As 'the' landing family out of NYC, Chicago was always directly connected to NYC. Remember too, that ALL families were deeply connected to NY because NYC is the 'hub' so to speak. But Chicago, in particular, because of Johnny Torrio and Al Capone and others who were originally NYC guys sent to the Windy City, those two cities were simpatico.
Yes I agree but dont forget that the Colosimo/Torrio/Capone group was an extended arm only for the Masseria/Yale group, not the whole Sicilian Mafia which was already established in Chicago since the late 1880s or 1890s. During the 1920s Chicago became a battlefield between the Masseria and D'Aquila factions and the Capone group together with the Roberto/Ammirato group from the Chi Heights area, eliminated every Mafia leader who stood in their way (there were allegedly two Mafia families in Chicago which had problems with the mainlanders aka Capone/Roberto).
Thats why the Chicago Outfit under Capone was looked upon as the "Americanized" faction of the Italian Mafia. I say "Italian" because besides Sicilian Mafiosi, there were also Mainlanders (Calabrese and Neapolitans) or Camorristi like Paul Ricca. Some sources say that even Capone was an alleged Camorrista.
Thats the main reason for which Masseria made a smart move by making Capone a capo in 1928 (the same year D'Aquila and his Chi associates like Lombardo were eliminated) and thats when members like the Fischettis also arrived in Chicago and became a part of Capones decina. After the murder of Masseria, it was Maranzano who recognized Capone as representative for the Chicago family
During that period lots of Genovese big shots (Toddo Del Ducca or something like that, dont remember the name) invested in Capones illegal activities, and were together involved in murders like the one on Pollaccia which in turn included Vito and Ricca, or the Yale hit which was allegedly executed by guys from Chicago.
When the problem between the Fischettis and Mike the Trigger occurred regarding Miami rackets, there was a meeting between Giancana, Rocco Fischetti, two Genovese leaders (possibly Catena and Coppola or Eboli), Gambino and Lucchese. According to the report Giancana had the last word and solved the meeting in Chicagos favor.
This means that by the 50s and 60s Chicago was way more powerful on national level than the Genoveses or other families, which in fact was the main reason for the creation of "illusions" or confusing information in which some made guys labelled Giancana as the "boss of bosses", same as Vito. Those made guys were usually members of other small families which were represented on the commission by much larger families such as Chicago or the ones in NY such as the Genoveses.
The fact that the "Sicilian Mafia" operated separate and apart from the Colosimo/Capone group was not all that unique, to Chicago or anywhere else for that matter. Throughout the U.S. that is the way things stood. You have to remember that back in Italy, they were separate organizations. Sometimes allied, sometimes not.
Once they arrived on America's shores, they were now forced to compete for the same "turf" so to speak. It sometimes became a contentious relationship. Camorrista, N’dranghetista (then called Uomini d'onore), and the Mafia were often in violent conflict with one another, and amongst themselves as well.
History records the conflict between the Gennas, Aiello and others (the Sicilians), with Colosimo/Torrio/Capone etc (the mainlanders) very well. But there were many similar circumstances in NYC, PA, OH, etc., as those networks also fought for supremacy.
Hence, thats one of the main reasons (and benefits) of why, after the Castellammarese War of 1929-1931, with the formation of the "Commission," little by little all the separate groups across the country were encouraged and "brought in" and absorbed by what by then had been renamed "Cosa Nostra" (Our Thing). It was no longer "The Mafia" (a Sicilian thing), it was now a blending of all three entities into one.
I agree and yeah similar situations occurred in other cities, not just Chicago. I also agree regarding different factions fighting for turf and the alliances that were created during those days. The first or second generations of immigrants were still the original Sicilian Mafia but later things changed with the so-called Americanized Mafiosi.
Thats the main picture of the American Mafia, not the European. Thats why we have non-Ital guys like Rockman in Celeveland or Watts in New York who were involved in the inner workings.
The main problem or difference is that neither Rockman or Watts were preceded or followed by a LINE OF SUCCESSION of other non-Ital reps.
Chicago had a non-Italian representative on their own round table or board of directors (some call it Consiglio (european) ) since 1932 until 1991/92.
The line of succession started with Jake Guzik, then with Murray Humphreys and ended with Gus Alex who in turn by the early 70s received even more higher position next to Accardo.
It was a official spot of the Outfits formal structure and brotherhood, which is the real and main proof regarding the Americanized Mafia. These guys werent able to become made guys of the Italian faction but they had their own crews rackets and areas, and even sometimes inherited made guys from imprisoned or deceased capos and had jurisdiction over them.
Some new researchers try to make an illusion regarding organizational vs operational but that stands for Europe, not the US.
Other old researchers and I call it traditional vs modern, which again is the real picture of the US Mob. And I even think that those same new researchers stole that same idea and deformed it according to their alleged "new" understandings which is a complete lie because they are looking for more youtube views and to sell books.
Ill make a different thread about this subject but still heres how the traditional vs modern looks like according to another long time researcher but too bad the link doesnt work anymore....
TRADITIONAL VS MODERN
ORGANIZATION
Families, clans <-Traditional
Familes, hierarchies, individuals, temporary groups, networks<-Modern
LOCATION
Based in cohesive communities<-Traditional
Global reach<-Modern
GOAL
local power and status<-Traditional
profit-making<-Modern
ENVIRONMENT
weak state, lack of alternative social organisation<-Traditional
strong states, robust social organisation<-Modern
Taken from article written by John Lea...
http://www.bunker8.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/orgcrim/3802.htm
