The Black Hand was a sort of a criminal group of Italian(mainly Sicilian)immigrants that came to the U.S.(some people claim that it was not a criminal organization at all) with a method's of extortion and brutal froce,by which many wealthy people or poor were the targets.They simply would sent a letter usually stating that they would use force and if the victim did not pay a sum of money,he or she is goin to get it.The term "Black Hand" came from the letters wich usually contained a drawing of a black hand and other symbols like skulls and bones. (legend goes that the name Black Hand came from an anarchist group in Spain).Through the years,the army of Black Hand extortionists killed and extorted a lot of innocent(or not)wealthy and also poor people.They were allied and also made war with other criminal gangs or organizations.Black Hand criminals traded on the reputations of these groups and they were usually referred to as Mafiosi.In Chicago Black Hand operations were mostly seen in the Sicilian neighborhoods along Taylor Street and Grand Avenue on the West Side,Wentworth Avenue on the South Side and Chicago’s Little Italy on the North Side.The Black Hand were responsible for large numbers of murders in Chicago in the early 1900s: 10 in 1910; 40 in 1911; 33 in 1912; 31 in 1913; and 42 n 1914 etc.

During the 1910’s,the Black Hand also took the false credit for a lot of other crimes.That means that other gangs used the same methods and with that the Black Hand society was a myth.The name Black Hand was just a term used by blackmailers that had become a symbolic title applied to such crimes generally. They weren't an organized gang with a leadership structure but a loose association of independent gangsters.There are also many examples of non Italian criminal groups adopting the Black Hand name.A small Jewish gang was named Itchkie’s Black Hand Society.Itchkie’s gang was a group of teenage hoodlums centered on the West Side Maxwell Street.A Greek store owner,also on the West Side received a Black Hand letter written in Greek.Also a Russian boy,was arrested for sending Black Hand letters to a local owner on the South Side,demanding cash under the threat of death.

Everything started when a lot of Sicilians began arriving in great numbers on the Near North Side of Chicago in 1903.In the begining of the 20th century,a lot of Polish and Italian gangs were the most numerous in Chicago.Polish gangs located in the “Pojay” colony on the North Side battled rival Polish groups,where a different Polish gang occupied every block of Milwaukee Avenue down to the industrial area along the Chicago River. But the most powerful ones were the Italian gangs.Back than the North Side was considered as the center of the Italian population in Chicago.An area known as "Little Hell" or “Little Sicily”,the Black Hand operated at the “Death Corner" of Oak & Cleveland street. It was known as "Death Corner" because more that 50 murders occured between January of 1910 and March of 1911.Another big time crime event to remember was the complete explosion of a two-story bakery on Milton Avenue near Death Corner in May of 1912.It was described as the greatest explosion that Little Italy has ever witnessed.The force of the bomb shook the buildings for blocks around.Also in 1915,55 bombs in connection with the Black Hand gangs,exploded on the streets of Chicago.In the late 1920's the Black Hand gangs were almost exterminated by the government,themselves or other newcomers like Johnny Torrio from New York or Al Capone.Story goes that Johnny was called by Big Jim to remove the stone from his shoe.Torrio was assigned to eliminate Black Handers who were preying on Colosimo's operations.Big Jim maybe started as a youngster but he was not a Black Hand extortionist and instead he was a big time pimp and club owner.Basically a vice lord with political protection.While the Black Hand gangs slowly faded away,other younger criminal gangs started to rise up from the ghettos.Gangs like the 42’s,the Taylor Street Crew and the Circus Gang,which later will bring Chicago’s underworld on a higher level.


