Atlantic City Conference
Encyclopedia
The Atlantic City Conference held in 1929 was a historic summit of leaders of organized crime
in the United States
. It is considered by most crime
historians to be the earliest organized crime summit held in the US. The conference had a major impact on the future direction of the criminal underworld and it held more importance and significance than the Havana Conference
of 1946 and the Apalachin meeting
of 1957. It also represented the first concrete move toward a National Crime Syndicate
.
Some historians believe that representation at the conference was not a representative of the ethnic make-up of the US criminal element, being that the delegations consisted of mostly Italian and Jewish crime leaders. Because of the lack of a substantial Irish delegation, a conclusion was made that this could have been the beginning of underworld domination by Italian and Jewish crime groups. The Irish still possessed an influential presence in America's criminal and political worlds and had a number of dominant crime leaders in New York, Boston and Philadelphia that were not invited and eliminated soon afterward, leading some to believe it was decided the Irish were to be left on the fringes of the underworld.
Crime leaders at the conference allegedly discussed the violent bootleg wars in New York
and Chicago
, systematic elimination of various Irish-American gangsters presently dominating underworld activities and influencing politics in the largest cities across US, diversification and investment into legal liquor ventures, expansion of illegal operations to offset profit loss from the probable repeal of Prohibition, and reorganization and consolidation of the underworld into a National Crime Syndicate.
was married in early May 1929 and his closest underworld friends concluded that the resort town of Atlantic City, New Jersey would be an ideal place to have his honeymoon and hold the conference, allowing Lansky to mix pleasure and business, along with the rest of the Bosses. The date and place was set for the weekend of May 13–May 16, making the conference the first known underworld summit of its kind, which could be considered the first concrete move towards establishing the National Crime Syndicate that eventually controlled all major criminal activities across the United States.
The Atlantic City Conference was said to be hosted by John Torrio, Charlie "Lucky" Luciano, Frank Costello and Meyer Lansky, depending on who you ask. The old world leaders or "Mustache Petes" from New York, Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano, were not invited, as well as future underworld power Joseph "Joe Bananas" Bonanno since he was Maranzano's top lieutenant at the time. The list of crime leaders who were invited to attend the conference read like a who's who of the Prohibition era and the future of organized crime. The host of the conference was powerful, Atlantic City and South Jersey crime Boss, Enoch "Nucky" Johnson, who provided the hotel accommodations, food and entertainment for all, while making a guarantee of no police interference.
Of course the largest delegation in the conference came from the New York/New Jersey area and included Bosses John "The Fox" Torrio, formerly of Chicago, Charlie "Lucky" Luciano, Frank Costello, Giuseppe "Joe Adonis" Doto and Vito Genovese
, all top members of Manhattan's powerful Masseria Family, Albert "The Mad Hatter" Anastasia
, Frank "Cheech" Scalise and Vincent Mangano
, from the D'Aquila/Mineo Family of Manhattan, Gaetano "Tommy Brown" Lucchese, represented the Reina Family out of the Bronx, Quarico "Willie Moore" Moretti, represented the Masseria Family's Newark, New Jersey interests, Meyer "The Brain" Lansky and Benny "Bugsy" Siegel, Bosses of the Bugs and Meyer Mob, who protected liquor shipments in the New York/New Jersey areas, Louis "Lepke" Buchalter and Jacob "Gurrah" Shapiro
, considered the underworld's "Rockefellers" and also known as the "Gorilla Boys", Abner "Longy" Zwillman, also representing Newark, New Jersey, Dutch Schultz, Bronx beer baron and Harlem numbers king, Owen "Owney the Killer" Madden, Boss of Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen and the Irish Combine, Frank Erickson
, former Rothstein Lt., Costello associate and future bookmaking kingpin.
Chicago was represented by Alphonse "Scarface" Capone, Frank "The Enforcer" Nitti
, Jake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik
, Frank "Frank Cline" Rio
, top members of the South Side Capone Gang and representing Mid West interests, Capone body guard and only one of two Irish gangsters present Frank McErlane
of the South Side Saltis/McErlane Gang. From Philadelphia came the top Jewish Bosses, Irving "Waxey Gordon" Wexler, Harry "Nig Rosen" Stromberg, Max "Boo Boo" Hoff, Irving "Bitzy" Bitz and Charles Schwartz. From Cleveland came the "Little Jewish Navy" of Morris "Moe" Dalitz and Louis "Lou Roddy" Rothkopf, along with adopted Polizzi Family member, Leo "Charles Polizzi" Berkowitz who represented "Little Italy
's", "Mayfield Road Mob". The feared Purple Gang
of Detroit was represented by brothers Abe and William Joseph "Bugs Bill" Bernstein. Boston's most prominent bootlegger, Charles "King" Solomon was present, while Kansas City's "Balestrere Gang" and the "Pendergast Machine
" were represented by Boss John Lazia
. Delegations from Florida and Louisiana were also present at the time, which would most likely be, Luciano and Costello allies, Santo Trafficante, Sr.
of Tampa and Sylvestro "Silver Dollar Sam" Carolla
of New Orleans.
Two of the underworld's most powerful leaders, Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano
of New York were not invited. The old guard or "Mustache Petes" maintained traditional old world ideals and business practices that restricted them from working with other ethnic gangs outside of the Italian underworld, this was counter to the ideals and principles that the leaders, such as Luciano and Torrio wished to express to the other delegates in Atlantic City. At the time of the conference, future underworld power, Joseph "Joe Bananas" Bonanno
was Maranzano's top Lt. and aide and was not invited to Atlantic City, but he would soon become one of the architects of the "National Crime Syndicate
" and the La Cosa Nostra Commission
.
