Fosco, Peter
Peter Fosco made his way from the Tunnel Workers Union in 1915 to the General President of the Laborers International Union of North America in the 1960s. Fosco used his connections in organized crime. to climb the ladder. He went from being a poor Italian immigrant to having dinner at the White House with the presidents of the United States.
FBI files list two birthplaces for Peter Fosco. The first listing has him being born in Poland in 1894 to Italian parents. The second has him being born in Dombrovia, Russia in 1892 to Italian parents. The tile reveals Peter Fosco entered the United States on April 14, 1913, and settled in Chicago where he married his wife Cannella and had two sons James and Angelo. With in a year and a half he gained employment as a business agent with the Laborers Union Local 2. represented the tunnel workers. At the time, the tunnel workers were digging the city's sewer system. While being employed he began to take an interest in Chicago politics, it was here that he would meet the people that would pave the path for his future.
Peter Fosco is the boss and has control of the Tunnel Workers and Hod Carriers Union alter Joe D'Andrea was killed. He is the boss of Paul "The Waiter" Ricca. His Union office is at 850 South Halsted Street. He is Ward Committeeman of the 20th Ward and is a County Commissioner of Cook County. He is the boss.
In 1946 Peter Fosco ran for re-election of the 20th Ward and lost. It was a clear-cut sign that leaders of the Chicago Crime Syndicate were not happy with the performance of Fosco and replaced him. FBI documents stated, "Peter Fosco, while holding an influential political job as Ward Committeeman, did not possess sufficient "Clout" to stay in the "Big Time." He apparently was not a "Money Maker" and was subsequently replaced." The FBI took notice of the Fosco's again when it was reported that the payoff man between the Italian politicians and Chicago hoodlums was Peter Fosco. and all the payments were being conducted through his business offices at 814 West Harrison Street. Next was information on Peter Fosco's brother. Al Fosco. Apparently, Al Fosco. the secretary in the Sewer and Tunnel Workers Union, and two bodyguards showed up at a construction project where S.A. Healy Construction Company was employing 700 men to dig a tunnel at 40th Street and Morgan in the Chicago Stock Yards. As the evening shift of 200 workers came off duty. Al Fosco asked them. how they stood with the Union. One of the workers shouted. "To hell with the union. all they can do is make us work ten cents below the union scale Al fired all 200 men on the spot and secured the dismissal of the superintendent. The workers complained that the union received ten cents per hour per man from their wages. in addition to 50 dollars for a work permit. two-dollars-a-month in dues, seven dollars for safety shoes and three dollars for a helmet. It was also reported that goons from the union had showed up several months prior and drove non-union men from the work sit with threats of violence.
Interview August of 1947, Paul DeLucia "Ricca,", Charles "Cherry Noise" Gioe, and D'Andrea were released from prison. Information surfaced revealing that during the 1946 elections, the Italian population on the West Side of Chicago was put in fear of their lives in order to vote for someone who could ultimately affect the release of DeLucia from prison. It was reported that Peter Fosco was that man. and that he took orders from DeLucia from the penitentiary. However. Fosco lost the election. and Paul DeLucia was paroled a year later. While the elections were revived. it was discovered that more that a quarter of a million dollars had been paid to affect the release of DeLucia.
The FBI launched a new investigation into the parole of DeLucia and one of the first people they went after was Peter Fosco. On October 10, 1947. Federal Agents interviewed Peter Fosco. In the interview. he stated that he knew DeLucia. Phil D'Andrea,. Charles "Cherry Nose" Gioe, and Anthony Campagna as hoodlums who got their start in the prohibition days. and became very powerful. He admitted he knew them well in the 1920s and had only known of their activities from "What he read in the newspapers.- He stated that he had nothing to do with their paroles. that he had given no assistance during the parole proceedings and was not aware of any of the steps taken for their release. He even admitted that he was surprised when he read in the newspapers that they were being released. He denied that the 20th ward was put in any kind of terror during the elections and that the county representatives from other districts who were suspicious of corruption closely supervised the elections. He stated that when he took leadership of the 20th ward, he told his ward leaders that violence was a thing of the past and they should try and win elections on the up and up. He then stated that Paul DeLucia has no political influence with him nor would he accept political orders from him. He added that he was aware that DeLucia had one well financially during his hoodlum days. but he had always considered him a waiter and a person of no political power. He also added he never visited DeLucia in prison under any aliases and didn't even know which institution he was at.
