Samuzzo Amatuna
Encyclopedia
Samuel Sammuzzo "Samoots" Amatuna (1899 – November 13, 1925) was a Chicago mobster and member of the Genna Brothers
, who served as president of the Unione Siciliane
.
(Sicily
) in 1899, Amatuna immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s, eventually arriving in Chicago
's Little Italy
. As a teenager, Amatuna worked as a messenger for the Genna Brothers
, a group of ruthless Sicilian gangsters. On February 21, 1916, at age 17, Amatuna earned a full membership in the Genna gang by murdering Frank Lombardi outside a saloon. Lombardi was a supporter of incumbent Chicago alderman John Powers
, a bitter enemy of the Genna brothers. The brutal warfare between the Gennas and Powers became known in Chicago as the Aldermen's Wars
.
began in 1920, Amatuna had become one of the Gennas' leading members. The brothers continued to battle the Powers faction for political control of the Nineteenth Ward. When the Gennas began bootlegging operations, they became one of the main suppliers of homemade alcohol to the Torrio
-Capone
gang. Amatuna was the enforcer who oversaw production of the gangs numerous "alky cookers". By the end of 1920, Amatuna had become the personal bodyguard for "Bloody" Angelo Genna.
On September 28, a bomb exploded on the front porch of Power's home. In spite of great damage, no one inside was hurt. Powers suspected that Amatuna was the bomber on orders from the Gennas. For the rest of 1920 and into 1921, Powers stationed armed guards and private detectives around his house as he campaigned against Anthony D'Andrea
. Despite frequent bombings, Powers narrowly won the election. Enraged by his defeat, Angelo Genna blamed Paul Labriola, a municipal court bailiff and a Powers supporter, for convincing Sicilian and other Italian immigrants to support Powers. On March 9, 1921, Angelo, Amatuna, and Genna lieutenant Frank "Don Chick" Gambino shot and killed Labriola. Although witnesses identified Genna and Gambino and the two men were charged with murder, the case was eventually dropped due to lack of evidence. Amatuna was a later suspect in the murders of Powers supporters Harry Raimondi and Gaetano Esposito.
By age 25, Amatuna,had several bank accounts and held interests in various legitimate businesses. Earning the reputation of a "dandy
", Amatuna was seen attending operas with Angelo and other gunman, often wearing valuable diamond studs and cufflinks. Amatuna soon bought the Bluebird Cafe, a restaurant in Halsted Street
in Chicago. Amatuna was said to have a pleasant tenor voice and often engaged in singing for his friends and on occasion played short violin compositions. Confident that he was safe in the Bluebird, Amatuna never wore his two guns there. He once boasted to reporters "No one can shoot me in here. This place is full of my friends. Any guy who would hurt me here would be torn apart by my patrons".
. In May 1925, Angelo Genna was murdered by the North Siders. Now in charge of the Genna gang, Amatuna struggled to keep the organization from disintegrating. After Angelo's death, Amatuna walked into the headquarters of the Unione Sicilane, a powerful fraternal group under mob control, and declared himself president, which upset Al Capone. Although a Genna ally, Capone wanted to control the Unione Siciliane himself so that he, a Neapolitan, would be admitted to membership.
at the Auditorium Theatre with his girlfriend Rose Picorara. Before the operat, Amatuna visited a local barbershop on Roosevelt Road
for a shave and manicure, his usual habit before going out for the evening. Upon arriving at the shop, the owner Isadore Paul noticed the gang leader was without his bodyguards (who replied he hadn't been able to reach them that day). As the owner applied a hot towel on Amatuna's face, two unidentified men rushed into the barbershop and drew their guns. The barber's screams alerted Amatuna, who quickly ducked behind the barberchair however he was shot in the chest twice during the gunfight as the gunman escaped. Taken to a local hospital, Amatuna requested that a priest marry him and Rosa; however, Amatuna died before the ceremony was completed.
Amatuna's elaborate funeral was one of the many which would be seen between rival mobsters and, although many on Little Italy praised his generosity to the local residents, Amatuna was feared for his brutal treatment towards the many Sicilian immigrants, many of them elderly, who worked the Gennas alky boilers (often beating workers unconscious as a result in missing production quotas).
His body was soon dug up and taken back to Sicily, where he was reinterred in his native village of Pozzallo by his family. His death was greatly mourned in Sicily as much of his income was given to his family and was used to repair a local church, which had long been in ruins.
The identities of the men who killed Amatuna were eventually revealed as North Side Gang members Vincent "The Schemer" Drucci
and Jim Doherty (along with Frank Gusenberg
as the driver), however no charges were ever brought against them. The noted absence of Goldstein and Zion has also been questioned, however, the question of whether they were paid off to stay away that night or if they had instead defected to the Northsiders, setting up Amatuna's murder themselves is still a matter for debate as they were both killed shortly after his death (Zion, returning from Amatuna's funeral, on November 17 and Goldstein, who was killed with a shotgun in a drugstore by two unidentified gunmen on November 25). The remaining Genna Brothers later commented that Amatuna's death was inevitable after he began hiring non-Sicilian bodyguards disregarding tradition (Mike Merlo was said to have stated "Them Jew boys only work for themselves and they will always side with the Irish in the end.").
