This storyline, and the hierarchical chart attached to it, depicts the historical background of the Samuel DeCavalcante Family's New York City regimes. Today's focus is on their so-called "Queens Crew"
ButtonGuys did a deep-dive on this. We uncovered 78 Queens-based crew members; 16 inducted soldiers and 62 associates (some of whom are noted as later having been inducted into the ranks themselves). I think our fans will really enjoy this one.
To give a better perspective as to the importance of the capo in charge of this Queens faction. Joe Lolordo had a very colorful backstory. First of all, he was the brother of the infamous mafioso Pasqualino (Patsy) Lolordo, out of Chicago. Patsy attended the 1928 "Cleveland" conference of Sicilian Mafia leaders from all over the country who had congregated at the Hotel Statler for a "Commission" meeting, and were rounded up after a raid by the Cleveland Police Department.
Some time later, Patsy was murdered during gangland strife back in Chicago.
It has been well documented Chicago underworld history that Joe Lolordo later became a prime suspect as one of the machine-gunners who chopped down seven members of the rival "Bugs" Moran gang that fateful day in that damp garage. That infamous event quickly became known worldwide as "The St. Valentines Day Massacre."
In fact, Joe had to go "on the lam" after being accused of that bloody mass execution.
Mob lore has it that he hightailed back to the NYC area where he hid out under the protection, and with the help, of his Ribera amici, who were top members of the borgata that later became the DeCavalcante Family.
He never returned to The Windy City, opting instead to affiliate with the NJ crew, who then quickly elevated him to a "capo di decina" status and awarded him his own "crew" to oversee in Queens, NY. He had relocated to Long Island City, where he was known to have blood relatives. Lolordo lived in Queens for the rest of his life as one of the DeCavalcante's two resident NYC capos.
He was a highly respected mafioso...to say the least. - I hope that this extra bit of information helps to put this particular regime, and its leader, in the proper light they deserve.
PS: I also wrote a very extensive biography about Lolordo that can be found at our ButtonGuys of The New York Mafia website for anyone who's interested in learning more about the life and times of this iconic (but little known) underworld figure.
The last installment concludes our series about the New Jersey crew. Next up, ButtonGuys will be shifting gears and heading toward the State of Pennsylvania. Where I think you're really gonna like whats coming your way!
