Joe Bonanno’s attempted takeover?

[B.]

Corallo told Ricciardi they "forgot" the gun and knife. Another excuse they've used is they don't want to get caught by LE at an obvious ceremony with the gun, knife, etc. in case of a raid. But if they skipped the full ceremony pre-1957 they would need another justification as the ceremony wasn't widely known and there was less heat.

Makes sense Massino wouldn't do the ceremony given that's how he was made, but curious about guys like Galante. He made a lot of guys in the 1970s the informal way, but what about his own induction? It's a bold move to stop doing the ceremony given how much hype there is around it.

You'd think they'd just stick to one approach haha... funny to imagine a bunch of members comparing notes and everyone was inducted a different way.

[thekiduknow]

The Bonannos would do the arm locking thing and would lay out the rules the same way other families do, so they kept some of it. But, would be interesting to ask any of the Bonanno guys if they felt they “missed out” not getting inducted with the full ceremony, or if they didn’t care.

Given that Gotti had the DeCavalcantes remake some guys, I wonder if he knew about the Bonannos. If he didn’t and found out, could lead to a weird situation where he could argue that a lot of the leadership at the time couldn’t be recognized. But maybe because he was close to Massino, it wouldn’t have mattered.

[Wiseguy]

Either it has meaning or no meaning.

[JoelTurner]

I wonder why some people got the full ceremony and others didn’t.

I had no idea Gotti had the DeCavs remake people. I didn’t even realize that was a thing

[Wiseguy]

I wonder why some people got the full ceremony and others didn’t.

I had no idea Gotti had the DeCavs remake people. I didn’t even realize that was a thing

Listen to me. They make anybody and everybody over there. And the way that they do it, it's all fucked up. Guys don't get their finger pricked. There's no sword and gun on the table...

[johnny_scootch]

I wonder why some people got the full ceremony and others didn’t.

I had no idea Gotti had the DeCavs remake people. I didn’t even realize that was a thing

https://lcnbios.blogspot.com/2018/01/de ... ction.html

[PolackTony]

In casual conversation, B and I have discussed the possibility that Bonanno could plausibly have attempted to meddle in Chicago’s affairs. Not that Bonanno had “hit squads” of his own in Chicago (that would’ve gone about as well as anyone could predict, lol), but that it’s conceivable that Bonanno may have played some role in stirring the pot during the apparent 1940s conflict in Chicago. The conflict was ostensibly centered on control of the Grande Cheese company in WI, though a later Chicago CI (associate Teddy DeRose) claimed that the events were a failed attempt by a dissident faction to wrest control of the family from its ruling leadership (at the time, Accardo, as Ricca was locked up in CA). From the work that Antiliar and others have done on these events (dubbed the “Cheese War”), the tentative theory is that a faction of Sicilian Chicago members may have tried to take over the Outfit and were killed (apart from Jim DeGeorge, who was forced out as capodecina and exiled to WI for some time). Vincenzo Benevento, referred to as “the Don” by DeRose, seems to have been the ringleader. Potential Bonanno influence enters into the matter in that Grande Cheese was taken over by John DiBella, who of course remained as a Bonanno member operating out of WI. We know that even in later decades the Milwaukee Outfit retained ties to the Bonannos, with the context for that connection presumably going back at least as far as the 1940s. Further, Benevento was from Partanna, and the Bonannos had a number of Partannese members.

To be clear, there is no evidence that Bonanno actively supported or fomented an uprising in Chicago, just that some of the connections are there to make it plausible. Even in his memoir, it’s clear that Bonanno still nursed a grudge against Chicago; in my reading (between the lines) this was probably due to both old enmities from the Cast War as well as tensions over control and influence in the Western US. It can’t have helped matters that Chicago and the Genovese formed a bloc, the “liberal” faction, on the Commission that opposed Bonanno and his allies for decades. Bonanno was certainly crafty and conniving enough to try to pull a move against Chicago, and a Chicago admin run by a faction allied to him would’ve been a major W and feather in his cap.

So when I come across some info, factual/accurate or not, claiming that Bonanno had something going on in Chicago, this is the context that I relate it to. As the cited info claimed that Bonanno also had some link to KC, worth noting that DeRose claimed that the rebel faction in Chicago had appealed to KC for support. It’s a good possibility that Nick DeJohn was one of the rebels; if so, that’s probably why he was killed. Nick DeJohn’s father was a DiGiovanni from Palazzo Adriano, and thus possibly related to the DiGiovanni brothers in KC, who were from neighboring Chiusa Sclafani. But the Bonanno family was also tied to a number of guys with ancestry from Palazzo (Tony Canzoneri, the Gallos, Palazzo links in Colorado and Birmingham). So again, the potential connections were there, at least.

[JoelTurner]

I wonder why some people got the full ceremony and others didn’t.

I had no idea Gotti had the DeCavs remake people. I didn’t even realize that was a thing

https://lcnbios.blogspot.com/2018/01/de ... ction.html

That’s pretty funny

[B.]

