This is a list of organized crime in the 1920s, arranged chronologically.
1920 Events Jan. 17 - With National Prohibition having gone into effect at midnight, an army of around 25,000 federal Prohibition agents prepares to enforce the new law and arrest bootleggers and the sellers of now outlawed alcoholic beverages."25,000 Hunt Bootleggers," The Washington Times, January 17, 1920. February 3 – Chicago labor racketeer Maurice "Mossy" Enright is killed with a shotgun blast from a drive-by shooter as he parks his car on the curb by his home."'Moss' Enright Slain in Labor War," Chicago Tribune, February 4, 1920. Rival labor racketeer Timothy D. "Big Tim" Murphy is suspected in his slaying, but is released for lack of evidence. Although suspected by authorities to have involved the Torrio-Capone organization, Chicago labor union racketeer James Vinci is eventually convicted of his murder. February 20 - labor racketeer John "Smiling Jack" O'Brien is hanged in the Cook County Jail for the killing of Chicago police officer Richard Burke the previous June."Let Prisoners See Hangings, Grand Jury Says," Chicago Tribune, February 21, 1920. March 31 - Several unknown gunmen shoot and kill White Hand Gang leader Dennis "Dinny" Meehan as he is taking an afternoon nap with his wife in their home in the Red Hook area of Brooklyn."Gunman Murdered Asleep with Wife," The New York Times, April 1, 1920."Gang Leader Shot to Death While He Slept Beside Wife," The [Daily] News, April 1, 1920. April 15 – The Slater and Morrill Shoe Company in Braintree, Massachusetts is robbed of $15,776 ($ million today) as a paymaster and guard are killed, supposedly by the Morelli Gang of Providence, Rhode Island."Bandits Kill Guard, Shoot Paymaster, Steal $16,000," The Boston Globe, April 16, 1920."Sacco-Vanzetti Motion Heard," Boston Evening Globe, September 13, 1926. However, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are, controversially, convicted of the robbery and executed in 1927. May 11 – Chicago business owner and racketeer James "Big Jim" Colosimo is shot and killed in the lobby of his restaurant by someone lying in wait for him,"Colosimo Slain; Seek Ex-Wife, Just Returned," Chicago Tribune, May 12, 1920. allegedly Al Capone. May 16 - Albert Anastasia and Giuseppe Florino fatally shoot longshoreman George Terrillo (Turino in some sources) in front of his home in Brooklyn. Terrillo dies the following day in the hospital."Found Shot Near Home, Man Dies in Hospital," The Standard Union, May 17, 1920."Two Found Guilty of Terrillo Murder," The Standard Union, May 11, 1921. June 17 - Patrick "Paddy the Bear" Ryan, leader of the Valley Gang, is killed by Walter "The Runt" Quinlan."Ryan Killed by Orders of His Own Gang," Chicago Tribune, June 18, 1920. July 30 - Chicago labor racketeers Timothy D. "Big Tim" Murphy, Vincenzo "Sunny Jim" Cosmano, and Michael "Dago Mike" Carozzo are released from the Cook County Jail, where they have been imprisoned for the last four months, charged with the February killing of Maurice "Mossy" Enright. With the disappearance of the government's star witnesses, however, the state is forced to let the men go."'Big Tim' and Aids Rejoice as Foes Plot," Chicago Tribune, July 31, 1920. August 20 – In a daring daylight robbery, Timothy D. "Big Tim" Murphy and his gang rob a mail train of $100,000."Hunt Five for $100,000 Mail Bag Robbery," Chicago Tribune, August 21, 1920. Murphy is indicted in February 1921,"'Mail Thief? Not Me!' Big Tim Jeers," Chicago Tribune, February 5, 1921. and convicted in November,"'Big Tim' Found Guilty, Pleased by 'Good Break'," Chicago Tribune, November 10, 1921. receiving a six-year prison sentence and a $30,000 fine."'Big Tim' Gets Six Year Jolt; Fined $30,000," Chicago Tribune, November 15, 1921. August 23 - In an apparent business