Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

[JoelTurner]

Alfonso Tornabene was born 1923 in Chicago to Carmelo Tornabene and Maria Carlisi, of Canicattì, Agrigento. Carmelo and Maria married in Orange, NJ in 1908 and later moved to Chicago.

Small correction: They actually married in Orange, NY per Alphonso’s naturalization papers. This was in Western New York, roughly 2 hrs from Buffalo.

This had piqued my interest; but upstate NY fits them better then North Jersey especially considering that their relatives moved there, as you pointed out.

[NorthBuffalo]

Alfonso Tornabene was born 1923 in Chicago to Carmelo Tornabene and Maria Carlisi, of Canicattì, Agrigento. Carmelo and Maria married in Orange, NJ in 1908 and later moved to Chicago.

Small correction: They actually married in Orange, NY per Alphonso’s naturalization papers. This was in Western New York, roughly 2 hrs from Buffalo.

This had piqued my interest; but upstate NY fits them better then North Jersey especially considering that their relatives moved there, as you pointed out.

Tornabenes were cousins of the Carlisi clan - we all know Ross Carlisi (brother of Black Sam) was a major Buffalo player while Sam and Al Carlisi were major players in Cicero. I also remember reading Carlisi brought his nephews (DiMaggios) over to Chicago who became known in union circles.

[Snakes]

Alfonso Tornabene was born 1923 in Chicago to Carmelo Tornabene and Maria Carlisi, of Canicattì, Agrigento. Carmelo and Maria married in Orange, NJ in 1908 and later moved to Chicago.

Small correction: They actually married in Orange, NY per Alphonso’s naturalization papers. This was in Western New York, roughly 2 hrs from Buffalo.

This had piqued my interest; but upstate NY fits them better then North Jersey especially considering that their relatives moved there, as you pointed out.

Tornabenes were cousins of the Carlisi clan - we all know Ross Carlisi (brother of Black Sam) was a major Buffalo player while Sam and Al Carlisi were major players in Cicero. I also remember reading Carlisi brought his nephews (DiMaggios) over to Chicago who became known in union circles.

Carmine was another brother who was also involved in the Outfit/LCN. He seemingly had more juice than any of his brothers but died in the early 70s.

[NorthBuffalo]

Alfonso Tornabene was born 1923 in Chicago to Carmelo Tornabene and Maria Carlisi, of Canicattì, Agrigento. Carmelo and Maria married in Orange, NJ in 1908 and later moved to Chicago.

Small correction: They actually married in Orange, NY per Alphonso’s naturalization papers. This was in Western New York, roughly 2 hrs from Buffalo.

This had piqued my interest; but upstate NY fits them better then North Jersey especially considering that their relatives moved there, as you pointed out.

Tornabenes were cousins of the Carlisi clan - we all know Ross Carlisi (brother of Black Sam) was a major Buffalo player while Sam and Al Carlisi were major players in Cicero. I also remember reading Carlisi brought his nephews (DiMaggios) over to Chicago who became known in union circles.

Carmine was another brother who was also involved in the Outfit/LCN. He seemingly had more juice than any of his brothers but died in the early 70s.

There was a Carmine Carlisi? That's quite interesting - from what I've read, the Carlisi brothers were born in Chicago and moved to Buffalo with their parents in the 30s. They moved back to Chicago and I guess Roy stayed in Buffalo and got into the Maggadino's and supported their rebel faction.

[PolackTony]

Alfonso Tornabene was born 1923 in Chicago to Carmelo Tornabene and Maria Carlisi, of Canicattì, Agrigento. Carmelo and Maria married in Orange, NJ in 1908 and later moved to Chicago.

Small correction: They actually married in Orange, NY per Alphonso’s naturalization papers. This was in Western New York, roughly 2 hrs from Buffalo.

This had piqued my interest; but upstate NY fits them better then North Jersey especially considering that their relatives moved there, as you pointed out.

