Originally Posted By: SonnyD
Originally Posted By: Alfa Romeo
Originally Posted By: Dwalin2011
Originally Posted By: Turnbull

As for the Commission: One of Charlie Luciano's most brilliant moves was to name Capone (rather than himself) as "chairman."

But wasn't Vincenzo Mangano the chairman? Don't remember where I first read that though. Or was he named chairman only after Capone went to jail?


The chairmanship of the Commission might have rotated. So it was a shared duty that different bosses might have taken on when the last chairman's term was up.

On Capone:

The only way he doesn't get hit after getting out of Alcatraz healthy is to shelve himself. I just can't imagine him returning to Chicago to reign supreme after doing a gun charge bit.

Was he made?

Not until the Commission was formed and he was named a Boss.

So Capone has the distinction of entering the mafia proper as a Boss, not as an associate or soldier and working his way up, or as in Luciano's case...as a Capo or Underboss. This is assuming Luciano was Masseria's number two when he finally entered the mafia.


Vince Mangano was named as first Commission chairman in Bonanno's book and Capone was alledgedly appointed capo by Masseria during the Castellamarese war to enlist Capone's support against Maranzano as, apparently Maranzano was supported by Capone's Sicilian rival Joe Aiello.

Sorry that's a bit of a tongue twister!


Agreed about the position he held with Masseria, but at that early date...was Capone considered a bonafide member of the nearly all Sicilian mafia at that time? I'm not sure, which is why I pick the date of the formation of the national Commission as Capone's official induction date.

"For us, rubbin'out a Mustache was just like makin' way for a new building, like we was in the construction business."