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American Mafia Timeline
Part 4. 1928-1933

Old and new feuds, underworld divisions and alliances bring gangland war to America's cities. The Mafia resolves its conflict, known as the Castellammarese War, and replaces its ineffective old boss of bosses conflict resolution system with a national representative Commission. Prohibition ends, cutting off organized crime's enormous bootlegging income, and mobsters go in search of new rackets.(The buttons below may be used to jump ahead to a certain era, to earlier or later timeline pages or to the main website homepage.)

Back to Part 3 1929 1930 1931 1932 Ahead to Part 5 Home
1928
Chicago, US
Al Capone
Capone's main office is now Room 430 of Hotel Lexington.
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1928 Jun
Miami, FL, US
Alphonse Capone, Frank Uale
Capone meets with some his top henchmen, including Charlie Fischetti, Jack Guzik and Dan Serritella, in Florida. The meeting may have been to set up a hit on Frank Uale. The Capone men appear to detour toward Brooklyn on their way back to Chicago.
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1928 Jul 1
Brooklyn
Frank Uale, Alphonse Capone
Uale is killed in his car. Tommy gun is found at the scene but appears not to have been responsible for the wounds to Uale's body. Four men in a black sedan overtook Uale's Lincoln and shot through the car's side and rear window. Uale's car crashes into the stone steps of 923 44th Street.
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1928 Sep 7
Chicago
Antonio Lombardo
Lombardo is killed. Pasqualino Lolordo takes over Chicago Unione Siciliana.
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1928 Oct 15
New York, US
Dutch Schultz, Joey Noe, Jack Diamond, Arnold Rothstein
Joey Noe, close business associate of Schultz, is shot in ambush on West 54th Street in front of Chateau Madrid. Clings to life for more than a month at Bellevue Hospital. Dies Nov. 21. Jack "Legs" Diamond is believed responsible for Noe's death. Arnold Rothstein may have assisted Diamond.
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1928 Nov 4
New York
Arnold Rothstein
Shot and killed about 10 p.m. at servant's entrance of the Park Central Hotel on Seventh Avenue. Famous as a gambler and loan shark, Rothstein was also believed to have been the force behind the 1919 Black Sox scandal and the early careers of Frank Costello, Charlie Luciano and Meyer Lansky. Police decide that Rothstein has been killed because of gambling debts. But the murder may also be the result of Dutch Schultz anger over a Rothstein role in Joey Noe's killing.
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1928 Dec 5
Cleveland
Joe Porrello
Porrello, eager for national recognition, hosts a gathering of the U.S. Mafia in Cleveland. Porrello hopes to solidify his new position. Police are alerted to convention and 23 arrests of known Mafiosi are made.
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1928 Dec 8
New York, US
Arnold Rothstein, George McManus
Gambler George McManus and his associate Hyman Biller are indicted for the murder of Rothstein. State cannot make charges stick.
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1929 Jan 8
Chicago
Pasqualino Lolordo, Giuseppe Guinta, John Scalise, Albert Anselmi
Lolordo is murdered in his home. Capone rival Joseph Guinta takes over Unione and begins to draw some of Capone's Sicilian supporters from him. John Scalise and Albert Anselmi, Capone enforcers and prominent figures in the Unione, secretly join Guinta faction.
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1929

