The Mafia Gazette
For All The News That Is News (E&OE)
Editor In Chief: Carmela DeAngelis
Managing Editor: William Randolph Hearst
THE GODFATHER:, THE NATION GOES TO HELL AS GOD HIMSELF IS IMMORTALISED FOREVER
The thick-necked man on the door wouldn’t budge.
“Get outta here.”
He even called our man a “punk” for good measure.
In fact our fearless reporter had tried all his charm in the world and when that failed he’d resorted to a good old fashioned bribe, perfectly legal of course. But the doorman wasn’t having it.
The location was a very well-heeled Chicago hotel, which normally offered rooms and conference halls to the finest clientele in the land. Tonight they were hosting a different gig, as mobsters from all over the country came to pay their respects at the coronation of God Himself. Recognised as the first Godfather in the land, his retirement party was a who’s who of mob royalty, with all the family heads attending.
Our reporting team, consisting of our best showbiz reporter, Nathan Style and a photographer William Olsson, reported that they could hear music inside and they caught gossip as mobsters passed in and out through the double doors. But after trying a fire escape and being turned away wearing disguises, they admitted defeat.
God’s rise to the top provided all the drama that his uncanny ability to stay there had not. Described variously as “arrogant” and “self-centred as a gyroscope,” he was also always known as a respectful and careful criminal. Violence was not in short supply but was generally the last resort of a man who by reputation alone could quell rebellion. Central to his success was his ability to make those around him feel valued and important, though as one source told us; he wasn’t always the type to pay-back the favours that his personality generated.
Yet this was the mark of a man who played his cards close to his chest and who always played the odds. Perhaps it was written in the stars that the man who grew up angry at the world and seeking vengeance for the murder of his father would not only kill the man responsible, Loco, but would take his place as “Boss of all Bosses,” leading the mob through an unparalleled period of peace and prosperity.
Under God’s watch, nothing happened that wasn’t sanctioned or approved. Yes, there were the usual gallery of rogues and feuds, emanating notably from the city of Miami through a leadership that was bad under Tre, arguably worse under Marco Polo, moderately improved and ultimately ending in disaster with VitoCorleone and now facing an uncertain future.
But these were the exception to the general rule. God ruled by tight-knit committee. If you were in then you made and influenced policy. But if you were out, you were really out. And there was little in between. Authorisations to run cities were carefully controlled. Gun permits, taxes on businesses and policies on open cities were, by and large, consistent. Bold moves by rivals such as PeterWhitman and Angelo DeCarlo were countered and these men eliminated before their ambitions became a threat to the interests of the Shadow King in Chicago.
Rarely seen yet often heard, God’s word was the only law the mob had known.
As Nathan and William stood at a nearby hotdog stand, commiserating about the retirement party they’d failed to infiltrate, an FBI acquaintance told them to cheer up. After all, he’d said, there’d be plenty more stories to cover in the days ahead.
He wasn’t wrong.
WEST COAST WOES: A VIOLENT FEBRUARY THAT SET THE STAGE FOR THE MURDEROUS MAIN EVENT
Known to be hot-headed and a heavy hitter, it was an open secret that the late ProfaciA had participated as the triggerman in the barbershop slaying of Rupert, after claiming the LA Wise Guy had back-talked and disrespected him, travelling to LA to catch the wily Rupert in his barber’s chair on a sunny afternoon.
Profaci didn’t seek permission for the hit from LA leader Wes or indeed from his own family’s patriarch, opting to perform the murder personally and leading to some consternation in mob ranks.
The murder charge didn’t stick, Wes didn’t retaliate and Profaci continued to walk the streets, solidifying his reputation as a dangerous killer, a man not to cross.
Events took a more surreal turn when war erupted between the Los Angeles and Las Vegas families on the evening of February 23rd, an alcohol-fuelled disagreement in a local speakeasy turning into a large gun battle on the strip. The fight had spilled out from the local gin-joint and after killing Roc Marciano, a Made Man for the LA outfit, inside, Las Vegas leader Scotty, well-oiled having returned from a wedding, found himself under attack as more LA members began turning up in cars and on foot.
Said a senior Brooklyn Mob source at the time:
“Wes is a good lad just had idiots behind him and they persuaded him to attack Scotty with the interference of ProfaciA.”
Unfortunately for the LA crew, Scotty could shoot better when blind drunk than most of them could sober. Initially outnumbered without any of his crew around to support him, Scotty took the fight to LA, shooting dead multiple members, his rampage of violence including a spectacular shot on Dominic Bruccereli through several bodyguards.
Not everyone from Las Vegas welcomed the drunken battle. A Vegas associate said of the war:
“I worked with Scotty while I was getting on my feet. Just from a leadership perspective, I don't think it was necessarily the best choice. He got a lot of people whacked just for being affiliated with him.”
Events had long since overtaken rational sense and there was no going back. The LA crew now attacked in force, Wes joining in. But Scotty, with highland spirit, refused to fall. Every shot he fired seems to hit someone from the opposing side in the head, bodyguard or mobster. Unconfirmed reports suggested he killed 15 people during the battle, bodyguards and others.
Enter Profaci. With Wes on the ropes, he turned to the ally who had ruthlessly murdered one of his own just days before. Profaci, in recognition of the strong links between LA and Chicago, entered the fight, arranging to have Scotty’s bodyguards bought off. Those who weren’t bought off were eliminated. His personal protection force eroded and his right hand man Coco missing, Scotty could only hold out for so long and his end finally arrived, blown away with bullets to the neck, chest and arm.
Yet Profaci’s involvement inadvertently caused the conflict to spiral. The imposing 50k, thoroughly unimpressed with Wes’ inability to stand alone, took his two fiercest enforcers, JohnnyOla and MrWallin, to Los Angeles, assassinating Wes. While it remains uncertain whether the hit was sanctioned, it’s hard not to see the hand of God behind it. And so one sudden burst of violence left two cities without mob leadership and the commission in danger of appearing rudderless
In fact the dissolving of the west coast mob virtually overnight had a number of consequences which served to demonstrate that God Himself had never really lost control. It served to strengthen the power of VitoCorleone in the south east of the country, increasing his influence on the committee and also allowed MickeyCostelle of Detroit to assume a position of leadership in Las Vegas, which served to strengthen 50k’s hand with the two known to have close ties.
Wes and Scotty were out, and by late February the papers were now reporting that the current commission leaders were God Himself, James McElroy, VitoCorleone, 50k and MickeyCostelle, a genial club of like-minded individuals.
Leading to the afternoon of the 27th of February……
PROFACI DEAD! SHOCKWAVES IN GANGLAND AS CHICAGO’S NUMBER 2 IS RUBBED OUT IN FRENZIED PRISON YARD ATTACK
On the morning of the 27th February, some of the inmates didn’t even know who he was. Others knew exactly who he was and kept their distance accordingly. Yet the vicious-looking man ate alone in the prison canteen, ambivalent to the stares and the whispered comments. None dared display their hostility, for the man was known as one of Chicago’s most powerful underworld figures and a feared killer. As he chewed on a prison lunch of bread and watery soup, a prisoner on his wing reflected that there had been tension in the air all afternoon.
The man was none other than ProfaciA, underboss and heir-apparent to the Chicago dynasty built by God_Himself, the top underworld leader in the nation. And he was in trouble.
Headstrong and yet shrewd, a key element of Profaci’s rise to the top lay in his ability to avoid heat from the law. The Chicago family had long had in place an elaborate system of political favours, bribes, prison perks and other pay-offs that allowed Profaci and the rest of Chicago’s top brass to largely avoid doing any serious prison time. When arrested they would come along quietly and more often than not be escorted from the prison by the warden in a matter of hours.
More accustomed to hand-tailored suits rather than prison orange ones, Profaci was largely free to run his sections of the Chicago Empire on the outside, free from legal woes. And on the outside, he was all-powerful. Battle-tested and wary, he never travelled anywhere without upwards of a dozen bodyguards and at any given time could call upon Chicago enforcers to support him in the event of an impromptu shoot-out or street battle.
Except now he wasn’t on the streets. Arrested and held under a relatively obscure provision on an old statute book, his debatably controversial prison sentence couldn’t be short with a bribe, a pay-off or a desperate call to a mob lawyer so that he could post bail.
Looking around, he may have noticed the lack of fellow mobsters from his outfit. Surrounded instead by Aryan skinheads and inner city pushers, pimps and deviants, he was without a friend for perhaps the first time in a long time.
But he wasn’t without enemies.
And as he made his way to his cell after 2pm, a lowly hoodlum plunged a homemade weapon into his chest, stabbing repeatedly. Profaci had apparently been heading to his cell to retrieve something, what exactly remains unknown, before a phone call. He never had the chance to make that call and by that evening he was in the prison morgue, removing a powerful right hand man to Chicago as well as damaging their succession. Or had it?
