*** Welcome to piglix ***

Antonio Lombardo


Antonio "Tony the Scourge" Lombardo (1892 – September 7, 1928) was an American mobster. He was advisor, or consigliere, to Al Capone and later President of the Unione Siciliana.

Born in the town of Galati Mamertino in Sicily on November 23, 1891, Antonio Lombardo immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century where he became a successful wholesale grocery business owner in Chicago, Illinois. A long time Mafia associate, Lombardo became Al Capone's advisor after John Torrio retired in 1925.

Lombardo tried unsuccessfully to negotiate peace between the Chicago Outfit and the North Side Gang during the four-year gang war, suggesting that Capone surrender supposed Dean O'Banion assassins Albert Anselmi and John Scalise, which Capone refused. Lombardo, with the help of Capone, later became President of the Unione Siciliana in November 1925, attempting to regain control of the unstable organization as well as instituting reforms, including opening membership to non-Sicilian Italian immigrants (such as the Neapolitan Capone) and changing the organization's name to the Italo-American National Union.

Lombardo's reforms, however, caused some resentment within Unione Siciliana members. With the partnership of Al Capone and New York gangster Frankie Yale worsening, possibly due to the end of payoffs from the Unione Siciliana to Yale, Lombardo was challenged for the Presidency by Joe Aiello, supported by Yale, in January 1928.


...
Wikipedia

...