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1929 Feb 14
Chicago
Alphonse Capone
Capone has much of the North Side mob murdered in what has become known as the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Four men - two in police uniforms - drove up in a police car to a stronghold of Bugs Moran, a garage at 2122 North Clark Street. Six Moran gangsters and one friend of Moran's were lined up against a wall and shot to death by the four assailants. Moran had been returning to the building when he saw the police car and decided to beat it. Capone was relaxing (and establishing an alibi) near his Florida home at the time of the killings.
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1929 May 7
Chicago
Alphonse Capone, John Scalise, Albert Anselmi
Capone reportedly invites the important members of his organization to a meeting/celebration at the Hawthorne Inn in Cicero, just outside Chicago. According to legend, he then brutally beats to death Guinta, Scalise and Anselmi, the Sicilian defectors from his gang. His action puts an end to the Sicilian rebellion in his Chicago outfit but earns the disapproval of mob bosses in New York and elsewhere.
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1929 May 17
Philadelphia
Alphonse Capone
Capone arrested on a weapons charge in Philadelphia. He does one year (actually serves just 10 months) of jail time.
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1929
Philadelphia, US
Salvatore Sabella
Sabella and nine of his men (probably including some who were hastily initiated into the Philly Mafia) move to New York to assist the Brooklyn Castellammarese clan in its fight against Joe Masseria.
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1929 May
Chicago
Joe Aiello, Alphonse Capone
With Capone temporarily out of the way, Joe Aiello steps to the presidency of the Chicago Unione Siciliana.
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1929 Oct 17
New York
Salvatore Lucania (Luciano)
Luciano is taken "for a ride" but survives. He is permanently scarred on the face. He refuses to cooperate with police, indicating he will handle the matter himself.
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1929 Dec 7
Bronx
Ciro Terranova, Albert Vitale
A fundraiser dinner for magistrate Albert Vitale at Roman Gardens in the Bronx is crashed by several holdup men, who take jewelry, money and weapons from guards and one off-duty police officer. A few phone calls afterward, and all items are returned. Public is outraged at the number of underworld characters (including Terranova, who, according to some accounts, hosted the event) at the dinner and at Vitale's connections to organized crime. Eventually, the press decides to accept a ludicrous explanation from the police that the holdup was staged by Terranova in order to rob one of his guests of incriminating evidence relating to the Uale murder.
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1929 Dec 27
Atlantic City
Ciro Terranova
Police/press eager to question Terranova about the Dec. 7 Vitale dinner learn that he left after Christmas to rest a few days in Atlantic City. He might be getting up to speed on the convention of May 13-16 and pledging himself to the reforms of the younger Mafiosi. Terranova appears to be more closely allied to Luciano than to Masseria after this point.
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1930