Thanks for the comment. I can see why you'd think that, but Carmelo Tornabene and Maria Carlisi were, in fact, married in New Jersey in 1908. There were multiple versions of Carmelo's naturalization petition; while one, as you note here, read that he was married in "Orange, New York", the other version stated that he was married in "Orange, New Jersey". That the latter was the correct version is indicated by the fact that "Carmelo Tornabe" [sic] and "Maria Carlisa" [sic] were married in 1908 in NJ, per the NJ Marriage Index (the family later used the "Tornabe" version of their surname in a number of Chicago documents as well). While several relatives did wind up moving to Western NY, there is no indication that I have seen that Carmelo and Maria lived in that area. So far as I'm aware, they were in the NYC area for just a few years before relocating to Chicago by 1909.



I've written about them before, but to recap some of that previous info. Carmelo arrived to NYC from Canicatti in 1904 (surname misspelled as "Tornameni" on the passenger manifest), bound for an "aunt" named Marianna Patti living in NYC (there was a Marianna Patti, born in Canicatti about 20 years before Carmelo, who lived in NYC and arrived there in 1903, though it's unclear to me if she was, in fact, Carmelo Tornabene's aunt). In 1906, Maria Carlisi arrived in NYC with her younger sister, Rosaria Carlisi (she also later moved to Chicago, where she married a paesano from Caniccatti, Antonino Greco, in 1923), and their father, Alfonso Carlisi. They were bound for Alfonso's son, Giuseppe Carlisi, who of course was the father of Roy and Sammy Carlisi. Giuseppe was living on Elizabeth St in Manhattan's Little Italy at this time, where he had arrived in 1904, stating that a "cousin" was already living on Elizabeth St. Giuseppe married Calogera Cassaro, mother of the Carlisi brothers, in 1908 in Manhattan. As I've noted before, they subsequently departed for Chicago by 1909, when Rosario "Roy" was born there. They later decamped for Upstate NY around 1920 (daughter Antoinette Carlisi was born in Chicago in 1917, while Salvatore "Black Sammy" Carlisi was born in Gloversville, NY, in 1921) and then returned to Chicago by 1929, when their youngest daughter was born there (Lenora Carlisi; she died in infancy in 1930 in Cicero).

Rosario "Roy" Carlisi's 1909 baptism at San Filippo Benizi Parish in Chicago's Little Sicily. Note that Calogero Tornabene and Maria Carlisi were Roy's godparents. Also, note that Giuseppe Carlisi seems to have been using the alias "Giuseppe Caruso" at this time. We know that the Carlisis later used Giuseppe's mother's maiden surname, Drago, as an alias as well. These sorts of funny little name games are often clues that a guy was a mafioso, and we have plenty of reason to suspect that Giuseppe Carlisi was a Chicago member (*possibly* already made back in Canicatti; if this were the case it would not be surprising, given that multiple members of the extended Carlisi-Tornabene family were mafia members and leaders in the US) who subsequently transferred to Buffalo and then back to Chicago:



1910 baptism of Salvatore Tornabene, aka "Sam Tornabe", eldest child of Carmelo Tornabene and Maria Carlisi and elder brother of Al Tornabene, at San Filippo Benizi. Note that his godfather was his maternal grandfather, Alfonso Carlisi, father of Giuseppe and Maria Carlisi, born about 1853 in Canicatti:

[Snakes]

Alfonso Tornabene was born 1923 in Chicago to Carmelo Tornabene and Maria Carlisi, of Canicattì, Agrigento. Carmelo and Maria married in Orange, NJ in 1908 and later moved to Chicago.

Small correction: They actually married in Orange, NY per Alphonso’s naturalization papers. This was in Western New York, roughly 2 hrs from Buffalo.

This had piqued my interest; but upstate NY fits them better then North Jersey especially considering that their relatives moved there, as you pointed out.

Tornabenes were cousins of the Carlisi clan - we all know Ross Carlisi (brother of Black Sam) was a major Buffalo player while Sam and Al Carlisi were major players in Cicero. I also remember reading Carlisi brought his nephews (DiMaggios) over to Chicago who became known in union circles.

Carmine was another brother who was also involved in the Outfit/LCN. He seemingly had more juice than any of his brothers but died in the early 70s.

There was a Carmine Carlisi? That's quite interesting - from what I've read, the Carlisi brothers were born in Chicago and moved to Buffalo with their parents in the 30s. They moved back to Chicago and I guess Roy stayed in Buffalo and got into the Maggadino's and supported their rebel faction.