ALLIANCES FORMED AND BROKEN: TROUBLES IN MARCH
It was long whispered that God’s anticipated retirement would trigger trouble. The general consensus, particularly among elements of James McElroy’s Detroit but also in the other cities, was that God would appoint his long-serving Consigliere ProfaciA as his successor. Fierce but unskilled in the art of diplomacy, Profaci’s reputation had been taking a nosedive on the streets long before the events of the afternoon of February 27th, culminating in what could only be described as a public defecation that struck all who saw it as truly bizarre.
That simple act immediately and absolutely destroyed any chance of support in a leadership role from certain sections of the underworld and in fact, it was an open secret that in the event of God’s retirement, some of the remaining families would hit Profaci hard. One source said that, while unwilling to consider a move on God had actively planned to “bury” Profaci in the event he came to power.
Observers in the know might reasonably assume, therefore, that his prison yard murder had therefore forestalled any danger of a damaging future war. Life carried on.
Except in Detroit, where trouble was very much in the air. James McElroy had elected for a time to take a step back. Perhaps it was fear of law-enforcement. Perhaps it was the rigours of the life, getting to him in his old age. Whatever the reason, he retained his seat on the commission but handed over control of the day-to-day Detroit operation to Emilia Ricci. What seemed a sensible and considered move began to backfire as Ricci began to believe she was being glad-handed and undercut. Despite the pressures of managing Detroit’s extensive criminal empire, Ricci complained that key decisions continued to be taken over her head. McElroy remained in daily contact with the other bosses and Ricci was finding things out second hand.
Her complaints became bitter and McElroy, for his part, was unrepentant, believing Ricci needed more appreciation for the temporary nature of arrangements. In advance of his planned comeback, Ricci began to actively chafe at being under McElroy’s command and several days of tension followed. The family consigliere Lord_Lucan was brought in to mediate, entertaining both sides of the argument, but it began to become apparent that the distance between the two parties was now too great and as tempers frayed, a split was inevitable. When it came, it was unclear whether Ricci had taken an offer to leave, had simply left of her own accord or whether she had been forced out.
Her authorisation to set up in Los Angeles was approved and she left, taking some Detroit members with her and sixth seat on the commission.
The month of March was named after the Roman God of War and this became more and more apt as the month went on, with New York’s rise apparent and threatening to overshadow James McElroy’s position as the number two man on the Commission.
New York’s obvious firepower was matched by a savvy public relations operation. Their purchase of a controlling interest in the Gangland News, a New York newspaper, served to publicise the Brooklyn Mob and Beard Gang successes, including a high profile mid-March kidnapping of prominent citizen Murphy that allegedly netted their outfit a tonne of cash and weaponry. And 50k’s reputation on the street, already high after the Sanili and Wes hits, continued to rise, backed by his two aggressive lieutenants and Bosses in their own right, JohnnyOla and MrWallin and a solid family adviser in Brooklyn captain Wolverine.
Said one mobster of their outfit:
“They are shameless self-publicists, but they are a family on the rise.”
VitoCorleone also made efforts to consolidate his position. Vocal and active in the Commission meetings and with experience as the mob’s point man in the open cities of Dallas and Denver, he took to solidifying his reputation on the street with calculated acts of violence against weaker opponents. On the 5th March, he whacked Atlanta captain and city head EttoreCedone, after a feud developed.
Said one source of the hit:
“Ettore was forced to take over Atlanta. It is unknown if it was a setup for later events or if Vito simply used this as an excuse to ignite petty old feuds.
Word reached Ettore that Vito had told his people that he was going to take out Ettore, and to come to Atlanta with him in case he needed people to take bullets for him. They tried to take Ettore's bodyguards before Ettore fled, having been tipped off.
Ettore ended up in Vegas, where he took out Coconut knowing that Vito would show up sooner or later. Vito did, and ended up killing Ettore.”
Miami Made soldier Lawless also died during the conflict, with the source saying of his involvement:
“Lawless was fed up of having to work for someone, Vito, whom he had no respect for as a leader or a person and decided to try to aid Ettore. In the end he couldn't.”
By middle of the month, James McElroy and JohnnyOla had a heated exchange which nearly came to blows during a mob function, souring relations between the two families. The stage was set for a confrontation between the next two most important men on the Commission after God Himself.
DING DING: SECONDS OUT, ROUND ONE
A largely fair account of the war between Detroit and New York appeared in the Gangland News, outlining the main casualties on both sides. What this account failed to acknowledge was that the initial Detroit attack on New York almost ended the war then and there.
Detroit Capo Rant Casey had attacked and been killed by JohnnyOla, over some words exchanged in the streets that, frustratingly, largely remain unknown except to handful of people. All efforts by the Gazette to ascertain the nature of the dispute were met with failure.
What is known is that Casey died and McElroy, a skilled tactician with cunning instinct, let it be known that no reprisals would be sought, with the Gangland News claiming he went so far as to offer compensation. McElroy’s poker face was in fact a ruse and plans were soon in motion to hit 50k, with a plan to swiftly bribe all his bodyguards and have one of the big Detroit rankers apply a kill-shot.
McElroy drafted in long-time troublemaker MobWay to coordinate his hit-team, but it soon became apparent that it was a team in chaos at crucial moments. Sources variously suggest 50k’s appearance immediately led to a number of bodyguards being bribed away from him in the ambush, some saying the Detroit mob got 8, others that they got 12. Then the bullets started to fly.
50k was hit early and apparently wounded by Detroit Boss Terraria who subsequently missed key shots, while certain rookie Detroit family members complicated the hit by continuing to talk amongst themselves which had the effect of distracting the main hitmen and meaning various members of the kill-team failed to act when required.
One Detroit source suggested there was a “failure of bribing” and another said of the plan that it was “let down a bit by amateurs.”
When asked about Gangland News claims that the hit had been taken on a $600 million contract from Murphy in revenge for her kidnapping, a Detroit source described this simply as “rubbish.”
When pressed the source added:
“Murphy might have claimed that she paid 600 million for the hit, but she claims a lot of things just to out herself in the frame. She wasn’t in the frame on this one; the hit went down because New York were getting too big for their boots.”
The botched hit allowed 50k to escape on foot through the downtown traffic as the bullets whistled past, living to fight another day. Even then, the odds were stacked against New York, who realistically had four big names compared to over a dozen in Detroit.
Yet 50’s survival of their ambush cast a long shadow and despite the intervention of associates such as former LA member Balto and the murderous performance of Leo McElroy, the screw slowly turned on Detroit as they lost more and more members. If 50k lived a charmed life, he also dealt in death, being personally responsible for upwards of 80 kills in the two days, even after his three top enforcers had been sent to the grave.
Detroit likewise did not receive any aid from the other families. Ricci’s background hinted at possible involvement, but stood firm in refusing to involve her family, while God eventually played his hand in locking down Chicago to shooters from both families and making clear he wanted no part in what he’d termed as a dispute between friends. Many Detroit members took a dim view of these actions, perhaps casting their minds back to McElroy’s timely aid to save God from a likely defeat at the hands of Angelo DeCarlo. If they were expecting the favour to be repaid, they were sorely disappointed, as the old Don showed again exactly why he had a long and successful career under his belt. A similar resentment was, perhaps unfairly, directed at Ricci.
With the McElroy brothers and Terraria dead, the Detroit family had lost their leader and their muscle. Eventually only a few big ranks remained including Barney “Hangman” Charles, Archangel and Lord_Lucan, the family adviser.
Charles was shot dead through 11 bodyguards and Archangel fell, leaving the villainous Lucan to use another of his nine lives and take a pass offered by the Commission, joining under God in Chicago, officially ending any hopes of a Detroit fight back.
50k was now the undisputed second man on the commission.
THE UNDERWORLD ERUPTS IN NATIONWIDE WAR!!
When considering the national mob war that followed God’s retirement, the goombas and Wise Guys of the future might remember many things. They might remember who fell, who fought bravely and who won.
What they might not remember is that the war began within 4 days of God’s retirement party.
The parallels with World War One are stark. Both began with a single act of violence and both came to involve a network of powers.
God’s nominated successor was Carlo Gambino, a long-serving Chicago Consigliere and a solid if unspectacular choice. Gambino commanded the respect of the more seriously-minded members of the family but was personally powerful enough to bring into line the less serious mobsters. An enforcer, structure guy and feared hitter, he took over with a number of possibilities laid out in front of him.
Yet the nature of his succession was clouded in intrigue. In fact Sonny Black, also a long-serving Chicago Consigliere, was long understood to have ambitions to run his own family. In the immediate aftermath of retirement, God sent word down, Gambino was the new top man in Chicago and Sonny Black was moving out on his own as the new top man in Detroit, forming the Black Label society and taking with him a few loyal Sicilians and other followers.
