American Mafia

agree to Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, The American Mafia especially Five Families has its origins in Italian Cosa Nostra. The American Cosa Nostra underwent m all changes at the hands of Black Hand ringings most 1900s, Five Points Gang during 1910s and 1920s in New York City and Al Capones Syndicate in 1920s in lolly. Two factions of nonionic offence emerged by the end of 1920s leading to Castellamarese war for gaining swan all over organized discourtesy in New York City. Murder of Joseph Masseria, leader of one of the factions ended the war uniting the cardinal factions.First leader of the American Mafia Salvatore Maranzano launch a code of conduct, family divisions and structure. He also established certain procedures to resolve disputes but was murdered within six months. Charles favorable Luciano took over the reins and set up a Commission consisting of bosses from six or s change surface families for managing their activities. According to Binder, Jim Colosimo or Big Jim was considered the most powerful cabalster and lead a multi-ethnic group, with Italian, Jewish, Irish, Greek and other members. In may 1920 he was probably shot dead by Frankie Yale under use up John Torrio. John Torrio took over and united major local gangs dividing the pot liquor business in Chicago city to a stable raise and profitability. The other major gangs during this period in Chicago were North Siders led by Dion OBanion, the Guilfoyle gang, the Gennas in Little Italy, the West Side ODonnells, the Druggan-Lake gang, the Saltis-McErlane gang and the Sheldon gang. Torrio under the guidance of Capone took over brothels in Cicero and managed the largest area natural covering the S come to the foreh Side and major suburbs occupying the south and west of the city.Problems started when a gang tried to increase its profits by not following the pact strictly and entered neighboring gangs territory. Friction between Gennas and the OBanion gang led to the murder o f OBanion in November 1924 starting onward prohibition gang wars. The Sheldon gang, the Gennas, the Druggan and Lake, the Guilfoyle and later the Circus Gang were all affiliate of Torrio-Capone. Chicago Heights joined Capone in 1926 and controlled Joliet and major areas east of inch and south of Chicago. Torrio was succeeded by Al Capone in 1925.Gennas under Hymie Weiss surrendered later their leadership was attacked by North Siders and the Gennas rackets such as Unione Siciliana were taken over by Al Capone appointing Tony Lombardo as Unione president. The West Side ODonnells joined ranks with Capone in 1926 after a short lived gang war. Similarly Sheldon gang too joined Capone after Danny Stanton left the town. Gang wars continued for several(prenominal) years and North Siders lost Hymie Weiss in October 1926, nothing unique was noticed until the St. Valentines Day Massacre in 1929.Now let us consider organized black gangs during this period channelize by Italian, Jewish an d Irish gangsters operating from Harlem, New York and a few loosely run black gangs concentrated primarily on policy and lottery gambling, harlotry and drugs. Bell stated that over 200,000 blacks returned after World War I to Harlem expecting better pay, better housing and equality. But they realized very in brief that whites had not changed and found some of the defeat low paying humble jobs such as that of janitors, bootblacks, cooks, houseboys and baggage handlers.They were paid very less compared to a white person doing the same work. The housing situation too was worst Harlem an overcrowded and segregated community accommodated more than 250,000 citizens in 50 blocks long and 8 blocks wide area with more than 5,000 spate staying in one block. The people were compelled to sleep in shifts. Blacks suffered the most with Racism, race riots and labor riots being the mark of the day. Things moved from bad to worse with the passage of 18th Amendment to the constitution censor s ale of alcoholic beverages by the Congress on January 20, 1920.Establishments primarily depending on the sale of these products (alcoholic beverages) were compelled to down the shutters across the nation. These developments marked the beginning of the infamous favorable Twenties one of the countrys darkest periods when the mob, the stooping politicians and the gangsters ruled. Taking emolument of the fact that consumption of alcohol was