1891 in organized crime

"See also:"
1890 in organized crime,
other events of 1891,
1892 in organized crime and the
list of 'years in organized crime'.

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Events

*March 14 - After the acquittal/mistrial of Charles Matranga and 8 of his associates in the murder of New Orleans Police Chief David C. Hennessy, a lynch mob enters the jail and murders 11 of the 17 individuals suspected in the murder. Matranga himself is spared on orders from the lynch mob's leader. [Hunt, Thomas and Macheca-Sheldon, Martha. "Deep Water: Joseph P. Macheca and the Birth of the American Mafia", 2007.] Hennessey had been investigating a gang war between rival Mafia groups Matranga and Provenzano groups (eventually bringing Joseph Provenzano to trial in 1890), however, while leaders of the criminal gang including Charles Matranga are acquitted, many suspects were still awaiting trial. For the first time the possibility of an Italian secret criminal organization operating in New Orleans is discussed in the United States. A New Orleans grand jury investigating the incident would later report: ::"..our research has developed the existence of the secret organization styled 'Mafia'.... Officers of the Mafia and many of its members were not known. Among them are men born in this city of Italian origin.... The larger number of the society is composed of Italians and Sicilians." [http://www.nevadaobserver.com/Chronological%20History%20of%20La%20Cosa%20Nostra%20(1988).htm]

Arts and literature

Births

*Joe Aiello (Giuseppe Aiello), Chicago and New York mobster and president of the Unione Siciliane.
*Ruggiero Boiardo (Richie Boiardo), Genovese crime family leader (Capo) (New Jersey) and Abner Zwillman associate.
*Jack Dragna, Los Angeles Mafia Don.
*Owney "The Killer" Madden, New York Prohibition gangster
*Stefano Magaddino, Buffalo Mafia Don.
*January 26 - Frank Costello (Francesco Castiglia), National Crime Syndicate and later Cosa Nostra member.

Deaths

*March 14 - Manuel Polizzi, New Orleans mafiosi and lynch victim
*March 14 - Rocco Geraci, New Orleans mafiosi and lynch victim
*March 14 - James Caruso, New Orleans mafiosi and lynch victim
*March 14 - Pietro Monasterio, New Orleans mafiosi and lynch victim
*March 14 - Frank Romero, New Orleans mafiosi and lynch victim
*March 14 - Loreto Comitis, New Orleans mafiosi and lynch victim
*March 14 - Charles Traina, New Orleans mafiosi and lynch victim
*March 14 - Antonio Bagnetto, New Orleans mafiosi and lynch victim
*March 14 - Antonio Scaffidi, New Orleans mafiosi and lynch victim
*March 14 - Antonio Marchesi, New Orleans mafiosi and lynch victim
*March 14 - Joseph P. Macheca, New Orleans mafiosi and lynch victim

References