General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

[B.]

I'm looking for info on the old Chicago mafia and I came across the mugshot of the Cleveland mafia summit in 1928 which featured guys from Chicago (including Guinta & Lolordo but no problem, I know them):

-Salvatore Olivero
-Giuseppe Sacco
-Frank Alo (who apparently was active in Brooklyn as well)

There's also a guy from Indiana, Paul Palazollo. Was he a Chicago man or the city of Gary have a borgata?

If anyone can tell me more about them that would be great.

Sam Oliveri's first cousin married NYC boss Tom Reina. The Oliveris were from Corleone, like Reina. Her father Andrea Oliveri, Sam's uncle, showed up in the early counterfeiting operation in NYC connected to Giuseppe Morello. Andrea's son, also named Salvatore/Sam, was also involved with the Reina/Gagliano family.

Sam Oliveri of Chicago later became a member in Rockford. Oliveri arrived to the US with a Nicolosi. Two early Corleonesi Chicago figures were Carmelo and Giuseppe Nicolosi, who were related by marriage to Chicago figure Mariano Zagone from Ciminna. The Nicolosis had relatives in NYC who were closely involved with early Reina-Gagliano family members from Corleone, so there are connections with all of these early Corleonesi.

--

Giuseppe Sacco's name was also written as "Scacco" on his mugshot from the 1928 arrest. Dave Critchley says in his book that Scacco came from Camporeale. I haven't seen any records myself, though, so can't say for sure where he got that. If his name was actually Giuseppe Sacco that makes it much more difficult to narrow down.

We can be confident he was a Sicilian, as this meeting appears to have been attended exclusively by Sicilians.

--

I'm under the impression that "Frank Alo" was Frank Abbate of St. Louis and Springfield. There is a mugshot of Abbate online and his face is a direct match for the 1928 Cleveland mugshot of "Alo". The photos are definitely from different times but show the same man. Both reportedly died in 1944, so that adds to it.

Abbate was from Cinisi, like Joe Giunta from Chicago and Paolo Palazzolo of Gary. Both "Alo" and Giunta gave the police Palazzolo's Gary address when they were arrested. It makes sense that these three were all compaesani given they used the same address.

So it seems Abbate aka "Alo" was probably part of the St. Louis or Springfield family, but had close ties to Chicago, Chicago Heights, and Gary. The Cleveland meeting was also attended by St. Louis members Calogero SanFilippo and John Mirabella, so Abbate may have been part of that family like them or because there is no other known Springfield figure he may have represented them.

Many of these guys bounced around and transferred back then, so there could be a few different possibilities.

[B.]

There may have been more connections to Sicily than we know about.

- A group of around 40 Sicilian men, many believed to be mayors, toured the US in late 1962 and visited US cities where mafia families were located. They initially arrived in Chicago where they were hosted by local Sicilians, including Wisconsin-based mafia member John DiBella, who had purchased Grande Cheese from Chicago mafia members Ross Prio and Tom Oneglia many years earlier.

- John DiBella was inducted into the mafia in Sicily, became a Bonanno member in NYC, then retired to Wisconsin where he ran Grande Cheese. He was a friend of Chicago mafia members Jim DeGeorge and Frank LoGalbo, who also lived in Wisconsin, as well as former Chicago members in Madison. Then there's the Prio / Oneglia connection. It's not surprising he would be part of the group's welcome party in Chicago.

- From Chicago, DiBella sent the Sicilian visitors to California, where they met with the leadership of the San Jose mafia family. San Jose capodecina Angelo Marino contacted mafia figures in Los Angeles and Las Vegas so that the Sicilian visitors could meet with mafiosi there. Marino also told a San Jose member informant that one of these Sicilian tourists was the Mayor of Palermo and an important mafia member in Sicily. This was surely Salvo Lima, who was at this time Mayor of Palermo. This detail and the Sicilian group's meetings with local mafia figures in Chicago and California suggest that many of these Sicilian tourists were mafia members themselves.

- Stefano Magaddino makes reference to this traveling group of Sicilians as well and they appear to have visited other mafia cities in the US aside from those mentioned above.

- It is likely some of the local "Sicilians" who met the touring group in Chicago were members of the Chicago family and probably included some of Chicago's leaders. It is impossible to say whether the Chicago welcome party included only Sicilians or if the San Jose informant assumed/generalized on this point. Either way, John DiBella would have been in a position to make a formal introduction between these men and Chicago mafia members as "amico nostra" given his relationship to both the Sicilian mafia and the Chicago family.

