only match for this name was Pasquale "Paul" Terzo, a brother of Peter Terzo. Pasquale had married an Aida Puzzo from Pietraperzia in 1911 (the mother of the Virruso brothers, also from Pietraperzia, was named Lucia Puzzo, and Aida had a sister named Lucia in Chicago, so these Puzzos were likely all relatives), but I believe that she died, given that in 1930 their three children were living in Humboldt Park as boarders of a Giovanni Nicolosi from Monreale (interestingly, his occupation at this time was listed as "would not tell"). The 1930 census shows Grazia Maria's husband as named "Sam Terzo", but no one that I found matches this name and thus it was presumably an alias of Pasquale/Paul. It's unclear what wound up happening to him, though Antiliar has stated that he was convicted of extortion and subsequently deported back to Italy (I wasn't able to find anything to confirm this, though it could be a spelling error with the surname). Villain, on the other hand, had claimed on several older posts that "Paul Terzo" was affiliated with the "Capone gang".

Either way, by 1950, Grazia Maria was living in Humboldt Park with Joseph Terzo, who she married in Hot Springs, AR, the next year. He was Giuseppe Terzo, another brother of Pietro and Pasquale (there were a bunch of these Terzos around). In 1940, Joseph Terzo's naturalization was witnessed by Frank Ingo, likely the same one discussed above who was Mike Glitta's brother-in-law.

In 1911, Ninfa Terzo, a sister of the above Terzos, was married at San Filippo Benizi Parish to Bernardo "Ben" Ingo, of Lucca Sicula -- he was another brother of Giuseppe and Domenico Ingo discussed above, both of whom would be slain in mafia skirmishes over the coming years. One of the witnesses to their marriage was a Loretto BonGiovanni, also from Vallelunga. Given the connections to the Ingo/LoCascio family, he may have been related to the Carlo BonGiovanni noted below (who I had speculated may have been from Ficarazzi at that time, but was unable to find a record for him).

About a week after the murder of Antonina LoCascio, a guy named Salvatore Russo was murdered at Huron and Green (likely Morici territory at that time); police believed that this murder was somehow linked to the Catalanotto/LoCascio saga. Russo’s death record stated that he was resident in Italy and the papers stated that he had only recently arrived in Chicago. The eldest LoCascio kid, Rosina LoCascio, was married to a Russo who was also from Chiusa Sclafani, so maybe there was a connection. Francesco Mezzatesta, of Ficarazzi, was later arrested for the Russo murder; he had himself survived a shooting in May of 1915 in Little Sicily (just before the Catalanotto murder). Russo was found with letters from a Carlo BonGiovanni on him at the time of his death; BonGiovanni was arrested with a number of other “Black Handers”, though apparently not charged with any crimes in relation to the Russo murder. The papers stated that BonGiovanni’s address was in Milwaukee, though I couldn’t confirm him either there or in Chicago. There were, however, BonGiovannis in Little Sicily from Ficarazzi, which could be relevant given Mezzatesta’s alleged involvement. I believe those were the same BonGiovannis who in later years were named as members of a Little Sicily neighborhood “committee” along with interesting surnames such as Merlo, Nuccio, Brancato, DeJohn, Romano, and Giovenco.

Another brother, Vincenzo "Vincent" Terzo married a Cira "Sarah" Ficarrotta from Marineo. Possible that she could have been a relative of John Fecarotta, though the latter's father Antonino Ficarrotta, and his parents, were from Palermo City.

For one last connection, Peter Terzo, grandson of Pietro Terzo, married Christine Conti, daughter of mobbed-up longtime Elmwood Park mayor and IL State Representative Elmer Conti. Conti, who also controlled the Leyden Savings and Loan Association in the 1960s, was targeted in a bombing attempt in 1966, which blew a hole in his driveway. The papers claimed that this was a "syndicate" attack instigated by rumors that Conti had been giving info to the Feds (all of which Conti denied, of course).