Here’s a list of some of the Black Hand most prominent gangsters and others that ruled the underworld in the beginning of the 20th century in Chicago:

Gault Court(Cambridge Avenue),Little Italy

Most prominent gangster: Carmelo Nicolosi and Giuseppe Nicolosi(kiddnappers and extortionists) and Mariano Zagone
Peter Nota(extortionist and a kiddnaper)
Tony Nota
Calogero Costandino(kidnapper)
Leoluca Macaluso(kidnapper)
Joseph Cima
Salvatore Caira
Prospero Caldone
Antonio Garaglono
Salvatore Agugino
Vincent Falsuale(assassin)
Gianni Alonzi(bomber)
Anthony Loungora (extortionist)

Short story:The Nicolosi gang was one of the oldest Black Hand gangs on the North Side.Mario Zagone was one of the gangs earliest leaders.Joseph Nicolosi, in-law of Mariano Zagone,was second in command.Zagone was known for coin counterfeiting.He was arrested many times but always was discharged for lack of evidence.One day in 1910 Zagone was shot to death outside his son-in-law's Gault Court saloon.Nicolosi became the leader of the gang and it is believed he worked closely with other Black Hand hoods like Anthony D'Andrea.It is also belived that Nicolosi killed Zagone to take over the rackets.The gang was also known for kidnapping little children for ransom.They owned a saloon at 134 Gault Court.


Most prominent gangster: Salvatore DiGiovanni(political Neapolitan crime boss)and later The Morici brothers (extortionists and assassins)
Joseph Novello(second in command and a big time assassin)
Joseph Mariso(assassin)
Giovanni James Scardini(bomber and assassin)
Frank Cutsia(extortionist)
Batiste Scardina(assassin)
Mike Rizzo
Victor Barone
Gianni Alonzi(bomber and extortionist)
Lorenzo Spigola
Nicols Gattuso
Tony Titcola
Giuseppe Matalone
Peter Montalbano

Short story:Chicago’s 19th ward leader Salvatore Di Giovanni's reign was cut short by the Morici bros.On 21 February 1901 he was shot in a dark alleyway.The Morici bros were ruthless mafiosos and sadistic extortionists.In their “black hand” letters they usually demanded from 300 to 500$.George Morici was the first black hand hoodlum to be ever convicted in a trial in thouse days.In 1912 Morici’s bakery on Milton Avenue blown up their own bakery for the insurance cash.The gang did a lot of extortion and ofcourse who didnt pay up,got killed.Later they also owned a lot of saloons and companies also.Joe Novello was one the gangs best hitman.In 1914 James B Moore was killed by Lorenzo Spigola,Nicols Gattuso and also arrested was Joseph Novello.

Other available info's on Black Hand related crimes and murders that occured in this area:
On January 1910 a grocery at 903 Gault Court was blown to pieces by a bomb.The owner Mr.Biumeforddo refused to pay up.
On April 24th 1910 Vincenzo Conetzara was shot to death in his own saloon at 913 Gault Court.
On April 26th Gartano Disolvo was shot and stabbed in front of his home at 1108 Gault Court.
On June 29th 1910 Leonardo Belleliva was shot to death at 853 Gault Court.
On September 13th 1910 Philipi Partaloni was shot to death at 878 Gault Court.
On January 19th 1911 Carmelo Marsala's butcher shop at 834 Gault Court was blown to pieces by a bomb.
On March 14th 1911 Tony Gathios was shot to death at 1008 Gault Court by a Black Hand assassin.


Milton Avenue,“Little Hell” or “Little Sicily”

Most prominent gangster: Rosario Dispenza
Anthony D’Andrea(frontman,owner and political boss)
Samoots Ammatuna(bodyguard and assassin at this time)
Modesto Barona(kiddnaper and extortionist)
John Gagliardo(once suspected as the “Shotgun man”)
Onofrio Puccio(extortionists)
Anthony Puccio
Victor Barone
Frank Seruso
Salvatore Pinachi
Charles Plumeri
Betrucci Bros
Bruno Nordi

Short story:One of the most prominent gangsters in Chicago's underworld history.It is belived that Rosario Dispenza was the leader from 1909 to 1914.Dispenza owned a saloon in "Little Sicily" and it was belived that it was a school for future gangsters and he also had connections with the Morello gang in NY.Later Dispenza was murdered together with Anthony Puccio and he was replaced by Anthony D'Andrea.In 1902 D'Andrea and his wife are arrested and charged with manufacturing counterfeit U.S. dimes. The arrest takes place at their home, 2125 Archer Avenue.Also arrested was Pasquale Cartabellata and Vincent Notara.The former priest D'Andrea,was charged because he possessed 425 counterfeit dimes and passed four of them. He pleaded guilty.The charges against his wife were dropped.