- If Tony Accardo was one of the local Chicago figures who met with the 40 Sicilian tourists, including the mafioso Mayor of Palermo Salvo Lima, this would have given him a whole range of important contacts in Sicily. And this is just one instance that we know about. Sicilians often visited the US and sometimes made a point to network with national mafia figures. Given how long Tony Accardo was a mafia leader in Chicago, it is difficult to know who all he may have made contact with, especially when you factor in his travels to NYC/NJ for Commission meetings and other national events.

^ Completely slipped my mind when I posted it, but Phil Bacino is a strong candidate for one of the Chicago members who may have met with the Sicilian delegation with DiBella when they arrived in Chicago and he also would have been able to provide contact with Sicily until his 1974 death.

Luciano Bacino was identified by Italian authorities as a made member in Ribera in the 1940s/1950s. Felice has said Luciano was Phil's brother. Immigration records show Phil Bacino traveled to Italy in 1948, 1952, and 1954, so he was a frequent traveler to Sicily during the period hs brother was ID'd as a member there. I've posted the photograph on here of Bacino and former DeCavalcante boss Phil Amari attending the orphanage opening in Ribera in the 1950s. Joe Bonanno was rumored to be in attendance, as he was in Sicily at the time.

Given DiBella's friendship with Bacino's compaesano Jim DiGeorge in Wisconsin, the two surely knew each other and a Sicilian Chicago member with such strong ties to the Sicilian mafia would likely be invited to meet with the Sicilian travelers, who included at least one mafioso and probably more.

[Antiliar]

Yes, Frank Alo was Abbate. I just came back to update my previous comment, but you beat me to it. LOL

Abbate was one of the men suspected of being killed in the Chicago Cheese War. At the time of his death he lived in Calumet City, but prior to that he lived in Hammond and Gary. Abbate's body was found nude in a ditch with a bullet in his head in Hot Springs on April 22, 1944. He was a well-known racehorse owner. Abbate was also known as Frank Abbott and Francesco Agrusa. He was friends with James DeAngelo and Onofrio Vitale.

Another possible killing linked to Abbate was Matt Manzo, a Calumet City nightclub owner. He disappeared in February 1944. Manzo's sister was Phyllis Impastato, wife of Jack Impastato, who was the brother of Vito Impastato. Manzo is probably identical with the Matt Manzello who disappeared from St. Louis around 1928.

[Villain]

Yes, Frank Alo was Abbate. I just came back to update my previous comment, but you beat me to it. LOL

Abbate was one of the men suspected of being killed in the Chicago Cheese War. At the time of his death he lived in Calumet City, but prior to that he lived in Hammond and Gary. Abbate's body was found nude in a ditch with a bullet in his head in Hot Springs on April 22, 1944. He was a well-known racehorse owner. Abbate was also known as Frank Abbott and Francesco Agrusa. He was friends with James DeAngelo and Onofrio Vitale.

Another possible killing linked to Abbate was Matt Manzo, a Calumet City nightclub owner. He disappeared in February 1944. Manzo's sister was Phyllis Impastato, wife of Jack Impastato, who was the brother of Vito Impastato.

Was DeAngelo only a soldier?

[Antiliar]

No evidence that he had higher rank.

[B.]

Yes, Frank Alo was Abbate. I just came back to update my previous comment, but you beat me to it. LOL

Abbate was one of the men suspected of being killed in the Chicago Cheese War. At the time of his death he lived in Calumet City, but prior to that he lived in Hammond and Gary. Abbate's body was found nude in a ditch with a bullet in his head in Hot Springs on April 22, 1944. He was a well-known racehorse owner. Abbate was also known as Frank Abbott and Francesco Agrusa. He was friends with James DeAngelo and Onofrio Vitale.

Another possible killing linked to Abbate was Matt Manzo, a Calumet City nightclub owner. He disappeared in February 1944. Manzo's sister was Phyllis Impastato, wife of Jack Impastato, who was the brother of Vito Impastato. Manzo is probably identical with the Matt Manzello who disappeared from St. Louis around 1928.

Good info.

