Grand Ave in the Pre-Lombardo Era

[PolackTony]

My understanding is that the modern Grand Ave/Westside crew emerged from the shakeup of the old Westside mob in the late 60's, which was split up into the modern Cicero crew on the one hand and the Melrose Park/Westside crew under Battaglia and Alderisio on the other. After Alderisio was sent away, Lombardo was promoted to Capo over the Westside/Melrose Park crew and subsequently established his power base in his lifelong Grand Ave neighborhood in the early '70's. I'm interested in fleshing out more detail regarding the Outfit-related history of the Grand Ave "Patch" prior to Lombardo's regime. Was the area under the domain specifically of the old West Side crew under Taylor St for most or all of of this period? Or did guys from different crews operate there - e.g. Elmwood, given the strong personal connections many of them had to the community, or Rush St given the geographic proximity and historical connections? Did particular capos or crews claim control directly over the area during different eras?

I've seen it stated here and elsewhere that Grand Ave was a longtime bastion of the old Sicilian Mafia, which makes sense given that the neighborhood basically began as a western extension of the old Near Northside Little Sicily (although Grand Ave also saw a big influx of Napolitano and Barese migrants as well as Sicilians). Do we know if any of these figures stuck around and operated in the area post-1931? I assume at this point Grand Ave would've fallen under Mangano, and then afterwards (briefly?) under Benevento. With Benevento knocked down in 1946, the ascension of Accardo at the end of the 40's, and the apparent repression of the remaining holdouts from the old Near North side Sicilian Mafia in the 40s/50s I would imagine that Grand Ave came under the control of Taylor around this time. Again, were there specific crews or bosses tied to, based in, or in charge of the area during this period? And to what degree were Elmwood guys with personal ties to the neighborhood involved in Grand Ave during this time - i.e. Accardo and Capezio?

Further, when Lombardo established his official power base in the Patch in the '70's, did he mainly recruit from within the neighborhood for his crew or bring in guys from Melrose? From what I can tell it seems like he did some of both, but I'd like to get a better sense of the degree to which guys already in the neighborhood who were kicking up or connected before this were working under Melrose and the old Westside, or if it was Lombardo that basically fused Grand Ave and the Melrose operations together.

[Villain]

The old Sicilians were mainly located around W Grand and Rush St, followed by Taylor St, Melrose Park and northern Cicero. I also believe that Mangano and Benevento later belonged to two different crews, like for example Mangano was a capo since the creation of the Outfit, while Benevento was first under DeGeorge and O'Neglia, and later became a capo for a very short time period. His nephew DeJohn was also from Grand and previously there were other Sicilian leaders such as Joe Provenzano and Tony Jerfita.

The roots of the Grand Av crew began with Rocco DeGrazia and later with Battaglia. When Teets became the prime rep for the west side, he controlled Taylor St, Melrose Park, Franklin Park, Stone Park, Northlake and also had interests on Rush St through Caifano. Battaglias rep around Stone Park, Northlake and Franklin was Rocco Pranno, while Alderisio and Nicoletti took care of MP and the rest of the areas.

When Pranno went to jail, he was succeeded by Amabile who in turn ruled for a short time since he and Battaglia also went to jail.

So now that same west side faction was in the hands of Alderisio and Nicoletti and they began grooming members such as Lombardo, the German and Eboli. When Alderisio went to jail, Nicoletti took care of the crew, but since he became the number two guy, it was up to Lombardo to take control with Eboli as his main lieutenant in Stone Park and Northlake, but now it was mostly made out of younger guys, except for Caifano, who after his release from prison he became Lombardos number one guy.

[PolackTony]

The old Sicilians were mainly located around W Grand and Rush St, followed by Taylor St, Melrose Park and northern Cicero. I also believe that Mangano and Benevento later belonged to two different crews, like for example Mangano was a capo since the creation of the Outfit, while Benevento was first under DeGeorge and O'Neglia, and later became a capo for a very short time period. His nephew DeJohn was also from Grand and previously there were other Sicilian leaders such as Joe Provenzano and Tony Jerfita.

