John T. Scalish
Encyclopedia
Cleveland Mafia
The Cleveland crime family, also known as the Cleveland Mafia or Licavoli crime family, is a crime syndicate that is part of the phenomenon known as the American Mafia or Cosa Nostra...
. Scalish was the brother-in-law of Philadelphia crime family
Philadelphia crime family
The Philadelphia crime family, also known as the Scarfo crime family, Bruno crime family, Philadelphia Mafia, or Philly Mob, is an Italian American criminal organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is one of the most active American Mafia families outside of the Five Families of New York...
boss Angelo Bruno
Angelo Bruno
Angelo "The Gentle Don" Bruno was a Sicilian-American mobster who ran the Philadelphia crime family for two decades. Bruno gained his nickname and reputation due to his preference for conciliation over violence.-Early years:Born in Villalba, Sicily, Bruno emigrated to the United States in his...
and Cleveland mob associate Milton Rockman.
In 1944, Scalish succeeded the retiring Alfred Polizzi
Alfred Polizzi
Alfred "The Owl" Polizzi was a Cleveland, Ohio mobster who helped establish criminal syndicate operations in Northeast Ohio....
as head of the Cleveland family; Scalish would remain boss for the next 32 years. Under Scalish, the Cleveland family created new operations in the casinos of Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, and in other rackets in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. In 1957, Scalish attended the infamous Cosa Nostra Apalachin Conference in Apalachin, New York
Apalachin, New York
Apalachin is a census-designated place within the Town of Owego in Tioga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,126 in the 2000 census. It is named after the Apalachin Creek. Apalachin means From where the messenger returned in the Lenape.Apalachin is in the southeast part of the...
that was raided by law enforcement.
On May 26, 1976 John Scalish died during heart surgery.
Further reading
- Davis, John H. Mafia Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. ISBN 978-0-06-016357-0
- Messick, Hank. Lansky. London: Robert Hale & Company, 1973. ISBN 978-0-7091-3966-9
- Moldea, Dan E. The Hoffa Wars. New York: Charter Books, 1978. ISBN 978-0-441-34010-1
- Neff, James. Mobbed Up: Jackie Presser's High-Wire Life in the Teamsters, the Mafia, and the FBI. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-87113-344-1
- Turner, William W. Hoover's FBI. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 1993. ISBN 978-1-56025-063-0