Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

[PolackTony]

Rappresentante Rosario Dispenza was born in Ciminna in 1869 to Nicola Dispenza and Vera Ganci. In 1899, Rosario arrived at NYC bound for Chicago, with his wife Francesca Spatafora (b. ~1872), daughter Vita (b. 1895), and son Nicola (b. 1897), all born in Ciminna. They were bound for a man named Matteo (surname illegible) who lived on Milton Ave in Little Sicily; Rosario stated that he was his brother-in-law.

As noted above, daughter Vita married Bartolo Morreale of Bagheria. Son Nicola, who went by Nicholas R. Dispenza, dropped out of school after 1 year of high school and worked in industrial jobs as a young man. By 1930, he was working as a real estate agent. In that same year he founded Downtown Parking Stations, Inc., which controlled important parking facilities in the Loop for decades; Dispenza was also an executive of the Central Parking council, a business association of major Loop parking garage and lot owners. In 1940, police questioned Dispenza as a person of interest in the shooting of Benjamin Kissel, who owned 16 Loop lots. Kissel was shot in his apartment; police believed that the motive lay in the shady Loop parking business, as Kissel's wife was unmolested in the attack while wearing $4000 worth of diamonds. Kissel, who had pulled himself out of the Parking council 6 months prior to the shooting, told police that Dispenza had threatened him over the phone recently. At the time of the shooting, Kissel was said to have been trying to open a new lot that would threaten to pull business from one of Dispenza's facilities. Dispenza denied making any threats and was never charged in connection with the shooting. The papers noted that since opening his parking company, Dispenza had come to own or control valuable Loop property.

Despite this incident, Dispenza went on to become a major figure in Chicago's Italian, business, and philanthropic communities. In the 1950s, Dispenza held events with the leadership of the Italo-American National Union (the "Unione Siciliana"), then under the control of outfit member Joseph Imburgio Bulger, and was a personal associate of Giacomo Profili, Italian Consul General in Chicago. Dispenza also sat on the executive board of the Lyric Opera and was a trustee of DePaul University. Nicholas R. Dispenza died in Chicago in 1981 (see Mugshots).


EDIT: Worth noting that for many years, the Loop parking business was reputed to have been controlled by outfit-connected interests. Gus Alex, Frank Ferraro, and Ricca son-in-law Alex Ben Ponzio all owned or controlled Loop parking facilities. Additionally, Angelo Franzone, brother of possible Chicago capo Jimmy Franzone, was apparently pulling in a nice income while ostensibly working as a Loop parking attendant.

To add to this, in 1921, Nicholas R Dispenza was busted for a $700k robbery of a post office in Toledo, OH. He got caught in Chicago selling stolen bonds from the robbery. By 1925, he was in the Chicago papers making real estate deals.

[Pogo The Clown]

To add to this, in 1921, Nicholas R Dispenza was busted for a $700k robbery of a post office in Toledo, OH.

That's a fucking score.


Pogo

[PolackTony]

Haven't looked into him, but the Sam DiSpenza (b. 1899) of Elmwood Park who was close to Frank Zito of Springfield brought to mind both this DiSpenza and the old boss Rosario -- especially because "Sam" is a common nickname for Rosario.

All I can confirm about Sam Syracuse’s stepfather was that he went by Sam R. Dispenza on his 1991 obituary. Can’t find anything else about him, not even a death record. This leads me to suspect that he was another one playing these funny name games.

Sam Syracuse’s mother was Loretta/Lauretta Conti, born in Louisiana to parents from Vallelunga and Valledolmo. As you know, Tony D’Andrea had Dispenza in his family tree, so I’ve been hoping to confirm where Sam Dispenza was from. Loretta Conti was born in 1899, so just based on age and name he could possibly be the guy who was connected to Zito. When Loretta died in 1977, she was living in Elmwood Park, and we know that her son Sam was closely tied to the Cerones.

Moved this from the “zip” thread, as it has veered away from that specific topic but seems to be opening up some very interesting connections.