The roots of the Grand Av crew began with Rocco DeGrazia and later with Battaglia. When Teets became the prime rep for the west side, he controlled Taylor St, Melrose Park, Franklin Park, Stone Park, Northlake and also had interests on Rush St through Caifano. Battaglias rep around Stone Park, Northlake and Franklin was Rocco Pranno, while Alderisio and Nicoletti took care of MP and the rest of the areas.

When Pranno went to jail, he was succeeded by Amabile who in turn ruled for a short time since he and Battaglia also went to jail.

So now that same west side faction was in the hands of Alderisio and Nicoletti and they began grooming members such as Lombardo, the German and Eboli. When Alderisio went to jail, Nicoletti took care of the crew, but since he became the number two guy, it was up to Lombardo to take control with Eboli as his main lieutenant in Stone Park and Northlake, but now it was mostly made out of younger guys, except for Caifano, who after his release from prison he became Lombardos number one guy.

Thanks Villain, this is great. NAd Caifano as the link to Rush st rackets makes a lot of sense. I know when that guy Alva Rodgers testified he claimed that he was working with Caifano under Lombardo muscling porn shops. I haven't read Red Wemette's book, but I'd imagine he might go into some detail on this given his location on N. Clark st?

[Moscone65]

Tons of Barese people as well as gangsters from grand avenue, Chicago in general has more Barese descended gangsters. (Difronzo, Lombardo, Spilotro, cassano bro’s, ect.) The Dinunzio bro’s also have heritage from Bari, could be part of the reason they made friends and took refuge with Chicago guys?

[PolackTony]

Tons of Barese people as well as gangsters from grand avenue, Chicago in general has more Barese descended gangsters. (Difronzo, Lombardo, Spilotro, cassano bro’s, ect.) The Dinunzio bro’s also have heritage from Bari, could be part of the reason they made friends and took refuge with Chicago guys?

Frank Cullotta also I believe is half Sicilian half Barese.

[Antiliar]

Red Wemette said that Joey Lombardo was promoted to capo after Battaglia died in 1973, so contrary to what Bill Roemer wrote, Alderisio was only the acting boss of the crew. According to some of my sources Nicoletti was actually put in charge of Willie Daddono's crew until he was demoted after approving the killing of Ned Bakes without permission. Nicoletti was killed later after it was discovered that he became a CI.

[Pete]

The old Sicilians were mainly located around W Grand and Rush St, followed by Taylor St, Melrose Park and northern Cicero. I also believe that Mangano and Benevento later belonged to two different crews, like for example Mangano was a capo since the creation of the Outfit, while Benevento was first under DeGeorge and O'Neglia, and later became a capo for a very short time period. His nephew DeJohn was also from Grand and previously there were other Sicilian leaders such as Joe Provenzano and Tony Jerfita.

The roots of the Grand Av crew began with Rocco DeGrazia and later with Battaglia. When Teets became the prime rep for the west side, he controlled Taylor St, Melrose Park, Franklin Park, Stone Park, Northlake and also had interests on Rush St through Caifano. Battaglias rep around Stone Park, Northlake and Franklin was Rocco Pranno, while Alderisio and Nicoletti took care of MP and the rest of the areas.

When Pranno went to jail, he was succeeded by Amabile who in turn ruled for a short time since he and Battaglia also went to jail.

So now that same west side faction was in the hands of Alderisio and Nicoletti and they began grooming members such as Lombardo, the German and Eboli. When Alderisio went to jail, Nicoletti took care of the crew, but since he became the number two guy, it was up to Lombardo to take control with Eboli as his main lieutenant in Stone Park and Northlake, but now it was mostly made out of younger guys, except for Caifano, who after his release from prison he became Lombardos number one guy.

Caifano and Lombardo had bad blood. When they named the new capo caifano thought it would be him and was very miffed they gave it to Joey

[Villain]

Red Wemette said that Joey Lombardo was promoted to capo after Battaglia died in 1973, so contrary to what Bill Roemer wrote, Alderisio was only the acting boss of the crew. According to some of my sources Nicoletti was actually put in charge of Willie Daddono's crew until he was demoted after approving the killing of Ned Bakes without permission. Nicoletti was killed later after it was discovered that he became a CI.

