1929 in organized crime
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Events

*Mobster Antonino Morddelo "Tony," "Joe Batters" Accardo becomes head enforcer for
Al Capone Alphonse Gabriel Capone (; January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface", was an American gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-founder and boss of the ...
's " Chicago Outfit". * Danny Stanton, a former member of the Valley and Sheldon Gangs, assumes control as interim leader of arch rivals Saltis- McErlane organization. *January 8 –
Unione Siciliane The Italian-American National Union (formerly known as Unione Siciliana) was a Sicilian-American organization, which controlled much of the Italian vote within the United States during the early twentieth century. It was based in Chicago, Illinois. ...
leader Pasquale Lolordo is killed in his Chicago apartment, supposedly by mobster
Joe Aiello Giuseppe "Joe" Aiello (; September 27, 1890 – October 23, 1930) was a Sicilians, Sicilian bootlegger and organized crime leader in Chicago during the Prohibition in the United States, Prohibition era. He was best known for his long and bloody ...
and members of the North Side Gang. *January 12 – Labor racketeer
Cornelius Shea Cornelius P. Shea (September 7, 1872 – January 12, 1929) was an American labor leader and organized crime figure. He was the founding president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, holding the position from 1903 until 1907. He becam ...
died in a hospital in Chicago after an operation for gallstones. *February 14 – Four unidentified men, two of them dressed as Chicago police officers, storm into a Chicago garage and murder seven members of the North Side Gang, (among them
optometrist Optometry is a specialized health care profession that involves examining the eyes and related structures for defects or abnormalities. Optometrists are health care professionals who typically provide comprehensive primary eye care. In the Uni ...
Rheinhart Schwimmer and mechanic John May). Their primary target, gang leader George "Bugs" Moran, is not there. However, the
St. Valentines Day Massacre The Saint Valentine's Day Massacre was the murder of seven members and associates of Chicago's North Side Gang that occurred on Saint Valentine's Day 1929. The men were gathered at a Lincoln Park, Chicago garage on the morning of February 14 ...
effectively ends the five-year gang war between The Chicago Outfit and the North Side Gang. *March 19 – William J. Vercoe, a colorful Chicago criminal noted for reciting poetry, is shot and killed by Westside O'Donnell gang member William Clifford while at the '' Pony Inn'' in Cicero, Illinois. *April 14 – William Clifford is gunned down along with former Westside O'Donnall's gang gunman Michael Reiley. *May 7 – Chicago Outfit hitmen
Albert Anselmi Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Albert C ...
and John Scalise, two of the men suspected in the murder of North Side Gang leader
Dean O'Banion Charles Dean O'Banion (July 8, 1892 – November 10, 1924) was an American mobster who was the main rival of Johnny Torrio and Al Capone during the brutal Chicago bootlegging wars of the 1920s. The newspapers of his day made him better known a ...
and fellow mob boss Joseph "Hop Toad" Giunta, the current Unione Siculiana President are all killed during a lavish party held at Al Capone's residence. The party was a ruse by mob boss
Al Capone Alphonse Gabriel Capone (; January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface", was an American gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-founder and boss of the ...
to lure the three men to their deaths after their plan to gain leadership of the Chicago Outfit by eliminating Capone is uncovered. The men where beaten to death by Capone, who used a baseball bat to commit the murders. *May 9 – Prominent New York mob associate Meyer Lansky marries Anna Citron. *May 13–15 – The Atlantic City Conference is held in
Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.
by American
East Coast East Coast may refer to: Entertainment * East Coast hip hop, a subgenre of hip hop * East Coast (ASAP Ferg song), "East Coast" (ASAP Ferg song), 2017 * East Coast (Saves the Day song), "East Coast" (Saves the Day song), 2004 * East Coast FM, a ra ...
and
Midwest The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four Census Bureau Region, census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of ...
organized crime leaders. This conference would later result in the formation of the National Crime Syndicate of all Italian-American gangs. *May 16 – Shortly after leaving the
Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.
