| Chapter I"Big Ange" and the Death of the | | | | Frank Milano had risen |
| Cleveland MafiaIn 1983, Angelo Lonardo, 72, | | | | |
| one-time Cleveland Mafia | | | | to power as leader of his own gang, "The |
| | | | Mayfield Road Mob." |
| boss, turned government informant. He | | | | |
| shocked family, | | | | Milano's group was made up in part of |
| | | | remnants of the Lonardo |
| friends, law enforcement officers and | | | | |
| particularly, criminal | | | | gang and was also associated with the |
| | | | powerful "Cleveland |
| associates with his decision which was made | | | | |
| after being | | | | Syndicate," Morrie Kleinman, Moe Dalitz, Sam |
| | | | Tucker and Louis |
| sentenced to life plus 103 years for drug | | | | |
| and racketeering | | | | Rothkopf. The Cleveland Syndicate was |
| | | | responsible for most |
| convictions. The sentence came after a | | | | |
| monumental | | | | of the Canadian booze imported via Lake |
| | | | Erie. In later years |
| investigation by local, state and federal | | | | |
| agencies had all | | | | they got into the casino business. One of |
| | | | the their largest |
| but wiped out the Cleveland Mafia."Big Ange" | | | | |
| as he was called, was the highest ranking | | | | and most profitable enterprises was |
| | | | construction of the |
| mafioso to defect. He testified in 1985 at | | | | |
| the Las Vegas | | | | Desert Inn Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas. |
| | | | Dalitz would become |
| casino "skimming" trials in Kansas City and | | | | |
| in 1986 at the | | | | known as the "Godfather of Las Vegas." He |
| | | | would be |
| New York Mafia "ruling commission" trials. | | | | |
| Many of the | | | | murdered in 1986 as part of a Mafia war for |
| | | | control of Las |
| nation's biggest mob leaders were convicted | | | | |
| as a result of | | | | Vegas.Joe Porrello admired Milano's |
| | | | political organization, |
| these trials.During his testimony, Lonardo | | | | |
| told how at age 18, he | | | | the East End Bi-Partisan Political Club and, |
| | | | seeing the value |
| avenged his father's murder by killing the | | | | |
| man believed to be | | | | in such influence, wanted to ally himself |
| | | | with the group. |
| responsible. He further testified that | | | | |
| after that murder, he | | | | Milano refused. Later, Porrello was |
| | | | reported to have |
| was responsible for the killings of several | | | | |
| of the Porrello | | | | affiliated himself with the newly formed |
| | | | 21st District |
| brothers, business rivals of his father | | | | |
| during Prohibition.Chapter IIBirth of the | | | | Republican Club. He hoped to organize the |
| Cleveland MafiaDuring the late eighteen | | | | Woodland Avenue |
| hundreds, the four Lonardo | | | | |
| | | | voters as Milano was doing on Mayfield |
| brothers and seven Porrello brothers were | | | | road.Chapter VIIIMore Corn Sugar and BloodBy |
| boyhood friends and | | | | 1930, Milano had grown quite powerful. He |
| | | | had gone |
| fellow sulphur mine workers in their | | | | |
| hometown of Licata, | | | | so far as to demand a piece of the lucrative |
| | | | Porrello corn |
| Sicily. They came to America in the early | | | | |
| nineteen hundreds | | | | sugar business. On July 5th, 1930, |
| | | | Porrello received a |
| and eventually settled in the Woodland | | | | |
| district of Cleveland. | | | | phonecall from Milano who had requested a |
| | | | conference at his |
| They remained close friends. Several of the | | | | |
| Porrello and | | | | Venetian Restaurant on Mayfield Road. Sam |
| | | | Tilocco and Joe |
| Lonardo brothers worked together in small | | | | |
| businesses.Lonardo clan leader "Big Joe" | | | | Porrello's brother Raymond urged him not to |
| became a successful | | | | go.At about 2:00 p.m., Joe Porrello and Sam |
| | | | Tilocco arrived |