You also have the 1958 Giancana/Accardo tape where Accardo flies off the handle over Bonanno's Arizona activity and then he goes into the politics of Commission votes. Then in the early 1960s Balistrieri was scolded by Giancana for doing a favor for Bonanno in Wisconsin without telling his Commission rep (Giancana). Bonanno was disliked by the 1950s/60s Chicago leadership, which are the same guys from the Cheese War.

Question is when Bonanno started his national meddling.

- By the early 1950s his activities in Montreal upset Magaddino who felt his position in Canada wasn't being respected, though not clear that he formally infringed on anything in Canada at that time.
- By 1961 Bonanno starts actively plotting against the LA leadership, confirmed by the LA CIs.
- Early 1960s he allegedly inducted members in Ontario without approval, a direct violation of Buffalo's jurisdiction.
- He allegedly plots with Magliocco to kill Gambino and Lucchese in the early 1960s too.
- Even after being shelved the Arizona informants reported how he continued scheming to take over the Bay Area Families.

Would make sense he played it safe in the 1930s in the wake of Maranzano's murder and the war but at some point Bonanno felt comfortable messing with other Families.

Obviously 1940s Chicago is just a conversation point not something that can be proved, but if he supported the Benevento faction in the 1940s he may have been hoping to get a Commission ally in Chicago. He was obsessed with Commission votes/alliances in his book and the Benevento guys would have fit in more with the traditionalists like Bonanno than the Accardo/Ricca regime would, who were aligned with the Genovese.

Along with DiBella and Bonanno taking a piece of Grande Cheese, Phil Candela of the Madison Family was one of the owners and his FBI file says he was close to Bonanno. Regardless of Bonanno's involvement in the Cheese War, the Grande Cheese connection alone indirectly links him to these events. The Benevento situation also may have required Commission involvement so he would have been involved on that end too.

Also interesting DeJohn fled to San Francisco, as that Family was represented on the Commission by Bonanno.

Mafia wars in those days almost always involved the different factions getting support from other national Families, so if the Benevento faction petitioned other US bosses for political support I'd put Bonanno at the top of the candidate list. Joe Profaci too given his alliance with Bonanno and history in Chicago.

Great post.

[JoelTurner]

So this would be the timeline:

March 18 1943- Paul Ricca and other top outfit members are indicted for the Hollywood extortion scheme

December 6 1943- Thomas Oneglia, part owner of Grande Cheese, is killed.

After Dec. 6 1943- Ross Prio, general manager of Grande Cheese, is called for questioning but goes missing.

December 22 1943- Ricca and Co. are convicted.

February 24 1944- James DeAngelo, connected to Grande Cheese, goes missing. His corpse was found on March 11.

February 25 1944- Onofrio Vitale, cheese maker for Grande Cheese, goes missing. His corpse was found on April 5th.

March 2 1944-Sam Gervase, a close friend of Oneglia, is killed.

December 28 1945- Vincent Benevento is shot several times but survives.

September 21 1946- Vincent Benevento is killed.

May 7 1947-Nick DeJohn goes missing in California. His corpse was found on May 9th.

——————-

Joe Bonanno said: “The cheese plant had been the source of contention between rival groups in Chicago. These people played rough, and fighting broke out.” He and DiBella appear to have been involved with Grande Cheese at least till the mid-60s.

An interpretation would be that the Grande Cheese sensed an opening with the leadership under indictment. Something happened over summer ‘43 and then a bunch of them get killed.

At the end of the day, this group got taken care of and Bonanno/DiBella wind up with Grande Cheese.

Did Bonanno have any ties to Ross Prio or other people from his group?

[JoelTurner]

- By the early 1950s his activities in Montreal upset Magaddino who felt his position in Canada wasn't being respected, though not clear that he formally infringed on anything in Canada at that time.
- By 1961 Bonanno starts actively plotting against the LA leadership, confirmed by the LA CIs.
- Early 1960s he allegedly inducted members in Ontario without approval, a direct violation of Buffalo's jurisdiction.
- He allegedly plots with Magliocco to kill Gambino and Lucchese in the early 1960s too.
- Even after being shelved the Arizona informants reported how he continued scheming to take over the Bay Area Families.

Looking at that list, it’s like he was going around the country trying to start problems. You’re right, it would be important to figure out when Bonanno started doing this.

Outside of a speculative involvement in the “Cheese War”, the first provable incident is the expansion into Montreal. Carmine Galante showed up in 1953, but what were they doing before?

Wikipedia says that Vic Cotroni, future Bonanno Captain, was involved in crime since the late 1920s. Were the guys in Montreal associates of the Buffalo family or were they just independent Italian criminals?

[PolackTony]

So this would be the timeline:

March 18 1943- Paul Ricca and other top outfit members are indicted for the Hollywood extortion scheme

December 6 1943- Thomas Oneglia, part owner of Grande Cheese, is killed.

After Dec. 6 1943- Ross Prio, general manager of Grande Cheese, is called for questioning but goes missing.

December 22 1943- Ricca and Co. are convicted.

February 24 1944- James DeAngelo, connected to Grande Cheese, goes missing. His corpse was found on March 11.