When God still ruled, it was suggested that Detroit might not be filled for quite some time, partially at 50k’s insistence. Lord_Lucan wasn’t allowed to continue the McElroy family there, though it is believed to have been considered.
So Sonny’s move there was somewhat surprising, but for all intents and purposes the Chicago crew had broken up but remained powerful and a new commission would form consisting of 50k as the new power, working in tandem with Vito Corleone, Mickey Costelle, Carlo Gambino, Emilia Ricci and Sonny Black.
Of these names, at least four, 50k, Costelle, Corleone and Ricci were known to be in close daily contact, while Gambino as a surrogate of God obviously had commission approval, the man to rule in God’s name. And so Sonny Black was the new face, a man not accustomed to working closely with the others but who had served loyally for a long time in Chicago and who could reasonably be said to have had his promotion coming.
Things started badly, as Miami Made Man Aqeel was stabbed to death in the Detroit lock-up. Vito Corleone and 50k promised revenge on the perpetrator, while Coucillor Tancredy also made it known that Chicago was searching for the killer.
Privately it’s understood Sonny Black also approached Vito, assuring him that his men were also keeping an eye out. In fact Black had no idea that the killer was none other than his own Earner and family adviser, Francis Galvin. Things began to move fast and soon Vito learned the identity of the killer. At this point the Detroit family had a small slice of good fortune which was destined to have far-reaching consequences. Lord_Lucan had went with Sonny Black to Chicago and received a tip-off that Galvin was the killer and that Vito now knew this, with war likely imminent unless Vito settled for the death of Galvin as his price of vengeance.
The old Capo tipped off Sonny of what he had learned which was picked up by his secretary who in turn warned his boss that he could be walking into an ambush.
Miami struck quickly, shooting dead Francis Galvin in broad daylight on a Chicago sidewalk on the morning of April 12th an expected hit.
An hour later, Miami spotters caught sight of Lord_Lucan in Los Angeles. The old Capo had got warning to his family but the notorious gambler played one last hand, believing that the violence wouldn’t develop into a full-scale war and that if it did his charmed life would save him once again.
Vito Corleone personally travelled to LA with between one and four enforcers and Lucan was shot several times in the back, dying at the scene, all his lucky lives used up at last.
The word was now out that Miami was at war with Detroit and they had opened their account, with Vito advising that Sonny either sanctioned the Galvin hit or knew it was going to go down and so he had to go.
Accounts vary on how many men Vito travelled with, one source suggesting he hadn’t brought along or notified his whole family and took with only a few enforcers. Complacence was suggested, but Vito was a careful leader and it remains unclear how well he mobilised his family.
What is clear is the savage defeat that followed where, having travelled to Detroit with Carlitos-Way and the unhinged Gay Paulo to kill Sonny Black, Vito and his hitters were themselves shot dead after a short gun battle. There was a sense of shock in the underworld; with the commission having already lost James McElroy it had now lost another established figure in the form of the procedural, grandiose Miami head.
It also brought an end to the first serious commission dispute involving one of its newest leaders, Sonny Black.
Vito Corleone’s funeral was a grand affair with mob leaders across the board paying their respects as the casket was carried into The Cathedral of the Virgin in central downtown Miami. Sonny Black was a notable absentee, perhaps understandably. There was a lot of going through the motions, as is typical of such mob funerals, but also genuine grief from Holy Wench and others, great anger from reputed LA hitman Mikey Palmese and dire warning from Scotsman who declared that “I told you to talk about it but you didn’t listen.”
Telling also was the reaction of God Himself, who expressed simply: “shame.” Though a man of few words, this was few enough and led to speculation as to how grieved he actually was at the death of his one-time peer.
The mood of the commission must have been black, but it hid it well. Commission politics was shifting and the wind and the storm was heading towards Detroit. A Godly wind in fact, from God Himself. As the Mafia Gazette can exclusively reveal for the first time that the old Godfather’s curt funeral appearance may have disguised greater concerns at the latest death on his commission, as he quickly sent the word down that Sonny Black was to be killed.
Detroit, unaware that the order had been given to eliminate them, were eager to finish off the remaining Miami holdouts, primarily sal and Liao but also any ranking members they came across that posed a threat or who hadn’t already jumped ship. Sal made for New York but word of the contract on him was sent east and 50k accepted it. But a disastrous attack, Black Label underboss RoadRunner and former Miami Capo RiccoTarricane were killed attacking sal, a double slaying of two Detroit mob captains in a family already low on family members as the deaths began to take their toll.
Violence erupted elsewhere also, as commission authority broke down and feuds were pursued. Reputed Vegas under boss Frank Carbo died at the hands of Miami Made Man Diabolic, who was himself killed by other Vegas members, suggesting in his dying words that the attack had not motive he knew of and was random.
It was breaking down. Sonny “Sinister” Black had been a solid member of the Chicago outfit, working as a hitman and top ranking enforcer on God’s books. Perhaps familiarity breeds contempt or perhaps Sonny had now outlived his usefulness, but there’s a clear sense that he was the odd man out. It’s unknown whether his family’s weakened state played a part in the decision that he had to go, or whether it quickened the timing on a decision that was already made. The contract was given to Carlo Gambino and he travelled to Detroit, along with his own Boss Santano and Miami Boss and the old holdover from the VitoCorleone regime, sal and others.
If Sonny Black was taken by surprise, it didn’t show, as the Detroit leader ploughed through the opposition with devastating effect. Perhaps the long years spent in the service of God Himself had honed his instincts, his reflexes and his skills as an assassin. Perhaps the near-miss with Vito had forged him into something deadlier, after the realisation that someone was trying to take his ambitions away from him. In the first days of leadership, the battle for control of the commission had broken out and he was now the main player. Accordingly, he rose to the occasion, finally shooting dead Carlo after a long battle. Santano and sal were also assassinated.
Black had roused Detroit’s streets; the men fighting for him were a mix of bums, drifters, old enforcers and once feared hitmen, men willing to take a bullet in the service of this cause and men willing to recruit others, leading to unproven allegations of identity fraud, chiefly from Fettucini Corleone, son of Vito, who is also alleged to have played a part in influencing the attacks that followed, though other sources say this is laughably untrue.
The word came down again. New York had made a decision, 50k also wanted Sonny gone, maybe seeing a serious potential rival or equally likely influenced by the talk in dark and smokey rooms in Chicago and Miami.
Gambino’s funeral was also a grand affair, interrupted by swearing and threats from Detroit low-rankers. God was again in attendance, acknowledging that his loyal lieutenant hadn’t had long enough as leader and thanking him for his service. Praised for his vision by Aldo Raine, there was a feeling in the air that things were headed for the worse in the Windy City.
Coucillor Tancredy was confirmed as the new Chicago boss and sought a truce. An uneasy peace ensued and as a chess game began between Detroit and New York began, with Sonny Black now fighting only with young recruits and street gangsters, Chicago locked out mobsters from both sides, advising that they didn’t want the fight ion their territory. In the other cities, New York’s Mades harassed the less powerful crew, kidnapping and shooting gangsters in battles fought across Dallas, Atlanta and the home territories of Detroit and New York. But one-by-one, SonnyBlack was able to hunt down and kill the New York Mades and some of the remaining Miami members, including Nico Sorrentino who had joined with New York. New York Mades including James Bond were also picked off, while New York hit the few remaining Detroit ranks, including Made Man Bruce Lee.
As 50k and Sonny went to the mattresses and spotters were deployed across all the known mob hangouts and houses, the tension began to build. Detroit Gangster Benny Hinn then called out 50k on the streets and the New York powerhouse duly obliged, resurfacing and travelling to Detroit to begin his attack. The two traded fire until Sonny Black was hit badly, a nearly fatal wound. He fled and 50k went to ground to wait on his return.
The recrimination on the streets was fierce, as Detroit and New York gangsters goaded one another. The New Yorkers were emboldened. Sonny Black had taken a very bad wound. They’d nearly got him and finished the war.They scented blood and taunted. 50k had walked through the previous Detroit regime and destroyed everyone he’d come against. The Detroit members stuck to their line, the war continued.
An uneasy night followed, with more confrontations on the street, notably between Benny Hinn, Jemma and others versus Premier, Misty and FrankGarcia. In the earlier hours of the morning Sonny Black made for New York with a retinue of gangsters and began killing off more New Yorkers, including TessaGrime and Made Man Monkey D Luffey.
As 50k appeared, Sonny stepped out to meet him. New York Earner Wilde started to put shots on Sonny; three bodyguards were shot dead before Wilde was dropped dead in the street, hit multiple times.
The battle had commenced and it was the battle everyone expected, gangsters and bodyguards perishing in droves. Doors and cars were used as covers, Both men’s lives were saved on multiple occasions by the sacrifice of others, throwing themselves in the line of fire as the bullets ricocheted.
