Great thread. As soon as one of these FBI's files get posted, I, like many of you, look for the informants giving up the organization's history and membership. I'm still digging into this guy, but just a couple of observations/comments.
Document dated 10/7/71.
Just my interpretation, but I don't necessarily think the individual "shot down in gangland fashion" in 1931 was a relative of the informant. In the other document dated 8/31/71, he gives a date of 1930 for the killing (assuming it refers to the same event/person). He remarks that the individual was as "powerful in the outfit as the Genna brothers." That sounds more like Tony Lombardo or someone like that.
The two fellows who got into the "juice racket" are Sam and Mario DeStefano. Not sure how they figure into the two preceding sentences since the DeStefano brothers weren't born in Sicily. Why bring up their names? Sometimes the flow of these documents is very choppy and the narrative is all over the place.
Sam De Stefano is the individual Vito Tascione indicated might get hit for "complaining" about the outfit. The informant stated Sam & Mario were both Mafia members, but another brother "Jimmy" was "legit" and had nothing to do with them.
The informant went on to say that the only action on the Westside was "parley cards and occasional gambling." An unnamed individual told the informant that to get a juice loan, "they got to know you."
The informant's ignorance of current activities in the loan/juice rackets suggests he's not involved in any of these rackets; otherwise, he would already know these things.
The informant indicated he and his wife attended wake/funeral for Phil Alderisio because they were "expected to appear." The reluctance implied in that statement suggests maybe the informant had gone "legit" himself and didn't like to be publicly associated with gangsters. Or he was retired and found these social gatherings to be an annoyance?
I don't know if someone mentioned this in the prior posts, but I have to figure the female in the mystery couple at the wake for Alderisio was supposed to Sam Giancana dressed in drag. Interesting that the informant states that Giancana (likely) pushed Alderisio up the organization, but he faced resistance from the "top people."
The informant also wondered if Johnny Varelli, who was going to prison, could serve his time without "blowing his lid."
Document dated 8/31/71
I find the detailed reference to Bugs Moran odd. Why talk about him? Seems random unless the informant or his family had a connection to Moran or his old operation? Also, how would he know things like how Moran behaved in Leavenworth, that he died of cancer, etc.? The stuff about his son? Antiliar pointed out the inconsistencies in those statements, but why would the informant even know the false information? Was he in prison with him?
Informant indicated he became a close friend to Sam Giancana in the late 1940s. That suggests that they didn't grow in the same neighborhood or an age difference.
He indicated that Giancana's departure from Chicago was his "biggest personal loss." That's quite a statement. It appears the informant screwed up, maybe sometime in the early 1950s, and Giancana "saved his life.” (This statement also suggests Joe Battaglia isn't the informant since his brother could have spoken up for him and protected him, not Giancana.) The informant would appear to be someone who benefitted greatly from being close to Giancana, at least in the past.
Everybody at the wakes/funerals recognize the informant's wife, so that suggests a long marriage.
The informant indicated reluctance to attend Sam Battaglia's wife/son's wake. He said his wife understood that "they had to go" to the wake because "[the informant] was one of them." This statement probably means Joe Battaglia isn't the informant. Unless he was fighting with his brother, why wouldn't he go to his nephew's or sister-in-law's funeral? Informant also says he talked to Joe Battaglia and calls him a "nothing" like Rocco Salvatore.
Also, here’s a partial listing of attendees at Alderisio’s wake. Our boy is likely here. Unfortunately, many names are redacted, and page 2 is missing.
https://archive.org/details/paul-ricca- ... 9/mode/1up (page 120)
Document dated 11/18/71
Informant disparages Chris Cardi and implies he hates drug dealing and excessive violence. Suggests informant is not part of the enforcement arm of the outfit.
The informant was friendly with Sam Cesario and was with him a week before his murder. He attended Cesario’s funeral even though Sam got “crossways” with the organization, and virtually no other Outfit members attended. Why would the informant go to the funeral if it was an unpopular thing to do? The informant did not want to attend former boss Alderisio’s wake, yet he participated in the wake of a sanctioned murder victim? Was he related to the victim?
Document dated 1/25/72
(Likely from the same informant since SA Frank Ford handles him, the period is the same, and he uses the exact phrase “elder statesmen.”)
Informant and his wife attended Joseph Gagliano’s wake. There is a list of attendees in either the Ricca or Frabotta file. Can't find the link at the moment. Look for duplicates who attended Alderisio’s wake.
According to the informant, he is very friendly with Joseph Red Altieri.
As Snakes indicated, I think we can probably connect him to a few more documents but I’m putting them aside for now because I haven’t really studied them. I think together, we can probably identify this guy.
