| Chapter I"Big Ange" and the Death of the
| |
| | Mayfield Road Mob."
|
| Cleveland MafiaIn 1983, Angelo Lonardo,
| |
| | Milano's group was made up in part of
|
| 72, one-time Cleveland Mafia
| |
| | remnants of the Lonardo
|
| boss, turned government informant. He
| |
| | gang and was also associated with the
|
| shocked family,
| |
| | powerful "Cleveland
|
| friends, law enforcement officers and
| |
| | Syndicate," Morrie Kleinman, Moe Dalitz,
|
| particularly, criminal
| |
| | Sam Tucker and Louis
|
| associates with his decision which was
| |
| | Rothkopf. The Cleveland Syndicate was
|
| made after being
| |
| | responsible for most
|
| sentenced to life plus 103 years for
| |
| | of the Canadian booze imported via Lake
|
| drug and racketeering
| |
| | Erie. In later years
|
| convictions. The sentence came after a
| |
| | they got into the casino business. One
|
| monumental
| |
| | of the their largest
|
| investigation by local, state and
| |
| | and most profitable enterprises was
|
| federal agencies had all
| |
| | construction of the
|
| but wiped out the Cleveland Mafia."Big
| |
| | Desert Inn Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas.
|
| Ange" as he was called, was the highest
| |
| | Dalitz would become
|
| ranking
| |
| | known as the "Godfather of Las Vegas."
|
| mafioso to defect. He testified in 1985
| |
| | He would be
|
| at the Las Vegas
| |
| | murdered in 1986 as part of a Mafia war
|
| casino "skimming" trials in Kansas City
| |
| | for control of Las
|
| and in 1986 at the
| |
| | Vegas.Joe Porrello admired Milano's
|
| New York Mafia "ruling commission"
| |
| | political organization,
|
| trials. Many of the
| |
| | the East End Bi-Partisan Political Club
|
| nation's biggest mob leaders were
| |
| | and, seeing the value
|
| convicted as a result of
| |
| | in such influence, wanted to ally
|
| these trials.During his testimony,
| |
| | himself with the group.
|
| Lonardo told how at age 18, he
| |
| | Milano refused. Later, Porrello was
|
| avenged his father's murder by killing
| |
| | reported to have
|
| the man believed to be
| |
| | affiliated himself with the newly formed
|
| responsible. He further testified that
| |
| | 21st District
|
| after that murder, he
| |
| | Republican Club. He hoped to organize
|
| was responsible for the killings of
| |
| | the Woodland Avenue
|
| several of the Porrello
| |
| | voters as Milano was doing on Mayfield
|
| brothers, business rivals of his father
| |
| | road.Chapter VIIIMore Corn Sugar and
|
| during Prohibition.Chapter IIBirth of the
| |
| | BloodBy 1930, Milano had grown quite
|
| Cleveland MafiaDuring the late eighteen
| |
| | powerful. He had gone
|
| hundreds, the four Lonardo
| |
| | so far as to demand a piece of the
|
| brothers and seven Porrello brothers
| |
| | lucrative Porrello corn
|
| were boyhood friends and
| |
| | sugar business. On July 5th, 1930,
|
| fellow sulphur mine workers in their
| |
| | Porrello received a
|
| hometown of Licata,
| |
| | phonecall from Milano who had requested
|
| Sicily. They came to America in the
| |
| | a conference at his
|
| early nineteen hundreds
| |
| | Venetian Restaurant on Mayfield Road.
|
| and eventually settled in the Woodland
| |
| | Sam Tilocco and Joe
|
| district of Cleveland.
| |
| | Porrello's brother Raymond urged him not
|
| They remained close friends. Several of
| |
| | to go.At about 2:00 p.m., Joe Porrello
|
| the Porrello and
| |
| | and Sam Tilocco arrived
|
| Lonardo brothers worked together in
| |
| | at Milano's restaurant and speakeasy.