| businessman and community leader in the | | | | |
| lower Woodland Avenue | | | | at Milano's restaurant and speakeasy. |
| | | | Porrello, Tilocco, and |
| area. During Prohibition, he became | | | | |
| successful as a dealer | | | | Frank Milano sat down in the restaurant and |
| | | | discussed |
| in corn sugar which was used by bootleggers | | | | |
| to make corn | | | | business. Several of Milano's henchmen sat |
| | | | nearby. The |
| liquor. "Big Joe" provided stills and raw | | | | |
| materials to the | | | | atmosphere was tense as Porrello refused to |
| | | | accede to |
| poor Italian district residents. They would | | | | |
| make the booze | | | | Milano's demands.Porrello reached into his |
| | | | pocket for his watch to check |
| and "Big Joe" would buy it back giving them | | | | |
| a commission. He | | | | the time. Two of Milano's men, possibly |
| | | | believing that |
| was respected and feared as a "padrone" or | | | | |
| godfather. "Big | | | | Porrello was reaching for his gun opened |
| | | | fire. With three |
| Joe" became the leader of a powerful and | | | | |
| vicious gang and | | | | bullets in his head, Porrello died |
| | | | instantly. |
| was known as the corn sugar "baron." Joe | | | | |
| Porrello was one of | | | | Simultaneously, a third member of Milano's |
| | | | gang fired at |
| his corporals.Chapter IIIThe First Bloody | | | | |
| CornerWith the advent of Prohibition, | | | | Tilocco who was struck three times but |
| Cleveland, like other | | | | managed to stagger out |
| | | | |
| big cities, experienced a wave of | | | | the door toward his new Cadillac. He fell |
| bootleg-related murders. | | | | to the ground as |
| | | | |
| The murders of Louis Rosen, Salvatore Vella, | | | | the gunmen pursued him, finishing him off |
| August Rini and | | | | with another six |
| | | | |
| several others produced the same suspects, | | | | bullets.Frank Milano and several of his |
| but no | | | | restaurant employees |
| | | | |
| indictments. These suspects were members of | | | | were arrested but only charged with being |
| the Lonardo | | | | suspicious persons. |
| | | | |
| gang. Several of the murders occurred at | | | | The gunmen were never actually identified. |
| the corner of | | | | Only one witness |
| | | | |
| E. 25th and Woodland Ave. This intersection | | | | was present in the saloon when the shooting |
| became known as | | | | started. He was |
| | | | |
| the "bloody corner."By this time, Joe | | | | Frank Joiner, a slot machine distributor |
| Porrello had left the employ of the | | | | whose only testimony |
| | | | |
| Lonardos to start his own sugar wholesaling | | | | was that he "thought" he saw Frank Milano in |
| business. | | | | the restaurant |
| | | | |
| Porrello and his six brothers pooled their | | | | during the murders.Cleveland's aggressive |
| money and | | | | and outspoken Safety Director |
| | | | |
| eventually became successful corn sugar | | | | Edwin Barry, frustrated by the continually |
| dealers headquartered | | | | rising number of |
| | | | |
| in the upper Woodland Avenue area around E. | | | | bootleg murders, ordered all known sugar |
| 110th Street.With small competitors, sugar | | | | warehouses to be |
| dealers and bootleggers, | | | | |
| | | | padlocked. He ordered a policeman to be |
| mysteriously dying violent deaths, the | | | | detailed at each one |
| Lonardos' business | | | | |
| | | | to make sure that no sugar was brought in or |
| flourished as they gained a near monopoly on | | | | removed.Meanwhile, the six Porrello brothers |
| the corn sugar | | | | donned black silk |
| | | | |
| business. Their main competitors were their | | | | shirts and ties and buried their most |
| old friends the | | | | successful brother. |
| | | | |
| Porrellos.Raymond Porrello, youngest of his | | | | The showy double gangster funeral was one |
| brothers was arrested | | | | the largest |
