Sociology 3364F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Johnny Torrio, James Colosimo, Five Points Gang
20 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
C. element in the loosely organized national crime syndicate that emerged in the 1930s. A war erupted between two rival mafia families: david hennessey supported one faction, he was subsequently murdered. Don vito cascio ferro (1862-1944: don vito considered the greatest of all mafia leaders of sicily. He was charismatic, elegant,& bore himself with the manner of royalty: he developed the practice of pizzu, wetting the beak , don vito fled to the us in 1902. The most likely suspect was don vito. Don vito had been run out of new york years early. A newspaper leak led to the secret being compromised. In an era of union organizing and union busting: he lent out his gang members to businessmen and strikebreakers, he also lent out members as hit man to other mobs, and to politicians to control voting. The first mafia family firmly established in the u. s. was literally a family of criminals.