|
| small businesses.Lonardo clan leader "Big
| |
| | Porrello, Tilocco, and
|
| Joe" became a successful
| |
| | Frank Milano sat down in the restaurant
|
| businessman and community leader in the
| |
| | and discussed
|
| lower Woodland Avenue
| |
| | business. Several of Milano's henchmen
|
| area. During Prohibition, he became
| |
| | sat nearby. The
|
| successful as a dealer
| |
| | atmosphere was tense as Porrello refused
|
| in corn sugar which was used by
| |
| | to accede to
|
| bootleggers to make corn
| |
| | Milano's demands.Porrello reached into
|
| liquor. "Big Joe" provided stills and
| |
| | his pocket for his watch to check
|
| raw materials to the
| |
| | the time. Two of Milano's men, possibly
|
| poor Italian district residents. They
| |
| | believing that
|
| would make the booze
| |
| | Porrello was reaching for his gun opened
|
| and "Big Joe" would buy it back giving
| |
| | fire. With three
|
| them a commission. He
| |
| | bullets in his head, Porrello died
|
| was respected and feared as a "padrone"
| |
| | instantly.
|
| or godfather. "Big
| |
| | Simultaneously, a third member of
|
| Joe" became the leader of a powerful and
| |
| | Milano's gang fired at
|
| vicious gang and
| |
| | Tilocco who was struck three times but
|
| was known as the corn sugar "baron."
| |
| | managed to stagger out
|
| Joe Porrello was one of
| |
| | the door toward his new Cadillac. He
|
| his corporals.Chapter IIIThe First
| |
| | fell to the ground as
|
| Bloody CornerWith the advent of
| |
| | the gunmen pursued him, finishing him
|
| Prohibition, Cleveland, like other
| |
| | off with another six
|
| big cities, experienced a wave of
| |
| | bullets.Frank Milano and several of his
|
| bootleg-related murders.
| |
| | restaurant employees
|
| The murders of Louis Rosen, Salvatore
| |
| | were arrested but only charged with
|
| Vella, August Rini and
| |
| | being suspicious persons.
|
| several others produced the same
| |
| | The gunmen were never actually
|
| suspects, but no
| |
| | identified. Only one witness
|
| indictments. These suspects were
| |
| | was present in the saloon when the
|
| members of the Lonardo
| |
| | shooting started. He was
|
| gang. Several of the murders occurred
| |
| | Frank Joiner, a slot machine distributor
|
| at the corner of
| |
| | whose only testimony
|
| E. 25th and Woodland Ave. This
| |
| | was that he "thought" he saw Frank
|
| intersection became known as
| |
| | Milano in the restaurant
|
| the "bloody corner."By this time, Joe
| |
| | during the murders.Cleveland's
|
| Porrello had left the employ of the
| |
| | aggressive and outspoken Safety Director
|
| Lonardos to start his own sugar
| |
| | Edwin Barry, frustrated by the
|
| wholesaling business.
| |
| | continually rising number of
|
| Porrello and his six brothers pooled
| |
| | bootleg murders, ordered all known sugar
|
| their money and
| |
| | warehouses to be
|
| eventually became successful corn sugar
| |
| | padlocked. He ordered a policeman to be
|
| dealers headquartered
| |
| | detailed at each one
|
| in the upper Woodland Avenue area around
| |
| | to make sure that no sugar was brought
|
| E. 110th Street.With small competitors,
| |
| | in or removed.Meanwhile, the six Porrello
|
| sugar dealers and bootleggers,
| |
| | brothers donned black silk
|
| mysteriously dying violent deaths, the
| |
| | shirts and ties and buried their most
|
| Lonardos' business
| |
| | successful brother.
|
| flourished as they gained a near
| |
| | The showy double gangster funeral was
|
| monopoly on the corn sugar
| |
| | one the largest
|
| business. Their main competitors were
| |
| | Cleveland had ever seen. Two bands and
|
| their old friends the
| |
| | thirty-three cars
|
| Porrellos.Raymond Porrello, youngest of
| |
| | overloaded with flowers led the
|
| his brothers was arrested
| |
| | procession of the slain don
|
| by undercover federal agents for
| |
| | and his bodyguard. Over two hundred
|
| arranging a sale of 100
| |
| | fifty automobiles
|
| gallons of whiskey at the Porrello-owned
| |
| | containing family and friends followed.
