I dont know whats whit you and all these small fimilies?!What you wanna talk about Dallas?Ok than...theres only Carlos Mracello,yes he was big and that was that.You wanna talk about Tampa?Santo Trafficante and thats it.IN Chicago you have many bosses more powerful than thouse two,not to mention NY.Also the population in thouse two cities is bigger than Dallas or Tampa for example.The NY italian mob together with jewish mobsters like Lansky had connections worldwide.The Chi mob during Giancanas reign had also connections world wide.Ever heard of Hy Larner?Yes the the smaller families were also very powerful but they all answered to the big ones.They all had their own DIFFERENT shares.I laught at the people who belive that TRafficante was involved in Giancanas or Rosellis murder.LOL Santo couldnt even get in Chicago with out ttheir approval.Some1 also once said the Bufalino was the top mob boss in the country...i mean common.lol

Again yes they were powerful but not as the powerful as the big families.Thats why we use the word "BIG".IF you wanna make them more powerful than the allegedly big ones,than you cannot convince me buddy...dunno about the rest of the posters

It is just amusing you want facts from other people in regards to their opinions but you offer absolutely none of your own. That is a fact. Also a fact, you have NONE to support your claims. Conjecture, look it up.

Not at all, just seems like you get a little prickly when people disagree with you and your opinions.

"Not as powerful as the big familes?" Smaller families didn't "answer" to anybody. They were represented on the commission by the large families in NY and Chicago, but the bosses of these smaller families ran their own family how they wanted to. They didn't ask permission to do anything in their respected territories. Explain to me why Cleveland had more of the skimming of the Vegas casino's than most families? It's because they owned the Teamsters and Jackie Presser through Bill Presser (Jackie' Father) and one of the most powerful Teamster board members in history. Philly, New England and most of the NY families didn't have nearly what Cleveland had in Vegas. Explain why Pittsburgh had the casino's in Havana, Cuba through Gabriel "Kelly" Mannarino while Chicago, NY, Philly, New England, Detroit, Buffalo etc didn't have any of it. The point I have been trying to make is that smaller families had just as much power in their respected geographic territories as Chicago, Philly, New England, etc had in their area. Unions, truck hijacking, gambling, extortion, loansharking, prostitution, drugs, white collar crime, legitimate businesses etc.

I agree that Chicago had many "infamous" bosses and so did NY, but that doesn't mean that those infamous bosses were any better at their jobs than the bosses of smaller families. Cleveland through Bill Presser, Jackie Presser, Tony Milano, Moe Dalitz and Angelo Lonardo and John Scalish were nationally respected and in Milano's case, feared. The same with Frank Balistrieri in Milwaukee and Nick Civella in KC. Milano in Cleveland had rackets from Cleveland to Vegas to Los Angeles to Reggio Calabria, Italy and into Canada. Pittsburgh's John LaRocca ran four states and had significant pull in West Coast Operations in San Jose and San Francisco through Salvatore and Angelo Marino, both from the Pittsburgh area. Jack Tocco in Detroit "owned" Jimmy Hoffa and Frank Fitzsimmons, more so than Chicago. Further, my point is that the American La Cosa Nostra was made up of "mostly" smaller crime families with Chicago and NY the largest out of all of them. Outside of those two cities, most of the other small crime families prospered financially and without the headlines and headaches that both Chicago and NY had to endure. Elliot Ness came to Cleveland for a reason.

How do you define more powerful? By the size of the city? I'm not trying to argue with you Toodoped, but the American Mafia was made up of "mostly" smaller cities which is why I feel it is important to include them in the discussion because they ruled their cities for very long periods of time with minimal prison time because they owned everybody in the local and state sector of government.

Russell Bufalino was as powerful a mob boss as one could get. For you to minimize his wealth and influence is irresponsible. Where is your proof that Santo Traficante was not allowed to travel to Chicago without permission? That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Could you validate that statement or is that your opinion?

Ofcourse we r not arguing,wer just discussing this and we have different opnions,and thats that.

Look it like this...Chicago had its own representative in KC for example(i really dont remember his name right now)so when Binaggio screw things up who do you think gave the order for his death sentance?!

Chicago didnt have a casino's in Cuba?Really?What about Sevilla Biltmore?Their frontman was Amletto Battisti.During the late 1920s and 30s, the Hotel Sevilla Biltmore, close to Cuba's presidential palace, was a home away from home for Chicago mob boss Al Capone, whose pictures still adorn the lobby and who to this day has a suite named for him tucked away at the end of a 6th floor labyrinth. It is marked by a plaque citing Capone as an "Italian American famous gangster.

Also the Sans Souci Casino.In 1938 Roselli was the Chicago representative and they owned that casino.

In Florida,Miami(and some in Tampa) all of the race tracks were owned by the Outfit.For example...

The Tropical Park-Race Track

Frontmen: William H. Johnston
Chicago Mob Connection:John Patton,Jake Guzik,Frank Nitti,Joe Fusco,Tony Accardo
Story:John Patton was one of the biggest share holders in this race track.


