Frank Rio
Encyclopedia
Franklin Rio also known as "Frank Rio" and "Frank Cline" (June 30, 1895 - February 23, 1935) 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. Valentine's Day Massacre
.
Rio married the former Anna Blanche in the mid-1910s. The couple adopted two children, a boy and a girl.
, burglary
, and auto theft
. In 1918, he was arrested several times in connection with several different hold-ups. In September 1918, he was arrested for robbing a bank in Maywood
, but never convicted. On November 10, 1919, Rio was arrested after police
caught him loading stolen furs
into a stolen vehicle. On January 17, 1921, Rio—along with Robert O'Neill and Thomas Dyer—robbed a mail train at Chicago's Union Station, stealing bonds worth $482,000. Although indicted for the daring daylight robbery, Rio was never brought to trial and the charges dropped. Rio's ability to escape punishment could not be attributed to good luck or innocence but rather to the bribing of judges and the intimidation and murder of witnesses. In time, criminal elements dubbed him "Slippery" Frank Rio for his knack at evading trial.
and Rio were his "golden boys".
Rio became one of Capone's most recognizable and loyal hitmen. He allegedly once threw Capone to the ground during a hit
by Earl "Hymie" Weiss
. Rio also is said to have foiled a plot by Albert Anselmi
, John Scalise
and Joseph Guinta to depose Capone and take over the Chicago Outfit. Underworld figures later claimed that Rio was one of the trio's executioners.
In 1929, Rio was suspected as possibly one of the hitmen who murdered five rival gang members, a gang "hanger on" and the gangs occasional auto mechanic in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Posing as police officers, four men entered a warehouse at 2122 N. Clark Street used by George "Bugs" Moran and his gang. The men lined their seven victims against a wall as if to frisk and handcuff them. They then pulled Thompson submachine gun
s from their overcoats and murdered the men. Two of the men also suffered shotgun blasts to the head. Rio has always been a strong suspect as one of the shooters, but notwithstanding good circumstantial claims for more than a dozen different men (there were only four shooters), it is still not known for certain who any of the four shooters were.
Rio also attended the 1929 Atlantic City Conference
with Capone. Capone arranged to have himself jailed in Philadelphia after the conference in order to avoid the numerous "murder-for-hire
" rackets that were hunting him. Rio served time alongside Capone to protect him and see to his needs.
Rio was allegedly one of the few members of Capone's gang who understood the seriousness of the tax evasion
charges made against Capone by the federal government in 1931. However, he was unable to convince Capone of this, and Capone was convicted and imprisoned.
After Capone was sent to federal prison, Rio was considered as his successor. But Rio was opposed by many high-level mobsters in the Capone organization. Many thought he had too little leadership experience. Several gangsters also accused Rio of having "gone soft" due to his years of "high living" he had enjoyed alongside Capone. Rio was eventually passed over in favor of another Capone hitman and lieutenant, Frank Nitti
.
to offer the mob's assistance in helping Charles Lindbergh
find his kidnapped baby son
. His assistance was refused.
Rio's health also began to deteriorate. He suffered from heart disease
, which caused severe shortness of breath and physical weakness. Beginning in 1933, he rarely left his Oak Park
home. However, he maintained financial interests in a number of cafes, nightclubs and casinos.
, causing a heart attack
.
Associates in the Chicago Outfit took charge of his remains and had him buried. Police later said that gang members became involved in his burial because they wanted to divide up Rio's gang-owned assets before news of his death hit the streets.
Although a Roman Catholic, the Church denied Rio a church funeral. A priest said prayers over his body at a local undertakers instead. As befitting a high-level mobster, his funeral was an exceedingly large one. Several hundred automobiles bearing mourners comprised the funeral cortege. He was interred in Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois
.
Rio's wife, Anna, re-married in November 1936. She died shortly after the marriage in an automobile accident on December 26, 1936. She left behind a large amount of jewelry and cash. According to family members, mobsters later intimidated the family into turning the valuables and cash over to the Chicago Outfit.
