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Corn Sugar and Blood and The Rise and Fall of the Cleveland Mafia

Chapter I"Big Ange" and the Death of the				Frank Milano had risen
Cleveland MafiaIn 1983, Angelo Lonardo, 72,
one-time Cleveland Mafia				to power as leader of his own gang, "The
				Mayfield Road Mob."
boss, turned government informant. He
shocked family,				Milano's group was made up in part of
				remnants of the Lonardo
friends, law enforcement officers and
particularly, criminal				gang and was also associated with the
				powerful "Cleveland
associates with his decision which was made
after being				Syndicate," Morrie Kleinman, Moe Dalitz, Sam
				Tucker and Louis
sentenced to life plus 103 years for drug
and racketeering				Rothkopf. The Cleveland Syndicate was
				responsible for most
convictions. The sentence came after a
monumental				of the Canadian booze imported via Lake
				Erie. In later years
investigation by local, state and federal
agencies had all				they got into the casino business. One of
				the their largest
but wiped out the Cleveland Mafia."Big Ange"
as he was called, was the highest ranking				and most profitable enterprises was
				construction of the
mafioso to defect. He testified in 1985 at
the Las Vegas				Desert Inn Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas.
				Dalitz would become
casino "skimming" trials in Kansas City and
in 1986 at the				known as the "Godfather of Las Vegas." He
				would be
New York Mafia "ruling commission" trials.
Many of the				murdered in 1986 as part of a Mafia war for
				control of Las
nation's biggest mob leaders were convicted
as a result of				Vegas.Joe Porrello admired Milano's
				political organization,
these trials.During his testimony, Lonardo
told how at age 18, he				the East End Bi-Partisan Political Club and,
				seeing the value
avenged his father's murder by killing the
man believed to be				in such influence, wanted to ally himself
				with the group.
responsible. He further testified that
after that murder, he				Milano refused. Later, Porrello was
				reported to have
was responsible for the killings of several
of the Porrello				affiliated himself with the newly formed
				21st District
brothers, business rivals of his father
during Prohibition.Chapter IIBirth of the				Republican Club. He hoped to organize the
Cleveland MafiaDuring the late eighteen				Woodland Avenue
hundreds, the four Lonardo
				voters as Milano was doing on Mayfield
brothers and seven Porrello brothers were				road.Chapter VIIIMore Corn Sugar and BloodBy
boyhood friends and				1930, Milano had grown quite powerful. He
				had gone
fellow sulphur mine workers in their
hometown of Licata,				so far as to demand a piece of the lucrative
				Porrello corn
Sicily. They came to America in the early
nineteen hundreds				sugar business. On July 5th, 1930,
				Porrello received a
and eventually settled in the Woodland
district of Cleveland.				phonecall from Milano who had requested a
				conference at his
They remained close friends. Several of the
Porrello and				Venetian Restaurant on Mayfield Road. Sam
				Tilocco and Joe
Lonardo brothers worked together in small
businesses.Lonardo clan leader "Big Joe"				Porrello's brother Raymond urged him not to
became a successful				go.At about 2:00 p.m., Joe Porrello and Sam
				Tilocco arrived
businessman and community leader in the
lower Woodland Avenue				at Milano's restaurant and speakeasy.
				Porrello, Tilocco, and
area. During Prohibition, he became
successful as a dealer				Frank Milano sat down in the restaurant and
				discussed
in corn sugar which was used by bootleggers
to make corn				business. Several of Milano's henchmen sat
				nearby. The
liquor. "Big Joe" provided stills and raw
materials to the				atmosphere was tense as Porrello refused to
				accede to
poor Italian district residents. They would
make the booze				Milano's demands.Porrello reached into his
				pocket for his watch to check
and "Big Joe" would buy it back giving them
a commission. He				the time. Two of Milano's men, possibly
				believing that
was respected and feared as a "padrone" or
godfather. "Big				Porrello was reaching for his gun opened
				fire. With three
Joe" became the leader of a powerful and
vicious gang and				bullets in his head, Porrello died
				instantly.
was known as the corn sugar "baron." Joe
Porrello was one of				Simultaneously, a third member of Milano's
				gang fired at
his corporals.Chapter IIIThe First Bloody
CornerWith the advent of Prohibition,				Tilocco who was struck three times but
Cleveland, like other				managed to stagger out

big cities, experienced a wave of				the door toward his new Cadillac. He fell
bootleg-related murders.				to the ground as

The murders of Louis Rosen, Salvatore Vella,				the gunmen pursued him, finishing him off
August Rini and				with another six

several others produced the same suspects,				bullets.Frank Milano and several of his
but no				restaurant employees

indictments. These suspects were members of				were arrested but only charged with being
the Lonardo				suspicious persons.