The “Sam Dispenza” that was mentioned in Frank Zito’s file as connected to Springfield in 1974 was almost certainly an alias of Rosario Siragusa/Russell Syracuse, father of outfit-connected lawyer Sam Siragusa/Syracuse. Rosario Siragusa was born in 1896 in Vallelunga Pratameno, Caltanissetta, to Liborio Siragusa and Loretta Ventura of Vallelunga. They Siragusas immigrated to Chautauqua County in far western NY around 1910. There Rosario married Loretta Conti, born in Tangipahoa Parish, LA, in 1898 to Salvatore Conti of Vallelunga and Agnesa Battaglia of nearby Valledolmo, Palermo province (the same town that Chicago boss Antonino D'Andrea was from; he also had a Dispenza from Valledolmo in his family tree); the Contis moved to Chautauqua County, which had a colony of Siciliani from the border region of Caltanissetta/Palermo provinces. Sam Syracuse was born in 1924 in Falconer and grew up in Ellicott, which had a presence of Buffalo Family members from Caltanissetta. Sometime between 1930 and 1950, the Syracuse family moved from Ellicott to Chicago. In the 1950 census in Chicago, the Syracuse family gave their surname as Dispenza; mother Loretta "Dispenza" gave her marital status as “separated”, with no husband/father declared as living with the family.

My assumption had been that Loretta had separated from Russell and remarried a guy named Dispenza, who then disappeared from the scene. In her 1977 obituary, Loretta’s husband was given as Sam Dispenza. In turn, a 1991 obit for a “Sam R. Dispenza” stated the same, and gave “Dispenza” as the father of Sam Syracuse and his siblings. Yet, I was unable to find any records corresponding to this guy — no census, birth, immigration records. Even though his obit was in ‘91, no death record either (searched all over the US for Salvatore/Sam/Samuel/Rosario Dispenza).

Then I realized that Rosario Siragusa/Russell Syracuse died in Elmwood Park in ‘91, where Loretta also died in ‘77. In a 1962 wiretap, Sam Syracuse told Giancana and Cerone that he had changed his name three times, and made it clear that he had lied to the authorities by stating that his mother had remarried. One of his aliases was “Sam Dispenza”. Notably, Giancana seemed to think that Sam and his father could have some red flags in their backgrounds (the conversation concerned grooming for political office), which Syracuse seemingly affirmed by stating that if he was scrutinized publicly his personal or familial background might somehow damage “our friends”. Thus, Sam Syracuse never held office, though he worked for years as a lawyer and business partner of men such as Tony Accardo, Jack Cerone Sr and Jr, and Vince Solano (and also became the father-in-law of Detroit members Pete Tocco and Pete and Dom Corrado).

No other candidate seems to fit the Sam Dispenza of Elmwood Park who was linked to Frank Zito apart from Russell Syracuse. Zito’s file states that “Sam Dispenza” was born in 1899, while Russell Syracuse stated in the past that he was born in 1897. If he was going under an alias, however, he’d also change his birthdate. But he was the right approximate age, lived in EP, and was the father of a guy who went by “Sam Dispenza” for a period and was caught in wiretap stating that he had changed his last name by lying that his mother had remarried a different guy.

My guess is that Russel Syracuse was a mafioso with the Buffalo Fam who had to leave Western NY due to some heat. He and his family then relocated to Chicago, where they maintained the farce that his wife separated from him and married some guy named “Sam Dispenza”. The girst was done so well that I feel for it myself until I kept digging, and that's with the benefit of all sorts of archival documents at my fingertips. Sam's sister, Laura Syracuse, was even down as "Laura S. Dispenza" on her 2010 death record.

