Anthony D'Andrea
Encyclopedia
Anthony D'Andrea was the Mafia
boss of Chicago
in the late 1910s to early 1920s. He was also a political leader who was a president of the Unione Siciliana and was involved in a heated battle for alderman. He was killed by an assassin's bullet in 1921.
, Sicily
, in 1872 to a large family, he studied law at the University of Palermo
in Palermo, Sicily. In 1897, D'Andrea immigrated to the United States
, briefly settling in Buffalo, New York
. He later attended seminary at St. Mary's Academy in Baltimore
and St. Bonaventura's Academy in Allegheny
, Pennsylvania
. In June, 1899, D'Andrea moved to Chicago, where he was ordained a priest and appointed pastor
of St. Anthony
's Italian (Independent) Catholic Church under Bishop Anton Kozlowski. His brother Orazio (Horace) also became a priest.
In Chicago, D'Andrea met a young German
woman, Lena Wagner. D'Andrea fell in love with Lena, left the priesthood, and married her in Milwaukee. However, after their marriage, Lena suddenly disappeared. D'Andrea suspected that the people who sheltered Lena after her parents' deaths were holding her. With help from the police, D'Andrea and Lena were reunited. Now that he was no longer a priest, D'Andrea decided to become a teacher of modern languages. Interestingly, his brother Louis also left the priesthood and married.
. At some point, D'Andrea became involved with the Mafia, either in Sicily
or the United States. While it is not known if there have been members of the clergy
who were also Mafiosi in America, it has been known to occur in Sicily. In 1902, soon after his marriage, D'Andrea was arrested as the leader of a counterfeiting gang. After his arrest, D'Andrea initially blamed Lena for the crime. While awaiting trial, some authorities forgot that D'Andrea was in custody in Chicago and thought he had been murdered in New York City in the 1903 barrel murders. D'Andrea was convicted in Chicago and sent to Joliet State Prison. His family and supporters started a letter-writing campaign to the federal government for his release. After 13 months in prison, D'Andrea was released. D'Andrea continued to work as a translator while also increasing his power within the Mafia.
, at 20 East 31st Street in Chicago. That same year Joseph D'Andrea (no relation to Anthony) was elected president of Local 286 of the International Hod
Carriers' Building and Construction Union. Joseph appointed Anthony as the local treasurer and business agent. Joseph, a friend and associate of South Side Gang boss James Colosimo
, allegedly introduced labor racketeering into his union. On September 16, 1914, a man walked up to Joseph and said, "I know you." As Joseph reached out to shake the stranger's hand, the man shot Joseph in the leg (other reports say the stomach) with a double-barreled shotgun
. Joseph died shortly thereafter and Anthony became the new local president.
It was also around this time that he became the Mafia boss of Chicago, following the murder of the previous leader. At one point, several young men committed certain crimes without D'Andrea's permission, and he ordered their deaths. One of them, identified only as Paolinello, sought refuge in Pittsburgh with Mafia boss Nicola Gentile
. Gentile persuaded D'Andrea to allow Paolinello to join the Pittsburgh crime family. Gentile would later describe D'Andrea as a terrible and fearful man.
In 1916, D'Andrea ran for the office of alderman
in the so-called "Bloody Nineteenth" ward of Chicago. The Nineteenth ward, home to many Italian immigrants, suffered from a very high homicide
rate, due to a large number of "honor killings" and Black Hand
murders. D'Andrea's opponent was a man called James Bowler. Before election day, D'Andrea dropped out of the race because the Chicago Tribune
and other local newspapers had exposed his criminal past.
In 1919, D'Andrea became president of the Chicago head chapter of the Unione Siciliana, a charitable organization dedicated to helping poor Sicilian immigrants. However, D'Andrea used the Union as another means to increase his political base. D'Andrea then decided to run again for alderman. His opponent, John Powers, was an Irish
saloon
-keeper who had been alderman since 1896. He was popular with the Italian community, and this led to the so-called Aldermen's Wars
. Murders and bombings became political weapons. The violence reached such a point that D'Andrea condemned it and dropped out of the race. On May 11, 1921. D'Andrea was shot and killed while entering his apartment.
Mike Merlo, who was vacationing in Italy
when he heard the news, immediately ordered the assassin's murder. After his return to Chicago, Merlo became the Mafia boss and Unione Siciliana president. D'Andrea's nephew Philip D'Andrea later became a member of (the Chicago Outfit
) under boss Al Capone
.
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
boss of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in the late 1910s to early 1920s. He was also a political leader who was a president of the Unione Siciliana and was involved in a heated battle for alderman. He was killed by an assassin's bullet in 1921.
Early life
Born Antonio D'Andrea in ValledolmoValledolmo
Valledolmo is a comune in the Province of Palermo in the Italian region Sicily, located about 60 km southeast of Palermo...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, in 1872 to a large family, he studied law at the University of Palermo
University of Palermo
The University of Palermo is a university located in Palermo, Italy, and founded in 1806. It is organized in 12 Faculties.-History:The University of Palermo was officially founded in 1806, although its earliest roots date back to 1498 when medicine and law were taught there...
in Palermo, Sicily. In 1897, D'Andrea immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, briefly settling in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. He later attended seminary at St. Mary's Academy in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and St. Bonaventura's Academy in Allegheny
Allegheny
- Geologic and geographic features :* Allegheny River, in Pennsylvania and New York* Allegheny Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountain Range in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. In June, 1899, D'Andrea moved to Chicago, where he was ordained a priest and appointed pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of St. Anthony
Anthony of Padua
Anthony of Padua or Anthony of Lisbon, O.F.M., was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. Though he died in Padua, Italy, he was born to a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal, which is where he was raised...