a part of American last and people could not stop drinking due to prohibition, the mob and the crooked entrepreneurs blackly transported the alcoholic beverages from the Canadian border and at times even manufactured beer and liquor.The overt exclusion of blacks from the nations economic, social and political processes only served to shake alternative means toward becoming a part of established consider factions. Blacks were suppressed to the maximum possible extent by denying good jobs, potent political positions, advanced education, nice homes, equal social treatment and benefits. thereof most of the black Americans took to illegal means to compensate for the economic denials.Black crime was independent initially with traditional thievery, gambling, prostitution and robbery, but later two key factors Bolito (the numbers plunk for) and drugs led to evolvement of organized crime. Bets could be placed from any where such as parlors, bars, restaurants, pool halls, barber shops, drugstores and even from their homes, more than 800 runners or bet collectors hurried places to collect and place bets on behalf of customers in 30 policy banks. The policy bankers became the richest and started extending loans and finance to Harlem residents, which the blacks could not expect from whites operated financial institutions.The monumental time number operators included James Warner, Stephanie St. Clair, Casper Holstein, Wilfred Brandon, Jose Miro, Joseph Ison, Masjoe Ison and Simeon Francis. By 1928 the numbers game became most pr ofitable and the arrests on this count also increased. Profits were report to the elected representatives through guard officials and these corrupt elected politicians had strong associate with mobs syndicate led by white gangsters. decadency ran throughout New Yorks law enforcement, legal and political systems, including bondsmen, high-ranking police officials, judges, lawyers and politicians. To protect themselves the night clubs, businesses, bars, pimps, whores, gamblers, bankers and number runners started paying huge kickbacks. Democratic society boss in Manhattan, James J. Hines had links with mobster and beer baron Dutch Schultz. Schultz and fellow Murder Inc. gangsters Lucky Luciano, Frank Costello, Owney Madden, Bugsy Siegel, Joe Adonis and Meyer Lansky started taking over Harlems numbers racket. Short gang wars that erupted due to taking over and syndication led to an estimated 40 murders and 6 kidnappings. By late 1928 a inwardness of 20 policy banks remained out of 4 0 and most of the bankers retired mysteriously.Dutch Schultz was in entirety control and called King of Harlem Bankers From the discussion above it is clear that organized crime had flourished in American society basically due to prohibition which was in vogue from 1920 to 1933 and every affluent individual was either directly or indirectly involved in illegal activities such as illegitimate liquor trafficking, prostitution, maintenance of brothel houses and having ties with mafia bosses. It is now clear that remotion of prohibition led to a reduction in one of the evils i. e. , illegal liquor trafficking, but other illegal activities do continue carried out even to this day.References Cosa Nostra. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2006). Retrieved on family 21, 2006 from http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Cosa_Nostra John Binder. The Chicago Outfit (2003). Arcadia Publishing. Page nos. 27 to 42. Walter A. Bell. Brief History. salute TV. Crime Library. execrable Minds and Methods. Bl ack gangs of Harlem (2005). Retrieved on September 21, 2006 from http//www. crimelibrary. com/gangsters_outlaws/gang/harlem_gangs/index. hypertext mark-up language Walter A. Bell. The Roaring Twenties. Court TV. Crime Library. Criminal Minds and Methods. Black gangs of Harlem (2005).Retrieved on September 21, 2006 from http//www. crimelibrary. com/gangsters_outlaws/gang/harlem_gangs/2. html Walter A. Bell. The Numbers Game. Court TV. Crime Library. Criminal Minds and Methods. Black gangs of Harlem (2005). Retrieved on September 21, 2006 from http//www. crimelibrary. com/gangsters_outlaws/gang/harlem_gangs/3. html Walter A. Bell. The Takeovers and Syndication. Court TV. Crime Library. Criminal Minds and Methods. Black gangs of Harlem (2005). Retrieved on September 21, 2006 from http//www. crimelibrary. com/gangsters_outlaws/gang/harlem_gangs/6. html