Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

[NorthBuffalo]

Polack question for you or others - is James 'Jimmy' Sarno who had owned Club 30 in Cicero related to Mike Sarno? Asking as I notice Club 30 became 'Errico's' after James retired and was frequently used as the spot where Mark Polchan and Mike Sarno's burglary crews would meet and hold court according to court documents.

https://obituaries.mysuburbanlife.com/u ... d=29385347

[PolackTony]

Polack question for you or others - is James 'Jimmy' Sarno who had owned Club 30 in Cicero related to Mike Sarno? Asking as I notice Club 30 became 'Errico's' after James retired and was frequently used as the spot where Mark Polchan and Mike Sarno's burglary crews would meet and hold court according to court documents.

https://obituaries.mysuburbanlife.com/u ... d=29385347

Longtime Club 30 owner James Thomas Sarno was a paternal uncle of Mike Sarno -- a younger brother of Mike Sarno's dad, Michael John Sarno Sr. Note that the Sarno, Albano (Mike Sarno had Albanaos on both sides of his family), and Amabile families all hail from the comune of Bracigliano, Salerno, also a core hometown in Springfield, MA, where these surnames also recurr in connection to the mob. Additionally, Solly D and Bobby Dominic also have partial ancestry from Bracigliano.

Jimmy's Club 30 was, as you note, renamed Errico's Club 30 after James Sarno retried. I'm not sure offhand who exactly took ownership of the bar, but I'd imagine that the joint remained within the family and that the name references another brother of James Sarno, Enrico "Harry" Sarno. For those unfamiliar with Club 30, it was a longtime mobbed-up bar in Cicero, on Roosevelt, just west of Central and across the street from the Chicago neighborhood known as "The Island", which historically had a large Italian population contiguous with that of the northern part of Cicero. Just down the street is the longstanding Albano's Pizzeria, I believe also owned by Sarno relatives.

From an older post on this thread. Apart from the ancestry from towns like Bracigliano and Acerra (DeLaurentis and Inendino families, along with many others in Chicago), the Rovitos are, of course, "second wave" immigrants from the same part of Cosenza province that Mike Sarno and Solly D also have partial ancestry from. As I've stressed before, most people in the orbit of the current day Chicago mob are relatives and/or compaesani of one degree or another, in addition to ongoing and more recent intermarriages happening in the younger generations.

Eugene Joseph Albano, operator of Albano Bakery on North Ave in Elmwood Park and close associate of Paul Ricca and Guido DeChiaro, was born in 1929 in Chicago to Giuseppe Albano and Emilia Sarno. Giuseppe was from Bracigliano, Salerno, while Emilia was born in Chicago to parents from Bracigliano. Her mother was an Amabile, and the parents of Joe Shine Amabile were also from Ricigliano; very likely they were related. The Albanos lived near Oakley and Harrison in the Western part of the Taylor St Patch. The Albanos operated the original Albano Bakery at Taylor and Western for decades and opened the second location in Elmwood Park in the 1950s. Eugene Albano's sister Fortuna/Frieda Albano married Anthony Bombacino, brother of Louie Bombacino. I believe that Albano Bakery in Elmwood Park was originally run by Anthony Bombacino and Frieda Albano, and subsequently taken over by Eugene (possibly after Anthony Bombacino died in 1964). Under Eugene, the bakery was a well-known hangout for Outfit figures like Ricca and DeChiaro.

As stated, it's very likely that Albano was related to Joe Amabile (some old info on Albano Bakery stated that Eugene Albano had a cousin who was a member of the mob; that may well have been Joe Shine). A more recent connection is Mike Sarno. Again, Eugene's mother was Emilia Sarno. I have Mike Sarno's father as Michael John Sarno of Cicero. Mike, Sr was the son of Salvatore Sarno and Rosa Albano of Bracigliano, who settled in Cicero after arriving in Chicago in the 1920s. So, very possible that Mike Sarno, Sr was a cousin of Eugene Albano on both sides of their families. But that's only part of it. Fat Mike's mother was Concetta Aiello (don't get excited -- no relation), born in Chicago to Francesco Aiello of Rende, Cosenza province, and Luigia Albano, of Bracigiliano and the older sister of Emilia Sarno, Eugene Albano's mother.