Suddenly, Chicago broke the truce and came to the fight. Sonny Black had bodyguards bribed. Scotsman was hit and died right there in the streets, words of hate for his attackers. Finally, 50k was shot and killed through many bodyguards. Sonny then turned his fire on the remaining Chicago and New York Mades, with BobbyBrooklyn and Danny Raine being gunned down.
Incredibly, this led to a FOURTH family entering the fight, as Las Vegas Capo Dino Amoretti attacked Sonny. Like the rest, Dino was slain right there in the street, along with New York Made Reggie II.
At this point Mickey Costelle himself joined the fight and Sonny Black, hit and wounded during the lengthy shoot-out, retreated.
The lull in fighting didn’t last long, as just two days later SonnyBlack caught Mickey Costelle in his home city of Vegas, shooting him to death in the morning of Saturday 20th.
And so what now for the commission? The totally unpredictable and now legendary run of Sonny Black has ensured he is unquestionably the new power on the commission, with any influence God retained over it now likely removed. He may now relocate his headquarters to the conquered city of New York.
While in LA, Emilia Ricci did not commit to either side during the war despite intense lobbying. While she can’t necessarily expect to profit as a result, it will likewise do her no harm.
Meanwhile in Miami, Holy Wench has received authorised to run the city of Miami, having left LA and Ricci’s command.
Yet after one of the biggest wars ever seen, virtually none of the old commission remain standing. The powerful monopoly that Chicago, Miami and New York had on the Mafia nationally been broken by an outsider and only four families remain.
Will we see an upsurge in Street Boss crews? How will Sonny Black handle the challenges ahead, with five cities devoid of organised mob activity and structure? Who will be the next key players in LA, which remains under the control of Ricci and her taciturn underboss Ossick? Can Wench expect to be bolstered with a flood of new recruits in Miami, a traditionally busy city? What type of man is Tancredy, the successor to ill-fated Carlo Gambino who is left suing for peace in a climate of betrayal and war?
When God defeated Loco it was considered a watershed moment. The son avenging the father and laying down a marker his rule that would follow.
Sonny “Sinister” Black is also known as “Luckeh” and the name is particularly apt in this moment, as the lucky leader can reflect on the power that his amazing and improbable victories have bestowed on him.
UNHOLY WENCH? AN EARLY DECISION FINDS THE NEW MIAMI LEADER UNDER SCRUTINY
The man’s offer was concise and considered. While stressing he meant no harm to Miami’s operation, he openly placed a bounty on the Miami member and made clear that he wanted the contract fulfilled. The member in question was conner, a low-ranking Vegas mobster who stabbed Chicago mobster Yeats to death. He escaped and went to ground, avoiding Chicago’s retribution but collecting a 30 million dollar price on his head, courtesy of his old comrades in Vegas. Yet with the commission war fought through the Viper room so utterly savage and with so many fatalities, old orders of business had been forgotten. Lennox wanted to make clear that he hadn’t forgotten the old debt, even after the horrors of a “dreadful war.” He hadn’t forgotten to the tune of 200 favours, a not insignificant sum that he even suggested might increase.
It got technical as one of Wench’s newest gangsters, Charles Luciano, defended the right of conner to remain untouched, citing the deaths of so many and the altered structures as evidence that no legitimate grudge should exist. All those with a grudge were dead. LA, New York and Chicago watched the debate unfold and became involved.
The argument, for the Wench, is tricky. In her inaugural address, a brief affair on the beach that nevertheless drew the leaders of Miami and Chicago to endorse her promotion to sit on the commission, she expressly stated that those fleeing a death sentence would not find refuge within her family.
Yet precisely the opposite happened when she recruited conner, a man with a shady past.
And the mob chatter now centres around the fact that, for all the smokescreens, her argument for keeping him alive is largely perceived as weak and overly technical. However in an early show of solidarity on the new commission, Coucillor Tancredy sought to downplay the significance of the dispute, accepting that no death sentence was warranted but advising that Holy Wench was now responsible for the man under her control.
The significance of this politically is self-evident, as Tancredy avoids a dispute with a new power in the face of dangerous times ahead, leading a family which already has a bad reputation after certain factions, notably one of the Raine brothers, went against the new power, Sonny Black.
With the remnants of Las Vegas rumoured to be green-lit and contracts on Liao and others outstanding, Tancredy seems keen to avoid trouble. In some quarters this has led to questions about his resolve. As a former sub-crew leader willing to give a pass to a man who killed one of his own members and indeed tagged the funeral, he risks appearing weak, as he seemingly acknowledged by talking tough.
Whatever the talk, conner received a pass officially and sources have suggested that anything other than a “yes” on the hit is peripheral and a concession. Unofficially, his presence in Wench’s family represents an Achilles heel, an issue that can crop up again at any time. In particular, attempts on his life, successful or not, may lead to conflict with the other families and for all the tough talk of gangsters such as SirTommeh, the reality is that they are a new family and vulnerable.
Wench’s uncompromising stand, while cloaked in diplomacy, might also be taken as evidence of her own resolve. Content to withstand the early pressure in the knowledge that it’s primarily from a citizen, she could yet ride out the storm, which despite the oratory of Lennox, does also come across as staged at times.
The dispute, whether real or manufactured, does shed some unwanted light onto Wench’s promotion to city leader. The timing in particular, poses questions as to how rushed it was, how much of an endorsement she actually received and, perhaps most crucially for mob soldiers on the ground, how deserved it actually is.
Sources confirm that her departure from LA was somewhat acrimonious and forced, as her ambition and the realisation that a standing rank could be a power combined to lead her to take Miami.
In both New York and Detroit wars she played the fence, despite being saved by Jimmy McElroy’s members after Miami Boss Camryn had went rogue and attacked her. Yet this didn’t stop her allegedly passing on info to 50k regarding the war. She has countered this by pointing out that there was little she could tell 50k of importance and it’s important to note that there’s no evidence that she passed on specific information. Likewise, while aided by her former comrades in Detroit, she does not owe them anything. One source has also suggested that, far from supporting 50k, she actually supported Jimmy McElroy in the war AGAINST 50k, passing on bodyguard names.
The same source told the Gazette that, concerning Holy Wench, Editor William Hearst was “90% right” in his public allegations, but wrong about which side she supported.
Hearst, for his part, stands by his claims that she broadly would have preferred a 50k victory over Sonny Black. When asked at a cocktail party about the claims, he stated:
“I stand by my sources and I’m not going to divulge them. I don’t believe she particularly cared either way, but if it came down to it, she was for the Brooklyn mob, which makes for an interesting few weeks and months ahead.”
For all his mischief-making, Hearst refused to provide documented evidence, but when pressed on her promotion he delivered something of a broadside:
“What do I think of her? A carpetbagger, plain and simple. Here’s someone who steps up in a time of absolute disarray. You’ve got mob bosses whacking each other left, right and centre, entire families destroyed, basically all the old commission gone and here’s someone who, in the midst of all that, essentially takes a city when no-one notices, by seeking approval towards the end of a national war. On top of that she over-egged her friendship with Vito to portray herself as a plausible successor, trampled over her friendships in LA and, most crucially, hasn’t actually done anything to warrant the job in many quarterss. I don’t know how official her standing is. She made her name in an LA family that was, frankly, passive. LA was the only family that didn’t officially get involved in any of the recent wars. She’s had no tough decisions, taken no contracts or done any heavy lifting, not impressed on the streets and yet gets handed the keys to the city. It does surprise me, but perhaps there’s a groundswell of support I can’t see. She does glad-handing well, which is important even when it’s not genuine, as 70% of the time it isn’t, but fundamentally I think there’s a sense of self-entitlement there. Add that her street antics and associates aren’t popular and you begin to see the problem.”
We didn’t need to ask about the antics, having learned a week ago that Emilia Ricci was coming under intense pressure from both 50k and Mickey Costelle over Holy Wench’s antics in Frank Carbo’s 30 million dollar hit announcement on, coincidentally, conner. Our understanding was that both leaders were close to asking Ricci for Wench’s head and that many lengthy sit-downs were needed to ensure nothing went down.
The Wench’s gratitude apparently consisted of leaving the family to pursue her own ambitions.
Hearst, admittedly, is our boss. But we were keen to stress that Wench hadn’t been afforded a right of reply. We pressed him on this point and stated:
“No-one was interviewed, mainly as there’s been so much change. The last time we interviewed mob leaders en masse, two of them died that very night in Scotty and Wes. Vito and 50k spoke to the press but they are now dead. So is Mickey and God is retired. You’ve had four leaders whacked in a short space of time, so when we’re more certain what the big picture is, these points will, certainly be put to her directly. Holy Wench might be a fixture. Equally she might be a passing phase. Going forward the situation is fluid and a lot of the key decisions rest on Sonny Black. Once we get a picture of the new commission, we’ll try and get comment from the bosses, as always.”