It has been claimed that, as a result of Amatuna's death, it has been the practice of barbers to never put a hot towel over the face of a customer and have it always facing the front door so as to easily identify others entering the barbershop.
Genna (crime family)
Chicago's Sicilian Mafia, also known as the Genna crime family, was a Prohibition era crime family in Chicago, United States. From 1921 to 1925, the family was headed by the Genna brothers, known as the Terrible Gennas. The Sicilians operated from Chicago's Little Italy and maintained control over...
, who served as president of the Unione Siciliane
Unione Siciliane
The Unione Siciliana was a Sicilian-American fraternal organization which eventually was rumored to have controlled much of the Italian American vote within the United States during the early twentieth century...
.
Early life
Born in PozzalloPozzallo
Pozzallo is a town and comune in the province of Ragusa, Sicily, Italy. The beaches of Pozzallo have received the Blu Flag by FEE award. A prestigious award given to beaches which meet strict criteria dealing with water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management,...
(Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
) in 1899, Amatuna immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s, eventually arriving in 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...
's 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...
. As a teenager, Amatuna worked as a messenger for the Genna Brothers
Genna (crime family)
Chicago's Sicilian Mafia, also known as the Genna crime family, was a Prohibition era crime family in Chicago, United States. From 1921 to 1925, the family was headed by the Genna brothers, known as the Terrible Gennas. The Sicilians operated from Chicago's Little Italy and maintained control over...
, a group of ruthless Sicilian gangsters. On February 21, 1916, at age 17, Amatuna earned a full membership in the Genna gang by murdering Frank Lombardi outside a saloon. Lombardi was a supporter of incumbent Chicago alderman John Powers
John Powers
John Powers may refer to:* John A. Powers , public affairs officer for NASA* John Holbrook Powers , Nebraska pioneer* John James Powers , United States Navy officer and Medal of Honor recipient...
, a bitter enemy of the Genna brothers. The brutal warfare between the Gennas and Powers became known in Chicago as the Aldermen's Wars
Aldermen's Wars
The Alderman's Wars is a term used to describe the series of murders and violent rioting between warring Alderman Johnny "de Pow" Powers and Anthony D'Andrea from 1916 until 1921...
.
Prohibition and the Bloody Nineteenth Ward
As ProhibitionProhibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
began in 1920, Amatuna had become one of the Gennas' leading members. The brothers continued to battle the Powers faction for political control of the Nineteenth Ward. When the Gennas began bootlegging operations, they became one of the main suppliers of homemade alcohol to the Torrio
Johnny Torrio
John "Papa Johnny" Torrio , also known as "The Fox", was an Italian-American mobster who helped build the criminal empire known as the Chicago Outfit in the 1920s that was later inherited by his protege, Al Capone...
-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...
gang. Amatuna was the enforcer who oversaw production of the gangs numerous "alky cookers". By the end of 1920, Amatuna had become the personal bodyguard for "Bloody" Angelo Genna.
On September 28, a bomb exploded on the front porch of Power's home. In spite of great damage, no one inside was hurt. Powers suspected that Amatuna was the bomber on orders from the Gennas. For the rest of 1920 and into 1921, Powers stationed armed guards and private detectives around his house as he campaigned against Anthony D'Andrea
Anthony D'Andrea
Anthony D'Andrea was the Mafia boss of Chicago in the late 1910s to early 1920s. He was also a political leader who was a president of the Unione Siciliana and was involved in a heated battle for alderman...
. Despite frequent bombings, Powers narrowly won the election. Enraged by his defeat, Angelo Genna blamed Paul Labriola, a municipal court bailiff and a Powers supporter, for convincing Sicilian and other Italian immigrants to support Powers. On March 9, 1921, Angelo, Amatuna, and Genna lieutenant Frank "Don Chick" Gambino shot and killed Labriola. Although witnesses identified Genna and Gambino and the two men were charged with murder, the case was eventually dropped due to lack of evidence. Amatuna was a later suspect in the murders of Powers supporters Harry Raimondi and Gaetano Esposito.
By age 25, Amatuna,had several bank accounts and held interests in various legitimate businesses. Earning the reputation of a "dandy
Dandy
A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of Self...