The conference started off with a bit of an embarrassing incident for some of those invited who tried to check into the first hotel Nucky Johnson had them registered at. Johnson had registered them at the exclusive Atlantic City Breakers Hotel along the Boardwalk, which was restricted to white Anglo-Saxon Protestant
s, and Nucky had used proper Anglo-Saxon aliases for the guests. (Ironically, in later years, the Breakers Hotel catered to a mainly Jewish clientele, becoming known as "The Aristocrat of Kosher Hotels".) Once the hotel's management got a look at some of the guests who were trying to check in, the aliases didn't match the Italian and Jewish faces staring at the management and they delegates were refused admittance in to the hotel, the manager not knowing who he was refusing. By this time Johnson had heard about the problem and rushed over to the hotel to take care of the situation. Al Capone being himself screamed at Nucky Johnson for not making the proper arrangements and a loud argument ensued between the two gangsters while the others watched and hoped they would not come to blows. Suddenly Johnson who was taller and heavier than Capone shoved him into a limousine and ordered every one to follow him. They headed for the Ritz-Carlton and Ambassador Hotels and when Capone reached the hotel he ripped several framed paintings and photos off the walls of the hotel and started to throw them at Nucky Johnson. The others concentrated on keeping Al Capone calm and quiet for the time being.
For the first three days there were a constant round of parties at the hotels with Nucky Johnson supplying plenty of liquor, food and girls for entertainment. For the guests who brought their wives or girlfriends, Johnson provided the women with fur capes as gifts. Meyer Lansky who was the new bride groom and guest of honor received the Presidential suite at the Ritz Hotel, with a constant supply of champagne for him and his wife Anna.
There were several important items to discuss among the Bosses and attendees such as constant competition for imported and bootleg liquor profits among the gangs, what to do about the liquor business if or when Prohibition ends, greater investment in gambling operations and what to do about the Chicago and Irish problems. As would be expected with sharply dressed gangsters from around the United States, the Atlantic City delegates conducted their more serious discussions and business, privately in conference rooms atop the Ritz and Ambassador Hotels, but not all the meetings were held in a room around a long table, some discussions were had out in the open, with the delegates taking their socks off and rolling up, their pants for walks along the beach, on the sand and in the open air. This made the Conference no great secret, with local newspapers carrying photos of Al Capone and some of the other prominent delegates as they cruised down the boardwalk and beaches, dipping their feet into the water. Important decisions were made to stop competing with each other during the remainder of Prohibition and cooperate in pooling their resources to maximize profits and develop a national monopoly in the illegal liquor business. One of the most important discussions was what to do when Prohibition ends. The Bosses decided to reorganize themselves and their gangs into cooperative organizations, investing in legitimate breweries, distilleries and liquor importation franchises. By making investments in the legitimate liquor business and by owning nightclubs, bars and restaurants to distribute the liquor and maximize profits, this gave the Syndicate some security against the repeal of Prohibition.
The delegates held discussions about taking a larger interest in illegal and cooperative gambling activities such as bookmaking, horse racing and casinos. The New York and Chicago representatives laid out a plan to tie in the national wire service for horse racing bettors with the Daily Racing Form
and to lay off bets throughout the United States. This idea was introduced to the conference delegates after Al Capone ran into Chicago's Moses Annenberg
who controlled the mob that enforced distribution of William R. Hearst's newspapers in the Chicago area. The Families in New York and Chicago would oversee and direct operations for this cooperative and very lucrative venture. New York Bosses, Frank Costello and Meyer Lansky
were chosen as directors to coordinate the operations along with Chicago representatives. New York's future layoff king and gambling czar Frank Erickson
was chosen to oversee the organization of the operation along with Chicago's Moses Annenberg
. Chicago businessman and underworld associate Moses Annenberg
was not originally invited to the conference, but after running into Capone, the well known Annenberg was most likely invited to confer with the leaders on business matters concerning the national race wire.
It was agreed by the conference delegates that investments in the legitimate liquor business and gambling was the way to offset the loss of profits from the end of Prohibition and discussions to divide the country into exclusive franchises and territories for the Bosses and their gangs were started at the Atlantic City Conference.
Another important topic was the ongoing violence and bloodletting that was occurring in Chicago. The underworld wars in Chicago and to some extent New York, had brought about a public and media outcry on law enforcement to stop the violence. There had been added media and law enforcement attention and this was placing pressure on underworld rackets and operations around the country. Most of the pressure was mainly due to the recent St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago. With former Al Capone Boss and mentor Johnny Torrio taking the lead and Charlie "Lucky" Luciano and the other delegates backing him up, Capone was chosen as a sacrificial lamb to ease the heat brought on the underworld and its leaders. Al Capone was convinced after much debate and refusal to allow himself to be arrested on a minor charge and sent to prison for a short period of time, deflecting the media and law enforcement pressure for the good of the whole underworld. After the conference was concluded, Chicago underworld Boss Al Capone and his bodyguard Frank Rio went to Philadelphia where two friendly cops arrested and charged them with carrying a gun. Al Capone and Frank Rio were sentenced to a year in prison, but were released and back in Chicago after several months.
labeled the Italian underworld Cosa Nostra in 1931, the terms Lieutenant and Advisor were more common at the time, except with the Maranzano Family, (future Bonanno crime family
) which had already been following the strict Cosa Nostra traditions of their native Sicily. The position of Consigliere did not exist until Charlie "Lucky" Luciano
became the defacto first amongst equals in La Cosa Nostra and added the position to the Family hierarchy in 1931, when he formed the Commission.
Underworld members, city or delegation they represented and their rank at time of conference:
Atlantic City:
New York/New Jersey:
Chicago:
Philadelphia:
Cleveland:
Detroit:
Kansas City:
Massachusetts:
Florida:
Louisiana:
The most prominent and well known Irish Bosses of the time included Frank Wallace of Boston, Daniel "Danny" Walsh of Providence, George "Bugs" Moran, the South Side O'Donnells (brothers Edward (Spike), Steven, Tommy and Walter), the West Side O'Donnells (Klondike and Myles), William "Big Bill" Dwyer, Charles "Vannie" Higgins, Jack "Legs" Diamond and Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll of New York. None of these men were present, not even Walsh.