"Sam R. Dispenza's" obit from the 1991/06/27 Tribune. Matches the 1991/07/25 death record for Russell Syracuse of Elmwood Park, son listed as Sam Syracuse:



In 1954, the Springfield papers announced the marriage of Charles Salvo of Springfield to Frances Randazzo of Chicago. Charles was born in 1928 to Vincenzo "Vincent" Salvo of Castelvetrano and Calogera Scibona, born in NYC to parents from Sambuca. Vincent Salvo was a longtime figure in the inner circle of Springfield boss Frank Zito and a suspected Springfield member. Interestingly, Vincent's mother was a Tilotta from Castelvetrano, just like Accardo's mother. While I haven't confirmed the exact link, it is a very good chance that Accardo and Salvo were related. More directly germane to this post, one of the best men at Charles's wedding was noted as a Sam Dispenza of Chicago. Given the age of the couple, this had to have been Sam Syracuse when he was using the name Sam Dispenza (a la the 1950 census). The other best man was Rosario "Russell" Orlando of Chicago, who was born in 1925 in Cinisi. Charles Salvo's bride, Frances, was born in 1931 in Chicago to Antonino Randazzo of Cinisi and Maria Grazia Orlando of Balestrate; Antonino Randazzo was the brother of Francesca Randazzo, the mother of Russell Orlando. Ties to people from Cinisi could be important as well, as in the 1980s, Sam Syracuse was a partner in a real estate development company with Cerone Sr, Vince Solano, and Paolo Butera, a Chicago grocery store magnate from Cinisi long-rumored to have outfit ties.



Sam Syracuse was thus connected to the Castelvetranese Salvos of Springfield as well as to Accardo. In 1962, Syracuse was Accardo's lawyer in the trial where Accardo got his 1960 tax conviction overturned. Later in the '60s, Syracuse was often seen holding lunch meetings with Accardo and Cerone.

I think there's a strong chance that both Russell and Sam Syracuse may have been "sleeper" Chicago members. At the very least, they were clearly trusted associates in the inner circle of LCN bosses in IL. The Syracuses have been closely connected to the Chicago, Springfield, and Detroit Families and engaged for decades in shady behavior with multiple name changes. Further, the Syracuses may well have been linked to the Buffalo Family in Chautauqua County, NY, and Sam Syracuse's wife was from Acerra, Napoli. Covered in this "zips" thread already, this may also be significant given Sam Syracuse's close ties to the Cerones and Jackie Cerone Jr having been named as the liaison between Chicago LCN and Nuova Famiglia Camorra leader Antonio Spavone. Additionally, we have Carmine Esposito (quite the Acerres' name in a city like Chicago), high ranking NCO leader from Acerra, who was on the lam in Chicago during the same period. My guess is that the Syracuses were very important guys.

Further info on Sam Syracuse:

viewtopic.php?p=239351#p239351

Excerpts from the 1962 conversation between Giancana, Cerone Sr, and Sam Syracuse in the Armory Lounge. Sam notes that he has gone by the names Syracuse, Siragusa, Dispenza, and Marino. Without reading too much into it, he also uses the phrase "our friends". While this isn't enough to prove membership, it suggest to me that Syracuse at least saw himself as part of the organization:

[cavita]

I think Aiuppa's wife was a Zito. Any connection there?

[PolackTony]

I think Aiuppa's wife was a Zito. Any connection there?

Nah, coincidence. Angeline Zito was a "Trivvie", parents from Trivigno, Potenza.

[cavita]

I think Aiuppa's wife was a Zito. Any connection there?

Nah, coincidence. Angeline Zito was a "Trivvie", parents from Trivigno, Potenza.

Damn. Woulda, coulda, shoulda.

[PolackTony]

"Sam R. Dispenza's" obit from the 1991/06/27 Tribune. Matches the 1991/07/25 death record for Russell Syracuse of Elmwood Park, son listed as Sam Syracuse:

Typo in the above. Russell Syracuse died 1991/06/25, not July.

[B.]

Again a random name ends up opening a whole new door.