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1930 Jan 5
New York
Ciro Terranova
Terranova speaks with the press about the Vitale incident. Claims he is a scapegoat for a split in Tammany Hall. Tells reporters he is a "man of peace" and wishes to be let alone.
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1930
Chicago/New York
Alphonse Capone, Frank Uale
Police link weapons from St. Valentine's Day Massacre with those used in Uale murder. Implies that Capone was responsible for Uale's death.
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1930
New York/Chicago
Joe Masseria, Joe Aiello, Alphonse Capone, Gaspar Milazzo, Cola Schiro, Stefano Magaddino, Gaetano Reina
Masseria attempts to broker a peace arrangement between Aiello and Capone. When Aiello resists and threatens Masseria, Joe the Boss approaches Gaspar Milazzo, leader of Detroit Mafia, in an effort to dissaude him from continuing to support Aiello. Milazzo won't budge, and Joe the Boss begins to see the start of a Castellammarese conspiracy against his authority. The Castellammarese in Brooklyn (Cola Schiro's group), Buffalo (Stefano Magaddino) and Detroit (Milazzo) appear to be backing Aiello in Chicago. The allegiance of Gaetano Reina in the Bronx is also in question at this time.
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1930
New York
Joe Masseria, Gaspar Milazzo, Sasa Parrino
Masseria believed responsible for death of Gaspar Milazzo, boss of Detroit Mafia and elder statesman among the Castellammarese in America. Milazzo aide Sasa Parrino is also killed in the attack. Joe the Boss installs Lemare atop Detroit group. Probably believes he is undermining Aiello by this action and also striking at the Castellammarese conspiracy. But he is undermining his own support by meddling in the internal affairs of Mafia "families."
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1930 Jan
New York
Joe Masseria, Cola Schiro, Joe Parrino
Masseria demands $10,000 cash tribute from Schiro. Schiro pays and then vanishes. Masseria installs Joe Parrino, brother of recently deceased Sasa Parrino in Detroit, as head of Brooklyn Castellammarese family.
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1930 Feb 26
Bronx
Gaetano Reina, Joe Masseria, Joe Pinzolo
Reina, whose Bronx rackets include a monopoly on ice, is killed and replaced by Joe Pinzolo. Masseria believed responsible. Gaetano Gagliano and Gaetano Lucchese split off from Pinzolo and ally themselves with Maranzano.
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1930 Mar 14
New York, US
Albert Vitale
The state apellate court decides to remove Magistrate Vitale from the bench. Vitale has reportedly deposited $100,000 in bank accounts while living beyond his means during five years as magistrate. He has also been linked to Ciro Terranova and other Mafia members as well as Arnold Rothstein, from whom he allegedly took a large "loan" before than gangster's death.
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1930 Mar 17
Chicago
Alphonse Capone, Joe Aiello
Capone is released from Philadelphia prison and resumes warfare against Aiello. Capone supports Masseria in struggle against Castellammarese.
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1930 Jul
Cleveland
Joe Porrello
Porrello, host of the raided 1928 Unione convention, is killed.
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1930 Aug 15
New York
Salvatore Maranzano, Giuseppe (Peter) Morello, Giuseppe Piranio, "Buster"
Maranzano men gun down Morello, 60, at his offices, 362 E.116th Street. Piranio is also killed. Joe Valachi says "Buster" from Chicago was the gunman, indicates that Morello put up a fight even after being shot.
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1930 Sep
New York
Joe Pinzolo, Tommy Lucchese, Gaetano Gagliano
Maranzano allies from Reina's old family eliminate Pinzolo in early September. Gagliano and Lucchese are believed to have cooperated on the hit, which occurred at a Lucchese office, 1487 Broadway. Bobby Doyle is believed to have pulled the trigger.
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1930 Sep 5
New York, US
Gaetano Lucchese, Joe Pinzolo
Lucchese arrested and charged with murder of Pinzolo. Charges are later dropped.
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1930
Brooklyn
Joe Parrino
Joe Parrino is murdered by the Castellammarese. With the blessing of Stefano Magaddino of Buffalo (who has ruled the Brooklyn Castellammarese in absentia), Salvatore Maranzano becomes war leader of the group.
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1930
Detroit
Lemare
Detroit mob rids itself of Lemare.
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1930 Sep 23
Chicago
Joe Aiello, Alphonse Capone, Agostino Loverdo
Capone eliminates Aiello, sends financial support to Masseria in New York. Capone takes over what remains of the Unione by assigning Agostino Loverdo to be its president. Aiello is murdered by machine gun fire in front of a friend's home at 205 Kolmar Avenue.
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1930 Oct 8
New York
Ignazio Lupo
Lupo believed responsible for murder of Roger Consiglio.
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1930
New York
Salvatore Maranzano, Salvatore Lucania (Luciano), Vito Genovese, Frank Costello, Ciro Terranova
Luciano, his associates and Terranova begin secret negotiations with Maranzano over betrayal of Masseria.
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1930 Nov 5
New York
Salvatore Maranzano, Al Mineo, Steve Ferrigno, Joe Masseria
Maranzano scores another victory as his soldiers ambush and kill Al Mineo, powerful ally of Joe the Boss, and Steve Ferrigno, an important Mafia figure, oustide of Ferrigno's home at 759 Pelham Parkway South. Masseria, who had met with the two men, lagged behind as Mineo and Ferrigno left the building and so escaped the ambush.
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1931

