National Conference of Button Men

[Ed]

Here is a funnily-worded FBI document from March 1963 referring to an alleged meeting of the "National Conference of “Button Men”". According to Intel supplied by the IRS, “delegates” were said to be meeting in the Los-Angeles-area (Palm Springs).

It’s unlikely this was actually a Commission meeting (if it happened at all). I’m guessing it was at most a meeting of some regional leaders to discuss gambling or labor racketeering schemes (Teamsters loans).

It would be interesting to know when the FBI first heard the term “Button Men” as a way to describe Italian mobsters. The earliest I could find was 1953.

http://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html ... rch=button

[Antiliar]

Everyone must show their shiny buttons or else no entry to the conference! LOL

[BeatiPaoli]

To Ed: Very interesting find! Wonder if there are any reports of any meetings of "hoodlums" in any of the area newspapers or local police reports anywhere around that time period?

Regards,
BeatiPaoli