's Italian (Independent) Catholic Church under Bishop Anton Kozlowski. His brother Orazio (Horace) also became a priest.
In Chicago, D'Andrea met a young German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
woman, Lena Wagner. D'Andrea fell in love with Lena, left the priesthood, and married her in Milwaukee. However, after their marriage, Lena suddenly disappeared. D'Andrea suspected that the people who sheltered Lena after her parents' deaths were holding her. With help from the police, D'Andrea and Lena were reunited. Now that he was no longer a priest, D'Andrea decided to become a teacher of modern languages. Interestingly, his brother Louis also left the priesthood and married.
The middle years
D'Andrea, because of his education, assisted other Italian immigrants with legal issues and worked as a professional translatorTranslation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
. At some point, D'Andrea became involved with the Mafia, either in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
or the United States. While it is not known if there have been members of the clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
who were also Mafiosi in America, it has been known to occur in Sicily. In 1902, soon after his marriage, D'Andrea was arrested as the leader of a counterfeiting gang. After his arrest, D'Andrea initially blamed Lena for the crime. While awaiting trial, some authorities forgot that D'Andrea was in custody in Chicago and thought he had been murdered in New York City in the 1903 barrel murders. D'Andrea was convicted in Chicago and sent to Joliet State Prison. His family and supporters started a letter-writing campaign to the federal government for his release. After 13 months in prison, D'Andrea was released. D'Andrea continued to work as a translator while also increasing his power within the Mafia.
Later years
In 1911. D'Andrea co-owned a company with Martin Merlo, a brother of close associate Mike MerloMike Merlo
Mike Merlo was a Chicago political figure associated in his later years with the Johnny Torrio-Al Capone organization. As head of the Unione Siciliana fraternal group, Merlo wielded considerable influence both in Chicago's Democratic Party politics and also within Chicago's criminal underworld...
, at 20 East 31st Street in Chicago. That same year Joseph D'Andrea (no relation to Anthony) was elected president of Local 286 of the International Hod
Brick hod
A brick hod is a three-sided box for carrying bricks or other construction materials, often mortar. It bears a long handle and is carried over the shoulder...
Carriers' Building and Construction Union. Joseph appointed Anthony as the local treasurer and business agent. Joseph, a friend and associate of South Side Gang boss James Colosimo
James Colosimo
Giacomo Colosimo , better known as Big Jim Colosimo, was an Italian-American Mafia crime boss who built a criminal empire in Chicago based on prostitution, gambling, and racketeering. Immigrating from Italy in 1895, he gained power through petty crime and the heading of a chain of brothels...
, allegedly introduced labor racketeering into his union. On September 16, 1914, a man walked up to Joseph and said, "I know you." As Joseph reached out to shake the stranger's hand, the man shot Joseph in the leg (other reports say the stomach) with a double-barreled shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
. Joseph died shortly thereafter and Anthony became the new local president.
It was also around this time that he became the Mafia boss of Chicago, following the murder of the previous leader. At one point, several young men committed certain crimes without D'Andrea's permission, and he ordered their deaths. One of them, identified only as Paolinello, sought refuge in Pittsburgh with Mafia boss Nicola Gentile
Nicola Gentile
Nicola Gentile , also known as Nick Gentile, was a Sicilian mafioso and an organized crime figure in New York City during the 1920s and 1930s. He was also known for publishing his memoirs which, violating the mafiosi code known as omerta, revealed many details of the Sicilian and American underworld...
. Gentile persuaded D'Andrea to allow Paolinello to join the Pittsburgh crime family. Gentile would later describe D'Andrea as a terrible and fearful man.
In 1916, D'Andrea ran for the office of alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in the so-called "Bloody Nineteenth" ward of Chicago. The Nineteenth ward, home to many Italian immigrants, suffered from a very high homicide
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
rate, due to a large number of "honor killings" and Black Hand
Black Hand
Unification or Death , unofficially known as the Black Hand , was a secret military society formed by members of the Serbian army in the Kingdom of Serbia, which was founded on September 6, 1901. It was intent on uniting all of the territories containing significant Serb populations annexed by...
murders. D'Andrea's opponent was a man called James Bowler. Before election day, D'Andrea dropped out of the race because the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
and other local newspapers had exposed his criminal past.
In 1919, D'Andrea became president of the Chicago head chapter of the Unione Siciliana, a charitable organization dedicated to helping poor Sicilian immigrants. However, D'Andrea used the Union as another means to increase his political base. D'Andrea then decided to run again for alderman. His opponent, John Powers, was an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
saloon
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
-keeper who had been alderman since 1896. He was popular with the Italian community, and this led to the so-called Aldermen's Wars
Aldermen's Wars
The Alderman's Wars is a term used to describe the series of murders and violent rioting between warring Alderman Johnny "de Pow" Powers and Anthony D'Andrea from 1916 until 1921...
. Murders and bombings became political weapons. The violence reached such a point that D'Andrea condemned it and dropped out of the race. On May 11, 1921. D'Andrea was shot and killed while entering his apartment.
Mike Merlo, who was vacationing in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
when he heard the news, immediately ordered the assassin's murder. After his return to Chicago, Merlo became the Mafia boss and Unione Siciliana president. D'Andrea's nephew Philip D'Andrea later became a member of (the Chicago Outfit
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Chicago Syndicate or Chicago Mob and sometimes shortened to simply the Outfit, is a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois, USA...
) under boss Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
.