A year later during the testimony of the congressional committee investigating Paul DeLucia's parole Paul Ricca admitted that he had a longtime friend ship with Peter Fosco. He also added their wives were close friends and constant companions. However. DeLucia said he had no interested in politics and never had any dealings with Fosco. Both Peter Fosco and his right hand man, Ned Bakes, would be called before the committee to testify. Ned Bakes was a former deputy sheriff in Cook County who had been a lieutenant and precinct captain for Fosco. It was also reported that Bakes operated a handbook in the 20th ward for the crime syndicate. When Peter Fosco appeared before the congressional hearing, he admitted he was a close friend of Paul DeLucia and that they both had summer homes close to one another. DeLucia's summer home was at Long Beach, Indiana and Fosco's was located in Beverly Shores, Indiana. Once again, he denied he had anything to do with Paul Ricca's parole. Alter the hearings, it was discovered that an aide of Peter Fosco had been an emissary for a key exchange of the money used to free DcLucia.
Soon after. in 1948. the Chicago Crime Commission received information that Capone hoodlums Joe Foggi and Jake Guzik were controlling a handbook at 726 South Wabash Avenue. It was revealed that Peter Fosco and Joe Colucci were getting a "cut" of the business.
In 1950, Peter Fosco was subpoenaed to testify along with 24th Democratic Ward Committeeman Arthur X. Elrod. In a senate crime investigation committee headed by Senator Kefauver, Fosco denied he had any business dealings with Paul Ricca and Tony Accardo. Listed in government reports is a FBI informant giving information that a confidential source advised that Peter Fosco put up Fred Roti as his candidate for the State Senate from the Fifth Illinois District in April 1, 1950, Primary. This source stated that Roti operated handbooks and was tied up with gambling elements. The previous candidate was first offered $10,000 to withdraw by representatives of the syndicate and later $15.000. When this candidate refused to accept these sums his backers then withdrew their support and Roti was elected.
in 1951, Peter Fosco was called upon to sponsor John D'Arco. the mob's new Democratic candidate in the race for First Ward City Council seat. Reports came out that Peter Fosco wanted to step down as First Ward Democratic Committeeman and Frank Annunzio would take his place. At the time Cook County Democratic Committeeman, Joseph Gill said about Fosco that he is "begging to be relieved so he can fulfill his duties in the International Union."
The truth was that one of Fosco's henchmen was named as one of those who handled the money spent to obtain the paroles of Paul Ricca. Phil D'Andrea. Charles Gioe. and Louis Campagna. This caused Fosco's stock in Chicago to drop. and he was ordered out by mob bosses. Frank Annunzio was named as acting Democratic Ward Committeeman and was soon appointed State Director of Labor by then Governor Adlai Stevenson. John D'Arco was elected Democratic Alderman of the First Ward. The election was easy. since no one ran against him.
Fosco then became close to the D'Andrea family. The president of Local 2 was Joseph D'Andrea. brother to Anthony D'Andrea. a local Democratic powerhouse with connections to every organized crime figure of the times. Joey D'Andrea got his starts as a Black Hand goon under the control of James "Big Jim" Colosimo, the boss of Chicago's red light district. Through Colosimo, Joseph was placed in the Excavators' Union as a business agent. Joseph's power grew, as he became a force in Chicago labor. It was believed that Joey D'Andrea introduced labor racketeering and the system of exploiting Italian immigrant workers to the City of Chicago. In September of 1914. Joseph D'Andrea was walking down Halsted Street when a man approached him saying, "I believe I know you." As he extended his hand, D'Andrea, who said he had never seen the man before, extended his hand to shake the other man's hand. The man pulled out a sawed-off shotgun and blazed a shot into D'Andrea's left hip. He would later die from his wound.
