Chicago Outfit Making Ceremony, 1983

[Villain]

Yeah, I always thought the succession went Buccieri-Torello-Ferriola-Infelise, but Nick C saying Ferriola wasn't a capo seems to contradict that stance. You would think that if someone succeeded a guy as powerful as Turk was that he'd be a capo but the Nick C statement just casts sole shades of doubt on that idea.

Notice that when Nick first says that Ferriola wasn't a capo was when Torello was alive. Later, when Black Sam was boss, Nick wasn't sure if DiFronzo was a capo or underboss. Ferriola was, at that time, just a "money maker." Scarpelli in his 302 said that when Black Sam was the boss he also wasn't sure who the underboss was. He thought it could have been Ferriola. He said that Ferriola headed his crew in Cicero, James LaPietra a crew around 26th Street, DiFronzo headed EP, and Vincent Solano the North Side crew. He added that Tocco was the boss of Chicago Heights and Louis Eboli succeeded Joe Lombardo in Grand Avenue, but he didn't know who replaced him after he died.

We also have the testimony of others who support the fact that Ferriola was a capo or "street boss" of a crew. BJ Jahoda testified that Rocky Infelice succeeded Ferriola to head the crew in agreement with what Scarpelli said. Joseph Granata testified that Ferriola was the boss of the Cicero crew. When Ken Eto testified earlier in the 1980s while Accardo, Aiuppa and Cerone were in the top positions, he stated that Ferriola was a territorial boss and so were Solano, Pilotto, Lombardo and La Pietra. He didn't mention DiFronzo and may have been unaware of him.

I think we can conclude that most of what they knew was what they were told, and they were told this on a need to know basis. They probably didn't ask questions since that would make them look suspicious. But based on the preponderance of the evidence I would have to say that Ferriola was indeed a capo after Torello and before Infelice. I suspect Nick was unaware of Ferriola's promotion and never asked, so he relied on older information that was never updated.

I'm inclined to agree but wouldn't Ferriola have sponsored Infelise if he was a capo at the time? Infelise never had any real history with LaPietra but was described as a Ferriola subordinate since before his making. On the other hand, Ferriola wasn't a healthy man so I suppose that could explain his absence.

He looked quite healthy at Ortenzi's funeral or on those pics with Carlisi and Marcello. Maybe LaPietra represented the Ferriola crew too at the ceremony because of their long relation. Later similar story was with Spano and Monteleone, meaning the latter one was Spanos boss and also boss of the Outfit, according to Spano himself. Government investigations reported that some of Spano’s lieutenants were often seen being in association with Monteleone, and also Spano, Caruso Jr and Monteleone being often seen together in Oak Lawn. Even though they represented two crews, in reality they were still one group or faction or whatever.

[Villain]

.....in addition to my previous post, few days after Ortenzi's funeral, both Solano and Ferriola held a meeting with Carlisi, who in turn still wasn’t on the FBI’s “most wanted” list at the time. Theres no doubt that Ferriola held a high status (capo) within the Outfit. Besides parts of Cicero and the South Side, he also entered the Chi Heights area and controlled Lake County on the North Side.

[PolackTony]

Personally, it’s hard to accept that as important a crew as the Buccieri crew would go years without a capo appointed. Unless there’s a “sleeper” who was at least acting as capo, I think that the most parsimonious explanation is that Joe Nicol’ was probably bumped up upon Turk’s death. Antiliar raises a good point: Nick Calabrese’s statement about Ferriola being just a soldier direct with the admin may very well be outdated info. For whatever reason, Ferriola wasn’t present at Nick’s ceremony (with LaPietra standing in as “godfather” for Infelise) and I think it’s plausible that when he was made no one briefed him in any formal sense as to who all of the capos were. As we know, Nick couldn’t even say if Eboli was a capo. Apart from compartmentalization between the crews, Nick was not exactly a go-getter — even though he was a made guy he functioned as a soldier for his brother.

