He was a three-time target of the U.S. Senates permanent subcommittee on investigations. Died: June 14, 1986, Bensenville, Ill. Nicknames: The Ant, Tough Tony. In 1944 it was alleged that Gus Alex, Hymie Levin, Gus Liebe, and others were connected with the notorious gambling. Another individual who should receive the attention of the committee is Joseph Epstein, a big betting commissioner in Chicago who has been very close to Virginia Hill, the girl friend of Benjamin (Bugsey) Siegel of the New York mob for many years. When Colosimo was killed in 1920 there was some justification for the claim that Torrio had imported Frank Yale to commit the murder. In 1941 he had an interest in the Individual Towel Co. which at that time had a $45,000 annual contract with the Chicago Board of Education, resulting in action by the State's attorney's office. This company was chartered in Illinois in December 1937. When Peskin and others were indicted for conspiracy to violate the national prohibition law the Government contended that Peskin during that time was furnishing 100 stills with corn sugar for alcohol and it, is alleged that a million dollars worth of corn sugar had been sold to alcohol manufacturers by Peskin. Mr. KLEIN. The Government claimed then that De Grazio had an income over $97,000 in 1929, $51,000 in 1930. At that time O'Hara was working for Thomas Malloy in the Motion Picture Operators Union, which the press described as a $750,000-a-year racket. Other members of the Capone family include Mafalda, a sister, who is married to John Maritote, who is a brother of Frank Maritote, commonly known as Frank Diamond, who was also involved in the million dollar extortion plot on the movie industry. I would have to check on that. Last reports were to the effect that Imburgio was suffering from Burger's disease, which has incapacitated him. On February 11, 1933, Frank DeMere, 26 years of age, residing at 7118 South Seeley Avenue, Chicago, was shot outside the Plantation Cafe, a Black and Tan restaurant at Fifty-first and Michigan Avenue, Chicago. Wikimedia CommonsIn his later years, Tony Accardo would fiercely deny that he was ever a mob boss. Tony Accardo died on May 22, 1992, from congestive heart failure and acute respiratory failure. Some of them may not be, but I don't know. In the prosecution of this case the Federal Government produced evidence showing that Guzik then had an interest in numerous gambling houses in Cicero and Chicago, that he owned stock in the Hawthorne Kennel Club which operated as a dog-racing track. The CHAIRMAN. Accardo was called to testify, but he took the fifth and revealed nothing. Renno had nothing to do with the Accardo robbery; he simply happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. On May 2, 1933, the chief investigator for the State's attorney's office described Humphreys as public enemy No. He had been badly beaten and had his throat slit. He became the operator of a restaurant known as Colosimo's, which was located at 2136 South Wabash Avenue. They settled it for about 20 cents on the dollar. Ricca frequently has used the name of DeLucia, and the owner of record of the property in Long Beach, Ind., is in the name of Nancy DeLucia. By the late 1970s he had stepped back, letting others do the work and take the heat. We stand in recess until 10 o'clock in the morning. He is also allegedly owner of a cocktail lounge and there have also been allegations, which have not been proved, that he has an interest in a currency exchange. But despite receiving multiple convictions for several crimes, Tony Accardo only ever spent one day in jail when he was picked up for questioning in a gambling case. The 71-year-old Accardo seethed, less for rage over property lost than over the breach of respect. Even as he got older, he continued to insist that he was a beer salesman and nothing more. He was given the nickname Big Tuna by a Chicago newspaper reporter after having his picture taken with a 400-pound tuna he caught off Florida. Dandy Phil Kastel and Frank Costello were also engaged in large-scale slot-machine activities. Mr. Peterson, how long have you been operating director of the Chicago Crime Commission? are important figures in the Capone organization. That company has the cigarette-vending machines where you put in 20 cents and get out a package of cigarettes. Phil was an intelligent and fair gangster. The second and third floors were devoted to gambling and the fourth floor to prostitution. I might say that that resolution was one of the reasons that I happened to file the resolution in the