| | | | |
| by undercover federal agents for arranging a | | | | Cleveland had ever seen. Two bands and |
| sale of 100 | | | | thirty-three cars |
| | | | |
| gallons of whiskey at the Porrello-owned | | | | overloaded with flowers led the procession |
| barbershop at E. | | | | of the slain don |
| | | | |
| 110th and Woodland. He was sentenced to the | | | | and his bodyguard. Over two hundred fifty |
| Dayton, Oh. | | | | automobiles |
| | | | |
| Workhouse.The Porrello brothers paid the | | | | containing family and friends followed. |
| influential "Big Joe" | | | | Thousands of |
| | | | |
| Lonardo $5,000 to get Raymond out of prison. | | | | mourners and curious on-lookers lined the |
| "Big Joe" | | | | sidewalks.Cleveland's underworld was tense |
| | | | with rumors of imminent |
| failed in his attempt but never returned the | | | | |
| $5,000.Meanwhile, Ernest Yorkell and Jack | | | | warfare. Porrello brother Vincente-James |
| Brownstein, small- | | | | spoke openly of |
| | | | |
| time self-proclaimed "tough guys" from | | | | wiping out everyone responsible for his |
| Philadelphia arrived | | | | brother's murder.Three weeks after his |
| | | | brother's murder, Jim Porrello |
| in Cleveland. Yorkell and Brownstein were | | | | |
| shakedown artists, | | | | still wore a black shirt as he entered the I |
| | | | & A grocery and |
| and their intended victims were Cleveland | | | | |
| bootleggers, who | | | | meat market at E. 110th Street and Woodland. |
| | | | As he picked |
| got a chuckle out of how the two felt it | | | | |
| necessary to explain | | | | out lamb chops at the meat counter, a Ford |
| | | | touring car, its' |
| that they were tough. Real tough guys | | | | |
| didn't need to tell | | | | curtains tightly drawn, cruised slowly past |
| | | | the store. A |
| people that they were tough. After | | | | |
| providing Cleveland | | | | couple of shotguns poked out and two |
| | | | thunderous blasts of |
| gangsters with a laugh, Yorkell and | | | | |
| Brownstein were taken on | | | | buckshot were fired, one through the front |
| | | | window of the |
| a "one-way ride."Chapter IVCorn Sugar and | | | | |
| Blood"Big Joe" Lonardo in 1926, now at the | | | | store and one through the front screen |
| height of his | | | | door.The amateur gunmen got lucky. Two |
| | | | pellets found the |
| wealth and power left for Sicily to visit | | | | |
| his mother and | | | | back of Porrello's head and entered his |
| | | | brain. He was rushed |
| relatives. He left his closest brother and | | | | |
| business partner | | | | to the hospital.Chapter IX"I think maybe |
| | | | they'll kill all us Porrellos""I think maybe |
| John in charge.During "Big Joe's" six-month | | | | they'll kill all us Porrellos. I think |
| absence, he lost much of | | | | |
| | | | maybe they will kill all of us except |
| his $5,000 a week profits to the Porrellos | | | | Rosario. They can't |
| who took advantage | | | | |
| | | | kill him - he's in jail." Thus Ottavio |
| of John Lonardo's lack of business skills | | | | Porrello grimly but |
| and the assistance | | | | |
| | | | calmly predicted the probable fate of he and |
| of a disgruntled Lonardo employee. "Big | | | | his brothers as |
| Joe" returned and | | | | |
| | | | he waited outside Jim's hospital room.Next |
| business talks between the Porrellos and | | | | to Ottavio was a tough looking young man who |
| Lonardos began. | | | | smoked |
| | | | |
| They "urged" the Porrellos to return their | | | | cigarettes and blew the smoke at the |
| lost clientele.On Oct. 13th, 1927 "Big Joe" | | | | hospital's No Smoking |
| and John Lonardo went to | | | | |
| | | | signs. It was said he was a bodyguard, |
| the Porrello barbershop to play cards and | | | | something the |
| talk business with | | | | |
| | | | Porrellos never employed enough of. Jim |