deal gone wrong, Jewish bootleggers Hirschie Miller and Samuel "Nails" Morton shoot and kill Chicago police detectives James Mulcahy and William Hennessey following a brief struggle inside the Beaux Arts Club in Chicago's South Side."Link Politics and Whiskey to Cafe Slayings," Chicago Tribune, August 24, 1920. Miller claims to have not known the men were cops, but the following day, a grand jury indicts Miller and Morton for the murders."Gunman Slain; Burglar's Shot Kills Tailor," Chicago Tribune, September 1, 1920. However, both suspects are eventually released. September 28 - Detroit Mafia boss Giovanni "John" Vitale is shot and killed on Fourteenth Avenue early in the morning, the victim of a drive-by shooting. Gunmen in two vehicles hit Vitale a total of eighteen times."Feudist Chief Falls to Foes; Another Slain," The Detroit Free Press, September 29, 1920. December 26 – Edward "Monk" Eastman is shot and killed on Fourteenth Street in downtown Manhattan's Union Square following an argument with a corrupt Prohibition agent named Jerry Bohan sometime in the early morning hours. The two men had allegedly been arguing over profits from bootlegging."'Monk' Eastman, Gangster, Murdered; Found in Union Square, Shot Five Times; His Partner in Bootlegging Suspected," The New York Times, December 27, 1920."Seek Dry Agent as Missing Link in Eastman Case," New York Tribune, January 1, 1921. December 31 - In a tense daylight robbery, six members and associates of Cleveland's Mayfield Road Mob shoot and kill Wilfred Sly and George Fanner, the president and vice-president of the W. W. Sly Manufacturing Company, and make off with the $4,200 payroll they had been transporting back to the plant."Payroll Bandits Kill 2 Men," Akron Evening Times, December 31, 1920."Detroit Gang's Ways Clew to Robbers Who Kill 2 in Pay Holdup," Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 1, 1921. Over the following months and years, all the suspected robbers would be arrested, with only two being released. The others were tried, three of them being executed and two receiving lengthy prison sentences."Cleveland's Sly-Fanner Murders" by Allan May, Crime Magazine, https://www.crimemagazine.com/cleveland%E2%80%99s-sly-%E2%80%93-fanner-murders. Giuseppe Masseria assumes control of the New York City Morello Gang.
Births Matthew Joseph "Matty the Horse" Ianniello, loan shark and labor union racketeer for the Genovese crime family. April 13 – Roberto Calvi, Banco Ambrosiano chairman and mafia associate May 8 – Michele Sindona, Italian mason and mafia associate September 27 – Carlo Alberto dalla Chiesa, Italian carabinieri general, murdered in Palermo in 1982, for leading the effort to stop the violence of the Second Mafia War.
Deaths February 3 – Maurice Enright, Chicago labor racketeer February 20 - John "Smiling Jack" O'Brien, Chicago labor racketeer and cop killer March 31 - Dennis "Dinny" Meehan, leader of the White Hand Gang May 11 – James "Big Jim" Colosimo, Chicago prostitution and gambling racketeer June 17 - Patrick "Paddy the Bear" Ryan, Valley Gang leader."Ryan Killed by Orders of His Own Gang," Chicago Tribune, June 18, 1920. September 28 - Giovanni "John" Vitale, boss of the Detroit Mafia December 26 – Monk Eastman (Edward Osterman), Eastman Gang founder
1921