|
| barbershop at E.
| |
| | Thousands of
|
| 110th and Woodland. He was sentenced to
| |
| | mourners and curious on-lookers lined
|
| the Dayton, Oh.
| |
| | the sidewalks.Cleveland's underworld was
|
| Workhouse.The Porrello brothers paid the
| |
| | tense with rumors of imminent
|
| influential "Big Joe"
| |
| | warfare. Porrello brother
|
| Lonardo $5,000 to get Raymond out of
| |
| | Vincente-James spoke openly of
|
| prison. "Big Joe"
| |
| | wiping out everyone responsible for his
|
| failed in his attempt but never returned
| |
| | brother's murder.Three weeks after his
|
| the $5,000.Meanwhile, Ernest Yorkell and
| |
| | brother's murder, Jim Porrello
|
| Jack Brownstein, small-
| |
| | still wore a black shirt as he entered
|
| time self-proclaimed "tough guys" from
| |
| | the I & A grocery and
|
| Philadelphia arrived
| |
| | meat market at E. 110th Street and
|
| in Cleveland. Yorkell and Brownstein
| |
| | Woodland. As he picked
|
| were shakedown artists,
| |
| | out lamb chops at the meat counter, a
|
| and their intended victims were
| |
| | Ford touring car, its'
|
| Cleveland bootleggers, who
| |
| | curtains tightly drawn, cruised slowly
|
| got a chuckle out of how the two felt it
| |
| | past the store. A
|
| necessary to explain
| |
| | couple of shotguns poked out and two
|
| that they were tough. Real tough guys
| |
| | thunderous blasts of
|
| didn't need to tell
| |
| | buckshot were fired, one through the
|
| people that they were tough. After
| |
| | front window of the
|
| providing Cleveland
| |
| | store and one through the front screen
|
| gangsters with a laugh, Yorkell and
| |
| | door.The amateur gunmen got lucky. Two
|
| Brownstein were taken on
| |
| | pellets found the
|
| a "one-way ride."Chapter IVCorn Sugar
| |
| | back of Porrello's head and entered his
|
| and Blood"Big Joe" Lonardo in 1926, now
| |
| | brain. He was rushed
|
| at the height of his
| |
| | to the hospital.Chapter IX"I think maybe
|
| wealth and power left for Sicily to
| |
| | they'll kill all us Porrellos""I think
|
| visit his mother and
| |
| | maybe they'll kill all us Porrellos. I
|
| relatives. He left his closest brother
| |
| | think
|
| and business partner
| |
| | maybe they will kill all of us except
|
| John in charge.During "Big Joe's"
| |
| | Rosario. They can't
|
| six-month absence, he lost much of
| |
| | kill him - he's in jail." Thus Ottavio
|
| his $5,000 a week profits to the
| |
| | Porrello grimly but
|
| Porrellos who took advantage
| |
| | calmly predicted the probable fate of he
|
| of John Lonardo's lack of business
| |
| | and his brothers as
|
| skills and the assistance
| |
| | he waited outside Jim's hospital
|
| of a disgruntled Lonardo employee. "Big
| |
| | room.Next to Ottavio was a tough looking
|
| Joe" returned and
| |
| | young man who smoked
|
| business talks between the Porrellos and
| |
| | cigarettes and blew the smoke at the
|
| Lonardos began.
