Al Capone's decina ~1928

[B.]

Around 1928, Al Capone was inducted by Joe Masseria and promoted to capodecina, then given permission to induct ten members who would, at that time, be soldiers in the Masseria family under Capone in Chicago. Assuming these inductions happened as planned, we can assume these members transferred from the Masseria/Genovese family to the Chicago family along with Al Capone in the coming years. I know very little about Chicago history, but has any information ever come out pointing to who was among this group of ten?

[Frank]

Around 1928, Al Capone was inducted by Joe Masseria and promoted to capodecina, then given permission to induct ten members who would, at that time, be soldiers in the Masseria family under Capone in Chicago. Assuming these inductions happened as planned, we can assume these members transferred from the Masseria/Genovese family to the Chicago family along with Al Capone in the coming years. I know very little about Chicago history, but has any information ever come out pointing to who was among this group of ten?

That's a great question, and some concrete evidence would be a great find. So far I believe we have only guessed who the 10 were. Obviously we have guessed the most likely candidates like Ricca, Nitti, Campagna, but nobody has been confirmed.

[Snakes]

I think Antilliar and/or Villain had some guesses as to who the ten were. It's in an older thread. I'll see if I can dig it up.

[Snakes]

This is who Villain listed:

Ralph Capone, Frank Maritote, Charles Fischetti, Louis Campagna, Phil D'Andrea, Frank Rio, Dominic Roberto or Jim Emery, Frank Nitto, Jack McGurn, and also possibly Tony Capezio or Tony Accardo. Other possibilities were also Rocco Fischetti, Rocco DeGrazia, James Mondi, Joe Fusco, Charlie Gioe or Sylvester Agoglia.

[B.]

This is who Villain listed:

Ralph Capone, Frank Maritote, Charles Fischetti, Louis Campagna, Phil D'Andrea, Frank Rio, Dominic Roberto or Jim Emery, Frank Nitto, Jack McGurn, and also possibly Tony Capezio or Tony Accardo. Other possibilities were also Rocco Fischetti, Rocco DeGrazia, James Mondi, Joe Fusco, Charlie Gioe or Sylvester Agoglia.

Thanks, though I'm curious about D'Andrea. His uncle was an earlier boss in Chicago, so wouldn't it be ore likely that he was already an associate who was inducted straight into a Chicago family and not the roundabout way of the Capone decina? Unless he was on the outs with the organization after his uncle's death and had to go through Capone to get back involved. Not familiar enough with some of the other names to know if any the others would have been in a similar situation (i.e. association with Chicago family pre-dates Capone's arrival/induction), but thanks for sharing that list.

[Snakes]

Yeah, I'm not sure to what extent Capone integrated the leftover members of the Genna (and other conquered) clans into the family as they were possibly already made under them and then just absorbed by Capone once he was recognized by New York.

[Antiliar]

This is who Villain listed:

Ralph Capone, Frank Maritote, Charles Fischetti, Louis Campagna, Phil D'Andrea, Frank Rio, Dominic Roberto or Jim Emery, Frank Nitto, Jack McGurn, and also possibly Tony Capezio or Tony Accardo. Other possibilities were also Rocco Fischetti, Rocco DeGrazia, James Mondi, Joe Fusco, Charlie Gioe or Sylvester Agoglia.

Villain's list sounds good to me, but like you not sure about D'Andrea. His uncle was Anthony D'Andrea, the Chicago Mafia boss from around 1914 to 1921, so I'm thinking that he was probably already a made member. Still, plenty of possibilities.

[MichaelGiovanni]

Just curious as to where the Capone being a Masseria inductee came from. That is interesting as hell to me. Any reading material on this? Thanks in advance.

[B.]

On this note, thought I'd mention this...

- When Frank Bompensiero visited St. Louis in 1968, he was introduced to a member he believed to be part of the St. Louis family FNU Mirabella, who was in his 70s. Mirabella claimed he had met Bompensiero in Chicago in 1928 or 1929 during some kind of "peace talks" called by Capone due to the number of interfamily murders taking place. Apparently Bompensiero had accompanied Jack Dragna to Chicago, who told Capone that Los Angeles boss Giuseppe Ardizzone had been ordering many killings for little reason.

- Along with Capone, Dragna, and Mirabella, Giuseppe Ardizzone was also apparently in attendance at these "peace talks", so the Dragna/Capone conversation would have taken place behind Ardizzone's back. According to Mirabella, Capone told Dragna to take a train back to LA before Ardizzone to wait and kill him when he get off the train, which Bompensiero claims is what happened.