In 1910 one of the Betrucci bros stand trial for murder.On the witness stand was his partner in crime Bruno Nordi.During the trial a misterious person entered the court room and waved a red handkerchief at Nordi and ran away.After that Nordi refused to answer any questions. In 1911.Antonio D’Andrea co owned a company at 20 East 31 Street with Martin Merlo,Mike's brother.In 1916 Tony D’Andrea and his wife had moved to Little Italy, located in the 19th ward, taking up residence at 745 S. Halsted St.In 1919 Tony became head of the Unione Siciliano in Chicago and became one of the leaders of the Black Hand movement.


Most prominent gangster: Salvatore"Charles"Gloriana
Dominick Nuccio(assassin)
Carl Moretti(assassin and extortionist)
The Colo Brothers Joseph and Carlo(extortionists and killers)

Short story:The infamous Gloriana gang were a small group of organized thieves and killers, primarily Italian and few Irish. They committed mostly burglaries, payroll robberies, and bank holdups.On October 15, 1919, Charles Gloriana was indicted with gang member Carl Moretti for the murder of a payroll guard during a robbery. The case was eventually crashed because witnesses didnt want to testify at trial.One of the gang members,Dominic Nuccio,later became a member of the Capone gang and was one of its biggest earners and hitmen.Gloriana, Nuccio, and seven other Gloriana gang members were convicetd for a violent burglary on November 2, 1919.All of them were convicted and were sentenced to 20 years in Joliet State Prison.On April 28, 1920, the Supreme Court reversed the convictions and remanded the defendants for a new trial, which was later dismissed.

Other available info's on Black Hand related crimes and murders that occured in this area:
On February 7th 1910 Joe Loverde was shot in home at 1117 Milton Street.
On May 2 1915 a assassin took a shot at Joseph Cutea at 827 Milton Avenue and missed but instead he hit a 7 year old kid.An hour later Cutea was attacked again and this time the hitmen did their job pretty well.
On February 11th 1915 the police found two bombs in Mrs.Locascio's(wife of a black hand member) basement at 940 Milton Avenue.
On May 13th 1915 Mrs.John Millers home at 1016 Milton Avenue,was wrecked by the Black Hand.


North Sedgwick Street

Most prominent gangster: Pietro"Sliver King"Catalanetto
John Catalanetto (son of Pietro)
Pietro Barone
John Locascio
Michael Locascio

Short story:The Catalanetto crew was a gang of fifteen Black hand members.Pietro Catalanetto was the leader and Barone was second in command.Pietro Catalanetto the Silver King lived at 230 West North avenue He was one of the most striking figures on the North Side huge of frame and with a fringe of snowy white hair encircling his swarthy features.He claimed that he was an olive oil vendor and people reffered to him as Don Pietro.After a while there was an internal war in the gang so Pietro Catalanetto was killed in 1915(he was shot multiple times in the face) and later his son John in 1916.Michael Locascio did the crimes on the orders of Barone.Later most of the gang members went "missing".

Other available info's on Black Hand related crimes and murders that occured in this area:
On August 21 1910,Dominco Dineas was stabbed 4 times on at 867 Sedgwick Street.
On January 21,1911 Carmelo Tumminia was shot to death on Elm and Sedgwick Street.


Oak Street,“Little Sicily”

Most prominent gangster:Joseph Aiello(assassin,extortionist and later a political boss)
Salvatore “Sam” Aiello
Pietro “Peter” Aiello
Dominick Aiello
Antonio “Tony” Aiello
Andrea “Andrew” Aiello
Dominick Catalina(assassin and arms smuggler)

Short story:Giuseppe Aiello, known as “Joe”, was born in 1890 in Sicily, into a very large family and he was the oldest of seven brothers together with a big number of cousins, uncles, and nephews. Most of the family emigrated to the United States in the first decade of the 1900s, including Joe, who arrived at New York in 1907, then moved west to Chicago shortly after.The Aiello family owned also the clothing shop “Aiello and Aliotto” at 516 Oak Street.During the 1910's the Aiello gang was mostly involved in extortion and sometimes in murder.Joe was a suspect in the 1917 shooting of East Utica resident Antonio Gagliano.Later he established a grocery business in partnership with Antonio Lombardo.Later both men served as leaders in the Chicago Unione Siciliana organization.