Many historians believe English is correct: The Italians and Jews wanted to wipe out the Irish bosses, and so did not invite them. Frank Wallace was killed by hitters in Boston's Italian Mob in 1931, Danny Walsh was dealt with and disappeared in 1933, Bugs Moran would have been the Irish Boss to represent Chicago, but he had just missed being killed in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre when his gang was decimated and he faded into obscurity soon after, the South Side and West Side O'Donnells of Chicago weren't as powerful as Moran and would not have been chosen to represent Chicago, they were at war with Capone and his allies. New York's Vannie Higgins, Legs Diamond and Vincent Coll were involved in the "Manhattan Beer Wars" against Jewish Bosses Dutch Schultz, Waxey Gordon and Irish/Welsh Boss, Owney Madden. At the Atlantic City Conference, Schultz was heard saying at the Ambassador Hotel. "This crazy maniac Coll is causing me no end of grief", were Gordon added, "Yeah, and what about this bastard, Legs Diamond? He's hijacking my trucks and raiding our clip joints all over North Jersey". Vannie Higgins was killed on January 19, 1932 in New York, Legs Diamond was shot three times and killed in his Albany, New York hideout on December 18, 1931 and Mad Dog Coll was killed inside a New York phone booth by Schultz gunmen, while talking to Owney Madden on February 8, 1932.
In the New England area Prohibition wars, Jewish Mob Boss and Boston's most prominent crime leader and bootlegger, Charles "King" Solomon was killed at his Roxbury, Boston speakeasy, known as the Cotton Club on January 24, 1933. Law enforcement theorize that either Italian or Irish underworld leaders in the North End Buccola Family of Boston, Massachusetts or the Walsh Mob of Providence, Rhode Island had Solomon assassinated, either way, Solomon became another victim of the mob war for dominance in New England's underworld. As Irish Bosses Wallace and Walsh were killed by Boston's North End Italians, Solomon was most likely killed by them as well, being that Italian dominance was uncontested in the New England underworld thereafter.
Another interesting sidenote was that future US Ambassador to Britain, millionaire and father of president John F. Kennedy
, Joseph P. Kennedy was allegedly a leading Prohibition era rum runner and whisky baron in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. Kennedy made his legitimate millions in banking, real estate and the Hollywood movie business, but he was an alleged associate of gangsters Bill Dwyer, Owney Madden
, Danny Walsh
, Frank Costello
, Al Capone
and is also mentioned in Joseph Bonanno
's book, "A Man of Honor". In recent years information on Joseph Kennedy has been leaked to the media and various investigative reporters linking him to these gangsters, exposing his Prohibition operations. It is alleged that he did business with Dywer, Madden and Costello's New York Combine, their regional offshoot in Providence run by Danny Walsh
and with Al Capone
's Chicago organization. Kennedy was not a bootlegger, per se, but an importer and wholesaler, who purchased large quantities of alcohol from England and Canada and facilitated its shipment. after the booze was purchased, it was usually transferred from Nova Scotia to the eastern seaboard, where it was off-loaded under cover of darkness along the Massachusetts or Rhode Island coastline or somewhere in Long Island, New York. The crime syndicates or gangs and their bootleggers would take over from there, making Joseph P. Kennedy and his family very rich. It is alleged that Kennedy kept his associations with the underworld all through his life, becoming the middleman between the underworld and political worlds of Massachusetts and New York, using the underworld's connections to labor unions for business and political purposes. Joseph P. Kennedy's most famous act was getting the Chicago and New York underworlds to assist in the election of his son John F. Kennedy
to the Presidency of the United States by having the underworld solicit votes and support from the labor unions, politicians and prominent community members all under the mobs influence.
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is considered by most crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
historians to be the earliest organized crime summit held in the US. The conference had a major impact on the future direction of the criminal underworld and it held more importance and significance than the Havana Conference
Havana Conference
The Havana Conference of 1946 was an historic meeting of United States Mafia and Cosa Nostra leaders in Havana, Cuba. Supposedly arranged by Charles "Lucky" Luciano, the conference was held to discuss important mob policies, rules, and business interests. The Havana Conference was attended by...
of 1946 and the Apalachin meeting
Apalachin Meeting
The Apalachin Meeting was a historic summit of the American Mafia held on November 14, 1957, at the home of mobster Joseph "Joe the Barber" Barbara in Apalachin, New York. The meeting was attended by roughly 100 Mafiosi from the United States, Canada, and Italy...
of 1957. It also represented the first concrete move toward a National Crime Syndicate
National Crime Syndicate
The National Crime Syndicate was the name given by the press to a loosely-organized multi-ethnic organized crime syndicate. Its origins are uncertain....
.
Some historians believe that representation at the conference was not a representative of the ethnic make-up of the US criminal element, being that the delegations consisted of mostly Italian and Jewish crime leaders. Because of the lack of a substantial Irish delegation, a conclusion was made that this could have been the beginning of underworld domination by Italian and Jewish crime groups. The Irish still possessed an influential presence in America's criminal and political worlds and had a number of dominant crime leaders in New York, Boston and Philadelphia that were not invited and eliminated soon afterward, leading some to believe it was decided the Irish were to be left on the fringes of the underworld.
Crime leaders at the conference allegedly discussed the violent bootleg wars in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, systematic elimination of various Irish-American gangsters presently dominating underworld activities and influencing politics in the largest cities across US, diversification and investment into legal liquor ventures, expansion of illegal operations to offset profit loss from the probable repeal of Prohibition, and reorganization and consolidation of the underworld into a National Crime Syndicate.
The Conference
Jewish crime Boss Meyer LanskyMeyer Lansky
Meyer Lansky , known as the "Mob's Accountant", was a Polish-born American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States...
was married in early May 1929 and his closest underworld friends concluded that the resort town of Atlantic City, New Jersey would be an ideal place to have his honeymoon and hold the conference, allowing Lansky to mix pleasure and business, along with the rest of the Bosses. The date and place was set for the weekend of May 13–May 16, making the conference the first known underworld summit of its kind, which could be considered the first concrete move towards establishing the National Crime Syndicate that eventually controlled all major criminal activities across the United States.
The Atlantic City Conference was said to be hosted by John Torrio, Charlie "Lucky" Luciano, Frank Costello and Meyer Lansky, depending on who you ask. The old world leaders or "Mustache Petes" from New York, Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano, were not invited, as well as future underworld power Joseph "Joe Bananas" Bonanno since he was Maranzano's top lieutenant at the time. The list of crime leaders who were invited to attend the conference read like a who's who of the Prohibition era and the future of organized crime. The host of the conference was powerful, Atlantic City and South Jersey crime Boss, Enoch "Nucky" Johnson, who provided the hotel accommodations, food and entertainment for all, while making a guarantee of no police interference.
