Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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B. wrote: I had the Lisciandrellos coming from Marineo but it was just from a long list of names I was working through a couple years ago so can't say for sure. Another I had from Marineo was John Borcia (?) but I don't know anything about him beyond coming across the name and looking into it.
Thanks. I'll look into the Lisciandrellos again and see if I can make the connection to Marineo. It's definitely a good bet.


Regarding Borcia, here's what I have. John Patrick Borcia died 1963 in Los Angeles. He was born Giovanni Barcia 1896 in Chicago to Nicola Barcia and Giuseppina Calderone. After reviewing many records for both them and their various children, the most granular origin I could verify for them was "Palermo". Could be that they were actually from Citta di Palermo, or could be that people were just naming the province and not comune when they reported for documents. I've definitely seen the latter many times even though I was otherwise able to verify a specific comune in rural Palermo province, so I don't want to assume that Palermo means Palermo city, of course. Nicola Barcia was born about 1872 (he died 1920 in Chicago and this was the birth year listed on his death record), while Giuseppina was born 1878-1880. The best match for Nicola's entry to the US that I found was a "Nicolo Borcia" (born about 1871) who arrived in NYC in 1893 from Bordeaux, though the passenger record doesn't give a more specific origin than Italy. In 1895, Nicola and Giuseppina married in Chicago. From the marriage and other documents, his parents were Giovanni Barcia and Francesca "Mamola" or "Carnesa", while hers were Filippo Calderone and Marina "Arrio". Giuseppina's 1939 death record in Chicago gives her birthplace simply as Palermo, but I infer that her mother's maiden name was most likely Arrigo, which is why I suspect that she was possibly from Termini.

Now, it's interesting to note that there was another Giovanni Barcia living in Los Angeles, given that Johnny Borcia (who seemed to have started using the "O" spelling around the time his father died in 1920, as his WW1 draft card had it spelled as "Barcia") wound up in LA. On his naturalization papers, the other Giovanni Barcia stated that he was born 1891 in Palermo. He may correspond to a Giovanni Barcia, born 1891, who arrived at NYC (IIRC 1921) and was born in Mezzojuso. So Mezzojuso could be the origin of Nicola Barcia, or maybe he at least had relatives from there, hence both Barcias ending up in LA. All of that could just be a coincidence, though, unless a specific comune is verified for Nicola Barcia. There were Barcias in Chicago from Mezzojuso, but no connection that I could verify to Nicola Barcia. There were also Barcias there from Cefalu Diana and Bisacquino (as well as farther afield, such as Caltanissetta province). Nicola seemed to have had an older brother who died in Chicago in 1919, Giuseppe Barcia (born in the 1850s to the same parents). This guy I also have no luck finding a specific comune. He seems to have netered the US via NOLA about 1884 and was already in Chicago soon thereafter in the 1880s. If these Barcias were already involved in the mafia, this could be an important clue regarding early inputs to the Chicago family.

Where did you find Marineo?
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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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PolackTony wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 2:55 pm Any further info on LoPiccolo? When did he leave Chicago?
He was born in Chicago in 1918 and moved to NYC and then Florida, not sure the exact years. He still had a business and relatives in Chicago after moving. Not to be confused with the Giuseppe LoPiccolo from Partinico in Detroit who also moved to NYC and affiliated with the Gambino Family. There may be confusion over which one was the made member, or maybe both of them were.
PolackTony wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 3:42 pm Where did you find Marineo?
Don't remember. It was on a list I was going through around two years ago but I didn't keep notes and had a question mark by his name.
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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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B. wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 1:11 am I have a Leoluca Macaluso (b.1883) from Corleone being connected to the mafia in Chicago. There were Macalusos in the Reina/Lucchese Family as well.

Seems the Chicago Corleonesi were heavily tied in with the Luccheses.
Yes, that Leoluca Macaluso was the one arrested along with the Nicolosi brothers and Calogero Costantino (also Corleonese) in the kidnapping plot of a young boy. He was married to a woman named Calogera Canzonieri or Campanella. There was a "Leo" Macaluso in Chicago who declared his US nationalization in October 1902 who was born around 1881. Perhaps coincidence, but a Leoluca Macaluso from Corleone, born around 1881, arrived at NYC from Palermo 4 weeks earlier. He stated that he was bound for Louisiana, but maybe he wound up in Chicago instead. The naturalization was witnessed by a "Marion" Macaluso, suggesting that this person already had established relatives in Chicago. Calogero Costantino left Chicago after the kidnapping incident and wound up in San Diego, where he died in 1959. Given that he was Corleonese, I wonder if he was connected to the LA family.