Most prominent gangster:Tony Baffa
Antonio Nudo,
Rafaelo Nudo
Pasquale Nudo
Giuseppe Caro
Ernesto Caro

Story:Tony Baffa's crew was a small gang mostly formed by teenagers.Baffa’s gang called themselves "Loguisto"which ironically translates to “The Society of Justice".They were mostly involved in petty crimes but they also did murder.Tony Baffa was arrested in July of 1909 for the murder of grocer Giuesppe Fillipelli and was sent to jail.Fillipelli had failed to submit to the extortion demands of Baffa’s Black Hand gang and was murdered infront of his child.Later,the teenaged boy Baffa,snitched on his friends and many of them went to jail.Later Baffa also betrayed many other Black Hand secrets.

Other available info's on Black Hand related crimes and murders that occured in this area:
On January 6th 1910 Ben Cinene was shot to death while in bed at 500Oak Street.
On March 14 1911 Anthony Dugo and Phillippi Maniscalo were killed by assassin on Oak Street.The bullet first went through Maniscalo and then hit Dugo.
On February 17th,1911 Vincenzo Subio was shot at 501 Oak Street.


Taylor street,West Grand Avenue and West Side Chicago

Most prominent gangster:Diamond Joe Esposito(political boss)
Tony “Mops” Volpe(bodyguard and assassin)
Tony Lombardo(extortionist and political boss)
Joseph Giunta
Angelo Genna,Tony,MIke,Pete,Jim Genna(assassins,extortionists and owners)
Sam Esposito
Orazio "The Scourge" Tropea
James Belcastro(assassin and bomber)
Philip Maltese
Frank Marino(assassin)
Antonio Petrone(extortionist)

Short story:Taylor Street was a home to it's own Black Hand gangs.In the 1900's Diamond Joe became involved in extortion as a member of the Black Hand gangs terrorizing Chicago's Italian population.During the 1910's Diamond Joe was the undisputed rising star on the West Side.In 1913 he had his own local named the Bella Napoli Café at 850 Halsted.His chief enforcer was Tony “Mops” Volpe.Later Joe became involved in politics.He was both hated and beloved as the Republican leader and Alderman of the "Bloody Nineteenth" ward.On April 10,1917 an assassin shot Sam Esposito in the Bella Napoli Café after which his bodyguard shot and killed the assassin who shot back and also killed the bodyguard.Anthonio Lombardo was a owner,extortionist and later in 1919 became a political boss.The Genna bros did extortion and murder at the time.One of the best assassin and extortionist for hire was James Belcastro.He bombed a lot of saloons and stores for the Black Hand and also murdered a lot of people.Belcastro had been arrested a total of 150 times during his criminal career and later joined the Capone mob.

Other available info's on Black Hand related crimes and murders that occured in this area:
On March 13th 1911,Pasquale Marcadnaro was shot and killed at 807 West Taylor Street.
On January 5th 1915 Frank Marino was shot down at 2247 West Grand Avenue by Frank Minnine.,who later battled with the cops and adimited that he and Marino were extortionists.
On April 6 1915 J.B. Roti’s wholesale market at 920 West Grand Avenue was blown by a bomb.
On My 20 1915 Peter Carosillo’s building was dynamited by a Black Hand gang.


217 West 22 street The Levee South Side

Leader: Salvatore Cardinelli(assassin and a big time extortionists)
Frank Campione(extrtionist and a killer)
Nicholas Viana (assassin)
Thomas Errico (burglar and extortionist)
Leonard Crapo
Santo Orlando(driver for the gang)
Tony Sansone(thief)

Short story:One of the most diabolical gangs in the underworlds history.Black hand boss Cardinelli was born in Sicily 1868, and than he came to Chicago in 1900’s.Cardinelli was considered one of the toughest criminals in Chicago. He was known for targeting the wealthy and powerful people within the Italian community with violence and no remorse.When Sam became a member of the Black Hand he was so much feared that even other mafiosi paid him street tax.Cardinelli had hes own crew,mostly young thieves,wich he trained and teached them how to do stick ups and steal .He also trained his crew on how to do extortion and ofcourse murder.In a 6 mounths period,they have done over 400 holdups.It was estimated that the Cardinella mob killed at least 20 people who failed to pay up.One of his best triggerman was Nicholas Viana, nicknamed "the Choir Boy," because of his participation in a West Side church choir.A practiced and angelic looking murderer at the age of 18.Rumours are that Viana was responsible for 15 hits.He once shot a cop in the groin and left him for dead.On 15th of July 1921 Salvatore Cardinelli “The Devil” and his partners in crime,Nicholas Viana “the Choir Boy” and Frank Campione got convicted for murder and they hung for it.