Beach Kennel Club-Race Track

Frontmen: William H. Johnston
Chicago Mob Connection: Patton,Jake Guzik,Frank Nitti,Joe Fusco,Tony Accardo
Story:Frank Nitti and Joe Fusco,together with John Patton,were the main stockholders in this track.


Jacksonville Kennel Club, Inc-Race Track

Frontmen: William H. Johnston,James Patton
Chicago Mob Connection:John Patton,Jake Guzik,Frank Nitti,Joe Fusco,Tony Accardo, Robert Larry McCullough
Story:James Patton is the son of John Patton and was the vice president of many dog tracks.

Miami Beach Kennel Club-Race Track

Frontmen: William H. Johnston,James Patton
Chicago Mob Connection:John Patton,Jake Guzik,Frank Nitti,Joe Fusco,Tony Accardo, Robert Larry McCullough
Story:John Patton was THE owner of this track.


Orange Park Kennel Club-Race Track

Frontmen: William H. Johnston,James Patton
Chicago Mob Connection:John Patton,Jake Guzik,Frank Nitti,Joe Fusco,Tony Accardo
Story:James Patton was the assistant treasurer of the Orange Park Kennel Club, Inc., Jacksonville, Fla.


Outdoor Clubs, Inc-Race Track

Frontmen: William H. Johnston
Chicago Mob Connection:John Patton,Jake Guzik,Frank Nitti,Joe Fusco,Tony Accardo
Story:Located in Tampa, Fla,John Patton was the man from the shadows and William H. Johnston was the president.

This is just a small part of Chicagos gambling empire and this is how the fuck i define powerful.....

Reno,Nevada

The Wilows

Frontmen: James McKay,Tex Hall
Chicago Mob Connection:Al Capone,Ralph Capone
Story:The Willows offered some of the finest liquor available in the nation. Graham and McKay could always get liquor from their suppliers in San Francisco, or their friend, bootlegger Cal Custer and ofcourse Al Capone from Chicago.James McKay took 20 percent of everything.

The Bank Club

Frontmen: George Wingfield,Bil Graham,William Harrah
Chicago Mob Connection:Ralph Capone, John Drew
Story:The Bank Club was Reno's largest casino in the 1930's and 1940's. Opened in 1931, it merged with the Golden Hotel and became the Golden Bank Club in 1952. John Drew, a familiar face in Chicago, represented the Chicago syndicate and came from the Bank Club casino in Reno, which the Chicago mob took over in the early 30’s.


Hurley,Wisonsin

The Rex(red?) Hotel-Gambling Joint

Mob Connection:Ralph Capone
Story: In the 1930s,Ralph Capone purchased a home and later was a silent partner in a hotel/tavern in Mercer, Wisconsin. The hotel was named "The Rex Hotel" and the tavern was named, "Billy's Bar." The hotel also served as a place for members of the Outfit to hide out.


Miami,Florida

The Saxony Hotel-Gambling joint

Frontmen:Mike Glitta, Joe Epstein
Chicago Mob Connection:James Allegretti,Tony Accardo,Sam Giancana
Story:At the Saxony Hotel,Allegretti operated the punch boards and some of the prostitution rackets.Joe Epstein was Allegretti's connection in Miami.

Des Moines, Iowa

The Club Belveder-Gambling Joint

Forntmen: Hymie Wiseman
Chicago Mob Connection:Louis Fratto,Sam Giancana,Tony Accardo
Story: Chicago-mob controlled Club Belvedere at a time when, according to a Chicago law enforcement official, Chicago underworld figures operating in Iowa "had a special interest in college athletes and sports writers." Club Belvedere hosted an illegal casino.

Des Moines, Iowa

The Club Belveder-Gambling Joint

Forntmen: Hymie Wiseman
Chicago Mob Connection:Louis Fratto,Sam Giancana,Tony Accardo
Story: Chicago-mob controlled Club Belvedere at a time when, according to a Chicago law enforcement official, Chicago underworld figures operating in Iowa "had a special interest in college athletes and sports writers." Club Belvedere hosted an illegal casino.

Des Moines, Iowa

The Club Belveder-Gambling Joint

Forntmen: Hymie Wiseman
Chicago Mob Connection:Louis Fratto,Sam Giancana,Tony Accardo
Story: Chicago-mob controlled Club Belvedere at a time when, according to a Chicago law enforcement official, Chicago underworld figures operating in Iowa "had a special interest in college athletes and sports writers." Club Belvedere hosted an illegal casino.

Lake Tahoe,Sierra Nevada


The Cal-Neva Lodge

Frontmen:Frank Sinatra
Chicago Mob Connection:Sam Giancana,Johnny Roselli,Chuckie English
Story:On opening night at the Cal-Neva Lodge, Sinatra's guests included Marilyn Monroe, Joe Kennedy and his son, John F. Kennedy.Giancana’s ownership of the Cal-Neva was confirmed by the FBI, which recorded a conversation between Giancana and Johnny Rosselli in which Giancana said, "I am going to get my money out of that joint (Cal-Neva).”Skinny D'Amato, was running a state wide prostitution ring out of this place.