Of course the largest delegation in the conference came from the New York/New Jersey area and included Bosses John "The Fox" Torrio, formerly of Chicago, Charlie "Lucky" Luciano, Frank Costello, Giuseppe "Joe Adonis" Doto and Vito Genovese
Vito Genovese
Vito "Don Vito" Genovese was an Italian mafioso who rose to power in America during the Castellammarese War to later become leader of the Genovese crime family. Genovese served as mentor to future mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante...
, all top members of Manhattan's powerful Masseria Family, Albert "The Mad Hatter" Anastasia
Albert Anastasia
Albert Anastasia was boss of what is now called the Gambino crime family, one of New York City's Five Families, from 1951-1957. He also ran a gang of contract killers called Murder Inc. which enforced the decisions of the Commission, the ruling council of the American Mafia...
, Frank "Cheech" Scalise and Vincent Mangano
Vincent Mangano
Vincent Mangano , born Vincenzo Giovanni Mangano, also known as "The Executioner" as he was named in a Brooklyn newspaper, was the head of the Mangano crime family from 1931 to 1951. His brother Philip Mangano was his right hand man and de facto, or substituto, underboss of the crime family which...
, from the D'Aquila/Mineo Family of Manhattan, Gaetano "Tommy Brown" Lucchese, represented the Reina Family out of the Bronx, Quarico "Willie Moore" Moretti, represented the Masseria Family's Newark, New Jersey interests, Meyer "The Brain" Lansky and Benny "Bugsy" Siegel, Bosses of the Bugs and Meyer Mob, who protected liquor shipments in the New York/New Jersey areas, Louis "Lepke" Buchalter and Jacob "Gurrah" Shapiro
Jacob Shapiro
Jacob "Gurrah" Shapiro was a New York mobster who, with his partner Louis "Lepke" Buchalter, controlled industrial labor racketeering in New York for two decades and established the Murder, Inc. organization.-Early years:...
, considered the underworld's "Rockefellers" and also known as the "Gorilla Boys", Abner "Longy" Zwillman, also representing Newark, New Jersey, Dutch Schultz, Bronx beer baron and Harlem numbers king, Owen "Owney the Killer" Madden, Boss of Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen and the Irish Combine, Frank Erickson
Frank Erickson
Frank Erickson was born in New York in to parents of Swedish and Irish descent. After the death of his father, he grew up in an orphanage....
, former Rothstein Lt., Costello associate and future bookmaking kingpin.
Chicago was represented by Alphonse "Scarface" Capone, Frank "The Enforcer" Nitti
Frank Nitti
Francesco Raffaele Nitto , also known as Frank "The Enforcer" Nitti, was an Italian American gangster. One of Al Capone's top henchmen, Nitti was in charge of all strong-arm and 'muscle' operations...
, Jake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik
Jake Guzik
Jake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik was the financial and legal advisor, and later political “greaser”, for the Chicago Outfit.-Early life:...
, Frank "Frank Cline" Rio
Frank Rio
Franklin Rio also known as "Frank Rio" and "Frank Cline" was a member of Al Capone's Chicago-based criminal organization known as the Chicago Outfit. He was also an alleged gunman in the famous 1929 St...
, top members of the South Side Capone Gang and representing Mid West interests, Capone body guard and only one of two Irish gangsters present Frank McErlane
Frank McErlane
Frank McErlane was a Prohibition-era gangster. He led the Saltis-McErlane Gang, allied with the Johnny Torrio-Al Capone Gang, against rival bootleggers, the Southside O'Donnell Brothers. He is credited with introducing the Thompson submachine gun to Chicago's underworld...
of the South Side Saltis/McErlane Gang. From Philadelphia came the top Jewish Bosses, Irving "Waxey Gordon" Wexler, Harry "Nig Rosen" Stromberg, Max "Boo Boo" Hoff, Irving "Bitzy" Bitz and Charles Schwartz. From Cleveland came the "Little Jewish Navy" of Morris "Moe" Dalitz and Louis "Lou Roddy" Rothkopf, along with adopted Polizzi Family member, Leo "Charles Polizzi" Berkowitz who represented "Little Italy
Little Italy
Little Italy is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an urban neighborhood.-Canada:*Little Italy, Edmonton, in Alberta*Little Italy, Montreal, in Quebec...
's", "Mayfield Road Mob". The feared Purple Gang
The Purple Gang
The Purple Gang, also known as the Sugar House Gang, were a mob with predominantly Jewish members of bootleggers and hijackers in the 1920s, operating out of Detroit, Michigan, which was a major port for running alcohol products during Prohibition due to proximity to Canada.Many openly violent...
of Detroit was represented by brothers Abe and William Joseph "Bugs Bill" Bernstein. Boston's most prominent bootlegger, Charles "King" Solomon was present, while Kansas City's "Balestrere Gang" and the "Pendergast Machine
Tom Pendergast
Thomas Joseph Pendergast controlled Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri as a political boss. "Boss Tom" Pendergast gave workers jobs and helped elect politicians during the Great Depression, becoming wealthy in the process.-Early years:Thomas Joseph Pendergast, also known to close friends as...
" were represented by Boss John Lazia
John Lazia
John Lazia, also known as "Brother John" , was an American organized crime figure in Kansas City, Missouri, during the prohibition period in the United States.-Early years:...
. Delegations from Florida and Louisiana were also present at the time, which would most likely be, Luciano and Costello allies, Santo Trafficante, Sr.
Santo Trafficante, Sr.
Santo Trafficante, Sr. was a Sicilian-born mobster, and father of the powerful mobster Santo Trafficante, Jr.-Early life:...
of Tampa and Sylvestro "Silver Dollar Sam" Carolla
Sylvestro Carolla
Sylvestro or Silvestro Carolla or Carollo was a leader of the New Orleans crime family who was nicknamed "Sam 'Silver Dollar'"...
of New Orleans.