[PolackTony]

I generally don’t post anything in this thread about the origins of non-Italian associates as, typically, the only important fact about their ancestry here is that they aren’t Italian. I was, however, going through Jackie Cerone’s file when I noted that the FBI stated that although Ralph Pierce was a member of the Standard Club (an influential Jewish social club founded in 1869 in Chicago), he was not actually Jewish. Now, I’ve been laboring under the assumption since forever that Pierce was Jewish (and that the surname was adopted in the way that a number of Jews Anglicized their surnames). But I’d never looked into his ancestry myself.

As it turns out, Ralph Pierce was born in 1904 in the small rural township of Oxford, Tuscarawas County, OH, to William Pierce and Amanda Stewart, both born in Ohio. William, whose parents in turn were from Ohio, worked as a laborer on a work train and died in 1911. Following this, Amanda moved with their children to Chicago, and in 1920 the Pierces were living at 43rd and Greenwood in the Kenwood neighborhood on the Southside (then largely Irish and German, in later decades the neighborhood was known for having been home to Muhammad Ali, Elijah Muhammad, Louis Farrakhan, and the Obamas). Amanda Stewart died in 1950, and her obituary back home in Tuscarawas County noted that she was a longtime member of the Methodist Church, where her funeral was held. Ralph Pierce was in fact a rural Ohio WASP.

Now, this makes the whole Teddy DeRose thing even funnier, as you had a WASP pretending to be Jewish who had a Jew pretending to be Italian as his face on the street lol.

[B.]

Was he married to a Jewish woman or anything? Nice discovery.

[PolackTony]

Was he married to a Jewish woman or anything? Nice discovery.

Nah, his wife Dorothy Lind was a WASP too.

[Ed]

I generally don’t post anything in this thread about the origins of non-Italian associates as, typically, the only important fact about their ancestry here is that they aren’t Italian. I was, however, going through Jackie Cerone’s file when I noted that the FBI stated that although Ralph Pierce was a member of the Standard Club (an influential Jewish social club founded in 1869 in Chicago), he was not actually Jewish. Now, I’ve been laboring under the assumption since forever that Pierce was Jewish (and that the surname was adopted in the way that a number of Jews Anglicized their surnames). But I’d never looked into his ancestry myself.

As it turns out, Ralph Pierce was born in 1904 in the small rural township of Oxford, Tuscarawas County, OH, to William Pierce and Amanda Stewart, both born in Ohio. William, whose parents in turn were from Ohio, worked as a laborer on a work train and died in 1911. Following this, Amanda moved with their children to Chicago, and in 1920 the Pierces were living at 43rd and Greenwood in the Kenwood neighborhood on the Southside (then largely Irish and German, in later decades the neighborhood was known for having been home to Muhammad Ali, Elijah Muhammad, Louis Farrakhan, and the Obamas). Amanda Stewart died in 1950, and her obituary back home in Tuscarawas County noted that she was a longtime member of the Methodist Church, where her funeral was held. Ralph Pierce was in fact a rural Ohio WASP.

Now, this makes the whole Teddy DeRose thing even funnier, as you had a WASP pretending to be Jewish who had a Jew pretending to be Italian as his face on the street lol.

Great find, Tony. I always enjoy reading your write ups. Obviously, these ethnic deceptions are hard to perpetuate in the modern online world. Numerous academics, politicians and social activists in Canada have pretended to be First Nations (natives) to get ahead. DeRose and Pierce were just trendsetters.

[PolackTony]

Tony -- Amato was born in Cinisi and living in Chicago, deported in 1953. He was closely involved with the mafia in Cinisi, not sure if he was an actual member. Suspected of heroin trafficking and deported as an illegal alien. His FBN file only lists Sicilian mafia members and doesn't give an address for Chicago, only says he was residing there before deportation. His mother was a Vitale which brings to mind Onofrio Vitale killed in 1944.

B. and I were recently revisiting the case of Pietro Amato, a mafioso from Cinisi noted in the FBN book.



The FBN claimed that Amato (no relation to Black Joe Amato, whose parents were Sambucesi) was a "courier" for the mafia responsible for importing a large quantity of heroin into the US, who had been living in Chicago until he was deported back to Italy in 1953. I haven't been able to find any mention of Amato and his alleged heroin trafficking ring in either the press or FBN testimony to Congress, but was able to confirm a few things about him.