Another interesting Macaluso in Chicago was the Giuseppe Macaluso who died of TB after having been extradited from Chicago to Italy for a murder conviction. This guy was from Prizzi and settled in Chicago with his wife Vincenza Raimondi after he and a group of accomplices kidnapped and murdered a boy in Prizzi for ransom in 1905. In 1909, Giuseppe was the victim of an alleged "Black Hand" extortion and bombing of his business (he worked as a labor gang recruiter) on S Clark St in the West Loop. The police subsequently arrested Isidoro Carlino (who I believe was from Misilmeri) on suspicion that he was involved in the plot against Macaluso. In 1910 Macaluso maintained two addresses: one on S Clark that I assume was his business or office, and another in the Near Northside Little Sicily. Then, in 1912 the Italian government had him extradited back to Italy for the 1905 murder. This caused a bit of an uproar in Chicago as Macaluso was convicted in absentia and had a dependent wife and children. Macaluso wound up serving two years before his conviction was overturned and he returned to Chicago, where he died in 1915 of TB that he was alleged to have contracted in prison. Subsequently, his daughter Angela Macaluso married a man named Salvatore Sinatra who had recently arrived in Chicago from Prizzi.
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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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What's interesting also about the Nicolosis is that they stayed around in Chicago long after the Zagone killing and the kidnapping case of the Mareno boy. They survived all of the turmoil and war of the 1920s-30s. In the 1920s, Joe and Carmello Nicolosi were involved in several big real estate transactions on the far northside, in Rogers Park. In 1928, Joe Nicolosi was questioned but never charged in the Southside murder of an assistant fire marshall. At the time, Nicolosi owned a produce market at Oak and Cambridge. In 1934, Joe Nicolosi (then stated to be a saloon owner at Oak and Townsend) and his nephew John Nicolosi (most likely Carmello's eldest son, born 1908) were "slugged and robbed" by a group of men at gunpoint at Oak and Larabee. In 1935, Carmello Nicolosi died in Chicago (not aware that he was murdered, so assuming natural causes), though his widow Paola Pomilla lived until 1967. In 1936, Joe Nicolosi, then in his 60s, was charged with purchasing four stolen shotguns. Joe Nicolosi died in Chicago in 1947, at the age of 74, still living at Oak and Cambridge.
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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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Calogero Costantino was the same person Giuseppe Morello wrote about in his "We of Corleone" letter to Rosario Dispenza. So definitely a member.
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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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PolackTony wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:35 pm Yes, that Leoluca Macaluso was the one arrested along with the Nicolosi brothers and Calogero Costantino (also Corleonese) in the kidnapping plot of a young boy. He was married to a woman named Calogera Canzonieri or Campanella. There was a "Leo" Macaluso in Chicago who declared his US nationalization in October 1902 who was born around 1881. Perhaps coincidence, but a Leoluca Macaluso from Corleone, born around 1881, arrived at NYC from Palermo 4 weeks earlier. He stated that he was bound for Louisiana, but maybe he wound up in Chicago instead. The naturalization was witnessed by a "Marion" Macaluso, suggesting that this person already had established relatives in Chicago. Calogero Costantino left Chicago after the kidnapping incident and wound up in San Diego, where he died in 1959. Given that he was Corleonese, I wonder if he was connected to the LA family.
What year was the kidnapping incident?

In the letter capo dei capi Giuseppe Morello wrote to Rosario Dispenza in Chicago circa 1908, Morello responds to an inquiry from Dispenza about Calogero Costantino. Seems Dispenza contacted Morello for information on Costantino's family in Corleone and to ask about potential mafia connections. Morello says Costantino comes from a respectable family in Corleone but seems to say they aren't involved with the mafia in any significant way but does imply some relatives may have been brought into the mafia based on their own merits. It makes sense Dispenza asked the Corleonesi leadership about Costantino, as we've learned it was standard protocol at the time to contact a prospect's paesans and Sicilian hometown for information on him.

So Costantino doesn't seem to come from a significant Corleonesi mafia clan (one of the few) but still ended up with his mafia compaesani in Chicago. Hard to fully decipher the letter, but based on Morello's response it almost sounds like Dispenza wanted to kill Costantino which is why he was asking for more info about his familial connections. Morello seems to say he will assist with the murder if Dispenza has "exact information" on Costantino's infraction.