Two of the underworld's most powerful leaders, Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano was an organized crime figure from the town of Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, and an early Cosa Nostra boss in the United States. He instigated the Castellammarese War to seize control of the American Mafia operations, and briefly became the Mafia's "Boss of Bosses"...
of New York were not invited. The old guard or "Mustache Petes" maintained traditional old world ideals and business practices that restricted them from working with other ethnic gangs outside of the Italian underworld, this was counter to the ideals and principles that the leaders, such as Luciano and Torrio wished to express to the other delegates in Atlantic City. At the time of the conference, future underworld power, Joseph "Joe Bananas" Bonanno
Joseph Bonanno
Joseph Charles Bonanno, Sr. was a Sicilian-born American mafioso who became the boss of the Bonanno crime family. He was nicknamed "Joe Bananas," a name he despised.-Early life:...
was Maranzano's top Lt. and aide and was not invited to Atlantic City, but he would soon become one of the architects of the "National Crime Syndicate
National Crime Syndicate
The National Crime Syndicate was the name given by the press to a loosely-organized multi-ethnic organized crime syndicate. Its origins are uncertain....
" and the La Cosa Nostra Commission
The Commission (mafia)
The Commission is the governing body of the American Mafia. Formed in 1931, the Commission replaced the "Boss of all Bosses" title, with a ruling committee, consisting of the New York Five Families bosses and the boss of the Chicago Outfit...
.
The conference started off with a bit of an embarrassing incident for some of those invited who tried to check into the first hotel Nucky Johnson had them registered at. Johnson had registered them at the exclusive Atlantic City Breakers Hotel along the Boardwalk, which was restricted to white Anglo-Saxon Protestant
White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
White Anglo-Saxon Protestant or WASP is an informal term, often derogatory or disparaging, for a closed group of high-status Americans mostly of British Protestant ancestry. The group supposedly wields disproportionate financial and social power. When it appears in writing, it is usually used to...
s, and Nucky had used proper Anglo-Saxon aliases for the guests. (Ironically, in later years, the Breakers Hotel catered to a mainly Jewish clientele, becoming known as "The Aristocrat of Kosher Hotels".) Once the hotel's management got a look at some of the guests who were trying to check in, the aliases didn't match the Italian and Jewish faces staring at the management and they delegates were refused admittance in to the hotel, the manager not knowing who he was refusing. By this time Johnson had heard about the problem and rushed over to the hotel to take care of the situation. Al Capone being himself screamed at Nucky Johnson for not making the proper arrangements and a loud argument ensued between the two gangsters while the others watched and hoped they would not come to blows. Suddenly Johnson who was taller and heavier than Capone shoved him into a limousine and ordered every one to follow him. They headed for the Ritz-Carlton and Ambassador Hotels and when Capone reached the hotel he ripped several framed paintings and photos off the walls of the hotel and started to throw them at Nucky Johnson. The others concentrated on keeping Al Capone calm and quiet for the time being.
For the first three days there were a constant round of parties at the hotels with Nucky Johnson supplying plenty of liquor, food and girls for entertainment. For the guests who brought their wives or girlfriends, Johnson provided the women with fur capes as gifts. Meyer Lansky who was the new bride groom and guest of honor received the Presidential suite at the Ritz Hotel, with a constant supply of champagne for him and his wife Anna.
There were several important items to discuss among the Bosses and attendees such as constant competition for imported and bootleg liquor profits among the gangs, what to do about the liquor business if or when Prohibition ends, greater investment in gambling operations and what to do about the Chicago and Irish problems. As would be expected with sharply dressed gangsters from around the United States, the Atlantic City delegates conducted their more serious discussions and business, privately in conference rooms atop the Ritz and Ambassador Hotels, but not all the meetings were held in a room around a long table, some discussions were had out in the open, with the delegates taking their socks off and rolling up, their pants for walks along the beach, on the sand and in the open air. This made the Conference no great secret, with local newspapers carrying photos of Al Capone and some of the other prominent delegates as they cruised down the boardwalk and beaches, dipping their feet into the water. Important decisions were made to stop competing with each other during the remainder of Prohibition and cooperate in pooling their resources to maximize profits and develop a national monopoly in the illegal liquor business. One of the most important discussions was what to do when Prohibition ends. The Bosses decided to reorganize themselves and their gangs into cooperative organizations, investing in legitimate breweries, distilleries and liquor importation franchises. By making investments in the legitimate liquor business and by owning nightclubs, bars and restaurants to distribute the liquor and maximize profits, this gave the Syndicate some security against the repeal of Prohibition.
The delegates held discussions about taking a larger interest in illegal and cooperative gambling activities such as bookmaking, horse racing and casinos. The New York and Chicago representatives laid out a plan to tie in the national wire service for horse racing bettors with the Daily Racing Form
Daily Racing Form
The Daily Racing Form is a tabloid newspaper founded in 1894 in Chicago, Illinois by Frank Brunell. The paper publishes the past performances of race horses as a statistical service for bettors on horse racing in the United States....
and to lay off bets throughout the United States. This idea was introduced to the conference delegates after Al Capone ran into Chicago's Moses Annenberg
Moses Annenberg
Moses "Moe" Louis Annenberg was an American newspaper publisher, who purchased The Philadelphia Inquirer, the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the United States. in 1936. The Inquirer has the sixteenth largest average weekday U.S...
who controlled the mob that enforced distribution of William R. Hearst's newspapers in the Chicago area. The Families in New York and Chicago would oversee and direct operations for this cooperative and very lucrative venture. New York Bosses, Frank Costello and Meyer Lansky
Meyer Lansky
Meyer Lansky , known as the "Mob's Accountant", was a Polish-born American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States...
were chosen as directors to coordinate the operations along with Chicago representatives. New York's future layoff king and gambling czar Frank Erickson
Frank Erickson
Frank Erickson was born in New York in to parents of Swedish and Irish descent. After the death of his father, he grew up in an orphanage....
was chosen to oversee the organization of the operation along with Chicago's Moses Annenberg
Moses Annenberg
Moses "Moe" Louis Annenberg was an American newspaper publisher, who purchased The Philadelphia Inquirer, the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the United States. in 1936. The Inquirer has the sixteenth largest average weekday U.S...