February 25 1944- Onofrio Vitale, cheese maker for Grande Cheese, goes missing. His corpse was found on April 5th.

March 2 1944-Sam Gervase, a close friend of Oneglia, is killed.

December 28 1945- Vincent Benevento is shot several times but survives.

September 21 1946- Vincent Benevento is killed.

May 7 1947-Nick DeJohn goes missing in California. His corpse was found on May 9th.

——————-

Joe Bonanno said: “The cheese plant had been the source of contention between rival groups in Chicago. These people played rough, and fighting broke out.” He and DiBella appear to have been involved with Grande Cheese at least till the mid-60s.

An interpretation would be that the Grande Cheese sensed an opening with the leadership under indictment. Something happened over summer ‘43 and then a bunch of them get killed.

At the end of the day, this group got taken care of and Bonanno/DiBella wind up with Grande Cheese.

Did Bonanno have any ties to Ross Prio or other people from his group?

Other likely linked murders were Lorenzo “Dago Lawrence” Mangano (killed 1944 in Chicago) and Vitale’s paesan’ and partner down in Cal City Frank Abbate, aka Agrusa, aka Alo (killed 1944 in Arkansas).

Regarding Bonanno ties to Prio, I’m unaware of any. Worth noting, however, that Chicago member Giuseppe Priola (father of Rockford member Phil Priola) may have been a relative of Prio and was from Ficarazzi, which of course borders Villabate where Joe Profaci was from. In turn, Profaci in the 20s lived and worked in the Near Northside Little Sicily neighborhood where Priola lived and where Prio and his guys (the “three Doms”) came up. So there’s the possibility of a connection there, at least. Worth noting that per CI DeRose’s account, Prio and his guys had initially been with the upstart faction but then betrayed them and sided with the Accardo admin. Thus, Prio became capodecina after Oneglia and DeJohn were clipped and DeGeorge exiled.

[MSFRD]

Not that he wasn’t an effective and influential boss but Bonanno’s interference and meddling in families all over the U.S can be attributed to his delusions of grandeur. He rubbed too many people the wrong way and he fucked himself with the Commission plot in the early 60s. The way he speaks in his autobiography as if he was a member of the aristocracy of a medieval kingdom made me laugh.

[B.]

Looking at that list, it’s like he was going around the country trying to start problems. You’re right, it would be important to figure out when Bonanno started doing this.

Outside of a speculative involvement in the “Cheese War”, the first provable incident is the expansion into Montreal. Carmine Galante showed up in 1953, but what were they doing before?

Wikipedia says that Vic Cotroni, future Bonanno Captain, was involved in crime since the late 1920s. Were the guys in Montreal associates of the Buffalo family or were they just independent Italian criminals?

An Agrigento colony existed in Montreal shortly after the turn of the century from what I've been able to find. Gentile and Cucuzzella went there around WWI. Cucuzzella had relatives there from Ribera, including LoLordos (Cucuzzella was a cousin of the Chicago/DeCav LoLordos), and there were immigrants there from Gentile's hometown Siculiana. It's likely there were mafiosi in Montreal back then but who they were and which group(s) they were affiliated with is another question.

There were also Castellammarese in Montreal but to my knowledge the Montreal decina never had any members from there. After Maranzano was murdered in 1931 Joe Bonanno's first cousin Giuseppe Silinonte took a trip to Montreal but could be a coincidence -- he was a bootlegger active with the Castellammarese mafia group in Endicott at the time. It's been said for years that Maranzano sent his family to stay in Montreal during the war but not sure that's been substantiated (he did own property in Ontario where he lived for a time). Joe Bonanno also passed through Montreal some years after he became boss but it was long before the decina was formed.

I don't know about the non-Sicilians some of whom apparently had ties to their own groups, but I suspect there was a Sicilian mafia element in Montreal already that opened the door for the Bonanno decina to form. No proof, obviously, but the mafia very rarely makes "cold calls" when establishing itself in places and usually uses existing nodes in the network. Based on the patterns of other mafia outposts, this is more likely to me than Carmine Galante showing up in Montreal cold and forcing a bunch of random Italians to work for him. Probably a little of both.

Paolo Violi may have been a Buffalo associate before he moved to Montreal, as he was around the Luppinos in Ontario before that. We don't know the names of the alleged Bonanno members who got poached in Ontario but there were apparently a number of them based on the Magaddino tapes. Bonanno not only infringed on Magaddino's jurisdiction but inducted them "illegally" without Commission approval.

[JoelTurner]

in the Near Northside Little Sicily neighborhood where Priola lived and where Prio and his guys (the “three Doms”) came up. So there’s the possibility of a connection there, at least. Worth noting that per CI DeRose’s account, Prio and his guys had initially been with the upstart faction but then betrayed them and sided with the Accardo admin. Thus, Prio became capodecina after Oneglia and DeJohn were clipped and DeGeorge exiled.

Do we know who this group came up with as in Capone or someone else? I know that Joe Aiello was on the North Side. If they had come up with him, they may have been less inclined to support Capone’s guys like Accardo/Ricca especially when they sensed an opportunity.