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We looked inside some of the posts by cnvtretro-blog and here's what we found interesting.
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The “We are the 99%” Tumblr blog became the slogan for the Occupy Wall Street movement.
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Albert Anastasia
Despite his ruthless and violent character Anastasia enjoyed close to 6 years in charge of the family. He was a close ally to the likes of Lucky Luciano and Frank Costello who helped Anastasia claim the position at the head of the family in 1951. This was mainly due to Costello wanting Anastasia as an ally against the violent and power-hungry Vito Genovese. Anastasia was also supported by Joseph Bonanno, who simply wanted to avoid a gang war.
In the 1952 Anastasia would also break Mafia code by ordering a hit on a member of the public. Arnold Schuster a clothes salesman had ratted out notorious Bank Robber Willie Sutton who had broken out of jail. Schuster was gunned down on the streets of New York.
By the late 50’s Genovese had teamed up with Carlo Gambino in an effort to try and overthrown the Anastasia family and the Costello/Luciano family. Costello was lucky when Gigante came after him in 1957. Albert however, wasn’t so lucky and he died in spectacular mob fashion when gunmen burst into a barber shop and took down the Lord High Executioner.
The spot at the top was now open, and Don Carlo was about to make a name for himself.
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Joseph Profaci
In 1921 Joe Profaci emigrated to the United States from Palermo, one of the late arrivals when we look at mob bosses around this era who came in 10-15 years before. He started off with some legitimate businesses in Chicago, from bakery stores to green grocers but none were successful enough. It was at this point in his life in 1925, where he would relocate to New York and gain the nickname would stick, “The Olive Oil King”, as he would start a successful Olive Oil Import business. By 1927 he was US citizen and he was already involved with the Sicilian gangs in New York.
On December 5, 1928, Profaci would become a mob boss in New York, a few months after mob boss Salvatore D’Aquila had been murdered during the start of the Castellammarese War. Given Profaci’s lack of experience in organized crime, it is unclear why the New York gangs gave him power in Brooklyn. Some speculated that Profaci received this position due to his family’s status in Sicily, where they may have belonged to the Villabate Mafia. Profaci may have also benefited from contacts made through his olive oil business.
By 1930, Profaci was controlling numbers, prostitution, loansharking, and narcotics trafficking in Brooklyn. At the end of the Castellammarese War Profaci was recognized as boss of what was now the Profaci crime family, with Magliocco as underboss and Salvatore Profaci as consigliere.
Profaci’s closest ally on the board was Joe Bonanno, who would cooperate with Profaci over the next 30 years.
By 1962, Profaci’s health was failing and Carlo Gambino and Tommy Lucchese tried to convince Profaci to resign to end the Colombo gang war between Profaci and the Gallo brothers. However, Profaci strongly suspected that the two bosses were secretly supporting the Gallo brothers and wanted to take control of his family. Profaci refused to step down and warned that any attempt to remove him would spark a wider gang war. Gambino and Lucchese did not pursue their efforts.
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Joe Bonanno
After the death of Maranzano, Joe Bonanno would step up to the front and rename the criminal empire. Bonanno was already part of the gang having illegally emigrated to the US in 1924, joining the fold when Schiro was running the show. Over the next 3 decades Joe Bonanno would prosper from great success as the boss of the family. While it was traditionally one of the smaller ones of the five New York families, it was more tight-knit than the others. With almost no internal dissension and little harassment from other gangs or the law, the Bonanno family were successful in the running of its loan sharking, bookmaking, numbers running, prostitution, and other illegal activities.
During the mid 1960’s the hold on the family he had started to slip, partly due to his involvement with Joe Magliocco in trying to organize a hit on Carlo Gambino and Tommy Lucchese. They confided in Joe Colombo but he told Gambino and Lucchese the plan. In October 1964, Bonanno disappeared and was not heard from again for two years, claiming he was kidnapped. Magliocco managed to get away with his life (possibly due to ill health) and just paid a $43,000 fine. By this time Gaspar DiGregorio had been given the job at the top in 1965.
What was now known as the Bonanno War would rage on through the 60’s, finally brought to a close with Joe Bonanno suffering a heart attack and announcing his permanent retirement in 1968 after years of trying to reclaim the family that the Commission had taken away from his control.
He also promised to never involve himself again in New York Mafia affairs. After considerable debate, the Commission accepted Bonanno’s offer, in view of his status as a Mafia elder statesman.