| Angelo Porrello as they had been doing for | | | | Porrello died at |
| the past week. As | | | | |
| | | | 5:55 p.m.Two local petty gangsters were |
| the Lonardos entered the rear room of the | | | | arrested and charged with |
| shop, two gunmen | | | | |
| | | | murder. One was discharged by directed |
| opened fire. Angelo Porrello ducked under a | | | | verdict and the other |
| table.Cleveland's underworld lost its' first | | | | |
| boss as "Big Joe" | | | | was acquitted. Like almost all of |
| | | | Cleveland's bootleg |
| went down with three bullets in his head. | | | | |
| John Lonardo was | | | | related murders, the killers never saw |
| | | | justice.About this time, it was rumored that |
| shot in the chest and groin but drew his gun | | | | the Porrello |
| and managed to | | | | |
| | | | brothers were marked for extermination. The |
| pursue the attackers through the barbershop. | | | | surviving |
| He dropped his | | | | |
| | | | brothers went into hiding. Raymond, known |
| gun in the shop but continued chasing the | | | | for his cocky |
| gunmen into the | | | | |
| | | | attitude and hot temper spoke like his |
| street where one of them turned, and out of | | | | brother James did of |
| bullets, struck | | | | |
| | | | seeking revenge. Raymond was smarter |
| Lonardo in the head several times with the | | | | though, he took active |
| butt of his gun. | | | | |
| | | | measures to protect himself.On August 15th, |
| John fell unconscious and bled to death.The | | | | 1930, three weeks after James Porrello's |
| Porrello brothers were arrested. Angelo was | | | | |
| charged | | | | murder, Raymond Porrello's house was leveled |
| | | | in a violent |
| with the Lonardo brothers' murders. The | | | | |
| charges were later | | | | explosion. He was not home at the time |
| | | | since he had taken |
| dropped for lack of evidence. Joe Porrello | | | | |
| succeeded the | | | | his family and abandoned his home in |
| | | | anticipation of the |
| Lonardos as corn sugar "baron" and later | | | | |
| appointed himself | | | | attack.Four days later Frank Alessi, a |
| | | | witness to the murder of |
| "capo" of the Cleveland Mafia.Chapter VThe | | | | |
| Cleveland MeetingThe trail of bootleg blood | | | | "Big Joe" Lonardo's brother Frank, was |
| continued to flow with | | | | gunned down. From his |
| | | | |
| numerous murders stemming from the | | | | death bed, he identified Frank Brancato as |
| Porrello-Lonardo conflict.Lawrence Lupo, a | | | | his assailant. |
| former Lonardo bodyguard was killed | | | | |
| | | | Brancato was known mainly as a Lonardo |
| after he let it be known that he wanted to | | | | supporter and suspect |
| take over the | | | | |
| | | | in several murders. Brancato was acquitted |
| Lonardos' corn sugar business.Anthony | | | | of Alessi's |
| Caruso, a butcher who saw the Lonardos' | | | | |
| killers | | | | murder.Chapter XIn March of 1931, Rosario |
| | | | Porrello was paroled from |
| escape was shot and killed. It was believed | | | | |
| that he knew the | | | | Ohio's London Prison Farm where he had |
| | | | served one year for |
| identities of the gunmen and was going to | | | | |
| reveal them to | | | | carrying a gun in his car.In mid-1931, |
| | | | National Mafia "capo di tutti capi" (boss |
| police.On Dec. 5th, 1928, Joe Porrello and | | | | |
| his lieutenant and | | | | of all bosses) Salvatore Maranzano was |
| | | | killed. His murder |
| bodyguard Sam Tilocco hosted the first known | | | | |
| major meeting of | | | | set in motion the formation of the first |
| | | | Mafia National |
| the Mafia at Cleveland's Hotel Statler. | | | | |
| Many major Mafia | | | | Ruling Commission created to stop the |
| | | | numerous murders |
| leaders from Chicago to New York to Florida | | | | |
| were invited. | | | | resulting from conflicts between and within |
| | | | Mafia families |