. Chicago businessman and underworld associate Moses Annenberg
Moses Annenberg
Moses "Moe" Louis Annenberg was an American newspaper publisher, who purchased The Philadelphia Inquirer, the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the United States. in 1936. The Inquirer has the sixteenth largest average weekday U.S...
was not originally invited to the conference, but after running into Capone, the well known Annenberg was most likely invited to confer with the leaders on business matters concerning the national race wire.
It was agreed by the conference delegates that investments in the legitimate liquor business and gambling was the way to offset the loss of profits from the end of Prohibition and discussions to divide the country into exclusive franchises and territories for the Bosses and their gangs were started at the Atlantic City Conference.
Another important topic was the ongoing violence and bloodletting that was occurring in Chicago. The underworld wars in Chicago and to some extent New York, had brought about a public and media outcry on law enforcement to stop the violence. There had been added media and law enforcement attention and this was placing pressure on underworld rackets and operations around the country. Most of the pressure was mainly due to the recent St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago. With former Al Capone Boss and mentor Johnny Torrio taking the lead and Charlie "Lucky" Luciano and the other delegates backing him up, Capone was chosen as a sacrificial lamb to ease the heat brought on the underworld and its leaders. Al Capone was convinced after much debate and refusal to allow himself to be arrested on a minor charge and sent to prison for a short period of time, deflecting the media and law enforcement pressure for the good of the whole underworld. After the conference was concluded, Chicago underworld Boss Al Capone and his bodyguard Frank Rio went to Philadelphia where two friendly cops arrested and charged them with carrying a gun. Al Capone and Frank Rio were sentenced to a year in prison, but were released and back in Chicago after several months.
The future of organized crime
Before the end of the conference, emphasis was laid on the fact that all of the future plans and operations had to be appropriated and administered peacefully among the country's Bosses and criminal organizations, avoiding the sort of violent conflicts that had plagued the underworld in the past. The highly successful "Big Seven Group" was used as a model of future organization and peace for the new "National Syndicate". New York Bosses, Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano, were two old guard mafiosi who held a lot of power and influence nationally and could not be taken lightly. The two major underworld powers were ready to square off in a war, which was seen as running counter to the organizational plans for the future the Atlantic City delegates had agreed upon. The leaders that attended the conference all agreed that to continue with the Syndicate's future plans, the old guard or "Mustache Petes" would have to be eliminated eventually. It was understood that New York's Charlie Luciano and Meyer Lansky group, along with their alliance of up and coming "Young Turks" would have to deal with the old line Bosses once the time was right. The new national alliance or Syndicate in Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Philadelphia and elsewhere would back up the New York forces through removal of the old guard in their areas if need be. It was clear to the delegates at the Atlantic City Conference that Charlie "Lucky" Luciano was a leader who commanded great respect and would eventually become first among equals in the Syndicate. Underworld leaders such as Charlie Luciano, Johnny Torrio, Frank Costello, Meyer Lansky and Arnold Rothstein were men of the same ideology and vision, who saw the future of crime in organization and cooperation. They led America's most powerful criminals with innovation and determination and laid the foundations for the National Syndicate and its long reign over the underworld, which was started with the Atlantic City Conference in 1929.Atlantic City delegates
The terms Capo and Consigliere were not used until Salvatore MaranzanoSalvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano was an organized crime figure from the town of Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, and an early Cosa Nostra boss in the United States. He instigated the Castellammarese War to seize control of the American Mafia operations, and briefly became the Mafia's "Boss of Bosses"...
labeled the Italian underworld Cosa Nostra in 1931, the terms Lieutenant and Advisor were more common at the time, except with the Maranzano Family, (future Bonanno crime family
Bonanno crime family
The Bonanno crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
) which had already been following the strict Cosa Nostra traditions of their native Sicily. The position of Consigliere did not exist until Charlie "Lucky" Luciano
Lucky Luciano
Charlie "Lucky" Luciano was an Italian mobster born in Sicily. Luciano is considered the father of modern organized crime in the United States for splitting New York City into five different Mafia crime families and the establishment of the first commission...
became the defacto first amongst equals in La Cosa Nostra and added the position to the Family hierarchy in 1931, when he formed the Commission.
Underworld members, city or delegation they represented and their rank at time of conference:
Atlantic City:
- Enoch "Nucky" Johnson - South Jersey/Atlantic City Boss/Host
New York/New Jersey:
- John "The Fox" Torrio - Former Chicago Torrio/Capone Gang Boss/New York Advisor
- Salvatore "Charlie Lucky" LucianoLucky LucianoCharlie "Lucky" Luciano was an Italian mobster born in Sicily. Luciano is considered the father of modern organized crime in the United States for splitting New York City into five different Mafia crime families and the establishment of the first commission...
- Masseria Family Underboss/New York - Frank "The Prime Minister" CostelloFrank CostelloFrank Costello was an Italian New York City gangster who rose to the top of America's underworld, controlled a vast gambling empire across the United States and enjoyed political influence.Nicknamed the "Prime Minister of the Underworld", he became one of the most powerful and influential Mafia...
- Masseria Family Lt./Capo/New York - Giuseppe "Joe Adonis" Doto - Masseria Family Lt./Capo/New York
- Vito GenoveseVito GenoveseVito "Don Vito" Genovese was an Italian mafioso who rose to power in America during the Castellammarese War to later become leader of the Genovese crime family. Genovese served as mentor to future mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante...
- Masseria Family Lt./Capo/New York - Quarico MorettiWillie MorettiGuarino "Willie" Moretti was an underboss of the Genovese crime family and a cousin of family boss Frank Costello.-Life:...
- Masseria family Lt./Capo/New Jersey - Vincent ManganoVincent ManganoVincent Mangano , born Vincenzo Giovanni Mangano, also known as "The Executioner" as he was named in a Brooklyn newspaper, was the head of the Mangano crime family from 1931 to 1951. His brother Philip Mangano was his right hand man and de facto, or substituto, underboss of the crime family which...
- D'Aquila/Mineo Family Lt./Capo/New York - Frank Scalise - D'Aquila Mineo Family Lt./CapoNew York
- Albert AnastasiaAlbert AnastasiaAlbert Anastasia was boss of what is now called the Gambino crime family, one of New York City's Five Families, from 1951-1957. He also ran a gang of contract killers called Murder Inc. which enforced the decisions of the Commission, the ruling council of the American Mafia...
