Phil Bacino Associates Question

[cavita]

Question for the experts:
I've been reading the New Jersey posts about Riberesi men and got me thinkgin about Bacino's dealings. In November 1940 Phil Bacino was one 19 men accused of conspiring to defraud the government of $147,000 through alcohol tax evasion. Federal authorities said the gang manufactured and distributed illicit alcohol in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. Their operations reportedly centered in Calumet City according to authorities but the case was tried in Michigan because most of the alcohol was distributed there. My question is, of the following men involved, whatever became of them, what are their correct names as some were probably spelled wrong and were any of them members in Chicago and what became of them?

August Abate, 22, Calumet City
Philip Bacino, 38, Calumet City
Giuseppe Farara, 45, Calumet City
Andrew Triolo, 35, Calumet City
Joseph Grisafi, 35, Calumet City
Sam Mundo, 23, Calumet City
Mike Graziona, 49, Calumet City
Joseph Spiewak, 29, Calumet City
Mike Plizote, 38, Gary, Indiana (probably Palazotto)
Joseph Feinhandler, 44, Chicago
Frank Forestieri, 36, Benton Harbor, Michigan
Angelo Amedo, 49, Chicago
Joe Barbesi, 42, Chicago
Casper Roman, 33, Toledo, Ohio
Angelo Spiller, 26, Chicago
James Anastase, 37, Rockford
Ed Faron, 22, Chicago

[B.]

Triolo is a Riberese name. Related to the Giacobbes of the DeCavalcantes and others in NJ. Phil Bacino listed his arrival contact in NYC as "uncle" Carmelo Giacobbe, whose wife was a Triolo. Could easily be a connection there with the Chicago one.

Grisafi is also a name from that area. Mainly from Caltabellotta, a village that neighbors Ribera and where Riberese Chicago boss (and close Bacino associate) Pasquale LoLordo's wife's family is from, as well as DeCavalcante figures. A lot of crossover in names between Burgio, Caltabellotta, and Ribera... Phil Bacino's cousins were from Burgio.

None of the other names jump out offhand.

[cavita]

Triolo is a Riberese name. Related to the Giacobbes of the DeCavalcantes and others in NJ. Phil Bacino listed his arrival contact in NYC as "uncle" Carmelo Giacobbe, whose wife was a Triolo. Could easily be a connection there with the Chicago one.

Grisafi is also a name from that area. Mainly from Caltabellotta, a village that neighbors Ribera and where Riberese Chicago boss (and close Bacino associate) Pasquale LoLordo's wife's family is from, as well as DeCavalcante figures. A lot of crossover in names between Burgio, Caltabellotta, and Ribera... Phil Bacino's cousins were from Burgio.

None of the other names jump out offhand.

Awesome as always right off the top of your head B.
Thanks!

[B.]

Mike "Plizote" might also be phonetic for Palazzolo, like the Gary mafia leader Paolo Palazzolo from Cinisi. Paolo Palazzolo attended the 1928 Cleveland meeting along with LoLordo and Bacino, so along with the Cal City / Indiana connection that's another possible tie.

[cavita]

Definitely. I wish the newspapers at the time did a little more investigative work. It makes it frustrating for us 21st century researchers!

[B.]

Definitely. I wish the newspapers at the time did a little more investigative work. It makes it frustrating for us 21st century researchers!

You mean everyone killed in 1928 wasn't fallout from the Frankie Yale murder???

[cavita]

Definitely. I wish the newspapers at the time did a little more investigative work. It makes it frustrating for us 21st century researchers!

You mean everyone killed in 1928 wasn't fallout from the Frankie Yale murder???

Yes, exactly! LOL

[Antiliar]

There was a Joe Grisafe killed along with Jimmy Marcello's father in 1973 by Sam Rantis. Joe Grisafe was born in 1939, so obviously it can't be him, but could be a distant relative. Joe Grisafe's grandfather Angelo was from Santa Caterina, Sicily. He did have a son named Joseph born in 1907, but he died in Pennsylvania in 1939. So no luck with the immediate family.

[PolackTony]

There was a Joe Grisafe killed along with Jimmy Marcello's father in 1973 by Sam Rantis. Joe Grisafe was born in 1939, so obviously it can't be him, but could be a distant relative. Joe Grisafe's grandfather Angelo was from Santa Caterina, Sicily. He did have a son named Joseph born in 1907, but he died in Pennsylvania in 1939. So no luck with the immediate family.

I believe that the original spelling of the surname was Grizzaffi? There were several other Grizzaffis/Grisafes (etc) around Chicago, some from several towns in Agrigento, others from Chiusa Sclafani, others possibly from Corleone. From my info the father of the Angelo Grisafe who was the grandfather of the Joe Grisafe killed with Sam Marcello was a Giuseppe Grisafe from Caltabellotta, connecting back to B’s note.

Incidentally, Jackie Cerone’s younger sister Geraldine married a Grizafi.

[B.]

Tried to see if August Abate was related to Frank Abbate/Alo/Agrusa who attended the 1928 Cleveland meeting alongside Bacino, as Abbate also operated in the Cal City / Indiana area, but looks like these Abates always used the spelling with one "b". Couldn't trace his father Sam Abate. Still could be a connection, just didn't see anything obvious.

Cavita -- Lennert has some Triolos involved in early Rockford. Do you know about them?

[Villain]

There used to be one Outfit "member" Joseph Mundo/Mondo who i think was killed during the 1940s and was also the nephew of Jimmy Adduci and member of the Mangano group. It is possible that Josephs father was also Sam Mundo so maybe theres some relation to that other C City Sam Mundo...

[cavita]

Tried to see if August Abate was related to Frank Abbate/Alo/Agrusa who attended the 1928 Cleveland meeting alongside Bacino, as Abbate also operated in the Cal City / Indiana area, but looks like these Abates always used the spelling with one "b". Couldn't trace his father Sam Abate. Still could be a connection, just didn't see anything obvious.

Cavita -- Lennert has some Triolos involved in early Rockford. Do you know about them?

Yes, the Triolo's were fringe players early on and there were also Triola's as well. Originally I had confused the two but they are separate.

[B.]

Tried to see if August Abate was related to Frank Abbate/Alo/Agrusa who attended the 1928 Cleveland meeting alongside Bacino, as Abbate also operated in the Cal City / Indiana area, but looks like these Abates always used the spelling with one "b". Couldn't trace his father Sam Abate. Still could be a connection, just didn't see anything obvious.

Cavita -- Lennert has some Triolos involved in early Rockford. Do you know about them?

Yes, the Triolo's were fringe players early on and there were also Triola's as well. Originally I had confused the two but they are separate.

Are they from Ribera? From what I could see the Triolos in Rockford are def from Agrigento but don't know enough to pinpoint.

[cavita]

Tried to see if August Abate was related to Frank Abbate/Alo/Agrusa who attended the 1928 Cleveland meeting alongside Bacino, as Abbate also operated in the Cal City / Indiana area, but looks like these Abates always used the spelling with one "b". Couldn't trace his father Sam Abate. Still could be a connection, just didn't see anything obvious.

Cavita -- Lennert has some Triolos involved in early Rockford. Do you know about them?

Yes, the Triolo's were fringe players early on and there were also Triola's as well. Originally I had confused the two but they are separate.

Are they from Ribera? From what I could see the Triolos in Rockford are def from Agrigento but don't know enough to pinpoint.

I'll try and check in the next day or two. I want to say for some reason one or the other was connected to Tony Basile, Rockford LCN member.

[B.]

Thanks, man. Curious since you've talked about guys from Ribera coming to Rockford from Sicily in later decades.