Thanks. So its possible that Nicoletti and Alderisio came from two different crews or later they were placed in control of two different groups? I also thought that Daddonos crew was "terminated" once he went to jail, and some members joined Aiuppa and some went with Buccieri....especially the ones who took care of Daddonos former interests around MP and Cicero, like for example the Frattos and Infelice went with Buccieri...the Clementis went with Nicoletti and Joe Battaglia and DeRosa and other fellas went with Aiuppa, while Amato formed his own crew around DuPage, McHenry and Lake...so it seems that Nicoletti inherited only few members from the former Daddono group

[Villain]

The old Sicilians were mainly located around W Grand and Rush St, followed by Taylor St, Melrose Park and northern Cicero. I also believe that Mangano and Benevento later belonged to two different crews, like for example Mangano was a capo since the creation of the Outfit, while Benevento was first under DeGeorge and O'Neglia, and later became a capo for a very short time period. His nephew DeJohn was also from Grand and previously there were other Sicilian leaders such as Joe Provenzano and Tony Jerfita.

The roots of the Grand Av crew began with Rocco DeGrazia and later with Battaglia. When Teets became the prime rep for the west side, he controlled Taylor St, Melrose Park, Franklin Park, Stone Park, Northlake and also had interests on Rush St through Caifano. Battaglias rep around Stone Park, Northlake and Franklin was Rocco Pranno, while Alderisio and Nicoletti took care of MP and the rest of the areas.

When Pranno went to jail, he was succeeded by Amabile who in turn ruled for a short time since he and Battaglia also went to jail.

So now that same west side faction was in the hands of Alderisio and Nicoletti and they began grooming members such as Lombardo, the German and Eboli. When Alderisio went to jail, Nicoletti took care of the crew, but since he became the number two guy, it was up to Lombardo to take control with Eboli as his main lieutenant in Stone Park and Northlake, but now it was mostly made out of younger guys, except for Caifano, who after his release from prison he became Lombardos number one guy.

Caifano and Lombardo had bad blood. When they named the new capo caifano thought it would be him and was very miffed they gave it to Joey

Thanks and yeah i think i also read about it, and i think theres one misleading FBI file which is probably a product of that same situation

[Confederate]

Red Wemette said that Joey Lombardo was promoted to capo after Battaglia died in 1973, so contrary to what Bill Roemer wrote, Alderisio was only the acting boss of the crew. According to some of my sources Nicoletti was actually put in charge of Willie Daddono's crew until he was demoted after approving the killing of Ned Bakes without permission. Nicoletti was killed later after it was discovered that he became a CI.

I haven't read much about Nicoletti becoming a CI. There was another theory in Roemer's book about why Nicoletti was killed which never really seemed like a good reason. Then there was the beef with Alex. I thought Gus Alex had a lot to do with Nicoletti being killed? Anyway, do you have F.B.I. Documents with Nicoletti being a CI? I wonder why Nicoletti became a CI? he must have felt betrayed. How long was Nicoletti a CI? That is interesting.

[Antiliar]

Red Wemette said that Joey Lombardo was promoted to capo after Battaglia died in 1973, so contrary to what Bill Roemer wrote, Alderisio was only the acting boss of the crew. According to some of my sources Nicoletti was actually put in charge of Willie Daddono's crew until he was demoted after approving the killing of Ned Bakes without permission. Nicoletti was killed later after it was discovered that he became a CI.

Thanks. So its possible that Nicoletti and Alderisio came from two different crews or later they were placed in control of two different groups? I also thought that Daddonos crew was "terminated" once he went to jail, and some members joined Aiuppa and some went with Buccieri....especially the ones who took care of Daddonos former interests around MP and Cicero, like for example the Frattos and Infelice went with Buccieri...the Clementis went with Nicoletti and Joe Battaglia and DeRosa and other fellas went with Aiuppa, while Amato formed his own crew around DuPage, McHenry and Lake...so it seems that Nicoletti inherited only few members from the former Daddono group

Nicoletti and Lombardo were in the same crew. They both came up under Battaglia. Accardo moved him to where he saw a need, just like later Angelo La Pietra moved from the Torello crew to run Chinatown. Since La Pietra took a bunch of guys with him, maybe Nicoletti took some guys too. He was close to Nick Palermo, so he's a possibility. After Nicoletti was demoted Black Joe Amato replaced him. Nicoletti might have been sent back to his old crew at that time.