- D'Aquila/Mineo Family Lt./Capo/New York - Gaetano "Tommy Brown" Lucchese - Riena Family Lt./Capo/New York
- Meyer "The Brain" LanskyMeyer LanskyMeyer Lansky , known as the "Mob's Accountant", was a Polish-born American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States...
- Bugs & Meyer Mob Boss/New York - Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel - Bugs & Meyer Mob Boss/New York
- Louis BuchalterLouis BuchalterLouis "Lepke" Buchalter was a Jewish American mobster and head of the Mafia hit squad Murder, Inc. during the 1930s. After Dutch Schultz' request of the Mafia Commission for permission to kill his enemy, U.S. Attorney Thomas Dewey, the Commission decided to kill Schultz in order to prevent the hit...
- Buchalter/Shapiro Gang Boss/New York - Jacob ShapiroJacob ShapiroJacob "Gurrah" Shapiro was a New York mobster who, with his partner Louis "Lepke" Buchalter, controlled industrial labor racketeering in New York for two decades and established the Murder, Inc. organization.-Early years:...
- Buchalter/Shapiro Gang Boss/New York - Dutch SchultzDutch SchultzDutch Schultz was a New York City-area Jewish American gangster of the 1920s and 1930s who made his fortune in organized crime-related activities such as bootlegging alcohol and the numbers racket...
- Schultz Gang Boss/New York - Abner ZwillmanAbner ZwillmanAbner "Longie" Zwillman , known as the "Al Capone of New Jersey," was an early Prohibition gangster, founding member of the "Big Seven" Ruling Commission and a member of the National Crime Syndicate, who was also associated with Murder Incorporated.-Biography:According to the Social Security Death...
- North Jersey/Zwillman Gang Boss/New Jersey - Owney MaddenOwney MaddenOwney "The Killer" Madden was a leading underworld figure in Manhattan, most notable for his involvement in organized crime during Prohibition. He also ran the famous Cotton Club and was a leading boxing promoter in the 1930s.-Early life:Owen Vincent Madden was born at 25 Somerset Street, in...
- Irish Combine Boss/New York - Frank EricksonFrank EricksonFrank Erickson was born in New York in to parents of Swedish and Irish descent. After the death of his father, he grew up in an orphanage....
- former Rothstein Lt./Costello Associate/New York - Gaetano GaglianoTommy GaglianoGaetano "Tommy" Gagliano was an American gangster who founded the Lucchese crime family, one of the powerful "Five Families" of New York City, and served as its low-profile Boss for over two decades...
- Riena Family Underboss/ New York - Carlo GambinoCarlo Gambino"Don" Carlo Gambino, was a Sicilian mafioso who became Boss of the Gambino crime family, that still bears his name today. After the 1957 Apalachin Convention he unexpectedly seized control of the Commission of the American Mafia. Gambino was known for being low-key and secretive...
- D'Aquila/Mineo Family Lt./Capo/New York
Chicago:
- Alphonse "Scarface" CaponeAl CaponeAlphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
- South Side/Capone Gang Boss/Chicago - Frank "The Enforcer" NittiFrank NittiFrancesco Raffaele Nitto , also known as Frank "The Enforcer" Nitti, was an Italian American gangster. One of Al Capone's top henchmen, Nitti was in charge of all strong-arm and 'muscle' operations...
- South Side/Capone Gang Lt./Capo/Chicago - Jake GuzikJake GuzikJake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik was the financial and legal advisor, and later political “greaser”, for the Chicago Outfit.-Early life:...
- South Side/Capone Gang Lt./Capo/Chicago - Frank "Frank Cline" RioFrank RioFranklin Rio also known as "Frank Rio" and "Frank Cline" was a member of Al Capone's Chicago-based criminal organization known as the Chicago Outfit. He was also an alleged gunman in the famous 1929 St...
- South Side/Capone Gang Lt./Capo/Chicago - Frank McErlaneFrank McErlaneFrank McErlane was a Prohibition-era gangster. He led the Saltis-McErlane Gang, allied with the Johnny Torrio-Al Capone Gang, against rival bootleggers, the Southside O'Donnell Brothers. He is credited with introducing the Thompson submachine gun to Chicago's underworld...
- Saltis/McErlane Gang Boss/Capone Bodyguard/Chicago
Philadelphia:
- Irving Wexler - Jewish Mob Boss/Philly
- Max Hoff - Jewish Mob Boss/Philly
- Harry Stromberg - Jewish Mob Boss/Philly
- Irving Bitz - Jewish Mob Boss/Philly
- Charles Schwartz - Jewish Mob Boss/Philly
- Samuel Lazar Jewish Mob Boss/Philly
Cleveland:
- Morris Dalitz - Little Jewish Navy Boss/Cleveland
- Louis Rothkopf - Little Jewish Navy Boss/Cleveland
- Leo Berkowitz - Little Jewish Navy/Mayfield Road Mob Associate/Cleveland
Detroit:
- William Joseph Bernstein - Purple Gang Boss/Detroit (a.k.a. "Bill Bugs")
- Abraham Bernstein - Purple Gang Boss/Detroit
Kansas City:
- Giovanni Lazia - Pendergast Machine/Balestrere Gang Lt./Capo/Kansas City (a.k.a. Lazio)
Massachusetts:
- Charles Solomon - Jewish Mob Boss/Boston
- Frank "The Cheeseman" Cucchiara - Boston North End Gang/Buccola Family Lt.
- Frank "Bootsy" Morelli - Providence Morelli Gang Boss.