Speaking of Eboli. It’s interesting that Grand Ave didn’t have anyone representing them in the ‘83 ceremony. They didn’t have anyone inducted then, but neither did EP and DiFronzo was still present. This I think may go to further suggest that Pagliacc’ kept his formal status of capo after being imprisoned. Sometime between ‘83 and and the Spilotro murders Lombardo was probably officially demoted and Eboli bumped up, hence thr Mooch’s presence at what was ostensibly a making ceremony. My understanding is that Carlisi hated Lombardo and kept him on the shelf, whereas Aiuppa was said to have had a lot of affection for Lombardo. Maybe there’s some info that I’m forgetting at the moment, but I think it’s likely that Lombardo kept his capo status until Carlisi demoted him and put Eboli in place. Hence Eboli being present at the Spilotro mock ceremony but not in ‘83.

[B.]

What's known about Palermo's early background? Don't know if I've seen his name before.

Reading about this ceremony has a heaviness to it. Felt that way the entire time I was reading Coen's book years back too.

[PolackTony]

Reading about this ceremony has a heaviness to it. Felt that way the entire time I was reading Coen's book years back too.

In both cases, one (speaking for myself, at least) gets the sense of peeking into the window of something deep and dark, something both very secretive and malevolent. FS and Nick Calabrese's testimony was the only real window that we've had like that onto the inner-core of the mafia in Chicago.

[Snakes]

What's known about Palermo's early background? Don't know if I've seen his name before.

Reading about this ceremony has a heaviness to it. Felt that way the entire time I was reading Coen's book years back too.

He was originally from the Bridgeport neighborhood on the Southside of Chicago where he became acquainted with Jimmy Catuara. Sometime in the 1940s, he moved to Calumet City and successfully ran Outfit operations there for several years before legal crackdowns prompted his relocation to South Holland, another southern Cook County suburb. Palermo was known to be Al Pilotto's top lieutenant after the latter took over the Heights territory upon Frank LaPorte's death in 1972. Palermo was a field rep for the Laborers Local No. 5, whose president was Al Pilotto. Pilotto was imprisoned in 1982 and Palermo took over the Heights territory, although he was known to be suffering from some serious health ailments. This may have prompted Al Tocco's later ascension to boss of the territory, although Palermo was thought by some informants to be the true power in the Heights. Whatever the case may have been, Palermo was well enough to assist in the Spilotro brothers' burials at 68 years old and upon Tocco's imprisonment in 1989, he once again claimed the top spot in the Heights until his own imprisonment in 1991.

[B.]

Excellent, thank you. If I have the right one he had Calabrian heritage, I'm sure Tony can confirm.

[PolackTony]

What's known about Palermo's early background? Don't know if I've seen his name before.

Reading about this ceremony has a heaviness to it. Felt that way the entire time I was reading Coen's book years back too.

He was originally from the Bridgeport neighborhood on the Southside of Chicago where he became acquainted with Jimmy Catuara. Sometime in the 1940s, he moved to Calumet City and successfully ran Outfit operations there for several years before legal crackdowns prompted his relocation to South Holland, another southern Cook County suburb. Palermo was known to be Al Pilotto's top lieutenant after the latter took over the Heights territory upon Frank LaPorte's death in 1972. Palermo was a field rep for the Laborers Local No. 5, whose president was Al Pilotto. Pilotto was imprisoned in 1982 and Palermo took over the Heights territory, although he was known to be suffering from some serious health ailments. This may have prompted Al Tocco's later ascension to boss of the territory, although Palermo was thought by some informants to be the true power in the Heights. Whatever the case may have been, Palermo was well enough to assist in the Spilotro brothers' burials at 68 years old and upon Tocco's imprisonment in 1989, he once again claimed the top spot in the Heights until his own imprisonment in 1991.

Thanks for the info. Maybe my info is off, but I have Palermo as having grown up by Taylor St. According to the death index, the Dominick Palermo who died April 10, 2005 was born January 5th (my birthday, BTW), 1918. The birth certificate for the Dominick Palermo born on that date states that he was born in Chicago to Eugene Palermo and Rose "Calandani". The MN death index entry for him (as he died in 2005 in the Mayo Clinic) also confirms that his parents were named Eugene and Rose. I believe that Eugene was Eugenio Palermo, born 1883 in San Fili, Cosenza, Calabria, while his mother was Maria Rosa Colantonio, born in Chicago in 1891 to Italian parents (the surname is most common in Lazio and Abruzzo, but I don't have more to go on for her). The family lived at several addresses in the Taylor St area before moving farther west to West Garfield Park. The 1940 census (with Dominick still listed as living at home) had the family residing on Polk near Cicero. Following that, Dom Palermo was married in Calumet City in 1954, so I suspect that whether it was via Catuara or another means, he may have already been operating in the South Suburbs by that point. He also had a brother who was married in NW Indiana, suggesting further links to the south suburban area.