San Diego

Rincon Indian Reservation-Bingo and card games

Frontmen: Chris Petti
Mob Connection: Samuel Carlisi and John “No Nose” DiFronzo, Donald Angelini, Michael Caracci
Story: Chicago mob leaders became interested in the Rincon gambling operations in the mid 1980s.

Is this enough for you?

THats cool.I told you they all had shares,but some had bigger than others.Do you know what im sayin.

I also remember the story about the Flamingo.THis is a part from an article that i wrote...

One day Chicago's chief fixer, Murray Humpreys,visited and told Siegel to fold up Trans-America wire service.They didn't need it anymore. Because by now the Outfit owned the Continental Press.But Siegel sent Humpreys home with a message for Ricca and Accardo that if Chicago wanted Siegel to fold up Trans-America in Nevada, Arizona and Southern California, it would cost them $2,000,000 in cash.Even though Ricca didn't want Siegel working for him, at the same time,he didn't want Siegel working for New York either. Crazy or not, Siegel was smart, ambitious and ruthless. They had to watch him, so Paul Ricca told Charlie Fischetti to send out a spy.Fischetti found a woman spy,with the help of Jake Guzik,and the woman they chose was the same woman Bugsy came to call his Flamingo,Virginia Hill.Virginia reported every conversation she had with Siegel back to the Fischetti’s .Still, the boys back in Chicago never trusted Hill, or anyone else for that matter, and when Paul Ricca told Johnny Roselli to start an affair with Hill so he could keep tabs on her,Roselli did it.The Flamingo opened on December 26, 1946 and after two weeks the Flamingo's gaming tables were $275,000 in the red and the entire operation shut down in late January 1947. Virginia Hill had already reported Siegel's plans to Paul Ricca in Chicago, and even though the Chicago mob was skimming Siegel in the Flamingo by sending in professional gamblers to break the bank.

Siegel had a second chance,he cracked down and did everything possible to turn the Flamingo into a success.The hotel reopened on March 1, 1947 and began turning a profit.However, by the time profits began improving the mob bosses above Siegel were tired of waiting.So on the night of June 20, 1947, as Siegel sat with his associate Allen Smiley in Virginia Hill's Beverly Hills home and while reading the paper,a hitman fired at him through the window with a .30-caliber military M1 carbine, hitting him many times, including twice in the head. No one was charged with the murder, and the crime remains officially unsolved.One theory posits that Siegel's death was the result of his excessive spending and possible theft of money from the mob.Also some sources say that the hitman was a member of the Chicago Outfit,but other sources say that it was from L.A.crime family. Virginia Hill continued working for the Chicago outfit as a courier for several more years before they replaced her in 1950. She married a guy who wasn't involved with the Outfit and had a child, but that ended in divorce.

After Siegel's murder in June 1947, Gus Greenbaum brought the struggling casino out of debt within several months, controlling several other Outfit casinos and bookmaking operations in Arizona within several years. Greenbaum planned to retire to Arizona and rejected offers to run the Riviera for Ricca and Accardo.So after Greenbaum's sister-in-law was murdered, he accepted the job.By now Las Vegas became the prime cash resort for the mob.Vegas and Reno were open cities,but it was clearly understood in the National Mob that Chicago controlled everything west of the Mississippi.

Also Ricca’s old pal,Gus Greenbaum,Gus was known for gambling, womanizing, and doing narcotics which eventually caused him to begin skimming from casino operations. On December 3, 1958, Greenbaum and his wife Bess were found dead in their Phoenix home. Their throats had been cut with a butcher knife.The story goes that Paul Ricca found out about Greenbaum stealing from the scheme at the Riviera in Vegas.Gus stealed from the scheme that was the split between Chicago Outfit and the five New York Families.Later Ricca sent word down to Gus Greenbaum,that he expected a cut from the steal.So Greenbaum paid Ricca and than,for unknown reasons,got stupid and stopped sending in his payment.That's when Marshal Caifano went to Vegas and orchastrated the murder of Greenbaum.

Thats the way of how the Outfit controlled other families...

Toodoped,

I agree that Chicago was a "very powerful" family. I've never said anything to the contrary. In fact, I love reading about Chicago and their history of OC. I have decided to work with several authors on a project that explores some of the more influential smaller families to see how far their power really extended and I am blown away by how smaller crime families were connected to larger ones through blood relatives and how they got into business with each other and so forth.

Smaller families do deserve stories to be published. The "Quiet Don" book is horrible though.

Smaller families do deserve stories to be published. The "Quiet Don" book is horrible though.

Just no more Gotti books.

Smaller families do deserve stories to be published. The "Quiet Don" book is horrible though.

Wasn't well written, attention to detail wasn't the best. When it dealt with Bufalino it was so/so. The D'Elia portions were the better parts of the book.

Wasn't D'Elia big into the garbage in the Penn area?

Agreed Bufalino was a fascinating character with material out there if the research was done outside of newspaper clippings and rehashing of stories & tall tales.