I think Abbate also lived in Benld, Illinois right between Springfield and St. Louis. The one in Benld's wife's name was Catherine and she was born in 1908, and the one in Calumet City also had a wife named Caterina/Catherine who was born in 1908.

The Onofrio Vitale connection makes sense as Vitale was from Cinisi and appears to have lived in Detroit before Chicago. Murdered the same year as Abbate. Curious if he's related to the other Detroit Vitales.

I'd guess Matt Manzello was connected to Cinisi, too, as Cesare Manzella was a Chicago member who was deported back to Cinisi and became the boss there, where he was killed in 1963. He was related to the Impastatos, too. Cesare Manzella moved to Springfield in the 1940s before he was deported, so another Springfield connection. I wonder if he moved there before or after his compaesani Abbate and Vitale were killed.

Pietro Amato was a younger Chicago figure from Cinisi and was deported back there in the 1950s. Not sure he was a made member in Chicago, but he became involved with the Cinisi family after being deported.

Leonard Gianola/Giannola had heritage from Cinisi as well. His mother was a Badalamenti, a name that doesn't need much introduction. Seems like the last remnant of Cinisensi heritage in the Chicago family.

[Villain]

No evidence that he had higher rank.

Thanks

[motorfab]

B., Antiliar, thanks a lot for the info, you rock guys !

[Villain]

Casteldaccia is between Serradifalco and Altavilla, and is three miles away from Bagheria. If I were to guess, I would say that Santo was a member but not Sam. Sam lived in or near Cicero after Capone came to power, but he seemed legit in that time period.

Back in the days, theres a great possibility that i confused Santo with Sam by labelling Santo as member of the old Capone/Cicero gang. What are your thoughts on this?

[Antiliar]

In the list of members in the FBI files found in the Mary Ferrell site both brothers are listed. I'm just not sure that it's accurate in Sam's case. Santo I'm sure was made.

[Villain]

In the list of members in the FBI files found in the Mary Ferrell site both brothers are listed. I'm just not sure that it's accurate in Sam's case. Santo I'm sure was made.

Capone/Cicero crew right?

[Antiliar]

Looks that way.

[Villain]

Looks that way.

Thanks again

[cavita]

I'm looking for info on the old Chicago mafia and I came across the mugshot of the Cleveland mafia summit in 1928 which featured guys from Chicago (including Guinta & Lolordo but no problem, I know them):

-Salvatore Olivero
-Giuseppe Sacco
-Frank Alo (who apparently was active in Brooklyn as well)

There's also a guy from Indiana, Paul Palazollo. Was he a Chicago man or the city of Gary have a borgata?

If anyone can tell me more about them that would be great.

Sam Oliveri's first cousin married NYC boss Tom Reina. The Oliveris were from Corleone, like Reina. Her father Andrea Oliveri, Sam's uncle, showed up in the early counterfeiting operation in NYC connected to Giuseppe Morello. Andrea's son, also named Salvatore/Sam, was also involved with the Reina/Gagliano family.

Sam Oliveri of Chicago later became a member in Rockford. Oliveri arrived to the US with a Nicolosi. Two early Corleonesi Chicago figures were Carmelo and Giuseppe Nicolosi, who were related by marriage to Chicago figure Mariano Zagone from Ciminna. The Nicolosis had relatives in NYC who were closely involved with early Reina-Gagliano family members from Corleone, so there are connections with all of these early Corleonesi.

--

Giuseppe Sacco's name was also written as "Scacco" on his mugshot from the 1928 arrest. Dave Critchley says in his book that Scacco came from Camporeale. I haven't seen any records myself, though, so can't say for sure where he got that. If his name was actually Giuseppe Sacco that makes it much more difficult to narrow down.

We can be confident he was a Sicilian, as this meeting appears to have been attended exclusively by Sicilians.

--

I'm under the impression that "Frank Alo" was Frank Abbate of St. Louis and Springfield. There is a mugshot of Abbate online and his face is a direct match for the 1928 Cleveland mugshot of "Alo". The photos are definitely from different times but show the same man. Both reportedly died in 1944, so that adds to it.

Abbate was from Cinisi, like Joe Giunta from Chicago and Paolo Palazzolo of Gary. Both "Alo" and Giunta gave the police Palazzolo's Gary address when they were arrested. It makes sense that these three were all compaesani given they used the same address.