Antonio D'Andrea was born in Italy in 1872. He studied law and graduated from the University of Palermo. Anthony who at one time became a Catholic priest with his two brothers Horsce and Louis D'Andrea. left the priest hood and became a different kind of criminal. he became a wealthy lawyer. In 1903. Anthony was released after serving 13 months in Joliet Prison for a counterfeit ring conviction. In 1916. he ran against Democratic Alderman John "The Mourner" Powers of the old 19th Ward for the seat. Antonio was defeated.
Both Joey and Anthony D'Andrea became Fosco's mentors and with in two years he was elected secretary-treasure of the local. On September 18, 1918, Peter Fosco became a United States citizen; his two sponsors were Anthony D'Andrea and Daniel Barone, a real estate dealer who lived at 1539 West Oak Street.
In 1918. the labor wars of Chicago were covering the streets red in blood. The constant control of the labor unions in Chicago was leaving bodies on every street corner. It was at this time Fosco became a student of a political powerhouse in Chicago named Giuseppi "Diamond Joe" Esposito.
Giuseppi Esposito or Joseph who nickname was named "Dimey" or "Don Peppino" was born on April 28, 1872, just out side of Naples, Italy in a town named Acerra. After leaving Italy in 1895 and a few jobs in New York City and Boston, Diamond Joe landed in Chicago were he would become a fixture of little Italy being called "Unofficial Mayor of Chicago."
According to a Chicago Crime Commission report dated November 9. 1956, Diamond Joe was the one who may have actually brought Al Capone and his family to Chicago. Johnny Torrio may have helped Capone come to Chicago. but it was through the efforts of Diamond Joe that Capone made his way to the Windy City. Esposito furnished Capone with sizable sums of money for him to live on upon arrival. While Diamond Joe was living in New York. he killed a man he claimed that was in self-defense. He learned that a man was waiting at his residence to kill him. With this information, he got the upper hand and shot the man before the assassin had a chance.
As Diamond Joe's power in politics grew. he became very close with Republican leader and United States Senator Charles S. Dineen. Esposito's clout was so powerful that at a big dinner held following the election of President Calvin Coolidge. Esposito reportedly sat at the head table. Diamond Joe's influence reached as far as New York through his close friend ship with New York boss Frank Costello. Esposito's power is best summed up in a case that a member of his group was convicted of murder and was scheduled to be hung. Esposito called a conference with the judge in the case gave him several thousand dollars. a new trial was granted, and all of a sudden none of the witnesses were available and Esposito's friend was set free.
According to the report, Dimond Joe controlled a house of prostitution on Wabash Avenue. He organized numerous protective associations from which he derived a large amount of money. During the time, he had two secretaries, one of whom was a young man just starting in politics named Roland Victor Libonati.
The other was his principal secretary Peter Fosco. With tons of money pouring in from prostitution and the selling of sugar to the Capone gang. Peter Fosco was undoubtedly helping himself to Esposito's bankroll. It was reported that Fosco would sign checks as high as $20,000.00 and send Libonati out to get the money after which he would tell Libonati not to mention anything about it to anyone. Libonati finally left Esposito's employment stating that someday Esposito would find out that some of his money was disappearing and would come in and shoot them between the eyes. It was stated that for the various checks payable to cash that Fosco was having Libonati cash, he would hand Libonati a few dollars for performing the service.
Diamond Joe's headquarters was located at Esposito's Bella Napoli Restaurant] at 850 South Halsted Street in the patch. It was at this restaurant that he would become good friends with one of the waiters and Esposito's bodyguard named Paul DeLucia, aka Paul "The Waiter" Ricca. Other close friends included Al Capone. Johnny Torrio, William Parillo, the Genna Brothers, and Tony Lombardo. Because Esposito was so close to Lombardo. Lombardo took one of Diamond Joe's brothers-in-law Phil "Crazy Phil" Leonetti as one of his underlings. Leonetti would later use Diamond Joe's name to shake down Chicago businessmen and keep the money for himself. Leonetti was shot to death on South Loomis Street.