| |
| | hospital's No Smoking
|
| They "urged" the Porrellos to return
| |
| | signs. It was said he was a bodyguard,
|
| their lost clientele.On Oct. 13th, 1927
| |
| | something the
|
| "Big Joe" and John Lonardo went to
| |
| | Porrellos never employed enough of. Jim
|
| the Porrello barbershop to play cards
| |
| | Porrello died at
|
| and talk business with
| |
| | 5:55 p.m.Two local petty gangsters were
|
| Angelo Porrello as they had been doing
| |
| | arrested and charged with
|
| for the past week. As
| |
| | murder. One was discharged by directed
|
| the Lonardos entered the rear room of
| |
| | verdict and the other
|
| the shop, two gunmen
| |
| | was acquitted. Like almost all of
|
| opened fire. Angelo Porrello ducked
| |
| | Cleveland's bootleg
|
| under a table.Cleveland's underworld lost
| |
| | related murders, the killers never saw
|
| its' first boss as "Big Joe"
| |
| | justice.About this time, it was rumored
|
| went down with three bullets in his
| |
| | that the Porrello
|
| head. John Lonardo was
| |
| | brothers were marked for extermination.
|
| shot in the chest and groin but drew his
| |
| | The surviving
|
| gun and managed to
| |
| | brothers went into hiding. Raymond,
|
| pursue the attackers through the
| |
| | known for his cocky
|
| barbershop. He dropped his
| |
| | attitude and hot temper spoke like his
|
| gun in the shop but continued chasing
| |
| | brother James did of
|
| the gunmen into the
| |
| | seeking revenge. Raymond was smarter
|
| street where one of them turned, and out
| |
| | though, he took active
|
| of bullets, struck
| |
| | measures to protect himself.On August
|
| Lonardo in the head several times with
| |
| | 15th, 1930, three weeks after James
|
| the butt of his gun.
| |
| | Porrello's
|
| John fell unconscious and bled to
| |
| | murder, Raymond Porrello's house was
|
| death.The Porrello brothers were
| |
| | leveled in a violent
|
| arrested. Angelo was charged
| |
| | explosion. He was not home at the time
|
| with the Lonardo brothers' murders. The
| |
| | since he had taken
|
| charges were later
| |
| | his family and abandoned his home in
|
| dropped for lack of evidence. Joe
| |
| | anticipation of the
|
| Porrello succeeded the
| |
| | attack.Four days later Frank Alessi, a
|
| Lonardos as corn sugar "baron" and later
| |
| | witness to the murder of
|
| appointed himself
| |
| | "Big Joe" Lonardo's brother Frank, was
|
| "capo" of the Cleveland Mafia.Chapter
| |
| | gunned down. From his
|
| VThe Cleveland MeetingThe trail of
| |
| | death bed, he identified Frank Brancato
|
| bootleg blood continued to flow with
| |
| | as his assailant.
|
| numerous murders stemming from the
| |
| | Brancato was known mainly as a Lonardo
|
| Porrello-Lonardo conflict.Lawrence Lupo,
| |
| | supporter and suspect
|
| a former Lonardo bodyguard was killed
| |
| | in several murders. Brancato was
|
| after he let it be known that he wanted
| |
| | acquitted of Alessi's
|
| to take over the
| |
| | murder.Chapter XIn March of 1931,
|
| Lonardos' corn sugar business.Anthony
| |
| | Rosario Porrello was paroled from
|
| Caruso, a butcher who saw the Lonardos'
| |
| | Ohio's London Prison Farm where he had
|
| killers
| |
| | served one year for
|
| escape was shot and killed. It was
| |
| | carrying a gun in his car.In mid-1931,
|
| believed that he knew the
| |
| | National Mafia "capo di tutti capi"
|
| identities of the gunmen and was going
| |
| | (boss
|
| to reveal them to
| |
| | of all bosses) Salvatore Maranzano was
|
| police.On Dec. 5th, 1928, Joe Porrello
| |
| | killed. His murder
|
| and his lieutenant and
| |
| | set in motion the formation of the first
|
| bodyguard Sam Tilocco hosted the first
| |
| | Mafia National
|
| known major meeting of
| |
| | Ruling Commission created to stop the
|
| the Mafia at Cleveland's Hotel Statler.
| |
| | numerous murders
|
| Many major Mafia
| |
| | resulting from conflicts between and
|
| leaders from Chicago to New York to
| |
| | within Mafia families
|
| Florida were invited.