So it seems Abbate aka "Alo" was probably part of the St. Louis or Springfield family, but had close ties to Chicago, Chicago Heights, and Gary. The Cleveland meeting was also attended by St. Louis members Calogero SanFilippo and John Mirabella, so Abbate may have been part of that family like them or because there is no other known Springfield figure he may have represented them.

Many of these guys bounced around and transferred back then, so there could be a few different possibilities.

I know this may be a bit off topic but any chance that Frank Abbate was related to Tommy Abbott of Chicago? Abbott's real name was supposedly Abbate and he was a bootlegging rival of Al Capone and kept his gang on the Northside of Chicago in 1929/1930. Abbott disappeared sometime in 1930 and was never heard from again and his wife was convinced he was murdered. A tip later came in that his body could be found at the bottom of a water filled quarry but this was never substantiated.

[PolackTony]

I'm looking for info on the old Chicago mafia and I came across the mugshot of the Cleveland mafia summit in 1928 which featured guys from Chicago (including Guinta & Lolordo but no problem, I know them):

-Salvatore Olivero
-Giuseppe Sacco
-Frank Alo (who apparently was active in Brooklyn as well)

There's also a guy from Indiana, Paul Palazollo. Was he a Chicago man or the city of Gary have a borgata?

If anyone can tell me more about them that would be great.

Sam Oliveri's first cousin married NYC boss Tom Reina. The Oliveris were from Corleone, like Reina. Her father Andrea Oliveri, Sam's uncle, showed up in the early counterfeiting operation in NYC connected to Giuseppe Morello. Andrea's son, also named Salvatore/Sam, was also involved with the Reina/Gagliano family.

Sam Oliveri of Chicago later became a member in Rockford. Oliveri arrived to the US with a Nicolosi. Two early Corleonesi Chicago figures were Carmelo and Giuseppe Nicolosi, who were related by marriage to Chicago figure Mariano Zagone from Ciminna. The Nicolosis had relatives in NYC who were closely involved with early Reina-Gagliano family members from Corleone, so there are connections with all of these early Corleonesi.

--

Giuseppe Sacco's name was also written as "Scacco" on his mugshot from the 1928 arrest. Dave Critchley says in his book that Scacco came from Camporeale. I haven't seen any records myself, though, so can't say for sure where he got that. If his name was actually Giuseppe Sacco that makes it much more difficult to narrow down.

We can be confident he was a Sicilian, as this meeting appears to have been attended exclusively by Sicilians.

--

I'm under the impression that "Frank Alo" was Frank Abbate of St. Louis and Springfield. There is a mugshot of Abbate online and his face is a direct match for the 1928 Cleveland mugshot of "Alo". The photos are definitely from different times but show the same man. Both reportedly died in 1944, so that adds to it.

Abbate was from Cinisi, like Joe Giunta from Chicago and Paolo Palazzolo of Gary. Both "Alo" and Giunta gave the police Palazzolo's Gary address when they were arrested. It makes sense that these three were all compaesani given they used the same address.

So it seems Abbate aka "Alo" was probably part of the St. Louis or Springfield family, but had close ties to Chicago, Chicago Heights, and Gary. The Cleveland meeting was also attended by St. Louis members Calogero SanFilippo and John Mirabella, so Abbate may have been part of that family like them or because there is no other known Springfield figure he may have represented them.

Many of these guys bounced around and transferred back then, so there could be a few different possibilities.

I know this may be a bit off topic but any chance that Frank Abbate was related to Tommy Abbott of Chicago? Abbott's real name was supposedly Abbate and he was a bootlegging rival of Al Capone and kept his gang on the Northside of Chicago in 1929/1930. Abbott disappeared sometime in 1930 and was never heard from again and his wife was convinced he was murdered. A tip later came in that his body could be found at the bottom of a water filled quarry but this was never substantiated.

Good one. There was a Gaetano Abbate who went by Thomas Abbott living near Mohawk and North Ave in 1930, Lucano (Potenza). May not be the same guy though, as it shows him dead in 1939. From what I can tell Tommy Abbott disappeared from the papers after the report of the tip of him being in the quarry that you already referenced. Do we have any confirmation of his death? Given that he was wanted for murder in Rockford, maybe he was just lamming it? Also this guy's wife was named Rosina, where the papers quite Abbott's wife as Irene.