Diamond Joe Esposito was 41-years-old when he married 16-year old Carmela Marchese. They had two sons Joseph Jr. and Charles, and one daughter Jeanette. Joseph Jr. used an alias of Joe Estey, held various political jobs in Chicago, and in 1955, he was employed as a lock-box examiner for the State Treasurer's office. In 1956, Joseph Jr. was found guilty of pocketing $5,500 from a deposit box. In 1965, Charles Esposito was reported as living in Ohio, and Joseph Jr. was living in San Diego. Joseph Jr. resurfaced in FBI reports when he was listed as Sam "Momo" Giancana's contact man in Mexico. He reportedly made connections for Giancana in Mexico and corrupted Mexican officials. On a few occasions. lie was spotted in the company of Chicago mob boss Frank LaPorte.
Diamond Joe Esposito's time came to an end in March 21, 1928, when he was shot to death as he walked in between his two bodyguards. His services were held at Holy Family Church where 8,000 men, women, and children turned out in a blizzard of rain and sleet. Diamond Joe was laid in a silver and bronze casket costing several thousand dollars. A 300-car procession made its way to Mount Carmel Cemetery where he was placed in a vault.
It was at this time in 1918 that Fosco threw his hat into the shark bowl known as Chicago politics and ran as a Republican candidate for the Illinois State Legislature. August Lueders who was president of the Board of Election Commissioners in 1920. disbarred Peter Fosco from having his name printed on the ballot because he was a follower of "Diamond Joe" Esposito. When it was announced, an angry crowd of Fosco followers mobbed Lueders at City Hall threatening him with violence. August had to flee to his office and barricade his door as the angry mob tried to break it down. It was the second time that day police had to clear city all of Fosco supporters. Earlier in the day, a hearing was being conducted on Fosco's petition. Edward J. Smejkal, who had defeated Peter Fosco for the Republican nomination. claimed 93 of the 200 signatures on Fosco's petition were illegal.
After his failed run for a political seat, his union boss Joey D'Andrea was killed in a fight over construction contracts. As he left union hall, he was shot with poisoned bullets from a saw-off shotgun. Anthony D'Andrea took over as president of Local 2 and a delegate of the Chicago Building Trades Council. Anthony also became president of the Macaroni Manufacturers' Association and eventually the powerful Unione Siciliana. D'Andrea held the Tunnel Miners post for a short time until Peter Fosco was given the position. Once again. in 1921 Anthony D'Andrea ran to overthrow John Powers for his 19th Ward seat. Dirty play in the election consisted of a bomb blowing up Powers' front porch. D'Andrea was arrested at the Italian-American Educational Club on Taylor Street. He was charged with gambling, carrying a concealed weapon, and exploding a bomb in a D'Andrea political meeting. Three hundred people were crowded into D'Andrea headquarters when the bomb exploded. Wounded in the explosion were some of D'Andrea's precinct captains. Those injured were John Louis Battaglia and Victor "Little Man" Torteriello: both nearly had their legs torn off. Benjamin Golderman, Leonard Wiseman, Peter Granata, and Peter Fosco had burns and lacerations.
D'Andrea once again lost the election to Powers. but it didn't matter. D'Andrea was shot five times as he entered his house. He died of his wounds shortly after. His funeral was held at Our Lady of Pompeii Church in little Italy with 6.000 on lookers in attendance. D'Andrea was to be laid to rest at Mount Olive cemetery, but because he had not lived his life as a Catholic, he could not be buried in a Catholic cemetery. The only cemetery that would take him was Mount Greenwood. Among the pallbearers, carrying D'Andrea's $3,000 bronze casket was Joseph "Diamond Joe" Esposito, Peter Fosco, Dr. Gaetano Ronga, Dr. Eugene Chesrow, Constantino Vitello, and Illinois State Representative Charles Coia.
Fosco's power grew in politics through the 1920s and 1930s. He was aligned with labor heavyweight Mike "Dago Mike" Carrozzo, president of the Street Labors Union, and number one labor cronies for Johnny Torrio, Al Capone, Vito Miroballi, and Ciro Balzano. Another close friend Fosco aligned himself with was labor racketeer Sam Nanini. Nanini controlled and owned Rock Road Construction Company. Rock Road Construction was handed many of the construction contracts throughout Chicago from the crooked hands of Mike Carrozzo. Both Carrozzo and Fosco received a cut of the profit from all the projects.