Also worth noting, given Fat Mike's connection to Solly D, that although the DeLaurentis family goes back to Acerra, Solly D's maternal grandfather was Bartolomeo Moccio, of Bracigliano. Like Fat Mike's maternal grandfather, Solly D's maternal grandmother's ancestry was from Rende, Cosenza.

[B.]

Didn't see this come up when I did a search.

- Tommaso Petrotta of Piana dei Greci married Rosa Carlisi from Canicatti, sister of Giuseppe and aunt of Roy and Sam, in Chicago in 1913. They split up approximately four years later and sometime after 1917 Petrotta moved to Sacramento where he lived with a second wife. He was killed during a return visit to Chicago in July of 1922 and authorities suspected his former in-laws the Carlisis were responsible. Petrotta's second wife told authorities that his first wife's relatives were "members of the mafia in Sicily" and she too believed the Carlisis killed him as an act of vengeance.

- Petrotta may have first arrived to NY before heading to Chicago. No idea what led to his split with Rosa Carlisi but that he moved to California and was killed during a return visit could point to him having fled Chicago after they split. No idea if Petrotta himself was a mafioso but the Carlisis were a clan in which a seeming majority of immediate relatives, extended relatives, and in-laws were mafia affiliates, Petrotta himself coming from a village that produced important formative mafiosi. Interesting too that Petrotta's second wife noted that the Carlisis were mafia members "in Sicily" which adds to our existing suspicion that the Carlisis were an established mafia clan back in Canicatti.

- I glanced at an online family tree for the Carlisis and noticed a relation to the Stincone name, Pietro Stincone being a Gambino captain from that Family's significant Canicattese element. Pietro's father was Diego Stincone and Diego was one of the names connected to the Carlisi-related Stincones although I didn't see a direct link and the records weren't very well fleshed out (I didn't dig in too deeply either). We know there were connections to the NYC mafia's Salvatore Tornabe/Tornabene from Canicatti (who attended Apalachin, as did Roy Carlisi) so it wouldn't be surprising if the Carlisis had a degree of relation to Pietro Stincone.

[PolackTony]

Didn't see this come up when I did a search.

- Tommaso Petrotta of Piana dei Greci married Rosa Carlisi from Canicatti, sister of Giuseppe and aunt of Roy and Sam, in Chicago in 1913. They split up approximately four years later and sometime after 1917 Petrotta moved to Sacramento where he lived with a second wife. He was killed during a return visit to Chicago in July of 1922 and authorities suspected his former in-laws the Carlisis were responsible. Petrotta's second wife told authorities that his first wife's relatives were "members of the mafia in Sicily" and she too believed the Carlisis killed him as an act of vengeance.

- Petrotta may have first arrived to NY before heading to Chicago. No idea what led to his split with Rosa Carlisi but that he moved to California and was killed during a return visit could point to him having fled Chicago after they split. No idea if Petrotta himself was a mafioso but the Carlisis were a clan in which a seeming majority of immediate relatives, extended relatives, and in-laws were mafia affiliates, Petrotta himself coming from a village that produced important formative mafiosi. Interesting too that Petrotta's second wife noted that the Carlisis were mafia members "in Sicily" which adds to our existing suspicion that the Carlisis were an established mafia clan back in Canicatti.

- I glanced at an online family tree for the Carlisis and noticed a relation to the Stincone name, Pietro Stincone being a Gambino captain from that Family's significant Canicattese element. Pietro's father was Diego Stincone and Diego was one of the names connected to the Carlisi-related Stincones although I didn't see a direct link and the records weren't very well fleshed out (I didn't dig in too deeply either). We know there were connections to the NYC mafia's Salvatore Tornabe/Tornabene from Canicatti (who attended Apalachin, as did Roy Carlisi) so it wouldn't be surprising if the Carlisis had a degree of relation to Pietro Stincone.

Really excellent find regarding Petrotta's murder. I wasn't aware of this. As we've discussed before, we already have indicators strongly pointing (IMO) to the Carlisi-Tornabene clan as having been involved with the mafia going back to Canicatti, so the statement from Petrotta's second wife further suggests this longstanding connection.

