Something I didn't understand a few years ago was the difference between Operating Boss and Official Boss ( or possibly another title). While reading different news articles, there were references made that went something like this: " top echelon bosses unhappy with Cerone ( just using his name for illustration purposes)." I kept thinking, "who are these top echelon bosses?" I was thinking Cerone was the boss. I had also been reading and studying the comments and charts on ANP. There were about three or four posters who basically said Accardo was not a factor in most decisions. This surprised me because everything I read said just the opposite. I started calling and emailing some folks in Chicago and here's what I was told. There was an Operating Boss and then there was some type board of directors. This was in the late fifties and early sixties. But I was told by every single person with whom I talked that the two individuals with the most power were Paul Ricca and Tony Accardo. They went on to say basically what you (Snakes) have said here; If these two wanted something done, it would be done. Once Ricca passed, it was Accardo.

So what you are saying here is what I've been told by many, and I do mean many, people. Our fellow poster, StonePark, made this very clear in his posts about the Outfit.

I also inquired about the charts from ANP. I was told very succinctly, that it made no difference how many charts are "out there," the two most powerful men in the Outfit were Paul Ricca and Tony Accardo. I asked lots of questions about Ricca, Accardo and Giancana, and got lots of answers and perspectives.

In fairness to those who said Accardo was not the boss of the Outfit, they were correct; he was not the Operating Boss after 1956; Sam Giancana inherited the position. Accardo became second in command to Paul Ricca. Do you think Ricca and Accardo knew what they were doing by creating this organizational structure ?