For All The News That Is News (E&OE)
Editor In Chief: Carmela DeAngelis
Managing Editor: William Randolph Hearst
THE GODFATHER:, THE NATION GOES TO HELL AS GOD HIMSELF IS IMMORTALISED FOREVER
The thick-necked man on the door wouldn’t budge.
“Get outta here.”
He even called our man a “punk” for good measure.
In fact our fearless reporter had tried all his charm in the world and when that failed he’d resorted to a good old fashioned bribe, perfectly legal of course. But the doorman wasn’t having it.
The location was a very well-heeled Chicago hotel, which normally offered rooms and conference halls to the finest clientele in the land. Tonight they were hosting a different gig, as mobsters from all over the country came to pay their respects at the coronation of God Himself. Recognised as the first Godfather in the land, his retirement party was a who’s who of mob royalty, with all the family heads attending.
Our reporting team, consisting of our best showbiz reporter, Nathan Style and a photographer William Olsson, reported that they could hear music inside and they caught gossip as mobsters passed in and out through the double doors. But after trying a fire escape and being turned away wearing disguises, they admitted defeat.
God’s rise to the top provided all the drama that his uncanny ability to stay there had not. Described variously as “arrogant” and “self-centred as a gyroscope,” he was also always known as a respectful and careful criminal. Violence was not in short supply but was generally the last resort of a man who by reputation alone could quell rebellion. Central to his success was his ability to make those around him feel valued and important, though as one source told us; he wasn’t always the type to pay-back the favours that his personality generated.
Yet this was the mark of a man who played his cards close to his chest and who always played the odds. Perhaps it was written in the stars that the man who grew up angry at the world and seeking vengeance for the murder of his father would not only kill the man responsible, Loco, but would take his place as “Boss of all Bosses,” leading the mob through an unparalleled period of peace and prosperity.
Under God’s watch, nothing happened that wasn’t sanctioned or approved. Yes, there were the usual gallery of rogues and feuds, emanating notably from the city of Miami through a leadership that was bad under Tre, arguably worse under Marco Polo, moderately improved and ultimately ending in disaster with VitoCorleone and now facing an uncertain future.
But these were the exception to the general rule. God ruled by tight-knit committee. If you were in then you made and influenced policy. But if you were out, you were really out. And there was little in between. Authorisations to run cities were carefully controlled. Gun permits, taxes on businesses and policies on open cities were, by and large, consistent. Bold moves by rivals such as PeterWhitman and Angelo DeCarlo were countered and these men eliminated before their ambitions became a threat to the interests of the Shadow King in Chicago.
Rarely seen yet often heard, God’s word was the only law the mob had known.
As Nathan and William stood at a nearby hotdog stand, commiserating about the retirement party they’d failed to infiltrate, an FBI acquaintance told them to cheer up. After all, he’d said, there’d be plenty more stories to cover in the days ahead.
He wasn’t wrong.
WEST COAST WOES: A VIOLENT FEBRUARY THAT SET THE STAGE FOR THE MURDEROUS MAIN EVENT
Known to be hot-headed and a heavy hitter, it was an open secret that the late ProfaciA had participated as the triggerman in the barbershop slaying of Rupert, after claiming the LA Wise Guy had back-talked and disrespected him, travelling to LA to catch the wily Rupert in his barber’s chair on a sunny afternoon.
Profaci didn’t seek permission for the hit from LA leader Wes or indeed from his own family’s patriarch, opting to perform the murder personally and leading to some consternation in mob ranks.
The murder charge didn’t stick, Wes didn’t retaliate and Profaci continued to walk the streets, solidifying his reputation as a dangerous killer, a man not to cross.
Events took a more surreal turn when war erupted between the Los Angeles and Las Vegas families on the evening of February 23rd, an alcohol-fuelled disagreement in a local speakeasy turning into a large gun battle on the strip. The fight had spilled out from the local gin-joint and after killing Roc Marciano, a Made Man for the LA outfit, inside, Las Vegas leader Scotty, well-oiled having returned from a wedding, found himself under attack as more LA members began turning up in cars and on foot.
Said a senior Brooklyn Mob source at the time:
“Wes is a good lad just had idiots behind him and they persuaded him to attack Scotty with the interference of ProfaciA.”
Unfortunately for the LA crew, Scotty could shoot better when blind drunk than most of them could sober. Initially outnumbered without any of his crew around to support him, Scotty took the fight to LA, shooting dead multiple members, his rampage of violence including a spectacular shot on Dominic Bruccereli through several bodyguards.
Not everyone from Las Vegas welcomed the drunken battle. A Vegas associate said of the war:
“I worked with Scotty while I was getting on my feet. Just from a leadership perspective, I don't think it was necessarily the best choice. He got a lot of people whacked just for being affiliated with him.”
Events had long since overtaken rational sense and there was no going back. The LA crew now attacked in force, Wes joining in. But Scotty, with highland spirit, refused to fall. Every shot he fired seems to hit someone from the opposing side in the head, bodyguard or mobster. Unconfirmed reports suggested he killed 15 people during the battle, bodyguards and others.
Enter Profaci. With Wes on the ropes, he turned to the ally who had ruthlessly murdered one of his own just days before. Profaci, in recognition of the strong links between LA and Chicago, entered the fight, arranging to have Scotty’s bodyguards bought off. Those who weren’t bought off were eliminated. His personal protection force eroded and his right hand man Coco missing, Scotty could only hold out for so long and his end finally arrived, blown away with bullets to the neck, chest and arm.
Yet Profaci’s involvement inadvertently caused the conflict to spiral. The imposing 50k, thoroughly unimpressed with Wes’ inability to stand alone, took his two fiercest enforcers, JohnnyOla and MrWallin, to Los Angeles, assassinating Wes. While it remains uncertain whether the hit was sanctioned, it’s hard not to see the hand of God behind it. And so one sudden burst of violence left two cities without mob leadership and the commission in danger of appearing rudderless
In fact the dissolving of the west coast mob virtually overnight had a number of consequences which served to demonstrate that God Himself had never really lost control. It served to strengthen the power of VitoCorleone in the south east of the country, increasing his influence on the committee and also allowed MickeyCostelle of Detroit to assume a position of leadership in Las Vegas, which served to strengthen 50k’s hand with the two known to have close ties.
Wes and Scotty were out, and by late February the papers were now reporting that the current commission leaders were God Himself, James McElroy, VitoCorleone, 50k and MickeyCostelle, a genial club of like-minded individuals.
Leading to the afternoon of the 27th of February……
PROFACI DEAD! SHOCKWAVES IN GANGLAND AS CHICAGO’S NUMBER 2 IS RUBBED OUT IN FRENZIED PRISON YARD ATTACK
On the morning of the 27th February, some of the inmates didn’t even know who he was. Others knew exactly who he was and kept their distance accordingly. Yet the vicious-looking man ate alone in the prison canteen, ambivalent to the stares and the whispered comments. None dared display their hostility, for the man was known as one of Chicago’s most powerful underworld figures and a feared killer. As he chewed on a prison lunch of bread and watery soup, a prisoner on his wing reflected that there had been tension in the air all afternoon.
The man was none other than ProfaciA, underboss and heir-apparent to the Chicago dynasty built by God_Himself, the top underworld leader in the nation. And he was in trouble.
Headstrong and yet shrewd, a key element of Profaci’s rise to the top lay in his ability to avoid heat from the law. The Chicago family had long had in place an elaborate system of political favours, bribes, prison perks and other pay-offs that allowed Profaci and the rest of Chicago’s top brass to largely avoid doing any serious prison time. When arrested they would come along quietly and more often than not be escorted from the prison by the warden in a matter of hours.
More accustomed to hand-tailored suits rather than prison orange ones, Profaci was largely free to run his sections of the Chicago Empire on the outside, free from legal woes. And on the outside, he was all-powerful. Battle-tested and wary, he never travelled anywhere without upwards of a dozen bodyguards and at any given time could call upon Chicago enforcers to support him in the event of an impromptu shoot-out or street battle.
Except now he wasn’t on the streets. Arrested and held under a relatively obscure provision on an old statute book, his debatably controversial prison sentence couldn’t be short with a bribe, a pay-off or a desperate call to a mob lawyer so that he could post bail.
Looking around, he may have noticed the lack of fellow mobsters from his outfit. Surrounded instead by Aryan skinheads and inner city pushers, pimps and deviants, he was without a friend for perhaps the first time in a long time.
But he wasn’t without enemies.
And as he made his way to his cell after 2pm, a lowly hoodlum plunged a homemade weapon into his chest, stabbing repeatedly. Profaci had apparently been heading to his cell to retrieve something, what exactly remains unknown, before a phone call. He never had the chance to make that call and by that evening he was in the prison morgue, removing a powerful right hand man to Chicago as well as damaging their succession. Or had it?
