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

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

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

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