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-based criminal organization known as the Chicago Outfit
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Chicago Syndicate or Chicago Mob and sometimes shortened to simply the Outfit, is a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois, USA...
. He was also an alleged gunman in the famous 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre
St. Valentine's Day massacre
The Saint Valentine's Day massacre is the name given to the 1929 murder of 7 mob associates as part of a prohibition era conflict between two powerful criminal gangs in Chicago: the South Side Italian gang led by Al Capone and the North Side Irish gang led by Bugs Moran. Former members of the...
.
Early life
According to his death certificate, Frank Rio was born June 30, 1895 in Lovato, Italy, to Antonio and Rosa (Costa) Rio. It is possible that Rio may have been born in Chicago after his parents had already emigrated to the United States, or that he was brought into the country under a different name.Rio married the former Anna Blanche in the mid-1910s. The couple adopted two children, a boy and a girl.
Organized crime involvement
Rio's involvement in crime began early in life, and included robberyRobbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
, burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
, and auto theft
Motor vehicle theft
Motor vehicle theft is the criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle...
. In 1918, he was arrested several times in connection with several different hold-ups. In September 1918, he was arrested for robbing a bank in Maywood
Maywood, Illinois
Maywood is a village in Proviso Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It was founded on April 6, 1869 and organized October 22, 1881. The population was 26,987 at the 2000 census.-Overview:...
, but never convicted. On November 10, 1919, Rio was arrested after police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
caught him loading stolen furs
Fur clothing
Fur clothing is clothing made of the fur of animals. Fur is one of the oldest forms of clothing; thought to have been widely used as hominids first expanded outside of Africa. Some view fur as luxurious and warm; others reject it due to moral beliefs...
into a stolen vehicle. On January 17, 1921, Rio—along with Robert O'Neill and Thomas Dyer—robbed a mail train at Chicago's Union Station, stealing bonds worth $482,000. Although indicted for the daring daylight robbery, Rio was never brought to trial and the charges dropped. Rio's ability to escape punishment could not be attributed to good luck or innocence but rather to the bribing of judges and the intimidation and murder of witnesses. In time, criminal elements dubbed him "Slippery" Frank Rio for his knack at evading trial.
Capone gang
Rio's criminal exploits brought him to the attention of Al Capone, leader of the Chicago Outfit. Capone quickly came to trust Rio's judgment, and Rio became intensely loyal to Capone. Rio eventually became one of Capone's personal bodyguards and took care of some of Capone's personal needs and business. Capone himself is rumored to have said that Jack McGurnJack McGurn
"Machine Gun" Jack McGurn was an Italian-American mobster and key member of Al Capone's Chicago Outfit.-Early life:...
and Rio were his "golden boys".
Rio became one of Capone's most recognizable and loyal hitmen. He allegedly once threw Capone to the ground during a hit
Contract killing
Contract killing is a form of murder, in which one party hires another party to kill a target individual or group of people. It involves an illegal agreement between two parties in which one party agrees to kill the target in exchange for consideration, monetary, or otherwise. The hiring party may...
by Earl "Hymie" Weiss
Hymie Weiss
Hymie Weiss was a Polish-American mob boss who became a leader of the Prohibition-era North Side Gang and a bitter rival of Al Capone.-Early years:...
. Rio also is said to have foiled a plot by Albert Anselmi
Albert Anselmi
Albert Anselmi was a Chicago mobster who became a hitman during the Prohibition era for the Chicago Outfit criminal organization....
, John Scalise
John Scalise
John Scalise was an American organized crime figure of the early 20th century and, with partner Albert Anselmi, was one of the Chicago Outfit's most successful hitmen in Prohibition-era Chicago.-Early life:...
and Joseph Guinta to depose Capone and take over the Chicago Outfit. Underworld figures later claimed that Rio was one of the trio's executioners.