So just to break it down, correct me if I'm off given how confusing this web is:

- Sam "Dispenza" Siragusa Sr. was from Vallelunga and lived near Buffalo, where the local Family had strong Vallelunga members.
- Family moves to Chicago and Sam Sr. uses multiple aliases and they fake a death/divorce and remarriage.
- One of the aliases he uses is Dispenza, making his new name essentially Rosario "Sam" Dispenza like the early boss.
- Sam Jr. was involved in the wedding of likely Springfield member Vincent Salvo's kid, Salvo being from Castelvetrano and sharing the familial surname Tilotta with Tony Accardo.
- Sam Sr. was also close to Frank Zito, boss of Springfield.
- Giancana approached Sam Jr. earlier on to see if he was interested in politics, and Sam Jr. said he didn't want to hurt "our friends" if he did go into politics.
- Years later Sam Jr. meets directly with Cerone and Giancana where they again discuss Sam going into politics, with concern over him being traced to his father's true name.
- Sam Jr.'s family intermarries with the Corrados and Toccos of the Detroit Family elite.
- Sam Jr. also practiced law with Jackie Cerone Jr.

I agree they come across like possible sleeper members, at least the father. The son saying "our friends" a couple of times is clearly a reference to the organization but not as convincing as Costello's language on his tape as far as his own membership goes. Shows he was very much in tune with the Family though and his father definitely comes across like a possible member.

[PolackTony]

Again a random name ends up opening a whole new door.

So just to break it down, correct me if I'm off given how confusing this web is:

- Sam "Dispenza" Siragusa Sr. was from Vallelunga and lived near Buffalo, where the local Family had strong Vallelunga members.
- Family moves to Chicago and Sam Sr. uses multiple aliases and they fake a death/divorce and remarriage.
- One of the aliases he uses is Dispenza, making his new name essentially Rosario "Sam" Dispenza like the early boss.
- Sam Jr. was involved in the wedding of likely Springfield member Vincent Salvo's kid, Salvo being from Castelvetrano and sharing the familial surname Tilotta with Tony Accardo.
- Sam Sr. was also close to Frank Zito, boss of Springfield.
- Giancana approached Sam Jr. earlier on to see if he was interested in politics, and Sam Jr. said he didn't want to hurt "our friends" if he did go into politics.
- Years later Sam Jr. meets directly with Cerone and Giancana where they again discuss Sam going into politics, with concern over him being traced to his father's true name.
- Sam Jr.'s family intermarries with the Corrados and Toccos of the Detroit Family elite.
- Sam Jr. also practiced law with Jackie Cerone Jr.

I agree they come across like possible sleeper members, at least the father. The son saying "our friends" a couple of times is clearly a reference to the organization but not as convincing as Costello's language on his tape as far as his own membership goes. Shows he was very much in tune with the Family though and his father definitely comes across like a possible member.

You got the gist of it, yes. Sam Syracuse's father Rosario Siragusa, who Anglicized his name to Russell Syracuse, seemingly disappeared from public records after 1930 until his death in Elmwood Park in 1991. He appears in later Obits for the family as "Sam R Dispenza". The family relocated to Chicago sometime around 1940, apparently, as Sam's older brother Robert Syracuse (presumably named after Rosario's dad Liborio Siragusa) was listed as living in Chicago by 1942. In 1950, the mother and kids were all using "Dispenza" as their surname, but father Rosario/Russell was not reported as living with them.

In 1962, Sam Syracuse states that it was Cerone ("jack") who had earlier asked him about holding some political office. Syracuse reiterates that he wouldn't be a good candidate to withstand public scrutiny (lots of attention mounting in this period of outfit control of local politics and industries), and feels that if he were put under the spotlight, it might lead to outcomes that could hurt "our friends". In itself, this isn't diagnostic of membership but suggests that Sam saw himself as part of their network.

Sam Syracuse was the personal lawyer for Accardo (and represented him in the case that famously kept JB out of prison) and the Cerone family. He was then the partner of Cerone Jr when the latter became a lawyer. In the 80s, Syracuse was a business partner of Cerone Sr, Solano, and Paolo Butera. In subsequent years, he was a very prominent part of the Italian social/cultural community in Chicago. And yes, 3 of his daughters married made guys from Detroit from elite lineages. Worth keeping in mind that Tony LaPiana is from Melrose park, where Sam Syracuse lived for many years. Second, Syracuse was clearly very close to Cerone and Accardo -- Cerone protege Johnny DiFronzo was in turn personally close to Jack Tocco.