| The meeting was raided before it actually | | | | |
| began.Joe Profaci, leader of a Brooklyn, N.Y. | | | | and to promote application of modern |
| Mafia family was | | | | business practices to |
| | | | |
| the most well-known of the gangsters | | | | crime.Charles "Lucky" Luciano was the main |
| arrested. Within a few | | | | developer of the |
| | | | |
| hours, to the astonishment of police and | | | | commission and was named chairman. Also |
| court officials, Joe | | | | named to the |
| | | | |
| Porrello gathered thirty family members and | | | | commission were Al Capone of Chicago, Joe |
| friends who put | | | | Profaci of |
| | | | |
| up their houses as collateral for the | | | | Brooklyn and Frank Milano of Cleveland.In |
| gangsters' bonds. | | | | Dec. of 1931, Angelo Lonardo and his cousin |
| | | | Dominic |
| Profaci was bailed out personally by | | | | |
| Porrello. A great | | | | Suspirato were released from prison after |
| | | | being acquitted of |
| controversy over the validity of the bonds | | | | |
| followed.Several theories have been given as | | | | "Black Sam" Todaro's murder during a second |
| to why the meeting | | | | trial. Because |
| | | | |
| was called. First, it was thought that the | | | | he had avenged his father's death and (for |
| gangsters, local | | | | the most part) |
| | | | |
| presidents of the Unione Siciliane, an | | | | gotten away with it, he became a respected |
| immigrant aid society | | | | member of Frank |
| | | | |
| infiltrated by the Mafia, were there to | | | | Milano's Mayfield Road Mob.The thirst for |
| elect a new national | | | | revenge had not been satisfied for |
| | | | |
| president. Their previous president, | | | | members of the Lonardo family. It was |
| Frankie Yale had been | | | | generally believed |
| | | | |
| recently killed by order of Chicago's | | | | that "Black Sam" Todaro instigated and |
| notorious Al Capone. | | | | perhaps took part in |
| | | | |
| Second, it was believed that the meeting may | | | | the murders of "Big Joe" and John Lonardo. |
| have been called | | | | However it was |
| | | | |
| to organize the highly lucrative corn sugar | | | | believed by members of the Lonardo family |
| industry. It was | | | | that the remaining |
| | | | |
| also said that the men were there to | | | | Porrello brothers, particularly the volatile |
| "confirm" Joe Porrello | | | | John and Raymond |
| | | | |
| as "capo" of Cleveland.Capone, a | | | | and eldest brother Rosario still posed a |
| non-Sicilian was reported to be in Cleveland | | | | threat because of |
| | | | |
| for the meeting. He left soon after his | | | | the murders of Joe and James Porrello.On |
| arrival at the | | | | Feb. 25th, 1932 Raymond Porrello, his brother |
| | | | Rosario |
| advice of associates who said that the | | | | |
| Sicilians did not want | | | | and their bodyguard Dominic Gulino (known |
| | | | also by several |
| him there.Chapter VIThe Second Bloody | | | | |
| CornerAs Joe Porrello's power and wealth | | | | aliases) were playing cards near E. 110th |
| grew, heirs and close | | | | and Woodland |
| | | | |
| associates to the Lonardo brothers grew hot | | | | Avenue. The front door burst open and in a |
| for revenge.Angelo Lonardo, "Big Joe's" | | | | hail of bullets |
| 18-year-old son along with | | | | |
| | | | the Porrello brothers, their bodyguard and a |
| his mother and his cousin, drove to the | | | | bystander went |
| corner of E. 110th | | | | |
| | | | down. The Porrellos died at the scene. |
| and Woodland, the Porrello stronghold. | | | | Gulino died a couple |
| There Angelo sent | | | | |
| | | | of hours later. The bystander eventually |
| word that his mother wanted to speak to | | | | recovered from his |
| Salvatore "Black Sam" | | | | |
| | | | wounds. This shooting was Cleveland's worst |
| Todaro. Todaro, now a Porrello lieutenant, | | | | Mob hit ever.Several hours after the murders, |