| |
| | and to promote application of modern
|
| The meeting was raided before it
| |
| | business practices to
|
| actually began.Joe Profaci, leader of a
| |
| | crime.Charles "Lucky" Luciano was the
|
| Brooklyn, N.Y. Mafia family was
| |
| | main developer of the
|
| the most well-known of the gangsters
| |
| | commission and was named chairman. Also
|
| arrested. Within a few
| |
| | named to the
|
| hours, to the astonishment of police and
| |
| | commission were Al Capone of Chicago,
|
| court officials, Joe
| |
| | Joe Profaci of
|
| Porrello gathered thirty family members
| |
| | Brooklyn and Frank Milano of
|
| and friends who put
| |
| | Cleveland.In Dec. of 1931, Angelo
|
| up their houses as collateral for the
| |
| | Lonardo and his cousin Dominic
|
| gangsters' bonds.
| |
| | Suspirato were released from prison
|
| Profaci was bailed out personally by
| |
| | after being acquitted of
|
| Porrello. A great
| |
| | "Black Sam" Todaro's murder during a
|
| controversy over the validity of the
| |
| | second trial. Because
|
| bonds followed.Several theories have been
| |
| | he had avenged his father's death and
|
| given as to why the meeting
| |
| | (for the most part)
|
| was called. First, it was thought that
| |
| | gotten away with it, he became a
|
| the gangsters, local
| |
| | respected member of Frank
|
| presidents of the Unione Siciliane, an
| |
| | Milano's Mayfield Road Mob.The thirst
|
| immigrant aid society
| |
| | for revenge had not been satisfied for
|
| infiltrated by the Mafia, were there to
| |
| | members of the Lonardo family. It was
|
| elect a new national
| |
| | generally believed
|
| president. Their previous president,
| |
| | that "Black Sam" Todaro instigated and
|
| Frankie Yale had been
| |
| | perhaps took part in
|
| recently killed by order of Chicago's
| |
| | the murders of "Big Joe" and John
|
| notorious Al Capone.
| |
| | Lonardo. However it was
|
| Second, it was believed that the meeting
| |
| | believed by members of the Lonardo
|
| may have been called
| |
| | family that the remaining
|
| to organize the highly lucrative corn
| |
| | Porrello brothers, particularly the
|
| sugar industry. It was
| |
| | volatile John and Raymond
|
| also said that the men were there to
| |
| | and eldest brother Rosario still posed a
|
| "confirm" Joe Porrello
| |
| | threat because of
|
| as "capo" of Cleveland.Capone, a
| |
| | the murders of Joe and James Porrello.On
|
| non-Sicilian was reported to be in
| |
| | Feb. 25th, 1932 Raymond Porrello, his
|
| Cleveland
| |
| | brother Rosario
|
| for the meeting. He left soon after his
| |
| | and their bodyguard Dominic Gulino
|
| arrival at the
| |
| | (known also by several
|
| advice of associates who said that the
| |
| | aliases) were playing cards near E.
|
| Sicilians did not want
| |
| | 110th and Woodland
|
| him there.Chapter VIThe Second Bloody
| |
| | Avenue. The front door burst open and
|
| CornerAs Joe Porrello's power and wealth
| |
| | in a hail of bullets
|
| grew, heirs and close
| |
| | the Porrello brothers, their bodyguard
|
| associates to the Lonardo brothers grew
| |
| | and a bystander went
|
| hot for revenge.Angelo Lonardo, "Big
| |
| | down. The Porrellos died at the scene.
|
| Joe's" 18-year-old son along with
| |
| | Gulino died a couple
|
| his mother and his cousin, drove to the
| |
| | of hours later. The bystander
|
| corner of E. 110th
| |
| | eventually recovered from his
|
| and Woodland, the Porrello stronghold.
| |
| | wounds. This shooting was Cleveland's
|
| There Angelo sent
| |
| | worst Mob hit ever.Several hours after
|
| word that his mother wanted to speak to
| |
| | the murders, Frank Brancato, with abullet
|
| Salvatore "Black Sam"
| |
| | in his stomach, dragged himself into St.