The notion that Palermo was the real power in the Heights crew after Pilotto was imprisoned is certainly supported by the fact that Palermo sponsored Tocco for membership.

Excellent, thank you. If I have the right one he had Calabrian heritage, I'm sure Tony can confirm.

See above.

[B.]

Thanks for confirming.

[Snakes]

I don't think he relocated to Calumet City until at least the mid-1940s as he appears in a 1944 lineup photo with Albert Frabotta. This photo is in Matt Luzi's book on the Heights and is described as being taken "before" Palermo relocated to Calumet City. He also formerly owned a liquor store (W 34th St) and a restaurant/bar (S Halsted & W 42nd), both on the Southside in the Bridgeport area.

[Villain]

Personally, it’s hard to accept that as important a crew as the Buccieri crew would go years without a capo appointed. Unless there’s a “sleeper” who was at least acting as capo, I think that the most parsimonious explanation is that Joe Nicol’ was probably bumped up upon Turk’s death. Antiliar raises a good point: Nick Calabrese’s statement about Ferriola being just a soldier direct with the admin may very well be outdated info. For whatever reason, Ferriola wasn’t present at Nick’s ceremony (with LaPietra standing in as “godfather” for Infelise) and I think it’s plausible that when he was made no one briefed him in any formal sense as to who all of the capos were. As we know, Nick couldn’t even say if Eboli was a capo. Apart from compartmentalization between the crews, Nick was not exactly a go-getter — even though he was a made guy he functioned as a soldier for his brother.

Nicely said and I personally agree but we also must not forget two things.

One...LaPietra allegedly took over Carusos crew sometime around 1977/78 while Torello was still alive. We know that LaPietra was still Torellos lieutenant during the transfer and I dont know if he was instantly bumped to a capo but we know that LaPietra instantly built that huge mansion, a sign I believe that showed his new status and power, BUT I highly doubt that he was disconnected from Torello and probably didnt have a higher status than him.

Second....investigation shows that after Torellos death in 1979, there were allegedly some tensions between Ferriola and LaPietra. Now, if LaPietra was already a capo of the newly created Chinatown crew and Ferriola simply inherited the Cicero part of the old Buccieri-Torello group, then why would they quarrel right after Torellos death? Investigators further stated that Ferriola was allegedly pushed back and that LaPietra took over Torellos position? We know that Torello was already a capo in 1973 but it seems later he controlled two crews (one in Cicero and later another in Chinatown). So maybe they were fighting regarding who was going to take control over the two crews? And so what was Torellos exact position? He had higher status than a "simple" capo? Maybe this can explain on why LaPietra sponsored Ferriolas top lieutenant?

[ChicagoOutfit]

Great info thanks everyone

[Pete]

A question that came to mind. Has it ever been thought that Frank Calabrese sponsored anyone for membership? I ask because, in one of the transcripts for Frank Jr and Sr's prison conversations, Frank Sr mentions a "tall fella" and then tells Jr "that's my godson". Maybe he's just talking in code, but I presume that if the guy he was referring to was his actual godson, Frank Jr wouldn't have to be told who he was. Anyone recall who Frank Sr may have been referring to as the "tall fella" who was his "godson"? IIRC this was during a convo where Sr mentioned "Rota" ("Tires" in Italian).

Nick ferriola is Frank sr godson but he’s not tall but Frank would purposely say for instance if someone was short he would say the tall guy or refer to guys as girls etc basically the opposite. His godson Nick ferriola would visit him often in prison

[Pete]

Also for the record I asked Frank jr about ferriola being sr godson he didn’t want to answer that probably because he doesn’t talk much about anyone present day. The reason I was curious is cuz I never heard of sr and joe ferriola being close so I was curious but they literally lived a street over from each other so I didn’t know if maybe they were close

[PolackTony]

Also for the record I asked Frank jr about ferriola being sr godson he didn’t want to answer that probably because he doesn’t talk much about anyone present day. The reason I was curious is cuz I never heard of sr and joe ferriola being close so I was curious but they literally lived a street over from each other so I didn’t know if maybe they were close

Thanks for the info there, Pete. That makes sense (the “tall” fella).