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1931
New York, US
Joe Masseria, Salvatore Maranzano, Joe "Baker" Catania
Masseria sends peace feelers to Maranzano. The Castellammarese say they will not end the war until Joe "the Baker" Catania, a firm Masseria and Terranova ally, is killed.
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1931 Feb 3
New York, US
Salvatore Maranzano, Joe "Baker" Catania
Catania, 29, is killed at 647 Crescent Avenue. Maranzano, who accused Catania of hijacking his liquor shipments, reportedly ordered the hit.
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1931 April 15
Coney Island
Joe Masseria, Salvatore Lucania (Luciano), Ciro Terranova, Benjamin Siegel
Luciano arranges for Masseria to be assassinated after a big lunch at Coney Island's Nuova Villa Tammaro restaurant (also known as Scarpato's Restaurant) while Luciano is in the bathroom. Terranova said to be the driver of the assassins' car but too nervous to drive. Benjamin Siegel, believed to have been one of the shooters, reportedly shoved Terranova from the wheel and drove the car himself.
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1931
Northern New Jersey
Salvatore Sabella
Sabella is arrested for assault and battery with a motor vehicle. He receives a suspended sentence. Police discovered that his current address was the same as that used by Buffalo Mafia boss Stefano Magaddino after his 1921 arrest. (Just one of many threads that tie together the far-flung elements of the American Mafia.)
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1931
Chicago, US
Salvatore Maranzano, Nicola Gentile, Al Capone, Salvatore Lucania
Despite Gentile's urging for the establishment of a national Mafia commission, Maranzano proclaims himself boss of bosses at a meeting held in Chicago. The meeting also serves to patch up differences between Maranzano and his host, Al Capone. Luciano and his allies plan to eliminate Maranzano, as he begins working against them.
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1931
Philadelphia, US
Salvatore Sabella, John Avena
Sabella retires as Philly mob boss, turning operations over to his handpicked successor John Avena. Sabella, now 40, remains active in Mafia affairs but no longer oversees day-to-day operations.
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1931 Sep 10
New York
Salvatore Maranzano, Salvatore Lucania (Luciano)
Luciano arranges assassination of Maranzano in his Park Avenue suite of offices. Hit men arrive disguised as law enforcement officers.
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1931 Oct 6-16
Chicago
Alphonse Capone
Capone's trial for income tax evasion.
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1931 Oct 18
Chicago
Alphonse Capone
Capone is convicted of tax evasion and of failing to file a tax return.
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1931 Nov 24
Chicago
Alphonse Capone
Capone is sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for his tax offenses. He is ordered to pay $215,000 in back taxes and interest, a fine of $50,000 and court costs.
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1932

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1932
United States
 
The Mafia officially closes its membership rolls. After huge membership leap during Castellamarese War, Mafia leadership feels smaller numbers would increase profits and reduce risks.
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1932
Chicago, IL US
Al Capone, Frank Nitti, Tony Accardo
Nitti takes over day-to-day operations of Chicago underworld while Capone is in prison. Accardo serves as underboss. Chicago becames virtually united under the new regime and Chicago Family leadership becomes a cooperative group effort.
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1932 Feb 9
New York, NY US
Vincent Coll, Owney Madden, Dutch Schultz
"Mad Dog" Coll is gunned down in a telephone booth in a 23rd Street drugstore. Schultz is believed partly responsible. It is also believed that Owney Madden cooperated on the hit, as it was Madden who was on the other end of the phone conversation. The drugstore was just a short distance from Madden's home in the London Terrace apartments.
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1932 Sep 1
New York, NY US
James J. Walker
Mayor Walker resigns.
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1933 Mar 7
Philadelphia, PA US
Salvatore Sabella, John Avena, A. Domenico Pollina
Philadelphia Mafia leadership comes to trial for May 1927 slayings of Cocozza and Zanghi. Defendants are found not guilty in one-day trial.
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1933
Chicago, IL US
Sam Giancana, Tony Accardo
Giancana, noticed for taking a recent prison stretch "with honor," is appointed to be Accardo's chauffer and bodyguard. Accardo is an important man in the post-Capone Chicago mob but not yet the boss.
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1933
New York, NY US
Fiorello LaGuardia
Reformer LaGuardia is elected mayor of New York City.
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