Events Upon his January 1921 election as Governor of Illinois, Lennington Small would begin issuing over 1,000 pardons to Chicago criminals during his seven years in office, until his own indictment for fraud. Sangerman's Bombers rise to prominence soon after the 1921 arrest"Confession of Bomber Tells of Two Gangs," Chicago Tribune, May 21, 1921. and imprisonment"Two Convicted as Leaders of 'Bombers' Trust'," Chicago Tribune, November 6, 1921. of James Sweeney, leader of Sweeney's Bombers, a Chicago gang leader and professional bomber. Former Black Hand bomber Andrew Kerr is arrested and charged with conspiracy to bomb several union offices. A major gang war breaks out in California between the Suey Sing, Bing Kong, Jung Ying and Suey Don tongs. Carlo Gambino, the future founder of the Gambino crime family, arrives in New York as a stowaway from Palermo, Sicily at the age of 19. March 8 - In separate incidents Paul Labriola and Harry Raimondi, aids of Alderman John Powers of Chicago's Nineteenth Ward, are shot and killed. The five assassins are said to include four gunmen imported from New York City."Assassin Band Kills 2; Ward Feud Blamed," Chicago Tribune, March 9, 1921. March 17 - Chong Yee Luck, a suspected member of San Francisco's Jun Ying Tong, is shot and killed in Locke, a community about thirty miles to the south of Sacramento. After the shooting, police arrest Joe Chew and Fong Gung, members of the Suey Dong Tong, in San Francisco."Chinese Slain at Locke Stirs Tong War Fear," San Francisco Chronicle, March 18, 1921. The following night, the Jun Ying Tong retaliates with the killing of Suey Dong member Tom Jew Yee in San Francisco."Chinese Killed on S. F. Street in New Tong War," San Francisco Examiner, March 19, 1921. March 20 - Peter "Sugarhouse Pete" DiGiovanni, brother of Kansas City Mafia boss Joseph "Joe Church" DiGiovanni, is arrested after policemen raid his grocery store and find two gallons of prohibited corn whiskey."Says Booze Ate His Trousers," The Kansas City Star, March 21, 1921. March 23 - During an attempt to arrest Thomas "Terrible Tommy" O'Connor, a member of a notorious Irish criminal gang in Chicago as well as a fugitive wanted for the murder of fellow gang member James "Jimmy" Cherin, O'Connor shoots and kills Chicago Police Detective Sgt. Patrick "Paddy" O'Neill. O'Connor then successfully escapes from his remaining pursuers by hijacking a vehicle and forcing its owner to drive him away from the area at gunpoint."Slayer Suspect Kills Detective O'Neill," Chicago Tribune, March 24, 1921. April 15 - Chicago Black Hand leader Sam "the Devil" Cardinelli and fellow mobsters Nicholas "The Choir Boy" Viana and Frank Campione are hanged for the murder of saloon owner Andrew P. Bowman."Bandit Killed, Three Hanged, in Crime War," Chicago Tribune, April 16, 1921. May 11 – Chicago mobster and president of the Unione Siciliane Anthony D'Andrea is shot down just outside his home around 2:00 a.m., only hours following a card game the previous night."Tony D'Andrea Shot; Dying," Chicago Tribune, May 11, 1921. Taken to the hospital, D'Andrea dies of his wounds on the afternoon of the 12th."Take Cousin of Labriola for D'Andrea Death," Chicago Tribune, May 13, 1921. He is succeeded by Mike Merlo. May 11 - Albert Anastasia and Giuseppe Florino are convicted of the 1920 murder of longshoreman George Terrillo in Brooklyn."Two Found Guilty of Terrillo Murder," The Standard Union, May 11, 1921. On May 25, Anastasia and Florino are sentenced to die in the electric chair at Sing Sing."'I'm Going Crazy,' Death-Doomed Tells Court," Daily News, May 26, 1921. (The two will be released from prison in April 1922, however, when New York Supreme Court Justice Mitchell May discharges them at the request of Brooklyn District Attorney John E. Ruston.)"Two Doomed to Die by Woman's Word Set Free," Daily News, April 11, 1922. May 20 – Labor racketeer Cornelius Shea is accused of leading a bombing campaign during a stationary engineer's strike, in 1920. Charges are never filed due to lack of evidence. May 31 - Four "safe blowers" - including future North Side Gang leaders Dean O'Bannion and Earl "Hymie" Weiss - are arrested right after blowing the lid off of the safe in the offices of a local typographical union."Single Handed, Sergeant Takes 4 Safeblowers," Chicago Tribune, June 1, 1921.