Morello also says Costantino had left New York around six years previous. Sems to say he can't take responsibility for Costantino because protocol wasn't followed, citing how Cascio Ferro and Enea broke the rules when they inducted someone (Costantino?) without contacting his compaesani for approval.

Maybe you have other observations/interpretations of the letter, translated by Chris Christie:
"This is for your guidance. Now regarding Calogero Constantino. To tell you the truth, I have as yet been unable to persuade myself as to what it is about, the letters to me have not been satisfying or convincing. There should have been better explanations. In this manner I cannot answer with exact judgment and clear conscience. I cannot understand how it is that Calogero Constantino remains arrested at Bacaluse, Louisiana, while under the protection of so many good friends engaged incessantly to make him obtain his liberty, and you others of Chicago have all this contract on your side.

"I have said it more than once that I and my townsmen have always known the Constantino family as a good family, and none other but very good, and the boss of my town, I am sure, cannot give you better details, though I doubt if they knew this family just because they were not to our bearing, but nevertheless leaning towards good people; have you seen 'the ox, neither white nor black,' this is their bearing. But not for this I repeat, always of good people; there have been born at times people that had given a good account of their being, honored and respected as always.

"We of Corleone have never had any dealings with them, therefore could not try them and appreciate their merits. Others that have had dealings, that is to say have known their good merits, and have brought them to make part of our family. Nothing extraordinary, because certainly would not have brought them in this land if they had not known their good merits. They have done well. We, of Corleone, will appreciate said doings.

"In your letter you tell me that regarding Calogero Constantino there is nothing to say, but there should be exact information, because there are eight good workers sick to put the work on him and of the eight persons there are those in danger of their lives. But you must excuse me if I and others have not understood such language.

"If you know that Constantino is of good health, also he is severely of good health, you will take with other townsmen of yours the responsibility here and also of the town, and we will do everything. Neither I nor others here can understand how you ever in your wise thinking write us in this manner. If I have written to you more than once that this Constantino family have never been to our hearing. Known to us only by sight in America as in the town, and then this is not enough. You surely should not ignore the fact Calogero Constantino has been missing from New York at least six years.

"Now, then, I ask you why you write me and others to assume the responsibility of said individual; if this party could be admitted, then we assume the responsibility of an individual that had been seen 'neither born nor raised' and who has never been known by name or sight. This responsibility you should ask of others, not us. You see in this that I was right in resenting De Vito Casiaferro and Enea, and saying that it is not done that way, in making a person, by not asking information of the townsmen before making it, that all these discussions now would not have been.

"Now you must ask them to assume the responsibility, those that have made him, not us. Of us you must ask only if we have anything to say. This, yes, is very correct. But to assume responsibility is one thing, and asking if we have anything to say is another thing. There is a great difference. Therefore, we go in Court, we have undersigned, upon our conscience and on our honor declare of having nothing to say upon the conduct and honor of Calogero Constantino, not regarding him only but also of his family. All of Corleone. Giuseppe La Bella and brother, Vincenzo, brother Ciro and brother Coco.

"Paolo Frisella,
"Gaetano Lomonte,
"Stefano Lasala,
"Fortunato Lo Monte,
"Antonio Rizzo,
"Michale Coniglio,
"Angelo Valenti,
"Francesco Moscato."
^ Difficult to say if Morello is speaking only for his NYC-based mafia Family or also speaking for the entire Corleonesi network, but what is clear is he says he's willing to offer information but refuses to take any responsibility for Costantino or his situation.
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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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Costantino and his father were born in Corleone, but before that the family tree is in Partinico. Makes me wonder if he's a distant cousin of the other Costantino, the one who allegedly killed Petrosino. This also brings back questions about Pasquale Enea. He must have had a high rank to induct someone with Cascio Ferro. Years later the FBN had him as the head of the international Mafia.

These write-ups give some additional info:
https://mafiagenealogy.wordpress.com/category/chicago/

http://www.writersofwrongs.com/search/label/Nicolosi
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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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Antiliar wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 11:19 pm Costantino and his father were born in Corleone, but before that the family tree is in Partinico. Makes me wonder if he's a distant cousin of the other Costantino, the one who allegedly killed Petrosino. This also brings back questions about Pasquale Enea. He must have had a high rank to induct someone with Cascio Ferro. Years later the FBN had him as the head of the international Mafia.
Enea was also related (through marriage I believe) to the DiCarlos of Buffalo. Given what we see of high-ranking mafiosi marrying within their own class, would make sense he was important given the stature of DiCarlo Sr.

