THE INDEPENDENT
-If you don’t want it printed, don’t let it happen.

Editor: Harry Basehart

EDITORIAL

Welcome to our first issue. What can you expect from us? The most important is that you know that we've been created to give coverage to the criminal activity in America. We want to tell you what’s behind everything that happens in the underworld. So if you have any juicy information for us, that’s not supposed to be shared with people outside your circle, and even so you want to bring the spotlights into it, you can always mail us anonymously. With that said, there’s only one promise we can make - If you don’t want it printed? Don’t let it happen.

THE DAY THAT CHANGED THE UNDERWORLD

Weeks of peace talks have gone through the underworld. In the end, the different positions assumed by the several factions in how business should be ran lead to an impending war.

The boiling point came when Jack Diamond and Azzo Ruggero refused to deal with their bad apples, an attitude that was seen by other leaders as a lack of respect towards what they were trying to build for the future - respect, order, stability.

The bosses eventually had a sit-down in order to talk about the situation, and not only Jack Diamond and Azzo Ruggero refused to deal with their own rogues, but also they even spread the word that they would protect these troublemakers.

Apparently that was when the rest of the families decided that the Dallas and Chicago Bosses had no more room in their table, since they refused to give assurances for the future, and with that, from there on, they couldn't be seen as the right men to run business as their equals anymore. It was time to take them out of the picture.

In one of the most violent and devastating wars of the last years within the underworld, the Diamond Cutters and the North Side Mob disappeared, The Gigantes and the Sacred United Crown lived on, and Don Amaru decided to give a new life to LA with the foundation of the Viracocha.

JIMMY “THE CHEAT” CONWAY

Two weeks ago, the one that at the time of his death was labelled as one of the gruesomest murderers of the underworld, was sitting in a club, alongside his two bodyguards "“Dizzy” and “Snow”, when his own wife walked into the place, getting him in the act.

He was found cheating his wife, by his own wife, whom was known to be the most savage human being after Conway himself. His bodyguards “Dizzy” and “Snow” even tried to help the cheat, by trying to calm things down, while telling Jimmy what he should do to get away of it with no harm done, but it was too late.

The wife was infuriated, and in front of everyone, she threatened him that’d she put a hit on him, own husband, promising him that in a few days he’d be dead. She hasn't even had to waste her money, since the disputes that had Jimmy’s family facing The Gigantes, West Coast Mafia and Sacra Corona Unita, ended up killing him in the process. The man dies a known cheat, in one of those cases where the name really fits the person behind it; Conway, a con-way to make a living.

SNITCH?

Some say that he refused to help his Boss Jimmy Conway, who was found breaking the Òmerta code, making him of a cheat in the eyes of the underworld. Some say that he’s trying to pass borders to save his life due to fact that some circles within the Cosa Nostra found he works for the government, making him of a Snitch in the eyes of the mob. Some say that he is hiding in hopes to get the days for his next promotion, rank, hire a thug army of 70 bullet takers, and with his sniper kill the remaining families, only to take control of the nation in the end.

Whatever is the true behind his hiding, Don Amaru, Don Gigante and Dick Stroker seem to be paying high amounts of money to whoever gives them information of his whereabouts, since the man is the only stone left on their shoes between the end of this war and moving on with business.

STREET BOSSES

A lot of speculation has been surrounding the questions about the nods that will confirm the new Street Bosses. While the war is pending and waiting for its final chapter, the underworld is waiting to see who is going to be the next protagonists throughout the country. So far, the rumor on the streets is putting Ronnie DeFeo in Chicago, Joseph Rustelli in Atlanta, and Indico Stardust in Denver, but none of this information has been confirmed.

While the Bosses were incapable to build a consensus on how to regulate business two weeks ago, the war might have changed Don Amaru’s and Don Gigante’s mind about the way things should be ran, probably being closer to choosing a more traditional way to test liabilities. In other words, let them make their bones before allowing them to rank. Many believe that once the war is finished, whoever wants to run a crew of their own, will have to pay a cut of their profits for protection.

Whatever path is being followed, only time will reveal what future may bring us.

THE NEW MAP OF THE UNDERWORLD

In less than one week what seemed to be a solid foundation, ready to secure stability for many years to come, fell apart when the first shot was fired.

The end of the war is near and the remaining families are already making arrangements to prepare the new life their city will have.

In New York, Don Gigante remains in charge of the city, being the only second generation Gigante alive. If with his brother Vince you had an empire based on diplomacy, things will more than likely change in that aspect. Tom Gigante had been since the Purple Gang days the muscle of the clan, and while his older brother preferred a sit down to solve things, Tom will prefer his gun to do the talking.

LA’s number two until a few days ago, Don Amaru, decided to give new life to the city by giving birth to Viracocha. He and Tom Gigante are in many ways close in how they intend business to be run, so it's safe to assume that's to be expected that the alliance between both cities, that has lasted for three wars now, to remain intact. There’s a lot of expectation about Amaru's proclamations, with mobsters all over the nation waiting to see what will the Don be able to do with his power.

In LV, Dick Stroker has taken over the reigns of the city to continue the life of the Sacred United Crown. He made a name for himself when in a nationwide sit-down, he opposed his own Boss, Don Slique, on a decision that was made at the time. So in that aspect, the old ways in Vegas seem to have their days counted, to give room for a new way of running business under the new leadership of the city.

The new face of the underworld is here.