early part of this Congress. In other words, the law violators dictate law-enforcement policies and control certain law-enforcement agencies. No indictments were returned, however, and no further action was taken. They were holding the election in Milwaukee. In connection with De Grazio's income tax evasion case, when he was being charged with income-tax evasion, Federal agents seized him at his home at 1049 North Elwood Avenue, Oak Park, in 1934. The principal purpose of my testimony is first to show the growth and development of some of the major gangs and the connections between these major gangs and many other sections of the country. Ralph Capone's conviction was upheld when the case was appealed. Enter Tony Accardo. Mr. Peterson, you are the operating director of the Chicago Crime Commission? During the court hearings the Government produced evidence showing that Ralph Capone maintained five separate accounts at the Pinkert State Bank, Cicero, Ill., under the names of Ralph Capone, James Costello, Jr., James Carson, James Carter, and James Carroll, and that he had deposited in these accounts approximately a half million dollars. They conspired to extort a million dollars from the movie industry. But in 1931, the fearsome mobster was put behind bars for tax evasion. Vogel has been the secretary and treasurer of the Apex Cigarette Service, Inc., 1010 George Street., Chicago. Paul Ricca, together with several other members of the Capone syndicate, including John Roselli of the west coast, and Louis Kaufman on the east coast, conspired to extort a million dollars from the movie industry. 'They manufacture the equipment and then operate it. He has been prominently identified with big-scale gambling by James M. Ragen up until recent years. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. PETERSON. Mr. PETERSON. On April 26 Bobby Hertogs was found with his throat cut and his body riddled with bullet holes. This is back in 1940. On May 11, 1920, Big Jim Colosimo was killed in gangland fashion in Chicago. Too much time. I mean the one before that, the tourists' association. Accardo, the son of a shoemaker, was born Antonio Leonardo Accardo in 1906 in Chicagos Little Italy. The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to advance the public understanding of organized crime's history and impact on American society. Capone's bodyguard at that time was Phil D'Andrea, who, true to form, appeared in court with a concealed weapon and was sentenced by a. This book contained the addresses and names, in many instances the private telephone numbers, of some of the leading underworld characters in the Nation. It was alleged that from June 1, 1928, to the date of indictment, O'Hara had conspired with others to get applications for moving-picture operators through the department of moving picture operators and gas and electricity of the city. Senator WILEY. Matter of fact, in 1951 he had just bought his dream house. For convenience, we might refer to the New York mob as the Frank Costello gang and the Chicago gang as the Capone syndicate. For the information of the press and others here, the committee will continue with Mr. Peterson's statement at 2:30 this afternoon in this room, but his statement will be interrupted at 3:15, at which time Mr. William Brown, the president of the Pioneer News Service, will testify. In connection with these activities Peskin was associated with individuals who were known to be close to the Capone syndicate. The committee is very much interested in your full statement, Mr. Peterson. Sam "Golf Bag" Hunt, whose real name is Samuel McPherson Hunt, has been closely associated with many prominent members of the Capone syndicate including Murray Humphreys, Ralph Pierce, Jack Guzik, Charles Fischetti, and others. This burglary was a personal insult to Accardo, no doubt about it. I might possibly have it here on a legitimate enterprise. He spent a lot of time before the grand jury. That was in testimony before the Hoffman committee. His throat had been slashed from ear to ear and he had been shot four times. In recent years August Circella owned and operated the Gold Coast Lounge, on North Rush Street. Caldwell was then kicked out of the union. Both a violent and obedient man, Accardo was eager to prove his loyalty to the mob. Paul Ricca, 812 Lathrop Avenue, River Forest, Ill., is frequently considered the top ranking member of the Capone syndicate. Mr. HALLEY. Among the names contained in this book was that of Tony Accardo, together with his residence address in River Forest, Ill. His death marks the