- This Mirabella would have to be Giovanni Mirabella of St. Louis, who also attended the infamous 1928 Cleveland meeting. He indicated to Bompensiero that he was a "member going back to the days of Capone in Chicago". I take this to mean not that he was a member in Chicago under Capone, but simply a mafia member at the time. Still, it is very interesting that he was at both the 1928 Cleveland meeting and this later meeting in Chicago, though I have to assume he has the year wrong as Ardizzone was not killed until October 1931, which would also make more sense as Capone would have been the boss of Chicago and have had more authority to approve Ardizzone's murder. Note that Ardizzone was not killed getting off the train, as Bompensiero and Mirabella implied, though I wonder if he had recently traveled there before the murder.

- Mirabella must have been a fairly important or at least trusted figure in the late 1920s given his attendance at both Cleveland and Chicago meetings. He apparently implied to Bompensiero that he was there for the conversation where Dragna complained about Ardizzone to Capone and Capone recommended his murder, which would point to him being close to Capone.

Any thoughts on this?

[Eline2015]

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... h=Masseria
https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... rch=Capone

[Antiliar]

Just curious as to where the Capone being a Masseria inductee came from. That is interesting as hell to me. Any reading material on this? Thanks in advance.

This information came from Nicola Gentile and was substantiated by a later confidential informant.

B,

The Mirabella was probably John Mirabella, who attended the 1928 Cleveland meeting. He was primarily a St. Louis guy, but also spent time in Buffalo, Detroit and Chicago.

[B.]

Just curious as to where the Capone being a Masseria inductee came from. That is interesting as hell to me. Any reading material on this? Thanks in advance.

This information came from Nicola Gentile and was substantiated by a later confidential informant.

Search doesn't work so I can't link my old Milwaukee breakdown of this info, but here is what Antiliar is most likely referring to:
https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... lPageId=10

This info comes from Milwaukee member informant Augie Maniaci, who was close to Chicago/Illinois members and knew the former Aiello members and relatives who fled to Wisconsin, so he likely got info firsthand from them and other old timers. It can't be 100%, but it's a very specific account of the dispute between Joe Aiello and Capone and mentions Capone being made a capodecina by Masseria.

[MichaelGiovanni]

Thanks for the links and info Eline2015, Antiliar, and B.

[Frank]

This is who Villain listed:

Ralph Capone, Frank Maritote, Charles Fischetti, Louis Campagna, Phil D'Andrea, Frank Rio, Dominic Roberto or Jim Emery, Frank Nitto, Jack McGurn, and also possibly Tony Capezio or Tony Accardo. Other possibilities were also Rocco Fischetti, Rocco DeGrazia, James Mondi, Joe Fusco, Charlie Gioe or Sylvester Agoglia.

Thanks, though I'm curious about D'Andrea. His uncle was an earlier boss in Chicago, so wouldn't it be ore likely that he was already an associate who was inducted straight into a Chicago family and not the roundabout way of the Capone decina? Unless he was on the outs with the organization after his uncle's death and had to go through Capone to get back involved. Not familiar enough with some of the other names to know if any the others would have been in a similar situation (i.e. association with Chicago family pre-dates Capone's arrival/induction), but thanks for sharing that list.

Yes that makes it a little more complicated in that there is probably others that became Capone Family members that could of been made in Chicago or Sicily before Capone was made, whether or not they were part of the original 10. I would assume they regained their independence after Masseria was killed and Maranzano became boss of bosses?

[Villain]

It is quite possible that guys like Loverde, Montana Sr, DeGeorge, the DiGiovannis, Costellos and Bacino were previously made who by 1929 or 1930 were absorbed by the Capone mob. It is also possible that in 1929 Emery was made by Capone as Robertos replacement, together with LaPorte. Also it is quite possible that by 1930 and 1931 Capezio, Accardo, Battaglia and Fratto were made by Capone. So that leaves Nitto, Ralph Capone, Dom Roberto, Charlie Fischetti, Joe Fusco, Paulie Ricca, Jim Mondi, Jack McGurn, Rocky DeGrazia, Louie Campagna, Frank Rio, Charlie Gioe and Sylvester Agoglia being possibly made back in 1928. Theres also John Capone who was also possibly made by his brother since Rocco Fish was Johns one time driver and also dont forget Lawrence Mangano and Louis LaCava. I personally believe that Capone brought more then ten members in 1928 and his huge ego and power being the main reasons for that move since later he literally kidnapped the whole organization.

Im also having doubts about Ricca being made by Capone besides the two being close since 1925 or 1926. You see it is quite possible that Ricca and Tony Volpe came under Joe Esposito who in turn was a made member of the Mafia and some sort of territorial boss around the western suburbs, probably under Lombardo, and on top of that Ricca was allegedly quite respected by the bosses on the east coast. So it is again possible that both Volpe and Ricca were also previously made or sponsored by Esposito but this is just a theory.

Btw does anyones have any type of list of Chicago people who possibly accompanied Capone during the Atlantic City conference? I think i only have Guzik and possibly one of the Fischettis. He mustve brought a huge army with him

Also what about Manganos time being brought since he also had big time Mafiosi as relatives at the time?