meeting, Chicago mob boss
Al Capone Alphonse Gabriel Capone (; January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface", was an American gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-founder and boss of the ...
is arrested by Philadelphia police and charged with carrying a concealed weapon. *May 16 – Bootlegger Joe Porrazo "Disappears" after alleged confrontation with organized Crime Figures *May 29 – Thomas McElligot, a member of the Westside O'Donnell's gang, is killed in a
Loop Loop or LOOP may refer to: Brands and enterprises * Loop (mobile), a Bulgarian virtual network operator and co-founder of Loop Live * Loop, clothing, a company founded by Carlos Vasquez in the 1990s and worn by Digable Planets * Loop Mobile, an ...
saloon in Chicago. *June 11 – Salvatore "Black Sam" Todaro, a
Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
mafia leader, the #2 man or underboss in the Porrello crime family is shot and killed while approaching a parked car. Todaro's murder was a revenge killing for plotting with the Porrello family to betray and kill his former boss Joe Lonardo and take over the crime family in late 1927. *June 24 – Broadway based mobster Gandolfo Curto, better known as "Frankie Marlow" was found murdered in Queens after a night of dining in Manhattan. Frankie Marlow was a former associate of Brooklyn mob boss Frankie Yale. Among other things, Marlow ran a bookmaking operation under Yale's protection and was also a bootlegger, nightclub owner and boxing manager. *July 2 – Benjamin Evangelista, a religious leader and real estate tycoon, is killed with his wife and four children. It is believed that the killings are related to possible dealings with organized crime. *August 6 – Pittsburgh mobster Steve Monastero is shot to death at the entrance of
Allegheny General Hospital Allegheny General Hospital is a large urban hospital located at 320 East North Avenue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the larger Allegheny Health Network. History Allegheny General Hospital, also known locally by the acr ...
. Following Monastero's death, he would be succeeded by Joseph Siragusa. *August 17 –
James Alderman James Horace Alderman (in some sources Aldermon) (June 24, 1884 – August 17, 1929) was an American convicted murderer, bootlegger and gangster during the Prohibition era in the United States. He became known in the press by names like the "Ki ...
, a prominent Florida bootlegger, who was sentenced to hang the previous year by US District Court Judge
Henry D. Clayton Henry De Lamar Clayton Jr. (February 10, 1857 – December 21, 1929) was a United States representative from Alabama and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama and the United States D ...
for the
1927 Events January * January 1 – The British Broadcasting ''Company'' becomes the British Broadcasting ''Corporation'', when its Royal Charter of incorporation takes effect. John Reith becomes the first Director-General. * January 7 * ...
murders of a US Secret Service agent and two US Coast Guard crew members during an arrest at sea, goes to the gallows. Despite appeals to the US Supreme Court and President Herbert Hoover, Alderman is hanged on a Coast Guard base near
Fort Lauderdale, Florida Fort Lauderdale () is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Florida, north of Miami along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of and largest city in Broward County with a population of 182,760 at the 2020 census, making it the tenth ...
. *September 4 – Westside O'Donnell gang member Frank Cawley is killed. *November 17 – John "Bilikens" Rito, a former bootlegger for the Chicago Genna brothers, is killed shortly after forming a partnership with North Side Gang member Ted Newberry. *November 29 – Los Angeles Vintner Frank Baumgarteker "Disappears" after alleged confrontation with organized Crime Figures *December 29 – Chicago bootlegger James Walsh is killed by
Charles Baron Charles "Babe" Baron (1907-1992) was an organized crime figure in Chicago, Illinois. He owned a successful Chicago new car dealership ( Charles Baron Ford) as well as holding the rank of brigadier general in the Illinois National Guard. He was inv ...
after a prize fight. *December 30 –
Stephanie St. Clair Stephanie St. Clair (December 24, 1897 in Guadalupe West Indies(French Caribbean) – December 1969) was a prominent black woman of African descent and racketeer who ran numerous enterprises in Harlem, New York, in the early 20th century. St. ...
, the Harlem, New York numbers game queen, is arrested by New York City police. She would later be sentenced to eight months in prison.