The FBN had Amato's wife as Maria Iacovelli. In March 1952, Pietro Amato and "Maria-Iacopelli Amato", residing in Chicago, were recorded as tourist class passengers on the S.S. Nea Hellas, departing from NYC for the Port of Naples. In September 1953, Pietro Amato was listed as a deportee on the S.S. Conte Biancamano, bound for the Port of Palermo. With him were his associates, also listed by the FBN: Vito La Fata (from Cinisi), Nicola Maniscalco (from Burgio), and Giuseppe Mazzella (apparently not Sicilian, but rather from Lazio). As there was no record of his entry prior to 1952, we can presume that Amato had been living in Chicago illegally. He went back to Italy and probably arranged a shipment of heroin to the US, at which point he was apprehended and deported with his other associates, also in the US illegally. The FBN noted also that Nicola Maniscalco had an uncle named Domenico Maniscalco residing in the US, which may have been a Domenico Maniscalco from Burgio who settled in Chicago, residing in the North Austin neighborhood on the Westside.

In 1962, a Pietro Amato, born in 1915 in Cinisi, arrived in Chicago. He was naturalized in 1968, living in the North Austin area. His wife was a Rosalia Tocco, born in 1931 in Cinisi. Pietro Amato died in Chicago in 2011 and is interred with his wife in Mt Carmel. It is evident that this was the same Pietro Amato from the FBN book. While the FBN had his birthdate as 1915/04/19, the guy who immigrated in 1962 had his birthdate as 1915/04/09, and the only Pietro Amato born in Cinisi around that time was born 1915/04/13 to Santo Amato and Rosalia Vitale. Despite his previous deportation and documented association with narcotics trafficking, Pietro managed to make it back to Chicago 9 years later and remain there for the rest of his life.

Now, it is also clear to me that Maria Iacopelli wasn't actually Amato's wife. She was born Maria Vitale in Cinisi in 1906 to Carlo Vitale and Benedetta Biondo. The family immigrated to Chicago in the 1920s and settled near DeKoven and Jefferson in the Taylor St Patch, which had a colony of migrants from Cinisi. In 1926, Maria Vitale married Salvatore Vitale, born in 1901 in Cinisi to Vito Iacopelli and Lena Evola. They later moved to North Austin, in the immediate vicinity of where Pietro Amato was living in the 1960s (as well as near where Domenico Maniscalco of Burgio lived). Maria died in Chicago in 1996 -- her obituary noted that while her late husband was Salvatore Iacopelli (he died in 1973), she was survived by a brother named Pietro Amato. Amato was clearly not her brother, though they were likely cousins. My guess is that, as Maria Vitale Iacopelli was legally naturalized in the US while Amato was in the country illegally, he posed as her husband to travel back to Italy in 1952, and perhaps posed as her brother later to immigration officials when he legally re-entered the US.



Worth noting that while several of Amato's associates (presumably Americans) were redacted in the FBN book, they linked him to Nicola Impastato. This was presumably the same Nick Impastato of KC who had been linked to a FL-KC-Chicago heroin distribution operation in the 1940s (which allegedly supplied heroin to Chicago brought in via Havana by Ignazio Antinori of Tampa). As we've discussed on the board before, Carl Carramusa, of Chicago/KC, who flipped and testified against Impastato and the other men in the operation, was murdered in Humboldt Park in 1945 (with Impastato reputedly having been one of the shooters).

Now, Amato's narcotics activities weren't the only brush with the law that this extended family had. In 1935, 10 people were killed when an explosion and fire broke out in a tenement building at Taylor and Jefferson. The building also housed the grocery store of Frao "Frank" Vitale, the brother of Carlo Vitale and uncle of Maria Vitale Iacopelli. Investigators soon revealed that the horrific fire was the result of arson, with Faro Vitale having hired Joseph DiChiari (noted by the papers as a well-known bootlegger and arsonist with many prior arrests) to torch the building for an insurance payout. Nephews Joseph Vitale, Filippo Cuccinella, and Salvatore Iacopelli were also charged as part of the conspiracy, though charges were later dropped when the younger men claimed that they had tried to dissuade Faro from carrying out the plan due to risk to the building's tenants. Faro Vitale was convicted and sentenced to 99 years; he died in Menard in 1962.