[Moscone65]

Tons of Barese people as well as gangsters from grand avenue, Chicago in general has more Barese descended gangsters. (Difronzo, Lombardo, Spilotro, cassano bro’s, ect.) The Dinunzio bro’s also have heritage from Bari, could be part of the reason they made friends and took refuge with Chicago guys?

Frank Cullotta also I believe is half Sicilian half Barese.

Your right, he mentioned that in his YouTube channel.

[Villain]

Red Wemette said that Joey Lombardo was promoted to capo after Battaglia died in 1973, so contrary to what Bill Roemer wrote, Alderisio was only the acting boss of the crew. According to some of my sources Nicoletti was actually put in charge of Willie Daddono's crew until he was demoted after approving the killing of Ned Bakes without permission. Nicoletti was killed later after it was discovered that he became a CI.

Thanks. So its possible that Nicoletti and Alderisio came from two different crews or later they were placed in control of two different groups? I also thought that Daddonos crew was "terminated" once he went to jail, and some members joined Aiuppa and some went with Buccieri....especially the ones who took care of Daddonos former interests around MP and Cicero, like for example the Frattos and Infelice went with Buccieri...the Clementis went with Nicoletti and Joe Battaglia and DeRosa and other fellas went with Aiuppa, while Amato formed his own crew around DuPage, McHenry and Lake...so it seems that Nicoletti inherited only few members from the former Daddono group

Nicoletti and Lombardo were in the same crew. They both came up under Battaglia. Accardo moved him to where he saw a need, just like later Angelo La Pietra moved from the Torello crew to run Chinatown. Since La Pietra took a bunch of guys with him, maybe Nicoletti took some guys too. He was close to Nick Palermo, so he's a possibility. After Nicoletti was demoted Black Joe Amato replaced him. Nicoletti might have been sent back to his old crew at that time.

Lets look at the whole situation like this...members in Battaglias crew from 1953 until 1967...DeGrazia, Alderisio, Nicoletti, Caifano, Pranno, Amabile, DeChiaro, Joe and Tony Battaglia, Rocco Salvatore (later was shelved i think), Joe Rocco, Gianola, Al and Joe Frabotta, Nick Palermo, Louis Eboli, Tony Padavonia, the Rugendorf bros etc.

By 1967 or 68, Battaglia, Pranno, Caifano and Amabile were in jail, DeGrazia was retired and i think that Salvatore was shelved or demoted. So according to the feds, during the late 60s Battaglias old crew mostly gathered in a tavern which was near the Melrose Park City Hall and included Nicoletti, Palermo, Eboli, Rocco, Padavonia AND Patsy Clementi (ill return to him later). They were in contact with their imprisoned boss through one of their attorneys Barney Bruno and as you already said, Alderisio was the acting boss of that same group.

We can also include Spilotro, Lombardo and the DeStefano bros, like for example Spilotro and Mario were seen numerous times with Nicoletti and Alderisio, same as Lombardo. Long time ago some1 also told me that sometime during the early 70s Palermo was probably once the acting boss for the crew by i dont have any proof for that claim.

Now, you and i both know that Daddonos crew was a product from the old Mangano group and few of Daddonos main lieutenants were Tony Perotti, Tony DeRosa, Patsy Clementi, Alex Ross, Jimmy Tortoriello, Joe Amato, Rocky Infelice and the Fratto bros Rudy and Frank.

When Daddono went to jail, again according to the previous info, we can see members from his former crew being absorbed by other crews such as the Clementi bros went with Alderisio and Nicoletti, while numerous reports also show that DeRosa probably joined Aiuppa and that the Frattos together with Infelice went with Buccieri, and Amato created his own crew or absorbed of what was left of Daddonos former crew.

The main confusion comes from the fact that Battaglia before becoming a boss or underboss, he was the main rep on the west side and several capos answered to him including Alderisio, Pranno, DeGrazia (former capo) and also possibly Daddono. I remember seeing a report from the Giancana era, in which Daddano was described as being part of the Battaglia group together with Caifano, and that Daddono controlled all loan sharking, burglary and extortion ops on the northwest for that same group.

As for the LaPietras and Chinatown, my personal belief is that the Buccieri crew was a product from the old Belcastro group which in turn had interests on Taylor St, Cicero AND Chinatown. On top of that, even since the early days or 1940s the Lapietra bros were located near Chinatown or on W 37th St.