However, they stipulated that if Bonanno broke his promise, he would be killed on the spot.
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Frank Castello
After Lucky Luciano’s arrest, control over the family was handed to one of his old time friends, Frank Costello, who would then go on to lead the family for nearly 11 years.
With the help of his top capos, Anthony Strollo, Joe Adonis, Anthony Carfano and Michael Coppola, the crime family ran smoothly and undeterred. Costello’s rule was very profitable, with slot machines in New Orleans with Carlos Marcello, illegal gambling in Florida and Cuba with Meyer Lansky, and illegal race wires with Bugsy Siegel in Los Angeles. Costello also enjoyed more political influence than any other mobster in the country and he was also a popular boss within the crime family; he equitably shared the profits from family operations, and did not demand a large cut of his underlings’ criminal earnings.
By 1957 though, things were going to take a massive change when Frank got away with his life after a botched hit attempt that was orchestrated by Vito Genovese…
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Angelo Bruno
Angelo Bruno was the boss of the Philadelphia mob from 1959-1980. Known as the “Docile Don” for his ant-violence approach operating the family. He was a close associate of Gambino boss, Carlo Gambino. After Carlo’s death, several factions within the Philadelphia family began conspiring to betray the aging Bruno. On March 21, 1980, the 69-year-old Bruno was killed by a shotgun blast in the back of the head as he sat in his car in front of his home at the intersection of 10th Street and Snyder Avenue in South Philadelphia. It is believed that the killing was ordered by Antonio Caponigro (aka Tony Bananas), Bruno's consigliere. A few weeks later, Caponigro's body was found stuffed in a body bag in the trunk of a car in New York City. About $300 in bills were jammed in his mouth and anus (to be interpreted as signs of greed). The Commission had reportedly ordered Caponigro's murder because he assassinated Bruno without their sanction. Other Philadelphia family members involved in Bruno's murder were tortured and killed.
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NY subways in the 70s
Much of New York City's crime happened on the subway in the late '70s. The Lexington Avenue Express landed the nickname the "Mugger's Express." In the first two months of 1979, six murders occurred on the subway. Nine occurred that whole year. By September 1979, the police recorded over 250 felonies on the subway every week, the highest crime rate for any mass transit network in the world.
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Graffiti in New York
The city's budget problems affected the Transit Authority, too. The organization cut much of the subway's maintenance to save money, leading to a build-up of graffiti. Graffiti even covered Grand Central Station, shown here in 1973, the most popular subway stop in New York City.
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NY in the 70s (Blackout debt)
1,600 stores were looted, contributing to a $300 million tab for the city.
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New York in the 70s (Blackout)
The financial crisis coincided with the blackout of 1977, which led to looting and arson throughout the city. 1,000 fires were reported.
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New York in the 70s (Corruption)
Dysfunction in the NYPD didn't help the city's drug problems. This picture shows detective Frank Serpico (with beard) during his famous 1971 testimony about widespread corruption, as officers bought drugs, took bribes, and paid prostitutes while on duty.
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New York in the 70s (Heroin abuse)
By the mid-'70s, an estimated 200,000 people abused heroin in New York City. This photo from 1971 shows three vials of pure heroin. By the '80s, Bryant Park became known as "Needle Park," due to the used syringes strewn across the ground. Heroin abuse didn't decline until the '90s.
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New York in the 70′s (Adult Entertainment)
During the '70s, the New York City Planning Commission estimated the city had about 245 stores with "adult uses," like adult movie theaters, massage parlors, adult bookstores, or peepshows.
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NYPD
Fiscal problems forced the NYPD to lay off 50,000 employees in 1975. In the next five years, as cuts continued, the police force would shrink by 34%, while serious crime increased by 40%.
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New York in the 70′s (Pro Prostitution)
Authorities were of little help. In this picture, Sydney Biddle Barrows, the "Mayflower Madam," celebrates with champagne after pleading guilty to promoting prostitution in return for a $5,000 fine and no prison sentence.
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New York in the 70′s (Prostitution)
There were an estimated 40,000 prostitutes in New York City in the '70s, many with sad stories. This picture shows a hotel where a 15-year-old prostitute died in 1975.
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New York in the 70s (Pimp Squad)
In 1976, 2,383 arrests were made for prostitution citywide. Of these, 1,165 were girls between the ages of 15 and 20. Two members of NYPD's "Pimp Squad" arrest an alleged prostitute in Times Square.
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