Looking through the connections here, I'm reminded (yet again), of the statement by a Chicago member CI, who we believe was Leonard Gianola, to the FBI in 1971, where he highlighted the importance of kinship in the Chicago mob and claimed that once a guy was established as a mafioso in Chicago he would then bring his relatives from Sicily or Italy over. While redactions make interpretation difficult, "Gianola" also seemed to have stated that he had several relatives who were mafiosi in Sicily and became members in Chicago. Salvatore Iacopelli's 1926 naturalization was witnessed by Francesco Paolo Giannola of Cinisi, who was a grocer at Taylor and DeKoven and likely a business partner of Faro Vitale. Francesco Paolo also had a son named Leonardo about the same age as Leonard Gianola, suggesting that they were likely related. Additionally, the mother of Cinisese-Chicago mafiosi Onofrio Vitale, murdered in 1945 in the war between Benevento and Accardo, was an Anna Iacopelli.

On a different note, it's also worth considering the timing of Pietro Amato's arrest and deportation, in September of 1953. During that same period in 1953, Federal narcotics agents were in the process of surveilling and conducting buys from the large heroin wholesaling operation in Chicago under the direction of Anthony Pape and Accardo associate Joe Iacullo (the ring was busted in early 1954, with the Feds claiming that they were responsible for moving quantities of heroin equivalent to over $100 million in today's dollars).

[PolackTony]

Another interesting figure in the FBN book was Joseph Purpura, stated by the FBN to have been involved in horse racing nationally, residing in Florida but with a home in Revere, MA, and with close ties to Ray Patriarca and other "mafia racketeers", though without any known criminal record.

He was born Giuseppe Purpura in 1897 in Carini, and arrived in NYC in 1921, subsequently moving to Chicago. In 1940, he was naturalized in Chicago, living at 55th and Talman in the Gage Park neighborhood on the SW Side (an area that was a secondary settlement for a number of Italians from Taylor St and which had previously been associated with the Gennas). His WW2 draft registration in 1942 had him at the same address, though he stated that he was employed by the Tropical Race Track in Coral Gables, FL. It would seem that he moved to FL around this time. I was unable to confirm what happened with Purpura, as I never found a death record for him. As the FBN stated that Purpura traveled to Italy and that his mother was living in Palermo, I suspect that he may have returned to Sicily later in life. It's also unclear to me what familial ties, if any, Purpura may have had in Chicago. There were produce-wholesaling Purpuras in Chicago who were accused of "Black Hand" extortion in 1911, but they were from Termini Imerese, not Carini.

Now, Purpura's 1940 naturalization was witnessed by Leonardo Franzone and Leonardo's daughter Katherine Franzone Amari, both living near Hudson and Elm in Little Sicily. Leonardo Franzone was from Borgetto and the brother of Salvatore Franzone, father of Vincenzo "Jimmy" Franzone (who Fratianno identified as a Chicago capodecina). In 1930, Leonardo, a clerk for the Republican Party in the 42 Ward, was one of a dozen men in Little Sicily indicted for election fraud in the state senate race. Also indicted was a Joseph DiBella, who may have been Dom DiBella's father Giuseppe Dibella.

Leonardo Franzone's wife was Rosaria Frisina, also of Borgetto. Daughter Katherine married Joseph "Red" Amari, born in 1915 in Trinidad, CO, to Francesco Amari of Ribera and Angelina Cina, of Calamonaci. Francesco Amari witnessed the naturalization of Francesco DeMonte, father of Anthony "Tony Mack" DeMonte. Joseph Amari was busted with a robbery crew in 1934 for the hold-up of a Northside restaurant, and in 1951 for taking bets at Rush and Walton.

Another daughter was Sophie Franzone, born in 1915 in Chicago. She married Anthony "Tony" DiJohn, brother of Nick DeJohn. Tony DiJohn, who died in 1975 in Chicago, was busted in 1957 in a Northside gambling raid. We know that Jimmy Franzone was said to have worked for Nick DeJohn, but now we can see the familial links between these men, as DeJohn's brother married Franzone's first cousin.