gang. Several of the murders occurred at				The gunmen were never actually identified.
the corner of				Only one witness

E. 25th and Woodland Ave. This intersection				was present in the saloon when the shooting
became known as				started. He was

the "bloody corner."By this time, Joe				Frank Joiner, a slot machine distributor
Porrello had left the employ of the				whose only testimony

Lonardos to start his own sugar wholesaling				was that he "thought" he saw Frank Milano in
business.				the restaurant

Porrello and his six brothers pooled their				during the murders.Cleveland's aggressive
money and				and outspoken Safety Director

eventually became successful corn sugar				Edwin Barry, frustrated by the continually
dealers headquartered				rising number of

in the upper Woodland Avenue area around E.				bootleg murders, ordered all known sugar
110th Street.With small competitors, sugar				warehouses to be
dealers and bootleggers,
				padlocked. He ordered a policeman to be
mysteriously dying violent deaths, the				detailed at each one
Lonardos' business
				to make sure that no sugar was brought in or
flourished as they gained a near monopoly on				removed.Meanwhile, the six Porrello brothers
the corn sugar				donned black silk

business. Their main competitors were their				shirts and ties and buried their most
old friends the				successful brother.

Porrellos.Raymond Porrello, youngest of his				The showy double gangster funeral was one
brothers was arrested				the largest

by undercover federal agents for arranging a				Cleveland had ever seen. Two bands and
sale of 100				thirty-three cars

gallons of whiskey at the Porrello-owned				overloaded with flowers led the procession
barbershop at E.				of the slain don

110th and Woodland. He was sentenced to the				and his bodyguard. Over two hundred fifty
Dayton, Oh.				automobiles

Workhouse.The Porrello brothers paid the				containing family and friends followed.
influential "Big Joe"				Thousands of

Lonardo $5,000 to get Raymond out of prison.				mourners and curious on-lookers lined the
"Big Joe"				sidewalks.Cleveland's underworld was tense
				with rumors of imminent
failed in his attempt but never returned the
$5,000.Meanwhile, Ernest Yorkell and Jack				warfare. Porrello brother Vincente-James
Brownstein, small-				spoke openly of

time self-proclaimed "tough guys" from				wiping out everyone responsible for his
Philadelphia arrived				brother's murder.Three weeks after his
				brother's murder, Jim Porrello
in Cleveland. Yorkell and Brownstein were
shakedown artists,				still wore a black shirt as he entered the I
				& A grocery and
and their intended victims were Cleveland
bootleggers, who				meat market at E. 110th Street and Woodland.
				As he picked
got a chuckle out of how the two felt it
necessary to explain				out lamb chops at the meat counter, a Ford
				touring car, its'
that they were tough. Real tough guys
didn't need to tell				curtains tightly drawn, cruised slowly past
				the store. A
people that they were tough. After
providing Cleveland				couple of shotguns poked out and two
				thunderous blasts of
gangsters with a laugh, Yorkell and
Brownstein were taken on				buckshot were fired, one through the front
				window of the
a "one-way ride."Chapter IVCorn Sugar and
Blood"Big Joe" Lonardo in 1926, now at the				store and one through the front screen
height of his				door.The amateur gunmen got lucky. Two
				pellets found the
wealth and power left for Sicily to visit
his mother and				back of Porrello's head and entered his
				brain. He was rushed
relatives. He left his closest brother and
business partner				to the hospital.Chapter IX"I think maybe
				they'll kill all us Porrellos""I think maybe
John in charge.During "Big Joe's" six-month				they'll kill all us Porrellos. I think
absence, he lost much of
				maybe they will kill all of us except
his $5,000 a week profits to the Porrellos				Rosario. They can't
who took advantage
				kill him - he's in jail." Thus Ottavio
of John Lonardo's lack of business skills				Porrello grimly but
and the assistance
				calmly predicted the probable fate of he and
of a disgruntled Lonardo employee. "Big				his brothers as
Joe" returned and
				he waited outside Jim's hospital room.Next
business talks between the Porrellos and				to Ottavio was a tough looking young man who
Lonardos began.				smoked