Good question regarding Pietro Stincone also. Giuseppe Carlisi's paternal grandmother was Anna Stincone. I haven't verified her parents, but as you note, she may well have been a relative of some degree of Pietro's father, Diego Stincone. Note also that Giuseppe Carlisi had a brother named Diego, who died in childhood back in Canicatti. As I am not aware that this name otherwise appeared among the Carlisi line, I would suspect that it may well have come from Anna Stincone's family. If so, that could certainly further suggest a relation. As with Tornabene, Stincone is not a super common surname in Canicatti, further strengthening the suspicion of some meaningful degree of relation.

[B.]

Didn't see this come up when I did a search.

- Tommaso Petrotta of Piana dei Greci married Rosa Carlisi from Canicatti, sister of Giuseppe and aunt of Roy and Sam, in Chicago in 1913. They split up approximately four years later and sometime after 1917 Petrotta moved to Sacramento where he lived with a second wife. He was killed during a return visit to Chicago in July of 1922 and authorities suspected his former in-laws the Carlisis were responsible. Petrotta's second wife told authorities that his first wife's relatives were "members of the mafia in Sicily" and she too believed the Carlisis killed him as an act of vengeance.

- Petrotta may have first arrived to NY before heading to Chicago. No idea what led to his split with Rosa Carlisi but that he moved to California and was killed during a return visit could point to him having fled Chicago after they split. No idea if Petrotta himself was a mafioso but the Carlisis were a clan in which a seeming majority of immediate relatives, extended relatives, and in-laws were mafia affiliates, Petrotta himself coming from a village that produced important formative mafiosi. Interesting too that Petrotta's second wife noted that the Carlisis were mafia members "in Sicily" which adds to our existing suspicion that the Carlisis were an established mafia clan back in Canicatti.

- I glanced at an online family tree for the Carlisis and noticed a relation to the Stincone name, Pietro Stincone being a Gambino captain from that Family's significant Canicattese element. Pietro's father was Diego Stincone and Diego was one of the names connected to the Carlisi-related Stincones although I didn't see a direct link and the records weren't very well fleshed out (I didn't dig in too deeply either). We know there were connections to the NYC mafia's Salvatore Tornabe/Tornabene from Canicatti (who attended Apalachin, as did Roy Carlisi) so it wouldn't be surprising if the Carlisis had a degree of relation to Pietro Stincone.

Really excellent find regarding Petrotta's murder. I wasn't aware of this. As we've discussed before, we already have indicators strongly pointing (IMO) to the Carlisi-Tornabene clan as having been involved with the mafia going back to Canicatti, so the statement from Petrotta's second wife further suggests this longstanding connection.

Good question regarding Pietro Stincone also. Giuseppe Carlisi's paternal grandmother was Anna Stincone. I haven't verified her parents, but as you note, she may well have been a relative of some degree of Pietro's father, Diego Stincone. Note also that Giuseppe Carlisi had a brother named Diego, who died in childhood back in Canicatti. As I am not aware that this name otherwise appeared among the Carlisi line, I would suspect that it may well have come from Anna Stincone's family. If so, that could certainly further suggest a relation. As with Tornabene, Stincone is not a super common surname in Canicatti, further strengthening the suspicion of some meaningful degree of relation.

- Petrotta was said to be a wealthy broker connected to a $200,000 contract with a SoCal vineyard and a two million dollar fruit importing project. He managed the Swastika Fruit Company (yes, Swastika) in Sacramento. Wounded with him was alleged Chicago bootlegger Vincenzo, the two planning to go into business with one another in the aforementioned projects. One of those arrested was Cutaia's partner George Candiotta. Cutaia's brother Tony had been murdered a month previous. Petrotta had been previously shot in Chicago in September of 1918, which would coincide with the split from Rosa Carlisi and his move to California.

- After Petrotta was murdered, they found a photograph of a young woman named "Rose" on him along with correspondence from the woman where the business plans with Cutaia were discussed. Note that Petrotta's first wife in Chicago was Rosa/Rose Carlisi but they believed "Rose" was a non-Italian cabaret dancer who worked at a club Petrotta owned in Sacramento. A business partner of Petrotta in Sacramento was Armando Bondi, a native of Tuscany.