| had worked for | | | | Frank Brancato, with abullet in his stomach, |
| | | | dragged himself into St. John's |
| Angelo's father and was believed to be | | | | |
| responsible for his | | | | Hospital on Cleveland's west side. He |
| | | | claimed he was shot in |
| murder. In later years it was believed that | | | | |
| he was actually | | | | a street fight on the west side. A few days |
| | | | later, tests on |
| one of the gunmen.As Todaro approached to | | | | |
| speak with Mrs. Lonardo whom he | | | | the bullet taken from Brancato revealed that |
| | | | it came from a |
| respected, Angelo pulled out a gun and | | | | |
| emptied it into "Black | | | | gun found at the Porrello brothers murder |
| | | | scene. Although |
| Sam's stocky frame. Todaro crumpled to the | | | | |
| sidewalk and | | | | never convicted of either of the murders, |
| | | | Brancato was |
| died.Angelo and his cousin disappeared for | | | | |
| several months | | | | convicted of perjury for lying to a Grand |
| | | | Jury about his |
| reportedly being hid in Chicago courtesy of | | | | |
| Lonardo friend Al | | | | whereabouts during the murder. He served |
| | | | four years after a |
| Capone. Later it was believed that Angelo | | | | |
| spent time in | | | | one to ten year sentence was commuted by |
| | | | Governor Martin L. |
| California with his uncle Dominick, fourth | | | | |
| Lonardo brother | | | | Davey.In 1933, Prohibition was repealed. |
| | | | The bootleg murders |
| who fled west when indicted for a payroll | | | | |
| robbery murder in | | | | mostly stopped as organized crime moved into |
| | | | other |
| 1921.Eventually Angelo and his cousin were | | | | |
| arrested and | | | | enterprises. Angelo Lonardo continued his |
| | | | crime career as a |
| charged with "Black Sam's" murder. For the | | | | |
| first time in | | | | respected member of the Cleveland family |
| | | | eventually rising |
| Cleveland's bootleg murder history justice | | | | |
| was served as both | | | | through the ranks to run the northeast Ohio |
| | | | rackets in 1980.In early 1933, in a sequel to |
| young men were convicted and sentenced to | | | | the tragedy of the large |
| life. Justice | | | | |
| | | | Porrello family, Rosario's son Angelo, 21, |
| although served would be shortlived as they | | | | was killed in a |
| would be released | | | | |
| | | | fight over a pool game in Buffalo. It was |
| only a year and a half later after winning a | | | | said that he and |
| new trial.Chapter VIIRise of the Mayfield | | | | |
| Road MobOn October 20th, 1929, Frank Lonardo, | | | | his Uncle John were there trying to muscle |
| brother to "Big | | | | in on the corn |
| | | | |
| Joe" and John was shot to death while | | | | liquor business.******For more - read The |
| playing cards. Two | | | | Rise and Fall of the Cleveland Mafia |
| | | | |
| theories were given for his death; that it | | | | Rick Porrello - Barricade BooksA cop in |
| was in revenge for | | | | suburban Cleveland, Rick Porrello, |
| | | | serendipitously began his writing career when |
| the murder of "Black Sam" Todaro and, that | | | | curiosity about the mysterious murder of his |
| he was killed for | | | | grandfather along with the deaths of several |
| | | | uncles led to penning his first true crime |
| not paying gambling debts. Mrs. Frank | | | | saga, The Rise and Fall of the Cleveland |
| Lonardo, when told of | | | | Mafia. Porrello went on to write a second |
| | | | book, To Kill the Irishman: The War That |
| her husband's murder screamed, "I'll get | | | | Crippled the Mafia which recounts the story |
| them. I'll get them | | | | of Irish-American racketeer Danny Greene who |
| | | | took on the Cleveland Mafia and was murdered |
| myself if I have to kill a whole | | | | in 1977. |
| regiment!"By 1929, Little Italy crime boss | | | | |