Even as an "associate", Sam Syracuse was a "sleeper". He was linked to leaders of the Family, to the Springfield Family, and to Detroit. And until Scott B mentioned him to me, I only casually recognized his name as someone ostensibly totally "civilian".

[PolackTony]

Per my info, Joseph "New York"/"Joe the Barber" LaBarbera was most likely the Joseph Anthony LaBarbera born in New Orleans in 1912 to Antonio LaBarbera and Anna Gagliano. His father best matches the Antonio LaBarbera who arrived in NOLA in 1903 and was born in 1876 in Bagheria. There are a couple of potential matches for Anna Gagliano, but none give any info more specific than "embarked at Palermo". By 1915, the LaBarberas were living in Fredonia in Chautauqua County, in far Western NY, where Antonio died in 1919. His obituary stated that he was a member of the "Fraternal Beneficial Society". Perhaps this was a compaesani society, or just a more general mutual aid society, but I wonder if it had any connections to the mafia as some such societies did. In 1920 the LaBarberas were still living in Fredonia, but by 1930 they were in Buffalo, where Joseph still lived per his WW2 draft card. My understanding is that he arrived in Chicago during the 1940s. Per his SSDI, he died in 1983 with his most recent address in Buffalo, so at some point, he returned.

If his family was from Bagheria, perhaps they had a connection to Chicago, potentially explaining how Joseph wound up there.

Thanks to B. for reminding me to look into LaBarbera again in the context of the Syracuses. Based on Buffalo and Chicago press coverage, I was able to confirm that the Chicago guy was the Joseph Anthony LaBarbera above. But, rather than having been born in NOLA, he was born in Independence, Tangipahoa Parish, LA. As noted above, he and his family subsequently moved to Chautauqua County, NY. Following the death of Joseph’s father, they relocated to Buffalo. In 1940, LaBarbera was convicted on robbery charges with some other men in Buffalo. The conviction was then overturned when LaBarbera was able to produce an alibi that placed him away from the scene of the crime. In 1942, the Buffalo papers stated that he was being held by police in Chicago when it was found that he was living there under the name “Joseph Barone”. LaBarbera was wanted in Chautauqua County for a hold up of an underground casino in a local social athletic club. I’m not positive what the disposition of that case was; his alleged accomplices were men from Buffalo.

In 1948, LaBarbera was busted in Chicago for trafficking cocaine with Northside crew member Dominic “Libby” Nuccio and Frank Borelli, an East Harlem-based Lucchese Family member with close and long-standing trafficking ties to Chicago. At the time, LaBarbera was residing at 1432 N Lasalle on the Near Northside (in Nuccio’s core territory around Division and Clark). In 1959, an investigative piece by the Daily News centered on a push by Libby Nuccio to take over independent bookmaking operations in the Lakeview and Uptown neighborhoods on the Northside. The News reported that Joseph “Muscles” LaBarbera, a Buffalo native who had a lengthy arrest record in Chicago and Buffalo, was Nuccio’s primary enforcer in bringing the bookies to heel. The News stated the LaBarbera went by the alias “Joseph Villa”, and had been identified by CPD detectives as a recruit of the “Three Doms” (Nuccio, DiBella, Brancato) in 1942. In 1959, LaBarbera was arrested in CPD vice raid on the Northside and gave his address as 1433 N Mohawk. Apparently, LaBarbera owned a Division St tavern used as a house of prostitution. In 1967, a CI who may have been Rocco Pranno identified LaBarbera as a Chicago member.

It seems that LaBarbera returned to Buffalo at some point in the 1960s and apparently transferred to the Buffalo Family. He died there in 1983.

Now, Independence happens to be the same town in Louisiana where Sam Syracuse’s mother, Loretta Conti, was born. Like Conti, LaBarbera went from Independence to Chautauqua County, NY. And then, to top it off, they both wound up in Chicago around 1942. Like Rosario and Sam Syracuse, LaBarbera used multiple aliases. One wonders if this was all coincidence.