end of the Capone era, the Chicago Crime Commission added. Around this same time, Accardo was made capo or captain of his own street crew. [CDATA[ It is stated that Ricca came to this country about 1920 and that his name in Italy was Magleo or Maglio. Frank Garnet has also been operating juke boxes as a distributor in Los Angeles. In 1922, O'Hara was business agent for the Chicago Federation of Musicians. In 1929 the Federal grand jury charged Ralph Capone with failure to pay income taxes - November 1, 1929. Aiuppa was also arrested in connection with the slaying of James D. Larrisen, on April 7, 1944, in the tavern of Matt Capone. He is an associate of many of the most important members of the Capone outfit, including Nitti, deceased leader of the gang, Murray Humphreys, Paul Ricca, and Louis Campagna. The other members of this group included Edward Stern and S. J. Horwick. Anthony Spilotro was a soldier and enforcer for the Chicago Outfit who was . Sometime after 1933 Peskin entered the juke-box business. In 1931, shortly after Capone was jailed for income tax evasion, Accardo reputedly was given control of the Capone familys gambling operations in Florida and Chicago. That gives a brief background of the beginning of the Capone syndicate. Borselino was a member of the notorious westside Wild Bunch, a group of grizzled Cicero enforcers tasked with the Outfits most difficult jobs. In the autumn of 1931 Al Capone was brought to trial in Federal court for income-tax evasion. Several years ago August Circella was one of the owners of the notorious Colony Club on Chicago's North Side. A five-bedroom, 6,200-square-foot Colonial-style mansion in River Forest once owned by legendary Chicago Outfit figure Anthony "Tony" Accardo sold Friday for $1.13 million exactly half what. Family & Personal Life. I don't know whether the "A" stands for Arnold or not. Five days after Mendell went missing, his second-in-charge, Bernard Buddy Ryan, was discovered dead behind the wheel of his car with four bullet holes in the back of his head. Senator WILEY. About 1930 it was rumored that Ralph Capone then owned an interest in the Grand Central Surety Co., a bail bond company which signed bonds for numerous well known hoodlums in Chicago, such as Tony Accardo and other members of the Capone syndicate. For many years leading to his death at age 80 from lung cancer on January 15, 1983, Meyer Lansky was commonly known as the "accountant" and master business adviser for the national crime syndicate. We will resume in about 5 minutes. That is the King's Ransom Scotch. A call was made to Las Vegas where The Outfit's Anthony Spilotro (photo left) protected the mob's casino skimming operations. Named in the injunction were Louis Romano, president of the union, Frank Nitti, Murray Humphreys, Louis "Little New York" Campagna, Fred Evans, and Paul Ricca. All of those are well-known syndicate members. He served 6 months on that charge. In 1943 -. At one time they succeeded in having their representative placed at the head of State-wide trade associations and through their influence they were able to have their representative elected to the liquor code authority under the old NRA. I think you either told me or you stated somewhere that Mr. Annenberg and Molasky were indicted for income-tax evasion. He was 85 and a lifelong resident of Hester. This Lester A. Kruse, the fellow I am talking about, on April 26, 1940, a Federal grand jury returned three indictments before Federal Judge James A. Wilkerson, naming Western Union and 18 gamblers and horse-race-news distributors as operators of schemes to take over the lucrative racing information business abandoned by Moe Annenberg. Published: January 18th, 2018 - By Scott Burnstein, Contributing Writer, Breaking Bad still resonates on 10th anniversary of its debut. In Louisiana they organized the Pelican Novelty Co. together with a number of subsidiary companies, one of which was the Bayou Novelty Co. It appears in this case that the killers borrowed the automobile, in which they were transported to the place of the killing, from Buglio. Two persons familiar with crime. The arrest occurred at Wabash Avenue and Congress Street. But Ricca also found himself in trouble with the law, and he was soon locked up. Scott M. Burnstein, a journalist and true-crime historian, is the author of five books on organized crime. I will be glad to do that. It seemed as if the group of burglars who were responsible for the grave insult had all been dealt with, but Accardo wasn't finished. That is correct. On May 29, 1936, the charges