If Costantino's family was originally from Partinico before coming to Corleone, it explains why Giuseppe Morello was less familiar with them as evidenced by his letter. He would naturally be more familiar with the deeply entrenched Corleone families but not necessarily relative newcomers.

-

Joe Profaci's early presence in Chicago leaves some questions as there wasn't a known Villabatesi mafia presence in Chicago. I'm sure he fell in with the huge Bagheresi group given Villabate and Bagheria were closely linked as part of the Zubbio network and formed an influential faction together in Palermo.

Interesting too that Joe Aiello was described as an ally of the Castellammarese given Profaci's close relationship to them. I wonder if that was true for Bagheria / Villabate in general given those two men were important representatives of their respective paesani and their relationships often reflect more than just personal/circumstantial connections.
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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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What do you guys think about the Domingos' having formal affiliation with Chicago?

- They initially lived in Chicago then moved to western Michigan (Benton Harbor). Buster's brother moved back to Chicago before his murder in the late 1920s. Along with Benton Harbor being more closely associated with Chicago mafia figures, Buster was said by Valachi to be "from Chicago", indicating they were affiliated with the Chicago mafia scene opposed to Detroit. Buster was already a made member in late 1930 when Joe Valachi was inducted, indicating he was made immediately after coming to NYC or previously in the midwest. His membership could point to his brothers and in-laws in Benton Harbor being members as well.

- Detroit had a known Castellammarese / Alcamo faction and strong ties to the Bonanno Family, so there were def opportunities for Detroit ties. There was also a strong autonomous faction from northwestern Trapani in Flint and Saginaw. The Domingos were related to Vito Bonventre (killed 1930) and the Domingos' in-laws in Benton Harbor the Ciaravinos are a name that married into the Magaddino, DiGregorio, Genovese, and Silinonte mafia families from CDG. Chicago's Castellammare ties were much weaker than Detroit, yet the Domingos were closer to the Chicago scene with no known Detroit ties.

- The Domingos would have to pass through Indiana to interact with Chicago. Gary had a mafia presence under Paolo Palazzolo from Cinisi and he was heavily connected to the Chicago Heights Family. If Gary wasn't its own independent group, it was likely a crew/faction of the Heights Family. That opens the question though of whether or not affiliation in the Chicago area was based on geography or Sicilian hometown, i.e. would a Caccamese member in Chicago proper belong to the Heights Family given the Heights leadership was from Caccamo, or would he report to the Chicago Family? Could tell us something about the Domingos/Ciaravinos affiliation in Benton Harbor if heritage dictated affiliation.

- Chicago had a large Marsala / Castelvetrano faction but those towns don't show up much alongside the Castellammarese in the national Trapani network under Schiro. Masseria had his own Marsala roots yet was the mortal enemy of the Castellammarese and Castelvetrano is a strange place -- the Family there disbanded in the 1930s yet regrouped and is today the political stronghold of Trapani. Vincenzo Benevento of Chicago was from Partanna which is a town associated with the Bonannos. Curious if the Domingos were associated with the Genna faction.

- I have Joseph Montana Jr. (1915-2005) as a Chicago figure of Castellammarese heritage but he's the only one I know of outside the Domingos and their relatives. Don't know his story and maybe one of you knows more that can confirm/deny whether I have the right guy.

- There was a Santo Virusso from Alcamo who was apparently involved in Chicago before moving to California.

- Joe Aiello was an ally of Stefano Magaddino, Gaspare Milazzo, and the Castellammarese network, so he would be an obvious advocate for the Domingos in Chicago.
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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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B. wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 11:43 pm
Antiliar wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 11:19 pm Costantino and his father were born in Corleone, but before that the family tree is in Partinico. Makes me wonder if he's a distant cousin of the other Costantino, the one who allegedly killed Petrosino. This also brings back questions about Pasquale Enea. He must have had a high rank to induct someone with Cascio Ferro. Years later the FBN had him as the head of the international Mafia.
Enea was also related (through marriage I believe) to the DiCarlos of Buffalo. Given what we see of high-ranking mafiosi marrying within their own class, would make sense he was important given the stature of DiCarlo Sr.