[PolackTony]

1911 baptismal record for Maria Priola, daughter of Chicago member Giuseppe Priola and wife Maria Ventimiglia of Ficarazzi, at St Anthony of Padua Independent Italian Catholic Church on Prairie Ave on the Far Southside.

Note that the priest was Rev. D'Andrea. We know that in 1899, Tony D'Andrea had been a priest at St Anthony's, and left that year to marry his wife Lena Wagner. So this Rev. D'Andrea would presumably have been Tony's brother, who remained in the priesthood, Orazio "Horace" D'Andrea.

Presumably, the Priolas brought their daughter to be baptized here based on personal inks to D'Andrea, rather than their local Near Northside Italian parishes, San Filippo Benizi and Holy Assumption.

[PolackTony]

1911 baptismal record for Maria Priola, daughter of Chicago member Giuseppe Priola and wife Maria Ventimiglia of Ficarazzi, at St Anthony of Padua Independent Italian Catholic Church on Prairie Ave on the Far Southside.

Note that the priest was Rev. D'Andrea. We know that in 1899, Tony D'Andrea had been a priest at St Anthony's, and left that year to marry his wife Lena Wagner. So this Rev. D'Andrea would presumably have been Tony's brother, who remained in the priesthood, Orazio "Horace" D'Andrea.

Presumably, the Priolas brought their daughter to be baptized here based on personal inks to D'Andrea, rather than their local Near Northside Italian parishes, San Filippo Benizi and Holy Assumption.

The Priolas's co-godparens here, Francesco Cascino and Marianna Speciale, immigrated from Casteldaccia in 1906. They stated on their passenger manifest that they were headed for "Kinsington, IL". This was clearly a reference to the Kensington/West Roseland neighborhood on the Far Southside of Chicago. Near the Port of Chicago on Lake Calumet and major industrial sectors located in that area and around nearby Pullman, Roseland/Kensington developed a major and vibrant Italian community in the early 20th century, with significant settlement from both Northern and southern Italy. San Antonio di Padua Church, the anchor of the Italian community, had separate altars for the Veneziani, Calabresi, and Siciliani (La Madonna del Santo Rosario). Connections between the Priolas and Casteldaccesi could be important, given the former's later links to the Rockford Family which had Gaspare Calò and Giuseppe Gutilla from Casteldaccia in its ranks.

[B.]

Whoa, good detail on the priest possibly being Tony D'Andrea's brother.

[PolackTony]

Whoa, good detail on the priest possibly being Tony D'Andrea's brother.

Yeah, and it’s the same church that Tony D’Andrea was with when he was still a priest.

[PolackTony]

Bridgeport thug Mario "Mariano" Dispensa was born in 1938 in Chicago to Vincenzo "James" Dispenza and Emanuella "Nellie" Gallo. James was born in Chicago to parents from Termini Imerese, while Nellie was born in Chicago to parents from Sambuca; both families settled near 24th and Wentworth in the Chinatown neighborhood, where Mario was raised. Outfit-connected burglar/hijacker Richie Mara testified that he grew up with Mario Disepnsa and Ronnie Jarrett and that "Mariano" (as he was called in the neighborhood, named after his maternal grandfather Mariano Gallo) was the guy who first introduced Mara to Frankie Calabrese, Sr ~1970. Mara testified that Dispensa, Jarrett, and fellow neighborhood tough-guy Ray Tuminello were working as collectors/agents for Calabrese's juice loan business at that time, which was formally under Angelo LaPietra, then a soldier in the Buccieri crew.

