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National Institute of Justice United States Department of ,justice Washington, D. C. 20531 \ ". ~tpartmtnt llff ~usti!t , ' l ':, EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 8:00 P.M. EST '. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1983 ',/. .' , , " " :1 '~ '4'ft ~, . " ,-," . .- ~. LECTURE ON ORGANIZED CRIME BY THE HONORABLE WILLIAM FRENCH SMITH ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES ':' " '" .... , " I \ BEFORE ", ,t '.', THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS FORUM KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT .f' 'j)' -.' t! S J~tar~T,"'~"" C.. l.~uJ.!i(~ NI!:'t<>11t1J Inj;t/tIl~1I r;/ JU.r.IC'Q .." ,i.* ThIS f"..rOC"H"Ptr'~ ha." bee;·. repnY", '::-:r¥j :):J.: •. h!. ,00000tVI3(! frD"'. tho r~~~: I, or ~'J ;Jsn;.r8L ')( O:lQ1"~Jj,~!' ~~. ' r. ~X'1t, at ..... r~"'" or or 1HX1S statod r tr. ':-i1::, dOCUfnenl \lre t1-,use (If t!.~ e. 't" \~ an...1 t-: ) !"'JOt tlG('C'SS9rily rop,~:..e:~ the ttUOlll l~tJor 'J1 Pdlt.t"!'l ~\{ t'l"; Ma.~':.i'.n' lrtStItutc crt Jut:L~<.' r·'(jff.\I'!.Sll)r :0 ror<o<ruce t "~ ~~'»Ighl&" (T"!1(,,,'l: IIC', Doon ... g'R'Pl;blic Demain -lJ::'~.. ~..R~t of Justi~~. _ , ., HARVARD UNIVERSITY Fur!",,,f rcprodIJ'~!")!1 ()\;I~jl) c4 Ultl I,\.::R: >,,',Il' 'DyUlras p&rmis' CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 8101' ,.,: the .:.upynghl OW11Of - 3 - Tonight I Vlould like to discuss a subject that is Black Hand, eventually gaining the upper hand among Italians -­ probably not part of the curriculum even here, but which does Colosimo was succeeded by his nephew John Torrio and then by affect all of us every day, even though it stays generally hidden Torrio's confidant Al Capone. Irish gangs also thrived in Chicago, from public view. It causes our taxes to go up. It adds to the under George "Bugs" Moran, William O'Donnell, and Frankie Lake, cost of what we buy. And, worst of all, it threatens our personal among others. safety and that of our families indeed our very freedom. Its During these years, local police were alone in trying to trafficking causes untold darrlage to human lives and human health, stop organized crime, and the task proved beyond their powers. yet its net profits may well exceed those of all the Fortune 500 There was no federal government involvement. Not surprisingly, corporations combined. I am speaking of organized crime. some citizens' groups emerged. In Chicago, in 1907, some Although combating organized crime is a difficult civic-minded Italian-Americans founded the White Hand Society to undertaking, it is not impossible. Indeed, as I will later counter the growing influence of the Black Hand. In New York, the explain, many successes are now being achieved in that battle. Society for the Suppression of Crime was established. Unfortunately, the public is little aware of the problem or of Unfortunately, organized crime uas too much for these what the government is doing to combat it. With greater public citizens' groups. And with the ratification of the Eighteenth awareness of the nature and the threat of organized crime, and Ame,ndment I organized crime began a significant expansion in power with greater citizen participation, we could make substantially and influence. more headway. During Prohibition, organized crime groups vied for First, in order to provide the context for our efforts shares of a market attracting more and more bootleggers, and fre­ today, some history is in order. Perhaps the first example of or­ quently fought each other as they tried to expand beyond their ganized crime in America occurred in the late 17th and early 18th once limited turfs. The beer wars in Chicago in the early Twenties Centuries, when the pirates, mostly of English descent, operated basically were fought to decide jurisdiction. In 1927, the off the coast of the Carolinas. During the Nineteenth Century, a so-called War of the Sicilian Succession erupted. This battle over variety of organized crime groups emerged. In New York City, Irish control of Chicago's Unione Siciliana, a jurisdictional battle of ~~" gangs preyed on and terrorized New York citizens as local police ultimate significance in that city, was fought between Al Capone often looked the other way. In Chicago a gambler named Michael and the Genna brothers. Organized crime began to take on a na­ HcDonald built. a powerful criminal base in order to enter tional flavor, as gangs from