ALLIANCES FORMED AND BROKEN: TROUBLES IN MARCH
It was long whispered that God’s anticipated retirement would trigger trouble. The general consensus, particularly among elements of James McElroy’s Detroit but also in the other cities, was that God would appoint his long-serving Consigliere ProfaciA as his successor. Fierce but unskilled in the art of diplomacy, Profaci’s reputation had been taking a nosedive on the streets long before the events of the afternoon of February 27th, culminating in what could only be described as a public defecation that struck all who saw it as truly bizarre.
That simple act immediately and absolutely destroyed any chance of support in a leadership role from certain sections of the underworld and in fact, it was an open secret that in the event of God’s retirement, some of the remaining families would hit Profaci hard. One source said that, while unwilling to consider a move on God had actively planned to “bury” Profaci in the event he came to power.
Observers in the know might reasonably assume, therefore, that his prison yard murder had therefore forestalled any danger of a damaging future war. Life carried on.
Except in Detroit, where trouble was very much in the air. James McElroy had elected for a time to take a step back. Perhaps it was fear of law-enforcement. Perhaps it was the rigours of the life, getting to him in his old age. Whatever the reason, he retained his seat on the commission but handed over control of the day-to-day Detroit operation to Emilia Ricci. What seemed a sensible and considered move began to backfire as Ricci began to believe she was being glad-handed and undercut. Despite the pressures of managing Detroit’s extensive criminal empire, Ricci complained that key decisions continued to be taken over her head. McElroy remained in daily contact with the other bosses and Ricci was finding things out second hand.
Her complaints became bitter and McElroy, for his part, was unrepentant, believing Ricci needed more appreciation for the temporary nature of arrangements. In advance of his planned comeback, Ricci began to actively chafe at being under McElroy’s command and several days of tension followed. The family consigliere Lord_Lucan was brought in to mediate, entertaining both sides of the argument, but it began to become apparent that the distance between the two parties was now too great and as tempers frayed, a split was inevitable. When it came, it was unclear whether Ricci had taken an offer to leave, had simply left of her own accord or whether she had been forced out.
Her authorisation to set up in Los Angeles was approved and she left, taking some Detroit members with her and sixth seat on the commission.
The month of March was named after the Roman God of War and this became more and more apt as the month went on, with New York’s rise apparent and threatening to overshadow James McElroy’s position as the number two man on the Commission.
New York’s obvious firepower was matched by a savvy public relations operation. Their purchase of a controlling interest in the Gangland News, a New York newspaper, served to publicise the Brooklyn Mob and Beard Gang successes, including a high profile mid-March kidnapping of prominent citizen Murphy that allegedly netted their outfit a tonne of cash and weaponry. And 50k’s reputation on the street, already high after the Sanili and Wes hits, continued to rise, backed by his two aggressive lieutenants and Bosses in their own right, JohnnyOla and MrWallin and a solid family adviser in Brooklyn captain Wolverine.
Said one mobster of their outfit:
“They are shameless self-publicists, but they are a family on the rise.”
VitoCorleone also made efforts to consolidate his position. Vocal and active in the Commission meetings and with experience as the mob’s point man in the open cities of Dallas and Denver, he took to solidifying his reputation on the street with calculated acts of violence against weaker opponents. On the 5th March, he whacked Atlanta captain and city head EttoreCedone, after a feud developed.
Said one source of the hit:
“Ettore was forced to take over Atlanta. It is unknown if it was a setup for later events or if Vito simply used this as an excuse to ignite petty old feuds.
Word reached Ettore that Vito had told his people that he was going to take out Ettore, and to come to Atlanta with him in case he needed people to take bullets for him. They tried to take Ettore's bodyguards before Ettore fled, having been tipped off.
Ettore ended up in Vegas, where he took out Coconut knowing that Vito would show up sooner or later. Vito did, and ended up killing Ettore.”
Miami Made soldier Lawless also died during the conflict, with the source saying of his involvement:
“Lawless was fed up of having to work for someone, Vito, whom he had no respect for as a leader or a person and decided to try to aid Ettore. In the end he couldn't.”
By middle of the month, James McElroy and JohnnyOla had a heated exchange which nearly came to blows during a mob function, souring relations between the two families. The stage was set for a confrontation between the next two most important men on the Commission after God Himself.
DING DING: SECONDS OUT, ROUND ONE
A largely fair account of the war between Detroit and New York appeared in the Gangland News, outlining the main casualties on both sides. What this account failed to acknowledge was that the initial Detroit attack on New York almost ended the war then and there.
Detroit Capo Rant Casey had attacked and been killed by JohnnyOla, over some words exchanged in the streets that, frustratingly, largely remain unknown except to handful of people. All efforts by the Gazette to ascertain the nature of the dispute were met with failure.
What is known is that Casey died and McElroy, a skilled tactician with cunning instinct, let it be known that no reprisals would be sought, with the Gangland News claiming he went so far as to offer compensation. McElroy’s poker face was in fact a ruse and plans were soon in motion to hit 50k, with a plan to swiftly bribe all his bodyguards and have one of the big Detroit rankers apply a kill-shot.
McElroy drafted in long-time troublemaker MobWay to coordinate his hit-team, but it soon became apparent that it was a team in chaos at crucial moments. Sources variously suggest 50k’s appearance immediately led to a number of bodyguards being bribed away from him in the ambush, some saying the Detroit mob got 8, others that they got 12. Then the bullets started to fly.
50k was hit early and apparently wounded by Detroit Boss Terraria who subsequently missed key shots, while certain rookie Detroit family members complicated the hit by continuing to talk amongst themselves which had the effect of distracting the main hitmen and meaning various members of the kill-team failed to act when required.
One Detroit source suggested there was a “failure of bribing” and another said of the plan that it was “let down a bit by amateurs.”
When asked about Gangland News claims that the hit had been taken on a $600 million contract from Murphy in revenge for her kidnapping, a Detroit source described this simply as “rubbish.”
When pressed the source added:
“Murphy might have claimed that she paid 600 million for the hit, but she claims a lot of things just to out herself in the frame. She wasn’t in the frame on this one; the hit went down because New York were getting too big for their boots.”
The botched hit allowed 50k to escape on foot through the downtown traffic as the bullets whistled past, living to fight another day. Even then, the odds were stacked against New York, who realistically had four big names compared to over a dozen in Detroit.
Yet 50’s survival of their ambush cast a long shadow and despite the intervention of associates such as former LA member Balto and the murderous performance of Leo McElroy, the screw slowly turned on Detroit as they lost more and more members. If 50k lived a charmed life, he also dealt in death, being personally responsible for upwards of 80 kills in the two days, even after his three top enforcers had been sent to the grave.
Detroit likewise did not receive any aid from the other families. Ricci’s background hinted at possible involvement, but stood firm in refusing to involve her family, while God eventually played his hand in locking down Chicago to shooters from both families and making clear he wanted no part in what he’d termed as a dispute between friends. Many Detroit members took a dim view of these actions, perhaps casting their minds back to McElroy’s timely aid to save God from a likely defeat at the hands of Angelo DeCarlo. If they were expecting the favour to be repaid, they were sorely disappointed, as the old Don showed again exactly why he had a long and successful career under his belt. A similar resentment was, perhaps unfairly, directed at Ricci.
With the McElroy brothers and Terraria dead, the Detroit family had lost their leader and their muscle. Eventually only a few big ranks remained including Barney “Hangman” Charles, Archangel and Lord_Lucan, the family adviser.
Charles was shot dead through 11 bodyguards and Archangel fell, leaving the villainous Lucan to use another of his nine lives and take a pass offered by the Commission, joining under God in Chicago, officially ending any hopes of a Detroit fight back.
50k was now the undisputed second man on the commission.
THE UNDERWORLD ERUPTS IN NATIONWIDE WAR!!
When considering the national mob war that followed God’s retirement, the goombas and Wise Guys of the future might remember many things. They might remember who fell, who fought bravely and who won.
What they might not remember is that the war began within 4 days of God’s retirement party.
The parallels with World War One are stark. Both began with a single act of violence and both came to involve a network of powers.
God’s nominated successor was Carlo Gambino, a long-serving Chicago Consigliere and a solid if unspectacular choice. Gambino commanded the respect of the more seriously-minded members of the family but was personally powerful enough to bring into line the less serious mobsters. An enforcer, structure guy and feared hitter, he took over with a number of possibilities laid out in front of him.
Yet the nature of his succession was clouded in intrigue. In fact Sonny Black, also a long-serving Chicago Consigliere, was long understood to have ambitions to run his own family. In the immediate aftermath of retirement, God sent word down, Gambino was the new top man in Chicago and Sonny Black was moving out on his own as the new top man in Detroit, forming the Black Label society and taking with him a few loyal Sicilians and other followers.