If Costantino's family was originally from Partinico before coming to Corleone, it explains why Giuseppe Morello was less familiar with them as evidenced by his letter. He would naturally be more familiar with the deeply entrenched Corleone families but not necessarily relative newcomers.
Thanks, guys, I had completely forgotten that Costantino was the subject of the Morello letter. This is all really fascinating stuff. From the letter, I read Morello as possibly insinuating that the Costantinos in Corleone were on the fringes of the mafia but not inducted as actual members (e.g., they were like a cow that was neither black nor white, but in between). His criticism of Cascio Ferro and Enea seems to suggest that he felt that the initiation of new members who were not from established mafia lineages was problematic and causing issues for the organization (I wonder what he later thought of Masseria's recruitment practices, though of course by then a lot had happened). B., as you probably read in the Justin Cascio post that Anti linked to, the abduction of the Marino kid occurred in 1911, so it was not the issue that Morello was responding to. Makes even more sense that Costantino seems to have skipped town after the kidnapping and didn't return. Given that the Marino kid's father may have been a member himself (whether of the Corleone family or Chicago), maybe this was one strike too many against Costantino, whereas the Nicolosis seem to have weathered the problem just fine. Just speculating.

B. wrote: Joe Profaci's early presence in Chicago leaves some questions as there wasn't a known Villabatesi mafia presence in Chicago. I'm sure he fell in with the huge Bagheresi group given Villabate and Bagheria were closely linked as part of the Zubbio network and formed an influential faction together in Palermo.

Interesting too that Joe Aiello was described as an ally of the Castellammarese given Profaci's close relationship to them. I wonder if that was true for Bagheria / Villabate in general given those two men were important representatives of their respective paesani and their relationships often reflect more than just personal/circumstantial connections.
This is an important question and I like the direction of your thinking here. These compaesani networks were obviously important here in terms of how factions and alliances were built and maintained, and thus Profaci and Aiello winding up on the same side could be pointing to this being a factor.
B. wrote: - The Domingos would have to pass through Indiana to interact with Chicago. Gary had a mafia presence under Paolo Palazzolo from Cinisi and he was heavily connected to the Chicago Heights Family. If Gary wasn't its own independent group, it was likely a crew/faction of the Heights Family. That opens the question though of whether or not affiliation in the Chicago area was based on geography or Sicilian hometown, i.e. would a Caccamese member in Chicago proper belong to the Heights Family given the Heights leadership was from Caccamo, or would he report to the Chicago Family? Could tell us something about the Domingos/Ciaravinos affiliation in Benton Harbor if heritage dictated affiliation.
Again a very interesting question to think about. Given the number of Termitani in the Chicago family and the close proximity of Caccamo to Termini, I wonder if the Caccamesi and Termitani wouldn't have likely just seen themselves as part of the same network? If so, then membership in Chi vs Chi Heights may have simply been geographic.
B. wrote: There was a Santo Virusso from Alcamo who was apparently involved in Chicago before moving to California.
Virusso is one of these guys where you have to make the sign of the cross after saying his name; as Villain would say, he was the real Grim Reaper. I still wonder whether Virusso stayed with the Chicago family or transferred after his move.

Overall, my take is that the Domingos were with Chicago. Benton Harbor, socio-culturally, is part of the Chicago hinterland, as that area of SW MI is where a lot of Chicagoans had summer homes, resorts, etc. Detroiters had places like that in Eastern MI. Also note that later, Lefty Campagna had his rural compound in Berrien Springs, MI. Your speculation that Aiello, as an ally of the Castellammaresi, would be a natural advocate for the Domingos is on the right track, I think.
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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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PolackTony wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 12:53 pm
B. wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 11:43 pm
Antiliar wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 11:19 pm Costantino and his father were born in Corleone, but before that the family tree is in Partinico. Makes me wonder if he's a distant cousin of the other Costantino, the one who allegedly killed Petrosino. This also brings back questions about Pasquale Enea. He must have had a high rank to induct someone with Cascio Ferro. Years later the FBN had him as the head of the international Mafia.
Enea was also related (through marriage I believe) to the DiCarlos of Buffalo. Given what we see of high-ranking mafiosi marrying within their own class, would make sense he was important given the stature of DiCarlo Sr.

