Thomas Licavoli
Encyclopedia
Thomas "Yonnie" Licavoli (February 9, 1904-September 17, 1973) was a gangster and bootlegger
during Prohibition
. Born in St. Louis, Missouri
, Yonnie, along with brother Peter Joseph Licavoli
and cousin James Licavoli, worked with Jewish gangsters to take over illegal gambling in St. Louis. He was a member of the Licavoli Crime Family
. The Licavolis soon moved on to Detroit, Michigan
and would control criminal operations in Detroit and Toledo, Ohio
, throughout the Prohibition era.
in St. Louis to study for the priesthood. When he was 19, Yonnie was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon, and decided to join the US Navy rather than go to prison. However, soon after completing his basic training Licavoli deserted
. Rather than face the legal and gang-related problems facing him in St. Louis, Yonnie followed his brother Peter Joseph to Detroit, Michigan. Once in Detroit, he joined the infamous Purple Gang
. Yonnie married Zena Moceri and had two daughters, Grace and Concetti.
as the law, Licavoli and his brother Peter Joseph had established themselves as a formidable force in the Detroit underworld. Well known for their brutal tactics in dealing with rivals, the brothers soon controlled a large-scale operation smuggling liquor from Canada across the Detroit River
to the United States. in 1927, Licavoli and his associate Frank Cammerata were convicted of carrying a concealed weapon in Windsor, Ontario
and served three years imprisonment in Canada.
After Yonnie's release from Canadian prison in 1930, the Licavolis attempted to expand their liquor operations to Toledo, Ohio
. However, they were met with stiff resistance from local bootlegger John Kennedy, Sr. The two sides fought a violent gang war which would eventually end in Kennedy's death in July 1933. Licavoli was arrested for conspiracy to commit murder in the slayings of Kennedy and three others. Convicted in 1934, Licavoli was sentenced to life imprisonment at Ohio Penitentiary
, despite attempts by Cleveland mobster Al "The Owl" Polizzi to secure him a parole.
. Rhodes's decision, heavily criticized in the media, may have contributed to Rhodes' defeat in the 1970 Republican primary election
for the U.S. Senate.
In 1971, Licavoli was granted parole due to poor health. He retired to private life, living with his wife and daughter in the Columbus, Ohio
suburb of Gahanna until his death on September 17, 1973.
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
during Prohibition
Prohibition
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...
. Born in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Yonnie, along with brother Peter Joseph Licavoli
Peter Licavoli
Peter Joseph Licavoli , was an organized crime figure in St. Louis, Missouri before moving to Detroit, Michigan...
and cousin James Licavoli, worked with Jewish gangsters to take over illegal gambling in St. Louis. He was a member of the Licavoli Crime Family
Licavoli Crime Family
The Licavoli Mob was an Italian American mob that was based in Detroit and St. Louis. The mob was formed by the brothers Thomas "Yonnie" Licavoli and Peter "Pete" Licavoli.- Background :...
. The Licavolis soon moved on to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and would control criminal operations in Detroit and Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, throughout the Prohibition era.
Early years
The second of four children of Sicilian immigrants, Licavoli grew up in the Jewish slums of St. Louis. Licavoli's parents wanted him to become a Catholic priest, so he enrolled in Christian Brothers College High SchoolChristian Brothers College High School
Christian Brothers College High School , is a Lasallian Catholic college preparatory school for young men in St. Louis, Missouri. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis and is owned and operated by the De La Salle Christian Brothers Midwest District.-Early years :The school...
in St. Louis to study for the priesthood. When he was 19, Yonnie was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon, and decided to join the US Navy rather than go to prison. However, soon after completing his basic training Licavoli deserted
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
. Rather than face the legal and gang-related problems facing him in St. Louis, Yonnie followed his brother Peter Joseph to Detroit, Michigan. Once in Detroit, he joined the infamous Purple Gang
Purple Gang
Purple Gang can refer to:*The Purple Gang, Jewish American bootleggers and hijackers in the 1920s*The Purple Gang , British rock band active intermittently since the 1960s*East Harlem Purple Gang, Italian American gang of drug dealers and hitmen...
. Yonnie married Zena Moceri and had two daughters, Grace and Concetti.
Bootlegger
Yonnie Licavoli quickly rose through the ranks of the criminal world and by the mid 1920's was one of the most powerful gangsters in Detroit. With 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...
as the law, Licavoli and his brother Peter Joseph had established themselves as a formidable force in the Detroit underworld. Well known for their brutal tactics in dealing with rivals, the brothers soon controlled a large-scale operation smuggling liquor from Canada across the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...
to the United States. in 1927, Licavoli and his associate Frank Cammerata were convicted of carrying a concealed weapon in Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
and served three years imprisonment in Canada.
After Yonnie's release from Canadian prison in 1930, the Licavolis attempted to expand their liquor operations to Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. However, they were met with stiff resistance from local bootlegger John Kennedy, Sr. The two sides fought a violent gang war which would eventually end in Kennedy's death in July 1933. Licavoli was arrested for conspiracy to commit murder in the slayings of Kennedy and three others. Convicted in 1934, Licavoli was sentenced to life imprisonment at Ohio Penitentiary
Ohio Penitentiary
The Ohio Penitentiary, also known as the Ohio State Penitentiary, or less formally, the Ohio Pen or State Pen, was a prison operated from 1834-1983 in downtown Columbus, Ohio, in what is now known as the Arena District. The prison housed 5,235 prisoners at its peak in 1955...
, despite attempts by Cleveland mobster Al "The Owl" Polizzi to secure him a parole.
Prison and Death
In 1969, Ohio Governor James A. Rhodes commuted Licavoli's sentence from first to second degree murder, making him eligible for paroleParole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
. Rhodes's decision, heavily criticized in the media, may have contributed to Rhodes' defeat in the 1970 Republican primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
for the U.S. Senate.
In 1971, Licavoli was granted parole due to poor health. He retired to private life, living with his wife and daughter in the Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
suburb of Gahanna until his death on September 17, 1973.
Further reading
- Dickson, Kenneth R. Nothing Personal Just Business, Prohibition and Murder on Toledo's Mean Streets. Fremont, Ohio: Lesher Printing, 2003. ISBN 0978858824
- Capeci, Jerry. The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia. Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 2002. ISBN 0-02-864225-2
- Porrello, Rick. To Kill the Irishman: The War That Crippled the Mafia. Novelty, Ohio: Next Hat Press, 2004. ISBN 0-9662508-9-3
- Reppetto, Thomas A. American Mafia: A History of Its Rise to Power. New York: Henry Holt & Co., 2004. ISBN 0-8050-7798-7
- Turner, William W. Hoover's FBI. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 1993. ISBN 1560250631
External links
- Thomas Licavoli at Find-A-Grave
- The Detroit News Rearview Mirror: The crosstown mob wars of 1930-31 by Paul R. Kavieff