When God still ruled, it was suggested that Detroit might not be filled for quite some time, partially at 50k’s insistence. Lord_Lucan wasn’t allowed to continue the McElroy family there, though it is believed to have been considered.
So Sonny’s move there was somewhat surprising, but for all intents and purposes the Chicago crew had broken up but remained powerful and a new commission would form consisting of 50k as the new power, working in tandem with Vito Corleone, Mickey Costelle, Carlo Gambino, Emilia Ricci and Sonny Black.
Of these names, at least four, 50k, Costelle, Corleone and Ricci were known to be in close daily contact, while Gambino as a surrogate of God obviously had commission approval, the man to rule in God’s name. And so Sonny Black was the new face, a man not accustomed to working closely with the others but who had served loyally for a long time in Chicago and who could reasonably be said to have had his promotion coming.
Things started badly, as Miami Made Man Aqeel was stabbed to death in the Detroit lock-up. Vito Corleone and 50k promised revenge on the perpetrator, while Coucillor Tancredy also made it known that Chicago was searching for the killer.
Privately it’s understood Sonny Black also approached Vito, assuring him that his men were also keeping an eye out. In fact Black had no idea that the killer was none other than his own Earner and family adviser, Francis Galvin. Things began to move fast and soon Vito learned the identity of the killer. At this point the Detroit family had a small slice of good fortune which was destined to have far-reaching consequences. Lord_Lucan had went with Sonny Black to Chicago and received a tip-off that Galvin was the killer and that Vito now knew this, with war likely imminent unless Vito settled for the death of Galvin as his price of vengeance.
The old Capo tipped off Sonny of what he had learned which was picked up by his secretary who in turn warned his boss that he could be walking into an ambush.
Miami struck quickly, shooting dead Francis Galvin in broad daylight on a Chicago sidewalk on the morning of April 12th an expected hit.
An hour later, Miami spotters caught sight of Lord_Lucan in Los Angeles. The old Capo had got warning to his family but the notorious gambler played one last hand, believing that the violence wouldn’t develop into a full-scale war and that if it did his charmed life would save him once again.
Vito Corleone personally travelled to LA with between one and four enforcers and Lucan was shot several times in the back, dying at the scene, all his lucky lives used up at last.
The word was now out that Miami was at war with Detroit and they had opened their account, with Vito advising that Sonny either sanctioned the Galvin hit or knew it was going to go down and so he had to go.
Accounts vary on how many men Vito travelled with, one source suggesting he hadn’t brought along or notified his whole family and took with only a few enforcers. Complacence was suggested, but Vito was a careful leader and it remains unclear how well he mobilised his family.
What is clear is the savage defeat that followed where, having travelled to Detroit with Carlitos-Way and the unhinged Gay Paulo to kill Sonny Black, Vito and his hitters were themselves shot dead after a short gun battle. There was a sense of shock in the underworld; with the commission having already lost James McElroy it had now lost another established figure in the form of the procedural, grandiose Miami head.
It also brought an end to the first serious commission dispute involving one of its newest leaders, Sonny Black.
Vito Corleone’s funeral was a grand affair with mob leaders across the board paying their respects as the casket was carried into The Cathedral of the Virgin in central downtown Miami. Sonny Black was a notable absentee, perhaps understandably. There was a lot of going through the motions, as is typical of such mob funerals, but also genuine grief from Holy Wench and others, great anger from reputed LA hitman Mikey Palmese and dire warning from Scotsman who declared that “I told you to talk about it but you didn’t listen.”
Telling also was the reaction of God Himself, who expressed simply: “shame.” Though a man of few words, this was few enough and led to speculation as to how grieved he actually was at the death of his one-time peer.
The mood of the commission must have been black, but it hid it well. Commission politics was shifting and the wind and the storm was heading towards Detroit. A Godly wind in fact, from God Himself. As the Mafia Gazette can exclusively reveal for the first time that the old Godfather’s curt funeral appearance may have disguised greater concerns at the latest death on his commission, as he quickly sent the word down that Sonny Black was to be killed.
Detroit, unaware that the order had been given to eliminate them, were eager to finish off the remaining Miami holdouts, primarily sal and Liao but also any ranking members they came across that posed a threat or who hadn’t already jumped ship. Sal made for New York but word of the contract on him was sent east and 50k accepted it. But a disastrous attack, Black Label underboss RoadRunner and former Miami Capo RiccoTarricane were killed attacking sal, a double slaying of two Detroit mob captains in a family already low on family members as the deaths began to take their toll.
Violence erupted elsewhere also, as commission authority broke down and feuds were pursued. Reputed Vegas under boss Frank Carbo died at the hands of Miami Made Man Diabolic, who was himself killed by other Vegas members, suggesting in his dying words that the attack had not motive he knew of and was random.
It was breaking down. Sonny “Sinister” Black had been a solid member of the Chicago outfit, working as a hitman and top ranking enforcer on God’s books. Perhaps familiarity breeds contempt or perhaps Sonny had now outlived his usefulness, but there’s a clear sense that he was the odd man out. It’s unknown whether his family’s weakened state played a part in the decision that he had to go, or whether it quickened the timing on a decision that was already made. The contract was given to Carlo Gambino and he travelled to Detroit, along with his own Boss Santano and Miami Boss and the old holdover from the VitoCorleone regime, sal and others.
If Sonny Black was taken by surprise, it didn’t show, as the Detroit leader ploughed through the opposition with devastating effect. Perhaps the long years spent in the service of God Himself had honed his instincts, his reflexes and his skills as an assassin. Perhaps the near-miss with Vito had forged him into something deadlier, after the realisation that someone was trying to take his ambitions away from him. In the first days of leadership, the battle for control of the commission had broken out and he was now the main player. Accordingly, he rose to the occasion, finally shooting dead Carlo after a long battle. Santano and sal were also assassinated.
Black had roused Detroit’s streets; the men fighting for him were a mix of bums, drifters, old enforcers and once feared hitmen, men willing to take a bullet in the service of this cause and men willing to recruit others, leading to unproven allegations of identity fraud, chiefly from Fettucini Corleone, son of Vito, who is also alleged to have played a part in influencing the attacks that followed, though other sources say this is laughably untrue.
The word came down again. New York had made a decision, 50k also wanted Sonny gone, maybe seeing a serious potential rival or equally likely influenced by the talk in dark and smokey rooms in Chicago and Miami.
Gambino’s funeral was also a grand affair, interrupted by swearing and threats from Detroit low-rankers. God was again in attendance, acknowledging that his loyal lieutenant hadn’t had long enough as leader and thanking him for his service. Praised for his vision by Aldo Raine, there was a feeling in the air that things were headed for the worse in the Windy City.
Coucillor Tancredy was confirmed as the new Chicago boss and sought a truce. An uneasy peace ensued and as a chess game began between Detroit and New York began, with Sonny Black now fighting only with young recruits and street gangsters, Chicago locked out mobsters from both sides, advising that they didn’t want the fight ion their territory. In the other cities, New York’s Mades harassed the less powerful crew, kidnapping and shooting gangsters in battles fought across Dallas, Atlanta and the home territories of Detroit and New York. But one-by-one, SonnyBlack was able to hunt down and kill the New York Mades and some of the remaining Miami members, including Nico Sorrentino who had joined with New York. New York Mades including James Bond were also picked off, while New York hit the few remaining Detroit ranks, including Made Man Bruce Lee.
As 50k and Sonny went to the mattresses and spotters were deployed across all the known mob hangouts and houses, the tension began to build. Detroit Gangster Benny Hinn then called out 50k on the streets and the New York powerhouse duly obliged, resurfacing and travelling to Detroit to begin his attack. The two traded fire until Sonny Black was hit badly, a nearly fatal wound. He fled and 50k went to ground to wait on his return.
The recrimination on the streets was fierce, as Detroit and New York gangsters goaded one another. The New Yorkers were emboldened. Sonny Black had taken a very bad wound. They’d nearly got him and finished the war.They scented blood and taunted. 50k had walked through the previous Detroit regime and destroyed everyone he’d come against. The Detroit members stuck to their line, the war continued.
An uneasy night followed, with more confrontations on the street, notably between Benny Hinn, Jemma and others versus Premier, Misty and FrankGarcia. In the earlier hours of the morning Sonny Black made for New York with a retinue of gangsters and began killing off more New Yorkers, including TessaGrime and Made Man Monkey D Luffey.
As 50k appeared, Sonny stepped out to meet him. New York Earner Wilde started to put shots on Sonny; three bodyguards were shot dead before Wilde was dropped dead in the street, hit multiple times.
The battle had commenced and it was the battle everyone expected, gangsters and bodyguards perishing in droves. Doors and cars were used as covers, Both men’s lives were saved on multiple occasions by the sacrifice of others, throwing themselves in the line of fire as the bullets ricocheted.