If Costantino's family was originally from Partinico before coming to Corleone, it explains why Giuseppe Morello was less familiar with them as evidenced by his letter. He would naturally be more familiar with the deeply entrenched Corleone families but not necessarily relative newcomers.
Thanks, guys, I had completely forgotten that Costantino was the subject of the Morello letter. This is all really fascinating stuff. From the letter, I read Morello as possibly insinuating that the Costantinos in Corleone were on the fringes of the mafia but not inducted as actual members (e.g., they were like a cow that was neither black nor white, but in between). His criticism of Cascio Ferro and Enea seems to suggest that he felt that the initiation of new members who were not from established mafia lineages was problematic and causing issues for the organization (I wonder what he later thought of Masseria's recruitment practices, though of course by then a lot had happened). B., as you probably read in the Justin Cascio post that Anti linked to, the abduction of the Marino kid occurred in 1911, so it was not the issue that Morello was responding to. Makes even more sense that Costantino seems to have skipped town after the kidnapping and didn't return. Given that the Marino kid's father may have been a member himself (whether of the Corleone family or Chicago), maybe this was one strike too many against Costantino, whereas the Nicolosis seem to have weathered the problem just fine. Just speculating.

B. wrote: Joe Profaci's early presence in Chicago leaves some questions as there wasn't a known Villabatesi mafia presence in Chicago. I'm sure he fell in with the huge Bagheresi group given Villabate and Bagheria were closely linked as part of the Zubbio network and formed an influential faction together in Palermo.

Interesting too that Joe Aiello was described as an ally of the Castellammarese given Profaci's close relationship to them. I wonder if that was true for Bagheria / Villabate in general given those two men were important representatives of their respective paesani and their relationships often reflect more than just personal/circumstantial connections.
This is an important question and I like the direction of your thinking here. These compaesani networks were obviously important here in terms of how factions and alliances were built and maintained, and thus Profaci and Aiello winding up on the same side could be pointing to this being a factor.
B. wrote: - The Domingos would have to pass through Indiana to interact with Chicago. Gary had a mafia presence under Paolo Palazzolo from Cinisi and he was heavily connected to the Chicago Heights Family. If Gary wasn't its own independent group, it was likely a crew/faction of the Heights Family. That opens the question though of whether or not affiliation in the Chicago area was based on geography or Sicilian hometown, i.e. would a Caccamese member in Chicago proper belong to the Heights Family given the Heights leadership was from Caccamo, or would he report to the Chicago Family? Could tell us something about the Domingos/Ciaravinos affiliation in Benton Harbor if heritage dictated affiliation.
Again a very interesting question to think about. Given the number of Termitani in the Chicago family and the close proximity of Caccamo to Termini, I wonder if the Caccamesi and Termitani wouldn't have likely just seen themselves as part of the same network? If so, then membership in Chi vs Chi Heights may have simply been geographic.
B. wrote: There was a Santo Virusso from Alcamo who was apparently involved in Chicago before moving to California.
Virusso is one of these guys where you have to make the sign of the cross after saying his name; as Villain would say, he was the real Grim Reaper. I still wonder whether Virusso stayed with the Chicago family or transferred after his move.

Overall, my take is that the Domingos were with Chicago. Benton Harbor, socio-culturally, is part of the Chicago hinterland, as that area of SW MI is where a lot of Chicagoans had summer homes, resorts, etc. Detroiters had places like that in Eastern MI. Also note that later, Lefty Campagna had his rural compound in Berrien Springs, MI. Your speculation that Aiello, as an ally of the Castellammaresi, would be a natural advocate for the Domingos is on the right track, I think.
Sorry for the long quote on the post here but I have in my research that Virruso was from Pietraperzia. Additionally I have an FBI file where agents were asking Augie Maniaci about Virruso's brother Sam, so I don't know if Sam was a made member or not.
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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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cavita wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:17 pm Sorry for the long quote on the post here but I have in my research that Virruso was from Pietraperzia. Additionally I have an FBI file where agents were asking Augie Maniaci about Virruso's brother Sam, so I don't know if Sam was a made member or not.
There are some grounds for confusion here. On Santo Virruso's (born 1894) naturalization petition in Chicago in 1930 he stated that he was born in Pietraperzia and arrived at NYC 1923/11/09. The passenger record for the Santo Virruso, born 1894, who entered NYC 1923/11/09 states that he was born, and last lived, in Alcamo. His WW2 draft registration then states that he was born in Palermo.