Florida:
- Santo Trafficante Sr. - Senior Tampa Family Member/Tampa
Louisiana:
- Sylvestro Corallo - Matranga/Giacona Family Lt./Capo/New Orleans
Problems identifying attendees
Some crime historians, such as T. J. English, believe that the Italian and Jewish crime bosses did not invite the most prominent Irish bootleggers and criminals of the time to the Atlantic City Conference because they intended to wipe them out along with the old guard or "Mustache Petes" that controlled the majority of criminal operations in the big cities. Daniel "Danny" Walsh of Providence, Rhode Island, was one of the leaders that most crime historians are unsure attended the meeting. Walsh was one of the most prominent Irish bootleggers of the Prohibition era, was an associate and partner of New York's Irish Combine leaders (William "Big Bill" Dwyer and Owney Madden), and was an alleged member of the "Big Seven Group". This alone should have guaranteed his invitation, but some crime historians point to the fact that the Irish bosses were about to be eliminated and that only two other Irish bosses were present at the meeting. Walsh's membership in the "Big Seven Group" and the fact that he was not eliminated until 1933, makes for a good argument to include him. But had he been present, he would have been the only Irish boss in attendance.The most prominent and well known Irish Bosses of the time included Frank Wallace of Boston, Daniel "Danny" Walsh of Providence, George "Bugs" Moran, the South Side O'Donnells (brothers Edward (Spike), Steven, Tommy and Walter), the West Side O'Donnells (Klondike and Myles), William "Big Bill" Dwyer, Charles "Vannie" Higgins, Jack "Legs" Diamond and Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll of New York. None of these men were present, not even Walsh.
Many historians believe English is correct: The Italians and Jews wanted to wipe out the Irish bosses, and so did not invite them. Frank Wallace was killed by hitters in Boston's Italian Mob in 1931, Danny Walsh was dealt with and disappeared in 1933, Bugs Moran would have been the Irish Boss to represent Chicago, but he had just missed being killed in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre when his gang was decimated and he faded into obscurity soon after, the South Side and West Side O'Donnells of Chicago weren't as powerful as Moran and would not have been chosen to represent Chicago, they were at war with Capone and his allies. New York's Vannie Higgins, Legs Diamond and Vincent Coll were involved in the "Manhattan Beer Wars" against Jewish Bosses Dutch Schultz, Waxey Gordon and Irish/Welsh Boss, Owney Madden. At the Atlantic City Conference, Schultz was heard saying at the Ambassador Hotel. "This crazy maniac Coll is causing me no end of grief", were Gordon added, "Yeah, and what about this bastard, Legs Diamond? He's hijacking my trucks and raiding our clip joints all over North Jersey". Vannie Higgins was killed on January 19, 1932 in New York, Legs Diamond was shot three times and killed in his Albany, New York hideout on December 18, 1931 and Mad Dog Coll was killed inside a New York phone booth by Schultz gunmen, while talking to Owney Madden on February 8, 1932.
In the New England area Prohibition wars, Jewish Mob Boss and Boston's most prominent crime leader and bootlegger, Charles "King" Solomon was killed at his Roxbury, Boston speakeasy, known as the Cotton Club on January 24, 1933. Law enforcement theorize that either Italian or Irish underworld leaders in the North End Buccola Family of Boston, Massachusetts or the Walsh Mob of Providence, Rhode Island had Solomon assassinated, either way, Solomon became another victim of the mob war for dominance in New England's underworld. As Irish Bosses Wallace and Walsh were killed by Boston's North End Italians, Solomon was most likely killed by them as well, being that Italian dominance was uncontested in the New England underworld thereafter.
Another interesting sidenote was that future US Ambassador to Britain, millionaire and father of president John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, Joseph P. Kennedy was allegedly a leading Prohibition era rum runner and whisky baron in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. Kennedy made his legitimate millions in banking, real estate and the Hollywood movie business, but he was an alleged associate of gangsters Bill Dwyer, Owney Madden
Owney Madden
Owney "The Killer" Madden was a leading underworld figure in Manhattan, most notable for his involvement in organized crime during Prohibition. He also ran the famous Cotton Club and was a leading boxing promoter in the 1930s.-Early life:Owen Vincent Madden was born at 25 Somerset Street, in...
, Danny Walsh
Danny Walsh
Daniel L. "Danny" Walsh was an figure in Providence, Rhode Island involved in bootlegging during Prohibition. He was the top underworld figure in southern New England, and last major Irish-American gangster in the region, until his kidnapping and apparent murder in 1933.-Biography:Born in the...
, Frank Costello
Frank Costello
Frank Costello was an Italian New York City gangster who rose to the top of America's underworld, controlled a vast gambling empire across the United States and enjoyed political influence.Nicknamed the "Prime Minister of the Underworld", he became one of the most powerful and influential Mafia...
, Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
and is also mentioned in Joseph Bonanno
Joseph Bonanno
Joseph Charles Bonanno, Sr. was a Sicilian-born American mafioso who became the boss of the Bonanno crime family. He was nicknamed "Joe Bananas," a name he despised.-Early life:...
's book, "A Man of Honor". In recent years information on Joseph Kennedy has been leaked to the media and various investigative reporters linking him to these gangsters, exposing his Prohibition operations. It is alleged that he did business with Dywer, Madden and Costello's New York Combine, their regional offshoot in Providence run by Danny Walsh
Danny Walsh
Daniel L. "Danny" Walsh was an figure in Providence, Rhode Island involved in bootlegging during Prohibition. He was the top underworld figure in southern New England, and last major Irish-American gangster in the region, until his kidnapping and apparent murder in 1933.-Biography:Born in the...
and with Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
's Chicago organization. Kennedy was not a bootlegger, per se, but an importer and wholesaler, who purchased large quantities of alcohol from England and Canada and facilitated its shipment. after the booze was purchased, it was usually transferred from Nova Scotia to the eastern seaboard, where it was off-loaded under cover of darkness along the Massachusetts or Rhode Island coastline or somewhere in Long Island, New York. The crime syndicates or gangs and their bootleggers would take over from there, making Joseph P. Kennedy and his family very rich. It is alleged that Kennedy kept his associations with the underworld all through his life, becoming the middleman between the underworld and political worlds of Massachusetts and New York, using the underworld's connections to labor unions for business and political purposes. Joseph P. Kennedy's most famous act was getting the Chicago and New York underworlds to assist in the election of his son John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
to the Presidency of the United States by having the underworld solicit votes and support from the labor unions, politicians and prominent community members all under the mobs influence.
External links
- Johnny "The Fox" Torrio: The Father of Modern American Gangsterdom by Allen May
- Waxey Gordon: Half A Century At Crime by Allen May
- Three Thin Dimes: The Demise of Larry Fay by Allen May
- Vannie Higgins: Brooklyn's Last Irish Boss by Allen May