Frank Caruso belonged to the old Roti Sr/Ferraro/Alex group and by the mid 70s that same faction was completely finished. Previously or during the mid or late 60s, Alex "sold" his interests around the Loop and South Side to Buccieri (hence the conflicts that occurred during the same time when Alderisio objected regarding the matter or when Buccieri began entering the Heights area) and from that point on, the Buccieris had the Chinatown area completely surrounded and when Caruso retired, they simply took over and also absorbed his crew.

[Antiliar]

Johnny Fratto writes a lot about his uncle Frank Fratto, and based on what he wrote it looks like he was a Battaglia guy. Butch Blasi was definitely a Daddono guy. Queenie Simonelli may have been too. So based on the evidence I've seen I'm led to believe that the Daddono crew was Sam Giancana's old crew, and before him it was the Frank Nitto crew. I haven't seen enough evidence to confirm which crew Lawrence Mangano belong to. I know that one time he paid Accardo's bail. I'm open to seeing documentation connecting Mangano to a crew, but what I saw so far is open to interpretation. Belcastro is confusing too since he was associated with the Chinatown people yet he sponsored Butch Blasi. Rocky Infelice was a Buccieri-Torello-Ferriola guy according to docs that I've seen.

I asked the Calabrese brothers about Chinatown and they say that La Pietra moved to Chinatown when Torello was the head of the old Buccieri crew. They said La Pietra and Torello didn't get along. Caruso was in bad health and broke, and the only one doing well was Catuara, who was forced out. There were a few other holdovers, but most either were inactive or in prison. It looks like it was always a small crew compared to the others.

[Villain]

Johnny Fratto writes a lot about his uncle Frank Fratto, and based on what he wrote it looks like he was a Battaglia guy. Butch Blasi was definitely a Daddono guy. Queenie Simonelli may have been too. So based on the evidence I've seen I'm led to believe that the Daddono crew was Sam Giancana's old crew, and before him it was the Frank Nitto crew. I haven't seen enough evidence to confirm which crew Lawrence Mangano belong to. I know that one time he paid Accardo's bail. I'm open to seeing documentation connecting Mangano to a crew, but what I saw so far is open to interpretation. Belcastro is confusing too since he was associated with the Chinatown people yet he sponsored Butch Blasi. Rocky Infelice was a Buccieri-Torello-Ferriola guy according to docs that I've seen.

I asked the Calabrese brothers about Chinatown and they say that La Pietra moved to Chinatown when Torello was the head of the old Buccieri crew. They said La Pietra and Torello didn't get along. Caruso was in bad health and broke, and the only one doing well was Catuara, who was forced out. There were a few other holdovers, but most either were inactive or in prison. It looks like it was always a small crew compared to the others.

Thanks for the info bud.

Ok if Balsi was under Daddono and was previously sponsored by Belcastro, what does that tells us?! It means that Belcastro was possibly Giancanas and Daddonos boss on the west side who inherited the crews from the late Mangano, the late Nitto and the imprisoned Campagna.

When Nitto killed himself and Campagna went to jail, Giancana took over but was possibly under the jurisdiction of Mangano who was the prime boss on the west side at the time. When Mangano got killed, Belcastro and Giancana merged together and we know that Belcastros reign was quite short and so Giancana became the prime rep on the west side, which in fact was the main reason for his power to become Accardos underboss, meaning Giancana controlled the largest crew at the time.

In addition, did you ever read that Belcastro was arrested and questioned in July 1945 if he was a victim of an alleged kidnapping that same month, and even though he denied it, still he died of a heart attack the next month. Who knows, lots of pressure maybe?! Few years before that Guzik was allegedly also kidnapped....

And yeah i also read somewhere that Torello didnt like LaPietra much and vice versa, and the beef continued even after Torellos death, meaning LaPietra constantly pushed back Ferriola during later years who in turn was Torellos real protege. This is one of the many evidences regarding the territorial or overall boss theory, meaning LaPietra took Torellos place and held a lot more weight then Ferriola, which made the latter one subordinate at the time. Those two crews always stayed connected, meaning both Ferriola and LaPietra were products of the same large group, and possibly the last good example is Nick Ferriola.