[PolackTony]

As an additional note to the above. In 1964, a CI advised the FBI that Joe Amari was in charge of juice loans at the Ramblers SAC, one of the primary social clubs controlled by the Prio crew:

[B.]

Another interesting figure in the FBN book was Joseph Purpura, stated by the FBN to have been involved in horse racing nationally, residing in Florida but with a home in Revere, MA, and with close ties to Ray Patriarca and other "mafia racketeers", though without any known criminal record.

He was born Giuseppe Purpura in 1897 in Carini, and arrived in NYC in 1921, subsequently moving to Chicago. In 1940, he was naturalized in Chicago, living at 55th and Talman in the Gage Park neighborhood on the SW Side (an area that was a secondary settlement for a number of Italians from Taylor St and which had previously been associated with the Gennas). His WW2 draft registration in 1942 had him at the same address, though he stated that he was employed by the Tropical Race Track in Coral Gables, FL. It would seem that he moved to FL around this time. I was unable to confirm what happened with Purpura, as I never found a death record for him. As the FBN stated that Purpura traveled to Italy and that his mother was living in Palermo, I suspect that he may have returned to Sicily later in life. It's also unclear to me what familial ties, if any, Purpura may have had in Chicago. There were produce-wholesaling Purpuras in Chicago who were accused of "Black Hand" extortion in 1911, but they were from Termini Imerese, not Carini.

Now, Purpura's 1940 naturalization was witnessed by Leonardo Franzone and Leonardo's daughter Katherine Franzone Amari, both living near Hudson and Elm in Little Sicily. Leonardo Franzone was from Borgetto and the brother of Salvatore Franzone, father of Vincenzo "Jimmy" Franzone (who Fratianno identified as a Chicago capodecina). In 1930, Leonardo, a clerk for the Republican Party in the 42 Ward, was one of a dozen men in Little Sicily indicted for election fraud in the state senate race. Also indicted was a Joseph DiBella, who may have been Dom DiBella's father Giuseppe Dibella.

Leonardo Franzone's wife was Rosaria Frisina, also of Borgetto. Daughter Katherine married Joseph "Red" Amari, born in 1915 in Trinidad, CO, to Francesco Amari of Ribera and Angelina Cina, of Calamonaci. Francesco Amari witnessed the naturalization of Francesco DeMonte, father of Anthony "Tony Mack" DeMonte. Joseph Amari was busted with a robbery crew in 1934 for the hold-up of a Northside restaurant, and in 1951 for taking bets at Rush and Walton.

Another daughter was Sophie Franzone, born in 1915 in Chicago. She married Anthony "Tony" DiJohn, brother of Nick DeJohn. Tony DiJohn, who died in 1975 in Chicago, was busted in 1957 in a Northside gambling raid. We know that Jimmy Franzone was said to have worked for Nick DeJohn, but now we can see the familial links between these men, as DeJohn's brother married Franzone's first cousin.

Re: Amari, we've discussed all of this but putting it here for anyone else who is interested:

- Birmingham mafioso Pasquale Amari's nephew Calogero Diana was the first cousin of Chicago mafioso Nicola Diana and lived in Chicago like Nicola.
- Pasquale Amari was also related at least through marriage to Filippo Amari.
- Filippo Amari and Nicola Diana sat on the Ribera Club committee and went to Sicily together.
- Then you have Filippo Amari's daughter marrying Salvatore Pinelli, son of Chicago captain Tony Pinelli whose other son married Jim DeGeorge's daughter, DeGeorge being another Ribera Club committee member.
- Phil Bacino was on the committee too and went to Sicily with Filippo Amari and Nicola Diana.

Aside from the other DeCavalcante-Chicago connections, Phil Amari was closely connected to Chicago even though he can't be physically placed there as a visitor. Giuseppe Lolordo, Giuseppe Cocchiaro, and Vincenzo DiMaria were DeCavalcante members who lived in Chicago before NYC-NJ also.

