In 1880-1920 there was a growing sense of organized crime in urban areas and larger cities. Two major cities, Chicago and New York became the home to many infamous gangs like the Morello Crime Family, Five Points Gang, Camorra, and many others. One group, known as the Five Families, was a group of 5 major mafia families, Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese, which worked together to control a major portion of a city. These gangs were known for committing crimes such as extortion, robbing, loan-sharking, prostitution, gambling, theft, murder, and for not being hesitant to use force to get what they want from people.
Most gangs consisted of family or close friends, this is because they only wanted to have the people they knew they could trust working with them. Each gang has a boss, who has unquestionable authority and receives a cut of all money-making operations a member is working on. Most of the time, "Italian heritage was a prerequisite for every inductee and ment often, but not always, had to commit a murder before they could be made." (history) Once a person was accepted into the gang, they had to follow certain rules like no assaulting other members and no cheating with other members wife or girlfriend. Being in a gang was a lifetime commitment, so once you're accepted you can't leave the gang without being killed.
 |
| Hierarchy map of the Gaetano Lucchese Family, one of the Five Families from New York |
The Italian mafia found its place of operation in New York and cities like it because "...urban conditions provided the kind of environment in which organized crime could flourish." (law.jrank) These "Neighborhood conditions provided ample opportunity for local criminal entrepreneurs who were willing and able to engage in various forms of extortion or illicit marketeering.".The bigger population of people in one area "facilitated the development of profitable markets in illicit goods and services.". One form of extortion that was very popular in the mafia at this time was the "Black Hand-Extortion" which were basically anonymous letters that were given to people from members of the gang that would ask for a certain amount of money to be paid to them in a certain amount of time. These letters were used as extortion by also adding in that if the person who received the letter does not pay, then their own personal safety and that of their families would be in severe jeopardy. In 1903, the boss of the Morello gang, Morello was arrested for the murder of Benedetto Madonia, due to the police finding some Black Hand- Extortion letters that made Morello the prime suspect with a motive for the killing.
 |
| Barrel murder from Page 1 of the April 14, 1903, issue of the New York Evening World. |
 |
| Photos of suspects from the Barrel Murder, including Giuseppe Morello and Ignazio Lupo |
Murders in the Italian Mafia were very common and almost always done to exact revenge on a person or to remove a person who would cause them problems. The murder of Giuseppe Catania in 1902 was an odd murder because he was killed by Ignazio Lupo, and they were both members of the Morello Gang. (mafia history) Ignazio was said to have killed Giuseppe and thrown his body into the East River after he had gotten drunk and started talking about information in their gang. Ignazio was also responsible for the famous "barrel murder", Lupo credited "at least two murders- that of Benedetto Madonia, the barrel murder victim, who was hacked to death and his body packed in a barrel in a store... and that of an old grocer named Catanio, who was killed near his home in Brooklyn..." (The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, February 20, 1910) Though there are many different stories of the Mafia killings, one theory is that "Morello is said to be the man that actually killed Madonia". (The New York Times, April 23, 1903) Murders like these that were known to the public as Mafia killings, where what gave New York and other cities a reputation for crime, violence, and generally being unsafe. Since most major gangs were Italian, Irish, Jewish, or other nationalities of people coming from other countries, it started to give people the sense that immigration was the reason that dangerous and organized crime was growing in America, and made some americans fear and avoid certain areas of the city where most immigrants lived.
 |
| Map of territories controlled by different mafia groups in South Street Seaport, New York |
Gambling was one business that was "run and regulated by gangsters with the intent of earning significant profits." (umich) This became very popular because middle to lower class men, with very little money, were willing to spend whatever they had for even the slightest chance of becoming rich. This managing of gambling operations also appealed to gangsters because at that time gambling was illegal, so they got the opportunity to use their resources to get away with an illegal activity while making lots of money. "The successful operation of gambling joints was limited to such gangsters belonging to powerful groups of organized criminals, for it relied on the influence these groups had on the government and police force." (umich) These mafia members had gained the power to gain connections to government officials and members of the police force which gave them the ability to get away with some crimes that they were caught for.
 |
| House owned by Mont Tennes at 632 West Belden Avenue in Lincoln Park. He was made wealthy from his gambling profits. |
Works cited:
Giuseppe “The Clutch Hand” Morello – The First “Capo di Tutti Capi” of New York -American Mafia History - used to take notes on Ignazio Lupo, the barrel murder, and Catanio murder.
Counterfeiters Guilty; Get Heavy Sentences- The brooklyn daily eagle, feb. 20,1910
- used to take notes on who the barrel murders and catanio murder was credited to
Murdered Man Agent for Counterfeiters - The new york times, apr. 23, 1903
- used to take notes on the letters and morello murder accusations