He died in 1971 or 1972, as I recall. There isn't much out there on him, and I think there was also confusion with Sam Carlisi since Carmine's middle name was Sam/Samuel and he used a "Sam Drago" alias. One FBI file mentioned him as being "very high up," although I'm sure it's all relative and it's just one reference.

[Snakes]

Alfonso Tornabene was born 1923 in Chicago to Carmelo Tornabene and Maria Carlisi, of Canicattì, Agrigento. Carmelo and Maria married in Orange, NJ in 1908 and later moved to Chicago.

Small correction: They actually married in Orange, NY per Alphonso’s naturalization papers. This was in Western New York, roughly 2 hrs from Buffalo.

This had piqued my interest; but upstate NY fits them better then North Jersey especially considering that their relatives moved there, as you pointed out.

Thanks for the comment. I can see why you'd think that, but Carmelo Tornabene and Maria Carlisi were, in fact, married in New Jersey in 1908. There were multiple versions of Carmelo's naturalization petition; while one, as you note here, read that he was married in "Orange, New York", the other version stated that he was married in "Orange, New Jersey". That the latter was the correct version is indicated by the fact that "Carmelo Tornabe" [sic] and "Maria Carlisa" [sic] were married in 1908 in NJ, per the NJ Marriage Index (the family later used the "Tornabe" version of their surname in a number of Chicago documents as well). While several relatives did wind up moving to Western NY, there is no indication that I have seen that Carmelo and Maria lived in that area. So far as I'm aware, they were in the NYC area for just a few years before relocating to Chicago by 1909.



I've written about them before, but to recap some of that previous info. Carmelo arrived to NYC from Canicatti in 1904 (surname misspelled as "Tornameni" on the passenger manifest), bound for an "aunt" named Marianna Patti living in NYC (there was a Marianna Patti, born in Canicatti about 20 years before Carmelo, who lived in NYC and arrived there in 1903, though it's unclear to me if she was, in fact, Carmelo Tornabene's aunt). In 1906, Maria Carlisi arrived in NYC with her younger sister, Rosaria Carlisi (she also later moved to Chicago, where she married a paesano from Caniccatti, Antonino Greco, in 1923), and their father, Alfonso Carlisi. They were bound for Alfonso's son, Giuseppe Carlisi, who of course was the father of Roy and Sammy Carlisi. Giuseppe was living on Elizabeth St in Manhattan's Little Italy at this time, where he had arrived in 1904, stating that a "cousin" was already living on Elizabeth St. Giuseppe married Calogera Cassaro, mother of the Carlisi brothers, in 1908 in Manhattan. As I've noted before, they subsequently departed for Chicago by 1909, when Rosario "Roy" was born there. They later decamped for Upstate NY around 1920 (daughter Josephine Carlisi was born in Chicago in 1918, while Salvatore "Black Sammy" Carlisi was born in Gloversville, NY, in 1921) and then returned to Chicago around 1930.

Rosario "Roy" Carlisi's 1909 baptism at San Filippo Benizi Parish in Chicago's Little Sicily. Note that Calogero Tornabene and Maria Carlisi were Roy's godparents. Also, note that Giuseppe Carlisi seems to have been using the alias "Giuseppe Caruso" at this time. We know that the Carlisis later used Giuseppe's mother's maiden surname, Drago, as an alias as well. These sorts of funny little name games are often clues that a guy was a mafioso, and we have plenty of reason to suspect that Giuseppe Carlisi was a Chicago member (*possibly* already made back in Canicatti; if this were the case it would not be surprising, given that multiple members of the extended Carlisi-Tornabene family were mafia members and leaders in the US) who subsequently transferred to Buffalo and then back to Chicago:



1910 baptism of Salvatore Tornabene, aka "Sam Tornabe", eldest child of Carmelo Tornabene and Maria Carlisi and elder brother of Al Tornabene, at San Filippo Benizi. Note that his godfather was his maternal grandfather, Alfonso Carlisi, father of Giuseppe and Maria Carlisi, born about 1853 in Canicatti:

Sam was mentioned in a 1980s FBI file as a "third-generation LCN boss," but I wouldn't read too much into that.

