The Chicago Outfit

Images of America: Illinois

by John J. Binder

No business, legitimate or otherwise, has had a more raucous influence on the history of a city than that of the Outfit in Chicago. From the roots of organized crime in the late 19th century to the present day, The Chicago Outfit examines the evolution of the city's underworld, focusing on their business activities and leadership along with the violence and political protection they employed to become the most successful of the Cosa Nostra crime families. Through a vivid and visually stunning collection of images, many of which are published here for the first time, author John Binder tells the story of the people and places of the world of organized crime from a fresh and informed point of view.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Crime, True Crime, Historical

128 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2003

Reviews

[Pat Camalliere · Rating 5 out of 5]

Acadia Press books are all about photos and captions, with very little text content. Because of my interest in the Chicago mob, the photos included as well as the concise written material were very on point and helpful to me. Therefore, for personal usefulness, I would rate this book 5 stars. However, if reviewing it as a writer or disinterested reader, it would be closer to 3 stars. The subject matter was limited and presented in an almost textbook manner. But this is one of the most knowledgeable researchers about Chicago’s Outfit, and should be a go-to resource. I’m planning to buy the book for my personal library.

[Brad · Rating 2 out of 5]

A "who's who" lineage of Chicago's organized crime scene. The information is a little tough to piece together because there are short chapters of text followed by several pages of photos with extensive captions. Most of the pictures are mugshots that do little other than give a face to a name, even if that name isn't all that important. If a potential reader is looking for stories of the Chicago Outfit, this is not the book.


From 1890s until his murder in 1920, "Big Jim" Colosimo built an empire around vice, gambling and labor rackaterring.

John Torrio took over and involved liquor. Each gang had an area where it had the sole right to sell alcohol. Torrio would later teach Capone how to conduct business, including the importance of diplomacy. (18)

Torrio and Capone's headquarters were on Cicero's 22nd St, the Lexington Hotel. (21, 42)

Capone, born in 1899 in Brooklyn, was a street tough who caught the attention of Frankie Yale, boss of the Italian gangland in Brooklyn. Wanted by the law, Capone (along with his wife and son) was sent to join Colosimo in Chicago where he rose through the ranks. This was after Torrio left Chicago after being shot in 1925, succeeded by Capone at age 26. (27, 41)

George "Bugs" Moran was leader of the North Side. After the St. Valentine's Massacre of six Moran men (plus an optomotrist) in Feb 1929, Capone took over the North Side in 1931. Capone then moved to the North Side. (28)

It was Torrio who taught Capone compromise over violence as the first choice, though violence made Capone "undisputed top of all of Chicago gangland activity at the age of 32." (41)

"Just as the gang wars were being won, Capone was convicted of income tax evasion in October of 1931." (41) Capone did time in Atlanta, then Alcatraz (1934), but syphilis incapacitated him, so he was paroled in 1939. He joined his family on Miami's Palm Island until his death in 1947.

Frank Nitti took over for Al Capone, who in a few moves "consolidated the various people and activities into one gang with total control of organized crime in Chicago and the surrounding areas." (56) Nitti committed suicide in 1943 when indictments came down. (65)

Next came Paul "The Waiter" Ricca and Tony Accardo. (65) Ricca was at the top until his death in 1972. (75) "Accardo served as boss or chairman of the board of the Chicago Outfit from 1944 unti his death in 1992. He had the longest and most successful career of any US mobster." (76)

"The Outfit's biggest moves in the 1950s concerned casino gambling outside of Chicago...Although somewhat slow to jump initially, they later went into Las Vegas o a big way and helped build the Vegas Strip." (77)

The 60's saw numerous arrests. The 70's and 80's saw legal amusements encroaching on illegal activities.

"With respect to narcotics, it has been claimed that the Outfit had a long standing policy under Ricca and Accardo that its members were not to traffic in drugs. According to this theory, most of the Outfit's guys stayed away from the narcotics business and those who defied the edict paid with their lives." (111)

Shortcomings: "Colosimo's inability to pursue bootlegging. Capone's flamboyant behavior, and even more so Giancana's quickly come to mind." (119)

"The greatest single factor in the decay of the Cosa Nostra has been the federal government...Second, some of their markets have been greatly eroded by the actions of the government. Leaving aside Prohibition, state lotteries and legalized casino gambling also directly or indirectly compete with mob run gambling. Third, times (and pubic attitudes have changed. Just as the public in most cities no longer tolerates old style machine politics, it is also less tolerant of traditional organized crime" (120)

[Vince C · Rating 5 out of 5]

The photos in this book include some very graphic crime scenes, (a couple I have never seen before) mugshots, and group poses. With some of the identifying photos, It’s like going through an old family album with a relative actually taking the time to write on the back of em the names of those long gone, but thanks to historical books like these… not forgotten.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Timeline of who's who in the Chicago Outfit, as it was called back in the day. Very little text, but all the key people in the mob, major events, and transitions of leadership are here. Also briefly mentioned are some crime bosses/families from other cities such as New York, Miami, Detroit. But this is about Chicago. And the pictures are fascinating. Mug shots, crime scenes, group shots, even family cookouts. Dapper dressers. Charming smiles. Family men. Sociopaths.
Good, quick read.

[Ted Gault · Rating 3 out of 5]

The photographs in this book are fantastic and give the reader a chance to see the faces, postures, and blood-spattered final resting places of some of America's most notorious gangsters. That said, the actual history of "The Outfit" from the turn of the century to the 1980's leaves much to be desired as the history is vastly oversimplified and at times casually mentions important gangland events without giving any background on them.

I would check this book out for the photos alone, and then do your own research on the fascinating characters that they portray.

[Chriss · Rating 5 out of 5]

The photos alone make this a worthwhile book! Originally I thought this would cover the typical Prohibition Era gangsters, which is certainly does but was pleasantly surprised to find that the author also included those affiliated up until the 1980's. It's obvious that a topic like this has had plenty of books written about it and will continue to do so but I was glad to see a different focus such as this with more of the photographic moments of the times.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has great pictures and is informative.

[Royce Ratterman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for personal research - found this book's contents helpful and inspiring.
A good book for the researcher and enthusiast.

[Walt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of pictures