Same issue with Salvatore Virruso (born 1902). When he arrived on the same ship as Santo on 1923/11/09, he stated that he was born in Alcamo, but then stated Pietrperzia on his naturalization petition. Another brother, Michele Virruso, born 1884, (father was Vincenzo Virruso, same as the other Virrusos) who died in Chicago in 1962, stated Pietraperzia on his naturalization petition.

FWIW, the Virruso surname seems to have been overwhelmingly, if not entirely, located in Caltanissetta/Enna province. My guess is that the Virrusos may have had some links to the mafia in Alcamo before they emigrated to the US.
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PolackTony
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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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PolackTony wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:39 pm
cavita wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:17 pm Sorry for the long quote on the post here but I have in my research that Virruso was from Pietraperzia. Additionally I have an FBI file where agents were asking Augie Maniaci about Virruso's brother Sam, so I don't know if Sam was a made member or not.
There are some grounds for confusion here. On Santo Virruso's (born 1894) naturalization petition in Chicago in 1930 he stated that he was born in Pietraperzia and arrived at NYC 1923/11/09. The passenger record for the Santo Virruso, born 1894, who entered NYC 1923/11/09 states that he was born, and last lived, in Alcamo. His WW2 draft registration then states that he was born in Palermo.

Same issue with Salvatore Virruso (born 1902). When he arrived on the same ship as Santo on 1923/11/09, he stated that he was born in Alcamo, but then stated Pietrperzia on his naturalization petition. Another brother, Michele Virruso, born 1884, (father was Vincenzo Virruso, same as the other Virrusos) who died in Chicago in 1962, stated Pietraperzia on his naturalization petition.

FWIW, the Virruso surname seems to have been overwhelmingly, if not entirely, located in Caltanissetta/Enna province. My guess is that the Virrusos may have had some links to the mafia in Alcamo before they emigrated to the US.
Another clue is that Michele Virruso's parents Vincenzo Virruso and Lucia Puzzo arrived in NYC in 1931 bound for their son in Chicago and stated that their birthplace and most recent residence was Pietraperzia. I think the best interpretation is that the Virrusos were from Pietraperzia but perhaps spent some time in Alcamo before they left Sicily.
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PolackTony
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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

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B. wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 12:56 am - I have Joseph Montana Jr. (1915-2005) as a Chicago figure of Castellammarese heritage but he's the only one I know of outside the Domingos and their relatives. Don't know his story and maybe one of you knows more that can confirm/deny whether I have the right guy.
The guy you're referring to was the Joseph Montana Jr born in NOLA in 1915 to Giuseppe Montana and Pietrina Stabile, both from CDG. They moved to Chicago shortly after Joseph Jr was born and he died in WI in 2005. I'm not aware that this guy was an Outfit member, maybe I'm wrong. The Joseph Montana Jr that I know of was actually named Mauro John Montana, but went by Joseph Montana Jr, and was born about 1906 in Acerra, Napoli. He died in Chicago in 1964. His father was Giuseppe Montana and his grandfather Mauro Giovanni Montana, the infamous Napolitan' gangsters in Melrose park back in the day.
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cavita
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Re: Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

Post by cavita »

PolackTony wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:39 pm
cavita wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:17 pm Sorry for the long quote on the post here but I have in my research that Virruso was from Pietraperzia. Additionally I have an FBI file where agents were asking Augie Maniaci about Virruso's brother Sam, so I don't know if Sam was a made member or not.
There are some grounds for confusion here. On Santo Virruso's (born 1894) naturalization petition in Chicago in 1930 he stated that he was born in Pietraperzia and arrived at NYC 1923/11/09. The passenger record for the Santo Virruso, born 1894, who entered NYC 1923/11/09 states that he was born, and last lived, in Alcamo. His WW2 draft registration then states that he was born in Palermo.

Same issue with Salvatore Virruso (born 1902). When he arrived on the same ship as Santo on 1923/11/09, he stated that he was born in Alcamo, but then stated Pietrperzia on his naturalization petition. Another brother, Michele Virruso, born 1884, (father was Vincenzo Virruso, same as the other Virrusos) who died in Chicago in 1962, stated Pietraperzia on his naturalization petition.

FWIW, the Virruso surname seems to have been overwhelmingly, if not entirely, located in Caltanissetta/Enna province. My guess is that the Virrusos may have had some links to the mafia in Alcamo before they emigrated to the US.
Yes, I tend to believe he was born in Pietraperzia and then spent time in Alcamo right before leaving Sicily from the port of Palermo.
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