Arts and literature

*''Little Caesar'' (novel) by
William R. Burnett William Riley Burnett (November 25, 1899 April 25, 1982) was an American novelist and screenwriter. He is best known for the crime novel ''Little Caesar'', the film adaptation of which is considered the first of the classic American gangster ...
.


Births

*
Donald Angelini Donald Angelini (September 30, 1926 – December 6, 2000) was a mobster nicknamed "The Wizard of Odds" with the Chicago Outfit, a criminal organization that specialized in gambling operations. Career After years in the Outfit, Angelini became t ...
(Don Angel) "The Wizard of Odds", Syndicate gambling racketeer *
Frank Chin Frank Chin (born February 25, 1940) is an American author and playwright. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of Asian-American theatre. Life and career Frank Chin was born in Berkeley, California on February 25, 1940; until the age of s ...
, Chinese-American author and playwright *
Louis Manna Louis Anthony "Bobby" Manna (born December 2, 1929, in Hoboken, New Jersey), is an American mobster and former consigliere of the Genovese crime family operating with the family's New Jersey faction. Genovese family Manna was a close associate ...
"Bobby", Genovese crime family Capo involved in the New Jersey construction industry, illegal gambling and loansharking * Frank A. Pugliano "Frankie Pugs",
Patriarca crime family The Patriarca crime family (, ), also known as the New England Mafia, the Boston Mafia, the Providence Mafia, or The Office is an Italian-American Mafia family in New England. It has two distinct factions, one based in Providence, Rhode Island, ...
associate and West Springfield gambling club owner * Joseph Ullo, New York mobster and suspected ".22 caliber" hitman *January 1 –
Joseph Lombardo Joseph Patrick Lombardo (born Giuseppe Lombardi; January 1, 1929 – October 19, 2019), also known as "Joey the Clown", was an American mobster and a high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit crime organization. He was alleged to be the ''Consi ...
"The Clown", Chicago Outfit leader *April 7 – Joe Gallo (Joseph Gallo),
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
Mafia leader *April 9 –
Joe "Pegleg" Morgan Joseph Morgan (born Joseph Međugorac; April 10, 1929 – November 8, 1993) was the first non-Hispanic member of the Mexican Mafia. He received the nickname "Pegleg" by authorities because of his prosthetic leg. Early life The youngest of fou ...
, Mexican Mafia Boss *March 8 –
Nicky Scarfo Nicodemo Domenico "Little Nicky" Scarfo Sr. (March 8, 1929 – January 13, 2017) was a member of the American Mafia who became the boss of the Philadelphia crime family after the deaths of Angelo Bruno and Phil Testa. During his criminal ca ...
(Nicodemo Scarfo) "Little Nicky", Philadelphia and
Atlantic City Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, Boardwalk (entertainment district), boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020 United States censu ...
Mafia Don *July 27 –
Carmen Milano Carmen Joseph Milano was an American lawyer who eventually became a member of the American Mafia, serving as underboss of the Los Angeles crime family. The criminal organization he served was headed by his older brother Peter Milano. His nicknam ...
, Los Angeles crime family underboss *August 9 – Albert Caesar Tocco, Chicago Outfit member involved in extortion and racketeering in Chicago's South Suburbs


Deaths

*January –
James Alderman James Horace Alderman (in some sources Aldermon) (June 24, 1884 – August 17, 1929) was an American convicted murderer, bootlegger and gangster during the Prohibition era in the United States. He became known in the press by names like the "Ki ...
, Florida bootlegger *January 8 – Pasquale Lolordo,
Unione Siciliane The Italian-American National Union (formerly known as Unione Siciliana) was a Sicilian-American organization, which controlled much of the Italian vote within the United States during the early twentieth century. It was based in Chicago, Illinois. ...
leader *March 15 – William J. Vercoe "Clown for the Hoodlums", Chicago criminal *February 14 – James Clark, North Side Gang member involved in bootlegging, bank robbery and victim of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre *February 14 –
Frank Gusenberg Frank Gusenberg (October 11, 1893 – February 14, 1929) was an American contract killer and a victim of the Saint Valentine's Day massacre in Chicago, Illinois. Early life Born in Lakeview, Chicago, Gusenberg was the second oldest of thr ...
, North Side Gang gunman and victim of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre *February 14 –
Peter Gusenberg Peter Gusenberg a.k.a. "''Goosey''" (September 22, 1888 – February 14, 1929) and his brother Frank were German-American contract killers and members of Chicago's North Side Gang, the main rival to the Chicago Outfit. Peter Gusenberg parti ...
, North Side Gang gunman and victim of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre *February 14 – Adam Hyer, North Side Gang member, owner of the S-M-C Cartage Company garage and victim of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre *February 14 – John May, North Side Gang associate and victim of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre *February 14 – Rheinhart Schwimmer, North Side Gang associate and victim of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre *February 14 – Albert Weinshank, North Side Gang bookkeeper, speakeasy owner and victim of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre *April 14 – George Clifford, Westside O'Donnells member *May 7 –
Albert Anselmi Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Albert C ...
, Chicago Outfit hitman and Scalise, and a fellow gangster named Joseph Giunta *May 16 – Joe Pozzaro, Bootlegger *May 29 – Thomas McElligot, Westside O'Donnell member *June 11 – Salvatore Todaro "Black Sam", Cleveland crime family leader *July 2 – Benjamin Evangelista, Illinois religious leader and real estate tycoon *August 6 – Steve Monastero, Pittsburgh crime family leader *September 4 – Frank Cawley, Westside O'Donnell member *November 17 – John Rito "Bilikens", bootlegger for the Genna Brothers and associate of Ted Newberry *December 29 – James Walsh, Chicago bootlegger


References

{{reflist Years in organized crime Organized crime