The Franzones look to be connected to the Bonanno Family's early leadership. The other Leonardo Franzone was an alleged "cousin" of New Orleans-based Kansas City member Phil Rizzuto whose relatives were Bonanno members and Rizzuto was also an alleged "cousin" of the San Francisco / Los Angeles / New York City Orlando-Sciortinos and continued to associate with Sam Orlando Sciortino into the 1980s. Whatever Jim Franzone's relation was to this Leonardo, they both had heritage in Borgetto I believe and his connections to San Francisco fit these patterns.

[PolackTony]

Another interesting figure in the FBN book was Joseph Purpura, stated by the FBN to have been involved in horse racing nationally, residing in Florida but with a home in Revere, MA, and with close ties to Ray Patriarca and other "mafia racketeers", though without any known criminal record.

He was born Giuseppe Purpura in 1897 in Carini, and arrived in NYC in 1921, subsequently moving to Chicago. In 1940, he was naturalized in Chicago, living at 55th and Talman in the Gage Park neighborhood on the SW Side (an area that was a secondary settlement for a number of Italians from Taylor St and which had previously been associated with the Gennas). His WW2 draft registration in 1942 had him at the same address, though he stated that he was employed by the Tropical Race Track in Coral Gables, FL. It would seem that he moved to FL around this time. I was unable to confirm what happened with Purpura, as I never found a death record for him. As the FBN stated that Purpura traveled to Italy and that his mother was living in Palermo, I suspect that he may have returned to Sicily later in life. It's also unclear to me what familial ties, if any, Purpura may have had in Chicago. There were produce-wholesaling Purpuras in Chicago who were accused of "Black Hand" extortion in 1911, but they were from Termini Imerese, not Carini.

Now, Purpura's 1940 naturalization was witnessed by Leonardo Franzone and Leonardo's daughter Katherine Franzone Amari, both living near Hudson and Elm in Little Sicily. Leonardo Franzone was from Borgetto and the brother of Salvatore Franzone, father of Vincenzo "Jimmy" Franzone (who Fratianno identified as a Chicago capodecina). In 1930, Leonardo, a clerk for the Republican Party in the 42 Ward, was one of a dozen men in Little Sicily indicted for election fraud in the state senate race. Also indicted was a Joseph DiBella, who may have been Dom DiBella's father Giuseppe Dibella.

Leonardo Franzone's wife was Rosaria Frisina, also of Borgetto. Daughter Katherine married Joseph "Red" Amari, born in 1915 in Trinidad, CO, to Francesco Amari of Ribera and Angelina Cina, of Calamonaci. Francesco Amari witnessed the naturalization of Francesco DeMonte, father of Anthony "Tony Mack" DeMonte. Joseph Amari was busted with a robbery crew in 1934 for the hold-up of a Northside restaurant, and in 1951 for taking bets at Rush and Walton.

Another daughter was Sophie Franzone, born in 1915 in Chicago. She married Anthony "Tony" DiJohn, brother of Nick DeJohn. Tony DiJohn, who died in 1975 in Chicago, was busted in 1957 in a Northside gambling raid. We know that Jimmy Franzone was said to have worked for Nick DeJohn, but now we can see the familial links between these men, as DeJohn's brother married Franzone's first cousin.

Re: Amari, we've discussed all of this but putting it here for anyone else who is interested:

- Birmingham mafioso Pasquale Amari's nephew Calogero Diana was the first cousin of Chicago mafioso Nicola Diana and lived in Chicago like Nicola.
- Pasquale Amari was also related at least through marriage to Filippo Amari.
- Filippo Amari and Nicola Diana sat on the Ribera Club committee and went to Sicily together.
- Then you have Filippo Amari's daughter marrying Salvatore Pinelli, son of Chicago captain Tony Pinelli whose other son married Jim DeGeorge's daughter, DeGeorge being another Ribera Club committee member.
- Phil Bacino was on the committee too and went to Sicily with Filippo Amari and Nicola Diana.

Aside from the other DeCavalcante-Chicago connections, Phil Amari was closely connected to Chicago even though he can't be physically placed there as a visitor. Giuseppe Lolordo, Giuseppe Cocchiaro, and Vincenzo DiMaria were DeCavalcante members who lived in Chicago before NYC-NJ also.

