Crimetown U.S.A.: The History of the Mahoning Valley Mafia:

Crimetown U.S.A.: The History of the Mahoning Valley Mafia: Organized Crime Activity in Ohio's Steel Valley 1933-1963

â€œCrimetown, U.S.A.â€ is a narrative of organized crime in Youngstown, Ohio and the surrounding Mahoning Valley during the years 1933 to 1963. It begins with the Valley's participation in the Midwest Crime Wave of 1933-34, describing the demise of the legendary bank robber â€œPretty Boyâ€ Floyd. This is followed by the demise of one of the Valleyâ€™s own in the brutal slaying of â€œHappyâ€ Marino, which also happens to be one of the Valleyâ€™s few gangland murders in which all the participants were tried, convicted and sent to prison. The mid-to-late 1930s is chronicled showing the dominance of the ethnic-based lottery houses, which operated in Youngstown. These operations came to end after a run-away grand jury created enough interest to draw the governorâ€™s attention. The late 1940s saw the height of popularity of the infamous Jungle Inn gambling den, located just over the Mahoning County line in Trumbull County. The history of this establishment is chronicled in â€œWelcome to the Jungle Inn,â€ also by Allan R. May, and is a companion book to â€œCrimetown U.S.A.â€ describing the history of organized crime in Warren and Trumbull County, Ohio. By the end of the 1940s the citizens of Youngstown put a new mayor in City Hall. Charles Henderson ran on the platform of â€œSmash Racket Ruleâ€ in the city. The man he brought in to do the â€œsmashingâ€ was Edward J. Allen. The feisty and fearless police chief began by chasing out two-thirds of the Valleyâ€™s â€œBig 3,â€ including Mafia member Joe DiCarlo, who muscled into the race wire service and controlled the local bookmaking. This period was followed by what was known as the "bug" craze, which was the Valley's nickname for the numbers game or policy, as it was also known. The battle for dominance resulted in a bombing war throughout the 1950s for supremacy in this field by the city's top policy racketeers, Sandy Naples and Vince DeNiro. By the end of the 1950s, Youngstown had become known as â€œBomb Town.â€ In the early 1960s, the bombs that were used to scare the competition were now being used to eliminate it. A wave of vicious killings took place, some taking the lives of innocent people. No murder was more notorious than the November 1962 car-bombing that took the lives of â€œCadillac Charlieâ€ Cavallaro and his 11-year old son. The senseless killing shocked the country and brought national attention to Youngstown. It also brought the city an everlasting and despised nickname, â€œCrimetown, U.S.A.â€
Country USA
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2013-09-28
Format Kindle eBook

Country	USA
Binding	Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate	2013-09-28
Format	Kindle eBook

Crimetown U.S.A.: The History of the Mahoning Valley Mafia: Organized Crime Activity in Ohio's Steel Valley 1933-1963

You might also like...