[PolackTony]

Alfonso Tornabene was born 1923 in Chicago to Carmelo Tornabene and Maria Carlisi, of Canicattì, Agrigento. Carmelo and Maria married in Orange, NJ in 1908 and later moved to Chicago.

Small correction: They actually married in Orange, NY per Alphonso’s naturalization papers. This was in Western New York, roughly 2 hrs from Buffalo.

This had piqued my interest; but upstate NY fits them better then North Jersey especially considering that their relatives moved there, as you pointed out.

Tornabenes were cousins of the Carlisi clan - we all know Ross Carlisi (brother of Black Sam) was a major Buffalo player while Sam and Al Carlisi were major players in Cicero. I also remember reading Carlisi brought his nephews (DiMaggios) over to Chicago who became known in union circles.

Carmine was another brother who was also involved in the Outfit/LCN. He seemingly had more juice than any of his brothers but died in the early 70s.

There was a Carmine Carlisi? That's quite interesting - from what I've read, the Carlisi brothers were born in Chicago and moved to Buffalo with their parents in the 30s. They moved back to Chicago and I guess Roy stayed in Buffalo and got into the Maggadino's and supported their rebel faction.

He died in 1971 or 1972, as I recall. There isn't much out there on him, and I think there was also confusion with Sam Carlisi since Carmine's middle name was Sam/Samuel and he used a "Sam Drago" alias. One FBI file mentioned him as being "very high up," although I'm sure it's all relative and it's just one reference.

Carmelo Salvatore Carlisi, born 1915 in Chicago. He used the aliases "Carmen Drago" (Carmine/Carmen being another version of the name Carmelo) and "Sam Drago" (as noted previously, Drago was the name of his paternal grandmother, Giuseppa Drago). He died in 1973.

Brother Alfonso Carlisi, born in 1913 in Chicago, was also involved. He used the alias "Al Drago" and operated lounges Al's Place and the Starlite in Cicero for years. In the 1960s, the FBI stated that Al Carlisi was a "key figure of the Chicago mob" in Cicero and a liaison between figures like Aiuppa and Buccieri and the Buffalo outfit. Al Carlisi died in 1989, living in suburban Berkeley, IL.

When sister Josephine Carlisi was baptized at San Filippo Benizi Parish in 1911, her godfather was Calogero Nicosia, a native of Canicatti.



In December of 1914, Calogero Nicosia was shot and killed along with a "George Stella" at a tavern at Princeton and 22nd Pl in Chinatown. Indicted for the double homicide were "Giuseppe LoDrago" and brothers Antonino and Carmelo Inzalaco, the latter two Chinatown residents and natives of Castrofilippo, Agrigento, which borders Canicatti. While the Inzalaco brothers were apprehended by the authorities "LoDrago"fled to California before returning to Chicago to turn himself in on the advice of his lawyer. All three men were subsequently acquitted. We can presume that "Giuseppe LoDrago" was Giuseppe Carlisi. Calogero Nicosia was the younger brother of Salvatore Nicosia and the apparent namesake of Salvatore's son, later Chicago associate/possible member Calogero "Charlie" Nicosia:

Calogero Joseph "Charlie" Nicosia was born in 1916 in River Forest to Salvatore Nicosia and Carmella Bartolotta, both of Canicattì, Agrigento. Charlie's parents had previously lived in Pittston and Berwick, PA, and Buffalo (recall that the Canicatessi linked to the major 1930 Chicago/WI bootlegging ring under Toto LoVerde, the Argentos, and Giuseppe Almanza -- which included some Nicosia relatives -- had close ties to Buffalo and Pittston as well) before arriving in Chicago around 1908, living first on Gault Ct in Little Sicily and then relocating to Forest Park and later Oak Park. Salvatore worked his way up from carpenter to owning a construction contracting firm.