", Amatuna was seen attending operas with Angelo and other gunman, often wearing valuable diamond studs and cufflinks. Amatuna soon bought the Bluebird Cafe, a restaurant in Halsted Street
Halsted Street
Halsted Street is a major north-south street in the American city of Chicago, Illinois.-Location:In Chicago's grid system, Halsted street marks 800 West, one mile west of State Street, from Grace Street in Lakeview south to the city limits at the Little Calumet River in West Pullman...
in Chicago. Amatuna was said to have a pleasant tenor voice and often engaged in singing for his friends and on occasion played short violin compositions. Confident that he was safe in the Bluebird, Amatuna never wore his two guns there. He once boasted to reporters "No one can shoot me in here. This place is full of my friends. Any guy who would hurt me here would be torn apart by my patrons".
Later years
By the mid-1920s, the Genna brothers were into a vicious gang war with the North Side Gang, a primarily Irish gang then run by boss Hymie WeissHymie 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:...
. In May 1925, Angelo Genna was murdered by the North Siders. Now in charge of the Genna gang, Amatuna struggled to keep the organization from disintegrating. After Angelo's death, Amatuna walked into the headquarters of the Unione Sicilane, a powerful fraternal group under mob control, and declared himself president, which upset Al Capone. Although a Genna ally, Capone wanted to control the Unione Siciliane himself so that he, a Neapolitan, would be admitted to membership.
Death
On the evening of November 13, Amatuna was preparing to attend the opera AidaAida
Aida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
at the Auditorium Theatre with his girlfriend Rose Picorara. Before the operat, Amatuna visited a local barbershop on Roosevelt Road
Roosevelt Road
Roosevelt Road is a major east-west thoroughfare in the city of Chicago, Illinois, and its western suburbs. It is 1200 South in the city's street numbering system, but only one mile south of Madison Street...
for a shave and manicure, his usual habit before going out for the evening. Upon arriving at the shop, the owner Isadore Paul noticed the gang leader was without his bodyguards (who replied he hadn't been able to reach them that day). As the owner applied a hot towel on Amatuna's face, two unidentified men rushed into the barbershop and drew their guns. The barber's screams alerted Amatuna, who quickly ducked behind the barberchair however he was shot in the chest twice during the gunfight as the gunman escaped. Taken to a local hospital, Amatuna requested that a priest marry him and Rosa; however, Amatuna died before the ceremony was completed.
Amatuna's elaborate funeral was one of the many which would be seen between rival mobsters and, although many on Little Italy praised his generosity to the local residents, Amatuna was feared for his brutal treatment towards the many Sicilian immigrants, many of them elderly, who worked the Gennas alky boilers (often beating workers unconscious as a result in missing production quotas).
His body was soon dug up and taken back to Sicily, where he was reinterred in his native village of Pozzallo by his family. His death was greatly mourned in Sicily as much of his income was given to his family and was used to repair a local church, which had long been in ruins.
The identities of the men who killed Amatuna were eventually revealed as North Side Gang members Vincent "The Schemer" Drucci
Vincent Drucci
Vincent Drucci, also known as "The Schemer" , was an American mobster during Chicago's Prohibition era who served as a lieutenant under Dean O'Banion's North Side Gang and later as gang boss. Drucci was one of the few mobsters to ever be killed by a law enforcement officer...
and Jim Doherty (along with Frank Gusenberg
Frank Gusenberg
Frank Gusenberg was a German-American contract killer and a victim of the Saint Valentine's Day massacre in Chicago, Illinois.-Early life:...
as the driver), however no charges were ever brought against them. The noted absence of Goldstein and Zion has also been questioned, however, the question of whether they were paid off to stay away that night or if they had instead defected to the Northsiders, setting up Amatuna's murder themselves is still a matter for debate as they were both killed shortly after his death (Zion, returning from Amatuna's funeral, on November 17 and Goldstein, who was killed with a shotgun in a drugstore by two unidentified gunmen on November 25). The remaining Genna Brothers later commented that Amatuna's death was inevitable after he began hiring non-Sicilian bodyguards disregarding tradition (Mike Merlo was said to have stated "Them Jew boys only work for themselves and they will always side with the Irish in the end.").
It has been claimed that, as a result of Amatuna's death, it has been the practice of barbers to never put a hot towel over the face of a customer and have it always facing the front door so as to easily identify others entering the barbershop.
Further reading
- Asbury, Herbert. Gem of the Prairie: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld. New York, 1940. ISBN 0-875-80534-5
- Burns, Walter N. The One-Way Ride: The Red Train of Chicago Gangland from Prohibition to Jake Lingle. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran and Co., 1931.
- Johnson, Curt and R. Craig Sautter. The Wicked City: Chicago from Kenna to Capone. New York: Da Capo Press, 1994. ISBN 0-306-80821-8
- Kobler, John. Capone: The Life and Times of Al Capone. New York: Da Capo Press, 2003. ISBN 0-306-81285-1
- Landesco, John. Organized Crime in Chicago. Chicago: Illinois Crime Survey, 1931.
- Murray, George. The Legacy of Al Capone: Portraits and Annals of Chicago's Public Enemies. New York: Putnam, 1975. ISBN 0-399-11502-1