- There was a Vincenzo Cutaia from Canicatti and the Cutaia name in general tends to be found in Agrigento and nearby parts of Caltanissetta. There was an Antonino Cutaia from Campofelice Fitalia, Palermo, in Chicago who died in 1923 who would have been in his late 50s but I'm not sure the COD and if 1923 is actually the DOD and not internment, it would be a year after Vincenzo's brother "Tony" was allegedly killed; I also don't see any indications he was related to a Vincent. Still not positive who Cutaia was but all signs point to someone with the background we'd expect and there was one living in Chicago at this time. There was a Giorgio/George Candiotta in Chicago who was from Piana dei Greci so his name surfacing makes sense as it means Cutaia was partnered with a paesan of Petrotta. Cutaia's injury reportedly came from a bullet that passed through Petrotta so he may not have been a target.

- In 1914, the mayor sent letters to a group of saloon owners and warned them about the suspicious characters they allowed to frequent their establishments, especially due to frequent murders in the area. Among the names were Vincenzo, Tony, and Charles Cutaia as well as Joe Enea, "Tony Anzalonis", Tony Gullo, Mike Coniglio, Frank Cuccia, Stefano Tortorici, Giuseppe LoMonaco, "Nick Bucar", Calogero Bongiovanni, Agostino Giovenzo, "SD Ross", and "Biggio Mannings". The alleged killers ("Joseph Mama" and "Genana Sorimenti") of Rosario DiSpenza and Anthony Puccio were arrested in Tony Cutaia's saloon and also suspected of a Kansas City murder.

- Petrotta's shooter in the 1918 attempt was reportedly a "Peter Ordilano" who was shot dead moments later by Petrotta's nephew "Peter Cornale".

[PolackTony]

Oh whoa. I’ve discussed the Cutaia family quite a bit here on this thread, you might recall. Vincenzo Cutaia was by all appearances a significant mafia figure in Little Sicily for decades. The Cutaias were indeed from Campofelice di Fitalia and related to later Chicago members Joe DiVarco and Tony and Frank DeMonte. Local police and the press also believed Vincenzo Cutaia to have been a “cousin” of Rosario DiSpenza. I didn’t find anything to support that specific relation, but Ciminna and CdF are neighboring comuni of course so they were at the least close compaesani.

The 1914 list of saloon owners that you note from the papers included a number of names that I’ve touched on previously, but I don’t have time ATM to go into them again. These were of course all in Little Sicily. Francesco Cuccia was from PDG, for example.

[B.]

I just looked through the thread for Cutaia and see you mentioned him even in connection to Emanuele Cammarata. Looks to be someone of significant stature, no question.

So even though a Carlisi marital feud may have played a role, the 1918 attempt on Petrotta possibly stemming from that, there were some bigger names and events going on at this time that also could have factored into Petrotta's 1922 murder. That Petrotta had some kind of falling out with his Carlisi in-laws then was building a lucrative partnership with an influential Chicago mafia figure could have presented any number of issues too, especially if he was in poor standing with the Carlisis.

This is roughly a year after the murders of D'Andrea, LaSpisa, and Paolinello Torino (the latter came to the US with Rosario DiSpenza's brother) which were all likely related to each other. Any number of other issues could be going on in 1922.

[B.]

I've since learned there was a colony from Piana dei Greci in Sacramento which explains why Petrotta moved/fled there. There's an active Arberesh of Sacramento society still today made up mainly of people whose families descend from PdG. Also seeing towns like San Cipirello, Trabia, Balestrate, Monreale show up in Sacramento here and there.

I was looking into the 1914 underworld saloon owner Francesco Cuccia because the famous mayor and PdG Family boss was also named Francesco Cuccia. Francesco was the name of the Chicago Cuccia's grandfather so he had other cousins named Francesco Cuccia but I noticed there is one listed as born 1876, the same year as the mafia boss. Not enough info to confirm if it's him. I did see the Chicago Cuccia was distantly related to early LA boss Giuseppe Ardizzone through the Cuccia name.