They "urged" the Porrellos to return their				cigarettes and blew the smoke at the
lost clientele.On Oct. 13th, 1927 "Big Joe"				hospital's No Smoking
and John Lonardo went to
				signs. It was said he was a bodyguard,
the Porrello barbershop to play cards and				something the
talk business with
				Porrellos never employed enough of. Jim
Angelo Porrello as they had been doing for				Porrello died at
the past week. As
				5:55 p.m.Two local petty gangsters were
the Lonardos entered the rear room of the				arrested and charged with
shop, two gunmen
				murder. One was discharged by directed
opened fire. Angelo Porrello ducked under a				verdict and the other
table.Cleveland's underworld lost its' first
boss as "Big Joe"				was acquitted. Like almost all of
				Cleveland's bootleg
went down with three bullets in his head.
John Lonardo was				related murders, the killers never saw
				justice.About this time, it was rumored that
shot in the chest and groin but drew his gun				the Porrello
and managed to
				brothers were marked for extermination. The
pursue the attackers through the barbershop.				surviving
He dropped his
				brothers went into hiding. Raymond, known
gun in the shop but continued chasing the				for his cocky
gunmen into the
				attitude and hot temper spoke like his
street where one of them turned, and out of				brother James did of
bullets, struck
				seeking revenge. Raymond was smarter
Lonardo in the head several times with the				though, he took active
butt of his gun.
				measures to protect himself.On August 15th,
John fell unconscious and bled to death.The				1930, three weeks after James Porrello's
Porrello brothers were arrested. Angelo was
charged				murder, Raymond Porrello's house was leveled
				in a violent
with the Lonardo brothers' murders. The
charges were later				explosion. He was not home at the time
				since he had taken
dropped for lack of evidence. Joe Porrello
succeeded the				his family and abandoned his home in
				anticipation of the
Lonardos as corn sugar "baron" and later
appointed himself				attack.Four days later Frank Alessi, a
				witness to the murder of
"capo" of the Cleveland Mafia.Chapter VThe
Cleveland MeetingThe trail of bootleg blood				"Big Joe" Lonardo's brother Frank, was
continued to flow with				gunned down. From his

numerous murders stemming from the				death bed, he identified Frank Brancato as
Porrello-Lonardo conflict.Lawrence Lupo, a				his assailant.
former Lonardo bodyguard was killed
				Brancato was known mainly as a Lonardo
after he let it be known that he wanted to				supporter and suspect
take over the
				in several murders. Brancato was acquitted
Lonardos' corn sugar business.Anthony				of Alessi's
Caruso, a butcher who saw the Lonardos'
killers				murder.Chapter XIn March of 1931, Rosario
				Porrello was paroled from
escape was shot and killed. It was believed
that he knew the				Ohio's London Prison Farm where he had
				served one year for
identities of the gunmen and was going to
reveal them to				carrying a gun in his car.In mid-1931,
				National Mafia "capo di tutti capi" (boss
police.On Dec. 5th, 1928, Joe Porrello and
his lieutenant and				of all bosses) Salvatore Maranzano was
				killed. His murder
bodyguard Sam Tilocco hosted the first known
major meeting of				set in motion the formation of the first
				Mafia National
the Mafia at Cleveland's Hotel Statler.
Many major Mafia				Ruling Commission created to stop the
				numerous murders
leaders from Chicago to New York to Florida
were invited.				resulting from conflicts between and within
				Mafia families
The meeting was raided before it actually
began.Joe Profaci, leader of a Brooklyn, N.Y.				and to promote application of modern
Mafia family was				business practices to

the most well-known of the gangsters				crime.Charles "Lucky" Luciano was the main
arrested. Within a few				developer of the

hours, to the astonishment of police and				commission and was named chairman. Also
court officials, Joe				named to the

Porrello gathered thirty family members and				commission were Al Capone of Chicago, Joe
friends who put				Profaci of

up their houses as collateral for the				Brooklyn and Frank Milano of Cleveland.In
gangsters' bonds.				Dec. of 1931, Angelo Lonardo and his cousin
				Dominic
Profaci was bailed out personally by
Porrello. A great				Suspirato were released from prison after
				being acquitted of
controversy over the validity of the bonds
followed.Several theories have been given as				"Black Sam" Todaro's murder during a second
to why the meeting				trial. Because

was called. First, it was thought that the				he had avenged his father's death and (for
gangsters, local				the most part)

presidents of the Unione Siciliane, an				gotten away with it, he became a respected
immigrant aid society				member of Frank

infiltrated by the Mafia, were there to				Milano's Mayfield Road Mob.The thirst for
elect a new national				revenge had not been satisfied for

president. Their previous president,				members of the Lonardo family. It was
Frankie Yale had been				generally believed

recently killed by order of Chicago's				that "Black Sam" Todaro instigated and
notorious Al Capone.				perhaps took part in

