Corn Sugar and Blood and The Rise and Fall of the Cleveland Mafia

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

Dr Razz

Corn Sugar and Blood and The Rise and Fall of the Cleveland Mafia