The Franzones look to be connected to the Bonanno Family's early leadership. The other Leonardo Franzone was an alleged "cousin" of New Orleans-based Kansas City member Phil Rizzuto whose relatives were Bonanno members and Rizzuto was also an alleged "cousin" of the San Francisco / Los Angeles / New York City Orlando-Sciortinos and continued to associate with Sam Orlando Sciortino into the 1980s. Whatever Jim Franzone's relation was to this Leonardo, they both had heritage in Borgetto I believe and his connections to San Francisco fit these patterns.

All good points, thanks. The only thing I'd add is that the Leonard Franzone who moved to NOLA was not related to the Borgetto Franzones; his family was from Chiusa Sclafani and he may have been a relative of Hunk Galiano, in whose murder Leonard Franzone had been a suspect (https://theblackhand.club/forum/viewtop ... 36#p237336).

[B.]

Oh interesting -- strange that he was connected to the Rizzutos from Camporeale as that would fit Borgetto/Partinico but if his family was from Chiusa that could explain a KC tie-in with Rizzuto.

[NorthBuffalo]

Now, this makes the whole Teddy DeRose thing even funnier, as you had a WASP pretending to be Jewish who had a Jew pretending to be Italian as his face on the street lol.

That is truly hilarious. Hats off to you guys this is really interesting stuff you do here with this research - I have to assume the faking of ethnicities given all of the ethnic gangs at that time and money to be made, it was probably more common than you would think. So many immigrants coming in and you became your neighborhood. I know a lot of mainland Italians would fake sicilian for example - but some of this story is quite hilarious.

[JoelTurner]

Here’s some info on Tommy Abbott:

- Father was Natale Abbate born Nov 14 1870 in Altavilla Milicia to Gaetano Abbate and Anna Dolce

- Mother was Maria-Stella Gulotta born June 20 1884 in Santa Margherita di Belice to Saverio Gulotta and Maria Sciortino

Father’s obituary:



Mother’s obituary:




- Tommy Abbott was likely born as Gaetano Abbate, married to Irene Hagar

——————-

- His brother Sam lived in Rockford (1907-1984). Abbott was in Rockford shortly before disappearing.

- His sister Anna was married to Salvatore “Sam” Scafidi. He was born May 29 1891 in Altavilla Milicia to Michaelangelo Scafidi and Santa Romano

I wasn’t able to find anything linking these Scafidis with the ones married to Nicola Diana.

[cavita]

Here’s some info on Tommy Abbott:

- Father was Natale Abbate born Nov 14 1870 in Altavilla Milicia to Gaetano Abbate and Anna Dolce

- Mother was Maria-Stella Gulotta born June 20 1884 in Santa Margherita di Belice to Saverio Gulotta and Maria Sciortino

Father’s obituary:



Mother’s obituary:




- Tommy Abbott was likely born as Gaetano Abbate, married to Irene Hagar

——————-

- His brother Sam lived in Rockford (1907-1984). Abbott was in Rockford shortly before disappearing.

- His sister Anna was married to Salvatore “Sam” Scafidi. He was born May 29 1891 in Altavilla Milicia to Michaelangelo Scafidi and Santa Romano

I wasn’t able to find anything linking these Scafidis with the ones married to Nicola Diana.

What years did his mother and father die?

[JoelTurner]

Here’s some info on Tommy Abbott:

- Father was Natale Abbate born Nov 14 1870 in Altavilla Milicia to Gaetano Abbate and Anna Dolce

- Mother was Maria-Stella Gulotta born June 20 1884 in Santa Margherita di Belice to Saverio Gulotta and Maria Sciortino

Father’s obituary:



Mother’s obituary:




- Tommy Abbott was likely born as Gaetano Abbate, married to Irene Hagar

——————-

- His brother Sam lived in Rockford (1907-1984). Abbott was in Rockford shortly before disappearing.

- His sister Anna was married to Salvatore “Sam” Scafidi. He was born May 29 1891 in Altavilla Milicia to Michaelangelo Scafidi and Santa Romano

I wasn’t able to find anything linking these Scafidis with the ones married to Nicola Diana.

What years did his mother and father die?

Mother died in 1949 and father died in 1958