Among some of the enterprises' Peter Fosco was involved in dates back to the 1920s when he was involvement in the booze wars during prohibition. Fosco established himself in a whiskey operation for the Capone syndicate, which netted him over $100,000. Not only was he a partner in a distilling operation, but he also used his connections to have whiskey imported to Chicago from other countries.
Sonic reports state that when "Diamond Joe" Esposito was killed in 1928. Peter Fosco took over were Esposito left off in the Hod Carriers Union.
In 1936, Fosco was named Regional manager of the Chicago Regional Office of the Laborers International Union. Now with great political clout it was time to give politics another shot. This time he would jump political sides and join the Democrats. In 1938, Peter Fosco was elected Democratic Committeeman of the mob controlled First Ward, known as the 20th ward at that time, and was elected to the Cook County Board as Commissioner.
After his election, he made the news as it was reported that his union had made between $60,000 to $80,000 in union initiation fees and dues from the digging of the new Chicago subways. Shortly after, one of his business agents in the Tunnel Union was the victim of a shooting. Business agent Jerry Sasso, his half-brother Frank Delondi, and a former tavern owner Gabriel Garry were the victims of a hit. Though Sasso escaped without being shot, both Delondi and Garry were hit by flying bullets. No one was killed and they both recovered from their injuries. Peter Fosco denied the shooting had anything to do with union affairs. It was noted that Gabriel Garry had been arrested for a murder in 1936 but had been exonerated.
One of the most important things Peter Fosco did while he was both First Ward Committeeman and Cook County Commissioner, was take many Chicago labor locals and make them into one powerful local. In August of 1940. Fosco's partner in crime Mike Carrozzo died, and Frank "Frankie X" Esposito was given his post. Along with Peter Fosco, Chicago labor powers Sam Kart, nephew of the late Tony D'Andera' Anthony C. D'Andrea, Murray "The Camel" Humphreys, and Frank Esposito gathered and combined all the Street Workers unions into one local, which carried the number of Local 1001.
In June 1940, an article from the L'Italia newspaper reported that a ceremony was being held awarding honors to a Doctor Eugene Chesrow and others for collecting funds for the Italian Red Cross. Eugene Chesrow, a one-time colonel in the United States Army Medical Reserves who had been discharged from his commission as a result of his activities with the Italian Army in Ethiopia. His commission, however, was restored 1937.
Eugene Chesrow was better known for being a physician for the old Capone gang during prohibition. As a reward for his services, he was given a belt buckle studded with 23 diamonds from Al Capone himself. It was reported, that the collections were being carried out in a secret way. Only wealthy families and sympathizers for the Italian cause were being approached. The collections were being collected mostly in cash and not all of the money collected was making its way to the Red Cross. One of the main collectors was Peter Fosco. In 1941, the Federal Government was investigating contributions to Italian organizations and all the suspects in the Sixth Corps Area who were considered favorable to Axis Powers. Among the names investigated was Peter Fosco who was labeled a Chicago. Illinois, fascist. Further interviews revealed that threats of violence were being used on occasion to get people to contribute. When Peter Fosco was interviewed. he stated that he did not know of any threats, and that he was one of the biggest contributors to the Ex-Combattenti, the Federation of Italian War Veterans in American nationwide campaign named "Opere Assistenziale." No charges were filed against Peter Fosco.
In 1942, The War Department launched an investigation captioned "Mafia Society's Activities in Labor" which reported that in Chicago the liaison between the "Society" and Labor was Peter Fosco, County Commissioner, and Anthony C. D'Andrea.
At the beginning of 1943 a protest against the officers of Local 1009 of the Hod Carriers International Union representative of the Track Layers, Construction Workers, and Repairmen's Union was filed complaining that Peter Fosco was holding union membership meetings in a room that could only fit 12 people. That led to the ousting of its president. Sam Luzzo, who had not held an election of its officers since 1931.
Shortly after, the FBI was involved in an anti-racketeering and mail fraud investigation on Paul DeLucia, aka "Paul Ricca" in which DeLucia. Charles "Cherry Noise" Gioe, Louis "Little New York" Campagna, and Phil D'Andrea, Anthony D'Andera's brother were convicted of attempting to extort $1 million from Hollywood movie studios.
