The annals of organized crime are peppered with fascinating characters, each with a story more gripping than the last. Among these are three men whose names sound strikingly similar—Frank Scalice, John Scalise, and John T. Scalish. While their paths never crossed, their lives offer a compelling narrative of ambition, betrayal, and violence within the underworld. Let’s delve into the lives of these notorious figures.
Frank Scalice: The Sicilian Strategist
Born Francesco Scalisi on September 23, 1893, in Palermo, Sicily, Frank Scalice emigrated to the Bronx with his brothers in the 1910s. Known as “Don Ciccio” and, paradoxically, “Wacky,” Scalice’s journey from immigrant to mob boss is one of calculated moves and alliances.
Scalice rose through the ranks of Salvatore D’Aquila’s Brooklyn gang, becoming a capo. After D’Aquila’s 1928 assassination, Scalice aligned himself with Salvatore Maranzano during the Castellammarese War, a bloody conflict that reshaped New York’s Mafia. Following the murder of Manfredi Mineo, Scalice became the boss of a newly minted crime family. Yet, power is fleeting in the Mafia. After Maranzano’s 1931 assassination, Lucky Luciano forced Scalice to step down, installing Vincent Mangano as boss. Scalice, however, retained influence as consigliere and later underboss.
In the 1940s, Scalice expanded his empire, even assisting Bugsy Siegel in opening the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. But ambition led to betrayal. On June 17, 1957, Scalice was assassinated in a Bronx vegetable market, reportedly for selling family memberships. His death underscored the Mafia’s ruthless code: loyalty is paramount, and betrayal is fatal.
John Scalise: Capone’s Cold-Blooded Hitman
Giovanni Scalise, better known as John Scalise, was born in 1900 in Castelvetrano, Sicily. By the 1920s, he was a fearsome enforcer for Chicago’s Gennas and later Al Capone’s Outfit. Scalise’s name is synonymous with Prohibition-era violence in the Chicago gang wars.
Scalise, along with Albert Anselmi, became one of Capone’s most trusted hitmen, but trust in the Mafia is often a tenuous thing. Scalise and Anselmi’s most infamous act was their suspected involvement in the 1924 murder of Dean O’Banion, a move that escalated the war between Capone’s Outfit and the North Side Gang. Their violent methods drew attention from both the law and their enemies. In 1925, the pair’s shootout with police left two officers dead, though they managed to avoid execution through a series of legal maneuvers.
By 1929, rumors swirled that Scalise and Anselmi were plotting with rivals to overthrow Capone. Ever the showman, Capone orchestrated a lavish dinner for the pair. During the evening’s climax, Capone reportedly beat Scalise, Anselmi, and their co-conspirator Joseph Giunta to death with a baseball bat, solidifying his reputation as a merciless leader.
Scalise’s violent end was fitting for a man who thrived on chaos. His life and death highlight the volatile alliances that defined the Prohibition era and the bloody price of disloyalty.
John T. Scalish: The Gentleman Don
Born on September 18, 1912, John T. Scalish also known as “John Scalise,” ruled Cleveland’s crime family with an iron grip wrapped in a velvet glove. Unlike Scalice and Scalise, Scalish eschewed violence, favoring diplomacy and calculated business ventures. His reign from 1944 to 1976 brought stability and prosperity to the Cleveland Mafia.
Under Scalish, the Cleveland family expanded its influence in Las Vegas, partnering with Jewish mobsters like Moe Dalitz to develop casinos and other ventures. Scalish was also deeply entrenched in labor racketeering, controlling unions and political figures alike. Despite his success, Scalish’s reluctance to induct new members sowed the seeds of decline.
In 1957, Scalish attended the infamous Apalachin Meeting, where law enforcement’s crackdown exposed the Mafia’s nationwide network.
Scalish’s low-profile leadership style kept him out of the limelight for most of his career. However, Scalish’s conservative approach had its drawbacks. By the 1970s, the Cleveland family’s influence waned due to Scalish’s reluctance to induct new members. His death in 1976 triggered a violent power struggle that ultimately decimated the family he had spent decades nurturing.
A Shared Legacy of Crime
Though Scalice, Scalise, and Scalish operated in different cities and eras, their stories share common themes. All three ascended to power through ambition and cunning, yet their downfalls—whether by assassination, betrayal, or internal strife—underscore the perilous nature of life in organized crime.
Their legacies endure, immortalized in the lore of the Mafia. These men remind us that, in the underworld, names may change, but the game remains the same: ruthless, unforgiving, and, ultimately, deadly.
From the Desk of C.F. Marciano – Making Offers You Can’t Resist on Every Page.