around the country ordered members to , politics, organizing a new party he dubbed "Mike's Democrats." , I ----~- ~-- - 2 - - 3 - Irrunediately after the Civil ~'Jar, perhaps the most visi- Black Hand, eventually gaining the upper hand among Italians -- ble crime groups were in the West. The names "Younger," "James," Colosimo was succeeded by h1.' s nephe\'l John Torrio and then by and "Reno" call to mind the famous gangs, often of blood Torrio's confidant Al Capone. Irish gangs also thrived in Chicago, relatives, who systematically robbed banks and trains during that under George "Bugs " Moran, W1.' lliam 0' Donnell, and Frankie Lake, era. among others. Towards the end of the Nineteenth Century, some of the During these years, local police were alone in trying to large numbers of Southern Italians and Sicilians who irrunigrated to stop organized crime, a nd the task proved beyond their powers. the United States brought with them criminal brotherhoods already There was no federal government involvement. Not surprisingly, established in their homelands. Also active by this time were in 1907, some some C1., t'l.Z ens' groups emerged. In Chicago, other immigrants from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds -- civic-minded Italian-Americans founded the White Hand Society to organized crime has not been the exclusive activity of any racial f h Bl k Hand. In New York, the counter the growing influence 0 t e ac or ethnic group. By this time, too, New York, Chicago, Detroit, Society for the suppression of Crime was established. Cleveland, New Orleans, St. Louis, and Tampa had become the Unfortunately, organized crime \-las too much for these principal centers of organized criminal activities, which included citizens' groups. And with the ratification of the Eighteenth gambling, prostitution, and vote fixing. Amendment, organized crime began a significant expansion in power Organized crime ~I/as then a local enterprise. A gang and influence. worked a city, often just a neighborhood. There was no national During Proh 1.' b'1. t'loon, organ1.' zed crime groups vied for connection and thus no nationally dominant group. Strife between shares of a market attracting more and more bootleggers, and fre­ gangs was a conspicuous characteristic of organized crime. So was quently fought each other as they tried to expand beyond their bloodshed. It was during this period that Charles "Lucky" Luciano once limited turfs. The beer wars l.'n Chicago in the early Twenties began his career in crime as a member of a New York gang. Alphonse basically were fought to decide jurisdiction. In 1927, the Capone also got his start as a gangster in New York before moving so-called War of the Sicilian Succession erupted. This battle over to Chicago. control of Chicago's Unione Siciliana, a juri~~ictional battle of Chicago at this time seemed to have a special attraction ultimate significance l.n, that C1.'ty, was fought between Al Capone for organized crime. The city was the scene for gambling, prosti- and the Genna bro,thers. Organized crime b egan to take on a na- tution, extortion, and election fixing. Jim Colosimo, who ran one tional flavor, as gangs from around the country ordered members to of the biggest brothels in the city, battled with the Chicago , , I r" _0:; 7 lit' ,I - 5 - - 4 - No such inquiry took place, however, and no intelligent Chicago to help one or the other side in this organized crime war plan for the control of organized crime was developed. The FBI did -- a war that Capone's g roup even t ua 11 y won. what it could against the gangsters, arresting a fe\'l such as Nonetheless, ethnic animosities and gang rivalries Capone, who served time for income tax evasion, But the FBI lacked gradually abated during Prohibition as cooperation became " statutory authority to investigate most of the activities of the necessary in the effort to control larger and larger markets. A crime syndicates. During the Thirties and Forties, despite significant event in the history of organized crime occurred in laudable law enforcement efforts by some local and state 1928, when Johnny Torrio, Capone's mentor, was elected president authorities, organized crime prospered as the federal government of New York IS Unione Siciliana. Torrio, of course, \las not generally failed to make a response. Sicilian. His election signified the end of animosities between As the syndicates in the major cities consolidated pow­ Sicilians and southern Italians.