In fact, the Chicago Family or “Outfit” is in worse shape than the New York Families, Philadelphia and New England as well.

Until the next time folks…. He was born on December 15, 1930 in Woodbridge, Illinois. He never married and had no known children of his own. But he too would soon fall in the “Family Secrets” case along with Joey Lombardo and most of the remaining hierarchy of the Chicago syndicate. Starting out as a young gunman under Capone and Nitti, Accardo was thought to have done “plenty of work” in his early career. What I thought would be more interesting would be to dig into the backgrounds of some of their “rank and file”: capos, soldiers, and non-member associates, both well-known and not so well-known, Italian or not, who formed the very backbone of who and what the Chicago Family was really all about… I hope you like it. But some of the more dangerous hoods with colorful names were Fiore (Fifi) Buccieri and his brother Frank (The Horse) Buccieri, Alfonso (The Pizza Man) Tornebene, the aforementioned gambling boss Samuel Cesario who was later killed, loansharks William (Wee Willy) Messino and James (Turk) Torello, Teets Battaglia’s aide Joseph (Joe Shine) Amabile, gambling boss and loanshark Joseph (Joe Gags) Gagliano and his aide Chris Cardi, north side leader Rosario (Ross) Prio, the Inglesia brothers – better known as Charles (Chuckie) English and his sibling Sam (Butchie) English, Lawrence (Larry the Hood) Buonaguidi, Mike Glitta, Joseph (Joe Nagells) Ferriola, Frank (Strongy) Ferrara who served for a time as underboss to Giancana, Samuel (Wings) Carlisi, John (No-Nose) DeFronzo, Joseph (Joey the Clown) Lombardo. John was a mafia labor racketeer and strong-arm man. He was a former associate and friend of Tony Spilotro, and was involved in his Hole in the Wall gang based in Las Vegas. He numbered among his top associates, bosses Tony Accardo, Mooney Giancana, Fiore (Fifi) Buccieri, and Marshall (Shoes) Caifano, all well-known hoodlums…his power was said to have emanated even from the grave. He was born in May of 1918 in St.Paul, Minnesota. He later resided at 8109 26th Street in the Riverside suburb.

Their iron-clad control over their city of Chicago and its outer territories is legendary. Nick was apprehended in March, 1942, and sent to prison for six years. He was suspected of hidden interests in other area nightclubs and holding “points” in Las Vegas Casinos as well. A top associate of Anthony Accardo, Paul Ricca, Joseph Fischetti, Charles Fischetti, Jake Guzik, Murray Humphreys, and other leaders of the Family. He had been married to Inez, and had two sons Dominick Jr. (who died), and Philip. He was also an intimate of boss Sam Giancana and soldier Rocco DeGrazia. He was an active labor racketeer and the most influential mafia member in the state of Iowa during his tenure. The head Chef who will make sure you get the purest Chicago Taste everyday, The organizer and executer behind the idea and creation of The Chicago Outfit Mobile Diner, The Techie mind for The Chicago Outfit Mobile Diner from Tech 115. Joseph (Joe Doves) Aiuppaaka “Joey O’Brien” FBI # 951184. • Frank Cullotta – born in December 1938. A hulking framed hoodlum, Torello served for years as one of Chicago’s leading enforcers. Repeatedly questioned about his friendship with Sinatra and possible gambling interests in Las Vegas and the Cal Neva Lodge. DiBella was a “strong-arm”,  plain and simple. Prio was an intimate of capo Frank LaPorte, Murray Humphreys, and the overall boss himself Anthony (Joe Batters) Accardo. Prime examples of this are the Hotel, Restaurant & Bartenders Union, and the Laborers & Hod Carriers Union International, which were based in Chicago giving The Outfit control over those unions. He received 16 years in federal prison. (PS: I can only imagine how his brother Jimmy earned his nickname of “The Lapper”) LOL… Angelo had an extensive criminal record dating to 1939 for murder, kidnapping, and narcotics.

He resided for years at 1138 Park Avenue in suburban River Forest. He was a sick fuck, to say the least! He was said to have been a key figure in the bribing and corruption of both policemen and law enforcement officials, as well as politicians. John’s record commenced way back in 1927 and included armed robbery, and criminal investigation counts. Many of the aforementioned would serve in the hierarchy of the borgata as the years went on as either boss, acting boss, or underboss (with Accardo and DeLucia in the background pulling the strings of course), the executioner Charles (Chuckie) Nicoletti, the screwball loan shark Samuel (Mad Sam) DeStefano and his brother Mario who took a sick perverted pleasure out of abusing and torturing people, Rocco (The Parrot) Potenza… this list could go on and on naming top guys because at their peak the Chicago Family and all its top-flight non-Italian associates collectively could hold their own with anybody, and were stronger than most other Families in the country. He was the married father of one son. His arrest record listed conspiracy, bootlegging, refusal to testify before a grand jury, and gambling. He was listed as the president of Merit Liquor Co., 372 W. Ontario Street. In 1933, he was finally convicted of conspiracy to intimidate Illinois state witnesses and sentenced to eight years imprisonment. By the mid-1970s he and fellow top mafioso Johnny Rosselli came under federal investigation for their collaboration with the CIA and FBI operatives in the “black bag” job attempted assassination of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. At 5’-4”, 140lbs soaked and wet, with a droopy face and eyes, looking at Calamia would conjure up anything but a “professional killer” for the mafia. He was also affiliated with Automatic Phonograph Distributing Company, located at 806 Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago. His area of plunder was generally the North Side and The Loop where he held dominion. Battaglia was appointed “boss” over the West Side and oversaw the organization’s gambling and prostitution interests there. Frequented the Casa Madrid and was an intimate and known narcotics distributor for soldier Rocco DeGrazia. But regardless of the era, he was capable of supplying kilo quantities of heroin and opium from his previous associations with top Italian and Jewish narcotics smugglers on the east coast. He had a record of nine arrests since 1914 for burglary, grand larceny, narcotics, and income-tax evasion.

A bartender by trade. He owned Ciro’s Nightclub at 816 N. Rush Street. As a top member of the Old Capone Mob, Accardo was familiar with virtually all major mob figures in the Illinois area and for that matter, all top mafiosi across the entire United States. Mobster Sam (Sambo) Cesario was shot to death after Alderisio had died for daring to disrespect the mafioso by taking up with Alderisio’s former girlfriend. He was also known as a very close friend of singer Frank Sinatra. They kept in constant touch and communication with the larger Luciano/Genovese Family in New York City and worked in tandem with the New York Families in setting policy and enforcing the same. Mario Anthony DeStefano (March 21, 1915 – August 12, 1975) was a "made" member of the Chicago Outfit and a leading loan shark. It is how LaPietra earned his macabre nickname “The Hook”.