In 1932, a 23-year-old Mario Dispensa first appeared in the Trib when he was suspended from his job in Streets and San after being arrested with over a dozen other men at a floating dice game (this would've been one of Skid Caruso's games at the time) near Cermak and Wentworth. In 1964, Dispensa was pinched with Louie Stubitsch for a traffic violation in the Lakeview neighborhood on the Northside; subsequent investigation identified the two as suspects in a string of burglaries and armed robberies after police found the two in possession of burglary tools and a cache of firearms, among other evidence. Later in 1964, Dispensa (then living at 32nd and Lowe) was arrested along with Ronnie Jarrett and a group of other local men; a black family had attempted to move into a building at 33rd and Lowe, and the Bridgeport locals came out in force to demonstrate the tolerant and welcoming attitude for which they've long been renowned. A full-blown riot ensued, in which the crowd of locals clashed with at least 70 cops brought in to quell the violence; Jarrett was convicted for assaulting a police officer, while Dispensa was convicted for disturbing the peace. In 1970, Dispensa and Frankie Tenuta were acquitted after being pinched in '69 as part of a juice loan ring allegedly targeting newspaper truck drivers, run by Sam Gallo, then living in NW suburban Mount Prospect. Gallo was not related to Dispensa's mother, however, as he was from Taylor St with ancestry going back to Acerra, Napoli, and Campobasso; Gallo was apparently connected to Bridgeport, however, as one of his sisters married a Catizone guy.

In 1971, Mario Dispenza and brother-in-law Anthony Rocco ( ) died after they were severely burned when they torched a restaurant in SW suburban Oak Forest; the gasoline that the two were pouring was apparently ignited by the stove's pilot lights. The restaurant's owner, Bruno Bertucci (who admitted knowing Dispensa and Rocco) was investigated for hiring them to torch his restaurant. I believe that Bruno was the nephew of Marianna Bertucci, wife of Bruno Roti, and likely the same Bruno Bertucci who had been arrested with Jimmy LaPietra in 1952 on burglary charges (later dropped).

There are no records for a Richard Mara, and I'm pretty sure that Richie Mara was Croatian, with his actual surname being Marasovic or something similar. There was a Croatian family named Marasoivc/Marasovich who lived at 32nd and Princeton, and a 1970s hijacking case for a Richard J Mara/Richard J Marasovich.

Raymond Tuminello, who was later indicted along with "Richie Cat" Catizone in the major 1989 Angelini/Cortina/Spadavecchio gambling ring bust, was born in 1940 in Chicago to Francis "Frank" Tuminello (Tominello) and Josephine Taccetta (Taccetto). Frank's parents were from Nicosia, Enna, while Josephine's were from Villarosa and Calascibetta, Enna. The Tuminellos lived at 28th and Union in Bridgeport, where Ray was still living when he was arrested in 1989.

I've noted before that Johnny Apes Monteleone was born in 1924 in Sambuca, to Agostino "August" Monteleone (born in NOLA to parents from Sambuca) and Maria Sicolo, of Sambuca. Johnny Apes arrived in the US as an infant later in 1924 with his mother; they were bound for Hammond, IN, where Agostino was living at that time (worth noting that they arrived among a number of other passengers from Sambuca, Aragona, and Menfi, mainly bound for Chicago and NYC; among those from Sambuca was a Stefano Maggio bound for Chicago; the Maggios seem to have been connected to the mafia in Chicago). The Monteleones settled in Chinatown, first living at Wentworth and 25th Pl in 1930, and then at 24th and Princeton; in 1950, they lived one block up on Princeton at 23rd Pl. Johnny's baby sister, Angelina Monteleone, born in 1935 in Chicago, later married Angelo Buscemi. Angelo was born in Chicago in 1930 to Domenico Buscemi of Aragona and Concetta Patti of Caccamo; these two married in 1917 in Chicago. Possible that these Buscemis were related to the Aragonese Buscemis who relocated to Rockford, as angelo had an older brother named Frank; Alfonso Buscemi, Rockford bootlegger who had initially arrived to Chicago, also had sons named Angelo (murdered in 1934) and Frank ("Frankie Bush"); these were first cousins of later Rockford boss Frank Buscemi, and based on the shared names may have been related to these Buscemis as well (Domenico Buscemi's parents were Giuseppe Buscemi and Maddalena Rotolo). Chicago's Angelo Buscemi also grew up in Chinatown, on the W 200 block of Alexander St. A witness on his mother Concetta's naturalization was Filomena Dispenza, who was the sister of the Vincenzo Dispenza noted above (and thus the aunt of Mariano Dispensa); these Dispenzas also lived on Alexander st, and their mother, Nellie Gallo, was also from Sambuca.