Second, it was believed that the meeting may				the murders of "Big Joe" and John Lonardo.
have been called				However it was

to organize the highly lucrative corn sugar				believed by members of the Lonardo family
industry. It was				that the remaining

also said that the men were there to				Porrello brothers, particularly the volatile
"confirm" Joe Porrello				John and Raymond

as "capo" of Cleveland.Capone, a				and eldest brother Rosario still posed a
non-Sicilian was reported to be in Cleveland				threat because of

for the meeting. He left soon after his				the murders of Joe and James Porrello.On
arrival at the				Feb. 25th, 1932 Raymond Porrello, his brother
				Rosario
advice of associates who said that the
Sicilians did not want				and their bodyguard Dominic Gulino (known
				also by several
him there.Chapter VIThe Second Bloody
CornerAs Joe Porrello's power and wealth				aliases) were playing cards near E. 110th
grew, heirs and close				and Woodland

associates to the Lonardo brothers grew hot				Avenue. The front door burst open and in a
for revenge.Angelo Lonardo, "Big Joe's"				hail of bullets
18-year-old son along with
				the Porrello brothers, their bodyguard and a
his mother and his cousin, drove to the				bystander went
corner of E. 110th
				down. The Porrellos died at the scene.
and Woodland, the Porrello stronghold.				Gulino died a couple
There Angelo sent
				of hours later. The bystander eventually
word that his mother wanted to speak to				recovered from his
Salvatore "Black Sam"
				wounds. This shooting was Cleveland's worst
Todaro. Todaro, now a Porrello lieutenant,				Mob hit ever.Several hours after the murders,
had worked for				Frank Brancato, with abullet in his stomach,
				dragged himself into St. John's
Angelo's father and was believed to be
responsible for his				Hospital on Cleveland's west side. He
				claimed he was shot in
murder. In later years it was believed that
he was actually				a street fight on the west side. A few days
				later, tests on
one of the gunmen.As Todaro approached to
speak with Mrs. Lonardo whom he				the bullet taken from Brancato revealed that
				it came from a
respected, Angelo pulled out a gun and
emptied it into "Black				gun found at the Porrello brothers murder
				scene. Although
Sam's stocky frame. Todaro crumpled to the
sidewalk and				never convicted of either of the murders,
				Brancato was
died.Angelo and his cousin disappeared for
several months				convicted of perjury for lying to a Grand
				Jury about his
reportedly being hid in Chicago courtesy of
Lonardo friend Al				whereabouts during the murder. He served
				four years after a
Capone. Later it was believed that Angelo
spent time in				one to ten year sentence was commuted by
				Governor Martin L.
California with his uncle Dominick, fourth
Lonardo brother				Davey.In 1933, Prohibition was repealed.
				The bootleg murders
who fled west when indicted for a payroll
robbery murder in				mostly stopped as organized crime moved into
				other
1921.Eventually Angelo and his cousin were
arrested and				enterprises. Angelo Lonardo continued his
				crime career as a
charged with "Black Sam's" murder. For the
first time in				respected member of the Cleveland family
				eventually rising
Cleveland's bootleg murder history justice
was served as both				through the ranks to run the northeast Ohio
				rackets in 1980.In early 1933, in a sequel to
young men were convicted and sentenced to				the tragedy of the large
life. Justice
				Porrello family, Rosario's son Angelo, 21,
although served would be shortlived as they				was killed in a
would be released
				fight over a pool game in Buffalo. It was
only a year and a half later after winning a				said that he and
new trial.Chapter VIIRise of the Mayfield
Road MobOn October 20th, 1929, Frank Lonardo,				his Uncle John were there trying to muscle
brother to "Big				in on the corn

Joe" and John was shot to death while				liquor business.******For more - read The
playing cards. Two				Rise and Fall of the Cleveland Mafia

theories were given for his death; that it				Rick Porrello - Barricade BooksA cop in
was in revenge for				suburban Cleveland, Rick Porrello,
				serendipitously began his writing career when
the murder of "Black Sam" Todaro and, that				curiosity about the mysterious murder of his
he was killed for				grandfather along with the deaths of several
				uncles led to penning his first true crime
not paying gambling debts. Mrs. Frank				saga, The Rise and Fall of the Cleveland
Lonardo, when told of				Mafia. Porrello went on to write a second
				book, To Kill the Irishman: The War That
her husband's murder screamed, "I'll get				Crippled the Mafia which recounts the story
them. I'll get them				of Irish-American racketeer Danny Greene who
				took on the Cleveland Mafia and was murdered
myself if I have to kill a whole				in 1977.
regiment!"By 1929, Little Italy crime boss

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Corn Sugar and Blood and The Rise and Fall of the Cleveland Mafia