I'm not sure if the FBI carried Charlie Nicosia officially as a Chicago member, but he has clearly been identified as such by Joe Fosco, who has stated that Nicosia was like a surrogate father to him. Nicosia worked as a securities expert in the IL States Attorney's office, and along with Romie Nappi was considered a close partner of Pat Marcy in the 1st Ward Democractic organization and a key political fixer for the outfit for years. Fosco has claimed that Nicosia would engage in high-level meetings with the outfit's leadership, and his counsel was valued by men such as Accardo. In the 1950s, Charlie Nicosia, along with his likely cousin Sam Nicosia, Jr, of Berrien county, MI, was named as a member of the Committee of the Italo-American National Union (the "Unione") under President Joe Imburgio Bulger. In 1965, Charlie Nicosia was held by police and questioned in STL regarding an alleged meeting between "hoodlum" leaders in Chicago and STL (theorized by investigators to be related to Giancana's sudden departure from the US and Buster Wortman's failing health). Nicosia was in the company of Pat Marcy, Tony Tisci (former assistant to mobbed-up Chicago Congressman Frank Annunzio) and Tony Esposito (secretary of Vince Solano's LIUNA Local 1001 and brother of labor bigwig Frank "Frankie X" Esposito, who the Chicago outfit attempted to execute via car bomb in Miami in 1962); they had recently attended the Governor's Ball at the IL State Capitol in Springfield and then drove to STL. In 1968, the FBI stated that Marcy, Nicosia, and Tony Esposito were meeting with Johnny Roselli at a Palm Springs hotel. Mobbed-up Williow Spring PD Chief Michael Corbitt later claimed in his book that Nicosia was a major political corruption operative for the outfit, and that Corbitt used to make payment drops to Nicosia in the early 80s. Older brother Giuseppe "Joe" Nicosia seems to have also been connected, with FBI documents in the 1960s pointing to links to both Pat Marcy and Tony Pinelli.

In 1937, Charlie Nicosia married Frances Trubiano (i.e., Tropiano; born in Chicago to parents from Teggiano, Salerno). In the 1940s and 50s, Charlie and Frances lived on Princeton Ave on the Southside, and Charlie stated that he worked as an employee of Cook County (not sure if he was already in the SA's office by then). The Nicosias later moved to Elmwood Park. Charlie Nicosia died in 1990.

Interestingly, Fosco has claimed that Charlie Nicosia and Sam Carlisi were cousins. I wasn't able to confirm any familial or marriage link thus far, but they were both Canicatessi and thus may well have considered themselves "cugini" even if there was no direct tie.

[B.]

Their cousin Joe "Frisco" Gentile was also involved, Gentile being son of Giuseppe Carlisi's step-brother. He was murdered in 1961 and Roy Carlisi traveled to Chicago in connection with it. Carlisi's father-in-law Calogero Romano was almost certainly a member and apparently bounced between Chicago and WNY like them, Romano being from Pietraperzia which is in the same general region as Canicatti.

It's clear this was a mafia clan going back further than we know. Between Salvatore Tornabe in NYC, the Carlisis and Tornabenes in Chicago / Buffalo, and other relatives being possible members and definite associates, this is one of those clans where every male was involved with the mafia on some level.

[PolackTony]

Their cousin Joe "Frisco" Gentile was also involved, Gentile being son of Giuseppe Carlisi's step-brother. He was murdered in 1961 and Roy Carlisi traveled to Chicago in connection with it. Carlisi's father-in-law Calogero Romano was almost certainly a member and apparently bounced between Chicago and WNY like them, Romano being from Pietraperzia which is in the same general region as Canicatti.

It's clear this was a mafia clan going back further than we know. Between Salvatore Tornabe in NYC, the Carlisis and Tornabenes in Chicago / Buffalo, and other relatives being possible members and definite associates, this is one of those clans where every male was involved with the mafia on some level.

It's hard to summarize this "clan" and all of their connections in just one post.

Good that you brought up Calogero ROmano also. Chicago members Santo and Salvatore Virruso were also natives of Pietraperzia (where Santo had been involved in multiple mafia murders before fleeing to the US) and were based in Cicero around 1930, as were the Carlisis.

The above note about the 1914 murders of Calogero Nicosia and "George Stella" also point to connections to the Chinatown neighborhood (where Western Agrigentino mafiosi like Michele Merlo were also based). Around 1930, we see Cicero-based mafiosi like Toto LoVerde and the Carlisis, newly returned from Buffalo, operating a huge bootlegging ring with multiple still locations stretching across Northern IL and Southern WI, in concert with Chinatown-based guys like the Argentos, who were also natives of Canicatti (and that ring involved men from Buffalo as well, of course).