against De Stefano were nolle prossed on the grounds that there was not sufficient evidence of identity as to the robbery but that he probably did assist in disposing of the stolen goods. Mr. PETERSON. The significance of that is that it then means that successful candidates who depend upon that particular revenue for their election to office then must listen to the racketeering or criminal elements with reference to law-enforcement policies, and some of the law-enforcement officials then are under the control of your law violators. He has also been known to maintain close relations with some of the individuals who have been prominently identified with the underworld on the east coast. As I said before he has been associated in business activities with Tony Accardo. He was murdered in the Rouse House in Libertyville, which was the site of a 1980 crime in which 15-year-old William Rouse used a shotgun to murder his millionaire parents, Bruce and Darlene Rouse.. The CHAIRMAN. In addition to maintaining close contact with various prominent members of the syndicate in Chicago, he has associated with John and Fred Angersola, usually referred to as John and Fred King, from Cleveland. 4 or 5 months in connection with the reorganization. Paul Ricca, among other property, has a summer estate located near Long Beach, Ind., worth about $75,000. At that time they were charged with violation of the National Prohibition Act. What sections have you been stationed in? That is right. In 1948 investigators observed Gus Liebe and "Killer" Kane on duty as floormen at 4819 West Roosevelt Road where three dice games were being operated. Of course, Torrio is no longer active. On June 12, 1931, Fusco was indicted with Al Capone and other members of the Capone mob in Federal court, totaling 69 defendants, charged with liquor conspiracy. Evans was born in November 1898 in St. Louis, Mo. He was tried and acquitted of that charge and was represented by Rothstein's attorney. On July 18, 1932, John Capone, then 29 years of age, was arrested with his bodyguard who at that time was Rocco Fischetti. That was their testimony. But where the five New York families had to compete for criminal talent, and fight over territory, Chicago had no such problems. Another member, John Patrick Borcia - that I believe I mentioned briefly before - alias John Borcy, has been very closely associated with many prominent members of the Capone syndicate. . In 1931, Capone was found guilty of tax evasion and sent to prison. Pierce, incidentally, was one of those acquitted. As I understand it, today you are testifying on behalf of the American Municipal Association. He has also resided at 9199 Collins Avenue, Surfside, Fla., just north of Miami. Peskin's principal office for juke-box distribution in southern California is located at 2663-67 West Pike Boulevard, Los Angeles, where he did business under the name of J. Peskin Distributing Co. Another important syndicate man is Rocco De Stefano, alias Rocco Nicholas De Stefano. He appointed, as chief of police, Joseph Horejs. He was later indicted in connection with this matter, but not convicted. As a matter of background, he is a cousin of Al Capone and has been an important member of the syndicate for the greater part of three decades. On April 7, 1925, the press reported a raid on the headquarters of the Torrio-Capone gang, which was then located at 2146 South Michigan Boulevard. I think a man by the name of Crowley is the business agent of the union at the present time. ), Copyright 2019, Thomas P. Hunt, Whiting, VT 05778 He was also alleged to be the owner of the Turf Club, Touhy and Western Avenues, a gasoline station across the street from the Turf Club, and a two-flat building in Skokie, Ill. Although the purpose of permitting the slot machines originally was allegedly for charity, it is also claimed that charity received only about $600. Dallas authorities never arrested Manno, although others were arrested. Rather than stepping down from a position of power, he stepped aside. Anyway he wasn't a Wisconsin citizen. The New York group was also interested in this racket, and at a single session of one legislature they claimed they spent the sum of $100,000 in an effort to secure favorable legislation. Mr. PETERSON. Harry Levinson was one of those men who could call Antonino Accardo a friend. In order to cover his tracks and cut ties from the purge he set in motion, Accardo turned his wrath toward his own inner circle and the execution squad he had dispatched to do his bidding. 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