Suddenly, Chicago broke the truce and came to the fight. Sonny Black had bodyguards bribed. Scotsman was hit and died right there in the streets, words of hate for his attackers. Finally, 50k was shot and killed through many bodyguards. Sonny then turned his fire on the remaining Chicago and New York Mades, with BobbyBrooklyn and Danny Raine being gunned down.
Incredibly, this led to a FOURTH family entering the fight, as Las Vegas Capo Dino Amoretti attacked Sonny. Like the rest, Dino was slain right there in the street, along with New York Made Reggie II.
At this point Mickey Costelle himself joined the fight and Sonny Black, hit and wounded during the lengthy shoot-out, retreated.
The lull in fighting didn’t last long, as just two days later SonnyBlack caught Mickey Costelle in his home city of Vegas, shooting him to death in the morning of Saturday 20th.
And so what now for the commission? The totally unpredictable and now legendary run of Sonny Black has ensured he is unquestionably the new power on the commission, with any influence God retained over it now likely removed. He may now relocate his headquarters to the conquered city of New York.
While in LA, Emilia Ricci did not commit to either side during the war despite intense lobbying. While she can’t necessarily expect to profit as a result, it will likewise do her no harm.
Meanwhile in Miami, Holy Wench has received authorised to run the city of Miami, having left LA and Ricci’s command.
Yet after one of the biggest wars ever seen, virtually none of the old commission remain standing. The powerful monopoly that Chicago, Miami and New York had on the Mafia nationally been broken by an outsider and only four families remain.
Will we see an upsurge in Street Boss crews? How will Sonny Black handle the challenges ahead, with five cities devoid of organised mob activity and structure? Who will be the next key players in LA, which remains under the control of Ricci and her taciturn underboss Ossick? Can Wench expect to be bolstered with a flood of new recruits in Miami, a traditionally busy city? What type of man is Tancredy, the successor to ill-fated Carlo Gambino who is left suing for peace in a climate of betrayal and war?
When God defeated Loco it was considered a watershed moment. The son avenging the father and laying down a marker his rule that would follow.
Sonny “Sinister” Black is also known as “Luckeh” and the name is particularly apt in this moment, as the lucky leader can reflect on the power that his amazing and improbable victories have bestowed on him.
UNHOLY WENCH? AN EARLY DECISION FINDS THE NEW MIAMI LEADER UNDER SCRUTINY
The man’s offer was concise and considered. While stressing he meant no harm to Miami’s operation, he openly placed a bounty on the Miami member and made clear that he wanted the contract fulfilled. The member in question was conner, a low-ranking Vegas mobster who stabbed Chicago mobster Yeats to death. He escaped and went to ground, avoiding Chicago’s retribution but collecting a 30 million dollar price on his head, courtesy of his old comrades in Vegas. Yet with the commission war fought through the Viper room so utterly savage and with so many fatalities, old orders of business had been forgotten. Lennox wanted to make clear that he hadn’t forgotten the old debt, even after the horrors of a “dreadful war.” He hadn’t forgotten to the tune of 200 favours, a not insignificant sum that he even suggested might increase.
It got technical as one of Wench’s newest gangsters, Charles Luciano, defended the right of conner to remain untouched, citing the deaths of so many and the altered structures as evidence that no legitimate grudge should exist. All those with a grudge were dead. LA, New York and Chicago watched the debate unfold and became involved.
The argument, for the Wench, is tricky. In her inaugural address, a brief affair on the beach that nevertheless drew the leaders of Miami and Chicago to endorse her promotion to sit on the commission, she expressly stated that those fleeing a death sentence would not find refuge within her family.
Yet precisely the opposite happened when she recruited conner, a man with a shady past.
And the mob chatter now centres around the fact that, for all the smokescreens, her argument for keeping him alive is largely perceived as weak and overly technical. However in an early show of solidarity on the new commission, Coucillor Tancredy sought to downplay the significance of the dispute, accepting that no death sentence was warranted but advising that Holy Wench was now responsible for the man under her control.
The significance of this politically is self-evident, as Tancredy avoids a dispute with a new power in the face of dangerous times ahead, leading a family which already has a bad reputation after certain factions, notably one of the Raine brothers, went against the new power, Sonny Black.
With the remnants of Las Vegas rumoured to be green-lit and contracts on Liao and others outstanding, Tancredy seems keen to avoid trouble. In some quarters this has led to questions about his resolve. As a former sub-crew leader willing to give a pass to a man who killed one of his own members and indeed tagged the funeral, he risks appearing weak, as he seemingly acknowledged by talking tough.
Whatever the talk, conner received a pass officially and sources have suggested that anything other than a “yes” on the hit is peripheral and a concession. Unofficially, his presence in Wench’s family represents an Achilles heel, an issue that can crop up again at any time. In particular, attempts on his life, successful or not, may lead to conflict with the other families and for all the tough talk of gangsters such as SirTommeh, the reality is that they are a new family and vulnerable.
Wench’s uncompromising stand, while cloaked in diplomacy, might also be taken as evidence of her own resolve. Content to withstand the early pressure in the knowledge that it’s primarily from a citizen, she could yet ride out the storm, which despite the oratory of Lennox, does also come across as staged at times.
The dispute, whether real or manufactured, does shed some unwanted light onto Wench’s promotion to city leader. The timing in particular, poses questions as to how rushed it was, how much of an endorsement she actually received and, perhaps most crucially for mob soldiers on the ground, how deserved it actually is.
Sources confirm that her departure from LA was somewhat acrimonious and forced, as her ambition and the realisation that a standing rank could be a power combined to lead her to take Miami.
In both New York and Detroit wars she played the fence, despite being saved by Jimmy McElroy’s members after Miami Boss Camryn had went rogue and attacked her. Yet this didn’t stop her allegedly passing on info to 50k regarding the war. She has countered this by pointing out that there was little she could tell 50k of importance and it’s important to note that there’s no evidence that she passed on specific information. Likewise, while aided by her former comrades in Detroit, she does not owe them anything. One source has also suggested that, far from supporting 50k, she actually supported Jimmy McElroy in the war AGAINST 50k, passing on bodyguard names.
The same source told the Gazette that, concerning Holy Wench, Editor William Hearst was “90% right” in his public allegations, but wrong about which side she supported.
Hearst, for his part, stands by his claims that she broadly would have preferred a 50k victory over Sonny Black. When asked at a cocktail party about the claims, he stated:
“I stand by my sources and I’m not going to divulge them. I don’t believe she particularly cared either way, but if it came down to it, she was for the Brooklyn mob, which makes for an interesting few weeks and months ahead.”
For all his mischief-making, Hearst refused to provide documented evidence, but when pressed on her promotion he delivered something of a broadside:
“What do I think of her? A carpetbagger, plain and simple. Here’s someone who steps up in a time of absolute disarray. You’ve got mob bosses whacking each other left, right and centre, entire families destroyed, basically all the old commission gone and here’s someone who, in the midst of all that, essentially takes a city when no-one notices, by seeking approval towards the end of a national war. On top of that she over-egged her friendship with Vito to portray herself as a plausible successor, trampled over her friendships in LA and, most crucially, hasn’t actually done anything to warrant the job in many quarterss. I don’t know how official her standing is. She made her name in an LA family that was, frankly, passive. LA was the only family that didn’t officially get involved in any of the recent wars. She’s had no tough decisions, taken no contracts or done any heavy lifting, not impressed on the streets and yet gets handed the keys to the city. It does surprise me, but perhaps there’s a groundswell of support I can’t see. She does glad-handing well, which is important even when it’s not genuine, as 70% of the time it isn’t, but fundamentally I think there’s a sense of self-entitlement there. Add that her street antics and associates aren’t popular and you begin to see the problem.”
We didn’t need to ask about the antics, having learned a week ago that Emilia Ricci was coming under intense pressure from both 50k and Mickey Costelle over Holy Wench’s antics in Frank Carbo’s 30 million dollar hit announcement on, coincidentally, conner. Our understanding was that both leaders were close to asking Ricci for Wench’s head and that many lengthy sit-downs were needed to ensure nothing went down.
The Wench’s gratitude apparently consisted of leaving the family to pursue her own ambitions.
Hearst, admittedly, is our boss. But we were keen to stress that Wench hadn’t been afforded a right of reply. We pressed him on this point and stated:
“No-one was interviewed, mainly as there’s been so much change. The last time we interviewed mob leaders en masse, two of them died that very night in Scotty and Wes. Vito and 50k spoke to the press but they are now dead. So is Mickey and God is retired. You’ve had four leaders whacked in a short space of time, so when we’re more certain what the big picture is, these points will, certainly be put to her directly. Holy Wench might be a fixture. Equally she might be a passing phase. Going forward the situation is fluid and a lot of the key decisions rest on Sonny Black. Once we get a picture of the new commission, we’ll try and get comment from the bosses, as always.”
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