Other available info's on Black Hand related crimes and murders that occured in this area:

On 14 October 1919 Sam Cardinelli’s gang robbed a pool hall at West 22 street and Frank Campione shot to death the sowner Albert C Kublanza.Santo Orlando,the driver, was found dead in a canal 10 days later shot 5 times in the head.


Wentworth Avenue South Side Chicago

Leader: James “Sunny Jim” Cosmano(extortionist and assassin)
Charles Morstazze(extortionist and assassin)
John Morrissi(bomber)
Rocco Romacetti
Paul Cosmano
Lorengoni William
Timothy "Big Tim" Murphy(close colaborator of Cosmano,extortionist,frontman and member of the Sangerman's bombers)

Short story:A Black Hand gang that extorted 15.000$ a week from South Side italians.Jim Cosmano also tried to extort cash from Big Jim Colosimo.But in 1912 he was shot allegedly by Torrio's guys.Cosmano survived the attack,but in the hospital he was under police guard.Jim asked for help from Big Tim Murphy.So Big Tim really helped him.Gangsters walked into the hospital,knocked down the cops and took Jim out of state.

Other available info's on Black Hand related crimes and murders that occured in this area:
On April 8 1915 Joseph Coco’s home was blown by a bomb.He and his family were very lucky because they were in the house during the explosion.


Other mixed gangs that used the same methods of extortion and bombings and also colaborated with the Italian Black Hand Gangs(both of these gangs started in the 1910’s and became most prominent during the 20’s):


South Halstead Street

Most prominent gangster :James Sweeney
Paddy "The Bear" Ryan(second in command and also leader of the Valley gang)
Danny Stanton(chief enforcer)
Harry Bartlett(bomber)
Cornelius ConShea(bomber)
Frankie Lake
Terry Druggan
William "Gunner" McPadden
Hughey "Stubby" McGovern
Raymond Cassidy
Frank "Dutch" Carpenter

Short story:The first criminal gang of bombers was Chicago's Sweeney gang, which carried out wholesale bombing attacks during and after World War I. James Sweeney was the dean of the Chicago bombers.The bomb was a favorite tool for criminals in Chicago.More than 800 bombs were detonated in Chicago during the first 30 years of the 20th Century.Later the Sweeney gang(most of them got arrested) were succeeded by the Sangerman's gang.In 1920 Paddy Ryan was shot dead by his own gang.

Most prominent gangster :Joseph Sangerman
George Matrisciano(bomb maker)
Louis D'Andrea
Jerry Horan
Timothy "Big Tim" Murphy
Lena Shrock Rice
Fred Wamquist
Joseph Avanzio
George Martini
Frank Schiro
Mike Abbinanti

Short story:Sangerman's Bombers were a criminal group of bombers based in Chicago during the 1910's and 20s. Joseph Sangerman, a leading manufacturer of barber shop was head of the barbers' union.The Illinois Crime Survey called him "the directing genius of the bombing trust, the contractor of bombing." As an officer in the barbers' union, he began by hiring bombers to discipline barber shop owners who refused to operate their stores in accordance with union rules. Finding that this gang could do a job effectively and escape detection, he began to accept commissions in other fields. Arrested in 1925, Sangerman admitted to police that he maintained a full-time staff of six bombers, including one woman, and that his rates ran from $50 to $700 a job.George Matrisciano always carried two sticks of dynamite in his pockets.The gang was also involved in the the bombings in the 1916–21 Aldermen's Wars.


If any1 has any additional info or found any mistakes in this article(wrond dates,streets,members etc.)please feel free to contribute.This article is completed from various infos that can be found on the internet.cheers