[B.]

With the reference Snakes found to Sam Carlisi being a third generation boss, on one hand it could just mean he was a third generation member but we know "boss" can be interpreted fairly loosely and Chicago in particular used the literal translation of "capo" and referred to capidecine as bosses, so could indicate Giuseppe Carlisi was at least a high-ranking member. The "third generation" part is highly specific and indicates the source was told something rather than just speculating.

[Antiliar]

Here's some notes I took of an interesting character a couple of years ago:

Scardina (Scardini), Giovanni (John) Battista – 26 (c1882-?) Lived at 96 Oak Street (1908), charged with killing Joseph Cancillo (Concillo) of 37 Gault Street, who was being extorted for $500. Cancillo was poor, but he had a wealthy uncle named Giuseppe Bruiscato, of 64 Milton Ave. Cancillo was killed in the saloon of Isadore Sorcit at 66 Milton Ave. Police arrested Nicholas Milio, who killed an Italian saloonkeeper (Gioacchino Alaria on Dec 24, 1907) in Portland, Oregon, and described as a gang leader; Antonio Cantagnatti, Louis Morelli, and Joseph Giovanni. Also arrested were Giuseppe Marino, 40, and his son Dominick Marino, 19, of 110 Gault Court. Scardina evaded capture. Wife: Rose. [A John Battista Scardina, born in Bagheria on Jan 1, 1889, was naturalized in Cook County in 1923 and lived at 1111 Townsend St, and 732 N Ridgeway Ave in 1918 with his wife Mary Aiello; in 1926 their son Sam Nunzio Scardino identified Tony Aiello as the killer of Antonio Spano.] Mariano Scardina (Feb 13, 1885, Bagheria-Nov 8, 1907), then 24, was killed in a drunken brawl on Nov 18, 1907, in a saloon at 69 Oak Street. He was the son of the proprietor. Giuseppe Tragna, 34, a laborer, confessed to stabbing him. His parents were Vincenzo Scardina Josephine Scordato (or Scarlata). Mariano Scardina’s brother Salvatore (Sam) was slain on May 20, 1917. He was a chauffeur and last drove a man and a woman to West 22nd Street and South Cicero Ave. His body was found in Riverside, IL.A Giovanni Scardina who arrived on April 14, 1904, matches the age (he was 21) and was destined for his uncle Filippo Balistreri in Chicago. He was from Trabia.

[NorthBuffalo]

With the reference Snakes found to Sam Carlisi being a third generation boss, on one hand it could just mean he was a third generation member but we know "boss" can be interpreted fairly loosely and Chicago in particular used the literal translation of "capo" and referred to capidecine as bosses, so could indicate Giuseppe Carlisi was at least a high-ranking member. The "third generation" part is highly specific and indicates the source was told something rather than just speculating.

I would add the Tornabenes in Cicero were harboring Luigi Manocchio of Providence at one point in the 1960s - they clearly were known on east coast.

Is there any background on the third Carlisi brother (Alphonse)? I see he died in 1989 at the height of his brother's power in Chicago essentially.

[B.]

The Carlisi-related Tornabenes were harboring Manocchio? Wow, if true I had no idea about that connection.

[Snakes]

With the reference Snakes found to Sam Carlisi being a third generation boss, on one hand it could just mean he was a third generation member but we know "boss" can be interpreted fairly loosely and Chicago in particular used the literal translation of "capo" and referred to capidecine as bosses, so could indicate Giuseppe Carlisi was at least a high-ranking member. The "third generation" part is highly specific and indicates the source was told something rather than just speculating.

I would add the Tornabenes in Cicero were harboring Luigi Manocchio of Providence at one point in the 1960s - they clearly were known on east coast.

Is there any background on the third Carlisi brother (Alphonse)? I see he died in 1989 at the height of his brother's power in Chicago essentially.

As far as I could gather, he was pretty uninvolved. He seemed to be in bookmaking in the 60s but he doesn't show up anywhere after from what I've seen. An FBI file from the 80s lists Sam's family and doesn't even have Alphonse as an associate.