In 1929, Rio was suspected as possibly one of the hitmen who murdered five rival gang members, a gang "hanger on" and the gangs occasional auto mechanic in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Posing as police officers, four men entered a warehouse at 2122 N. Clark Street used by George "Bugs" Moran and his gang. The men lined their seven victims against a wall as if to frisk and handcuff them. They then pulled Thompson submachine gun
Thompson submachine gun
The Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight in the media of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals...
s from their overcoats and murdered the men. Two of the men also suffered shotgun blasts to the head. Rio has always been a strong suspect as one of the shooters, but notwithstanding good circumstantial claims for more than a dozen different men (there were only four shooters), it is still not known for certain who any of the four shooters were.
Rio also attended the 1929 Atlantic City Conference
Atlantic City Conference
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...
with Capone. Capone arranged to have himself jailed in Philadelphia after the conference in order to avoid the numerous "murder-for-hire
Contract killing
Contract killing is a form of murder, in which one party hires another party to kill a target individual or group of people. It involves an illegal agreement between two parties in which one party agrees to kill the target in exchange for consideration, monetary, or otherwise. The hiring party may...
" rackets that were hunting him. Rio served time alongside Capone to protect him and see to his needs.
Rio was allegedly one of the few members of Capone's gang who understood the seriousness of the tax evasion
Tax evasion
Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
charges made against Capone by the federal government in 1931. However, he was unable to convince Capone of this, and Capone was convicted and imprisoned.
After Capone was sent to federal prison, Rio was considered as his successor. But Rio was opposed by many high-level mobsters in the Capone organization. Many thought he had too little leadership experience. Several gangsters also accused Rio of having "gone soft" due to his years of "high living" he had enjoyed alongside Capone. Rio was eventually passed over in favor of another Capone hitman and lieutenant, Frank 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...
.
Post-Capone activities
Although Rio never left the Capone mob, his association with it dwindled over the next several years. In 1932, the Chicago Outfit sent Rio to New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
to offer the mob's assistance in helping Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
find his kidnapped baby son
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
. His assistance was refused.
Rio's health also began to deteriorate. He suffered from heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
, which caused severe shortness of breath and physical weakness. Beginning in 1933, he rarely left his Oak Park
Oak Park, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois is a suburb bordering the west side of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is the twenty-fifth largest municipality in Illinois. Oak Park has easy access to downtown Chicago due to public transportation such as the Chicago 'L' Blue and Green lines,...
home. However, he maintained financial interests in a number of cafes, nightclubs and casinos.
Death
Frank Rio died at noon on February 23, 1935. The cause of death was a coronary occlusionCoronary occlusion
A coronary occlusion is the partial or complete obstruction of blood flow in a coronary artery. This condition may cause a heart attack.In some patients coronary occlusion causes only mild pain, tightness or vague discomfort which may be ignored: the myocardium is however damaged....
, causing a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
.
Associates in the Chicago Outfit took charge of his remains and had him buried. Police later said that gang members became involved in his burial because they wanted to divide up Rio's gang-owned assets before news of his death hit the streets.
Although a Roman Catholic, the Church denied Rio a church funeral. A priest said prayers over his body at a local undertakers instead. As befitting a high-level mobster, his funeral was an exceedingly large one. Several hundred automobiles bearing mourners comprised the funeral cortege. He was interred in Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois
Hillside, Illinois
Hillside is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,155 at the 2000 census.One notable landmark in Hillside is the Mount Carmel Cemetery. On the grounds of the cemetery are the graves of a number of organized crime figures, such as Al Capone and Dion O'Bannion...
.
Rio's wife, Anna, re-married in November 1936. She died shortly after the marriage in an automobile accident on December 26, 1936. She left behind a large amount of jewelry and cash. According to family members, mobsters later intimidated the family into turning the valuables and cash over to the Chicago Outfit.