|
| Todaro. Todaro, now a Porrello
| |
| | John's
|
| lieutenant, had worked for
| |
| | Hospital on Cleveland's west side. He
|
| Angelo's father and was believed to be
| |
| | claimed he was shot in
|
| responsible for his
| |
| | a street fight on the west side. A few
|
| murder. In later years it was believed
| |
| | days later, tests on
|
| that he was actually
| |
| | the bullet taken from Brancato revealed
|
| one of the gunmen.As Todaro approached
| |
| | that it came from a
|
| to speak with Mrs. Lonardo whom he
| |
| | gun found at the Porrello brothers
|
| respected, Angelo pulled out a gun and
| |
| | murder scene. Although
|
| emptied it into "Black
| |
| | never convicted of either of the
|
| Sam's stocky frame. Todaro crumpled to
| |
| | murders, Brancato was
|
| the sidewalk and
| |
| | convicted of perjury for lying to a
|
| died.Angelo and his cousin disappeared
| |
| | Grand Jury about his
|
| for several months
| |
| | whereabouts during the murder. He
|
| reportedly being hid in Chicago courtesy
| |
| | served four years after a
|
| of Lonardo friend Al
| |
| | one to ten year sentence was commuted by
|
| Capone. Later it was believed that
| |
| | Governor Martin L.
|
| Angelo spent time in
| |
| | Davey.In 1933, Prohibition was repealed.
|
| California with his uncle Dominick,
| |
| | The bootleg murders
|
| fourth Lonardo brother
| |
| | mostly stopped as organized crime moved
|
| who fled west when indicted for a
| |
| | into other
|
| payroll robbery murder in
| |
| | enterprises. Angelo Lonardo continued
|
| 1921.Eventually Angelo and his cousin
| |
| | his crime career as a
|
| were arrested and
| |
| | respected member of the Cleveland family
|
| charged with "Black Sam's" murder. For
| |
| | eventually rising
|
| the first time in
| |
| | through the ranks to run the northeast
|
| Cleveland's bootleg murder history
| |
| | Ohio rackets in 1980.In early 1933, in a
|
| justice was served as both
| |
| | sequel to the tragedy of the large
|
| young men were convicted and sentenced
| |
| | Porrello family, Rosario's son Angelo,
|
| to life. Justice
| |
| | 21, was killed in a
|
| although served would be shortlived as
| |
| | fight over a pool game in Buffalo. It
|
| they would be released
| |
| | was said that he and
|
| only a year and a half later after
| |
| | his Uncle John were there trying to
|
| winning a new trial.Chapter VIIRise of
| |
| | muscle in on the corn
|
| the Mayfield Road MobOn October 20th,
| |
| | liquor business.******For more - read
|
| 1929, Frank Lonardo, brother to "Big
| |
| | The Rise and Fall of the Cleveland Mafia
|
| Joe" and John was shot to death while
| |
| | Rick Porrello - Barricade BooksA cop in
|
| playing cards. Two
| |
| | suburban Cleveland, Rick Porrello,
|
| theories were given for his death; that
| |
| | serendipitously began his writing career
|
| it was in revenge for
| |
| | when curiosity about the mysterious
|
| the murder of "Black Sam" Todaro and,
| |
| | murder of his grandfather along with the
|
| that he was killed for
| |
| | deaths of several uncles led to penning
|
| not paying gambling debts. Mrs. Frank
| |
| | his first true crime saga, The Rise and
|
| Lonardo, when told of
| |
| | Fall of the Cleveland Mafia. Porrello
|
| her husband's murder screamed, "I'll get
| |
| | went on to write a second book, To Kill
|
| them. I'll get them
| |
| | the Irishman: The War That Crippled the
|
| myself if I have to kill a whole
| |
| | Mafia which recounts the story of
|
| regiment!"By 1929, Little Italy crime
| |
| | Irish-American racketeer Danny Greene who
|
| boss Frank Milano had risen
| |
| | took on the Cleveland Mafia and was
|
| to power as leader of his own gang, "The
| |
| | murdered in 1977.
|
